Late Makkan surah, the only surah with reference to a specific political event allowing for its accurate dating.

Between 602-628 CE (622 CE Hijrah) the two superpowers of the age, the Persians and the Romans, were at war. The Persians conquered vast amounts of land including Syria and Turkey in 614 CE. Jerusalem was conquered and the Romans were on the verge of being overrun.

The Arab pagans allied themselves with the Persians, who were Zoroastrians, due to their similar beliefs. They rejoiced in the defeat of the Romans and mocked the Muslims because of their similar monotheistic beliefs.

Despite the apparent defeat of the Roman Empire, Surah Ar Rum prophesised that the Romans would eventually defeat the Persians.

Themes

• Signs of Allah SWT.
• Condemnation of the pagans.

Selected Verses

2-6: Prophecy of the Persian defeat to come. The Romans had been defeated but they would be victorious within 3-9 years. On that day, the believers will be rejoicing. Allah SWT gives victory to whoever He wills.

The Roman Emperor Heraclius was victorious over the Persian general in 622 CE. He reconquered Turkey and expelled the Persians from the land. On the same day as that victory, the Muslims were victorious at the Battle of Badr. Allah SWT never breaks His promise.

7: Allah SWT criticises those who have superficial knowledge of this world and are oblivious of the Akhira.

9: Critisicing the pagans for not reflecting upon the signs of previously destroyed mightier nations in the land, to whom messengers were sent with clear proofs.

17-27: Glorify Allah SWT in the evening, morning and afternoon – the five daily prayers. His signs:

• Brings forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living. He gives life to the earth following its death and similarly we will be resurrected.
• He created mankind from dust and then caused you to spread all over the earth.
• Spouses were created for comfort, with love and compassion between them.
• The diversity of colours and languages.
• The night and the day.
• The lightning inspires hope and fear and the rain brings the earth back to life.
• The heavens and the earth persist by His command. He originates the creation and will resurrect it, which is even easier for Him.

30: Devote yourself to pure religion, the natural Way of Allah SWT, the fitrah which has been instilled in us all.

Islam is the religion mankind is predisposed to. The fitrah is an intuition placed in every newborn, who knows truth from falsehood and right from wrong. Any other faith tradition does not sit at ease with the fitrah.

32: Warning against dividing religion into sects.

37-39: Allah SWT gives abundantly or limits to whoever He wills. Giving charity only to seek the pleasure of Allah SWT will be multiply rewarded.

40: Allah SWT created you, then gave you provisions, then caused you to die and then will bring you back again.

41: Corruption has flourished as a result of peoples actions – pain, suffering, evil.

Why is there pain and suffering in this world? People cannot reconcile this with a Merciful God. We ascribe evil to ourselves, because of our own transgressions. A taste of own medicine, what goes around comes around. The spiritual wisdom is to return to Allah SWT. Not everyone who suffers deserves their suffering. Allah SWT loves the good of righteous people in their response to evil.

54: The stages of life from weakness to strength to weakness again in old age.