حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ عَنْ حَبِيبِ بْنِ أَبِي عَمْرَةَ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فِي قَوْلِهِ الم غُلِبَتْ الرُّومُ قَالَ غُلِبَتْ وَغَلَبَتْ قَالَ كَانَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ يُحِبُّونَ أَنْ تَظْهَرَ فَارِسُ عَلَى الرُّومِ لِأَنَّهُمْ أَهْلُ أَوْثَانٍ وَكَانَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ يُحِبُّونَ أَنْ تَظْهَرَ الرُّومُ عَلَى فَارِسَ لِأَنَّهُمْ أَهْلُ كِتَابٍ فَذَكَرُوهُ لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ فَذَكَرَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَمَا إِنَّهُمْ سَيَغْلِبُونَ قَالَ فَذَكَرَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لَهُمْ فَقَالُوا اجْعَلْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكَ أَجَلًا فَإِنْ ظَهَرْنَا كَانَ لَنَا كَذَا وَكَذَا وَإِنْ ظَهَرْتُمْ كَانَ لَكُمْ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَجَعَلَ أَجَلًا خَمْسَ سِنِينَ فَلَمْ يَظْهَرُوا فَذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ أَلَا جَعَلْتَهَا إِلَى دُونَ قَالَ أُرَاهُ قَالَ الْعَشْرِ قَالَ قَالَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ الْبِضْعُ مَا دُونَ الْعَشْرِ ثُمَّ ظَهَرَتْ الرُّومُ بَعْدُ قَالَ فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ الم غُلِبَتْ الرُّومُ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ وَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَفْرَحُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ قَالَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِنَصْرِ اللَّهِ
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 2495
It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbas (RA) said concerning the verse, "Alif-Lam-Meem. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur'an, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings.] The Romans have been defeated" [ar-Room 30:1-2]: They were defeated then they prevailed. The mushrikeen wanted the Persians to prevail against the Byzantines because they were idol- worshippers, and the Muslims wanted the Byzantines to prevail against the Persians, because they were people of the Book They mentioned this to Abu Bakr, and Abu Bakr mentioned that to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), and the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "They will prevail." Abu Bakr mentioned that to them and they said: Set a deadline: if we prevail, we will have such and such, and if you prevail, you will have such and such. So they set a deadline of five years, but they did not prevail. Abu Bakr mentioned that to the Prophet (PBUH) and he said: "Why didn't you make it within ten years?" - Sa'eed bin Jubair said: Less than ten years - Then the Byzantines prevailed after that. That is what Allah said: "Alif-Lam-Meem. The Romans have been defeated... And on that day, the believers (i.e. Muslims) will rejoice (at the victory given by Allah to the Romans against the Persians) -With the Help of Allah" [ar-Room 30:1-5].
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020