RAMAZAN AND WARFARE

RAMAZAN AND WARFARE Far Removed From Each Other A section of Muslims subscribe to the notion that Ramazan is the month of Furqan, the month of victory. This line of thought ensures victory if jihad, in the sense of war (qital), is waged during Ramazan. Hence battles were waged against supposed enemies during Ramazan over the last few years. Such wars have invariably ended in the destruction and defeat of the Mujahideen or aggressors themselves. Even with such devastating evidence to the contrary, they have not changed their opinion or reconsidered their stand. It is strange indeed that they still connect war with this sacrosanct period. What is the basis or source for reckoning the month of Ramazan as the month of victory? It is the fact that the battle of Badr took place during the life of the Prophet in the month of Ramazan, in 2 A.H. In this battle, the Prophet and his companions emerged victorious. This was the logic used to regard Ramazan as the month of victory. But this is a flawed assumption. The battle of Badr was not a matter of choice for the Prophet of Islam. It was a war fought to defend against an enemy who had marched towards Madinah in this month to attack the Prophet and his companions. This armed aggression led to the defensive war at Badr. None of the other battles in the initial history of Islam were fought during Ramazan. For instance, the battle of Uhud took place near Madinah on the 6th Shawwal, 3 A.H., and the battle of Hunain took place on 11th Shawwal, in 8 A.H. This is a clear proof that the month of Ramazan has nothing to do with war. War is never the choice of believers. Islam states that war can be waged only in defence. And it is more than clear that it is the aggressor who fixes the date according to his choice, leaving no option to the defender.