Ramadan is a Sanctuary of Worship and a Battlefield

(Translated)

Al-Rayah Newspaper - Issue 588 - 25/02/2026

By: Ustadha Muslimah Ash-Shami (Umm Suhaib)

 Allah (swt) says in His Noble Book in Surah Al-Baqarah,

[يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ]

“O you who have believed, fasting has been prescribed for you,” [TMQ Surah Al-Baqarah: 183] and some verses later Allah, the Most High, says,

[كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ]

“Fighting has been prescribed for you,” [TMQ Surah Al-Baqarah: 216] to link obedience to Allah (swt) in the soul with obedience to Him, the Most High, in supporting His Deen.

Two great verses combine the struggle against one's own desires and Jihad against the enemy, the sanctity of Ramadan and the rifle of Jihad, clearly indicating that Ramadan is a month of Sawm (fasting), Salah, and worship, and also a month of Jihad, conquests, and victories. It is a month that unifies spiritual devotion with various forms of Jihad. It is a sanctuary for purifying the soul through Siyam and Qiyam (standing in night prayer), and a field for fighting injustice, supporting the oppressed, and waging Jihad with words and wealth. It is the encampment of Iman where we prepare our hearts to support the truth, and purify our intentions to be worthy of empowerment. In this blessed month, some of the greatest battles of Islam took place, in which victory was the ally of the Muslims, such as the Battle of Badr, which was a decisive turning point between truth and falsehood, after which the Muslims gained strength and power. Another example is the Conquest of Makkah, where the banners of paganism fell in the Sacred Land and the Rayah banners of Islam were raised. In it, the Muslims triumphed over the Mongols at Ain Jalut and conquered Andalusia. Many other battles and conquests that had a profound impact on the lives of Muslims occurred in this Blessed Month.

It is a month in which all the truths, morals, and rulings of the Quran are manifested, as Allah (swt) said,

[شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِّنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ]

“The month of Ramadan in which the Quran was revealed as guidance for mankind and clear proofs of guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong).” [TMQ Surah Al-Baqarah: 185]. In it, all the hallmarks of goodness, benevolence, and altruism are embodied. We draw closer to Allah (swt) through acts of obedience and worship day and night, and closer to the creation of Allah (swt) through kindness, assistance, and affection.

It affirms that Siyam is a ritual that unifies Muslims from east to west, reminding them that their Lord is One, their Deen is one, their Qiblah is one, and their concerns are one. However, since the fall of the Khilafah (Caliphate), the Islamic Ummah has been living in division and fragmentation, suffering injustice, oppression, humiliation, and subjugation, even in determining the start or end of Ramadan! The state of Muslims has gone from bad to worse; ruling governance according to the Book of Allah (swt) remains suspended, and we are still subjected to man-made systems that have prohibited what is lawful and permitted what is unlawful, spreading corruption and displacing people. The blood of Muslims is being shed with impunity, as we see in Gaza, Kashmir, China, and in the prisons of oppressors in Muslim countries, and everywhere there are persecuted and weak Muslims without a protector or helper.

At the same time, the Ummah feels that only Allah (swt) can save it from its current predicament, as everyone has ganged up on it and devoured its flesh, and what the Prophet (saw) told it has happened: that nations will descend upon it as hungry people descend upon their bowl.

However, this salvation, this change, and the establishment of truth and the dominance of Deen will not come through mere wishing and hoping, even though hoping for good is good. Nor will it come through Dua alone, even though we are in dire need of earnest request and supplication. Dua is required, but its acceptance has conditions, and among these conditions is responding to Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw). Allah (swt) says,

[وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ]

“And when My servants ask you, O Muhammad, concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the Dua of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me by obedience and believe in Me that they may be rightly guided.” [TMQ Surah Al-Baqarah: 186].

Islam is alive in people's hearts, Alhamdulillah. The desire and will to obey Allah (swt) are present in many, and they are concerned with various aspects of the Deen, from Dawah to virtuous deeds, acts of worship, and Sunnah practices, including reading and memorizing the Quran, to combating innovation in Deen, promoting good morals, helping others, and other virtues, values, morals, and transactions, whether individually or collectively. They believe that by doing so, they are fulfilling their duty and absolving themselves before Allah (swt), and that they have no further obligation in the process of change and establishing an Islamic society beyond what they are already doing. While it is true that what we have mentioned is required by Islamic Shariah Law and carries reward, it does not absolve one from the obligation to work towards establishing the Deen. Indeed, whoever does not work to establish the ruling governance of Allah (swt) on earth in accordance with Islamic Shariah Law is considered negligent.

In Ramadan, the month beloved by Allah (swt), in which He opens the gates of goodness for Muslims, chains the devils for them, and multiplies their reward, Muslims must not limit their obedience to what we have mentioned regarding Sawm, Salah, charity, and so on. Instead, they must do as the Companions and the Taabi’oon did before them, combining Shariah obligations to perfect their worship and obedience to Allah (swt) and multiply their reward. Therefore, today they must add to their obedience to Allah (swt) the obedience of Dawah to Islam and working to establish ruling governance and Shariah Law of Allah (swt), which is among the most specific and beloved acts of obedience to Allah (swt). It is the obedience through which all other acts of obedience are fulfilled, and through which sins are prevented. It is the obedience that protects Muslims and their essence. It is the obedience through which we achieve the raising the Word of Allah (swt) as the highest, dominance of His Command, and spread the goodness of Islam to all the earth and all of humanity. It is the obedience through which Allah (swt) protects us from the evil of the Jews, America, and all the forces of kufr (disbelief). It is the obedience that brings good to its practitioners and to others. It is the obedience without which there is no good.

Ramadan is not merely a passing phase in the calendar, nor a spiritual season whose impact fades with its days. Instead, it is a pivotal moment in a person's life; an opportunity granted by Allah (swt) to His servants to re-evaluate their priorities and priorities, purify their hearts, correct the course of their lives, and begin anew, drawing closer to Him. There is no deed more beloved to Allah (swt) than striving to establish His Deen and raise His word as the highest. This can only be achieved through diligent work with the believing group who emulate the method of the Prophet (saw) and work to re-establish the Shariah Law of Allah (swt) law on earth, and to establish the Second Khilafah Rashidah (Rightly-Guided Caliphate) on the Method of Prophethood, whose time, as reality indicates, has arrived. Blessed are those who are witness and soldiers in its cause.

O Believing Muslims: Throughout history and during the months of Ramadan, your Ummah has faced immense trials and tribulations, yet it has remained steadfast, resilient, and victorious thanks to Allah (swt) and the existence of a strong state governed by Islamic Shariah Law. It is like pure gold; the more it is exposed to fire, the brighter it shines. This is how the Ummah of the Noble Quran must return, no matter how severe the calamities and hardships it faces, and no matter how many forces of evil conspire against it, as Allah (swt) said of it,

[وَلَا تَهِنُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَنتُمُ الْأَعْلَوْنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ]

“So do not lose heart or grieve, for you will have the upper hand if you are truly believers.” [TMQ Surah Aali Imran: 139].

Therefore, let this Ramadan be a witness for you, not against you. Let it be a month of victory and empowerment, not a month of weakness and helplessness.