Jihad is the summit of Islam. Its virtue is countlessly high, as mentioned in many places of the Koran and Sunnah. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:  

"Verily, there are one hundred degrees in Paradise which Allah has reserved for the fighters in His cause. The distance between every two degrees is like the distance between the sky and the Earth, so if you ask Allah for anything, ask Him for the Firdaus, for it is the last part of Paradise and the highest part of Paradise, and at its top there is the Throne of Beneficent, and from it gush forth the rivers of Paradise".

(al-Bukhari).  

The month of Ramadan in the life of the Prophet (pbuh) and the righteous ancestors was a month of forthcoming. The greatest battles during the lifetime of the Prophet (pbuh) occurred in this blessed month, the month of jihad, zeal and enthusiasm.  

The first battle in the history of Islam was the battle of Badr. This event became a dividing line between the era of humiliation and weakness, and the beginning of the era of force and revival of the case of the Prophet (pbuh) and the believers. This day became a turning point in the spreading of the call of the Prophet (pbuh).  

In Badr, the Prophet (pbuh) raised his hands to the sky and began to solicit Allah in a way that his cloak fell off his shoulders. The supplication of the Prophet to the Lord was:  

"Oh Allah! Thy help which Thou hast promised me! Oh Allah! I adjure thee Thy promise. Oh Allah! If this company is destroyed, there will be none left in the land worship you".  

He repeated this until Abu Bakr came into his tent and stopped him, throwing his cloak over his shoulders and turning to him:  

"O Messenger of Allah! Do not overdo in your beseeching your Lord, for He is sure to fulfill what He has promised you".  

Allah said:  

"And already had Allah given you victory at [the battle of] Badr while you were few in number. Then fear Allah; perhaps you will be grateful".

(The Holy Quran, Surah 3. "The Family Of 'Imran", verse 123)  

The second battle of this month was the conquest of Mecca. It is also one of the most important battles in the life of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). Mecca was a political and cultural center of the Arabian Peninsula, which made it strategically important.  

Idolatry, in the eight years after relocation of the Prophet (pbuh) in Medina, was constantly opposed to the cause of Islam. It came so far that pagans decided to ban the rites of Hajj to the Prophet (pbuh) on the day of Hudaybiyya. Mecca was captured in the eighth year of Hijra, which marked a turning point for the rest of the Arabian Peninsula. The result of this had not taken long to appear. Next year, messengers with a desire to accept Islam hauled from all parts of Arabia.  

The capture of Mecca marks a time period when we can say that Islam ceased to be something new in the life of Arabs, and it began to play a predominant role in a life of the entire Arabian Peninsula, because the ideology of idolatry was completely defeated.  

The history of Islam is full of other examples of great battles in the month of Ramadan. For example, the battle of Ain Jaluit, where Allah helped Muslims to gain the upper hand over wild hordes of Mongol-Tatars. Their defeat was tremendous.  

We are to consider stories about the jihad in the month of Ramadan from two positions:  

1. In the minds of many Muslims, Ramadan is not associated with great achievements, incredible activity and enthusiasm. It is rather perceived as a month of laziness and idle pastime and frequent sleeping. Undoubtedly, these are false ideas about Ramadan. It is necessary to change these concepts into right ideas and encourage Muslims to be active both during the entire month of Ramadan and at other times.  

2. The concept of jihad is interpreted broadly. It includes many activities: fighting with weapons, with property, sermons, appeals for good and retention from evil, studying, spreading of the call etc.  

Everyone knows that in many parts of the world, Muslims are fighting with weapons against oppression and colonialism - Afghanistan, Palestine, Yemen, the Philippines, the Caucasus, Kashmir and other Islamic countries. In all above-mentioned countries, Muslim groups oppose infidels, Christians, Zionists, Communists and other enemies of every color. These Muslims deserve help from their brothers who live in other places at least by praying Allah for them. After all, who knows, maybe, what affected the other yesterday, could affect you today.  

And help from Allah.  

Salman Awdah

©  EsinIslam.Com