Part of Ramadan events and lessons (series completed)
· Lesson 18 of 31
Ramadan events and lessons | Episode (18) | Battle of the Martyrs' Court
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Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
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In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
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Summary of the Book:
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*Ramadan: Events and Lessons*
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The Battle of the Court of Martyrs (Balat al-Shuhada')
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Time: In the month of Ramadan,
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In the year 114 AH.
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Indeed, the battle between truth and falsehood is fierce;
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No sooner does it subside than it flares up again,
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And no sooner does it cease than it resumes anew,
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Even if the intervals between clashes are prolonged
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And the distances between confrontations are vast.
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It is the established Sunnah of Allah Almighty
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That victory is never permanently allied with one side over another.
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Rather, our All-Wise Lord has decreed
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That dominance alternates between the two parties
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And contest remains reciprocal between the two forces,
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For many wise purposes and profound lessons:
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Among them is the purification of the Muslim ranks
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And the purging of corrupt intentions from the souls of its people,
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As well as motives that deviate from the path of sincerity.
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Among them also is cleansing the community of faith from infiltrators—
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From the hypocrites and followers of base desires,
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And the slaves of passions and self-interest.
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Through this purification and refinement,
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The mirror of faith is polished and its strength is fortified.
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Among them is examining the causes of defeat
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So that its path is not traversed again,
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For the Muslim ranks might otherwise be compromised by it.
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Among them is cultivating patience during calamities,
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And enduring hardships and wounds for the sake of Allah.
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Among them is the selection of martyrs to attain the greatest reward.
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In the Battle of Uhud,
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When the Muslims suffered what befell them,
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Allah Almighty revealed verses of the Noble Qur'an
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To console the believers,
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Mention some of the causes of what transpired,
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And clarify some of the wisdoms and lessons behind that immense tragedy.
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Allah Almighty said:
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"And do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior
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If you are [true] believers."
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“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)
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“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)
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“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)
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"And that He may take to Himself from among you martyrs—
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And Allah does not like the wrongdoers—"
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“And that Allah may prove those who believe, and may blight the disbelievers.” (3:141)
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"And that He may destroy the disbelievers."
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"Or do you think that you will enter Paradise
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While Allah has not yet made evident those of you who fight in His cause
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And made evident those who are steadfast?"
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An Overview of the Situation in al-Andalus
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Before the Battle of the Court of Martyrs:
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Following the tremendous conquests achieved by the two distinguished commanders,
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Musa ibn Nusayr and Tariq ibn Ziyad,
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May Allah Almighty have mercy upon them, in Iberian al-Andalus,
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Certain disruptions occurred,
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For al-Andalus was soon engulfed by internal strife
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And Christian resistance against Islamic rule.
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Thus, the Battle of Toulouse took place
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In the year 102 AH, corresponding to
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721 CE, between the Muslims and the Christians,
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In which the Muslims were not victorious,
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And their commander, al-Samh ibn Malik, was killed.
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They retreated to Septimania,
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And their affairs were thrown into turmoil,
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Until 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Abdullah al-Ghafiqi was appointed over them
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In the year 113 AH, corresponding to
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731 CE, who restored order among them.
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'Abd al-Rahman sought to secure the northern Andalusian provinces
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And thwart the plots of Eudo, Duke of Aquitaine,
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Aimed at destabilizing Muslim security in al-Andalus.
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Therefore, he entered Frankish territory in the year 114 AH, corresponding to
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732 CE,
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And took control of the city of Arles on the Rhône River,
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Then the Duchy of Aquitaine,
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Then Bordeaux,
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Then Lyon and Besançon,
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Reaching as far as Sens,
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Near the French capital, Paris.
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He then marched westward to the banks of the Loire
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In order to complete the conquest of this region
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Before heading toward Paris.
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The Name and Date of the Battle:
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Among Muslims, this battle is called
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The Battle of the Court of Martyrs (Balat al-Shuhada'),
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Due to the vast number of Muslim fighters slain therein.
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Among Europeans,
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It is known as the Battle of Tours-Poitiers,
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In reference to the location where it took place.
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This major battle occurred
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About 20 kilometers north of Poitiers,
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On the road to Tours,
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South of the course of the Loire River,
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At a site near an ancient Roman road
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Connecting Châtellerault
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And Poitiers, which was known as *al-Balat* (the paved way/palace),
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Perhaps near a place called today Moussais-la-Bataille.
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The battle took place in the month of Ramadan,
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In the year 114 AH,
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October 732 CE.
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The Two Commanders and the Size of Their Armies:
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The Muslim commander was 'Abd al-Rahman al-Ghafiqi,
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Who was renowned for his piety, righteousness,
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Integrity, and strong faith.
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The Muslim commander was 'Abd al-Rahman al-Ghafiqi,
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Who was renowned for his piety, righteousness,
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Integrity, and strong faith.
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He used to say:
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"Even if the heavens and the earth were closed up,
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Allah would make a way out for those who fear Him."
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He was among the greatest Muslim commanders
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In al-Andalus in terms of justice, righteousness,
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Capability, and competence.
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He spent nearly a year
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Organizing the affairs of the land
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For jihad against the Franks.
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He assembled a formidable army ranging
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Between 50,000 to 70,000 men
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At the highest estimate.
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As for the Christian army, it advanced
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From Paris under the command of Charles Martel,
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Who was known to the Arabs as Qarlah,
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Pronounced by them as Sharqarlah (Charles Martel).
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The word "Martel" is an epithet meaning "the Hammer";
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The Pope in Italy bestowed it upon him
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Because he was ruthless toward his enemies,
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And he was among the most powerful rulers of France
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Of all time.
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Charles Martel arrived with four hundred thousand
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Christian combatants—
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That is, eight times the size of the Muslim army.
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The Route to the Battlefield:
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'Abd al-Rahman crossed the Pyrenees
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In early 114 AH
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With approximately 70,000
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Muslims, after concluding preparations
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For his campaign in Pamplona.
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'Abd al-Rahman conquered the city of Arles,
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Then Bordeaux,
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Where 'Abd al-Rahman scored a magnificent victory
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Over Duke Eudo.
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Eudo hurried to Charles Martel seeking his aid
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After al-Ghafiqi had swept through
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The entire southern half of France
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From west to east.
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Muslim armies arrived for the second time
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At the gates of Paris within seven years,
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Took Poitiers,
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And advanced toward the city of Tours.
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Charles Martel realized
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That the Frankish realm itself was in peril,
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So he decided to forge a temporary alliance
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With the Duke of Aquitaine
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To confront the shared Islamic danger.
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Some historians mention
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That after 'Abd al-Rahman al-Ghafiqi had united
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The people and felt his forces were fully prepared,
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He took those troops
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And marched with them toward France
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To resume the conquests anew.
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He conquered the far west of France,
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Opening city after city:
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He conquered the city of Arles,
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Then the city of Bordeaux,
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Which is known by this name today,
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Then the city of Toulouse,
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Then the city of Tours,
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And then reached Poitiers, west of Paris,
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Which is about 100 kilometers away from it,
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And about 1,000 kilometers from Cordoba.
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He had penetrated very deeply
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Into French territory in a northwesterly direction.
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There, in the city of Poitiers,
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He encamped at an area called al-Balat;
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And *al-Balat* in the Andalusian dialect
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Signifies a palace,
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For in this area there stood an ancient,
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Abandoned palace.
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The campaign of 'Abd al-Rahman al-Ghafiqi was
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The largest expedition ever to enter Frankish lands,
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Reaching up to 50,000 fighters—
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A strength the Muslims had never fielded there
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Prior to that time.
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Another historian remarked:
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'Abd al-Rahman continued
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His victorious march until he overlooked
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The Loire River with his army.
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Charles Martel met him
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With a massive army of Franks
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And half-naked mercenaries,
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Clad in wolf skins,
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With their matted hair flowing down
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Over their bare shoulders.
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Then the enemy surprised them—
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Without the Muslim advance guards detecting them
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Or accurately assessing their massive numbers—
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With their vast, overwhelming hordes.
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He fell back to the plain situated
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Between the cities of Poitiers and Tours,
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And the Frankish army crossed the Loire,
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Encamping to the west of the Muslim army.
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Al-Ghafiqi resolved to engage the enemy,
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even though some of the Berber
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tribes in his army
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were eager to withdraw
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due to leaving behind numerous garrisons
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in the conquered cities and villages.
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The immortal, historic battle:
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the two armies met in one of
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the fiercest Islamic battles
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ever, in the region of Poitiers.
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The battle raged between them
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for ten full days,
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taking place in Ramadan in the year
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114 AH.
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At the beginning of the battle,
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the Muslims had the upper hand despite their small numbers,
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but toward the end of the engagement, the Christians
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noticed the massive amount of spoils
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laden behind the Muslim army.
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So they flanked the army
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and attacked the spoils,
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beginning to seize the Muslims' booty.
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The Muslims rushed back to protect the vast spoils,
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for the love of worldly booty had entered their hearts.
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Consequently, severe confusion broke out in the Muslim ranks,
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and a tremor of disorder began to spread,
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leading to the defeat of the Muslim army
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in this battle.
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There is no precise census in Islamic historical reports
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of the Muslim martyrs
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at the Battle of the Court of Martyrs (Balat al-Shuhada' / Tours).
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As for Western claims
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that there were killed of the Muslims
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at the Battle of the Court of Martyrs
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three hundred and seventy-five thousand
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Muslims,
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this is an extreme exaggeration,
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because the entire Muslim army was only fifty thousand strong.
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Some historians stated:
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"The battle lasted nine days,
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and on the tenth day,
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both sides displayed
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the utmost endurance and courage.
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Exhaustion became evident among the Franks,
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and signs of a Muslim victory began to appear.
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However, it happened that the Franks breached
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a gap into the Muslims' baggage train of spoils,
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and an unknown cry arose shoutingly:
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'The camp of the spoils is under attack!'
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Large contingents consequently fell back
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to the rear of the spoils to protect them,
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and the Muslim battle lines fell into disarray.
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While al-Ghafiqi was attempting
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to restore order to his army,
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an arrow struck him, throwing him dead from his horse.
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Turmoil ensued among the Muslims,
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casualties multiplied among them,
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and the Franks pressed hard against them."
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The battle had lasted for eight days,
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which indicates that it
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was a fiercely contested battle.
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In truth, both sides
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exerted their utmost efforts in the fight.
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The Muslims showed enduring perseverance
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until Christian forces converged upon them
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from every direction;
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for the forces were not limited to the Franks alone,
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but included many from other peoples:
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Germans, Suebi, and Saxons.
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The final phase of the battle
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was a violent assault on the rear of the Muslim army;
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the spoils were looted,
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the army's formation was shattered,
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and while al-Ghafiqi was attempting
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to restore order to his army,
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an arrow struck and killed him.
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The killing among them intensified,
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and the Franks bore down heavily upon them;
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yet they held out patiently until night fell
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and the two sides disengaged without a decisive finish.
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Then the Muslims withdrew toward their bases in Septimania,
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abandoning their spoils.
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In the morning, the Franks found no trace of them
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except for the wounded and those who had been unable
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to accompany the retreating army;
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so they finished them off
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and seized immense stores of supplies,
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never thinking of pursuing the Muslims.
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The painful outcomes:
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First, the defeat of the Muslims
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and the victory of the Christians.
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Second, the death of the Muslim commander,
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'Abd al-Rahman al-Ghafiqi, may Allah have mercy on him.
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Third, the large number of casualties.
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Fourth...
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Fifth:
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the halting of the advance from there toward
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the conquest of Constantinople and then Rome,
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which had been the strategic objective behind
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this campaign.
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The battle in European perspectives:
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Europeans have been divided regarding
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this battle into two camps.
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The majority among earlier and contemporary scholars
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considered that battle
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to have been a tremendous loss for Europe,
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as it remained veiled from civilization
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at that time;
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whereas had Islam entered it,
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Europe would have developed just as Andalusia did.
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Thus, that battle was
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a grave loss for Europe,
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since it remained veiled from civilization
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at that time;
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it would have flourished just as al-Andalus flourished.
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European historians attach
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great significance to it,
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remarking:
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"Had the Arabs been victorious in this battle,
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what occurred in Spain would have occurred across Europe,
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and the Qur'an would have been taught in the universities
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of Paris, Cambridge, and Oxford.
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And had the conquest of Europe been achieved,
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its Dark Ages would have ended early,
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and it would have joined the vanguard of civilization and progress
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seen in al-Andalus while living
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in the embrace of Islam."
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It is no wonder, then,
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that many Western writers
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who recognized the brilliance of Islam and its civilization
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wherever it took root,
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regarded the outcome of the Court of Martyrs (Tours)
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as a severe blow that deprived Europe of an illuminating civilization
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and human dignity.
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Lessons from the Battle of the Court of Martyrs:
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Indeed, this battle,
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despite its sorrow, carries many lessons and morals,
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among which are:
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First, that the army of the believers
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does not triumph over its enemy through numbers or equipment;
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rather, it triumphs through the strength of its faith,
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grounded in sincerity to Allah,
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renouncing attachment to worldly pleasures and desires,
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and yearning for what is with Allah.
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But when the hearts of its soldiers become
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attached to worldly gains
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such as spoils of war, it is from there
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that defeat comes.
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The subsequent Battle of the Court of Martyrs
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was nothing other than a reminder of that earlier trial,
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mirroring the setback of that encounter:
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namely, the Battle of Uhud.
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For in the Battle of Uhud, the tide of combat
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was initially in favor of the soldiers of Islam,
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and such was the case in this battle.
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But when the archers descended from the mountain
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to collect the spoils before them,
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defeat descended upon them from behind them.
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And when the soldiers of al-Ghafiqi, may Allah have mercy on him,
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became attached to their spoils behind them,
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defeat came upon them from every side.
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On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said
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that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
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"One of the prophets went on a military expedition
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and said to his people:
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'No man shall follow me who has consummated a marriage contract with a woman
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and wishes to consummate the marriage with her,
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but has not yet done so;
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nor anyone who has built houses and has not yet raised their roofs;
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nor anyone who has bought pregnant ewes or she-camels
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and is waiting for them to give birth.'"
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Al-Nawawi said:
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"In this hadith is evidence
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that momentous affairs should only
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be entrusted to people of resolve
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whose minds are completely free for the task,
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and they must not be entrusted to one whose heart is attached to other things,
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lest his full dedication to it be compromised."
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Second:
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The Ummah of Islam is one single nation;
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under its banner gathers every Muslim,
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regardless of race, color, or ethnicity,
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and whatever language they speak.
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This is a fundamental factor
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in the strength and victory of the Muslims.
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Third: righteous strength
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is the path to attaining noble objectives
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and realizing desired aspirations.
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For there is no honor except under its shade,
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no security except in its refuge,
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no spreading of truth
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except beneath its banner,
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and no progress or development except through it.
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Thus, if Muslims desire
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to attain these lofty aspirations,
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they must be strong;
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and there is no true strength except through jihad in the cause of Allah.
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Ramadan: Events and Lessons.