Syed Emran Hossain :
Ramzan is the most blessed and endearing month among the Muslims. Muslims fast for the whole day from sunrise to sunset for the entire month and devout themselves in different sorts of worships. There are so many things to say about this month e.g., inter alia, its virtues, Quran, worships, dua, zakat-ut-fitr and Eid. Scholars of Islam have written numerous books, treatises, articles and given lectures on the virtues of Ramzan and associated issues and anyone can take benefit from those as they are easily accessible.
This write-up is an attempt to inspire the servants of Allah to act most prudently in the upcoming Ramzan in order to protect themselves from the present crisis i.e. COVID-19 pandemic and also in the hereafter. Due to this pandemic Muslims and every other people on this planet are experiencing excruciating difficulties and we cannot predict where it will end. However, we firmly believe that no one can save us from this pandemic except Allah as the Quran says “But Allah is your protector and he is the best of helpers” [Quran 3:150]. Therefore, we must increase our acts of worships, dua and other goods deeds in this upcoming month of Ramzan and seek Allah’s mercy to make us good Muslims and protect us from the clutch of this pandemic. Before going to discuss about afoot Ramzan I would like to shed some light regarding few historical incidents of the Muslims when Allah has directly poured his splendid mercy on His servants on this very Month.
Through the passage of time the Muslim world has experienced manifestations of Allah’s mercy, particularly in the month of Ramzan, without which history of the world would have been different. The first incident is the battle of Badr which took place on 17th Ramzan where Allah granted Muslims a decisive victory though Muslims were one-third in number and they did not have adequate horse, weapons and armors. Our Prophet (pbuh) sought Allah’s help by saying that “O Allah if this small band of Muslims perishes, you will not be worshipped on earth”. Immediately Allah accepted his dua and sent down Angels from the heaven to fight alongside the Muslims. Allah says in the Quran “when you asked help of your Lord, and He answered you, “Indeed, I will reinforce you with a thousand from the angels, following one another” [Quran 7:9]. In this way Muslims were ordained with victory with the mercy of Allah which cannot be comprehended with so called logic. Few years later, by the will of Allah, Muslims conquered Makkah, without shedding much blood, in the month of Ramzan and a new chapter of the Muslim world has begun.
Such enormous victories and manifestations of Allah’s magnificent mercy did not stop even after passing of the Prophet (pbuh). Few years after the death of Prophet, Muslim army under the commandership of Saad ibn Abi Waqqas defeated the Persian Army in the battle of Qadisiyah in the month of Ramzan. The Persians were the super power of the world at that time and the victory of Qadisiyah opened the door for the Muslims and within few years the mighty Persian Empire was totally torn apart. During the Khelafat of Umar ibn Al-Khattab, Muslims army conquered Egypt but they were facing difficulty to conquer Alexandria. Enforcement after enforcement was sent and ultimately in the month of Ramzan Alexandria falls to Muslims army.
In year 94 Hizri i.e. 711 AD Muslim Commander Tark Bin Ziad entered the land of Andalus (now Spain) and conquered it by defeating the than Christian King Rederic in the month of Ramzan. Conquest of Spain played crucial role for conquering Constantinople. Muslims ruled Spain for 750 years and during that period Spain became most amazing and prosperous country of the world in education, architecture, science and medicine. Such crucial victory leaving a mark in the course of history was ordained in the month of Ramzan.
We all know that Muslims conquered Jerusalem in the reign of 2nd Khalifa Umar ibn Al Khattab but Crusaders invaded the holy city and took it from the Muslims in the year 1099. The crusaders caused enormous bloodbath and destroyed the places of worships of the Muslims. After 90 years of the first crusade Salauddin Ayyubi defeated the crusader in the battle of Hattin and then besieged the city. Consequently Jerusalem surrendered to the Muslims. This enormous victory was ordained in the month of Ramzan. Lastly I would like to mention another great victory of Muslims which was obtained against the ruthless Mongols. The Mongols destroyed the Muslims so severely unlike any other nation. They destroyed cities after cities starting from Uzbekistan, Bukhara etc. and they continued their journey and ultimately destroyed the Abbasid Caliphate at Bagdad and Ayyubi Dynasty at Syria. The Mongols were progressing so fiercely and violently in order to fulfill their objective of conquering the entire world. After destroying the Muslim world in Asia they decided to proceed towards Egypt. However, Allah placed there a group of Muslims who were a Turkish tribe settled in the islands of the Nile and they are known as Mamluks. The battle of Ain Jalut took place in the year 1260 where the Mamluks defeated the Mongols and stopped their advancement and thereby saved rest of the Muslim world. Had Mamluks been defeated by the Mongols the world we live in could have been a different place. However, Allah willed differently and granted victory to the Muslims in the blessed month of Ramzan changing the history of the world.
From the above it appears that in numerous occasions when Allah’s servants were in critical condition, Allah has saved them by showering his magnificent and enormous mercy. Allah’s help can come from unknown sources and beyond human contemplation. At present we are once again standing in a critical point in time from where no one can save us except Allah. Now we need to think and ponder why all these are happening. According to our religion these are happening as a wrath of Allah due to widespread practice of sinful acts in His world. People everywhere around globe are disobeying the commandments of the Almighty and have become heedless about the sovereignty of Allah. This is the reason of coming down of Allah’s wrath which has enveloped the entire world with darkness. This argument may sound politically incorrect to the modern world and seem devoid of scientific logic. However, Allah says us in the Quran “And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much” [Quran 42:30]. Our Prophet (pbuh) 1400 years ago informed us that when immorality (nudity/fornication) is practiced among a people openly, Allah sends plagues and diseases that were never known among the predecessors and will spread among them [Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith No. 4019, Vol 5, Book 36]. There is no shadow of doubt that today nudity and fornication has become so global and prevalent than any other time in the history of mankind. Therefore, we as Muslims firmly believe that this COVID-19 pandemic is a trial/punishment from Allah.
Despite being in the state of trials and tribulations our heart finds solace when we read Quran which says “WE shall try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and crops; but give glad tidings to the steadfast” [Quran 2:155]. Our Prophet (pbuh) stated that “Plague was a punishment which Allah used to send on whom He wished, but Allah made it a blessing for the believers. None (among the believers) remains patient in a land in which plague has broken out and considers that nothing will befall him except what Allah has ordained for him, but that Allah will grant him a reward similar to that of a martyr.” [Sahih Al Bukhari 5734].
Therefore, as true servants of Allah we neither look at nor fear the pandemic as done by those who do not believe in the hereafter. Despite that we need to make dua to the Almighty to change our situation by lifting this trial. And what best occasion for making dua and increasing ibadah is there other than the month of Ramadan which is knocking at our door. We must consistently seek Allah’s mercy and forgiveness so that HE can lift this pandemic and save this world. Our dua may not be answered overnight but we need to strive and continue with our mission to get closer to Allah. We must have the faith that what we are asking is easy for Him and He is the most merciful. If Allah can respond to Iblis (Devil) then every one of us has greater chance. HE accepted the Dua of Iblis not because He was pleased with Iblis. He accepted it because HE is the Lord of mankind and jinkind and everything He created.
So we must keep on striving to increase our acts of worships and dua. Our Prophet (pbuh) said dua is a noble act of worship. It is our weapon against the trials and tribulations of this world. If during this pandemic many people can change themselves individually by striving in this month of Ramzan, and for rest of their lives as well, and continue to ask Allah for forgiveness then the Almighty may lift this torment for the entire world. We need to seriously ponder on this issue that if we can individually make ourselves submissive to Allah then we can live in this world with bliss and even if we get afflicted with this trial we will be saved from the fire of Hell in the Hereafter which will be the ultimate success. May this Ramzan be the game-changer for us individually and for the entire world as well.
(Syed Emran Hossain, Lincoln’s Inn Barrister, Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh)
