The Resilience of Certain Islamic Lands Against Militants (Part One)
Abstract:
The study of history, as the identity of every nation and society can be found within it, has maintained its special place over the centuries. Therefore, Allah Almighty emphasizes the study of history and the importance of taking lessons from it by mentioning stories in the lives of the divine prophets, recounting the tales of the past, and referring to other similar events. As encapsulated in the wise saying, “Take lessons from the past, live in the present, and think about the future,” a society that is more guided by history will follow the path of excellence and progress across various aspects of life.
When a Muslim turns the pages of history, he sees the application of urban defense tactics against enemy invasion as an effective example of defense and resistance in Islamic history. This resistance is characterized by stability in belief, firm faith, and proper planning, facing challenges such as fear, doubt, betrayal, and flight on the battlefield. It is a resistance that is accompanied by a moderate movement of Muslims against their enemies, in the manner that Allah Almighty has desired for them and His Prophet, to advance the struggle and stabilize religion on earth.
Therefore, it would not be appropriate for a Muslim to be indifferent to the history of Islamic countries and to adopt a careless and indifferent attitude toward it; because such behavior deprives him of the usefulness of many experiences and the multitude of lessons to be learned. Thus, the history of Islam possesses rich content in its various aspects and, from this perspective, resembles fertile ground that can serve as a valuable source for numerous instructive lessons and discussions.
Introduction:
The application of urban defense tactics against enemy invasion serves as an effective example of defense and resistance in Islamic history. This resistance features stability in belief, firm faith, and proper planning, confronting challenges such as fear, doubt, betrayal, and flight on the battlefield. It is accompanied by a moderate movement of Muslims against their enemies, in the manner that Allah Almighty has desired for them and His Prophet, to advance the struggle and stabilize religion on earth.
This tactic is both intensive and strategic. Therefore, from a cultural perspective, it embodies the conflict between right and wrong, light and darkness, and progress against backwardness. From a political and military standpoint, it represents a change in tactics and the adoption of new methods of struggle in the centers of power, along with a transformation in the prevailing structures and rules, which may lead to desirable outcomes for the interests of Islam.
In this article, we will first discuss the resistance of the people of Medina against the Ahzab, then describe the resistance of the city of Aleppo against the Crusaders, the resistance of the city of Mosul against the Mongol armies, and finally, the steadfastness of the people of Mardin on the Euphrates Island against the formidable army of Timur.
These four cities are mentioned here merely as a few successful examples of resistance, as many other Islamic cities withstood the invasion of foreign tribes through their indomitable tenacity, interrupting the glory of enemy armies or slowing down the advance and influence of invading tribes. Urban resistance has played a significant role in altering the standards and plans of warfare, making it a rich topic for extensive scientific analyses and discussions.
The Resilience of Some Islamic Countries Against Militants
A Short Story About the Resistance of the People of Medina Against the Ahzab:
The Holy Prophet (PBUH) consistently assessed the military capabilities of the people against possible threats based on precise military equations. For this reason, when he was informed of the Meccan polytheists’ intention to take revenge on the Muslims, seeking to compensate for their defeat in the Battle of Badr the previous year by attacking Medina, he endeavored to convey to the people that the most appropriate response to this action of the polytheists, “considering the situation and military capabilities,” was to remain in the city and ambush them after the Quraysh camped nearby, or to allow them to enter the city and then, while incurring minimal costs, inflict maximum casualties upon them inside.
However, some Muslims who had lost the virtue of jihad in the Battle of Badr, as well as youths whose youthful strength and zeal clouded their understanding of the Prophet’s (PBUH) suggestion, insisted on leaving the city to confront the enemy, urging the Prophet to permit them to do so for fear of being accused of weakness and cowardice. Some elders among the Companions joined these youths, justifying that the Muslims’ settlement in the city might bolster the enemy’s morale. They recalled the victory at the Battle of Badr, despite their small number, expressing hope that they could achieve another victory by confronting the enemy outside the city.
Aware of the firm determination, self-sacrificing spirit, and eagerness of his companions to confront the enemies, the Holy Prophet (PBUH), in order to prevent this disagreement from becoming a source of division and ultimately harming the unity of the Muslims, yielded to their demands and asked them to prepare to leave the city, following the example of the Mujahedeen of Badr. He himself rushed home, donned military uniforms, and took up arms.
In the meantime, some Muslims who had been advocating for leaving the city until then, upon seeing the Prophet (PBUH) in military uniform, began to feel that defying the Prophet’s suggestion was inappropriate and that he might have reluctantly acquiesced to their insistence. They approached him and requested that he adopt the urban defense strategy they had proposed. However, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave them a decisive response fitting a great commander and divine messenger, saying, “It is not befitting for a prophet to remove his military uniform once it is donned until he has engaged in battle; now, listen carefully to what I ask of you and do it.”
Thus, he left the city with his companions to confront the enemy in the area of Uhud, as detailed in historical texts. In the Battle of Khandaq, the urban defense tactic was thoroughly implemented. Many writers consider this strategy a turning point in the long history of Islamic resistance and an effective tactical change in the wars between Islam and the pre-Islamic era. This strategy became a significant experience in urban warfare for Muslim fighters thereafter.
