Part 39
By Harith Ubaidah
Whenever Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror passed through the ranks of his soldiers, he addressed them with words meant to awaken their honor and resolve. He told them that the conquest of Constantinople would grant them immense dignity, enduring glory, and vast reward and recompense. The city, he said, would be freed from the intrigues and conspiracies that various rulers and tyrants had inflicted upon humanity. The soldier who first raised the Islamic banner upon the walls of Constantinople would be handsomely compensated, granted extensive lands, and immortalized in the chronicles of the Ummah.
Scholars and Sheikhs moved among the army’s formations, reciting verses from the Holy Qur’an about the virtue of striving in the path of Allah. They reminded the soldiers that those who are slain for the sake of Allah are promised a great exchange and magnificent reward. They kept alive the memory of the martyrs who, before them, had sacrificed their lives in pursuit of Constantinople’s capture.
They also invoked the name of Abu Ayyub al Ansari (RA) and told the troops:
“Our prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) stayed in the home of Abu Ayyub al Ansari during the Hijrah, and this noble Companion later set out for this very land. He continued to strive in the path of Allah until old age, seeking to bring this city beneath the shelter of Islam.”
Through such reminders, the spirit of the Islamic army was transformed, and the hearts of the mujahidin surged with passion and determination.
When Sultan Mehmed returned to his tent, he summoned the senior commanders and issued his final instructions. He then addressed them directly and said:
“When Constantinople falls into our hands, the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) will be fulfilled through us. We shall be the ones who realize the prophecy he foretold. This victory will belong to us. Convey to your children that this triumph, now close at hand, is written as our destiny.
Through this conquest, the honor, strength, and majesty of Islam will rise. Let every soldier make the teachings of the Sharia the foundation of his life and avoid anything that stands in opposition to the religion. Listen carefully. Do not desecrate churches. Do not damage places of worship. Do not harm the innocent. Spare children, women, and those who do not take part in the fighting.”
On the opposite side, the Byzantine emperor of Constantinople had gathered the city’s inhabitants and addressed them:
“Weep before Allah and pray. Perhaps Allah will deliver you from this siege.”
Women, children, and men crowded into the churches, crying openly, lifting their voices in lamentation, and offering supplications.
The emperor then delivered a long and eloquent address, which would prove to be his final speech. He urged the people:
“If I am killed in battle, then fight to the death. Defend Christianity and sacrifice yourselves.”
Historians relate that the emperor’s words were profoundly moving. Those present burst into tears. After concluding his speech, the emperor proceeded to the Church of Hagia Sophia, where he performed what would be his final act of worship. He then returned to the assembly, offered his last farewell to everyone, examined each face with care, and shook every hand.
The emperor’s wife, children, and servants wept openly as they bade him goodbye. Christian chroniclers have described the scene in deeply evocative language. Anyone who witnessed it, they wrote, would have said:
“Had even a stone been lying nearby and seen this sight, tears would have streamed from it like rain.”
Constantine entrusted his family to Allah, then stood before an imaginary image of Jesus, peace be upon him, hanging upon the wall and offered a silent prayer. Afterward, he donned his armor and, at midnight, left the palace accompanied by his trusted companion Phrantzes to once again inspect the state of the city’s defenses.
He also observed the movements of the Ottoman forces. The Ottoman army had prepared for an assault both by land and by sea. Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror likewise emerged from his tent, lifted his gaze to the heavens, and said:
“O Allah, show us Your favor and send down upon us a rain of mercy.”
At that very moment, drops of rain began to fall, the dust and haze settled, and the army found its advance made easier.
