By Sonia Bailley
People often speak of the “luck of the Irish,” but this year, that luck comes with an ominous twist. On March 17, the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day — deeply rooted in Irish identity, resilience, and Christianity — coincides with 17 Ramadan, the anniversary of the Battle of Badr (A.D. 624). This battle, pivotal in Islamic history, remains a symbol of divine intervention and victory in jihad, one that has inspired all Muslims for centuries. What Badr represented for early Islam, mass migration represents for modern Europe — a steady strategic shift aimed at reshaping the fabric of established societies.
For most Westerners, this may seem like a mere coincidence, but in Islamic history, dates matter. Just as September 11 was the date deliberately chosen to symbolize a reversal of Islamic defeats in Vienna (1683) and Belgrade (1690), so too was 17 Ramadan chosen to symbolize victory after the Battle of Badr. This set a precedent: the belief that Ramadan is the ideal time to wage jihad, and that jihadis will receive even greater rewards, whether they die in martyrdom or not.
Ireland, a historically Christian nation, will unknowingly be sharing its national holiday with the anniversary of one of Islam’s greatest victories over non-Muslims, a victory that paved the way for Islam’s expansion beyond Arabia and eventually into the Western world, at the cost of millions of lives lost in wars, raids, and forced conversions.
The entire foundation of Islamic military success is built on the idea that faith in Allah guarantees victory. This belief is rooted in the most significant Quranic war verse, interpreted by jihadis and many Islamic scholars as a command to wage jihad. This verse, referring to the Battle of Badr, emphasizes that Allah supports only those who believe in him and who fight for him to defend Islam, and that he is the one who ultimately grants victory in battle to the believers, even when they are outnumbered. Victory is never solely due to military strength and strategy. If a war is lost, it is due to lack of faith in Allah, not military inferiority.
To defend Islam means to kill non-believers or non-Muslims, who are referred to in the Quran as the “worst of creatures” and whom Islam commands not to take as friends. This is why coexistence and integration are not options in Islam: it does not assimilate. It only dominates. The same supremacist ideology drove Mohamed and his followers to commit genocide against all Jewish tribes in Arabia, slaughter tens of millions of Hindus over an 800-year period, and massacre 1.5 million Christian Armenians. Today, that same ideology continues to inspire countless Muslim adherents worldwide, as they are commanded “to fight until there is no more disbelief, and the religion is entirely for Allah.”
In this context, jihadis believe that the deeper their faith in Allah, the greater their chance of victory. This is why they become consumed with fervor and frenzy in their emotion for Allah during jihad, causing them to frantically cry out “Allahu akbar” as an expression of their devotion. They believe that this devotion will reward them with a successful kill, guaranteeing them a place in Paradise. All non-Muslims are legitimate targets for jihad, because all are guilty of rejecting Islam. There is no such thing as an innocent non-Muslim. This belief lies at the heart of not just radical Islam, but Islam itself.
Many of the most significant Islamic conquests were launched during Ramadan, a time steeped in religious significance, offering jihadis an opportunity to mirror the victory of Badr. Historical examples of this include the fall of Constantinople (1453), where the Muslim Ottomans defeated the last Christian Byzantine stronghold, and the Islamic invasion of Spain (711-1492), which resulted in centuries of Muslim rule in Europe. Even the Ottoman sieges of Vienna (1529 and 1683), although outside Ramadan, were part of an ongoing campaign to expand Islam into Europe.
Today, Western open-border policies have more than made up for any past territorial losses. The same drive for Islamic expansion continues — not through direct conquest, but through new strategies, such as emigration (Hijra), which is religiously mandated in the Quran to spread Islam beyond Muslim lands. The goal remains “to make [Islam] prevail over all religions,” ensuring its dominance wherever it takes root. Combined with high birth rates, a declining Western identity, laws suppressing criticism of Islam, and political influence, Islam no longer needs the sword. Conquest is no longer necessary to spread Islam in today’s weakened societies.
Ireland, once fiercely Irish and Christian, has already seen a dramatic transformation, embracing one of Europe’s most extreme open-border policies with little political resistance. Mass migration is reshaping the country’s culture and demographics at an unprecedented pace. This transformation mirrors the same changes taking place across Europe, where Islamic influence is growing.
Europe’s self-inflicted open-border policies, driving uncontrolled migration, are facilitating the rise of terrorist sleeper cells ready for action at any time. Meanwhile, the growing reluctance to criticize Islam, driven by fears of being criminalized for Islamophobia, is hindering law enforcement from addressing imminent jihadi threats, making societies even more susceptible to terrorist attacks — especially during Ramadan, which is typically rife with terror.
With tensions already at a breaking point following October 7, and a noticeable increase in attacks by jihadi groups worldwide, this Ramadan carries a much greater risk of violence than usual, especially with the coincidence of Islam sharing one of its most revered anniversaries with a Patron Saint, potentially igniting resentment.
Amplifying the heightened risk during this month is the rise of ISIS and Middle East instability, which could create an opening for jihadi groups advocating for the return of the Islamic caliphate to unite all Muslims under a single ruler, as mandated by Islamic law. What better time to attempt this than during Ramadan, the very month when the last caliphate was declared in 2014 by ISIS leader al-Baghdadi in Iraq, marking the twelfth anniversary on 2 Ramadan (March 2)?
Historical patterns show that caliphates arise during times of upheaval, particularly when states are weak or fail to govern effectively, as seen in Syria and Iraq. Inspired by the victory at Badr, jihadis today seek to reestablish the caliphate, drawing strength from the belief that faith and devotion to Allah guarantee victory, just as in the past.
As St. Patrick’s Day and 17 Ramadan align, history whispers its warnings. The Battle of Badr was more than just a military victory — it marked the dawn of an expanding empire, altering the course of civilization. For centuries, unchecked Islamic influence has reshaped nations, often erasing the cultures and faiths that preceded it.
Whereas St. Patrick sought to bring Christianity to Ireland, today Islam seeks to replace it — a symbolic intersection of two opposing forces that have clashed throughout history since Islam’s inception 1,400 years ago.
The West’s inability to recognize the pattern unfolding before its eyes and address the growing Islamic influence, enabled by globalist policies, makes the West increasingly susceptible to the same fate as past civilizations, such as Byzantium and Spain, which succumbed to the very same forces that threaten the West today. Ireland and Europe as a whole face a crossroads. Will they protect their identity and sovereignty, or will they allow history to repeat itself?
The luck of the Irish will not be enough to protect Ireland or the West from repeating the mistakes of history.
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2025/03/ramadan_and_st_patrick_a_warning_to_the_west.html