Constantinople, or Istanbul as it is known today, is a unique city as far as its history and location is concerned. Historically, it was the capital of the Roman Empire for eleven centuries and its culture dominated the old world. The principal church of Eastern Christianity was situated here. Its pivotal political and religious position caused the entire Christian World to rally to its defence at times of conflict. Geographically, it has a natural harbour bordered by the ocean on three sides and it is the only city in the world which is considered to be both in Europe and Asia.

The straits of Bosphorus divide the city into two, with one end emerging into the Black Sea, and the other into the Sea of Marmara. A tiny branch of the Bosphorus to the west forms the ‘Golden Horn’, which is the only area of entry into the city.

Nabi ﷺ had prophesied the downfall of Istanbul at the hands of the Muslims when he said :

ﻟﺘﻔﺘﺤﻦ ﺍﻟﻘﺴﻄﻨﻄﻴﻨﻴﺔ ﻓﻠﻨﻌﻢ ﺍﻷﻣﻴﺮ ﺃﻣﻴﺮﻫﺎ ﻭﻟﻨﻌﻢ ﺍﻟﺠﻴﺶ ﺫﻟﻚ ﺍﻟﺠﻴﺶ

“You will certainly conquer Constantinople. Fortunate will be the leader and fortunate will be the army that accomplishes this.”

For eight centuries, the conquest of Constantinople remained a dream for the Muslims. Many attempts were made to conquer it, the first by Mu’awiyah ibn Abu Sufyan ( ﺭﺿﻲ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻨﻪ ), during the khilafah of ‘Ali ( ﺭﺿﻲ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻨﻪ ), but none were successful. The strategic strength of its location and its mountainous terrain made it virtually impenetrable.

The honour and glad tidings mentioned by Nabi ﷺ fell onto a young Muslim commander by the name of Sultan Muhammad Al-Fatih, the seventh ruler of the Ottoman Empire. At the tender age of twenty-two, he assumed the position of leadership.

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