Surah 30. Ar-Rum

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Verses [Section]: 1-10[1], 11-19 [2], 20-27 [3], 28-40 [4], 41-53 [5], 54-60 [6]

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Quran Text of Verse 1-1030. Ar-Rumبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِالٓمّٓۚAlif Lam Mim غُلِبَتِHave been defeatedالرُّوْمُۙthe Romans فِیْۤInاَدْنَی(the) nearestالْاَرْضِlandوَ هُمْBut theyمِّنْۢafterبَعْدِafterغَلَبِهِمْtheir defeatسَیَغْلِبُوْنَۙwill overcome فِیْWithinبِضْعِa fewسِنِیْنَ ؕ۬yearsلِلّٰهِFor Allahالْاَمْرُ(is) the commandمِنْbeforeقَبْلُbeforeوَ مِنْۢand afterبَعْدُ ؕand afterوَ یَوْمَىِٕذٍAnd that dayیَّفْرَحُwill rejoiceالْمُؤْمِنُوْنَۙthe believers بِنَصْرِWith (the) helpاللّٰهِ ؕ(of) AllahیَنْصُرُHe helpsمَنْwhomیَّشَآءُ ؕHe willsوَ هُوَAnd Heالْعَزِیْزُ(is) the All-Mightyالرَّحِیْمُۙthe Most Merciful 30. Ar-Rum Page 405وَعْدَ(It is the) Promiseاللّٰهِ ؕ(of) Allahلَا(Does) notیُخْلِفُfailاللّٰهُAllahوَعْدَهٗ(in) His promiseوَ لٰكِنَّbutاَكْثَرَmost (of)النَّاسِ[the] peopleلَا(do) notیَعْلَمُوْنَ know یَعْلَمُوْنَThey knowظَاهِرًا(the) apparentمِّنَofالْحَیٰوةِthe lifeالدُّنْیَا ۖۚ(of) the worldوَ هُمْbut theyعَنِaboutالْاٰخِرَةِthe Hereafterهُمْ[they]غٰفِلُوْنَ (are) heedless اَوَ لَمْDo notیَتَفَكَّرُوْاthey ponderفِیْۤwithinاَنْفُسِهِمْ ۫themselvesمَاNotخَلَقَAllah (has) createdاللّٰهُAllah (has) createdالسَّمٰوٰتِthe heavensوَ الْاَرْضَand the earthوَ مَاand whatبَیْنَهُمَاۤ(is) between themاِلَّاexceptبِالْحَقِّin truthوَ اَجَلٍand (for) a termمُّسَمًّی ؕappointedوَ اِنَّAnd indeedكَثِیْرًاmanyمِّنَofالنَّاسِthe peopleبِلِقَآئِin (the) meetingرَبِّهِمْ(with) their Lordلَكٰفِرُوْنَ surely (are) disbelievers اَوَ لَمْHave notیَسِیْرُوْاthey traveledفِیinالْاَرْضِthe earthفَیَنْظُرُوْاand observedكَیْفَhowكَانَwasعَاقِبَةُ(the) endالَّذِیْنَ(of) thoseمِنْbefore themقَبْلِهِمْ ؕbefore themكَانُوْۤاThey wereاَشَدَّmightierمِنْهُمْto themقُوَّةً(in) strengthوَّ اَثَارُواand they dugالْاَرْضَthe earthوَ عَمَرُوْهَاۤand built (on) itاَكْثَرَmoreمِمَّاthan whatعَمَرُوْهَاthey have built (on) itوَ جَآءَتْهُمْAnd came (to) themرُسُلُهُمْtheir Messengersبِالْبَیِّنٰتِ ؕwith clear proofsفَمَاSo notكَانَwasاللّٰهُAllahلِیَظْلِمَهُمْto wrong themوَ لٰكِنْbutكَانُوْۤاthey wereاَنْفُسَهُمْthemselvesیَظْلِمُوْنَؕ(doing) wrong ثُمَّThenكَانَwasعَاقِبَةَ(the) endالَّذِیْنَ(of) those whoاَسَآءُواdid evilالسُّوْٓاٰۤیthe evilاَنْbecauseكَذَّبُوْاthey deniedبِاٰیٰتِ(the) Signsاللّٰهِ(of) Allahوَ كَانُوْاand wereبِهَاof themیَسْتَهْزِءُوْنَ۠making mockery

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Surah Introduction

This Meccan sûrah takes its name from the reference to the Romans in verse 2. The world's superpowers in the early 7 th 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. As the sûrah progresses, several blessings and natural signs are cited to prove Allah's infinite mercy and power, coupled with condemnations to the pagans for their ingratitude and for associating powerless idols with Allah in worship. The sûrah closes by bidding the Prophet ( ﷺ ) not to be disheartened by what the deniers say.

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Translation of Verse 1-101. In the Name of Allah-the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.

1. Alif-Lãm-Mĩm .

2. The Romans have been defeated

3. in a nearby land. ⁸²³ Yet following their defeat, they will triumph

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

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

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

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

8. 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!

9. 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.

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

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Commentary

823. 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