How Ramadan and Eid became sacred Muslim rituals

The fasting of Ashor was replaced with the month-long fasting in Ramadan, a custom of the monotheistic hanifs of Mecca. This is how Ramadan fasting became part of Islam.

Meanwhile, Muhammad took about six months to build an abode for his community. Once he was firmly footed in Medina with many converts, it was time to take revenge against the Meccans for their rejection of his faith. He planned to attack Meccan trade-caravans passing through nearby routes to Syria, the major routes for their life-sustaining trades.

Many of Muhammad’s followers were unwilling to support his violent mission. Allah quickly came to his support revealing a series of verses (Quran 2:190-194, 2:216), commanding Muslims to fight even if they do not like it:

"Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not". (Quran 2.216)

With fighting divinely sanctioned, in February 623, Muhammad started sending Muslim brigands to attack Meccan caravans. After several failed attempts, because of poor intelligence, the first success came in November - December 623 at Nakhla. Muhammad sent a band of Muslim raiders, under the command of Abdullah ibn Jahash, instructing them: “proceed until you reach Nakhla between Mecca and Al-Ta'if. Lie in wait there for the Quraysh (caravan) …” (Ibn Ishaq, Karachi, p287).

It was the period of Orma (lesser pilgrimage) to the Ka'ba; and not to alarm the approaching caravan, the raiders shaved their heads to give an impression they were pilgrims and were not hostile. Once the caravan came within reach they attacked. The raiders returned to Medina with booty and prisoners.

However, it was the last day of Rajab, a sacred month in Arabic tradition, during which, fighting and violence were prohibited. This breach of a sacred custom created great dissatisfaction among the citizens of Medina, including some Muslims.

Muhammad initially tried to distance himself from the blood-bath. Abdullah and his co-raiders were heartbroken at this. Allah quickly came to Muhammad’s rescue revealing a verse (Quran 2:217) to justify the prohibited bloodshed. Fighting, killing and plundering booty by Muslims, thus, found an unrestrained divine sanction.

This sacred raid and bloodbath was very meaningful for Islam. It brought Muslims booty at a time when they were suffering from terrible hardships. Raiding and plundering thereafter became the livelihood of Muhammad and his community. Muhammad kept a fifth as his share, sanctioned by Allah and the remainder was distributed among the raiders (Quran 8:41]. The prisoners were ransomed, generating more money.

About this time, Muhammad disbanded the Jewish-style fasting of Ashor and introduced Ramadan as the fasting month. In January 624, during the first fasting month of Ramadan, Meccan leader Abu Sufian was returning from Syria with a huge caravan. Muhammad sent two spies to gather information; and accordingly, started on a raiding mission with the Muslim army behind him.

The news of Muhammad’s plan reached Abu Sufian, who sent a messenger to Mecca asking for reinforcements. An army of 1,000 Medina men set off to the rescue and to teach Muhammad a lesson for his continued aggression. Abu Sufian meanwhile took a safer route to Mecca, but the rescue army had already left.

Muhammad had taken position at Badr not knowing that the caravan had escaped. The news of the approaching Meccan army reached him. He was delighted, thinking that the caravan was approaching, and took up a position occupying the water-wells.