[Surah al-Rum]

30

[The Saying of the Exalted: The Byzantines have been defeated]

17457 - From Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them) regarding His saying: "Alif-Lam-Mim. The Byzantines have been defeated," he said: They were defeated and they were victorious. He said: The polytheists used to love for Persia to overcome Byzantium because they were People of the Book, so they mentioned this to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and Abu Bakr mentioned it to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "As for them, they will surely be victorious." Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned this to them, and they said: "Set an appointment between us and you; if we win, we shall have such and such, and if you win, you shall have such and such." So he set an appointment of five years between them, but they did not win. Abu Bakr mentioned this to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and he said: "Should you not have made it—I believe he said—less than ten [years]." Then Byzantium was victorious after that. That is His saying: "Alif-Lam-Mim. The Byzantines have been defeated. They were defeated, and then they were victorious after that." By the command of Allah, from before and from after, and on that day the believers shall rejoice in the victory of Allah. Sufyan said: I heard that they overcame them on the day of Badr.

17458 - From al-Bara' ibn 'Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: When "Alif-Lam-Mim. The Byzantines have been defeated" was revealed, the polytheists said to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him): Do you not see what your companion says, claiming that Byzantium will defeat Persia? He said: My companion has spoken the truth. They said: Will you make a wager with us? So he set an appointment between himself and them. The time arrived before Byzantium had reached Persia. This reached the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and it grieved him and he disliked it. He said to Abu Bakr: "What prompted you to do this?" He said: "Belief in Allah and His Messenger." He said: "Go to them, increase the stakes, and extend it to a few years." So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) went to them and said: "Are you willing to repeat it, for repeating is more commendable?" They said: "Yes." Then those years did not pass until Byzantium defeated Persia, and they tied their horses in al-Mada'in and built the Roman quarter. So Abu Bakr won the wager and came carrying it to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "This is unlawful wealth (suht), give it in charity."