The Romans (Al-Room)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ Alif. Lam. Mim. 1 The Romans are vanquished, 2 In the nearer land (Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and Palestine), and they, after their defeat, will be victorious. 3 Within three to nine years. The decision of the matter, before and after (these events) is only with Allah, (before the defeat of Romans by the Persians, and after, i.e. the defeat of the Persians by the Romans). And on that Day, the believers (i.e. Muslims) will rejoice (at the victory given by Allah to the Romans against the Persians), 4 in the victory of Allah. Allah gives victory to whosoever He will, and He is the Mighty, the Merciful. 5 It is a promise of God; and God does not go back on His promise. Yet most men do not understand: 6 They know only the outside appearance of the life of the world (i.e. the matters of their livelihood, like irrigating or sowing or reaping, etc.), and they are heedless of the Hereafter. 7 Do they not reflect on themselves? Allah created the heavens and the earth and whatever lies between them in Truth and for an appointed term. Yet many people deny that they will meet their Lord. 8 What, have they not journeyed in the land and beheld how was the end of those before them? They were stronger than themselves in might, and they ploughed up the earth and cultivated it more than they themselves have cultivated it; and their Messengers came to them with the clear signs; and God would never wrong them, but themselves they wronged. 9 Then evil was the end of those who did evil, because they rejected the communications of Allah and used to mock them. 10