Ramadan is not a month for sleeping through the day and feasting through the night — it is a month of decisive action, courage, and confrontation with evil. In this powerful lecture, Sheikh Abdul Hakim Quick takes us through the most important military victories, territorial conquests, and civilizational achievements in Islamic history that occurred during the blessed month of Ramadan, proving that fasting is meant to energize the believer, not sedate them.
Ramadan: A Month That Changed the Course of History
From the earliest generations of Islam through the medieval period, Muslims achieved their most remarkable victories while fasting. The island of Rhodes was conquered in the 53rd year after Hijrah. Muslim forces crossed the Strait of Gibraltar in the 92nd year, led by Tariq ibn Ziyad, outnumbered ten to one — yet they opened the doors to what would become one of the greatest civilizations in human history. The renowned Al-Azhar University was established in the month of Ramadan. Sultan Salah ad-Din defeated the Crusaders during Ramadan, and at the Battle of Ain Jalut, the Muslim forces saved not only the Islamic world but all of human civilization from the Mongol devastation.
“When his advisors told Sultan Salah ad-Din to rest because it was Ramadan, he replied: ‘This life is short and our fate is not safe.’ He continued his march until he conquered the fortress of Safad in the middle of Ramadan.”
Key Victories That Occurred During Ramadan
- Conquest of Rhodes (53 AH): Muslims confronted evil even on the seas during the fasting month
- Opening of Al-Andalus (92 AH): Tariq ibn Ziyad’s forces, outnumbered 10 to 1, defeated King Roderick and established Islamic civilization in Spain
- Founding of Al-Azhar (361 AH): The greatest institution of Islamic learning was opened in Ramadan
- Battle of Ain Jalut (658 AH): The Mamluks defeated the Mongols in one of the most decisive battles in world history — during Ramadan
“Fasting did not put the early Muslims to sleep — it woke them up. Ramadan was not an opium that put them into a dreamlike state. It was something that woke them from their dreams to face reality.”
The Spirit of Ramadan Is Action
The lesson is unmistakable: Ramadan is meant to lighten our physical load so that our spiritual and mental capacities can operate at their highest level. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his companions used this month to study, to travel in the path of Allah, and to confront every form of evil. We should follow their example — spending the waking hours in learning, worship, dawah, and service rather than hibernating until iftar.
