'Eīd celebrations during the Mongol invasions

History: By Mujahid Chowdhury | Follow me on X

I would like to take this opportunity to extend my 'Eīd greetings on behalf of Islamic Ancestry to the Ummah. May Allāh accept all the fasts and prayers that we performed throughout the blessed month of Ramadān. May Allāh accept all our Zakāt and Sadaqah. May he allow us to live to see yet again another blessed month of Ramadān. And may He lift the oppression and calamities that have fallen upon this Ummah yet again. Amīn!

The day of 'Eīd is a day of rejoicing and celebration. However it can be difficult to celebrate this day amidst the current climate of death, destruction and genocide in Gaza. How can we continue to live a normal life whilst our fellow Muslims are being butchered and starved to death around the lands surrounding the blessed Al-Aqsa Masjid? How can we eat full plates of delicious food whilst our brethren eat grass and some eat nothing at all?

Throughout the history of this Ummah we have undergone similar challenges as we are facing today. One such incident in the collective memory of the entire Muslim world is the invasion of the Mongols which lasted from roughly 613 AH until 704 AH. This was a period in our history, like today, in which we were numerous in number but the vast majority were devoid of the desire for jihād. Muslims were clinging onto the worldy life and so Allāh removed the fear of the Muslims from the hearts of the disbelievers and instead instilled this fear into the hearts of the Muslim masses of the time. During this period no doubt the Muslims were still celebrating 'Eīd. But in what way did they celebrate under the rule of the Mongols?

The Mongols entered Baghdad in the year 657 AH in the month of Muharram. This would have been shortly after 'Eid al-Adha of the year 656 AH. Whilst the total number of people killed is not known some estimates predict that over a million people perished at the hands of the Mongols during this event alone. One can only imagine the difference in the atmosphere and morale of the Muslims between the 'Eids of the year 656 and 657 in Baghdad, the once capital of the 'Abbāsid Khilāfah.

Although there are no direct primary sources which indicate that Muslims were allowed to continue practicing the 'Eīd prayer specifically under Mongol rule, other sources do indicate that Muslims were allowed to practice regular public prayers under Mongol rule. So Muslims could potentially have gathered in a public space a year after a million of their family members and other fellow Muslims were slaughtered to offer the 'Eīd prayer and celebrate the day. Muslims would have likely tried to continue the practices of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) for the day of 'Eīd which includes wearing your best clothes, visiting family, giving gifts, paying zakāt al-Fitr to feed the poor on 'Eid al-Fitr, and sacrificing an animal during 'Eid al-Adha.

Although this period of history was particularly difficult upon the Muslims, it only lasted around 100 years. Thereafter Allāh lifted this difficulty from us in an unexpected turn of events which saw the Mongols gradually embracing Islam after Ghazan Khan, the leader of the Ilkhanate in Persia, embraced Islam.

It has been just over 20 years since 9-11. Since then millions of Muslims have lost their lives with the latest tragedies occuring in Gaza. We continue to celebrate 'Eīd with a heavy heart whilst remembering our fellow Muslims who have only recently been killed. As the Muslims before us we continue to celebrate 'Eīd despite the many attrocities taking place around the world. We gather on 'Eīd to offer the prayer and embrace our fellow Muslims. We gather in unity making du'ā for ourselves, our families and the entire Ummah, hopeful more than ever for the turn of events which will spark the Islamic revival within us and throughout the Muslim world.