www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-36703874

More than 160 people are now known to have
died in Sunday's appalling attack in Baghdad. It is
just one of eight different attacks believed to have
been carried out by the so-called Islamic State
(IS) over the last month - the Muslim month of
Ramadan.

In total, more than 300 people have died in such
atrocities from Orlando to Dhaka to Istanbul.
Ramadan is traditionally viewed as the most holy
and spiritual month in the Islamic calendar, a time
of penance and temperance.

For 30 days, Muslims abstain from drink and food
during sunlight hours and believe that God is at
his most forgiving during this time.

Mosques are consequently fuller than usual,
typically packed with worshippers seeking divine
mercy and blessings.

Juxtaposed alongside that ascetic puritanism is
the view of radicals who regard Ramadan as a
month of conquest and plunder.

They believe it is an opportune moment to double
down on their millenarian war against civilisation
and therefore launch more attacks than normal.
Indeed, al-Qaeda's official chapter in Syria, the
Nusra Front, recently described it as "a month of
conquests."

As Ramadan approached, IS spokesman Abu
Mohammed al-Adnani told supporters around the
world; "Get prepared, be ready to make it a month
of calamity everywhere for the non-believers...
especially for the fighters and supporters of the
caliphate in Europe and America."

This is the clarion call that likely roused lone
wolves such as Omar Mateen, who massacred 49
revellers at a gay bar in Orlando, Florida, after
pledging allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the
self-styled Caliph currently ruling over a significant
portion of Syria and Iraq.

'Path of Allah'
The belief in Ramadan as a month of war comes
from Islamic history itself.

The Prophet Muhammad waged his first offensive
jihad, known as the Battle of Badr, during Ramadan
in 624.

Eight years later he also conquered Mecca during
the month of Ramadan, thereby claiming the city
which houses one of Islam's most holy sites
today: the Kaaba.

All of this fuels the radical belief that jihad is, in
itself, much more than just a militaristic action. It
is also seen as an act of worship akin to ordinary
ritual acts and is fought "fi sabil Allah" (in the path
of Allah).

Abdullah Azzam, who is often referred to as "the
godfather of modern jihad" because he led the
original Arab foreign fighters in Afghanistan during
the 1980s, argued that "neglecting jihad is like
abandoning fasting and praying."

Later, he wrote, "jihad is the most excellent form of
worship, and by its means the Muslim can reach
the highest of ranks [of paradise]."

Extremist interpretations
Ordinary Muslims rightfully despair at these
interpretations of jihad and its link to Ramadan.
For them it is a month of restraint and reflection -
but such is the crisis of modern Islam that
extremist interpretations of the same idea are
almost wholly divorced from normative
understandings.

To the radical mind, if additional prayer and alms
giving is encouraged in Ramadan - then why not
more bloodshed too?
View it that way and you understand precisely the
line of reasoning that has given rise to such a
grisly and gruesome death toll this year.

the reason they kill during Ramadan period...is to provide blood for one demon wey him name start with letter"M" so that him too go dey use brake fasting for evening..u know demons only feed on blood.. I no mentioned..

But this is just so sad. How can human being be so heartless?!

ever811:
the reason they kill during Ramadan period...is to provide blood for one demon wey him name start with letter"M" so that him too go dey use brake fasting for evening..u know demons only feed on blood.. I no mentioned..

I pity U, i somtyms wonder if that religion that start with letter "C" teach dia folowers to b abusive , negative minded etc.

U wil neva hia a muslim insult the Man dat name starts with letter "J" , y insult ours ?
y not do ur religion en let ours do ours peacefuly.

well for d ryt minded 1s.. we ol had ov a bomb in saudi, does it makes sense a muslim bomb his most precious worship place? bet we ol knw sm pple wil com out en say dey r muslms en dey r responsble 4 it.. som1 is foolin sm1

Happy Holidays

ever811:
the reason they kill during Ramadan period...is to provide blood for one demon wey him name start with letter"M" so that him too go dey use brake fasting for evening..u know demons only feed on blood.. I no mentioned..

You Really Should Not Insult An Entire Religion Because Of The Actions Of The Radical Few. Infact, Terrorist Acts To Me Seems Like A Battle Waged For Some Other Reasons Unknown To The Public Eye. The Supposed Rationale Of It Being Done In The Name Of Islam Is A Facade. Just My Opinion Though Plus Am Not Even A Muslim.