Tafsir al-Baghawi - Al-Baghawi - (6/257)

Tafsir al-BaghawiAl-Baghawi

Surah al-Rum—Meccan (1)

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

“Alif Lam Mim. (1) The Romans have been defeated (2) in the nearest land; yet, after their defeat, they will be victorious. (3)”

“Alif Lam Mim. The Romans have been defeated in the nearest land.” The reason for the revelation of this verse, as the commentators have mentioned, was that fighting took place between Persia and the Romans. The polytheists wished for Persia to defeat the Romans, because the Persians were unlettered Magians, whereas the Muslims wished for the Romans to prevail over Persia, since they were People of the Scripture.

Kisra dispatched an army against the Romans and appointed over it a man called Shahrayaraz; and Caesar sent an army against Persia, appointing over it a man called Yahfas. They met at Adhru'at and Busra, the part of Syria nearest to the lands of the Arabs and non-Arabs. Persia defeated the Romans, and news of this reached the Muslims in Mecca, which grieved them. The disbelievers of Mecca, however, rejoiced and said to the Muslims: “You are People of the Scripture, and the Christians are People of the Scripture, while we are unlettered. Our brethren among the Persians have prevailed over your brethren among the Romans; and if you fight us, we shall certainly prevail over you.”

Thereupon Allah Most High revealed these verses. Abu Bakr al-Siddiq went out to the disbelievers and said: “You have rejoiced at the victory of your brethren, but do not rejoice. By Allah, the Romans will surely prevail over Persia, as our Prophet has informed us (3).” Ubayy ibn Khalaf al-Jumahi rose against him and said, “You have lied.” Abu Bakr replied, “Rather, you are the greater liar, O enemy of Allah.”

He said: “Set a term between us upon which I may wager with you”—and wagering means betting—“ten young she-camels from me against ten young she-camels from you. If the Romans prevail over Persia, I shall pay; and if Persia prevails, you shall pay.” They agreed to this and set the term at three years.

Abu Bakr then came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and informed him of this. That was before gambling was prohibited. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “This is not how I stated it. Rather, bid' means between three and nine. Increase the stake against him and extend the term.” So he went out.

(1) It is unanimously agreed, without disagreement, that it is Makki. See: al-Durr al-Manthur, 6:478; al-Muharrar al-Wajiz, 12:241; Zad al-Masir, 6:286; al-Qurtubi, 14:1. (2) Omitted from manuscript “A”. (3) Omitted from manuscript “A”.

سُورَةُ الرُّومِ مَكِّيَّةٌ (١) بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ ﴿الم (١) غُلِبَتِ الرُّومُ (٢) فِي أَدْنَى الْأَرْضِ وَهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ غَلَبِهِمْ سَيَغْلِبُونَ (٣) ﴾ ﴿الم غُلِبَتِ الرُّومُ فِي أَدْنَى الْأَرْضِ﴾ سَبَبُ نُزُولِ هَذِهِ الْآيَةِ عَلَى -مَا ذَكَرَهُ الْمُفَسِّرُونَ:-أَنَّهُ كَانَ بَيْنَ فَارِسَ وَالرُّومِ قِتَالٌ، وَكَانَ (٢) الْمُشْرِكُونَ يَوَدُّونَ أَنْ تَغْلِبَ فَارِسُ الرُّومَ، لِأَنَّ أَهْلَ فَارِسَ كَانُوا مَجُوسًا أُمِّيِّينَ، وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ يَوَدُّونَ غَلَبَةَ الرُّومِ عَلَى فَارِسَ، لِكَوْنِهِمْ أَهْلَ كِتَابٍ، فَبَعَثَ كِسْرَى جَيْشًا إِلَى الرُّومِ واستعمل عليها ٦٩/ب رَجُلًا يُقَالُ لَهُ شَهْرَيَرَازُ، وَبَعْثَ قَيْصَرُ جَيْشًا إِلَى فَارِسَ واستعمل عليهم رجل يُدْعَى يَحْفَسُ، فَالْتَقَيَا بِأَذْرِعَاتَ وَبُصْرَى، وَهِيَ أَدْنَى الشَّامِ إِلَى أَرْضِ الْعَرَبِ وَالْعَجَمِ، فَغَلَبَتْ فَارِسُ الرُّومَ، فبلغ ذلك المسلمون بِمَكَّةَ، فَشَقَّ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَفَرِحَ بِهِ كُفَّارُ مَكَّةَ، وَقَالُوا لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ: إِنَّكُمْ أَهْلُ كِتَابٍ، وَالنَّصَارَى أَهْلُ كِتَابٍ، وَنَحْنُ أُمِّيُّونَ وَقَدْ ظَهَرَ إِخْوَانُنَا مَنْ أَهْلِ فَارِسَ عَلَى إِخْوَانِكُمْ مَنْ أَهْلِ الرُّومِ، وَإِنَّكُمْ إِنْ قَاتَلْتُمُونَا لَنَظْهَرَنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى هَذِهِ الْآيَاتِ، فَخَرَجَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ إِلَى الْكُفَّارِ، فَقَالَ: فَرِحْتُمْ بِظُهُورِ إِخْوَانِكُمْ، فَلَا تَفْرَحُوا فَوَاللَّهِ لَيُظْهِرُنَّ عَلَى فَارِسَ [عَلَى مَا] (٣) أَخْبَرَنَا بِذَلِكَ نَبِيُّنَا، فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ أُبَيُّ بْنُ خَلَفٍ الْجُمَحِيُّ فَقَالَ: كَذَبْتَ، فَقَالَ: أَنْتَ أَكْذَبُ يَا عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ، فَقَالَ: اجْعَلْ بَيْنَنَا أَجَلًا أُنَاحِبُكَ عَلَيْهِ -وَالْمُنَاحَبَةُ: الْمُرَاهَنَةُ-عَلَى عَشْرِ قَلَائِصَ مِنِّي وَعَشْرِ قَلَائِصَ مِنْكَ، فَإِنْ ظَهَرَتِ الرُّومُ عَلَى فَارِسَ غَرِمْتُ، وَإِنْ ظَهَرَتْ فَارِسُ غَرِمْتَ فَفَعَلُوا وَجَعَلُوا الْأَجَلَ ثَلَاثَ سِنِينَ فَجَاءَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَأَخْبَرَهُ بِذَلِكَ، وَذَلِكَ قَبْلَ تَحْرِيمِ الْقِمَارِ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ: "مَا هَكَذَا ذَكَرْتُ إِنَّمَا الْبِضْعُ مَا بَيْنَ الثَّلَاثَةِ إِلَى التِّسْعِ، فَزَايِدْهُ فِي الْخَطَرِ وَمَادِّهِ فِي الْأَجَلِ، فَخَرَجَ

(١) مكية بالإجماع دون خلاف. انظر: الدر المنثور: ٦ / ٤٧٨، المحرر الوجيز: ١٢ / ٢٤١. زاد المسير: ٦ / ٢٨٦، القرطبي: ١٤ / ١. (٢) ساقط من "أ". (٣) ساقط من "أ".