So Abu Bakr conveyed this to the polytheists, who said, “Set a fixed term between us and you: if the Romans prevail, you shall receive such-and-such, but if they are defeated, we shall receive such-and-such.” They therefore agreed on a period of five years.

Abu Bakr then informed the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—who said to him, “Why did you not act more cautiously? Why did you not make it less than ten?”

Saʿīd ibn Jubayr explained, “al-biḍʿ means fewer than ten.”

He continued: “The Romans were first overcome, and later they were victorious. That is the meaning of His statement:
‘Alif-Lām-Mīm. The Romans have been defeated’ (al-Rūm 1–2).”

This narration was also recorded by al-Tirmidhī, who transmitted it through al-Ḥusayn ibn Ḥurayth, from Muʿāwiyah ibn ʿAmr, from Abū Isḥāq al-Fazārī, from