Author: Sayed AbulHasan Nadwi (RA) Translator: Mohammad Qasem
Guidelines and Methods for Interpreting the Holy Quran (Part Three)
One of the Important Prophecies of the Holy Qur’an: The Dominion of Rome
The Way of Expressing This Prophecies and Its Importance
One of the miracles of the Holy Qur’an is its “prophecies.” A miracle is defined as something that manifests through the breaking of a habit solely by the power of truth to confirm one of Allah’s prophets. Human reason is incapable of justifying it. The events that were prophesied and the conditions at that time were such that it was hardly conceivable that this prophecy would come true so soon and in this way. This demonstrates the fulfillment of such prophecies as miracles, in which two miraculous dimensions converge:
One is knowledge and awareness of future events in conditions far from comparison and conjecture. Second, the occurrence of events exactly as predicted.
Among the many prophecies, the most explicit and surprising is the prophecy of the Holy Quran about the victory of Rome. Now pay attention to the interpretation of the Qur’an in this regard:(الٓمٓ ١ غُلِبَتِ ٱلرُّومُ ٢ فِيٓ أَدۡنَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَهُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ غَلَبِهِمۡ سَيَغۡلِبُونَ ٣ فِي بِضۡعِ سِنِينَۗ لِلَّهِ ٱلۡأَمۡرُ مِن قَبۡلُ وَمِنۢ بَعۡدُۚ وَيَوۡمَئِذٖ يَفۡرَحُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ٤ بِنَصۡرِ ٱللَّهِۚ يَنصُرُ مَن يَشَآءُۖ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ٥ وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِۖ لَا يُخۡلِفُ ٱللَّهُ وَعۡدَهُۥ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ ٦ يَعۡلَمُونَ ظَٰهِرٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ هُمۡ غَٰفِلُونَ ٧) The Romans were defeated in the country closest to the Arab land, and after the defeat, they would soon win in a few years. Both previous events and subsequent events will all happen by Allah’s command, and with Allah’s help, believers will be happy on the day of Roman victory. Allah helps whom He wills, and He is Mighty, Merciful. (Romans’ victory over Iranians) is Allah’s promise and Allah does not break promises, but most people do not know. Their knowledge leads to the outward life of this world, and they are oblivious and ignorant of the hereafter. (Alrom:1-7)
From the way the Holy Quran is expressed, it appears that this prophecy is expressed as a miracle of the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet and a proof of its truthfulness; Undoubtedly, the mentioned event was an extraordinary event because it happened after the final defeat of the Romans, that is why the defeat of the Romans is mentioned twice at the beginning of the verse. The year will happen, if nine years is a short time for a defeated and disintegrated nation to become a victorious nation. In the second part of the verses, it is emphasized that this event will happen in an unusual way, contrary to all the signs and evidence and contrary to human predictions and analogies, as it says: ﴿لِلَّهِ ٱلۡأَمۡرُ مِن قَبۡلُ وَمِنۢ بَعۡدُ﴾ “Both before and after, the verdict is always in Allah’s hands.”(Alrom:4)
In this verse, it is pointed out that Allah Ta’ala always has power and authority, He is the one who makes the dominant defeated, the defeated dominant, the dead alive and the living dead, He does not wait for circumstances to fulfill His will. His command is valid day and night.
(قُلِ ٱللَّهُمَّ مَٰلِكَ ٱلۡمُلۡكِ تُؤۡتِي ٱلۡمُلۡكَ مَن تَشَآءُ وَتَنزِعُ ٱلۡمُلۡكَ مِمَّن تَشَآءُ وَتُعِزُّ مَن تَشَآءُ وَتُذِلُّ مَن تَشَآءُۖ بِيَدِكَ ٱلۡخَيۡرُۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٞ ٢٦ تُولِجُ ٱلَّيۡلَ فِي ٱلنَّهَارِ وَتُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِي ٱلَّيۡلِۖ وَتُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡحَيَّ مِنَ ٱلۡمَيِّتِ وَتُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡمَيِّتَ مِنَ ٱلۡحَيِّۖ وَتَرۡزُقُ مَن تَشَآءُ بِغَيۡرِ حِسَابٖ ٢٧) “Say: Lord! O absolute ruler! You give authority to whoever you want, and you take authority from whoever you want, and you honor whoever you want, and you humiliate and humiliate whoever you want; The goodness of all is in your hands. You are powerful over everything. You bring the night into the day and the day into the night; And you bring out the living dead and the dead alive; And whoever You want, you give sustenance without measure.” [Al-Imran: 26-27].
He further says: This event will appear as a result of the victory of the right, then the Muslims will be happy because they were mocked by the infidels because they were closer to the Romans, as they were saddened by the defeat of the Romans.
( وَيَوۡمَئِذٖ يَفۡرَحُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ ٤ بِنَصۡرِ ٱللَّهِ) “On that day the believers will be happy with the help of Allah.”(Alrum:4-5)
It is possible that this verse refers to the great victory of the Muslims in Badr, because the victory of the Muslims in Badr happened on the same day that the Romans defeated the Iranians.
This question may arise in the mind; why Allah helped the Christian Romans.
In response he said: (يَنصُرُ مَن يَشَآءُ) “He helps whom He wills.”(Alrum:5)
Then he mentions his attributes that are related to this amazing event. And they are the reason for the occurrence of such events.
(وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ) “And He is Mighty, Merciful.”(Alrum:5)
In the emergence of this event, both divine attributes have been manifested, in the case of the Iranians who were drunk with the wind of victory, divine power and dominance appeared, but in the case of the Romans, whose bodies and hearts were wounded, and their kingdom was destroying, and fifty thousand of their people had been arrested. and their nation had been humiliated, Allah’s mercy appeared, moreover, it was considered a message of happiness for the Muslims who were offended by the defeat of the Romans. And at the same time, for their future victory, he took hints and emphasized that the fulfillment of this prophecy is not inviolable.
(لَا يُخۡلِفُ ٱللَّهُ وَعۡدَهُۥ) “Allah does not break his promise”. (Alrum:6)
In the end, he says that this event will happen contrary to the apparent information of humans and contrary to human experience, for this reason, it was difficult for many people to acknowledge such an event before it happened.
(وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكۡثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعۡلَمُونَ) “But most people don’t know.” (Alrum:6)
(يَعۡلَمُونَ ظَٰهِرٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ هُمۡ غَٰفِلُونَ) “Most people’s knowledge leads to the outward life of this world and they neglect the hereafter.”(Alrum:7)
Historical Background
Now we have to look at what those adverse conditions were, in which the victory of the Romans seemed so unlikely that the Holy Qur’an mentioned it with importance and considered it a sign of divine power, because the freedom of an offended nation and the victory of a defeated nation and the conquest and defeat of governments is not something new and rare, so why has the Holy Quran attached so much importance to this event and considered it unusual. This is where the environment in which this extraordinary event took place should be considered first. Let’s check; Were the Romans really so defeated and the Iranians really so dominant over the situation that the re-conquering of the Romans and the defeat of the Iranians within nine years can be considered an extraordinary event? Is it possible to claim that divine power was manifested in the occurrence of this incident, and it has no rational justification? In answering this question, we consider it necessary to use the words of European historians. In this regard, our most important reference is the history of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.] is written by Edward Gibbon.
Factors of Iranian invasion of Rome
Khosrow (who was the grandson of Noshirvan and the son of Hormuz) was deprived of the Sasanian throne by Bahram Gur and fled to Rome. During this time, Maurice ruled Rome. The Roman king welcomed the Iranian prince. And he honored his predecessor and made him his son. And then a large army was sent to Iran under the command of Narses. This army, with the help of Iranians, returned Khosrow to the throne of his ancestors in 590 AD. Khosrow was constantly grateful to Mars for his attentions and thought of him as his kind father. As long as Shah “Mars” was alive, Iran’s relations with Rome were friendly, and the Roman monarchy always obtained political and economic benefits from these relations.
In 602 (AD), one of the generals of the army, named Phocas, launched a coup against the king and killed the king and his family with extreme cruelty and took control of affairs himself; Because of the friendly relations between Byzantium and Iran, the new king informed the statesmen of Iran about the situation in his country, and sent his ambassador Lilivs to Khosrow’s court. This was the same person who presented the disembodied heads of Mars and his children to Fox. When the Roman ambassador arrived at the court of the King of Iran, and informed Khosrow of the affairs, Khosrow was furious and threw the ambassador into prison, refusing to recognize the new government and declaring that he would avenge the blood of Mars, who was his benefactor. The national and religious prejudices of some governors intensified this feeling of revenge. It was here that Khosrow attacked Rome in 603 AD.
The Extent of Iranian Conquests
Fox was the one who burned the great Roman general Narses alive in the marketplace of Constantinople. There was no better commander than him in the Roman country at that time, Fox was the one whom the men of “Assyria” scared their children from. Before the conquest, Khosrow had destroyed the border fortresses of the Romans. He crossed the Euphrates River and conquered the cities of Syria. He conquered the cities of Hierapolis, Chaleis and Aleppo, and finally conquered the eastern capital of the country, Antioch. The flooding conquests of the Iranians were considered the reason for Fox’s incompetence and the reason for the fall of the Roman Empire. After that, the Iranians easily conquered the capital of “Cappadocia” Timsariya, and after conquering “Damascus”, “Al-Khalil” and the east of “Jordan”, they finally conquered Jerusalem. also captured The burial place of Christ (according to Christian belief) “Helena” and the magnificent church of Constantinople were burned. Three hundred years’ worth of offerings were dedicated in one day. The True Cross was taken to Iran. And ninety thousand Christians were killed. After Syria, the Iranians came to Egypt and conquered that country, thus the territory of Iran expanded to Abyssinia and Tripoli, the new settlements of the Romans and parts of Africa also fell into the hands of the Iranians. The Iranian conquerors, like Alexander, returned through the Libyan desert., a part of the Iranian army from the Euphrates to the Bosphorus [Basphorus] and Chalcedon [Chalcedon] was conquered, the Iranian tents were installed in front of Constantinople for 10 years, and if Khosrow had a navy, he could have put parts of Europe under his territory.
Successor of Heraclius
At the same time that the Roman monarchy was in the middle of life and death, Heraclius, the ruler of Africa, raised the flag of rebellion against Fox, and in 610 AD he killed Fox and took over the affairs of the Roman monarchy. When he came to power, the first news that reached the ears of the people was the fall of Antioch. With Fox’s murder, the fire of Khosrow’s revenge had to subside, and he thanked Hercules, because Hercules had killed the murderer of his blessing and the usurper of his rule, but the intention of the king of Iran had changed. He continues his aggressive operations and completes his conquests.
Roman’s problems
In 616 ADS, the Romans were completely defeated. And they lost the glorious reign of Rome. In addition to these damaging defeats, the market of cruelty and treachery had spread in the blood of Europe, the blood that was spilled on the ground in the Italian war was not yet dry. Before this, prisoners of war were killed and women and children were enslaved in the sacred square of Pansonia.
The Roman Empire was limited only within the walls of Constantinople and in parts of Greece and Italy and Africa and a few maritime points on the coast of Asia from Tire [Tyre] to Trebizond [Trebizond].
After the fall of Egypt, the Roman capital was attacked by drought and infectious diseases. Before, the wheat of Constantinople was supplied by Egypt. But after the fall of Egypt, the export of wheat was stopped from there.
The distribution of food began in Constantinople from the time of Constantine until 330 (AD), the purpose of this work was to encourage people to live in the capital, in 618 (AD), for the first time, wheat was distributed due to the lack of entry. It stopped.
Heraclius performance
The biographers of Hercules agree that despite all the events and developments, Hercules was not active and vibrant. He had seen the fall of the Roman state with his own eyes. Gabon writes:
“At the beginning and end of his reign, Heraclius was very lethargic, welfare-seeking and delusional. Although his nation was suffering from problems, his role was no more than an indifferent spectator.
Prophecies of the Holy Quran
In the year 616 (AD), the Roman state was in a state of dying, while the Holy Quran prophesied that the Romans would prevail within nine years. Gabon writes:
At the height of the Iranian conquests, Muhammad (PBUH) prophesied that within the next few years, Roman flags would be flying. When this prophecy reached people’s ears, its realization was unbelievable. Because the first twelve years of “Heraclius” indicated that the Roman Empire in the East is destruction and extinction.
In the fifth year of the Prophet’s mission, the infidels of Mecca sang a song of joy because of the great victory of the Persians and the humiliating defeat of the Romans. And they took the conquest of the Iranians as a good omen for themselves, because both groups shared the belief of polytheism, when the first verses of Surah Rum were revealed and the infidels of Mecca found out about it, they considered the re-conquest of the Romans unlikely and stipulated that if such If something happens, they will give several camels to Muslims. In this regard, Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique (R.A.) determined the condition period to be five years. When the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) was informed, he said: The word ” «بضع»” used in the Qur’an is used for 3 to 9 years.
Fulfillment of Prophecies
Despite the mentioned problems, Heraclius decided to leave Constantinople for Carthage.
When Heraclius’ ships were loaded with valuables of the royal court and precious jewels and were ready to sail, “Batrik” urged Hercules to fight and urged Hercules to “Sit Sophia” [ST. Sophia] came and swore that his life and death will be with those whom Allah has entrusted to him. It is worth mentioning that the weakness of the Romans had reached the point where the king of Rome sent one of the Iranian commanders along with several Roman officials to the king of Iran to apologize to him and ask for provision, but the Roman king did not pay any attention to this delegation and said: I I will never spare Heraclius unless he abandons his self-proclaimed Allah and turns to worshiping the sun! Finally, he spared the Romans on the condition that they give him a thousand talents of gold, a thousand talents of silver, a thousand pairs of silk clothes, and a thousand horses and a thousand maidens as tribute. These heavy conditions were enough to arouse the zeal of the Romans and Heraclius, and it was here that Heraclius announced his readiness for a religious war [Sacred War]. He borrowed money from endowments and church income for war expenses on the condition that he would pay back the entire amount with interest.
The Transformation of Hercules
Suddenly, a wave of emotions appeared in the depressed body of Heraclius and a new spirit was breathed into his lifeless body, his life was completely changed, now he was not a lazy and happy king, but he became a high-spirited and intellectual man, a conqueror and an epic-creating commander for the extradition and recovery of his country seemed restless; Gabon writes:
“Just as the brightness of the sun reaches its peak at noon.”
Heraclius’ Campaign and His Conquests
Heraclius landed his armies in the Bay of Alexandria and renovated the castles. and mobilized new forces. He provoked the Romans to take revenge on the fire worshipers during a religious ceremony held on the occasion of Christ. And with an effective speech, he ignited the fire of revenge in them. After conquering Cilicia, Heraclius moved to Cappadocia. He crossed the Black Sea and the mountains of Armenia and attacked the heart of Iran.
He arrived in Tarabzon with five thousand selected forces from Constantinople, conquered the cities of Tors, Gandzaga and Mogan, the Christians destroyed the temple of Magi and burned the statues of Khosrow in revenge. In retaliation for the insult to Christ’s burial, they insulted Zoroaster’s birthplace, and freed fifty thousand imprisoned Christians. Herakles entered “Sabat” and advanced to Qazvin and Isfahan; The kingdom of the Iranians was in danger, the Iranians asked for their forces from the Nile valley “Bosphorus”, but Hercules defeated them all, he crossed the Tigris after leaving behind the mountains of Kurdistan and entered Sabat after a bloody war. A great war took place. After that, he went to Tastjard and passed several kilometers of Mada’in and returned victoriously to Constantinople.
Complete Fulfillment of the Prophecies
The Iranian monarchy was shaken. The Romans crossed their old borders and trampled the land of Iran and raised the Roman flag in its heart. In this way, in the year 625 AD, i.e. the second year of the Hijri, when the battle of Badr took place and after the passage of 9 years, the prophecy of the Holy Qur’an was accurately fulfilled.
Heraclius Depression again
Historians and European writers agree that the best period of Heraclius’ reign was when he confronted the Iranians and returned the lost government, his recent period has nothing to do with his previous periods. It turns out that Almighty Allah had given him a mission only to restore the Roman monarchy. After completing this task, Heraclius became cheerful and lethargic as before.
In the words of Gabon:
Heraclius handed over all the regions that he had taken back from the Iranians with the blood of the Romans to the Arabs as if without any reason.
Historians are puzzled as to how to explain this amazing transformation of Heraclius. They have provided various analyzes about the lack of connection between different eras of Heraclius.
Gabon writes:
“It was necessary for Byzantine historians to state the factors of Hercules’ awakening, the only thing we can guess after a long period of time is that he had more personal courage than political will.”
Finally, Hercules fell in love with the charming beauty of his nephew “Martini”, and married him illegally, he followed the foolish advice of his advisers, they were the ones who told Hercules that a king should not spend his whole life on the war front.
It was the Iranians who provoked Heraclius to war against them with their insulting demands.
One of the authors of Encyclopedia Britannica writes:
“The life of Heraclius is very amazing. Although he was a brave person with courage and an experienced politician and an outstanding general, his country was torn apart in front of his eyes and he calmly watched the situation. His outstanding features in different periods of his life seem contradictory. Of course, let’s not forget that our information about his life is incomplete, the real cause of these contradictions may be something else. Although we cannot excuse him, it would have been better for his reputation to have died immediately after the conquest of Iran.
From the statements of European historians, it is clear that Hercules had a revolutionary spirit when he faced the Iranians, and after that, no trace of that spirit remained. For this reason, he handed over what he had taken from the Iranians to the Arabs. Of course, in this regard, we cannot accept that because Hercules had not completely fought with the forces of Islam, therefore, the Muslims were able to overthrow the Roman Empire. In our opinion, the cause of the fall of the Roman Empire was more than the weakness of Hercules, it was the power of Islam and Muslims. To prove this, these pages It is not enough, and it is beyond the scope of our discussion.
Continues…
