Egyptian Grand Mufti, Muslim Brotherhood General Guide: Ramadan Is The Month Of Jihad And Victories

The Grand Mufti of Egypt, 'Ali Gum'a, and the General Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), Muhammad Badi,' each recently published an article about the month of Ramadan. Both wrote that Ramadan is, and has been throughout Muslim history, the month in which Allah helps the Muslims to prevail over their enemies and grants them mighty victories.

'Ali Gum'a reviewed the conquests of Muslims throughout history during Ramadan. Badi' called to dedicate this year's Ramadan to jihad, preparation, and training, and to act in Allah's name in order to help the popular uprisings and stop the slaughter of Muslims in Palestine, Syria, and Burma.

The following are excerpts from the articles:

Egypt's Grand Mufti: Through Muslim History, Ramadan Has Been A Month Of Great Victories

'Ali Gum'a wrote in the Egyptian daily Al-Ahram:[1] "[Throughout the history of] Islamic civilization, Ramadan has been not only a month of worship and of growing close to Allah the Almighty, but also a month of action and jihad aimed at spreading this great religion. When the soul grows stronger and the spirit soars, it inevitably affects the body, which [also] grows stronger – [for] the body is the mirror of the soul. That is why, throughout [Muslim] history, Ramadan has been a month of great conquests, which were an important factor in spreading Islam, [with] its righteousness and tolerance, across the world. Ramadan saw [many] events that were milestones in the history of Islamic civilization.

"On Ramadan 22 of the year 1 AH [623 CE], the Prophet's brigades were first sent forth... On Ramadan 17 of the year 2 AH [624 CE] was the great Battle of Badr, in which the Muslims under the command of the Prophet defeated the infidel armies. On Ramadan 21 of the year 8 AH [630 CE], the Messenger of Allah conquered Mecca. [This] conquest was the pinnacle of the efforts of the Prophet and his Companions in their Islamic da'wa for the sake of Allah. It bore the message of Islamic sovereignty in the Arabian Peninsula, where, following [the Prophet's] example, people [started to] convert to Allah's religion in groups. On Ramadan 8 in the year 9 AH [631 CE] was the Battle of Tabouk, and the Prophet returned from this battle on Ramadan 26, having received great support from Allah.

"After [Muhammad's] death, his Companions followed his example in spreading da'wa, and their era, too, saw great Islamic conquests during the month of Ramadan. On Ramadan 13, 15 AH [636 CE], the Commander of the Faithful, 'Umar bin Khattab, arrived in Palestine after waging hard battles to conquer Al-Sham [Greater Syria]. He received the keys to the city of Jerusalem and granted its people a charter of protection guaranteeing their property and lives, [and today] we ask Allah to return [Jerusalem] in its entirety to the Muslims. On Ramadan 1, 20 AH [641 CE], [also] in the period of 'Umar bin Khattab, the Muslims entered Egypt under the command of 'Umar 'Ibn Al-'As, after he vanquished the army of the oppressing Byzantines.

"On Ramadan 6, 23 AH [644 CE], Muhammad ibn Al-Qasim defeated the Indian armies near the Indus River and conquered the Indus Valley. It was at the end of the era of Walid bin 'Abd Al-Malik. The conquest of Al-Andalus started on Ramadan 1, 91 AH [710 CE], when the Muslims, under the command of Tarif ibn Malik Al-Berberi,[2] landed on its southern coast and conquered several port cities...

"Ramadan also saw the Muslim victory over the Byzantine state, in the Battle of Amorium, under the command of the 'Abbasid Caliph Al-Mu'tasim. Heeding the cries of his Muslim brothers, he came to their help with a large army and punished the Byzantine state on Ramadan 19, 223 AH [838 CE]. On Ramadan 25, 658 AH [1260 CE] was the Battle of 'Ain Jalout, led by Muzaffar Sayf Al-Din. Allah the Almighty granted the Muslims a decisive... victory that halted the spread of the Mongols and saved the Muslim civilization from perdition…

"Ramadan 10 went down in history as a day of victory not only for the Egyptians but for the entire Arab and Muslim nation, and it will remain forever etched in the memory of every Arab and Muslim. This was [the day of] the Egyptian army's victory over the Israelis in the war of 1973. On October 6, 1973 was the Battle of Al-'Ubour, in which the Egyptian army crossed the Suez Canal, and, with Allah's help, re-took the Sinai Peninsula. Centuries before that, on Ramadan 10, 648 (December 10, 1250), the Muslims defeated Louis IX in the Battle of Al-Mansoura, killing and capturing many of his soldiers.

"The month of Ramadan has thus gone down in Muslim history as the month of conquest; the month in which Allah the Almighty wished to spread the light of Islam, its morality, and its values among all of mankind."

MB General Guide: Ramadan Is The Month Of Jihad, Preparation, And Training

MB General Guide Muhammad Badi' wrote on the movement's website:^{^[3]} "Since [the Battle of Badr] and until today, the month of Ramadan has been a time of victories for the [Muslim] nation – [victories] which repeatedly confirmed that the [Muslim] nation has an essence in which its sons take pride and which is embedded in them; that the nation has power that emanates from its first [sovereign] state, which was established by Allah's Messenger in Al-Medina and subsequently spread across the globe; and that the nation [consists of] peoples that feel its might and strength, for it is supported by the succor and providence of Allah even [when] its ranks are thin and its equipment meager. They draw their strength from their Maker, the Lord of all might, which he bestowed upon His Messenger and the believers.

"Allah the Almighty wanted the [Ramadan] fast to coincide with fighting, so that the Muslims would win and deal their enemies a crushing blow that the world would speak of... Allah did not mandate [the fast] of Ramadan so that [we] sit idly and avoid jihad, action, and da'wa for the sake of Allah. The fast is not intended to be an excuse to avoid one's obligations at work or one's social commitments. Rather, it is a month of action and movement, of conquests and victories – the month in which most of the defeats of the nation's enemies occurred. Is this not [incentive] enough for us to shake off the dust of sloth, inaction, and apathy, and spin the wheel of life with all the power and might [that Allah] has bestowed upon us?

"The victories of the month of Ramadan are actually lessons for the Muslim peoples. They lifted [the Muslims'] spirit; maximized their ability to give, commit and improve; created a new reality in building the modern Islamic state; and gave rise to a generation of [people who are like] sturdy bricks – [people] who conquer their urges and can defend the nation, achieve its freedom, and restore its glory. The victories during the month of Ramadan are generally [achieved] only thanks to the help bestowed [by Allah] on humanity, [help] that has changed its history, improved its situation, and contributed to its advancement.

"In the nation's most recent victory – in the 'Ramadan 10' War [i.e. the 1973 war between the Arabs and Israel] – the winds of Ramadan blew upon the Egyptian people, which consisted of [Muslim] soldiers, who fasted and prayed, and also their Christian partners and brothers, who joined them in sacrificing for the defense of justice, freedom, and the homeland, and even participated in the fast out of respect for [Muslim] feelings. This

influenced the achievement of victory and the reserves of faith that preceded it and provided momentum for dedication and sacrifice.

"If we desire victory for our revolutionary peoples; stability in our assaulted homelands; an end to the inhuman slaughter of our brothers in Palestine, Syria, and Burma; and the rescue of the Al-Aqsa Mosque from the Zionists' attempts to destroy it and Judaize Jerusalem - we must rally around Allah, act in His name, persevere with His help, and put our trust in Him...

"This is the month of might and victory, in which the fasting believers defeat their own [urges], as well as their enemies. Allah decreed that the Islamic nation, throughout its long history, should [experience] momentous events during this holy month... This month saw the glorious conquest of Mecca, in which the Messenger of Allah, peace by upon him, stood at the entrance of the Ka'aba and said: 'There is no God but Allah, who fulfilled His promise, granted victory to His servant, and defeated the [enemy] hosts by himself.' This month is a month of war within one's soul and struggle against one's desires. The spirit is the greatest battlefield on which a fighter is trained [to fight] his enemies. If one vanquishes one's urges, one can certainly vanquish others...

"The month of Ramadan was given to the nation so that we remember these victories, these meanings, and our duties: to commit to being God-fearing, to conquer the spirit, to unify our ranks, to turn only to Allah, [and to engage in] action, jihad, preparation, and training. This, so we can enjoy the victories of the month of Ramadan, which will not end until Judgment Day, with hope for the coming victory of our nation..."

Endnotes:

[1] Al-Ahram (Egypt), July 29, 2012.

[2] Tarif ibn Malik was a Berber commander under Tariq ibn Ziyad, the prominent Umayyad general who led the conquest of Hispania. In July 710 CE, Tariq sent Tarif with a force of 500 men to begin the conquest of Al-Andalus.

[3] Ikhwanonline.com, August 2, 2012.