فِى بِضْعِ سِنِينَ ۗ لِلَّهِ ٱلْأَمْرُ مِن قَبْلُ وَمِنۢ بَعْدُ ۚ وَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَفْرَحُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ 4
Translations
Within three to nine years. To Allāh belongs the command [i.e., decree] before and after. And that day the believers will rejoice
Transliteration
Fī biḍ'i sinīn. Lillāh al-amr min qablu wa min ba'du. Wa yawma'idhin yafrahu al-mu'minūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah concludes the prophecy about the Romans' victory over the Persians within a few years, affirming that all command and dominion belong to Allah both before and after events occur. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that the believers will rejoice on that day because the victory of the Christian Romans over the fire-worshipping Persians would vindicate the Qur'an's prophetic accuracy and strengthen faith, as the pagans of Mecca had been betting against this prediction.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Ar-Rum, revealed during the Meccan period (around 615 CE) when the Byzantine Romans were losing to the Sassanid Persians. The surah contains a remarkable prophecy that the Romans would win within 3-9 years (biḍ'i sinīn), which was historically fulfilled around 625 CE at the Battle of Issus, vindicating the Qur'an's miraculous knowledge of the unseen.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari reports that when this ayah was revealed with its prophecy, the Quraysh disbelievers wagered against it, but the Romans indeed won within the specified timeframe, causing the believers to rejoice and the disbelievers to lose their bets. This is also referenced in various tafsir works regarding the fulfillment of Qur'anic prophecy.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that Allah controls all outcomes and that faith in His revelation will ultimately be vindicated, even when worldly circumstances appear dire. It encourages patience and conviction in Qur'anic truths, reminding us that rejoicing comes not from material victory alone but from the confirmation of divine guidance.