OCCASION OF REVELATION

      During the reign of Khosrow Parviz there was a war between Iran and Rome which continued for 24 years, from 604 to 628 A.D. In the seventh year of our prophet's emigration, about 616 A.D., two of the Persian Commanders named SHÄHIN and SHAHRBRÄZ attacked the Dominion of Eastern Roman Empire (BYZANTINE), and vanquished the Roman Emperor. In that fight the Romans who were Christians lost Jerusalem to Persians, and in the sight of the world Christianity was despised by Iranians who were thought to have been Dualists.

      The Pagan Quraish who took the affirmative side of Persians and sympathized them, rejoiced at the overthrow of Rome by Persians and increased their taunt, and jeered at Moslems whose Message was a reviewal of the Message of Jesus, preached in Jerusalem.

      Then to this effect, the above passage was revealed that clearly foretold the next defeat, which afflicted Persians. The heathens of Mecca laid a heavy wager against the fulfilment of the prophecy with ABUBEKR, the later first Khalif of Islam, and they lost it, when the prediction came to pass. It actually so happened at the Battle of ISSUS in 622ِ4, when HERACLIUS of Rome carried his campaign in the heart of Persian Kingdom. This happened when the idolaters of Mecca were vanquished at their fight with muslims in the Battle of Badr, and believers rejoiced for a twofold victory:-

      ``....And on that day believers will rejoice.''

      So when the twofold promise of God was fulfilled, Moslems had a twofold rejoice.

A WONDERFUL PREDICTION

      ``Rome has been vanquished in the nearer land, and soon after, in a few years, they will overcome; and on that day, the BELIEVERS will rejoice.''

      The word, ``NEARER LAND'' implies that it was the Eastern Roman (BYZANTINE) that had been vanquished by the Persians, and not the Western Roman.

      As to the meaning of, ``BEZAA SENIN'' translated to, ``FEW YEARS'', it implies a period between 3 to 9 years. The period between the loss of Jerusalem (615ِ16) by Romans, and their victory at ISSUS (622 A.D.) was 6 or 7 years. When HERACLIUS entered and ravaged Iran, it was after a period of 9 years. Commentators have understood the ravage, to have been coincident with Moslem's great victory over the pagans in the battle of Badr.

      Of the various miracles of Qurän, are its strange predictions such as the above mentioned incident and reports from the unseen. No one can ever foretell with such surety that an army which has been utterly vanquished, will overcome within a limited and appointed term.

SUPERFICIAL OBSERVERS

      The insight of a believer differs from that of a non-believer, or a materialist. A believer knows that the creation is the work of an All-knowing, All-wisdom and substance with Infinite power. They believe that the world is a collection of minute secrets. They see the whole universe as a book in which all the words have their own meanings and contents. To them the simplest of thing can have a very complex depth and content.

      On the other hand a materialist knows the creation to have been the results of millions of blind, vain, and aimless accidents and contacts! They see a chaos, a complete disorder and a confused state of primordial matter before the creation of orderly forms. He proves no depth or final aim and object for any creature. How can one prove an aim, a meaning, or a depth for a book which has been written by a baby, when he draws his pen upon paper in random, and just as a play?

      Albert Einstien believed that all those who are learned, and the scholars in the natural science, who have pondered over the systematic order of universe, they have to some extent been spirituals, and somehow the followers of a religion. Of course the religion of a scholar is different to that of a layman, or common people. Their religion includes some sort of a pleasing astonishment, particularly when they take away the cover of some of the hidden mysteries of creation.

      When a Superficial Observer pays an alms-tax or something for charity, he thinks of it as a thing lost, but a believer believes it to have been as a seed sowed in a fertile land. It will sprout, and soon will bring forth young shoots. The materialist knows martyrdom as another kind of death, and reducing to nothing, where as in the sight of a believer a martyr will gets an everlasting life for his reward:-

      ``They know an appearance of the life of this world, and are negligent of their hereafter.''

ROME IN BRIEF

      Rome is one of the oldest continuing cities of the world. It is now the Capital of Italy, also of Latium, one of Italy's 19 regions. Rome is the fourth largest city in Western Europe. In the Northwest of the city is an area of 108.7 acres, forming since 1929, the independent Vatican City, residence of the Popes and the center of Roman Catholic Church.

      Rome has a very old story and very long history. Traditionally, in the regal period of Rome, the earliest settlement was made on Palatine Hill, in 753-B.C; and gradually habitation extended to other nearby hills.

      The last king of ancient Rome was expelled, and the republic was established in 510-B.C.

      There is a famous remark that Emperor Augustus (27 B.C.ِ14 A.D.) found Rome a city of brick, and left it a city of marble.

      In 330 A.D. the splendor had remained even after the capital of Roman Empire had been moved to Constantinople in Eastern Rome, and the population had also fallen to some 50,000.

      In 455 A.D. Vandals sacked Rome, and the troops of Eastern Roman (BYZANTINE), Empror Justinian recaptured the city in 552 A.D..

      Destruction of the ancient city began in 5th century A.D., when pagan temples were dismantled to furnish material for Christian Churches.

      Rome was taken by Italian troops on Sept. 20-1870, and since then the city has shared Italy's destiny. The number of its inhabitants increased, and in 1931 Rome had one million inhabitents.

TRANSLATOR'S NOTE