DIGNITY IN THE SHADOW OF UNITY

A LESSON FROM THE SCHOOL OF “BADR”

One of the significant events that took place in the holy month of Ramadan, was the battle of Badr, which occurred, as per a narration, this very month in the second Hijri.[1]

One of the greatest, most eminent and important victories of the history of Islam, was the victory of Muslims under the flag of Tawheed (monotheism) and the noble leadership of his holiness, Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him and his progeny), in the historic battle of Badr.

Badr – The First Battle between the Islamic Army and the Infidels

This battle, was the foremost battle between the army of Islam and the nonbelievers, and a fight between the people of Tawheed (monotheism) and the people of polytheism. The nonbelievers, in this battle, had an upper hand over the Muslims from the aspects of equipment, weaponry and ammunitions. They were almost three times the Muslim army in numbers.

The success of Islamic army in this battle, held great importance and value for the future of Islam, and had a great impact on defining the path of Islamic history.

This battle has been of vital importance for the religion of Monotheism and the universal rule of Islam. The victory attained by Islam in this battle turned out to be the foundation and the mother of all the future victories.

Muslims fought in this battle with patience and steadfastness, and exhibited their pure intentions, and the truthfulness of their faith and religion. Allah (s.w.t.) supported them in this battle and in the battle they won, they supported the cause of Islam. Their steadfastness in this Jihad caused the propagation of Islam’s message and the establishment of its pillars.

In this battle, the Muslims passed their test gloriously, and they proved their capability of propagating the message of Islam to the world. At the time of self-sacrifice and devotion, they regarded the value of Islam much higher than their own wealth, children and lives.

Lessons from the Battle of “Badr”

This battle taught the Muslims numerous lessons, learning and acting upon which can help them attain the dignity and glory of the initial phase of Islam. In this article, we will indicate towards two lessons:

First Lesson: Necessity of Coordination between Faith and Action

Only the power of poof and evidence, the theoretical clarity and the divine dominance of the ultimate truth upon the consciences and hearts, without the dominance over the external world and the apparent society, will not result in the absolute divine rule and the eradication of evil; and mere belief in the truth of one issue and the falsehood of other will not make truth the barometer and criteria of people living in the world and their social life, nor will it remove the evil from the human world.

Until the governance of evil remains, and people are weakened like the era of Pharaoh, the society will always be deprived of the blessings of the governance of truth. Evil must be stampeded and expelled for the truth to take its place. Truth and the worshippers of truth must attain dominance over falsehood and the worshippers of falsehood, and the meaning of this verse “so that He may confirm the truth and bring falsehood to naught, though the guilty should be averse” shall become evident.

Islam is a religion of movement and revolution against the dark face and the evil worshippers. It is not just a simple scientific theory or affirmative belief.

This lesson is amongst the most significant lessons of this incident whose important must be understood by the Muslims of our time and they must find the cause of their downfall in the lack of attention towards it.

In the present time, Islam is recognized by the billions of its followers in the form of a simple faith, a correct and firm theory that has been approved by logic, science and rational argument. They do not consider its other implications and its relationship with the outside world.

Muslims, with their great population, their influence on the countries and states under their authority, their movements, the formation of government, with their scientific and industrial progress, do not practically regard the application of Islam on their circumstances and society as a part of the Islamic teachings. Therefore, an ignorant society has taken the place of an Islamic society throughout the Islamic world, and the wickedest and most dreadful faces are seen in their societies.

Second Lesson: Necessity of Reliance on Allah

The believers must rely on the Allah’s prudence and His support, and having trust in Allah, they must avoid giving themselves up against the evil and feeling defeated. They must know that the most powerful factor that helps the people of the truth in attaining success and victory over the evil worshippers, is their faith in the actual source and reality, perseverance, steadfastness, nobleness of motive and intention.

The warriors of the battle of Badr, fought with their high spirits, determination and the eagerness to support the truth, their desire for martyrdom and the encounter with Allah and their belief that Jihad will result in either of the two noble things: triumph and victory, or martyrdom and heaven. They refrained from being deceived by the abundance of weaponry and ammunitions, and from arrogance and selfishness.

With these backings, the truthful people are always successful, even if they apparently seem dominated. The evil people are always defeated even if they seem dominant.

Causes behind the success and triumph of Muslims.

We can briefly assess the causes of the success and triumph of Muslims, as comprehended from the verses regarding the battle of Badr, in the following points:

• Firmament at the time of Jihad and while facing the enemy, and in all kinds of encounter with the evildoers.
• Connection with the remembrance of Allah and reliance upon His help and plan.
• Obedience of Allah (s.w.t.) and His Messenger (p.b.u.h.)
• Abstinence from dispute and differences.
• Patience and endurance upon the dangers and tragedies of Jihad.
• Abstinence from hypocrisy, cruelty and self-conceit.

These are the qualities which are almost rarely seen in today’s Muslims, and the cause of their defeat and weakness against the nonbelievers is nothing but lack of these qualities.

If the Muslims from the initial era of Islam faced defeat in any battle, or found their opponent strong economically, or from the aspect of arms and ammunitions, they would never retreat spiritually and surrender to their enemies. They regarded their belongings of much more value than the belongings of their enemies and reckoned the blessing of faith as the most superior thing. They considered their spiritual and intellectual power higher and dominant over the physical and apparent strength of their enemies.

Defects of the Islamic societies of our time

Majority of the Islamic societies of our time, instead of relying upon Allah’s Help and their own spiritual, intellectual assets and their spiritual strength, mostly rely upon the physical power and strength of the foreigners; and imitating their wicked habits, they begin to envy each other; and by stampeding their religious practices and lack of attention towards their Islamic obligations, they have neared themselves to the foreigners.

Some of them have become so westernized and self-defeated that they cannot, for example, attend an international gathering in their national and Islamic attire, and they don’t even forget to wear a tie. They do not let a person participate in their formal meetings without a tie, whereas we witness that people from other nations participate in such international meetings wearing their own national dress, and no one considers this obligation as a sign of their backwardness.

Islamic Unity – Greatest means of Success

Islamic Unity and Alliance, which was the biggest means of power, glory and success for Muslims, is now replaced by hypocrisy, discrimination and division of nations. A separate, single and independent society has been formed in every region and territory. Small and weak governments have led the Islamic world with disharmony and dissension, and for the sake of their personal wellbeing and profit, they are not at all ready to take a step against the eastern and western exploiters, and they do not move towards Islamic unity and eradication of such false and fake distances. In this way, they deprive the Islamic world from have a centralized power, or a powerful centre, or a single federation, association or single government that can lead the Islamic world.

The single gathering in the beginning of Islam, changed the segregated tribes, the tribal governments, the tribal and scattered interests, into mutual cooperation, coordination, unanimity and unity, under the Islamic and the flag of Monotheism.    

In those days, the Muslims had a single governance and uniformed nation under the leadership of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) and throughout the territory of Islam, there didn’t exist any kind of separatism and racism.

No one had the thought of possessing a region or territory for himself. Those who revolted against the governments, were all Muslims and the followers of Islamic thoughts. Their motive was not separatism, but moderation, reformation and establishment of Islamic Rule.

The likes of such defects and deficiencies have sickened the society of Muslims while the Muslims of the beginning phase were secured from them. Until and unless these sicknesses and ailments are not cured, the Islamic nation will not have the strength to renew the glory and dignity of the past.