030- AL-RŪM
THE BYZANTINES
Al-Rūm
All commentators agree that al-Rūm was revealed during the Makkan period, although some maintain that v. 17 is from the Madinan period and others maintain that vv. 27–28 are from the Madinan period. The surah takes its name from the mention of the defeat of the Byzantines, or Romans, al-Rūm, in v. 2. According to some commentators, God’s promise that the Byzantines would prevail after having been defeated (v. 3) follows upon the last verse of the previous sūrah, which promises that God will guide those who strive for His sake. Others maintain that the two sūrahs are linked by the promise that truly God is with the virtuous, which ends Sūrah 29, and the promise in vv. 4–5 that on that day the believers shall rejoice in God’s Help.
From the mention of the battle between the Sassanids and the Byzantines and the prediction of the eventual victory of the Byzantines (vv. 2–6) followed by a criticism of the disbelievers for failing to reflect upon the signs of God (vv. 7–9), the surah proceeds to a discussion of the disparate ends of believers and disbelievers (vv. 10–16). This leads into the surah’s central theme, the abundance of signs of God in the created order and the inability of many human beings to understand them, because they follow caprice rather than knowledge (vv. 17–29). Beginning with a reference to the original or primordial nature of human beings, the fiṭrah, in one of the Quran’s more famous verses (v. 30), vv. 30–34 contrast those who follow the upright religion with those who divide religion into factions (v. 32). Challenging the disbelievers to bring something to substantiate their claims (v. 35), the surah then touches upon several broader Quranic themes, such as virtue toward relatives and employing one’s wealth in a just manner (vv. 38–39), the phases of human existence (v. 40), and the extent of human corruption (v. 41).
After calling again to the upright religion (vv. 43), al-Rūm returns to the contrast between the believers and disbelievers (vv. 44–45), which leads into another extended passage on its central theme, the importance of reflecting upon God’s signs (vv. 46–51). A reminder of the Prophet’s inability to guide those whom God has not guided (vv. 52–54) is then followed by a discussion of the difficulties that will confront the guilty upon the Hour of Judgment (vv. 55–57). The surah concludes with a reminder that their hearts are sealed (v. 59) and that one must thus remain steadfast when confronted by them (v. 60).
(source: “The Study Quran” a new translation and commentary by Seyyed Hossein Nasr)
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