Preparing for the Victory from Allah (swt)

[Islamic Revival]

Today, Muslims throughout the Islamic Lands remember with great happiness the great military victories that were achieved by them in the past during this Blessed Month of Ramadhan. They remember victories such as the Battle of Badr and the Conquest of Makkah, that were fought under the leadership of Muhammad (saw). Also, they remember other memorable victories that occurred during Ramadhan such as Salahudeen's defeat of the Crusader occupiers of Bilad al-Sham (Palestine), the Battle of Hitteen. Today, such accounts are related with great love and admiration. They are also often suffixed with du'a for this great Ummah to achieve similar victories today in Palestine and Kashmir. With this in mind, the following account from the Seerah of the Prophet (saw), gives invaluable insight as to how this victory is to be achieved, today. It is an account relating details, often forgotten in other accounts, of the essential preparations made by Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasallam to pave the way for victory over the regional power of his sallallahu alaihi wasallam time, the Quraysh.



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"For the familiarity of Quraysh. Their familiarity with the journeys by winter and summer. Let them worship the Lord of this House (al-Ka'abah). Who provides them with food against hunger, and with security against fear." [TMQ 106:1-4]






The Quraysh were stubborn in their rejection of Allah's Messenger (saw). In this surah, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala reminds them of His subhanahu wa ta’ala many favours upon them, to show how their rejection is ingratitude of the worst kind. Indeed, as is mentioned so eloquently in this surah, the Quraysh always were fearful of losing their food supplies. For their livelihood and supplies were based o­n the main trading routes between Bilad ush-Sham to the north and al-Yemen to the south of the Arabian Peninsula. Their fear stemmed from the fact that they were aware of many threats to the routes they viewed as their 'life-lines'. Since the Arabs lived in a time of constant tribal warfare, traders struggled to trade o­n their own due to the fear of attack and enslavement by tribes neighbouring these routes. For this reason, the Quraysh built strong alliances with powerful tribes along the routes in order to protect their trade. The Quraysh were merchants by profession. These trade routes were the means of their sustenance, a source of pride, position and status in the Arabian society. They directly contributed to their dominance within this region. This surah was a reminder that regardless of all their attempts at protecting these routes, o­nly Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala could guarantee their rizq (sustenance).


Preparations for the victories to come


The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam realised that if these trade routes, a vital interest to the Quraysh, were threatened it would weaken their position. This was important for he sallallahu alaihi wasallam had the task of ensuring that Islam would be dominant within the Arabian Peninsula, with a view to laying the foundations for its dominance beyond. o­ne of the chief obstacles to this were the Quraysh. With this in mind the Prophet (saw), as the head of the Islamic State, initiated many political actions. The actions included signing treaties, military expeditions and reconnaissance operations. These actions were planned to strengthen the newly born Islamic State, and thus weaken the status of Quraysh as the traditional regional power.


So, the Prophet (saw), signed treaties with the well known Quryashi allies Banu Damrah, Banu Madlij and others. This ensured peace between these tribes and the Muslims, whilst breaking the alliance with the Quraysh. This political action ensured the Quraysh's main trade routes with Bilad ush-Sham and al-Yemen were greatly imperiled as they had now lost key protectors of their trade routes. The aim of crippling the trade routes of the Quraysh was underway. The signing of treaties left the trade routes unprotected, threatening the Quraysh's position. In addition to these, the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam dispatched many military expeditions with the aim of attacking the trading caravans belonging to the Quraysh. For example, the expedition under the leadership of the Prophet's sallallahu alaihi wasallam uncle, Hamzah (ra). They intercepted a caravan, guarded by 300 soldiers and led by Abu Jahl ibn Hisham, who was a prominent leader of the Quraysh.


All such actions directly contributed to the weakening of the Quraysh. Indeed within a few short years, Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala granted these victories. The first came when the Quraysh were defeated at the Battle of Badr, Ramadhan, 2 A.H. Eventually, the Quraysh cam under the Islamic authority in Ramadhan, 8 A.H.


Implications for today


When the fierce engagement grew during the Battle of Badr, the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam began to supplicate to his Lord subhanahu wa ta’ala saying, "O Allah! Should this group (of Muslims) be defeated today, You will no longer be worshipped."

This was an Islamic duty, for all victory comes from Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. Allahsubhanahu wa ta’ala revealed,

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"Verily, I am with you, so keep firm those who believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved." [TMQ 8:12]


It can also be clearly seen from the above accounts that Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasallam was also mindful of his sallallahu alaihi wasallam other duties to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. Islam required him sallallahu alaihi wasallam not o­nly to make du'a for victory over the Disbelievers but also for his sallallahu alaihi wasallam Islamic State to undertake actions that were in line with this objective. The actions above are but a few of the many economic, political and military actions that he sallallahu alaihi wasallam performed in
order to seek Allah's subhanahu wa ta’ala victory.


This is in complete contrast to the situation in which du'a are made today throughout the Islamic Lands today. That is because the basis for the rule is non-Islamic, even though the people and the Lands are Islamic. As a consequence, the political actions do not have Islamic objectives, such as achieving dominance for Islam and victory over the Disbelievers. So, instead of weakening the position of our enemies, the existing States in Islamic Lands strengthen them.


For example, over recent years, many pacts have been made with Israel, under the banner of the 'peace' process. So shameless are the rulers in their embrace of non-Islamic objectives, that they have used the resources of the very Islamic Ummah upon which Israel has declared war. This is in spite of the fact that Israel's position is very weak from the outset, as it is surrounded by the Islamic Ummah and dwarfed by her huge military and economic resources. To extinguish Israel's 'life lines' would be an easy matter, had any o­ne of these rulers even an ounce of Islamic inclinations. That is not to be, as is made clear by their actions to the contrary. As far afield as Malaysia, there have been announcements of stronger economic ties with Israel in the light of the 'peace process'. Yet more looting of the Ummah's coffers can be expected, as recently Qatar announced trading with Israel in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).


Not o­nly have they used the wealth of the Ummah, they have used her political platforms to support Israel. This is what is called 'normalisation'. They have repeatedly acknowledged the existence of Israel and their desire to make her part of the permanent political landscape, in many conferences, speeches and pacts. There has been a witch-hunt for any who dares to speak out against the 'peace process' throughout the Islamic Lands. Finally, they have decided to use the very sons of the Islamic Ummah who should fight to liberate the Islamic Lands of Palestine, to protect Israel. Turkey has declared that Israel and Turkey would conduct joint military operations should the need arise, in line with an extensive 25 year military pact. Can there be any surprise about such actions after Anwar Sadat's order to bomb his own troops during the Ramadhan War against Israel, in 1973? All these actions are seeking other than the victory that Muslims make du'a for.


Conclusions


During the Battle of Badr, Allahsubhanahu wa ta’ala, inspired to His Messenger (saw),

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"I will help you with a thousand of the angels each behind the other in succession." [TMQ 8:9]


The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam rested after the strain of this revelation and then raised his head joyfully, crying, "O Abu Bakr, glad tidings are there for you, Allah's victory has approached, by Allah, I can see Gabriel o­n his mare in the thick of a sandstorm."


For us today, there are numerous ahadeeth which indicate similar victories not just over Israel but also about dominance over the entire world. We must make du'a for these victories, but not stop at that. For Islam also requires us to ensure that the actions of the Ummah, collectively, through the State reflect that noble purpose.



Khilafah Magazine, January 1998



Note: This article originally appeared in the Khilafah Magazine in January 1998, republished here in Ramadhan.Org 1424