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“The Romans Will Win!” Q 30:2‒7 in Light of 7th c. Political Eschatology

2018; De Gruyter; Volume: 95; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1515/islam-2018-0001

1613-0928

Tommaso Tesei,

Islamic Studies and History

Abstract: This article addresses a prophecy found in vv. 2‒7 of the thirtieth Qurʾānic sūra, known as al-Rūm (“The Romans”). These verses report on the Romans’ ( al-Rūm ) involvement in a conflict against an unnamed enemy and predict its eventual outcome. The passage refers to the conflict between the Byzantines and Sasanians that lasted for about thirty years during the first three decades of the 7th c. (602‒628 CE). These verses are usually considered to be the only Qurʾānic allusion to a historical event that can be confirmed by sources external to the Islamic tradition. In this study I will argue that the prophecy on the Rūm has close parallels with other prophecies on the war that were circulating in the Middle East in the first half of the 7th c. The contextualization and comparison with other 7th c. prophecies will provide us with a better understanding of the Qurʾānic passage.