for the Magians and the Persians any sovereignty. Caesar—the one who had ruled in al-Shām and beyond—also perished, and after him no Christian king remained over al-Shām, or Egypt, or Upper Mesopotamia; he was the one known as Caesar.

Al-Shāfiʿī said: “The Quraysh used to journey to al-Shām time and again, and much of their livelihood came from it; they would also travel to Iraq. It is related that when they entered Islam they told the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—of their fear that their livelihood, which depended on trade with al-Shām and Iraq, would be cut off once they abandoned unbelief and embraced Islam, for the king of al-Shām and Iraq opposed the Muslims.

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

‘When Kisra perishes, there will be no Kisra after him.’

So once he was gone, no Kisra whose authority endured remained in the land of Iraq.

He also said:

‘When Caesar perishes, there will be no Caesar after him.’

Accordingly, no Caesar remained in the land of al-Shām. Thus he replied to them concerning what they had mentioned, and it came to pass exactly as he foretold—Allah cut off the Chosroes from