The year 53 Hijri marked the first attempt of the Ummah at cracking the walls of Constantinople. The ancient double walls had never fallen since the time of Constantine, despite the attempts of Goths, Huns and others feeding at the remains of the Roman empire. The walls proved impregnable for the Arabs that year, and at least half a dozen more failed attempts were made by the Ummah for the following 800 years before the walls were finally breached by Mehmed Alfatih in 857 AH, coinciding with 1453 Gregorian.

When I look back at that date I wonder how Mehmed felt, attempting to do what the greats before him had fallen short of. In preparation he invested in developing cannon technology, requiring around 90 oxen to transport, and crafted a genius method to transport his ships over land, all for an attempt that could fail. Despite being 21 years old, the young man insisted on continuing the siege even with the failures of his own fathers, the anxiety of his men and the whispers of his advisors looming over him. Did he know that his attempt would be the one? What faith did he have to prepare for, execute and deliver on his vision, and the visions of those before him?

Fast forward to the modern day, and the Ummah is facing challenges from without and within. Even as I type these words, my brothers and sisters in Gaza are being bombed, starved and expelled. Their neighbors in the West Bank are facing similar fates by the Zionist occupation. My homeland of Sudan is being torn apart by bands of thugs funded and armed by foreign powers, ravishing the country. India, China, Myanmar- I can write all day and my list would still be inexhaustive.

On the 18th of Muharram, 1446, the Prophetic Strategy Summit was hosted in Istanbul, Turkey, and I was blessed and privileged to attend it. I met some of the brightest minds of the Ummah, from different work backgrounds and countries, and we brainstormed effective ways to meet the challenges we faced. One thing was clear-as an Ummah we had the knowledge, tools and people to make something great, but lacked the coordination, organization and vision to deliver it. “We are out-organised, not outnumbered” was the quote that stuck with me the most.

To deliver this vision, one of the attendees, Mujahid Chowdhury, pitched Vision 1453: A seven-year plan to revive the Ummah across 4 verticals, encompassing different sectors, specializations and topics, achieving a year of strength by the year 1453 AH. A reference to Mehmed’s attempt, I couldn’t help but smile at its boldness. Doubts and worries immediately began to surface- who were we to be attempting to coordinate two billion people? What if we failed? What if, what if, what if?

That was when my heart was put to rest. I might not be written as the one who revived the Ummah, but I am happy to be written as one of those who attempted. We may only know Mehmed and not the other half a dozen attempters and countless more who laid the foundations for him, but He knows all, and it is His pleasure I ultimately seek.