God Arises
The Challenge of The Qur’an
~ 299 ~
In the year 603, his troops crossed the Euphrates
and entered Syrian cities. Phocas failed to arrest this
unexpected advance and the Persian troops
continued their march until they had finally
captured the city of Antioch and seized the sacred
city of Jerusalem. Within no time, the boundaries of
the Persian Empire were extended up to the Nile
Valley. Because of the policy of inquisition pursued
by the erstwhile Roman State, the anti-Church sects
like the Nestorians, the Jacobites and the Jews were
already simmering with discontent, so they
supported the Persian conquerors in over-throwing
the Christian regime—a factor which was of
considerable help in the Persian conquest. On
seeing the failure of Phocas to combat the Persians,
some nobles of the Roman Court sent a secret
message to the Roman governor of the empire’s
African colony, begging him to save the empire.
The governor, therefore, appointed his son,
Heraclius, to lead the military campaign. He
marched with his troops from Africa in such secrecy
that no hint of their approach was received until,
from his castle, Phocas, himself could see their ships
approaching the coast. Heraclius captured the
