[11] The Ascent and Decline of The Ottoman Empire- [Sultan Murad I]

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Murad demonstrated bravery, diligence, generosity, and piety. He had a strong affinity for organization, ensuring fairness in his dealings with his subjects and soldiers. He was enthusiastic about military campaigns and the construction of mosques, schools, and shelters. Surrounding himself with a team of skilled leaders, experienced individuals, and soldiers, he established a council for advice and guidance. Murad successfully expanded his kingdom in both Asia Minor and Europe simultaneously. In Europe, the Ottoman forces launched attacks on territories under Byzantine rule, eventually capturing the strategically significant city of Edirne in 763 AH / 1360 CE. Recognizing its importance, Murad declared Edirne as the new capital of the Ottoman Empire in 768 AH / 1466 CE, marking the shift of the empire’s capital to Europe and establishing Edirne as the Islamic capital. His aim in making this strategic move was to capitalize on the military strength of Edirne’s fortifications and its proximity to the Jihaad operations. He aimed to incorporate the European territories they had conquered during their Jihad and establish a firm presence there. Murad centralized the government functions in this city, including governance principles, various administrative departments, army divisions, legal experts, and religious scholars. He set up courts, public schools, and military academies to train the Janissaries. Edirne flourished as a political, military, administrative, cultural, and religious centre until the Ottomans seized Constantinople in 857 AH / 1453 AD, making it the new capital of their empire. [a]

He initiated Jihad, summoning people to the path of Allah and conquering territories in Europe. His military campaign aimed to conquer Macedonia, and his triumphs held great significance, resulting in the formation of a European Balkan crusader alliance (opposing him) that gained approval from the Fifth Pope of Europe. This alliance included the Serbs, Bulgarians, Hungarians, and the inhabitants of the Wallachia region. The member states of the Crusader alliance managed to assemble an army of sixty thousand soldiers, who were confronted by the Ottoman commander Lala Şahin with a force smaller than that of the allied forces. They clashed near the Maritza River, specifically at (Chermen), where a terrifying battle unfolded. The allied army suffered defeat and the two Serbian princes fled, only to meet their demise in the Maritza River. However, the King of Hungary miraculously escaped death. Meanwhile, Sultan Murad was engaged in battle in Asia Minor, where he successfully conquered several cities. Upon his return to his Sultanate, he diligently organized the territories he had acquired, displaying the qualities of a wise leader. One of the significant outcomes of the Ottoman victory at the Maritza River was the conquest of Thrace and Macedonia. Additionally, the Ottomans expanded their reach into southern Bulgaria and eastern Serbia. The cities and territories of the Byzantine Empire, Bulgaria, and Serbia fell into their possession, akin to the falling of autumn leaves. When the Ottoman Empire’s expansion intensified, neighbouring countries, especially the weaker ones, grew fearful. In response, the Republic of (Ragoza) took the initiative and dispatched envoys to Sultan Murad to establish a friendly and commercial treaty. As part of this agreement, they committed to paying an annual tribute of 500 gold ducats. This treaty marked the first of its kind between the Ottoman Empire and Christian nations. The Ottoman Empire had already made inroads into the Balkans through its commanders, which incited the Serbs. They attempted multiple times to exploit the Sultan’s absence from Europe by launching attacks on Ottoman forces in the Balkans and surrounding areas. However, their efforts failed to yield significant victories against the Ottomans.

Subsequently, the Serbs, Bosnians, and Bulgarians allied and assembled a formidable European crusader army to confront the Sultan, who had brought his troops after mustering a large force for the Kosovo region in the Balkans. An incident worth noting was when Sultan Murad’s minister, who happened to have a copy of the Qur’an in his possession, accidentally opened it, leading the Sultan to come across this Ayah: “O Prophet (Muhammad )! Urge the believers to fight. If there are twenty steadfast persons amongst you, they will overcome two hundred, and if there be a hundred steadfast persons they will overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve because they (the disbelievers) are people who do not understand”. [Surah Al-Anfal. Verse 65]

The hopeful anticipation of victory was shared by both him and the Muslims fighting alongside him. The battle ensued fiercely between the two sides, culminating in a resounding and definitive triumph for the Muslims. Following the victory, Sultan Murad surveyed the battlefield, offering prayers for the fallen and tending to the wounded. During the inspection, a Serb soldier feigned death and attempted to attack the Sultan with a poisoned dagger, but was swiftly apprehended by the guards. Despite the betrayal, the Sultan chose to show mercy and allowed the soldier to approach him, only to be met with a treacherous attack. Sultan Murad’s final words were filled with gratitude towards Allah, the One who knows all that is hidden and answers the prayers of the needy. He acknowledged that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and expressed his gratitude towards Him. As his life was coming to an end, he witnessed the triumph of the soldiers of Islam. He entrusted his son Yazeed with the responsibility of leading and urged him to treat prisoners with kindness, not to harm or rob them. With these parting words, he bid farewell and entrusted the protection of their mighty victorious army to the mercy of Allah, who safeguards their state from all evil. This remarkable sultan was martyred on the 15th of Sha’ban 791 AH at the age of 65.

He was fully aware that his battle was in the name of Allah and that success only came from Allah. This is why he prayed fervently, continuously beseeching God, showing humility and reliance on Him. One of his sincere prayers exemplifies his deep understanding of his Creator and commitment to serving Him. He supplicated, “O Allah! The Most Merciful, Lord of the heavens and the earth, O Answerer of prayers, do not let me be disgraced. O Most Merciful, O Bestower of Mercy, answer the prayer of Your humble servant. Send rain from the sky and scatter the clouds of darkness so that we may face our enemy. We are nothing other than Your sinful servants. You are indeed The Bestower of all blessings and favours, while we are Your humble dependents. I am Your humble servant, one of lowly status in Your presence. You are the All-Knowing, The Knower of all that is unseen, the secrets, and everything hidden in the hearts. I have no personal goals or interests for myself, nor am I motivated by a desire for material gain. My only desire is Your Pleasure! O Allah! O All-Knowing One! O The One Whose Knowledge encompasses all places and things! I offer you, my soul, so grant me what I hope for. Do not let the Muslims be abandoned in the face of the enemy! O Allah! O The Most Merciful of all who show mercy! Do not let me be the cause of their downfall, but make them victorious! O Lord! I sacrifice my soul for You. I have longed and always wished to be a martyr, so O my Lord, do not let me witness their suffering! O my Lord! Grant me the opportunity to be martyred for Your sake and Your pleasure”.

In a different report, it is stated that he said: “O my deity! Indeed, I swear by Your Might and Exaltedness that I do not seek this temporary worldly life through my Jihad, but rather I seek Your Pleasure and nothing else but Your Pleasure. O my deity! Indeed, I swear by Your Might and Exaltedness that I am striving in Your path, so increase me in nobility through death upon Your path. O my deity! O my Protector! Accept my supplication and my submission. By Your Mercy, send down rain upon us, dispel the storms around us, and give us ample light that dispels the darkness around us, so that we can see the positions of our enemy, and so that we may fight him in the path of promoting the mighty religion you have ordained. O my deity! O my Protector! You alone possess all dominion and strength, and it is within your discretion to bestow it upon whomever you choose among your servants. I, as your humble and incapable servant, acknowledge that you are aware of my secrets and public proclamations. I solemnly swear by your immense power and exalted status that my pursuit of Jihad is not driven by a desire for the fleeting pleasures of this worldly life, but solely for your pleasure. O my divine being! O my protector! You have honoured me by guiding me towards Jihad in your path, so I ask you to further elevate my status through martyrdom in your cause”.

Sultan Murad, with his wisdom and expertise, guided the Ottoman society for thirty years, surpassing any other contemporary leader in his ability to govern the people. The Byzantine historian Halko Nadilas praised him for his numerous accomplishments. He emerged victorious from 37 battles, whether in Anatolia or the Balkans, displaying his military prowess. Additionally, he was known for his benevolent treatment of his subjects, regardless of their diverse races and religions. According to the French historian Crenard, Murad was not only a prominent figure within the Ottoman family but also surpassed all European rulers of his time. Inheriting a sizable principality of 95,000 square kilometers from his father, he expanded it significantly during his reign. After his death, his son Bayazid took over the Ottoman principality, which had grown to an impressive 500,000 square kilometers over approximately 29 years. [An Excerpt from Ad-Dawlah Al-Uthmaaniyyah Awaamil An-Nuhood wa Asbaab As-Suqoot 6/59-65]

[a] The Hadeeth about the capture of Constantinople: The fall of the Byzantine capital Constantinople, under the rule of Sultan Muhammad Al-Fatih, does not fulfill the requirements of the conquest mentioned in the authentic narrations. Al-Allaamah Hamood at-Tuwayjiree explained, “I must clarify that Constantinople was indeed conquered in the year 857 AH by Sultan Muhammad Al-Fatih, the Uthmaanee Turkman ruler. Constantinople remained under the control of the Uthmaaniyyeen until the end of the fourteenth century after the Hijrah. However, this conquest is not the one referred to in the Prophetic reports mentioned earlier in this discussion. The true conquest will only take place after a major battle and shortly before the appearance of the Dajjaal, as stated in various Prophetic reports in this chapter, and will also be mentioned in the two Prophetic reports transmitted by Mu’aadh and Abdullah Ibn Bishr. The conquest of Constantinople and Rome will take place alongside the utterances of Tasbeeh [SubhaaAllah], Tahleel [Laa ilaaha ilal lah], and Takbeer [Allahu Akbar]. However, it will not involve a large number of people or extensive weaponry, as mentioned in multiple hadiths in this chapter. The conquest will be achieved by the Arabs, not the Turks, as confirmed by the Prophet’s statement transmitted by Amr Bin Awf: “The strong and dedicated youth of the Arabian Peninsula, who fearlessly strive in the path of Allah despite criticism, will emerge and eventually achieve the conquest of Constantinople and Rome through the recitation of Tasbeeh and Takbeer”. In the hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah in Sahih Muslim, he mentioned, “Subsequently, an army from Medina will emerge towards them, being the finest among the people of the world at that moment.” [An Excerpt from It’haaf Al-Jamaa’ah Bimaa Jaa’a Fil Fitan Wal-Malaahim Wa Ashraat As-Saa’ah. Vol 1. pages 403-404]

Salafi Shaikh Fawzaan on Jihad in our times and the guidelines of Jihad according to Islam