The Opening of Makkah and the Destruction of the Idols

By Ramadhan of 8 A H., thetreaty of Hudaibiyah had been broken and the Muslim armies had engaged the Byzantines in the North. Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) felt the need to strike a fatal blow to disbelief in the Arabian Peninsula and conquered the city of Makkah in Ramadhan. This was one of the most important dates in Islamic history for after it, Islam was firmly entrenched in the Arabian Peninsula. During the same month and year, after smashing the idols ofMakkah, detachments were sent to the major centres of polytheism and al-Lat, Manat and Suwa, some of the greatest idols of Arabia, were destroyed.
Such was the month of Ramadhan in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It was a time of purification, enjoining the good, forbidding evil and strivinghard with one’s life and wealth to make the word of Allah the highest and Islam the dominant Deen. After the death of the Prophet (saw), Muslims carried this Sunnah on andAllah the Majestic used the believers to affect the course of history. Ramadhan continued then just as we see today in Central Asia and Afghanistan, to be a time of great trials and crucial events.
The Opening of Spain
Ninety-two years after the Hijrah and in Ramadhan, Musa ibn Nusair the Umayyad governor of North Africa, and his courageous general Tariq ibn Ziyad succeeded in liberating whole of Spain, Sicily and part of France, beginning the Golden Age of Al-Andalus where Muslims ruled for over 700years.
The Victory Against the Crusaders
In the year 682 A.H., Salahuddin al-Ayyubi, afterbattling with the Crusadersfor years, finally drove them out of Syria and liberated the whole of the occupied lands in the month of Ramadhan. It was then that the Muslim world was destined to meet one of its greatest challenges.
The Victory Over the Mongols
In the seventh century A.H.the Mongols were sweeping across Asia destroying everything thatlay in their path. Genghis Khan called himself “the scourge of God sent to punish humanity for their sins. “In 617 A.H. Samarkand, Ray, and Hamdan were put to the sword causing more than 700,000 people to be killed or made captive. In 656 A.H. Hulagu, the grandson of Genghis Khan continued this destruction.Even Baghdad, the leading city of the Muslim world, was sacked. Some estimates say that as many as 1,800,000 Muslims were killed in this awesome carnage. The Christians were asked to eat pork and drink wine openly while the survivingMuslims were forced to participate in drinking bouts. Wine was sprinkled in the masjids and no Azan(call to prayer) was allowed.
In the wake of such a horrible disaster and with the threat of the whole Muslim world being subjected to the same fate,Allah the Great One raised up from the Ummah, Saifuddin Qutz, who unitedthe Muslim army and met the Mongols at Ain Jalut on26th Ramadhan, 648 A.H. Although they were under great pressure, the Muslims with the help of Allah, cunning strategy and unflinching bravery, crushed the Mongol army and reversed this tidal wave of horror. The whole of the world sighed in relief and stood in awe at the remarkable achievement of these noble sons of Islam.
This was the spirit of Ramadhan that enabled our righteous forefathers to face seemingly impossible challenges. It was a time of intense activity, spending the day in the saddle and the nightin prayer while calling upon Allah for His mercy and forgiveness.
Today
Today, the Muslim world isfaced with imperialist occupation, military aggression, widespread corruption and oppressive rulers. The War against Islam and the Muslims is infull swing. So arise O believers and walk in the footsteps of our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the illustrious Sahabah, Tariq ibn Ziyad, Qutuz, Salahuddin and the other countless heroes of Islam. Strive to become the believers who are unafraidof the threats of the disbelievers, who are kind and humble to the believing people; Muslims whose fast is complete and not just a source of hunger and thirst.
May Allah the Most Glorious One make us that generation of Muslims who re-establish the promised Khilafah and carry Islam to the four corners of the globe, may Allah the Able give us the strength and success to laythe proper foundations of the Islamic rule for the coming generations and make us of those who carry out our Islam during Ramadhan and after it./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Ramadhan, the Month of Victory

All praises be to Allah, Lordof the worlds. He who revealed in His Glorious Quran, “Oh you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those who came before you that you may keep your duty to your Lord (having taqwa),” 2:185.
And may the blessings andpeace of Allah the Almighty be upon His last Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
Ramadhan is a sacred month wherein Almighty Allah is constantly testing His creation and giving humanity the opportunity to achieve His pleasure. One of the notable features of this blessed month, at a time when war has been declared upon Islam and the Muslims by America and Britain, is how the Imaan and understanding of the Muslims manifested itself upon the battlefield under the sincere Islamic leadership.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) passedthrough approximately nine Ramadhans together after the Hijrah. They werefilled with decisive events that took place in Ramadhan and left us a shining example of sacrifice and submission toAllah the Most High in the cause of making His Word the highest.
The Incident of Masjid al-Dhirar
In the first year after the Hijrah, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent Hamzah ibn Abdul Muttalib with thirty Muslim riders to Saif al Bahr to investigate three hundred riders from Quraish who had camped auspiciously in that area. The Muslims were about toengage the disbelievers, but they were separated by Majdy ibn Umar al-Juhany. The Hypocrites of Al-Madinah, hoping to oppose the unity of the Muslims, built their own masjid (called Masjid al-Dhirar). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered this masjid to be destroyed in Ramadhan, after he returned from the ghazwah of Tabuk.
The Battle of Badr
On the seventeenth of Ramadhan, 2 A.H., Almighty Allah separated truth from falsehood at the Great Battle of Badr. Hethe All Powerful gave them a decisive victory on this day of Ramadhan that would never to be forgotten.
“And indeed Allah assisted you at Badr when you were weak, so be observant to your duty to Allah so that you may be of the thankful ones. Whenyou said to the believers 'Does it not suffice you that your Lord should assist you with three thousand angels sent down." Surat Aali Imran 3:123 & 124
The battle of Badr was the first of the great battles of Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left Medina with 313 men, 2 horses and 70 camels to go to Badr. On the 17th Ramadhan 2 A.H they defeated an army of 1000 men, 100 horses and700 camels that left Makkah under the leadership of Abu Jahl to go to Badr.
During the Battle of Badr, Allah the Most Strong, inspired to His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), "I will help youwith a thousand of the angels each behind the other in succession." [TMQ 8:9]. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) rested after the strainof 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 cansee Gabriel on his mare in the thick of a sandstorm."
For us today, there are numerous ahadeeth whichindicate similar victories tocome not only over the Jews but also about Islam’s dominance extending over the entire world. We must make du'afor these victories, but not stop at that. For Islam also requires us to ensure that the actions of the Muslims collectively as an Ummah, through the establishmentof a sincere unified state, also reflect that noble purpose.
The battle of Badr strengthened the faith of the Muslims and was a decisive victory that shattered the forces of kufrand firmly established the new State in Medinah as a powerful spiritual, politicaland military force.
The Battle at Wadi al-Qura
In 6 A.H., Zaid ibn Haritha was sent to Wadi al-Qura at the head of a detachment to confront Fatimah bint Rabiah, the queen of that area. Fatimah had previously attacked a caravan led by Zaid and had succeeded in plundering its wealth. She was known to be the mostprotected woman in Arabia, as she hung fifty swords of her close relatives in her home. Fatimah was equally renowned for showing open hostility to Islam. Shewas killed in a battle against the Muslims in the month of Ramadhan.
The Opening of Makkah and the Destruction of the Idols
By Ramadhan of 8 A H., thetreaty of Hudaibiyah had been broken and the Muslim armies had engaged the Byzantines in the North. Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) felt the need to strike a fatal blow to disbelief in the Arabian Peninsula and conquered the city of Makkah in Ramadhan./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Qiyamul-layl:

The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Whoever performed the night prayer during Ramadhan out of belief and anticipating God's rewards,will be forgiven his previous sins."(Related by Muslim).Performing Umrah: The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "An Umrah during Ramadhan is like a Hajj with me." (Related by al-Hakim).
Offering Iftar (meal) to those who fasted. The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Whoever feeds a fasting person has the same reward as him, except that the reward of the fasting person will not be diminished." (Related by Ahmad).
Reading and completing the Qur'an: The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Fasting and [reading] Qur'an will intercede for the person: fasting will say: O Lord I forbade him eating and drinking so let me intercede for him, and the Qur'an will say: I deprived him from his night sleep so let me intercede for him," he then said: "So they will intercede." (Related by Ahmad). The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam used to recite the whole Qur'an to Angel Jibreel each Ramadhan.
Giving in charity: Ibn Abbas radhiallahu anhu said: "The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam was the most generous among people, and he was more generous during the month of Ramadhan." (Related by Muslim).
I`tikaaf: which is to confine oneself in the masjid for prayer and invocation leaving the worldly activities. Ibn Abbas radhiallahu anhu said: "The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam used to perforrn I'tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadhan." (Related by Muslim). It is surprising that many people have abandoned I'tikaf though the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam never abandoned itfrom the time he arrived to Madinah until he died.
Supplication: In the versesdealing with fasting, Allah said: "And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then answer them, I am indeed near to them. I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me." (Al-Baqarah 2: 186). This is an encouragement for the fasting person to increase his invocation. The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Three invocations will be answered: The invocation of the fasting person, the invocation of the oppressed, and the invocation of the traveler."(Related by Muslim).
Repentance: Ramadhan is the time of repentance and return to Allah, for it isa time when the devils arechained, and when many people are saved from hellfire every night by the grace of Allah.
Applying oneself in all good deeds in the last ten days of Ramadhan: Aysha radhiallabu anha said: "When the last ten days come, he sallallahu alayhe wa sallam would pray most of the night andwake his family, and applyhimself, and tighten up hisloincloth.", and she also said: "The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhe wa sallam used to strive in thelast days of Ramadhan more than he did during the other days." (Related by Muslim).
Abstaining from vain talk: Sins decrease the reward of fasting althoughthey do not annul it. The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Fasting is not [only] abstaining from eating and drinking, but abstaining from vain and obscene talk, so if someone insulted you or wronged you say: I am fasting." (Related by al-Hakim) and he also said:'Whoever does not abandon lying, then Allah does not need him to abandon his food and drink." (Related by al-Bukhari).
Common errors made during Ramadhan
Excessive spending: Ramadhan should be a time to avoid being wasteful, and learning to be prepared in facing harder times by distinguishing the needs from the luxuries. Unfortunately, many people go beyond their limits to spend during Ramadhan. Whether in thevarieties of food that they savor each night, or by theother types of spending.
Staying awake during the night and sleeping during the day: Some people sleep during most of the day when they are fasting. Ramadhan is not a time of being lazy, and thisdo not allow the full benefit from the experience of fasting. It is as if they have only inverted their nights into days and vice versa. In addition, some may spend a great portion of the night indulging in eating and drinking and socializing
Spending more time in socializing: Because people invite each other more often during Ramadhan they do tend tospend more time socializing with friends, and relatives. While it is a good deed to feed the fasting person, this should not result in precious time lost in vain talk. Use the occasion for remembering Allah and offering additional prayers, and for the Da'wah to Allah./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Reality and Obligation in Ramadan

During this Ramadhan do not let the sweetness of our deeds vansh into the night, leaving only emptiness. When one contemplates the texts on fasting, its wisdom and goals in Shariah, and looks at the reality of the Muslimcommunities, one realizes a wide gap between the reality and our obligations.Remember that Ramadhanis a bounty that Allah blessed His servants with, to strengthen their faith, and increase their piety (Taqwa). Allah said: "O youwho believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious." (Al-Baqarah 2:183). This article is an attempt to present the essential causes of this gap, and to some remedies. primary reason for the gap is ignorance about the goals of fasting and the wisdom behind it. Many Muslims ignore the purpose and wisdom of fasting. Fasting is done merely to conform to the social environmet without contemplation. If one is not aware of the divine wisdom of Shariah and its fruits in this world and in the hereafter, one will not apply it in the right way.
Goals of Fasting
Achieving Taqwa: is one of the most important wisdom of fasting. Fasting brings on Taqwa as it lessens the desire of the stomach and mutes the sexual appetite. Whoever fasts frequently would overcome these two desires more easily. This deter against committing abominations and sins andassist in controlling life leading to Taqwa.
Strengthening willpowerand acquiring patience: The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam called Ramadhan the month of patience as it increases one's will power to controlhis desire and the selfishness of his soul. This training allows him to be strong in following Allah's commands. The most important being to carry the Message and propel it forward. The person trains himself to be patient in obeying Allah by stopping at the limits set by Allah both by way of action and abstention. Allah said:"These are the limits set byAllah, so approach them not." (Al-Baqarah 2:187)
Fasting is pure worship: The fact that he is abstaining from food and drink both in public and in secret shows his honest faith and strong love of Allah, and his knowledge and feeling that Allah is all-knowing of everything. For this reason Allah has made the reward for fasting greater than for any other type of worship. Allah said in the hadith Qudsi: "Every deed of the son of Adam will be multiplied [in rewards], the good deed by ten of itslike, up to seven hundreds,up to whatever Allah wills,except fasting, it is for Me and I will reward it. He abandons his desire and his food for My sake.." (Related by Muslim) lbn al-Qayyim said: "...And people may see that a person is not eating in front of them, but the fact that he is really abandoning his food and his desire for the sake of God is a thing that nobodycan find out about, and that is the essence of fasting." (Zaad al-Ma'ad 2/29).
Relieving Muslims from life's distractions: Eating, drinking, and socializing alldistract a person and weaken ties with Allah. It is by the Mercy of Allah that Muslims are ordered to fast so as not to be bothered by the intrusion of these activities. Nor by the thought about them nor the anticipation for them when devoting themselves to the all typesof worship Either reading the Qur'an, offering additional prayer or making I'tikaf. For this reason the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Fasting is a shield, and a secure fortress against Hell fire" (Related by Ahmad).
Discovering Allah's Blessings: A person experiences the hardship of the poor. He should then be thankful to Allah Who has blessed him with His bounty while others are deprived. This should make him more sympathetic and willing toshare this bounty. The poor rediscovers that fasting helps a person be more devoted to worship. More able to concentrate and meditate. He should then be able of this devotion all year long, a blessing he should thank Allah for.
Acquiring strength and endurance: It has been discovered that depriving the body of food for a period of time helps its defense and endurance mechanism. This in turn this protects the body from certain diseases.
Remember that fasting isnot only dependent on abstentions: Many believethat fasting consist only of certain abstentions, forgetting that Allah established certain acts of worship with fasting./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en