We can also utilize the hidden light of Chanukah, to defeat Islam and Yishmael.
Emunas Itecha quotes the Zohar which says that when we read about the korbanos of the twelve nesi’im in Parshas Naso on Chanukah, it acts as a spiritual force against the power of the twelve nesi’im of Yishmael mentioned at the end of Parshas Chayei Sarah. The Zohar says that if it weren’t for these korbanos, we wouldn’t stand a chance against Yishmael. The word nasi comes from the word naso, which means to uplift. We are uplifted on Chanukah through our recitation of Hallel and Al Hanisim, thanking Hashem for His salvation. This brings us closer to Him and gives us the spiritual strength to vanquish Yishmael.
Perhaps we can suggest that the counterbalance we have with the reading of the korbanos relates to the differences in the way leaders of Yishmael and Yisrael lead. Yishmael’s princes and leaders care only about their own power and are corrupted by it, as is clear to anyone who reads the news. Their leaders are dictators who take all of the resources for themselves at the expense of the people. This is not the case in Klal Yisrael. Each of our nesi’im embodies his respective tribe and the sacrifices were brought as a personification of the entire shevet.
An additional force of Chanukah against Yishmael is the following: We use fire to light the menorah, which demonstrates that fire, which represents desire, can be geared toward holiness. Yishmael, however, took nine of the ten measurements of zenus, inappropriate desire, which descended to the world (see Kiddushin 49b). We now also understand why on Shabbos Chanukah we read the story of Yosef HaTzaddik who was able to restrain himself from any forbidden desires in Egypt.
Rav Moshe Shapiro said that our response to Yishmael’s attempts to thwart our connection to Eretz Yisrael has to be through tefillah. We need to daven from the depths of our hearts with complete faith. Yishmael attacks us through the power of Avrohom’s bris milah and the power of tefillah. We must strengthen ourselves in these areas to counteract his spiritual power. As the Baal Haturim (in his last comment on Parshas Chayei Sarah) says, only when Yishmael falls will Yitzchok rise and Moshiach come.
“His [Avrohom] sons Yitzchok and Yishmael buried him in the cave of Machpeilah” (Bereishis 25:9). Rashi, based on Bava Basra 16b, states that since Yitzchok precedes Yishmael in the verse, we learn that Yishmael repented. Yishmael acknowledged that Yitzchok was Avrohom’s true heir, and honored him as such. This foreshadows what will be in the future as well.
We passionately pray for the day when the Arabs will grow and do what their forefather did.