Bloodiest 2017 Ramadan in Modern History
MEMRI: The month of Ramadan, the month of fasting, has a special status as the month of religious spirituality and devotion. However, in Muslim tradition it is also perceived as a month of jihad and martyrdom, a month in which Allah grants military victories to His believers. It was during Ramadan that Muslims triumphed in many of their battles, among them the battle of Badr in 624 between supporters of Muhammad and a merchant caravan of the Quraysh tribe; the conquest of Mecca in 630 and of Andalusia in 711; the battle of Al-Zallaqa in 1086, in which Spanish Muslims defeated the Castilians near the city of Badajoz on today’s Portuguese border, and the 1973 War (called The Ramadan War).
Given the historic religious and military significance of Ramadan, Islamist and jihadi groups, and sometimes also mainstream Arab organizations and Arab media, escalate incitement to jihad and martyrdom during this month. Messages, articles and sermons that are published on the occasion of Ramadan and explain the connection between Ramadan and jihad and often stress the following themes:
–There is a close connection between fasting and jihad, for the former is jihad of the soul, aimed at restraining it from sinning, while the second is jihad against the enemies, aimed at preventing them from spreading “corruption” in the world. Moreover, fasting is a powerful means to prepare the soul for jihad, i.e., to school oneself in obedience, devotion, resilience and endurance, which are the virtues of the jihad fighter that allow him to vanquish his enemies. On Ramadan Allah grants fighters special strength, despite – or rather by virtue of – their fasting.
-Those who gain martyrdom during the month of Ramadan are doubly rewarded in Paradise.
-During Ramadan, the Muslims are especially beholden to protect the sanctity of the Muslim holy places and keep the infidels from “desecrating” or threatening them.
Bloodiest 2017 Ramadan in Modern History
CBN, June 26, 2017:
This year’s Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting, has been one of the bloodiest in modern history.
Figures compiled by Breitbart News, show a record number of 1,627 people were murdered by Islamic terrorists during 30 days of prayer and fasting that started May 27 and ended June 24. More than 1,800 were injured.
Those numbers are significantly higher than 2016 when 421 people were killed and 729 injured.
The attacks occurred in 29 countries in Africa, Middle East and Asia, with Iraq bearing the brunt of the attacks.
On Sunday, the first day of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, thousands of Iraqis flocked to mosques in Baghdad to pray for peace.
“I pray to God that the first day of Eid will be a day of peace and security for Iraq and all Iraqis, “said Sayef al-Zaidie, a local Islamic preacher.
The end of Ramadan comes this year as Iraqi forces have been waging a fierce battle to retake Mosul, the country’s second-largest city, from Islamic State militants.
Many of those who took part in Sunday prayers hoped for victory against the Islamic militants.
“I pray to God to protect those who fighting the Islamic State group,” said Yahya Misef, a Muslim worshipper. “I also pray to God to that all the displaced will be able to go back to their homes.”
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