Prophecies in the Quran: Difference between revisions

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The Byzantine victory in Anatolia in 622 CE is often presented as the fulfillment of the Quranic prophecy within the required timeframe. However, that Roman victory marked the end of the first stage of the war, after which point the Byzantines became increasingly successful, culminating in the Sasanid capitulation to Heraclius which did not come until 628 CE. It may be that the verses in Surah al-Rum represent an ex-eventu prophecy shortly after the events of 622 CE, but before it became apparent that the last day was not imminent and the war still had a significant way to go.
The Byzantine victory in Anatolia in 622 CE is often presented as the fulfillment of the Quranic prophecy within the required timeframe. However, that Roman victory marked the end of the first stage of the war, after which point the Byzantines became increasingly successful, culminating in the Sasanid capitulation to Heraclius which did not come until 628 CE. It may be that the verses in Surah al-Rum represent an ex-eventu prophecy shortly after the events of 622 CE, but before it became apparent that the last day was not imminent and the war still had a significant way to go.


===Hadiths stating that it was revealed after the event===
===Hadith stating that it was revealed after the event===
Interestingly, a sahih hadith in Sunan al-Tirmidhi, one of the main six Sunni hadith collections, states that this passage was not in fact intended as a prophecy but was uttered after an unspecified Roman victory at the time of the battle of Badr. The timing is a little off (Badr is believed to have occured in 624 CE, two years after the Byzantine victory in the Anatolian campaign), but there is conceivably a kernal of history here.
Interestingly, a hadith in Sunan al-Tirmidhi, one of the main six Sunni hadith collections, states that this passage was not in fact intended as a prophecy but was uttered after an unspecified Roman victory at the time of the battle of Badr. The timing is a little off (Badr is believed to have occured in 624 CE, two years after the Byzantine victory in the Anatolian campaign), but there is conceivably a kernal of history here. The hadith is graded sahih in the Dar-us-Salam edition, though is generally graded weak due to the narrator. Some other narrations state instead that it was a prophecy made before the event, though include a rather unlikely story about a hasty bet made by Abu Bakr which seems intended to cement the definition of the time duration specified in the verse (see for example {{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3194}}).


{{Quote|{{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3192}} (see also {{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3193}} and {{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3195}}, graded sahih and hasan, respectively)|Narrated 'Atiyyah:
{{Quote|{{Al Tirmidhi||5|44|3192}}|Narrated 'Atiyyah:


Abu Sa'eed narrated: "On the Day of Badr, the Romans had a victory over the Persians. So the believers were pleased with that, then the following was revealed: 'Alif Lam Mim. The Romans have been defeated, up to His saying: 'the believers will rejoice - with the help of Allah... (30:1-5)'" He said: "So the believers were happy with the victory of the Romans over the Persians."}}
Abu Sa'eed narrated: "On the Day of Badr, the Romans had a victory over the Persians. So the believers were pleased with that, then the following was revealed: 'Alif Lam Mim. The Romans have been defeated, up to His saying: 'the believers will rejoice - with the help of Allah... (30:1-5)'" He said: "So the believers were happy with the victory of the Romans over the Persians."}}
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