In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Summary of the Book:
*Ramadan: Events and Lessons*
The Battle of the Court of Martyrs (Balat al-Shuhada')
Time: In the month of Ramadan,
In the year 114 AH.
Indeed, the battle between truth and falsehood is fierce;
No sooner does it subside than it flares up again,
And no sooner does it cease than it resumes anew,
Even if the intervals between clashes are prolonged
And the distances between confrontations are vast.
It is the established Sunnah of Allah Almighty
That victory is never permanently allied with one side over another.
Rather, our All-Wise Lord has decreed
That dominance alternates between the two parties
And contest remains reciprocal between the two forces,
For many wise purposes and profound lessons:
Among them is the purification of the Muslim ranks
And the purging of corrupt intentions from the souls of its people,
As well as motives that deviate from the path of sincerity.
Among them also is cleansing the community of faith from infiltrators—
From the hypocrites and followers of base desires,
And the slaves of passions and self-interest.
Through this purification and refinement,
The mirror of faith is polished and its strength is fortified.
Among them is examining the causes of defeat
So that its path is not traversed again,
For the Muslim ranks might otherwise be compromised by it.
Among them is cultivating patience during calamities,
And enduring hardships and wounds for the sake of Allah.
Among them is the selection of martyrs to attain the greatest reward.
In the Battle of Uhud,
When the Muslims suffered what befell them,
Allah Almighty revealed verses of the Noble Qur'an
To console the believers,
Mention some of the causes of what transpired,
And clarify some of the wisdoms and lessons behind that immense tragedy.
Allah Almighty said:
"And do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior
If you are [true] believers."
“If ye have received a blow, the (disbelieving) people have received a blow the like thereof. These are (only) the vicissitudes which We cause to follow one another for mankind, to the end that Allah may know those who believe and may choose witnesses from among you; and Allah loveth not wrong-doers.” (3:140)
“If ye have received a blow, the (disbelieving) people have received a blow the like thereof. These are (only) the vicissitudes which We cause to follow one another for mankind, to the end that Allah may know those who believe and may choose witnesses from among you; and Allah loveth not wrong-doers.” (3:140)
“If ye have received a blow, the (disbelieving) people have received a blow the like thereof. These are (only) the vicissitudes which We cause to follow one another for mankind, to the end that Allah may know those who believe and may choose witnesses from among you; and Allah loveth not wrong-doers.” (3:140)
"And that He may take to Himself from among you martyrs—
And Allah does not like the wrongdoers—"
“And that Allah may prove those who believe, and may blight the disbelievers.” (3:141)
"And that He may destroy the disbelievers."
"Or do you think that you will enter Paradise
While Allah has not yet made evident those of you who fight in His cause
And made evident those who are steadfast?"
An Overview of the Situation in al-Andalus
Before the Battle of the Court of Martyrs:
Following the tremendous conquests achieved by the two distinguished commanders,
Musa ibn Nusayr and Tariq ibn Ziyad,
May Allah Almighty have mercy upon them, in Iberian al-Andalus,
Certain disruptions occurred,
For al-Andalus was soon engulfed by internal strife
And Christian resistance against Islamic rule.
Thus, the Battle of Toulouse took place
In the year 102 AH, corresponding to
721 CE, between the Muslims and the Christians,
In which the Muslims were not victorious,
And their commander, al-Samh ibn Malik, was killed.
They retreated to Septimania,
And their affairs were thrown into turmoil,
Until 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Abdullah al-Ghafiqi was appointed over them
In the year 113 AH, corresponding to
731 CE, who restored order among them.
'Abd al-Rahman sought to secure the northern Andalusian provinces
And thwart the plots of Eudo, Duke of Aquitaine,
Aimed at destabilizing Muslim security in al-Andalus.
Therefore, he entered Frankish territory in the year 114 AH, corresponding to
732 CE,
And took control of the city of Arles on the Rhône River,
Then the Duchy of Aquitaine,
Then Bordeaux,
Then Lyon and Besançon,
Reaching as far as Sens,
Near the French capital, Paris.
He then marched westward to the banks of the Loire
In order to complete the conquest of this region
Before heading toward Paris.
The Name and Date of the Battle:
Among Muslims, this battle is called
The Battle of the Court of Martyrs (Balat al-Shuhada'),
Due to the vast number of Muslim fighters slain therein.
Among Europeans,
It is known as the Battle of Tours-Poitiers,
In reference to the location where it took place.
This major battle occurred
About 20 kilometers north of Poitiers,
On the road to Tours,
South of the course of the Loire River,
At a site near an ancient Roman road
Connecting Châtellerault
And Poitiers, which was known as *al-Balat* (the paved way/palace),
Perhaps near a place called today Moussais-la-Bataille.
The battle took place in the month of Ramadan,
In the year 114 AH,
October 732 CE.
The Two Commanders and the Size of Their Armies:
The Muslim commander was 'Abd al-Rahman al-Ghafiqi,
Who was renowned for his piety, righteousness,
Integrity, and strong faith.
The Muslim commander was 'Abd al-Rahman al-Ghafiqi,
Who was renowned for his piety, righteousness,
Integrity, and strong faith.
He used to say:
"Even if the heavens and the earth were closed up,
Allah would make a way out for those who fear Him."
He was among the greatest Muslim commanders
In al-Andalus in terms of justice, righteousness,
Capability, and competence.
He spent nearly a year
Organizing the affairs of the land
For jihad against the Franks.
He assembled a formidable army ranging
Between 50,000 to 70,000 men
At the highest estimate.
As for the Christian army, it advanced
From Paris under the command of Charles Martel,
Who was known to the Arabs as Qarlah,
Pronounced by them as Sharqarlah (Charles Martel).
The word "Martel" is an epithet meaning "the Hammer";
The Pope in Italy bestowed it upon him
Because he was ruthless toward his enemies,
And he was among the most powerful rulers of France
Of all time.
Charles Martel arrived with four hundred thousand
Christian combatants—
That is, eight times the size of the Muslim army.
The Route to the Battlefield:
'Abd al-Rahman crossed the Pyrenees
In early 114 AH
With approximately 70,000
Muslims, after concluding preparations
For his campaign in Pamplona.
'Abd al-Rahman conquered the city of Arles,
Then Bordeaux,
Where 'Abd al-Rahman scored a magnificent victory
Over Duke Eudo.
Eudo hurried to Charles Martel seeking his aid
After al-Ghafiqi had swept through
The entire southern half of France
From west to east.
Muslim armies arrived for the second time
At the gates of Paris within seven years,
Took Poitiers,
And advanced toward the city of Tours.
Charles Martel realized
That the Frankish realm itself was in peril,
So he decided to forge a temporary alliance
With the Duke of Aquitaine
To confront the shared Islamic danger.
Some historians mention
That after 'Abd al-Rahman al-Ghafiqi had united
The people and felt his forces were fully prepared,
He took those troops
And marched with them toward France
To resume the conquests anew.
He conquered the far west of France,
Opening city after city:
He conquered the city of Arles,
Then the city of Bordeaux,
Which is known by this name today,
Then the city of Toulouse,
Then the city of Tours,
And then reached Poitiers, west of Paris,
Which is about 100 kilometers away from it,
And about 1,000 kilometers from Cordoba.
He had penetrated very deeply
Into French territory in a northwesterly direction.
There, in the city of Poitiers,
He encamped at an area called al-Balat;
And *al-Balat* in the Andalusian dialect
Signifies a palace,
For in this area there stood an ancient,
Abandoned palace.
The campaign of 'Abd al-Rahman al-Ghafiqi was
The largest expedition ever to enter Frankish lands,
Reaching up to 50,000 fighters—
A strength the Muslims had never fielded there
Prior to that time.
Another historian remarked:
'Abd al-Rahman continued
His victorious march until he overlooked
The Loire River with his army.
Charles Martel met him
With a massive army of Franks
And half-naked mercenaries,
Clad in wolf skins,
With their matted hair flowing down
Over their bare shoulders.
Then the enemy surprised them—
Without the Muslim advance guards detecting them
Or accurately assessing their massive numbers—
With their vast, overwhelming hordes.
He fell back to the plain situated
Between the cities of Poitiers and Tours,
And the Frankish army crossed the Loire,
Encamping to the west of the Muslim army.
Al-Ghafiqi resolved to engage the enemy,
even though some of the Berber
tribes in his army
were eager to withdraw
due to leaving behind numerous garrisons
in the conquered cities and villages.
The immortal, historic battle:
the two armies met in one of
the fiercest Islamic battles
ever, in the region of Poitiers.
The battle raged between them
for ten full days,
taking place in Ramadan in the year
114 AH.
At the beginning of the battle,
the Muslims had the upper hand despite their small numbers,
but toward the end of the engagement, the Christians
noticed the massive amount of spoils
laden behind the Muslim army.
So they flanked the army
and attacked the spoils,
beginning to seize the Muslims' booty.
The Muslims rushed back to protect the vast spoils,
for the love of worldly booty had entered their hearts.
Consequently, severe confusion broke out in the Muslim ranks,
and a tremor of disorder began to spread,
leading to the defeat of the Muslim army
in this battle.
There is no precise census in Islamic historical reports
of the Muslim martyrs
at the Battle of the Court of Martyrs (Balat al-Shuhada' / Tours).
As for Western claims
that there were killed of the Muslims
at the Battle of the Court of Martyrs
three hundred and seventy-five thousand
Muslims,
this is an extreme exaggeration,
because the entire Muslim army was only fifty thousand strong.
Some historians stated:
"The battle lasted nine days,
and on the tenth day,
both sides displayed
the utmost endurance and courage.
Exhaustion became evident among the Franks,
and signs of a Muslim victory began to appear.
However, it happened that the Franks breached
a gap into the Muslims' baggage train of spoils,
and an unknown cry arose shoutingly:
'The camp of the spoils is under attack!'
Large contingents consequently fell back
to the rear of the spoils to protect them,
and the Muslim battle lines fell into disarray.
While al-Ghafiqi was attempting
to restore order to his army,
an arrow struck him, throwing him dead from his horse.
Turmoil ensued among the Muslims,
casualties multiplied among them,
and the Franks pressed hard against them."
The battle had lasted for eight days,
which indicates that it
was a fiercely contested battle.
In truth, both sides
exerted their utmost efforts in the fight.
The Muslims showed enduring perseverance
until Christian forces converged upon them
from every direction;
for the forces were not limited to the Franks alone,
but included many from other peoples:
Germans, Suebi, and Saxons.
The final phase of the battle
was a violent assault on the rear of the Muslim army;
the spoils were looted,
the army's formation was shattered,
and while al-Ghafiqi was attempting
to restore order to his army,
an arrow struck and killed him.
The killing among them intensified,
and the Franks bore down heavily upon them;
yet they held out patiently until night fell
and the two sides disengaged without a decisive finish.
Then the Muslims withdrew toward their bases in Septimania,
abandoning their spoils.
In the morning, the Franks found no trace of them
except for the wounded and those who had been unable
to accompany the retreating army;
so they finished them off
and seized immense stores of supplies,
never thinking of pursuing the Muslims.
The painful outcomes:
First, the defeat of the Muslims
and the victory of the Christians.
Second, the death of the Muslim commander,
'Abd al-Rahman al-Ghafiqi, may Allah have mercy on him.
Third, the large number of casualties.
Fourth...
Fifth:
the halting of the advance from there toward
the conquest of Constantinople and then Rome,
which had been the strategic objective behind
this campaign.
The battle in European perspectives:
Europeans have been divided regarding
this battle into two camps.
The majority among earlier and contemporary scholars
considered that battle
to have been a tremendous loss for Europe,
as it remained veiled from civilization
at that time;
whereas had Islam entered it,
Europe would have developed just as Andalusia did.
Thus, that battle was
a grave loss for Europe,
since it remained veiled from civilization
at that time;
it would have flourished just as al-Andalus flourished.
European historians attach
great significance to it,
remarking:
"Had the Arabs been victorious in this battle,
what occurred in Spain would have occurred across Europe,
and the Qur'an would have been taught in the universities
of Paris, Cambridge, and Oxford.
And had the conquest of Europe been achieved,
its Dark Ages would have ended early,
and it would have joined the vanguard of civilization and progress
seen in al-Andalus while living
in the embrace of Islam."
It is no wonder, then,
that many Western writers
who recognized the brilliance of Islam and its civilization
wherever it took root,
regarded the outcome of the Court of Martyrs (Tours)
as a severe blow that deprived Europe of an illuminating civilization
and human dignity.
Lessons from the Battle of the Court of Martyrs:
Indeed, this battle,
despite its sorrow, carries many lessons and morals,
among which are:
First, that the army of the believers
does not triumph over its enemy through numbers or equipment;
rather, it triumphs through the strength of its faith,
grounded in sincerity to Allah,
renouncing attachment to worldly pleasures and desires,
and yearning for what is with Allah.
But when the hearts of its soldiers become
attached to worldly gains
such as spoils of war, it is from there
that defeat comes.
The subsequent Battle of the Court of Martyrs
was nothing other than a reminder of that earlier trial,
mirroring the setback of that encounter:
namely, the Battle of Uhud.
For in the Battle of Uhud, the tide of combat
was initially in favor of the soldiers of Islam,
and such was the case in this battle.
But when the archers descended from the mountain
to collect the spoils before them,
defeat descended upon them from behind them.
And when the soldiers of al-Ghafiqi, may Allah have mercy on him,
became attached to their spoils behind them,
defeat came upon them from every side.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said
that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"One of the prophets went on a military expedition
and said to his people:
'No man shall follow me who has consummated a marriage contract with a woman
and wishes to consummate the marriage with her,
but has not yet done so;
nor anyone who has built houses and has not yet raised their roofs;
nor anyone who has bought pregnant ewes or she-camels
and is waiting for them to give birth.'"
Al-Nawawi said:
"In this hadith is evidence
that momentous affairs should only
be entrusted to people of resolve
whose minds are completely free for the task,
and they must not be entrusted to one whose heart is attached to other things,
lest his full dedication to it be compromised."
Second:
The Ummah of Islam is one single nation;
under its banner gathers every Muslim,
regardless of race, color, or ethnicity,
and whatever language they speak.
This is a fundamental factor
in the strength and victory of the Muslims.
Third: righteous strength
is the path to attaining noble objectives
and realizing desired aspirations.
For there is no honor except under its shade,
no security except in its refuge,
no spreading of truth
except beneath its banner,
and no progress or development except through it.
Thus, if Muslims desire
to attain these lofty aspirations,
they must be strong;
and there is no true strength except through jihad in the cause of Allah.
Ramadan: Events and Lessons.