Ar-Rum

Ar-Rum (Arabic: الروم‎, ’ar-rūm meaning: The Romans) is the 30th chapter of the Quran. It consists of 60 verses. The term Rûm originated in the word "Romans" and in the time of Prophet Muhammad referred to the Byzantine Greeks (Eastern Roman Empire), hence the title is sometimes also translated as "The Greeks" or "The Byzantines" The Surah provides information on how the cataclysmic Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628 looked to the Mecca Arabs, interested onlookers who were still unaware that within a single generation they themselves would enter the game of empire and defeat both Persians and Byzantines Summary 1-5 Prophecy concerning the ultimate triumph of the Greeks over the Persians 6-7 God's power manifest in nature 8-9 The Quraish heed not the warnings of God 10-12 The despair of the infidels in the resurrection 13-15 The righteous and wicked shall be separated on the judgment-day 16-17 God to be worshipped at stated periods 18 The changes in nature a proof of the resurrection 19-26 Various signs of God's omnipotence 27-28 The idolaters convinced of folly by reference to their own customs 29-31 Muhammad exhorted to follow the orthodox faith and to avoid idolatry 32-35 The ingratitude of idolaters, who call on God in adversity but forget him in prosperity 36-38 Muslims exhorted to charity 39 The idols unable to create and preserve life 40-41 God's judgments follow man's iniquity 42 Exhortation to repentance before the judgment 42-44 The separation of the wicked and the just in the judgmentday; rewards and punishments 45 God's goodness in his providence a sign to men 46 Those who rejected the former prophets were punished 47-49 God's mercy manifest in his works 50 A blasting wind sufficient to harden the hearts of the unbelievers 51-52 Muhammad unable to make the dead to hear or the blind to see 53 God the Creator 54-57 Believers and unbelievers on the resurrection-day 58 The parables of the Quran rejected 59 Unbelievers are given over to blindness 60 Muhammad encouraged to steadfastness in the true religion The surah begins by noting the recent defeat of the Byzantines by the Persians in Jerusalem near the dead sea.