Persian conquests. Four years after the proclamation of the mission of the Holy Prophet, war broke out between the Persians and the Byzantines. The sympathies of the Quraish of Makkah was with the Persians who were polytheists. The Muslims on the other hand had their sympathies for the Byzantines who were Christians and believed in one God. In the war the Persians overran the Byzantine territories. Syria and Jerusalem fell to Persians in 614 C.E. The Persians next marched to Egypt and annexed it 616 C.E The Byzantines were defeated, and lost a good deal of territory. The Quraish of Makkah rejoiced at the victory of Persia. They took such victory to signify that their gods were superior to the God of the Christians arid the Muslims.

Surah Ar-Rum. It was at this stage that the Surah Ar-Rum (Surah XXX) was revealed. It provided: "Alif, Lam Mim. The Greeks (Byzantines) have been defeated in a neighboring land; But after their defeat, they will gain a victory within a few years Allah's is the command before and after. On the day that the Greeks win a victory, The believers will rejoice. Allah gives victory to whom He wills, He is the Mighty One, the Merciful. That is Allah's promise. His promise can never be untrue; yet most men do not know it."

Reaction of the Quraish. When the Holy Prophet informed his companions of the revelation, they felt very happy. When the revelation was made, the Byzantines lay low, and prima facie appeared difficult that the Byzantines would defeat the Persians and regain their territories. Even among the Muslims there were some persons who felt skeptic. Abu Bakr's faith know no wavering. He felt confident that the prophesy would be fulfilled. When the unbelievers came to know of this revelation they ridiculed it. They said, "By Lat and Uzza, the Byzantines can never defeat the Persians." Abu Bakr had an altercation with some of the Quraish. He said "How can the revelation of God be false?"