Surah 30. Ar-Rum

Alif-Lãm-Mĩm.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Alif Lam Mim. ³⁵⁰⁴

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

See n. 25 to ii. 1 and Introduction to this Sura.

The Romans have been defeated

  - Mustafa Khattab

The Roman Empire has been defeated ³⁵⁰⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The remarkable defeats of the Roman Empire under Heraclius and the straits to which it was reduced are reviewed in Appendix No. 6 (to follow this Sura). It was not merely isolated defeats; the Roman Empire lost most of its Asiatic territory and was hemmed in on all sides at its capital, Constantinople. The defeat, "in a land close by" must refer to Syria and Palestine, Jerusalem was lost in 614-15 A.D., shortly before this Sura was revealed.

in a nearby land.¹ Yet following their defeat, they will triumph

  - Mustafa Khattab

 This can also mean “in the lowest part of the earth.” The Dead Sea area where this battle reportedly took place is the lowest point on earth, at 400 meters (1 300 feet) below sea level. NASA: www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_708.html

In a land close by; but they (even) after (this) defeat of theirs will soon be victorious ³⁵⁰⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Pagan Quraish of Makkah rejoiced at the overthrow of Rome by Persia. They were pro-Persian, and in their heart of hearts they hoped that the nascent movement of Islam, which at that time was, from a worldly point of view, very weak and helpless, would also collapse under their persecution. But they misread the true Signs of the times. They are told here that they would soon be disillusioned in both their calculations, and it actually so happened at the battle of Issus in 622 (the year of Hijrat) and in 624, when Heradius carried his campaign into the heart of Persia (see Appendix No: 6) and the Makkan Quraish were beaten off at Badr.

within three to nine years.¹ The 'whole' matter rests with Allah before and after 'victory'. And on that day the believers will rejoice

  - Mustafa Khattab

 This Meccan sûrah takes its name from the reference to the Romans in verse 2. The world’s superpowers in the early 7th century were the Roman Byzantine and Persian Empires. When they went to war in 614 C.E., the Romans suffered a devastating defeat. The Meccan pagans rejoiced at the defeat of the Roman Christians at the hands of the Persian pagans. Soon verses 30:1-5 were revealed, stating that the Romans would be victorious in three to nine years. Eight years later, the Romans won a decisive battle against the Persians, reportedly on the same day the Muslims vanquished the Meccan army at the Battle of Badr.

Within a few years. With Allah is the Decision in the Past and in the Future: on that Day shall the Believers rejoice ^{3507 3508}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Bidh'un in the text means a short period-a period of from three to nine years. The period between the loss of Jerusalem (614-15) by the Romans and their victory at Issus (622) was seven years, and that to the penetration of Persia by Heraclius was nine years. See last note.

See n. 3506 and Appendix No: 6. The battle of Badr (2 A.H. = 624 A.D.) was a real time of rejoicing for the Believers and a time of disillusionment for the arrogant Quraish, who thought that they could crush the whole movement of Islam in Madinah as they had tried to do in Makkah. but they were signally repulsed. See n. 352 to iii. 13.

at the victory willed by Allah. He gives victory to whoever He wills. For He is the Almighty, Most Merciful.

  - Mustafa Khattab

With the help of Allah. He helps whom He will and He is Exalted in Might Most Merciful. ³⁵⁰⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"Whom He will." As explained elsewhere, Allah's Will or Plan is not arbitrary: it is full of the highest wisdom. His Plan is formed in mercy, so as to safeguard the interests of all his creatures, against the selfish aggrandizement of any section of them. And He is able to carry out His Plan in full, and there is no power that can stop or delay His Plan.

'This is' the promise of Allah. 'And' Allah never fails in His promise. But most people do not know.

  - Mustafa Khattab

(It is) the promise of Allah. Never does Allah depart from His promise: but most men understand not. ³⁵¹⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The promise refers to the Decision of all things by the Command of Allah, Who will remove all troubles and difficulties from the path of His righteous Believers, and help them to rejoice over the success of their righteous Cause. This refers to all times and all situations. The righteous should not despair in their darkest moments, for Allah's help will come. Ordinarily men are puffed up if they score a seeming temporary success against the righteous, and do not realize that Allah's Will can never be thwarted.

They 'only' know the worldly affairs of this life, but are 'totally' oblivious to the Hereafter.

  - Mustafa Khattab

They know but the outer (things) in the life of this world: but of the End of things they are heedless. ^{3511 3512}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Men are misled by the outward show of things, though the inner reality may be quite different. Many seeming disasters are really godsends if we only understood.

AKhirat: may refer to the End of things or enterprises in history as well as the Hereafter in the technical theological sense.

Have they not reflected upon their own being? Allah only created the heavens and the earth and everything in between for a purpose and an appointed term. Yet most people are truly in denial of the meeting with their Lord!

  - Mustafa Khattab

Do they not reflect in their own minds? Not but for just ends and for a term appointed did Allah create the heavens and the earth and all between them: yet are there truly many among men who deny the meeting with their Lord (at the Resurrection)! ^{3513 3514}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

f. xv. 85. Here the argument is about the ebb and flow of worldly power, and the next clause is appropriately added, "and for a term appointed". Let not any one who is granted worldly power or advantage run away with the notion that it is permanent. It is definitely limited in the high Purpose of Allah, which is just and true. And an account will have to be given of it afterwards on basis of strict personal responsibility.

It is therefore all the more strange that there should be men who not only forget themselves but even deny that there is a return to Allah or an End or Hereafter, when a full reckoning will be due for this period of probation. They are asked to study past history, as in the next verse.

Have they not travelled throughout the land to see what was the end of those 'destroyed' before them? They were far superior in might; they cultivated the land and developed it more than these 'Meccans' ever have. Their messengers came to them with clear proofs. Allah would have never wronged them, but it was they who wronged themselves.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were superior to them in strength: they tilled the soil and populated it in greater numbers than these have done: there came to them their apostles with Clear (Signs) (which they rejected to their own destruction): it was not Allah Who wronged them but they wronged their own souls. ³⁵¹⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Let not any generation think that it is superior to all that went before it. We may be "heirs to all the ages, in the foremost files of times." That is no reason for arrogance, but on the contrary adds to our responsibility. When we realize what flourishing cities and kingdoms existed before, how they flourished in numbers and prosperity, what chances they were given, and how they perished when they disobeyed the law of Allah, we shall feel a sense of humility, and see that it was rebellion and self-will that brought them down. Allah was more than just. He was also merciful. But they brought about their own ruin.

Then most evil was the end of the evildoers for denying and mocking the signs of Allah.

  - Mustafa Khattab

In the long run evil in the extreme will be the End of those who do evil; for that they rejected the Signs of Allah and held them up to ridicule. ³⁵¹⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Arabic superlative feminine, referring to the feminine noun Aqibat, I have translated by "Evil". In this life good and evil may seem to be mixed up, and it may be that some things or persons that are evil get what seem to be good rewards or blessings, while the opposite happens to the good. But this is only a temporary appearance. In the long run Evil will have its own evil consequences, multiplied cumulatively. And this, because evil not only rejected Allah's Message of Good but laughed at Good and misled others.

It is Allah Who originates the creation, and will resurrect it. And then to Him you will 'all' be returned.

  - Mustafa Khattab

It is Allah Who begins (the process of) creation; then repeats it; then shall ye be brought back to Him. ³⁵¹⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Nothing exists of its own accord or fortuitously. It is Allah Who originates all creation. What appears to be death may be only transformation: for Allah can and does recreate. And His creative activity is continuous. Our death is but a phenomenal event. What we become after death is the result of a process of recreation by Allah, Who is both the source and the goal of all things. When we are brought back to him, it will be as conscious and responsible beings, to receive the consequences of our brief life on this earth.

On the Day the Hour will arrive, the wicked will be dumbstruck.

  - Mustafa Khattab

On the Day that the Hour will be established the guilty will be struck dumb with despair. ³⁵¹⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The Hour will be established: in due time the Hour will come when Judgment will be established, and the seeming disturbance of balance in this world will be redressed. Then the Good will rejoice, and the Guilty, faced with the Realities, will lose all their illusions and be struck dumb with despair.

There will be no intercessors for them from among their associate-gods, and they will 'totally' deny their associate-gods.

  - Mustafa Khattab

No intercessor will they have among their "Partners" and they will (themselves) reject their "Partners." ³⁵¹⁹

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

False worship will then appear in its true colors. Anything to which we offered the worship due to Allah alone, will vanish instead of being of any help. Indeed the deluded false worshipers, whose eyes will now be opened, will themselves reject their falsehoods, as the Truth will now shine with unquestioned splendor.

And on the Day the Hour will arrive, the people will then be split 'into two groups'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

On the Day that the Hour will be established that Day shall (all men) be sorted out. ³⁵²⁰

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In the fullness of time good and evil will all be sorted out and separated. The good will reach their destination of felicity in rich and luscious, well-watered meadows, which stand as the type of all that is fair to see and pleasant to feel. The evil will no longer imagine that they are enjoying good fortune, for the testing time will be over, and the grim reality will stare them in the face. They will receive their just Punishment.

As for those who believed and did good, they will be rejoicing in a Garden.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Then those who have believed and worked righteous deeds shall be made happy in a Mead of Delight.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali