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The Battle of Ain Jaloot in 658 Hijri (1260 CE) against the Tartar invasion is considered as another great victory for the Muslims. Towards the end of 656 Hijri the Tartars launched one of their largest assaults on the land of the Islamic Khilafah,

resulting in the seizure of the Khilafah capital, Baghdad, the killing of the Khalifah Mu'atasim Billah, and the occupation of three quarters of Islamic land. Heading towards Egypt and Morocco, the last stronghold of the Muslims, the Tartars sent a threatening letter to the Ameer of Egypt, Mahmoud Saifudeen Qutuz, which included the following statement, "We have demolished the land, orphaned the children, tortured the people and slain them, made their honoured despised and their leader a captive. Do you think that you can escape from us? After a while you will know what's coming to you..." Due to the Muslims weakness and low morale, it was thought that such a threat would suffice in breaking any resistance from the Muslims. However, Qutuz had a different reply. He killed the Tartar delegation and left their corpses hanging in his capital, lifting his soldiers and people's spirit on the one hand, and putting down his enemy's and that of their spies and loyalists on the other. This raised the spirit of the Muslims and simultaneously shocked the Tartars for they realised they were facing a leader unlike those they had previously encountered. Qutuz rallied the Muslims to prepare for the inevitable battle that would occur. Under his leadership, Muslims were rallied upon Iman, unity and the necessary weapons of steel to confront the enemy. He sought the help of Governors and Scholars alike to unify, stand for the defense of Islam and focus the efforts of the Muslims towards the liberation of the Islamic lands Then it was time to engage the enemy on the battlefield at Ain Jaloot on Friday 25th Ramadhan 658. Qutuz led the Muslims into the battle, which initially swayed towards the Tartars. Observing this, Qutuz climbed on a rock, throwing his helmet away, shouting "Wa Islamah. Wa Islamah", urging the army to keep firm and fight Allah's (swt) enemies. The frustrated leaders of the army looked towards that voice to see their leader's flushed face, hitting angrily with his sword and engaging the enemy. Qutuz's courage stunned his leaders who promptly followed his footsteps, lifting the morality of the Muslim army. Soon, the battle shifted in favour of the Muslims, until the Tartar army was shattered and fled from the battle. Victory was for Islam and the Muslims. As for the Tartars, when they realised their incursion and dominance in the Islamic East was fading and that Muslims regained their power, they escaped towards their homeland, which eased Qutuz's efforts to liberate all of Shaam (modern day Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, etc.) in a few weeks. Such a decisive victory for the Muslims under a sincere leadership at a time when they were so weak and overpowered by the enemy draws many comparisons with the situation of the Muslims today. Achieving the Victory The reality of Islam shows that Ramadhan is a month in which fasting, prayers and Jihad were prominent. This was illustrated by the example of the Prophet (saw) and the example of the pious Muslims who lived after him. Throughout recent history Muslims continue to fight throughout Ramadhan. Fighting continued over Ramadhan in the 1948 Israeli War. Fighting continued between Muslims through nine Ramadhan’s during the Yemeni Civil War from 1962 to 1970. On the 10th of the month of Ramadhan in 1973, the Egyptians crossed the Suez Canal. During Lebanon's civil war from 1975 to 1990, fighting took place over the course of seventeen Ramadhan’s. And quite recently during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. But despite the fighting the results the Muslims had in the past with the Khilafah are opposite to the results we see today. The fundamental cause as to why the Muslims are failing is because they lack the organisation and singular leadership of a Khalifah. Salahuddin realised this, and fought for unity before he achieved his legendary victories. Imam Muslim reported that the Prophet (saw) said: "Behold, the Imam is but a shield from behind whom the people fight and by whom they protect themselves." The lessons from our history clearly show that without the Khilafah the Muslims are doomed. The losses we see today are as a direct result of no protection for the Muslims by a sincere state. The losses seen during the time of the Khilafah such as when Al-Quds was captured by the Crusaders or the repelling of the Muslims from France were due to weaknesses in the structure and function of the Khilafah. By remedying this aspect the Muslims were able to resolve their problems and recapture their territories. After all it was the infrastructure of the state i.e. the Khilafah that enabled Salahuddin to rally the Ummah to free the Muslim lands. Where is this structure to free the Muslim lands today? Where is this structure today to liberate Palestine, Chechnya or Kashmir? Where is the Khilafah to liberate the Middle East and Central Asia from the coalition forces? The illegitimate Muslim rulers today will only continue to fail the Muslims, for the only wars the current rulers engage in are those that their Western masters tell them to engage in. Consequently without the Khilafah there will be no liberation of Muslim land. He (swt) said: "O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to march forth in the Cause of Allah (jihad) you cling heavily to the earth? Are you pleased with the life of this world rather than the hereafter? But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world as compared with the Hereafter" [TMQ At-Taubah: 38]. "Verily, We will indeed make victorious Our Messengers and those who believe, in this world's life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth (Day of Judgment)"