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Abu Jaʿfar Ibn Jarir (al-Tabari) said in his Tafsir, transmitting through Sufyan, from Habib ibn Abi ʿAmrah, from Saʿid ibn Jubayr, from Ibn ʿAbbas:
The Muslims wished for the Romans to defeat Persia, because the Romans were People of the Scripture; whereas the polytheists wanted the Persians to win, for they were idol-worshippers. This was reported to Abu Bakr, who then mentioned it to the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and Allah revealed:
“Alif-Lam-Mim. The Romans have been defeated in the nearest land; yet after their defeat they will be victorious within a few years. To Allah belongs the command before and after, and on that day the believers will rejoice.” (al-Rum 1–4)
وَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرِ بْنُ جَرِيرٍ فِي تَفْسِيرِهِ:
عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ حَبِيبِ بْنِ أَبِي عَمْرَةَ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ،
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ:
كَانَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ يُحِبُّونَ أَنْ تَغْلِبَ الرُّومُ عَلَى فَارِسَ ; لِأَنَّهُمْ أَهْلُ كِتَابٍ وَكَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ يُحِبُّونَ أَنْ تَغْلِبَ أَهْلُ فَارِسَ ; لِأَنَّهُمْ أَهْلُ أَوْثَانٍ،
قَالَ فَذَكَرُوا ذَلِكَ لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ فَذَكَرَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ:
{الم - غُلِبَتِ الرُّومُ - فِي أَدْنَى الْأَرْضِ وَهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ غَلَبِهِمْ سَيَغْلِبُونَ - فِي بِضْعِ سِنِينَ لِلَّهِ الْأَمْرُ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَمِنْ بَعْدُ وَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَفْرَحُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ}
[الروم: ١ - ٤]
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