Introduction

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE ALL-COMPASSIONATE, ALL-MERCIFUL ~ooa o ~Ooc::i~ ~a/ahad-Deen aI-Arub; Volume Two The Establishment of the Ayubid State

~a/ahad-Deen a/-Arub; VOLUME TWO The Establishment of the Ayubid State Dr. Ali M. Sallabi Translated by Nasiruddin al-Khattab INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC PUBLISHING HOUSE

Contents of Volume 2 Arabic honorific symbols used in this book................... 17 Pronunciation and Transliteration Chart About the Word Lord PART TWO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE AYUBID STATE CHAPTER I The Family of Salah ad-Deen and His Upbringing The lineage of Salah ad-Deen The birth of Salah ad-Deen Salah ad-Deen's upbringing When did the Ayubid state begin? CHAPTER IT The Great and Noble Character of Salah ad-Deen His piety and worship His 'aqeedah (belief) Prayer Zakah Fasting during Ramadan Hajj Listening to the Noble Quran Listening to Hadith Veneration for the beliefs of Islam Thinking positively of Allah A strong sense of justice Great courage Generosity Concern for jihad Forbearance Chivalry Patience and hope for Allah's reward Fulfilment of covenants Humbleness 6 Contents of Yolume 2 CHAPTER III Beliefs ('Aqeedah) of the Ayubid State The Ayubids established a large number of Sunni schools Al-Madrasah as-Salahiyah Madrasah al-Mashhad al-Husayni Al-Madrasah al-Fadiliyah Dar al-hadith al-Kamaliyah Al-Madrasah as-Salihiyah Ayubid efforts in Syria and Mesopotamia Elements of Sunni education during the Ayubid period The Noble Quran Hadith The basic principles of Sunni belief ('aqeedah) Stages that Abul-Hasan al-Ash 'ari went through The first stage The second stage The third stage $aliiJ;,ad-Deen al-Ayubi The first phase: comments of the scholars The second phase: His meeting with al-Hafid]; Zakariya as-Saji The third phase: writing the book Al-Ibdnah - and affirmation of the attribution of this book to him The secret behind al-Ash'ari's historical greatness Abul-Hasan al-Ash 'ari explains the beliefs to which he adheres Abul-Hasan al-Ash 'ari's written works His striving hard in worship The 'aqeedah of Abul-Hasan al-Ash'ari, which he died believing His death Fiqh studies Ayubid revival of the Abbasid caliphate The Ayubid sultans' protection of the Hajj routes and the Two Holy Sanctuaries Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi, servant of the Two Holy Sanctuaries Salah ad-Deen's protection of the land route for pilgrims coming from Egypt, the Magbreb and Andalusia The Ayubid rulers' direct supervision of the Hajj rituals 120 The Ayubids' efforts to combat Shiism in Egypt, Syria and Yemen Factors which helped the Ayubids in the Sunni revival movement Educational principles in the guidelines set out by Salah ad-Deen The religious obligation of obedience to the ruler 8 Contents a/Volume 2 Removing innovators from the pulpit.. Forbidding blind devotion to madh-habs Encouraging justice and kind treatment. Paying attention to the judiciary CHAPTER IV The Status of the Scholars in the Estimation of Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi AI-QiQi al-Fadil Head of the chancery AI-QiQi al-Fadil and the army of ~alil) ad-Deen AI-QiQi al-Fadil: ending Fatimid opposition Reorganization of the administration in Egypt. AI-QiQi al-Fadil and the Sunni revival in Egypt.. AI-QiQi al-Fadil sees the end of the Fatimid state AI-QiQi al-Fadil and jihad AI-QiQi al-Fadil: the man of letters His call for unity after the death of Salah ad-Deen His death Al-Hafid]; as-Salafi In Alexandria His academic activities and his school.. AI-Madrasah al-'Adiliyah as-Salafiyah The distinct character of al-Hafidh Abu at-Tahir as-Salafi Serious attitude towards life His respect for the people who sat with him His love of reading and collecting books His relationship with intellectuals His relationship with common folk His relationship with the Fatimid state $alli/:zad-Deen al-Ayubi His relationship with the men of the Ayubid state As-Salafi the poet and his relationship with poets His death Abu at-Tahir ibn 'Awf al-Iskandrani 'Abdullah ibn Abi 'Asroon 'Abdullah ibn Abi 'Asroon and Salah ad-Deen al-Ay ubi Appointment of Ibn Abi 'Asroon as judge Academic output of Ibn Abi 'Asroon Literary output of Sharaf ad-Deen ibn Abi 'Asroon Taking good news to the Abbasid caliph 'Abdullah ibn Abi 'Asroon becomes blind The death of Ibn Abi 'Asroon The faqeeh 'Eesa al-Hakari His support for Salah ad-Deen's viziership Resolving the misunderstanding between Salah ad-Deen and Noor ad-Deen His role in reaching a peace deal with the people of Mosul Negotiations with the vizier of Khallat A man of special missions His courage in the wars against the Crusaders Zayn ad-Deen 'Ali ibn Naja 'Imad ad-Deen al-Isfahani Al-Khabooshani CHAPTER V Economic Reforms and Types of Expenditure His interest in agriculture and trade His interest in manufacturing Cairo 10 Contents of Volume 2 Fustat Tanees Other cities Abolition of levies and being content with Shariah sources of income Hospitals at the time of Salah ad-Deen The Nasiri hospital in Cairo The Hospital of Alexandria The Salahi Hospital in Jerusalem The Hospital of Acre Sufi khanqahs Social reform Infrastructure Administrati ve reform Baha' ad-Deen Qaraqoosh Guarding the Fatimid palace Building Qal 'at al-Jabal Bi'r Yoosuf (Yoosufs well) The walls of Cairo, the citadel and Fustat. The bridges of Giza and the citadel of al-Maqsi As governor of Acre: his renovation of its walls Origin of the saying "(As harsh and irrational as) the ruling of Qaraqoosh" . CHAPTER VI The Military System at the Time of Salah ad-Deen .....237 Development of the military feudal system at the time of Salah ad-Deen Salah ad-Deen's military department.. The uniforms of the troops $atal:zad-Deen al-Ayubi Food supplies Military mobilization The five-part system The inner circle and the sultan's Mamelukes Battalions and types of army divisions based on the weapons carried by each division The cavalry The infantry Other auxiliary squadrons Volunteers in the Ayyubid army Auxiliary squadrons in the army The engineer corps The medical corps Military music corps Flag bearers Mail and intelligence Organization of the mail The Yazak scout corps Pigeon post Ambushes Administrative matters in war and peace and to do with captives War cabinet in Salah ad-Deen's army Battle plans and fighting methods Cutting down trees Cutting off water Methods of rapid warfare The plan to fight in turns Driving a wedge into the Crusader ranks 12 Contents a/Volume 2 Strengthening economic and commercial ties with the Italian city-states Destruction of cities Securing the route connecting Egypt and Syria Fortifying cities and border posts The fighting season Treatment of prisoners Peace deals between Salah ad-Deen and the Crusaders Weapons of the Ayubid army The Ayubid navy Activities of the Ayubid navy The initial stage The stage of Ayubid naval strength in Egypt The stage after Hattin until the treaty of Ramlah The most important naval reforms of Salah ad-Deen Requisitioning the forests of Egypt Salah ad-Deen establishes the Naval Department. Raising living standards of sailors and workers Appointment of leaders for the fleet... Fortifying the borders Encouraging men to join the navy The role of the Maghrebis in the Muslim fleet CHAPTER VII Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi's Efforts to Unite the Muslims 297 The Zangid family in Mosul Annexation of Damascus Salah ad-Deen's address to the Abbasid caliph His entry into Damascus $alal;tad-Deen al-Ayubi Attack on Aleppo The battle of Quroon Hamah The battle of Tell Sultan and the final attempt to expel Salah ad-Deen Death of Sayf ad-Deen Ghazi H and succession of 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood 331 Death of al-Malik as-Salih Isma'eel ibn Noor ad-Deen Mahmood The first siege of Mosul.. Annexation of Sinjar Consequences of the annexation of Sinjar Annexation of Amid Annexation of Aleppo Consequences of the annexation of Aleppo Second siege of Mosul Attempt to annex Khallat.. Annexation of Mayafariqin Third siege of Mosul: ~a1lli) ad-Deen takes over Ismaili Shiite attempts to assassinate Salah ad-Deen First attempt by the Shiite Ismailis to assassinate ~allli) ad-Deen The second attempt. Salah ad-Deen's methods in teaching the Ismailis a lesson 355 Salah ad-Deen's relationship with the Seljuks of Rum First confrontation between Salah ad-Deen and Kilij Arslan H Second confrontation between ~allli) ad-Deen and Kilij Arslan H Salah ad-Deen' s relationship with the Abbasid caliphate Death of the caliph al-Mustadi' bi Amr-Illah 575 AH 14 Contents of Volume 2 Salah ad-Deen's relationship with the Abbasid caliphate after aI-Mustadi' Salah ad-Deen's relationship with the Byzantine state Salah ad-Deen's relationship with the Crusaders before Hattin Crusader raids against Salah ad-Deen's possessions 570-572 AH The Crusaders raid Horns and Hamah Raid on Harim The Battle of Ramlah Reasons for the defeat in the battle of Ramlah The battle of Tell al-Qadi.. Truce between Salah ad-Deen and Baldwin IV Salah ad-Deen and the 'thief knight', Reynald de Chatillon Lessons from the period between the death of Noor ad-Deen and the Battle of Hattin The long struggle to unite the Muslim front.. Salah ad-Deen's efforts to unite the Muslims Two who strove for unity and liberation Uniting the Ummah by force Unity is a popular demand and no separatist ruler can stand against it... The importance of unity between Egypt and Syria AI-QaQi al-Fadil and his efforts in uniting the Ummah AI-QaQi al-Fadil's missives to ,saliQ ad-Deen The walls of Cairo On the transferring of the position of judge from Sharaf ad-Deen ibn Abi 'Asroon to his son, when he lost his sight $alli/:tad-Deen al-Ayubi The justification for delaying jihad With regard to the sultan's sons Speaking out against evil Waiving taxes and levies for pilgrims Salfih ad-Deen's desire to perform Hajj 576 AH Salah ad-Deen's illness and its effect on the course of events .401 Important figures who died during this stage Death of 'Asmat Khatoon .404 Death of the senior emir Sa'd ad-Deen Mas'ood ibn Mu'een ad-Deen .404 Death of Turanshah, the brother of Salah ad-Deen ...405 Death of al-Malik al-Mansoor 'Izz ad-Deen Farookh Shah ibn Shahinshah ibn Ayub .405 Death of Ahmad ar-Rifa'i .406 Poetry Concerning the battle of Marj al- 'Uyoon .407 Usamah ibn Munqidh praises Salah ad-Deen .408 Attitude of the scholars concerning those who reviled the Companions .408 Salah ad-Deen enters Armenia .408 The astrologers and the end of the world .409 The Abbasid caliph's consideration towards his Jewish subjects .410 The killing of the caliph's vizier 'Adud ad-Dawlah .410 Allah compensates people Salah ad-Deen puts his administrative and military affairs in order before Hattin .411 Notes 16 Contents a/Volume 2 APPENDIX A Timeline of Major Events APPENDIX B Dynasties mentioned in $aZa/J ad-De en al-Ayubi APPENDIX C Map of the Empire of Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi Glossary of Islamic terms " """"""""""" .467

Arabic honorific symbols used in this book (~) : Subhdnahu wa Ta 'ala - "The Exalted" (~) : Salla-Alldhu 'Alayhi wa Sallam - "Blessings and peace be upon him" ()~) : 'Alayhis-Saltim - "May peace be upon him" (~) : Radiya-Alldhu 'Anhu - "May Allah be pleased with him" (~) : Radiya-Alldhu 'Anha - "May Allah be pleased with her"

Pronunciation and Transliteration Chart Arabic script Pronunciation Transliterated as: i short 'a', as in cat a cS - T onger 'a', as in cab (not as in cake a '-' Ibl as in bell, rubber and tab b u It! as in tap, mustard and sit t ;; takes the sound of the preceding h or t (when diactrical mark sometimes ending in h followed by (when in pausal form): ah, ih, or ooh; another or atu(n), ati(n) or ata(n) when in Arabic word) uninterrupted speech .:... Ithi as in thing, maths and wealth th C Ij/ as in jam, ajar and age J C a 'harsher' sound than the English Q .nitiallhl, and may occur medially and in word-final position as well C as in Bach (in German); may occur kh initially and medially as well ~ Id! as in do, muddy and red d ~ as in this, father, and with dh .J rl as in raw, art and war; may also be r a rolled r, as with Spanish words

Sald/J ad-Deen al-Ayubi Arabic script Pronunciation Transliterated as: .J IzJ as in zoo, easy and gaze z U" Isl as in so, messy and grass s , as in ship, ashes and rush sh U" er" no close equivalent in English, but s may be approximated by pronouncing it as Iswl or Isl farther back in the mouth c.? no close equivalent in English, Q but may be approximated by pronouncing Id! farther back in the mouth .1 no close equivalent in English, t but may be approximated by pronouncing It! farther back in the mouth j; no close equivalent in English, dhbut may be approximated by pronouncing 'the' farther back in the mouth t no close equivalent in English: , a guttural sound in the back of the throat t no close equivalent in English, gh but may be closely approximated by pronouncing it like the French Ir/ in 'rouge' w If I as in fill, effort and muff f Pronunciation and transliteration chart Arabic script Pronunciation Transliterated as: '-' no close equivalent in English, q but may be approximated by pronouncing IkJ farther back in the mouth !J IkJ as in king, buckle and tack k J VV as in lap, halo; in the word Allah, it becomes velarized as in ball i Irn/ as in men, simple and ram m .J 1nl as in net, ant and can n "'- - - .Jo /hi as in hat; unlike /hi in English, h in Arabic /hi is pronounced in medial and word-final positions as well J as in wet and away w J long u, as in boot and too (as a vowel) '-? as in yet and yard y '-? long e, as in eat, beef and see ee (as a vowel) glottal stop: may be closely , s;. approximated by pronouncing it (Omitted in like 't' in the Cockney English initial position) pronunciation of butter: bu' er, or the stop sound in uh - oh!

Sala/; ad-Deen al-Ayubi Diphthongs: Arabic script Pronunciation Transliterated as: .) 4 .Ji Long 0, as in owe, boat and go au, aw, ow Z? 4 l:?i Long 'a', as in able, ay, ai, ei rain and say Diacritical marks (tashkeel): Name of mark Pronunciation ! Transliterated -, as: I , very short 'a' or schwa a fathah (unstressed vowel) shorter version of ee or schwa i , kasrah (unstressed vowel) ~ shorter version of 00 u Dammah ~ a doubled consonant is stressed Double letter shaddah in the word, and the length of the sound is also doubled no vowel sound between Absence of sukoon consonants or at the end of a word vowel

About the word Lord ae word lord in English has several related meanings. The original meaning is 'master' or 'ruler', and in this sense it is often used to refer to human beings: 'the lord of the mansion' or 'Lord Soand-So' (in the United Kingdom, for example). The word Lord with a capital L is used in the lexicon of Islam to refer to the One and Only God-Allah. In Islam, there is no ambiguity about the meaning of this word. While it is true that one may occasionally use the word lord (whether capitalized or not) to refer to a human being, in Islamic discourse the reference of this term is always clear from the context. Whereas for Christians, Hindus and other polytheists, the word Lord with a capital L may refer to Allah, to Jesus or to some imagined deity, for Muslims, there can be no plurality of meaning. Allah alone is the Lord, and the Lord is Allah - not Jesus, not Rama, not any other being. The Editor

Part Two The Establishment Of The Ayubid State

CHAPTER I The Family of Salah ad-Deen and His Upbringing The lineage of Salah ad-Deen ~ alah ad-Deen belonged to a prominent Kurdish family of noble origin. This family belonged to a Kurdish tribe that was regarded as one of the noblest in lineage, a clan that was known as arRawadiyah.' They were originally from the city of Daween, which was located at the furthest border of Azerbaijan, near the city of Tiflees (Tbilisi) in Armenia. The Ayubids were descended from Ayub ibn Shadi, and Ibn al-Atheer regarded them as the noblest of the Kurds because none of them was ever enslaved.i When Salah adDeen's father Najm ad-Deen Ayub and his paternal uncle Asad adDeen Shirkuh, came from Iraq, they were not shepherds, rather they had a great deal of experience in political and administrative affairs.3 But some Ayubids tried to deny their Kurdish origins and claim Arab blood in general, claiming to be descended from Banu Umayah in particular." Whatever the origin of the Ayubids, they emerged in the Islamic east in the sixth century AHltwelfth century CE, when their great-grandfather Shadi was appointed to some administrative position in the citadel of Tikrit, which was allocated to Bahrooz alKhadim, one of the emirs of the Seljuk sultan Muharnmad ibn Malikshah.' Tikrit was located on the right bank of the Tigris, north of Samurra', and controlled the main transportation routes between Iraq and Syria; most of its inhabitants were Kurds. Shadi was The family of Saldl; ad-Deen and his upbringing transferred there with his two sons, Najm ad-Deen Ayub and Asad ad-Deen Shirkuh. He gradually climbed the administrative ladder until he was given a permanent post in charge of the garrison. When he died, he was succeeded by his son Najm ad-Deen Ayub.? It is very strange that some historians go out of their way in their research to attribute Salah ad-Deen to a chain of forefathers that ends with Mudar, who was descended from 'Adnan; it is as if, by means of this research which is contrary to academic standards, not to mention pure facts, they want to connect every non-Arab genius to an Arabic lineage, as if all virtues and noble characteristics belong exclusively to the Arabs and as if the non-Arab Muslims - according to their short-sighted way of thinking - cannot build glory, establish civilizations or leave great legacies," or support Islam with the sword and by means of their words. If we look into history and research the great men who built Islamic civilization, we will discover that the many nations who entered Islam contributed to Islamic civilization. Muhammad al-Fatih, Noor ad-Deen and 'Imad ad-Deen were Turks; Nizam al-Mulk was Persian; the Ayubid family were Kurds; Yoosuf ibn Tashfeen was a Berber. Allah honoured the Arabs with the Islamic message, and He also honours those who are sincere towards His religion. We are opposed to blind tribalism and hateful racism. The Islamic principle is: ~The believers but brothers [in Islamic religionj.s (Quran 49: 10) And the Islamic method is fixed and cannot change": ~Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.s (Quran 49: 13) Najm ad-Deen served the Seljuk Sultan Muhammad ibn Malikshah, and he "saw his honesty, maturity, wisdom and chivalry, so he appointed him as governor of the citadel of Tikrit, and he did the job well, controlling its affairs in the best manner. He expelled

$ala/:tad-Deen al-Ayubi evildoers and bandits from the land, until the people were able to do business in safety and security.?" Similarly, Abu Shamah stated that Asad ad-Deen Shirkuh was one of the emirs who were favoured by the Seljuks, who allocated to him a large amount of land in and around Tikrit which brought him a yearly income of around nine hundred dinars'", which was a large amount by the standards of that era.!! The birth of Salah ad-Deen Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi was born in 532 AHlI137 CE in the citadel of Tikrit, an ancient city that is nearer to Baghdad than Mosul. A strong citadel was built in the highest part of the city, overlooking the Tigris. It was built in ancient times by the Persian kings, on a rocky outcrop, and used as a weapons depot and a lookout to keep watch for the enemy. It was conquered by the Muslims in 16 AH, at the time of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him).12 In an amazing twist of fate, Salah ad-Deen was born on the day when Mujahid ad-Deen Bahrooz, the governor of Baghdad, ordered Najm ad-Deen Ayub and his brother Shirkuh to leave Tikrit, because Shirkuh, the paternal uncle of Salah ad-Deen, had killed one of the commanders of the citadel. That happened because of a woman whom the commander had molested; Shirkuh avenged her honour when she called on him to help her, and he killed him. But Bahrooz was very confused and did not know what to do. Should he keep them with him or order them to leave? If he let them stay, he was afraid that they would be subject to the revenge of the commanders and thus harmed. So he had no alternative but to order them to leave. He summoned them and expressed his fears for them, and he asked them to leave Tikrit that night. The two men set out for Mosul, taking their families with them. It was in the howdah of Najm

Salah ad-Deen's upbringing The family of $aldf; ad-Deen and his upbringing ad-Deen that his son Yoosuf, known as Salah ad-Deen, was born. The author of Wafiyat al-A 'ydn described what took place thereafter: Ayub felt pessimistic about his newborn son Salah ad-Deen, and he thought of killing his son when the child was crying as they left the city, but one of his followers warned him against this action, saying, "0 master, I see that you are very pessimistic about this child. What wrong has he done? What has he done to deserve that from you when he can neither bring benefit nor cause harm, and he cannot do anything? What happened to you is by the will and decree of Allah. Moreover, you do not know, perhaps this child will become a king with a great reputation and a high and prominent position. Allah may decree that he should be a man who will play a great role. So let him be, for he is an infant and has done no wrong, and he does not know you are going through grief and stress." 13 Ayub was moved by these words and quickly came back to his senses and followed the path of true Islam. 14 The brothers Najm ad-Deen Ayub and Shirkuh migrated from Baghdad to Mosul, where they stayed with 'Imad ad-Deen Zangi, who welcomed them warmly and gave them gifts. This welcome and honour was a reward for their sincere attitude as they had saved him from being killed or captured. That had happened when 'Imad adDeen Zangi, the ruler of Mosul, had fought the Seljuks at Tikrit when Bahrooz was governor of Baghdad, appointed by the Seljuks. We have already seen that Najm ad-Deen Ayub and Shirkuh were in charge of Tikrit and its citadel, having been appointed by Bahrooz. The outcome of 'Imad ad-Deen's battle was victory for the Seljuks, and his army had fled from the Seljuk army. During his retreat and

$aliiJ:tad-Deen al-Ayubi withdrawal to Mosul, he passed by Tikrit and his life and that of his army were in the hands of Najm ad-Deen Ayub, the governor of Tikrit at that time; if he wanted he could let them live and if he wanted he could kill them. Najm ad-Deen preferred kind treatment over harsh treatment, so he and his brother Shirkuh helped 'Imad adDeen and made it easy for him to reach Mosul safe and sound. This kind treatment and noble attitude had a great impact and led to good results in building Ayub's kingdom and establishing the glory of Islam at the hand of Salah ad-Deen.I5 When the two men reached Mosul, they were warmly welcomed by 'Imad ad-Deen, as we have seen, and he rewarded them for the good treatment of him in Tikrit. He allocated some land to them so that they could live with him in pride and honour.l? Under the care of 'Imad ad-Deen the Ayubid family flourished. Najm adDeen and his brother Shirkuh became some of the best commanders. 'Imad ad-Deen was killed after that and Noor ad-Deen came to power with the help of the Ayubids. He managed to add Damascus to his kingdom, and it was in Damascus that Salah ad-Deen was raised, acquired an Islamic education and learned the arts of horsemanship, hunting, archery and other necessary skills.I7 When Noor ad-Deen Mahmood Zangi conquered Baalbek in 534 AH, he appointed Najm ad-Deen Ayub as its governor, but the ruler of Damascus, Mujeer adDeen, besieged Najm ad-Deen Ayub in Baalbek, and Najm ad-Deen wrote to Noor ad-Deen Mahmood and Sayf ad-Deen Ghazi, asking them for help, but they were too busy. After a lengthy siege, a peace deal was worked out between the two sides with immediate effect, and he moved to Damascus and became one of its most prominent emirs.i" Thus ,sala}:lad-Deen spent his early childhood in Baalbek in 534 AHl1140 CE, and he saw and heard, from time to time, the Crusader attacks on Muslim lands. When the Crusaders attacked the The family of SaW/:!ad-Deen and his upbringing Bekaa valley, near Baalbek, in 546 AH, Najm ad-Deen and Asad adDeen Shirkuh stood up to them and defeated them, capturing some of them.i" In the same year, Salah ad-Deen joined the service of his paternal uncle Asad ad-Deen Shirkuh?O Asad ad-Deen accompanied Noor ad-Deen who took charge of the Zangids after his father was killed. It seems that Noor ad-Deen realized the military and administrative potential of ~alill;1ad-Deen. Abu Sharnah states that Salah ad-Deen came before Noor ad-Deen and he kissed him and allocated some good land to hirrr", showed his confidence in him, looked after him, drew him close and gave him preferential treatment, and he continued to show potential and calibre that justified his being promoted higher and higher?2 Noor ad-Deen would send him to his paternal uncle (Shirkuh) to consult with him about some matters that had to do with the state, levies and agricultural issues. Noor ad-Deen always showed an interest in consulting his senior commanders.v' In modem terms, Salah ad-Deen would be described as the private secretary of Noor ad-Deen.i" With regard to how ~alill;1ad-Deen was promoted to various posts, Ibn al-Furat explains that to us: Salal; ad-Deen remained under his father's care until he grew up, and when al-Malik al-' Adil Noor ad-Deen took control of Damascus, the emir Najm ad-Deen asked his son Yoosuf to serve him, and Salah ad-Deen's potentials became clear; among other things, Salfih ad-Deen learned the path of good, enjoining what is right, and striving in jihad, until he joined his uncle Asad ad-Deen Shirkuh on his march to Egypt. Asad adDeen had full authority in Egypt, and his nephew Salah adDeen was running affairs directly with the utmost care, sound wisdom and proper handling.25

$aliiJ:tad-Deen al-Ayubi During his father's governorship in Baalbek, Salah ad-Deen had studied Islamic knowledge and the arts of war, in addition to his interest in the game of jokan, a sport of eastern origin that was played on horseback, which he had inherited from his father, in addition to his interest in religious knowledge." We may conclude from this and from what is mentioned above that during the period in which Salah ad-Deen lived in Syria, and before he took up any significant military post, he was watching political and military developments in the Muslim lands, the most important of which was the conflict with the Crusaders and how Noor ad-Deen was relying on his father and paternal uncle Shirkuh. He must have been influenced by these events even though he did not take part in them, and he must also have developed a sense that he should prepare for the future, especially for high level posts in the state?7 It may be said that Salah ad-Deen grew up and was raised in the lap of his family, and learned from his father Najm ad-Deen his brilliance in politics and from his uncle Shirkuh his courage in war. So he grew up imbued with political acumen and the spirit of war. He also acquired the knowledge of his era; he memorized the Quran, studied fiqh and the Hadith and studied under the leading scholars of Syria and Mesopotamia, including Shaykh Qutub ad-Deen an-Neesaboori.i" Salah ad-Deen was influenced by the sultan Noor ad-Deen Mahmood who gave him a brilliant example of sincere devotion, and a serious sense of religious responsibility; he learned from him sincerity and self-sacrifice, and how to converse with his Lord in private prayer in his own place of worship, taking from that the spiritual strength to engage in jihad. He inherited from him the leadership of the Islamic venture and learned from him how to stem the hereticalShiite tide and resist the Crusader invasion. I have discussed this in detail in my book about the Zangid state and the biography of the martyr Noor adDeen Mahmood. Thefamily of Sala/; ad-Deen and his upbringing Salah ad-Deen grew up in a glorious atmosphere, trained in horsemanship and the arts of war and jihad, and practised political and decision-making skills. During the period that he spent in Damascus after Noor ad-Deen ibn 'Imad ad-Deen Zangi took control of it, the brilliance of Salah ad-Deen's character emerged. He was held in high esteem and respected, and his status was like that of the son of the governor of Damascus himself. He appeared before society as a religious, polite and calm young man, filled with concern for Islam, a characteristic that was instilled in his heart by Noor ad-Deen, who treated him in a very special way. Among the posts that were given to him in Damascus at the time of Noor ad-Deen was the position of head of police. He did the job in the best manner, and was able to purify Damascus of the mischief of thieves and evildoers. Security and stability were restored throughout the city; the people felt that their lives and property were safe, and they enjoyed the blessing of a quiet and decent life. Hassan ibn Numayr, who is known as 'Arqalah ad-Dimashqi, expressed his joy at Salah ad-Deen being in charge of the police in his city, as he said: Wait, 0 thieves of Damascus, for I shall tell you something most sincerely. There has come to you someone who has the name of the Prophet Yoosuf, who was known for eloquence and beauty. That one cut the hands of women, but this one cuts off the hands of men! 29 The period that Salfih ad-Deen spent in Egypt is regarded as one of the greatest periods in which his immense courage and brilliant military skills came to the fore. He stayed with his uncle Asad ad-Deen Shirkuh throughout his three campaigns against Egypt, and was one of the most brilliant men with him. He demonstrated great genius and unique skill in the arts of war and

SaW) ad-Deen al-Ayubi fighting. With his wisdom, intelligence and ability to make good decisions, he managed to help his uncle to annex Egypt into Noor adDeen's state, after saving the great Egyptian people from the clutches of the heretical Fatimid state. From the above we may conclude that ~aHiQad-Deen was raised, during his early childhood and the second and third decades of his life, with noble characteristics and praiseworthy attitudes, and by mixing with emirs and keeping company with commanders he learned proper etiquette and the skills of war, concern for Islam, and moral and physical courage, and this is what led to him deserving to be one of those unique characters who shook the world and contributed to shaping an important era of the great history of Islamr'" When did the Ayubid state begin? Historians differ as to when the Ayubid state began. Some say that it began when ~aliil) ad-Deen al-Ayubi was appointed as the vizier of the Fatimid caliph al-'Adid li Deen-lllah in 564 AHl1169 CE?l Others say that it was when the khutbahs in Egypt were once again given in the name of the Abbasid caliph, which was followed by the death of al-' Adid li Deen-lllaah and the end of the Fatimid caliph ate in 567 AHl117! CE. It is true that the authority of Salah adDeen began when he was appointed as vizier, and he reinforced his position by taking steps to abolish the Fatimid state, but from a legal point of view he was still subject to the authority of Noor ad-Deen Mahmood who died soon after that, in 569 AHI1174 CE. Hence in our view the year of Noor ad-Deen's death marks the beginning of the Ayubid state, which was recognized by the Abbasid caliph alMustadi' Billah in 570 AHI1175 CE?2

CHAPTER II The Great and Noble Character of Salah ad-Deen ~ alah ad-Deen al-Ayubi was distinguished by his great and noble character, which helped him to achieve his mighty goals. The most important of his characteristics were: courage, generosity, sincerity, tolerance, forbearance, justice, a forgiving nature, chivalry, persistence in turning to Allah, love of jihad, patience, seeking reward with Allah, eagerness in acquiring knowledge, humility, and so on. The most prominent of these characteristics were as follows: His piety and worship Allah (~) says: ~And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, certainly, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the Messengers]. So We seized them for what they were earning.s (Quran 7: 96) Piety and fear of Allah, and achieving a total and comprehensive level of servitude to Allah ('uboodiyyah) protect a person from the plots and schemes of his enemies. Allah says: ~And if you are patient and fear Allah, their plot will not harm you at all. Indeed, Allah is encompassing of what they do) (Quran 3: 120)

He (may Allah have mercy on him) had a good and sound belief ('aqeedah) and remembered Allah frequently. He based his beliefs on demonstrable proofs, the result of his conversations with the most learned shaykhs and the most eminent scholars. This resulted in him acquiring sound beliefs that were unpolluted by anthropomorphism and prevented the arrow of speculation from overshooting the mark and inclining towards denial or misinterpretation of the divine attributes; rather his was a pure and sound doctrine, in accordance with the sound view of prominent scholars. The shaykh and imam Qutub ad-Deen an-Neesaboori had composed for him a book of 'aqeedah which contained all that he needed to know about this topic. He took a keen interest in it and taught it to his young children so that it might become entrenched in their hearts whilst they were small. I saw them reciting it to him by heart. The great and noble character of $alGlJ,ad-Deen Undoubtedly piety, true submission and servitude to Allah, fear of Him, thinking positively of Him and relying on Him are the primary characteristics by which a Muslim should be distinguished. These characteristics are the best that he can acquire, because that makes the Muslim like a mighty lion who cannot be defeated and like a courageous hero who does not fear death or any enemy. These attributes of faith and devotion appeared in the character of the heroic leader Salah ad-Deen?3 There follows what was written by the qadi Baha' ad-Deen, known as Ibn Shaddad, who was a contemporary of Salah ad-Deen; he met ~alaJ:!ad-Deen, learned all about him and told us what he saw: His Iaqeedah (belief)

SaW) ad-Deen al-Ayubi Prayer As for prayer, he was always regular in his attendance at prayers in congregation, and he said one day that for many years he had only ever offered the prayers in congregation. When he fell sick he would summon the imam alone and, forcing himself to stand, would offer the prayer behind the imam. He persistently offered the regular Sunnah prayers, and he would offer a voluntary prayer if he woke up at any time during the night; otherwise he would offer it before fajr prayer. He never missed any prayer so long as consciousness remained. I saw him, may Allah sanctify his soul, praying standing during his final sickness, and he never missed any prayer except during the last three days during which he was unconscious. If the time for prayer came whilst he was travelling, he would dismount and pray. 34 As for zakah, when he died (may Allah have mercy on him), he had not saved enough wealth for it to be subject to zakah. As for his voluntary charity, it exhausted all that he had of wealth, because he acquired a great deal of wealth but he did not leave any gold or silver behind in his storeroom except forty-seven dirhams and a single Tyrian gold piece. He left behind no property, house, real estate, garden, village, cultivated land or any other type of wealth. May Allah have mercy on him. Fasting during Ramadan He missed many days of fasting during several Ramadans because of his sicknesses that came one after another. Al-Qadi The great and noble character of Saldi) ad-Deen al-Fadil took on the task of keeping a record of these days, and he started to make up these missed fasts in Jerusalem in the year in which he died. He persisted in fasting for more than a month because he had to make up for what he had missed in two Ramadans, but sickness and the obligations of jihad distracted him from making them up. Fasting did not suit his nature, but Allah guided him to make up the missed fasts." So he would fast and I (Ibn Shaddad) recorded the days that he fasted, because al-Qadi was absent. The doctor criticized him but he paid no heed, and said: I do not know what will happen. It is as if he was making up what he owed, may Allah have mercy on him, so he continued fasting until he had made up all the days he owedr'? Hajj As for Hajj, he always intended to perform it, and always wanted to do so, especially in the year in which he died. He had made up his mind to do it and issued orders that the necessary preparations be made. Provisions were collected for the journey and there was nothing left but to set out, when he postponed it for lack of time and lack of money sufficient for one of his high rank. So he delayed it until the following year, but Allah decreed what He decreed and this is something that everyone knowsr" Listening to the Noble Quran He (may Allah have mercy on him) loved to listen to the Noble Qur' an, and he would choose the imam who was to lead him in prayer. He stipulated that the imam should have knowledge of

$aIaI;zad-Deen al-Ayubi Qur' anic sciences and have a good memory. He would ask whoever was with him when he spent the night in the alcove of his tent to recite two, three or four long sections whilst he listened, and in his public audiences he would ask those who were accustomed to it to recite between one and twenty verses or more. One day he passed by a child who was reciting the Qur' an to his father, and he liked his recitation so much that he had the boy brought to him and gave him some of the food set aside especially for him. He also granted as an endowment to the boy and his father some of the produce of a particular field. He (may Allah have mercy on him) was soft of heart and wept readily. When he listened to the Quran, his heart melted and tears usually ran down his cheeks." Listening to Hadith He (may Allah have mercy on him) was very keen to listen to hadith. When he heard of a shaykh who narrated hadiths and was listened to a great deal, he would be among those who would come to him. He would summon him and listen to him, and he would make those of his sons, Mamelukes and inner circle who were present listen as well. He would order the people to sit down when listening to Hadith, as a sign of respect. If the shaykh was one of those who did not frequent the doors of rulers and refrained from attending such gatherings, he would go to him and listen to him. He often visited al-Hafidh al-Isfahani in Alexandria - may Allah guard him - and narrated many Hadiths from him. He (may Allah have mercy on him) loved to read Hadith himself. He would summon me when he was alone and bring some books of Hadith, and read them. If he came upon a hadith in which there

was an exhortation, his heart would soften and his eyes would weep?9 The great and noble character of $aLaJ:tad-Deen Veneration for the beliefs of Islam He (may Allah have mercy on him) was very respectful of the beliefs of Islam. He believed in the resurrection of physical bodies and their gathering and the recompense of the good in Paradise and of the wicked in Hell. He believed in all that is narrated in the texts of Shariah, accepting these doctrines with an open heart. He despised philosophers, those who denied the divine attributes, those who denied the Day of Judgement and all those who were opposed to Shariah. He ordered his son, the governor of Aleppo, al-Malik adh-Dhahir, to put to death a young man whose name was as-Sahrawardi. It was said that he opposed and disregarded Shariah, and his son had already arrested him when he was told about him. He informed the sultan about him, and he ordered that he be executed and his body hung upon a cross for several days. Thinking positively of Allah Ibn Shaddad related: (Salah ad-Deen) - may Allah sanctify his soul - thought positively of Allah, relied on Him and turned to Him. I myself witnessed the effects of what I am saying. That was when the Franks - may Allah humiliate them - were camping in Bayt Noobah, which is a place close to Jerusalem - may Allah guard it - which was only one day's journey away. The sultan was in Jerusalem, and he had stationed scouts'"

$aliiJ:tad-Deen al-Ayubi surrounding the enemy. He had sent out spies and was receiving constant news of their firm resolve to come up to Jerusalem, lay siege to it and fight for it. The Muslims were very afraid because of that, so he summoned the emirs, informed them of the hardships that the Muslims were going to face, and consulted them with regard to his staying in Jerusalem. They said kind words, but their real feelings were different from those which they expressed. All insisted that there was no interest to be served by his staying in the city himself, and in fact it would pose a danger to Islam. They told him that they would stay in the city, and he should go out with a group of men from the camp to surround the enemy, as had been done at Acre. He and these troops were to cut off the supply of provisions and put pressure on the enemy. Meanwhile, they would guard the city and defend it. The council broke up, having agreed to that, but he insisted on staying there himself, knowing that if he did not stay, no one else would stay either. When the emirs had left to go to their homes, a messenger came from them, informing him that they would not stay unless his brother al-Malik al- 'Adil or one of his sons stayed there, to be in charge of them and they would follow his commands. He realized that this was an indication that they would not stay, and he was distressed and did not know what to do. I was on duty for him that night, and it was wintertime. There was no one else with us two except Allah. Whilst we were discussing all options and possible outcomes, I began to feel sorry for him and to fear for his well being, as he had some heart problem." I urged him to go to bed so that he might sleep for a while, and he (may Allah have mercy on him) said, "You must be sleepy too." Then he got up (to go and rest). When I went home, I did some chores, then the muezzin gave the call to prayer and dawn The great and noble character of $aliil;tad-Deen broke. I used to pray Fajr with him most of the time, so I entered upon him and found him pouring water over his limbs. He said, "I did not sleep at all." I said, "I know." He said, "How do you know?" I said, "Because I did not sleep ~ither; there is no time for sleep." We busied ourselves with the prayer, then we sat and resumed our discussion. I said to him, "I have an idea, and I think it will be useful, if Allah wills." He said, "What is it?" I said, "Turning to Allah, seeking His help and relying on Him to save us from this calamity." He said, "What should we do?" I said, ''Today is Friday. Your highness should perform a ritual shower before going out, and pray as usual in al-Aqsa, the site of the Isra' (night journey) of the Prophet (~). Your highness should give charity in secret, at the hand of someone you trust to do it on your behalf, and your highness should pray two units of prayer between the adhan and iqamah, calling upon Allah whilst prostrating, as there is a sound hadith concerning that. Say within yourself: 0 my God, all my earthly means of supporting Your religion have been cut off, and there is nothing left except to turn to You, cling to Your rope and rely on Your grace. You are sufficient for me and are the best Disposer of affairs. Allah is too generous to let you down." So he did all of that and I prayed beside him as I usually did. He prayed the two units of prayer between the adhan and iqamah, and I saw him prostrating and his tears falling on his grey beard and the mat, but I could not hear what he said. The day did not end before a dispatch arrived from 'Izz ad-Deen Jurdeek, who was in charge of the scouts, informing him that

SaId/:!ad-Deen al-Ayubi the Franks were in a state of confusion; that day they had mounted their horses and all moved to the desert, where they stayed until midday, then they returned to their tents. Early on Saturday another dispatch arrived with the same news. During the day a spy came in and told him that there was discord among the Franks; the French42 were of the view that it was essential to lay siege to Jerusalem, whereas the king of England43 and his followers were of the view that they should not risk the Christian cause by throwing the troops into mountainous country where there was no source of water because the Sultan had destroyed all water sources around Jerusalem. They had gone out to discuss the matter, as it was their custom to hold councils of war on horseback. They had appointed ten men to decide, and whatever they decided upon, they would not go against it. Early on Monday morning, a messenger came with the good news that they had departed, heading in the direction of Ramlah. This is what I saw of the effects of his turning to Allah and putting his trust in Him.44 A strong sense of justice Allah (~) says: ~Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and givmg to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded) (Quran 16: 90) When Allah enjoins doing something, it means that it is obligatory, as is well known. Allah says: ~O you who have believed! Be persistently standing firm in justice, as witnesses to Allah, even if it be against yourselves, or parents, or relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both. The great and noble character of $alaJ:tad-Deen So follow not [personal] incination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.s (Quran 4: 135) Justice was one of the most prominent characteristics of Salah ad-Deen's leadership. He believed that justice was one of the fundamental principles of Allah in this universe; his conviction was that justice was one of the fruits of strong faith. He had learned that from his master who revived the concept of justice and in whose footsteps Salah ad-Deen followed: Noor ad-Deen Mahmood Zangi. Salah ad-Deen was just, a supporter of the weak against the strong. Every Monday and Thursday he would sit in public to administer justice, attended by scholars, judges and scholars. The door was open on those two days to all disputants, so that everyone could reach him, old and young, old women and old men. He did this whether he was travelling or at home in the city. At all times he would accept the cases that were presented to him, striving to deal with every case of injustice that was presented to him. He would collect all the cases each day, and open the door of justice; he never turned away anyone who came with a case or who was seeking a judgement. Then he would sit with the scribe for a while, by night or by day, and would write for each case the verdict with which Allah inspired him; he never turned away anyone who came to him with a complaint of injustice or a need. In addition to that, he recited a great deal of dhikr and read Quran regularly. He was kind to people and was a defender of the faith. He was always reciting Qur' an; he knew what was in [the Book], acted upon it and never transgressed its limits. May Allah have mercy on him. No one sought his help but he would stop to listen, receive his complaint and enquire into the matter. A man from Damascus, whose name was Ibn Zuhayr, sought his help against Taqi ad-Deen, his (Salah ad-Deen's) nephew. He summoned him to appear before the tribunal, and nothing saved him from having to

$allilJ ad-Deen al-Ayubi appear but the fact that he produced two known and credible witnesses to attest that he had appointed the qadi Abu'f-Qasim Ameen ad-Deen, the qadi of Hamah, to act on his behalf in this case. The two witnesses attended the tribunal and bore witness to this appointment.f Al-Qadi Ibn Shaddad said: When it was proven that he had been thus appointed, I ordered Abul-Qasim to stand next to his opponent on an equal footing, so he stood next to him - and he was one of the inner circle of the Sultan (may Allah have mercy on him) - then the court proceedings began, with the outcome that Taqi ad-Deen was obliged to swear an oath, and the tribunal ended with that. The only reason why we could not summon Taqi ad-Deen was that night fell. Taqi ad-Deen was one of the dearest and most beloved of people to him, but he did not show him any preferential treatment.'? Another indication of his justice was that he would stand alongside his opponents before the judges, and he did not find any embarrassment in doing so, because in his view truth was deserving of being followed. It so happened that a merchant called 'Umar alKhallati claimed that Salah ad-Deen had taken one of his Mamelukes, whose name was Sunqur, and had taken possession of the great wealth of this Mameluke unlawfully; When this merchant submitted his case to the qadi Ibn Shaddad, Salah ad-Deen showed a great deal of patience, and agreed to stand as a defendant against the claimant. Each party brought witnesses and evidence to prove his case, until in the end it became clear to the qadi that the man was lying and that his claim against Salah ad-Deen was false. Despite that, Salah ad-Deen refused to let the man leave empty-handed. He ordered that he be given gifts and a sum of money, to prove his generosity at a time when he might justly have inflicted a punishment.Y The great and noble character of $alaJ:zad-Deen Another indication of his justice was his concern for his people's interests and his waiving some levies and taxes in order to reduce the people's burdens and lift injustice from their shoulders. Ibn Jubayr mentions, in the context of describing Salah ad-Deen's qualities and the legacy which he left behind as a good memory for the faith and this world, the fact that he waived many levies and taxes that had been imposed on the people for everything that they bought or sold, great or small; there was even a levy on drinking water from the Nile. Salah ad-Deen abolished all of that." There was a tax of seven and a half dinars that was imposed on every pilgrim on his way to the Hijaz, which was to be spent on the upkeep of Makkah and Madinah and to help the people there, but the Fatirnids went to extremes in collecting these taxes, and anyone who could not pay them was punished severely. But Salah ad-Deen abolished these levies and replaced them with financial help equivalent to what had been taken from the pilgrims, to be paid every year to the people of the Hijaz. Thus he relieved the pilgrims of the harsh treatment of the tax-collectors, especially since a large number of them were poor and could not pay what was taken from them. So Allah sufficed the people at the hand of this just sultan, and brought them great relief.49 Justice is the noblest feature of a king and the soundest support of the state, because it motivates people to obey and brings about harmony, and by means of it deeds become sound, trade flourishes, people prosper and things get better. Allah encourages and urges people to be just.50 Great courage Ibn Shaddad recounted the following: Courage is one of the praiseworthy attributes which a king needs to acquire as an essential quality and something that

$ala/J ad-Deen al-Ayubi should become second nature, so that he may deter any ambitious tendencies in the hearts of his counterparts. By means of courage the state may be protected, the kingdom will continue to be secure and he will be able to defend his subjects" Salah ad-Deen was one of the greatest of courageous people, with a strong will, tough nature and immense perseverance; nothing overwhelmed him. I [lbn Shaddad] saw him (may Allah have mercy on him) taking up his position immediately in front of a large body of Franks, who were every moment being increased and relieved (with reinforcements), but that only increased his courage and nerve. In one night more than seventy of the enemy's ships came to Acre; I counted them from after 'asr prayer until the sun set, but that only increased his resolve. He would give leave to his troops and remain, attended by very few men, in the face of a strong force of the enemy. I asked Balian son of Barisan, one of the kings of the coast, when he was sitting before the Sultan on the day peace was concluded, about the number of their troops. The interpreter told me that he said: The ruler of Sidon (another of their kings and one of the most intelligent among them) and I left Tyre to join our troops (at the siege of Acre). And when we sighted them from the top of the hill, we tried to guess their numbers. He estimated their number at five hundred thousand, and I estimated it at six hundred thousand - or the other way round. I said: How many of them were lost? He said: As for the number killed, nearly one hundred thousand. As for those who died of other causes and drowning, we do not know. Of all this multitude, only a very few returned home. We had no option but to go around the enemy (for reconnaissance) once or twice every day, when we were close to them. When the fighting grew intense, Salah ad-Deen would pass between the two lines of battle, accompanied by a young The great and noble character of $ald/:tad-Deen page who led his horse. He would make his way in front of his own troops from the right wing to the left wing, intent on the marshalling of his battalions, calling them up to the front and stationing them in positions he deemed advantageous to command the enemy or approach them. 52 Some Hadith was read to him between the two lines of battle. I told him that Hadith could be heard in all important places, but there was no instance of its having been read between two lines of battle. But if his highness wanted such a thing to be told of him, it would be fine. He issued orders to that effect, so a volume was brought and someone who was present and had studied the book read to him from it. Meanwhile we remained on horseback between the battle lines, sometimes walking up and down and sometimes standing still. I did not see him express any anxiety as to the numbers or force of the enemy. Whilst occupied with his own thoughts and with the affairs of government, he would listen to all sorts of plans and discuss their (probable) results without any excitement and without losing his composure. When the Muslims were defeated in the great battle in the plain of Acre, and even the troops in the centre had taken to flight after throwing away their drums and standards.i'' he maintained the position he had taken up, having only a handful of men to support him. At last he managed to reach some rising ground and there he rallied his men. His reproaches made them so deeply ashamed that they returned with him to the fight. The victory eventually lay with the Muslims, and the enemy had more than seven thousand men killed, both horse and foot. 54 The Sultan continued to fight, but at last, seeing the strength of the enemy and the weakness of the Muslims, he listened to the proposals of his adversaries, and consented to a truce. The fact was, they were very much exhausted and had suffered greater loss than we.

SaId/; ad-Deen al-Ayubi But they expected the arrival of reinforcements, while we had none to hope for. Thus it was for our advantage to conclude an armistice. 55 Generosity Generosity is the foundation of good manners and virtuous characteristics, and the route to perfection. Noble characteristics and attitudes are connected to it, and good characteristics are regarded as noble because of their connection to generosity.i" It is narrated that Anas (~) said: «The Prophet (~) was the best of people, the most generous of people, the most courageous of people.»57 And it was narrated that Jabir (~) said: «The Prophet (~) was never asked for anything and said no.» 58 The generosity of Sultan Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi is too well known to need setting forth in writing and too patent to require notice. Nevertheless, I will just allude to it, and mention that he who had possessed such abundance of riches, left in his treasury, after his death, no more than forty-seven Nasiri dirhams, and one Tyrian gold piece. 59Salah ad-Deen was famous for his generosity. He distributed what was found in the Fatirnid palaces of jewels and wealth to his commanders and companions, and did not keep anything for himself. He gave away whole provinces. When he conquered the city of Amid (Diyarbakr), Qara' Arslan asked him for it and he gave it to him.6o He gave in times of hardship just as he gave in times of ease and plenty. On one occasion, expressing his generosity, he said: By Allah, if the whole world were given to someone who came to me, hoping for my reward, I would not think it too much for him, and if I were to empty my treasury for him, it would not compensate him for the embarrassment he went through in order to ask me for something."

He loved to spend whatever income came to him on noble causes and relieving distress. He used to spend any income before he took possession of it, by diverting it elsewhere and preventing it from reaching his treasury. He never turned away anyone who came to ask of him, rather he would be kind, such as asking him to wait and telling him he did not have anything at the moment. 63 The great and noble character of $aLaJ:tad-Deen In another example of his generosity: If he found something in his treasury, he would not be able to feel at ease all night until he had distributed that wealth out of generosity. If he gave a man some wealth and was then told that it was not sufficient, he would give him double.62 Whenever he saw an old man, he would feel compassion for him and give him something and treat him kindly. Whenever an orphan was brought before him, he would pray for mercy for his parents, console him and lift his spirits, and give him something. If there was a reliable adult among his family who could take care of him, he would hand him over to that person, otherwise he would give him enough supplies to suffice him, and hand him over to someone who could take care of him. Al-Tmad al-Isfahani described his generosity by saying: He would give more than the person was hoping for, and to those to whom he had already given, he would show the same cheerful countenance as if he had not given them anything.P" An estimate was made of how many horses he had given away to those who were present with him on jihad during a period of three years, from when the Franks attacked Acre in Rajab of 585 AH until the war was ended with a peace deal in Sha 'ban of 588 AH, and the number reached was twelve thousand, stallions and mares and fine war horses. Ibn Shaddad commented on that by saying: Those who have witnessed the multitude of his gifts will think but little of this. This is in addition to the compensation that he

$aliiJ:rad-Deen al-Ayubi used to give in money equivalent to the value of horses that became casualties of the fighting, because no horse was killed or wounded in battle for the sake of Allah but he would compensate its owner with one like it. He did not have any valuable horse that he rode but it was already given or promised to someone else.65 When he died, his savings did not even meet the minimum threshold for zakah to be payable on them, because voluntary charity had exhausted all the wealth he possessed. He who had possessed such abundance of riches, left in his treasury, after his death, no more than forty-seven Nasiri dirhams, and one gold dinar. He did not leave behind any house, property, garden, village, farm or any kind of wealth. This is a clear indication of his great generosity.I" Al-Qadi Ibn Shaddad said: I heard him one day, during a conversation, saying: It may be that there is someone in the world who esteems money as of little value as the dust of the earth. He was apparently alluding to himself.67 Concern for jihad According to Ibn Shaddad: Salah ad-Deen was very persistent in jihad, and paid a great deal of attention to this matter. One might swear, in absolute security and without risk of perjury, that from the time when he first set out to fight in jihad, he spent not a dinar or a dirham in anything but jihad or for distribution among his troops. For him, jihad was a veritable passion; his whole heart was filled with it, and he gave body and soul to the cause. He spoke of nothing else; all his thoughts were of instruments of war, and his troops monopolized every idea. He showed all deference to those who spoke of jihad and who encouraged the people to The great and noble character of $ala~ ad-Deen take part in it. His desire to fight for the sake of Allah forced him to leave his family, his children, his homeland, his house and all his physical pleasures.P" Forsaking all these worldly enjoyments, he contented himself with dwelling beneath the shadow of a tent, shaken to the right and the left by the breath of every wind. One night, when he was in the plain of Acre, it happened, in a very high wind, that his tent fell upon him, and had he not been in the alcove, he would have lost his life. But this tended only to increase his passion, to strengthen his purpose and to confirm his resolution. Anyone anxious to ingratiate himself with the Sultan had only to encourage him in his passion for jihad and to narrate to him stories connected with it. Therefore a number of treatises upon this subject were written for him, and I myself wrote a book, at his request, on jihad and the rules and precepts to be observed therein. I incorporated in this work all the verses of the Qur' an which speak of this subject, all the hadiths which refer to it, and an explanation of all the rare words. His highness valued this treatise so greatly that he taught it in its entirety to his son, alMalik al-Af<;lal. Whilst on the subject, I will relate what I heard mentioned. In the month of Dhul-Qa'dah in the year 584 AH, he took the fortress of Kawkab and gave his troops permission to return home immediately, and the Egyptian troops began to return to Egypt. Al-Malik al-'Adil set out on his return to Egypt at the head of the contingent furnished by that country, and his brother, the Sultan, accompanied him as far as Jerusalem, so that he might bid him goodbye in that city, and be present at Eid al-Adha. We travelled with him. After having attended the Eid prayers in Jerusalem, he conceived the idea of going to 'Asqallan (Ascalon) with the Egyptian troops and, after parting with them, of returning by the coast road so as to

Saldh.ad-Deen al-Ayubi inspect the coast lands as far as Acre and restore order as he passed. We tried to make him give up this project, stating that after the departure of the troops he would have but a very small number of men with him, whilst the Franks were assembled at Tyre, and that he would thus be running a great risk. The Sultan paid no attention to our remonstrances, but proceeded to Ascalon, where he took leave of his brother and the Egyptian army. We departed with him to the coast, being at that time on duty about his person, and took the road towards Acre. It was winter time and the weather was bad. The rain fell, the sea was tossed to and fro, and the waves were like mountains, as the Most High has said (Quran 11: 42). This was the first time that I had ever seen the sea, and such as the impression that it made upon me that if anyone had said, "Go but one mile upon the sea and I will make you master of the world," I should have refused to go. I looked upon those who go to sea to earn a few pieces of gold or silver as mad, and I endorsed the opinion of those who declared that one cannot accept the testimony of a man who is travelling on the ocean. Such were the thoughts that came into my mind at the sight of the terrible restlessness of the sea and the size of its waves. While I gave myself up to these reflections, the Sultan turned to me and said, "Would you like me to tell you something?" "Very much," I replied. "Well," he said, "when by Allah's help not a Frank is left on this coast, I mean to divide my territories, and to charge (my successors) with my last commands; then, having taken leave of them, I will sail on this sea to their islands in pursuit of them, until there shall not remain upon the face of the earth one disbeliever in Allah, or I will die in the attempt." These words made all the deeper impression upon me because they were so utterly opposed to what I myself had just been feeling, and I said, "There is no

man in this world braver than your highness, nor any man more firmly resolved to support the true Faith." "Why do you say that?" he asked. I replied, "As to bravery, I see that your highness is not infected with the dread that the sea inspires in others; and as to your zeal for the true Faith, I see that your highness is not content with driving the enemies of Allah from one particular place, but that you would purify the whole earth of them." Then I added, "Your highness' intention is excellent indeed. Embark your troops and let them depart; but you, who are the pillar and bulwark of Islam, must not thus expose yourself and risk your life." He replied, "What, I ask you, is the most glorious of deaths?" I replied, "To die in the way of Allah." "Then," he said, "I strive for the door of the most glorious of deaths. ,,69 The great and noble character of $aiii/; ad-Deen There was a letter sent by al-Qadi al-Fadil to Salah ad-Deen when he was in Syria and wanted to engage in jihad and expel the enemy from the Muslim lands, but there were some distractions that prevented Salah ad-Deen from hastening to engage in jihad. The Sultan was deeply distressed by that, so al-Qadi al-Fadil wrote to him to put his mind at rest and reduce his distress. Among the things that he said in his letter was: As for his highness' distress concerning the times when he was distracted from fulfilling the obligation for which he left his home and new events kept cropping up with seemingly no end, his highness will be rewarded according to his intention. Does not Allah know best about His slaves, and He does not ask the doer about the completion of his action because that is beyond his control. But He will ask him about his intention because that is the basis of worship, and He will ask him whether he did his best. If his highness was preparing for jihad and clearing the way for supplies and reinforcements, then he has been

$aZfifJ,ad-Deen aZ-Ayubi engaging in acts of worship which Allah has blessed by making them lengthy, and the reward will be commensurate with the hardship endured. Hajj is great in the sight of Allah because of the effort and long distances involved. If his highness managed to achieve great victories in a few days, and decide the case between the people of Islam and the enemies of Islam, then the effort of jihad would have ended and the rewards for good deeds that could have been earned by watching and waiting would have ceased.?" Forbearance Forbearance is indicative of a good attitude, and a sign of high drive and ambition. It is one of the noblest of characteristics, and a sign of maturity and wisdom, because of what Allah has created in it of calmness, tranquillity, sweetness, protection of honour, physical wellbeing, praiseworthiness and being above vengeance. A man cannot become noble unless he has these great characteristics." Allah (~) says: ~Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the foolish.s (Quran 7: 199) Sultan Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi was forbearing, often pardoning those who committed offences; he had a good attitude and was patient in putting up with things he disliked. He often overlooked the mistakes of his companions; if he heard from any of them something that he disliked, he did not say anything and he did not change the way he treated him. One day he was sitting and one of his Mamelukes threw his shoe at another, but it missed the Mameluke and fell near the Sultan. He turned in the opposite direction, trying to ignore it.72 Al-Qa<;liShihab ad-Deen said:

I was on duty in his presence in Marj 'Ayyoon some time before the Franks attacked Acre. It was his custom to ride out each day at the hour appointed for mounting on horseback; afterwards, when he dismounted, he had dinner served, and ate with all the people. Then he retired to a specially-reserved tent, where he took a siesta. On awaking, he would say his prayers, and remain alone with me for some time. We would read some Hadith or fiqh. He also studied with me a short book by Sulaym ar-Riizi74 which included the four components offiqh. One day he dismounted as was his wont, and the food was served before him. He went to get up, but he was told that the time for prayer was at hand, so he sat down again and said, "We will pray and then sleep." Then he entered into conversation, although he looked very weary. He had already dismissed all those who were on duty. Shortly afterwards, an old Mameluke, whom he held in high regard, entered the tent and presented a petition on behalf of some of the volunteers who were engaging in jihad. He (the Sultan) said, "I am tired now; leave it a while." But he (the old man) did not obey; he brought the petition close to his (the Sultan's) face, so that he could read it, and his (the Sultan's) gaze fell on the name that was written at the top of the list, which he recognized. He said, "(He is) a man who deserves (a fair hearing)." The Mameluke said, "Then let my master write his approval on the petition." The great and noble character of $alfi/J ad-Deen One day my mule spooked at a camel whilst I was riding next to him (Salah ad-Deen), and I pressed against his hip, causing him pain, but he smiled. Two bags of Egyptian gold were stolen from his storehouse and replaced with two bags of coins of lesser value, and he did not do anything to those who had done that except dismiss them from their postS?3 AI-QiiQi Ibn Shaddad said:

$allil:zad-Deen al-Ayubi The Sultan answered, "There is no inkstand here." He was sitting at the entrance to the tent, which was a large one. No one could enter, but we could see the inkstand inside. "It is there, inside the tent," said the Mameluke, as though requesting his highness to fetch the inkstand himself. The Sultan turned and saw the inkstand, then he said, "By Allah, he is right." Then he leaned on his left arm and reached out his right hand and brought it closer, and he signed the petition for him. I said, "Allah said concerning His Prophet (~): ~And indeed, you [0 Muhammad] are of a great moral character.s (Quran 68: 4) I think that your highness is possessed of the same character." He said, "We did not lose anything; we have met his need and the reward has been attained." But if this incident had happened to any ordinary person, he would have gotten annoyed. Who can address the one under whose authority he is in such a manner? This is the utmost kindness and forbearance, and Allah does not cause the reward of those who do good to be lost.75 The people who came to implore the help of Salah ad-Deen or to complain to him of injustice sometimes addressed him in the most unseemly manner, but he always listened, smiling, and attended to their requests. Here is an instance, the like of which it would be difficult to find on record. One of the kings of the Franks, may Allah humiliate them, was marching on Jaffa, for our troops had withdrawn from the vicinity of the enemy and returned to Natrona. The Sultan ordered his troops to march in the direction of Caesarea, hoping to encounter reinforcements expected by the Franks, and to take any advantage possible. The Franks in Jaffa had notice of this manoeuvre, and the King of England,76 who was there with a large force, embarked the greater portion of it, and sent it by sea to The great and noble character of $aliiJ:tad-Deen Caesarea, fearing lest some mischance should befall the reinforcements. Richard (the King of England) remained in Jaffa with a small group, because he knew that the Sultan and his army had withdrawn and were far away. When Salah ad-Deen reached Caesarea, he found that the reinforcements had already entered the place and were safe, so he could do nothing. So he resumed his march that same evening, just as night began to close in, pushed on until daybreak, and appeared unexpectedly before Jaffa. Richard was encamped outside the city walls and had only seventeen knights with him and about three hundred foot-soldiers. At the first alarm this accursed man (Richard) mounted his horse, for he was brave and fearless, and possessed excellent judgement in all military matters. Instead of retiring into the city, he maintained his position in face of the Muslim troops, who surrounded him on all sides except towards the city, and drew up his own men in battle order. The Sultan, anxious to make the most of this opportunity, gave the order to charge, but one of the Kurdish commanders addressed him at that moment with the utmost rudeness, angry at the smallness of his share of the booty. The Sultan turned his rein and hastened away like a man who was angry, because he saw clearly that his troops would do no good that day. Leaving them there, he turned back and ordered that the tent which had been pitched for him be struck, and his soldiers were withdrawn from their position. They felt certain that the Sultan would crucify or kill some that day ...but the Sultan kept marching until he halted at Yazoor, which was a pleasant place to stop, where a small tent was set up for him, in which he rested. The troops also encamped in the places where they had halted before, and bivouacked under slight shelter, as is usual in such cases. There was not one of the commanders but trembled for himself, expecting to suffer a severe punishment or reprimand at the hands of the Sultan. As one of them said: I had not the courage to enter his tent until he called for me.

$ala/:t ad-Deen al-Ayubi When I went in, I saw that he had just received a quantity of fruit that had been sent to him from Damascus, may Allah guard it. He said, "Send for the commanders, so that they may eat some." These words removed my anxiety and I went to summon the commanders. They entered trembling, but he received them with smiles and so graciously that they were reassured and set at ease. And when they left his presence they were ready to march as though nothing had happened." His forbearance was not limited to his followers, subject ands troops; rather it went beyond that and encompassed his enemies who were fighting him78 , as we shall see below in sha' Allah. Chivalry Chivalry is a combination of noble characteristics, good manners and perfect manhood. It makes others show a great deal of respect towards the one who is possessed of it, and fills them with awe. The essence of chivalry is strength of character which results in fine deeds which are praiseworthy according to the dictates of Shariah, reason and tradition.i" Ibn al-Qayyim said: The essence of chivalry is the avoidance of vile and base words, attitudes and actions. Chivalry of the tongue means sweetness, softness and kindness, and an easy way of uttering useful words. Chivalry of attitude means forbearance and patience with both loved ones and enemies. Chivalry of wealth means spending it in the proper manner which is praiseworthy according to the dictates of reason, tradition and Shariah. Chivalry of high status means helping the one who needs it. Chivalry of kindness means hastening to be kind, making kindness easily available and not thinking of it as anything important when doing it, as well as forgetting it after doing it.

I was present at Nazareth when the Sultan received the visit of the Lord of Sidon; he showed him every mark of respect, treated him with honour, and admitted him to his own table. He even proposed to him that he should embrace Islam, set before him some of the beauties of our religion, and urged him to adopt it. He always gave a kind reception to shaykhs, to all learned and gifted men, and to the various influential persons who came to see him. He enjoined us to present to him every notable shaykh passing through the camps, so that he might exercise his generosity. In the year 584 AH, there came a man who combined Shariah knowledge and Sufism; he was an important personage, who was devoted to the pursuit of knowledge. He had performed Hajj and come to visit the sacred house of Allah (in Jerusalem). Having inspected that city and seen there the works of the Sultan, he conceived the wish to see him. He arrived in the camp and entered my tent unannounced. I made haste to bid him welcome, and asked what motive had brought him thither. He answered that the sight of the wonderful and beautiful works of the Sultan had inspired him with the desire to see him. I reported this to the Sultan the same night and he ordered that the man be presented to him. He learned from his The great and noble character of $alli}; ad-Deen This is the chivalry of giving; as for the chivalry of restraint, it means refraining from disputes, rebukes, demands and arguments.f" Sultan Salah ad-Deen was very chivalrous, cheerful of countenance, very shy, presenting a smiling face to the guests who came to see him; he would not allow his guest to depart before he ate with him. No one asked him for anything but he would do it for him, and he would honour the one who came to him, even if he was a nonMuslim. Al-Qadi Ibn Shaddad said:

$ald/J ad-Deen al-Ayubi lips a hadith concerning the Prophet (~), and he thanked him for his services to Islam and encouraged him to do good, then we left. He stayed overnight in my tent, and when we had prayed Fajr he took his leave. I remarked to him that it would be very unseemly to depart without bidding farewell to the Sultan, but he would not yield to my remonstrances and carried out his original purpose. He said, "I have accomplished my desire with regard to him; my only object in coming here was to visit him and see him," and he departed forthwith. A few days later, the Sultan enquired after him and I told him what had occurred. He was much vexed that I had not informed him of the visitor's departure. "What, am I to receive the visit of such a man and let him depart with no experience of my liberality?" he said. He expressed such strong disapproval of my conduct that I wrote to Muhiy ad-Deen, the qadi of Damascus, charging him to seek the man out and give him a letter that I enclosed, which was written in my own hand. In this note I informed (the visitor) ofthe Sultan's displeasure on learning that he had left without seeing him again, and I begged him, in the name of our friendship, to return. He arrived when I was least thinking of him, and I took him at once to the Sultan, who received him graciously, kept him for several days, and sent him away laden with gifts - a robe of honour, a suitable riding-animal and a great number of garments for distribution among the members of his family, his disciples and neighbours. He also gave him money for his travelling expenses. Ever afterwards, the man displayed the greatest gratitude to the Sultan and offered up the most sincere prayers for the preservation of his life.8I Ibn Shaddad also noted: I was present one day when a Frankish prisoner was brought

before him. The man was in such a state of agitation that his terror was visible in every feature. The interpreter asked him the cause of his fear, and Allah put the following answer in his mouth, "Before I saw his face I was greatly afraid, but now that I am in his presence and can see him, I am certain that he will do me no harm." The Sultan, moved by these words, gave him his life and sent him away free.82 I was attending the prince on one of the expeditions he used to make on the flanks of the enemy, when one of the scouts brought up a woman who was very distressed, weeping a great deal and beating her breast without ceasing. The soldier said, "This woman came out from among the Franks and asked to be taken to the Sultan, so I brought her here." The Sultan asked her, through the interpreter, what was the matter, and she replied, "Some Muslim thieves got into my tent last night, and carried off my daughter. All night long I have never ceased begging for help, until dawn. Then I was told, 'The king is merciful. We will allow you to go out and seek him and ask for your daughter.' So they permitted me to pass through the lines, and in you lies my only hope of finding my child." The Sultan was moved by her distress; tears came into his eyes and, acting on the generosity of his heart, he sent a messenger to the marketplace of the camp, to ask about the girl and who had bought her, so that he could pay her price and bring her. It was early morning when her case was heard, and in less than an hour the horseman returned, bearing the little girl on his shoulder. As soon as the mother caught sight of her, she threw herself on the ground, rolling her face in the dust, and the people wept at what had befallen her. She raised her eyes to heaven, and uttered words that we did not understand. Her daughter was handed back to her and she was taken back to their camp.83 The great and noble character of Sala/:!ad-Deen

$alal].ad-Deen al-Ayubi Reynald de Chatillon (known in the Arabic sources as Prince Arnat) , Lord of Kerak, and the king of the Franks of the seacoast, were both brought before him when they were taken prisoner at the battle of Hattin in 583 AH, the famous battle which we will discuss in the appropriate place, in sha' Allah. This vile Reynald was an accursed disbeliever, and a very hard-hearted and tough man. On one occasion, when there was a truce between the Muslims and the Franks, he treacherously attacked and carried off a caravan that passed through his territory, coming from Egypt. He seized these people, put them to torture, and put some of them in grain-pits, and imprisoned some in narrow cells. When they objected that there was a truce between the two peoples, he replied, "Ask your Muhammad to deliver you!" The Sultan, to whom these words were reported, took an oath to slay the infidel with his own hand, if Allah should ever place him in his power. On the day of the battle of Hattin, Allah delivered this man into the hands of the Sultan, and he resolved at once to slay him, so that he might fulfil his oath. He ordered that he be brought before him, together with the king. The king complained of thirst, and the Sultan ordered that a cup of sherbet be given to him. The king, having drunk some of it, handed the cup to Reynald, whereupon the Sultan said to the interpreter, "Say to the king, 'It is you who give him to drink, but I give him neither to drink nor to eat.'" By these words he wished it to be understood that honour forbade him to harm any man who had tasted his hospitality. He then struck him on the neck with his own hand, to fulfil the vow he had made. After this, when he had taken Acre, he delivered all the prisoners, to the number of about four thousand, from their wretched durance, and sent them back to their own country and their homes, giving each of them a sum of money for his travel expenses.i" AI-QaQi Ibn Shaddad narrated this story which speaks of his great tolerance and rare chivalry. Ibn Shaddad says: The great and noble character of $aliilJad-Deen When the English King Richard the Lionhearted, the greatest opponent of ~alill) ad-Deen, fell sick, Salah ad-Deen sent fruits and ice to comfort him, and the Crusaders were amazed at this great tolerance and generosity that their Muslim enemies showed towards them." The Sultan was of a sociable disposition, sweet-tempered and delightful to talk with. He was well acquainted with the pedigrees of the old Arabs, and with the details of their battles; he knew all their adventures, and he had the pedigrees of their horses at his fingertips. He was a master of all strange and curious lore. Thus in conversation with him, people always heard things that they could never have learned from others. In company he was well mannered; he comforted those who were in trouble, questioned those who were ill on the nature of their malady, or the treatment they had adopted, or their food and drink. He insisted strictly on due seemliness in conversation, never suffering anyone to be spoken of except with respect; he would talk with none but persons of good conversation, lest his ears should be offended. Having his tongue under perfect control, he never gave way to abusive language; he could also control his pen, and never made use of cutting words when writing to a Muslim. He was most strict in the fulfilment of his promises. When an orphan was brought before him, he always exclaimed, "May Allah's mercy be upon the two (parents) who have left this child behind them!" Then he would lavish comfort upon him and allow him the same emoluments that his father had enjoyed. If the orphan had an experienced and trustworthy person among his relatives, he would charge him with the care of the boy, otherwise he would deduct from the father's emoluments sufficient for the orphan's maintenance, and then place him with some person who superintended his education and upbringing. He never saw an old man without showing him the kindest marks of respect and good will,

$alfll) ad-Deen al-Ayuhi and making him some present. And all these qualities remained undimmed in his heart until Allah called him to Himself. 86 Patience and hope for Allah's reward Patience is the best of attributes, one that should be with a person all the time on the way to attaining a position of religious leadership and the ultimate victory. There is no good characteristic that is not derived from patience. Patience is the foundation of praiseworthy qualities, the root of goodness, and the basis of success. The meaning of the word patience is prevention and restraint. Patience means restraining oneself from panic and preventing the tongue from complaining and preventing the hands from slapping the cheeks or rending the garments. The reality of patience is that it is one of the good characteristics that one may attain and by means of which one refrains from doing that which is not right or proper. It is a kind of strength that a person should attain, by means of which he can keep himself sound and in good shape.87 And it was said that patience is dealing with calamities in a proper manner whilst displaying a good attitude." Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, mentions patience in ninety-odd places in His Noble Book, which indicates that it is obligatory. He connected the attainment of most high levels of goodness to patience, and made them the result of it. He rewards the patient with a combination of many things put together, a reward that is not attained by anyone else. Allah (~) says: ~Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.s (Quran 2: 157) And it was narrated that Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas said: «I said: 0 Messenger of Allah, who among people is most sorely tested? He

I saw him, in the plain of Acre, in great suffering from a sickness that had come upon him; an eruption of pustules appeared on his body, from his waist to his knees, and this prevented him from sitting up. He was obliged to sit leaning on one side when he was in his tent, and he could not sit at a table. Therefore he had all the dishes that had been prepared for him distributed among the people who were there. He repaired to his war-tent close to the enemy. After having drawn up his army in order of battle, on the right wing, on the left, and in the centre, he remained on horseback from early morning until after Dhuhr prayer, engaged in surveying the battalions, and again from the time of 'asr until sunset. During the whole time he bore most patiently the great pain caused by the throbbing of the tumours. I was astounded at this, but he kept on saying, "The pain leaves me when I am on horseback, and only returns when I dismount." What a proof of Allah's care! Whilst we were at al-Kharrooba, after the Sultan had been obliged to leave Tell al-Hajal (the hill of partridges) on account of illness, the Franks received news of his departure, and sallied forth (from their camp) in the hope of striking a The great and noble character of $alal;tad-Deen said: The Prophets, then the next best, then the next best. A man will be tested according to his level of religious commitment. Ifhe is more strongly committed, his test will be more severe, and if he is less strongly committed, he will be tested according to his level of commitment. A person will keep being tried and tested until he is left walking on the earth with no sin on him.» 89 Salah ad-Deen was patient in bearing the bitterness and hardship of life, even though he was perfectly able to live a different life. He was a brilliant example of patience and seeking Allah's reward in all aspects of jihad and coping with disasters and calamities. Qadi Ibn Shaddad said:

$aldly.ad-Deen al-Ayubi blow at the Muslims, taking advantage of his sickness. It was the day on which they usually took their horses to the watering-place. They marched on as far as the wells which lay a day's journey away, at the foot of Tell al-Hajal. The Sultan sent his baggage back in the direction of Nazareth, and allowed 'Imad ad-Deen, ruler of Sinjar, to accompany it, for this prince also was ill. The Sultan himself maintained his position. The next day, seeing that the enemy was marching upon us, he mounted his horse, sick as he was, and drew up his men to await the attack. To al-Malik al- 'Adil, he gave the command of the right wing; to (his nephew) Taqi ad-Deen, he entrusted the left; and he placed his sons, al-Malik adh-Dhahir and al-Malik al-Afdal, in the centre. He himself took up a position threatening the enemy's rear. He came directly down from the hill when a Frank was brought up who had just been made prisoner, and as the unhappy man refused to embrace Islam, he had him beheaded in his presence. The enemy continued their march to the river head and, as they advanced, the Sultan made a flank movement so as to get in their rear and cut them off from their camp. From time to time he halted to dismount and rest under the shadow of a piece of cloth that was held over his head. Although the heat of the sun was excessive, he would not allow a tent to be pitched for fear that the enemy might learn that he was ill. The Franks, having reached the river head, halted, and the Sultan took up a commanding position on rising ground opposite to them. When day was closing, he ordered his men to return to the posts they had at first occupied, and to remain all night under arms. He himself withdrew to the rear with us, who were on duty, and had his tent pitched on the summit of the hill. His physician and I passed the night in ministering to him. His sleep, which was often broken, lasted until daybreak. He drew

up his troops with a view to surrounding the enemy. Their army commenced to retire towards the camp, from the west bank of the river, and the Muslims pressed close upon them during the whole of that day. The Sultan sent forward those of his sons who were with him, putting his trust in Allah - namely al-Malik adh-Dhahir, al-Malik al-Afdal and al-Malik adh-Dhafir, One after another he sent all the members of his suite to the fight, until at last he had no one with him except his physician, myself, the inspector of military stores and equipment, and the young pages who bore the banners and standards - not a soul besides. Anyone seeing these standards from afar would have thought that a great number of people were drawn up beneath them, and there was no one beneath them except one who was equal to a multitude of people. The enemy continued their march in spite of their losses. Every time a man was killed, they buried him at once, and they carried off their wounded so that no one might know the extent of their loss. We watched every movement of their retreat, and perceived that they were sorely harassed before they reached the bridge and made a stand. Each time they halted the Muslims despaired of attaining their goal, for as soon as the Franks formed line and stood shoulder to shoulder, they were able to resist all attacks with vigour and effect. Until the evening, the Sultan remained in his position and his troops remained on horseback facing the enemy. Then he gave orders that this night should be passed like the last. We again took up our former positions and occupied them until morning. The next day our troops began to annoy the enemy as they had done on the previous day, and forced them to continue their march, much harassed by fighting, and the loss of men. On nearing the camp, they received reinforcements that enabled them to reach it in safety. The great and noble character of SaW};,ad-Deen

$alliJ; ad-Deen al-Ayubi What patience we see here displayed! What self-control this man exerted, seeking thereby the reward of Allah !90 Qadi Ibn Shaddad also related: I was present on the day when he received the news of the death of his son Isma' eel, a young man just in the flower of his youth. He read the contents of the letter, but said nothing about it to anyone. We learned the loss he had sustained through another channel. His face had given no sign whilst he read the dispatch, but we had seen the tears in his eyes." One night, whilst we were under the walls of Safad, a fortified city to which he was laying siege, I heard him say: "We will not sleep tonight until they have planted five mangonels.P" and at each mangonel he stationed workmen sufficient to put it together. We spent the night with him most pleasantly, enjoying a charming conversation, whilst all the time messengers kept arriving, one after another, to report the progress made in the construction of these engines. By morning the work was finished, and nothing remained but to lay the chains. Throughout the night, which was very long, the cold was cutting and the rain relentless. I was present when he received the news of the death of his nephew Taqi ad-Deen 'Umar. We were encamped at the time with a detachment of light cavalry in the neighbourhood of Rarnlah, opposite to the Franks.93 Their troops were stationed at Yazoor, and so near to us that they could have reached us by a short gallop. He summoned al-Malik al-'Adil, 'Alim adDeen Sulayman ibn Jandar, Sabiq ad-Deen ibn al-Dayah and 'Izz ad-Deen al-Muqaddam, then he commanded all the people in his tent to withdraw a bow-shot off. He then took out the letter and read it, weeping so much that those who were l The great and noble character of $aIaJ; ad-Deen present wept with him, without knowing the cause of his sorrow. Then, his voice choked with tears, he announced to them that Taqi ad-Deen was dead. His lamentations, and those of all around, had commenced afresh when I recovered my presence of mind and uttered these word, "Ask Allah's forgiveness for allowing yourselves thus to give way; behold where you are and in what you are engaged. Cease your weeping, and turn your thoughts to something else." The Sultan responded by begging forgiveness of Allah again and again. He then enjoined us to say nothing on this subject to any person. Then, having called for a little rose-water, he bathed his eyes and ordered a meal to be served, of which we were all to partake. No one knew anything of what had occurred until the enemy had withdrawn in the direction of Jaffa. We subsequently retired again to Natrona, where we had left our baggage.I" Fulfilment of covenants Fulfilment of covenants is a sublime characteristic and a noble quality. Allah enjoined it upon people and praised them for doing it, as He says: ~O you who have believed, Fulfil [all] contracts.a (Quran 5: 1) ~They [are those who] fulfil [their] vows, and fear a Day whose evil will be widespread.s (Quran 76: 7) Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi set an example of fulfilment of covenants. When he made a peace deal he adhered to it, and when he made a covenant he fulfilled it. Ibn Wasil states that after Salah adDeen recaptured Jerusalem, the patriarch of that city came out with the wealth of the monasteries, the extent of which only Allah knew,

Sala!; ad-Deen al-Ayubi as Ibn Wasil said, and his personal wealth was equally great. But Salah ad-Deen did not disturb him, and when it was suggested to him that he should take what the man had in order to strengthen the Muslims, he said, "I will not betray him." And he did not take anything from him but that which was imposed upon any regular Frankish man, namely ten dinars. Then he sent with the patriarch and his entourage troops to protect them until they reached the city of Tyre, where the Franks had a fortress and a place to gather after their defeat in Hattin and the recapture of the cities and sites in Syria that they had controlled." Humbleness Humbleness is one of the characteristics of the slaves of the Most Merciful. Allah (~) says: ~And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk on the earth in humility.s (Quran 25: 63) Humility is a sign of Allah's love for a person, as Allah says: ~O you who have believed, whoever of you should revert from his religion, Allah will bring forth a people whom He will love and who will love Him; humble towards the believers, powerful against the disbelievers, they strive in the way of Allah, and do not fear of the blame of a critic. That is the favor of Allah; He bestows it on whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.s (Quran 5: 54) Ibn Katheer said: These are the attributes of the perfect believers: the believer is humble towards his brother, and shows pride towards his opponent." Sultan Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi had the characteristic of humility. He was close to the people, very tolerant and kind; he did not show arrogance towards any of his companions. The great and noble character of $alalJ ad-Deen He was patient in putting up with that which he disliked, and often overlooked the mistakes of those who were with him. He would hear something he disliked from one of them but would not tell him about that or change the way he dealt with him. His carpet would be stepped on if there was a crowd and everyone had a story to tell him, and he would not be upset by that. Ibn Shaddad recalled, "My mule spooked at a camel whilst I was riding next to him (Salah ad-Deen), and I pressed against his hip, causing him pain, but he just smiled. ,,97 Salah ad-Deen was a good example to his followers; he would start a task himself, then call others to follow his lead. This action is indicative of sound wisdom, because he understood that the sublime position in any society belongs to those who take action. Action is the basis for evaluating individuals and societies, and is the basis of all social relationships. Because of this, the people, common folk and elite alike, loved him and strove hard to serve him and support him. This love was the secret of his success and strength, because what others attained by using means of harshness and terror, he achieved by means of love, compassion and sound conduct. 98 His companions would try to imitate him and compete in doing good, as Allah says: ~And We will remove whatever is in their breasts of resentment.s (Quran 15: 47) When he decided to build the walls of Jerusalem and dig a moat around it, he took this mission upon himself, and began to carry the stones on his shoulders. All the people followed his example, scholars, rich men, relatives and the poor and weak, and the people respected him because of that. In 587 AHJl191 CE, Mu'izz ad-Deen Qaysar Shah ibn Kilij Arslan, the ruler of Anatolia, came to the Sultan Salah ad-Deen, who honoured him and gave the daughter of his brother al- 'Adil to him in marriage. When Salah ad-Deen rode out to bid him farewell, Mu'izz ad-Deen dismounted for him, and Salah ad-Deen also dismounted. When the Sultan wanted to ride, Mu'izz

$aia/:zad-Deen al-Ayubi ad-Deen helped him to mount his horse. 'Ala' ad-Deen ibn 'Izz adDeen, the ruler of Mosul, was with the Sultan at that time, and he also straightened his clothes. One of the people present, who was amazed at this great respect shown to Salah ad-Deen, whispered, "0 son of Ayub, you wouldn't care how you die, for a Seljuk king and a son of Atabeg Zangi helped you to mount! ,,99 This is just a brief look at the moral credit of the founder of the Ayubid state. Salah ad-Deen had a number of praiseworthy characteristics and noble qualities, such as ambition, resolve and strong management; the ability to solve problems, plan, direct, organize and supervise; and other characteristics. Because of the great attributes that Allah had bestowed upon him, he was able to unite Syria, Mosul, Egypt and other lands under his leadership, and to achieve the greatest victory over the Crusaders at Hatteen and to recapture Jerusalem. His unique efforts were crowned with great results at the individual, communal and state levels, and his resistance movement against batini infiltration and the Crusader invasion became a beacon for those who were striving for the glory of Islam. One day Salah adDeen disclosed the secret of his strength when he was speaking with his son al-Malik adh-Dhahir in Jerusalem, after drawing up a peace treaty with Richard the Lionhearted, and before giving his son permission to go to Aleppo; he advised him: I urge you to fear Allah, for it is the root of all goodness, and I enjoin you to adhere to that which Allah commands you, for it is the means of your salvation. I warn you against shedding blood and indulging therein, for blood never sleeps. I urge you to be kind to the people and to take care of them, for you are my trustee and the trustee of Allah over them. I urge you to be kind to the emirs, state officials and prominent people, for I have not attained the position I have attained except by being kind to people. Do not bear grudges against anyone, for death

will not leave anyone. Watch the relationship between you and people, for sins concerning them cannot be forgiven except with their consent, but what is between you and Allah will be forgiven if you repent, for He is Most Generous. 100 The great and noble character of Saldl] ad-Deen

CHAPTER III Beliefs ('Aqeedah) of the Ayubid State ~estOring the identity of the Muslim ummah and restoring the beliefs ('aqeedah) of Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah were among the most prominent features of renewal during the Zangid and Ayubid eras. Deviation had gone on for too long and innovations (bid' ah) had become widespread, protected by the unjust Fatimid 'Ubaydi state in Egypt. Hence the return to rule in accordance with the Qur' an and Sunnah was one of the greatest achievements of the states of Noor adDeen and Salah ad-Deen. Justice was established and innovation suppressed, and the state acquired a pure Islamic identity. Salah adDeen al-Ayubi followed in the footsteps of Noor ad-Deen Zangi in implementing Shariah in all matters and affairs of state, carrying out justice, and putting an end to wrongdoing. He himself supervised the process of restoring people's rights, with the help of the judges and scholars. Salah ad-Deen had the qualities of faith, worship, piety, fear of Allah, trust in Him and turning to Him. He was of sound belief, remembering Allah often, and he imbued his state with the beliefs of Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah which were taught by the Messenger of Allah (~) and were followed by the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, and the Ayubids persisted in this belief after the death of Salah ad-Deen. Salah ad-Deen had the deepest respect for the symbols of Islam; he despised the philosophers and those who denied the divine attributes and opposed shariah. If he heard of any stubborn heretic in his kingdom, he would issue orders that he be executed. He fought the Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state Ismaili Shiite school of thought, and managed to implement the plans which had been set out by Noor ad-Deen Zangi to put an end to the heretical 'Ubaydi Fatimid state. He strove to fight corrupt beliefs in Egypt and to restore sound Islamic thought in that land by means of a clear strategy. The Ayubid state benefited from academic efforts and da 'wan 101methods developed by the Seljuk, Zangid and Ghaznavid states. The Ayubid state came after several Sunni states which had contributed to spreading the Qur' an and Sunnah among the Muslim ummah. Salah ad-Deen aI-Ay ubi paid a great deal of attention to preserving the basic principles of Islamic belief in accordance with the madh-hab of Ahl as-Sunnah. They followed the methodology of the Ash 'ari madh-hab and strove hard to fight any deviation therefrom and put an end to any manifestations of deviation. Most of the Ayubids had deep knowledge of the general principles of this belief.102 Ibn Shaddad says concerning Salah ad-Deen: He (may Allah have mercy on him) had a sound belief and frequently remembered Allah. He acquired his belief on the basis of evidence by studying under the most learned shaykhs and greatest scholars. Thus he acquired belief that was sound and free of the taint of anthropomorphism, without it leading to him denying any divine attributes or engaging in misinterpretation. Shaykh Qutub ad-Deen an-Neesaboori compiled for him a book of belief ('aqeedah) which summed up all that he needed to know on this topic. He was very keen on this book and taught it to his young children, so that it would become entrenched in their minds from an early age. I saw him teaching it to them as they stood before him.103 The Ayubid state strove to spread the beliefs of AW as-Sunnah in all parts of Egypt, and Salah ad-Deen was keen to ensure that the beliefs of Ahl asSunnah were influential in the educational and academic establishments that he founded. 104

$ataly.ad-Deen al-Ayubi The Ayubids established a large number of Sunni schools This stage began in 572 AHl1176 CE, after Salah ad-Deen managed to annex most of Syria and bring it under his authority and then returned to Egypt to manage its affairs. In this year he issued orders that two schools be built: one for the Shafi'is near the grave of Imam Al-Shafi'i, which was known as al-Madrasah as-Salahiyah, and the other for the Hanafis. That was followed by the founding of Sunni schools in many places in Cairo and elsewhere on the part of Ayubid emirs and their helpers. We cannot speak of all of these schools because there were so many, as establishing schools became a tradition that was followed by all prominent figures in the state at that time, both men and women. 105 Rather we will focus on the most famous of these schools, which played a role in the great transformation of Egyptian society from the Shiite madh-hab to the Sunni.i'" Al-Madrasah as-Salahiyah Construction of this school began in 572 AHll176 CE at the shrine of Imam Al-Shafi'i. It was an endowment that was set up for the Shafi'is, which as-Suyooti described as "the crown of schools," then he stated that teaching in this school was supervised by the scholar and ascetic Najm ad-Deen al-Khabooshani. Ibn Jubayr visited this school at the end of Dhul-Hijjah in 578 AHll183 CE, when work on its expansion was still ongoing. Ibn Jubayr said that nothing like this school had been built anywhere in the land, and there was nothing like it in its size and quality of construction: the one who visited it might imagine that it was an independent state, the costs of which were incalculable. Shaykh al-Khabooshani himself h Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state was in charge of it, and the Sultan who was in charge of Egypt, Salah ad-Deen, allowed him that and said: Spend more and make it more beautiful, and we will take care of the costs. Ibn Jubayr stated that he was keen to meet al-Khabooshani, because he was famous in Andalusia.i'" Perhaps this comment of Ibn Jubayr confirms that Salah ad-Deen chose teachers for his schools from among the men of knowledge, virtue and righteousness, and from among those who were famous in the Muslim world, so that at their hands the goals he wanted could be achieved and so that they would serve as an element to attract seekers of knowledge from all parts of the Muslim world. 108 Madrasah al-Mashhad al-Husayni Salah ad-Deen built a school in Cairo next to the shrine that is attributed - falsely - to al-Husayn, and he allocated a large endowment to it, 109 as was indicated by al-Maqreezi in his discussion of al-Mashhad al-Husayni (the Husayn Shrine). He said: When as-Sultan an-Nasir (Salah ad-Deen) came to power, he established a teaching circle and scholars there, and he appointed the faqeeh al-Baha' ad-Dimashqi to teach there. He would sit at the niche behind which was the tomb. When Ma 'een ad-Deen Hasan ibn Shaykh al-Mashayikh became the vizier of al-Malik al-Kamil, he collected enough money from the endowments to be able to build a room for teaching as exists now, and rooms for the scholars on the upper floors. 110 The general aim which Salah ad-Deen was seeking by establishing Sunni schools in Egypt was to strengthen the Sunni madh-hab and put an end to the Shiite madh-hab, so establishing this school inside the Husayn shrine served a special purpose. It was one of the last strongholds of the Shiite remnant in Egypt and of those of the Sunni masses whom the Fatirnids were able to attract. Hence it -~-- --- - - ------..

$aliiJ:tad-Deen al-Ayubi was essential to establish a school in this place to teach the true faith, and to fight the innovations spread by the Fatimids. III Al-Madrasah al-Fadiliyah Another of the important schools that were founded during this period was al-Madrasah al-Fadiliyah which was built by al-Qadi alFadil in 580 AHl1184 CE, which he donated as an endowment devoted to the Shafi'is and Malikis. One of its halls was allocated to the imam al-Qasim Abu Muhammad ash-Shatibi (the author of ashShdtibiyah, d. 596 AHl1294 CE) to teach Quran and the various recitations. A large number of books were donated as an endowment to this school, the number of which was said to be one hundred thousand. Alongside it was allocated a place to teach orphans at appointed times. Al-Maqreezi described this school as one of the greatest schools of Cairo. I 12 Sultan al- 'Adil, the brother of Salah adDeen, also built a school for the Malikis, as was also done by his vizier Safiy ad-Deen 'Abdullah ibn Shakir (d. 630 AHl1232 CE), which he built on the site of the house of the Fatimid vizier Ya 'qoob ibn Kallis; Ibn Shakir was a scholar who followed the madh-hab of Imam Malik. 113 Dar al-hadith al-Kamaliyah Al-Malik al-Kamil ibn al- 'Adil was very fond of listening to Hadith narrations, and had a great deal of respect for the Sunnah and its scholars, and he was eager to spread this knowledge. So he established the first school in Cairo for the teaching of the Hadith, which was al-Madrasah al-Kamiliyah, in 622 AHl1225 CE.114 He devoted it to those who studied Hadith, then to the Shafi'i scholars. He appointed al-Hafidh 'Umar ibn Hasan al-Andalusi, who was b Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state known as Ibn Dihyah (d. 633 AHl1235 CE) in charge of it; he had deep knowledge of the Hadith and was devoted to this subject, and al-Malik al-Kamil had been raised by himYs Al-Madrasah as-Salihiyah This school was built by as-Salih Najm ad-Deen Ayub ibn alKamil on the site of the eastern Fatirnid palace. He started to build it in 639 AHl1241 CE, basing the idea of this school on al-Madrasah alMustansiriyah, which was devoted as an endowment to all four madh-habs, and in which regular lessons were given in these madhhabs, in 641 AHl1243 CE. Al-Maqreezi says concerning him: He was the first one to allocate space for all four madh-habs in one place. 116 The importance of this school was that it gave the Hanbalis the opportunity to contribute their efforts to the Sunni revival movement in Egypt, because until the establishment of this school they had been the only Sunni group for whom the early Ayubids did not pay any attention to founding a school. Perhaps the reason why no attention was paid to them was that they were very few and rare; this is supported by what as-Suyooti said concerning them when he was discussing the (Hanbali) scholars in Egypt. He said: There are very few of them in Egypt, and I have not heard anything about them except in the seventh century (AH) and after. He explained the reason for that by saying: The madh-hab of Ahmad did not appear outside Iraq until the fourth century, in which the 'Ubaydis took control of Egypt and destroyed the imams of the three madh-habs which were present there, by killing, banishing and expelling, and they established the heretical Shiite madh-hab. Then when their state fell, the scholars of all the madh-habs began to return there.117

$ald/:t ad-Deen al-Ayubi The efforts of the Ayubids in establishing schools were not limited to Cairo only; they extended this to other cities in Egypt as well. In Fayum, Taqi ad-Deen 'Umar founded two schools, one for the Shafi'is and another for the MaIikis.118 Salah ad-Deen founded a school for the Shafi'is in Alexandria in 577 AHl1181 CE.119 The many endowments and the facilities available to the teachers and students in these schools were among the important means which played a role in attracting scholars and seekers of knowledge to Egypt. It was traditional, when a school was founded, for an endowment to be established to guarantee the continuation of academic life therein. Ibn Jubayr said: One of the sources of pride for this city (Alexandria) under the rule of its sultan was the schools and inns120 which were established there for seekers of knowledge and worshippers who came from distant lands, where each one of them could find accommodation and a teacher who could teach him the branches of knowledge that he wanted to know, as well as a stipend to take care of him. The sultan's care for these people who came unexpectedly even went so far as to build baths where they could bathe, and setting up a hospital to treat those of them who fell sick, where doctors were appointed to check on them.I2l Ibn Jubayr also made reference to the large numbers of mosques in Alexandria, where there might be four or five mosques in a single place, or there might be combined mosques (formed of a mosque and a school), all of them with regular imams appointed by the sultan. Some were paid five Egyptian dinars per month and some were paid more or less than that. This was one of the great deeds of the Sultan.122 This brilliant picture which Ibn Jubayr gives of Salah ad-Deen's efforts in Alexandria is indicative of his great efforts in this field in the rest of the country too, because Alexandria had Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state remained a bastion of Ahl as-Sunnah during the Fatimid period, at the end of which it had two Sunni schools, one of the Malikis, which was Madrasat al-Hafiz ibn 'Awf az-Zuhri, and the other for the Shafi'is, namely Madrasat al-Hafidh as-Salafi. These two schools were able to play a major role in preserving the Sunni legacy in Fatimid Egypt. AI-QilQi al-Fadil mentioned this fact in one of the letters that Salah ad-Deen sent to Noor ad-Deen after he discovered one of the Fatimid preachers in Alexandria. He said: What may please your highness is that the people of Alexandria are followers of the Sunni madh-hab.V'' If Salah ad-Deen set up so many endowments in Alexandria, which had preserved its Sunni identity, then undoubtedly the endowments that he set up in other regions, where the Fatimid message had been more popular, were more numerous and greater. This is indicated by the salary that ~alill:ladDeen decreed for Najm ad-Deen al-Khabooshani, the teacher of the as-Salahiyah school. He allocated to him a stipend of forty dinars per month for teaching, ten dinars for supervising the endowments of the school, sixty pounds of bread every day, and two buckets of Nile water. 124 Ibn Jubayr completed the picture for us when he listed Salah ad-Deen's efforts in Cairo which were aimed at making it easy for seekers of knowledge to find a place there. He said: It is amazing that al-Qarrafah is all built mosques and frequented shrines, to which strangers, scholars, righteous people and the poor come, and there are regular stipends for each place, coming from the Sultan every month. The same is true of the schools in Egypt and Cairo. We calculated that the spending on all of that adds up to two thousand Egyptian dinars each month. 125 From this it is clear that whilst Salah ad-Deen was following the progress of the Sunni revival in Egypt, he did not stop at founding schools; rather he was also keen to attract Sunni scholars to Egypt

$alaJ:tad-Deen al-Ayubi from all parts of the Muslim world, so that they could contribute their efforts to this intellectual revival, after the Fatimids had done their utmost to put an end to the Sunni scholars in Egypt. We have seen above what as-Suyooti recorded of their wiping out all the imams of the three madh-habs in the country, by killing, banishing and exiling. After their state fell, scholars of all the Sunni madh-habs came back to Egypt, and the efforts of Salah ad-Deen were the greatest encouragement for this migration of Sunni scholars to Egypt. Just as Salah ad-Deen was keen to attract the scholars to Egypt, he also paid attention to attracting the Sufis, so he established for them the first Sufi khanqah in Egypt, which was devoted especially to poor Sufis who came from all over the world, and he set up many endowments for them, and appointed a shaykh to run their affairs, who was known as Shaykh al-Mashdyikh, Al-Maqreezi states that the Sufis who lived there were known for their knowledge and piety, and that the number of its inhabitants was three hundred. The sultan provided bread, meat and sweets for them every day, and allocated forty dirhams every year for clothing, and he built a bath house nearby for them. If any of them wanted to travel, he gave him some money to help him reach his destination. In my opinion, this extra attention that was given to the Sufis served a particular purpose which was connected to the Sunni revival movement. Although moderate Sufism was a trend that was respected by rulers and the general populace at that time, paying particular attention to it to this extent in Egypt was done deliberately, with the aim of achieving a specific goal. The reason for this may be that the Fatimids in Egypt had been unable, despite their various methods, to infiltrate the beliefs of most Egyptians, but they had easily managed to influence their emotions. Expressions of grief and weeping for al-Husayn, celebrating the birthdays of the Prophet's family, and the great deal of attention that the Fatirnids had shown to these and other occasions, had all left a mark of the emotions of the

Ayubid efforts in Syria and Mesopotamia Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state Egyptian people, and there is still some trace of these elements today. When Salah ad-Deen sought to attract Sunni scholars to Egypt from all places, to contribute their knowledge and ideas to the Sunni revival movement, there was another aspect which also needed to be fulfilled and be directed away from the direction that the Fatimids had taken; this was the emotional aspect which the Fatimids had been able to control easily. The Sufis were among the groups who were able to satisfy this aspect at that time, with their easy going nature and lack of interest in worldly gains, and their ability to address people's emotions by means of exhortation, remembrance and so on. Indeed the Sufis during the Ayubid era succeeded in attracting people's attention to them and their rituals. Al-Maqreezi tells us that people used to come from all over Egypt to Cairo to watch the Sufis of the khanqah of Sa'eed as-Su'ada' when they went to the mosque of alHakim to offer Jumu'ah prayer, so that they might attain blessing and goodness by watching them. 127 Salal) ad-Deen and his successors were able, through their efforts and by attracting Sunni scholars to Egypt, to bring it out of its intellectual isolation and re-establish its strong connection with the centres of Sunni culture in the Muslim world, such as Baghdad, Damascus and Cordoba, after the Fatimids had cut off all ties with these centres and Egypt had been left behind in the field of Sunni thought for more than two and a half centuries. 128 The great care that was shown to the Sunni revival movement in Egypt does not mean that the Ayubids neglected other lands belonging to them, which had not gone through the same circumstances as Egypt. Rather we find that they did not spare any effort in spreading Sunni culture in every land they went to, whether

$ala/:zad-Deen al-Ayubi it was the sultans, or emirs, both men and women, or their helpers such as viziers, commanders, scholars and scribes. Many of them were eager to build and establish schools in Syria and Mesopotamia. Salah ad-Deen founded a school for the Shafi'is in Jerusalem and he built a school for the Malikis in Damascus. When he moved to Egypt, he turned his house in Damascus into a khanqah for the Sufis. Taqi ad-Deen 'Umar founded a school in Edessa, and al-'Azeez 'Uthman ibn Salah ad-Deen completed a school in Damascus that his brother al-Afdal had started to build, and which became known as alMadrasah al- 'Azeeziyah. AI-Mu 'adh-dham 'Eesa ibn al- 'Adil founded a school for the Hanafis in Damascus which was known as al-Mu 'adh-dhamiyah.129 Sayf al-Islam, the brother of Salah ad-Deen, established a school for the Hanbalis in Damascus.P" Al-Ashraf Moosa ibn al- 'Adil established Dar al-Hadith al-Ashrafiyah in the same city. 131 Al-Qadi al-Fadil established Dar al-Hadith al-Fadiliyah near the Umayyad Mosque. 132 Sitt ash-Sham, the sister of Salah adDeen, built a school for the Shafi'is in Damascus.133 Her sister Rabee'ah Khatoon also built a school for the Hanbalis in Damascus. 134 And there were many other schools which proliferated and spread to such an extent that 'Izz ad-Deen ibn Shaddad listed in Damascus alone ninety-two schools, covering all four madh-habs, in addition to other places that were involved in teaching and studying, such as the Umayyad Mosque.l " Ibn Jubayr also narrated an image of academic life in Damascus, especially inside its mosques and shrines, when he visited the city in 580 AH/1184 CE. He wrote of the Umayyad Mosque: In it there are teaching circles for students, and the teachers receive an ample income. The Malikis have a corner on the western side where the Maghrebi students gather, and they have a certain income. The facilities that the noble mosque offers to strangers and students are plentiful and ample.136 Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state He wrote of its shrines: For each of these shrines there are specific endowments consisting of gardens and land; almost the entire city is endowments. For every newly-built mosque, school or khanqah, the sultan allocates an endowment to sponsor them and their inhabitants. Among the women there are some of high status who order the building of a mosque, place of devotion or school, spending large amounts of wealth thereon, and setting up endowments from their wealth. Among the emirs are some who do the same thing, and they show a great deal of praiseworthy eagerness in following this blessed path. 137 Aleppo was the recipient of a great deal of effort on the part of the Ayubids and people connected to them. Adh-Dhahir Ghazi ibn Salah ad-Deen built a school there for both the Shafi'is and the Hanafis, and he appointed in charge of teaching al-Qadi Baha' adDeen ibn Shaddad, whom adh-Dhahir also appointed to be in charge of endowments throughout Aleppo.l " Ibn Shaddad built al-Madrasat as-Sahibiyah for the Shafi'is, and next to it he established Dar alHadith which remained a focal point for the Hadith scholars who dwelt there, studied, listened to lessons and wrote down Hadith until the Tatar catastrophe. He established as an endowment for it one of the villages of Aleppo, and near this school he also built a house for the Sufis.139 Throughout the Ayubid period, Aleppo remained a beacon of knowledge, to which students came from all over, by the grace of Allah and due to the intellectual efforts led by Ibn Shaddad, who paid attention to running its affairs and gathering the scholars there. During his time many schools flourished, to which scholars came from various lands, and a great deal of attention was paid to seeking knowledge and benefitting from it. Ibn Khallikan states that he and

$ala/:l ad-Deer: al-Ayubi his brother joined the school that was founded by Ibn Shaddad, who taught there himself and arranged for four prominent scholars to assist him. Ibn Khallikan also states that the scholars in Aleppo at the time of Ibn Shaddad were highly respected and well cared for, especially the scholars of his school, who attended the Sultan's gatherings and broke their fast at his table in Ramadan. After Jumu'ah prayer, the qadi gave a lesson in Hadith to the worshippers. 140Ibn Wasil states that he went to Aleppo at the end of 627 AHl1230 CE to study fiqh, the sources of Islamic jurisprudence, grammar and Arabic language, and to seek blessing by meeting Ibn Shaddad, and he stayed in al-Madrasah as-Sahibiyah, 141 Elements of Sunni education during the Ayubid period Salah ad-Deen and the sultans who came after him paid a great deal of attention to strengthening the Sunni madh-hab in the lands they ruled, devoting intense and comprehensive attention to this matter in the cities that were under their control, such as Cairo, Alexandria, Damascus, Aleppo and others. Among the most important elements of Sunni education to which the Ayubids paid attention were the following: The Noble Quran The Ayubids paid attention to teaching the Quran to children and making them memorize it in the lands that belonged to them. Ibn Jubayr says: Salah ad-Deen ordered that many places be built in Egypt, and he appointed therein teachers to teach the Noble Quran to the children of the poor, especially orphans, and gave them a sufficient salary.142 Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state Al-Qadi Baha' ad-Deen ibn Shaddad depicts the attention that Salah ad-Deen gave to the Quran, telling us that one day he passed by a young child who was reciting Qur' an, and he liked his recitation, so he drew him close to him and gave him a share of his own food, and gave part of a farm as an endowment to him and his father. He would stipulate that the imam who led him in prayer should have knowledge of the Qur' anic sciences, and should have memorized it well.143 We have already seen that besides his school in Cairo, alQadi al-Fadil established a school which he set up as a endowment for teaching the Noble Qur' an to orphans, and he allocated one of the rooms of this school for teaching Qur' an and the different recitations thereof. When Ibn Jubayr visited Damascus he found that the Umayyad mosque was never devoid of Qur'anic recitation, morning or evening. These reciters were given a daily stipend on which more than five hundred people lived. When the morning reading ended, a boy would sit before each reader and he would teach him the Noble Quran. These boys were also given a stipend, except the sons of the rich, whose fathers refrained from accepting it.144 Ibn Jubayr also saw another place in Damascus where the Qur' an was taught to children, for which a large endowment had been set up, from which the workers took what was sufficient for the boys' needs, and spent on their clothing and so on.145Knowledge of the different recitations was also taught in Dar al-Hadith al-Ashrafiyah in Damascus.i'" and al-Madrasah al-Qahiriyah in Aleppo.147 Hadith The Ayubids took a great interest in the Hadith of the Prophet C*). This was a response to two urgent needs faced by Muslim society in both Egypt and Syria, the first of which was generally prevalent and the second was specific to certain areas. With regard to the general, prevalent need, that was due to the fact that the Muslims

$aliil;.ad-Deen al-Ayubi were facing an enemy which was lying in wait and tampering with their holy places; their concern to incite the believers to fight them required paying a great deal of attention to the Hadith of the Prophet (~), especially those hadiths which have to do with this topic. Hence we find that Salah ad-Deen was passionate about the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (~); he would recite and listen to the Hadith, and he made arrangements to listen to it and encouraged people to write books on this matter. AI-'Imad al-Isfahani states that on many occasions during his visit to Alexandria in 572 AHll176 CE, he went with him to visit al-Hafid]; as-Salafi, to hear hadith from him. 148 He and his children also listened to the Muwatta' by Malik from the faqeeh of Alexandria, Ibn 'Awf az-Zuhri, in 577 AHll181 CE. 149 Baha' ad-Deen ibn Shaddad describes Salah ad-Deen as being very keen to listen to Hadith; he would go and visit scholars of Hadith if they were the type who refrained from attending rulers' gatherings. Ibn Shaddad went on to say: He also loved to read the Hadith for himself, and he would summon me when he was alone and bring some books of Hadith and start reading them. 150 Anyone anxious to ingratiate himself with the Sultan had only to encourage him in his passion for jihad and to narrate to him reports connected with it. Therefore a number of treatises upon this subject were written for him, and I myself wrote a book, at his request, on jihad and the rules and precepts to be observed therein. I incorporated in this work all the verses of the Qur' an which speak of this subject, all the Hadiths which refer to it. His highness valued this treatise so greatly that he taught it in its entirety to his son, al-Malik al-Afdal.l'" This interest in Hadith was not unique to Salah ad-Deen, rather many of the Ayubid emirs were keen to listen to Hadith and narrate it, including Taqi ad-Deen 'Umar, who heard Hadith from as-Salafi in Alexandria.P" and al-Malik al-Kamil who followed the example of Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state Noor ad-Deen and established the first Dar al-Hadith in Egypt and whom as-Suyooti described as one who respected the Sunnah and its scholars; he also studied with as-Salafi and was granted a licence to teach (ijazah) by him.153 Sibt ibn al-Jawzi described him as speaking about Saheeb Muslim in glowing terms.154 Al-Ashraf ibn al- 'Adil listened to Saheeb al-Bukhari in Dar al-Hadith al-Ashrafiyah which he founded in Damascus. 155 These efforts which were undertaken by the Ayubids in support of the Hadith were a response to the general need that had to do with the requirements of jihad for the sake of Allah and encouraging it, and raising Muslim potentials by educating them and teaching them important elements of the Sunni madh-hab. As for the specific need which dictated paying extra attention to the matter of Hadith, that had to do with the societies where Shiite influence had prevailed for some time. The Shiites do not regard any hadith as authentic except those that were narrated by the Prophet's family only, and that which they attribute to the Prophet's family is not free of fabrications and lies, such as the reports of Zurarah, Jabir al-Ja'fi and other prevaricators. They reject everything else and use it as a means to condemn the narrators.156 Hence the attention paid to the Hadith in Egypt brought back to life this aspect of the Sunni madhab.157 The basic principles of Sunni belief ('aqeedah) The Ayubids paid attention to protecting and preserving the basic principles of belief according to the madh-hab of Imam alAsh 'ari, who (may Allah have mercy on him) carried the banner of knowledge in all fields and is regarded as one of the scholars who combined different types of knowledge and science. 158Adh-Dhahabi remarked concerning him:

$aldFJad-Deen al-Ayubi The prominent scholar, imam of the theologists, AbulHasan ...He was amazing in his intelligence and deep understanding. After he had become prominent in Mu'tazilite ideology, he disliked it and disavowed it; he ascended the minbar before the people and repented to Allah from it. Then he began to refute the Mu'tazilah and expose their faults. 159 Adh-Dhahabi also noted: Abul-Hasan was extremely intelligent and had deep knowledge. He had many good points and wrote many books, which testify to his vast knowledge.V" According to adh-Dhahabi: I have seen four books by Abul-Hasan about Usool, in which he mentions the basic principles of the salaf (pious Muslims of earlier generations) concerning the divine attributes. He said in them (these books): This matter should be left alone and accepted at face value. He also said: This is my view and what I believe; it is not to be interpreted in any way other than it appears to be.161 Al-Qadi 'Iyad commented concerning him: He wrote books for Ahl as-Sunnah and established proof to support the Sunnah and refute the arguments of the innovators who denied the attributes of Allah, denied that He will be seen, denied the eternal nature of His words and power, and rejected reports about the bridge (over hell that leads to paradise), the balance, intercession, the cistern and the torment of the grave, which were denied by the Mu'tazilites, and other issues in which Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Hadith believe. He established clear proof concerning these issues from the Qur' an and Sunnah and clear, rational evidence, refuting the specious arguments of the innovators and the Rafidi heretics who came after them. He Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state wrote detailed books concerning that by means of which Allah benefited the Ummah.162 Ibn 'Asakir wrote a book specifically to defend him, in which he praised him a great deal, described him as one who came to renew (the faith) and quoted reports which praise his people and his family.163 As-Subki did likewise in Tabaqdt ash-Shdfi'i Shdfi'iyan in which he said, among other things: Our shaykh and guide to Allah, Shaykh Abul-Hasan al-Ash'ari al-Basri, shaykh of the path of Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, imam of the mutakallimeen, supporter of the Sunnah of the leader of the Messengers, defender of the faith, who strove hard to preserve the beliefs of the Muslims, whose efforts will continue to have an impact upon people until the Day when people are resurrected to meet the Lord of the Worlds, the prominent imam, righteous and pious, who protected Islam from fabricated ideas, and supported Islam and caused it to prevail. 164 And there were other scholars who praised what he did in support of the Sunnah and refuting the innovators, both Mu'tazilites and others. 165 Stages that Abul-Hasan al-Ash'ari went through Abul-Hasan went through three ideological stages in his life: The first stage Almost all the sources for the biography of al-Ash 'ari agree that he lived the first part of his life under Mu'tazilite tutelage, and he remained close to his Shaykh and mother's husband al-Jaba'i until he reached the age of forty.166

$ala/:t ad-Deen al-Ayubi The second stage After he left the Mu'tazilites, he followed the path of 'Abdullah ibn Sa'eed ibn Kilab al-Basri'" and began to refute the Mu'tazilites on the basis of the new precepts that he learned from 'Abdullah ibn Kilab.168 Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote, "When Abul-Hasan al-Ash'ari recanted Mu'tazilite beliefs, he followed the path of Abu Muhammad ibn Kilab." 169 This stage is represented in his bookAl-Luma'fir-Radd 'ald Ahl az-Zaygli wal-Bid'ahYo Ibn Kilab refuted the Mu'tazilites and Jahamites and those who followed them in a way that showed an inclination towards the madh-hab of Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Hadith. But because of his long arguments with them, refutation of them and debates with them using standard methods, he accepted some principles laid down by them. Hence innovation entered his method.171 Ibn Kilab had invented a new madh-hab, in which some things agreed with the salaf and some things agreed with the Mu'tazilites and JahamitesY2 Concerning this, Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Before Abu Muhammad ibn Kilab, the people were of two types: Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah affirmed all the attributes and deeds of Allah that He wills and is able to do, but the Jahamites, Mu'tazilites and others denied both. Ibn Kilab affirmed all the attributes that have to do with His Essence, but he denied that the deeds which have to do with His will and power are part of His Essence. 173 Abul-tAbbas al-Qalanisi and Abul-Hasan al-Ash'ari agreed with him on that.174 This principle which was introduced by Ibn Kilab motivated Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and other imams of the salaf to warn people against him and his followers, the Kilabiyah.175 This way which was introduced by Ibn Kilab was without precedent. Al-Ash'ari agreed with it and refuted thereby the Jahamites and Mu 'tazilites. 176 Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state The third stage For a while, Abul-Hasan followed the way of Ibn Kilab, refuting the Mu'tazilites and others by means of his beliefs at that time. But Allah blessed him with the truth, by bringing him back completely to the way of Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah. He began to adhere to their path and follow their method. This is what he wanted to meet Allah with; he disavowed the madh-habs that he had previously followed and called people to the way of the salaf, declaring himself to be a follower of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him). Because of the importance of this stage with regard to belief, we will discuss it in more detail, dividing it into three phases 177: The first phase: Comments of the scholars Many scholars and imams testified that al-Ash 'ari had returned completely to the madh-hab of the righteous salaf, and these imams only gave this testimony after studying his life and finding out what he used to follow and what he finally settled upon. Among these scholars were the followingl ": .:. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah'J" .:. His student al-Hafidh Ibn al-Qayyim'f" .:. Al-Hafidh adh-Dhahabi 181 .:. Al-Hafidh Ibn Katheer, who said: They mentioned that Shaykh Abul-Hasan al-Ash'ari went through three stages: o The first stage was when he was a Mu'tazilite, but he definitely recanted that. o The second stage, when he affirmed the seven rational attributes (life, knowledge, power, will, hearing, sight, speech), but he interpreted other attributes (the

!jaldlJ ad-Deen al-Ayubi countenance, two hands, foot, shin and so on) in a manner other than what they appear to mean. o The third stage, when he affmned all the divine attributes without asking how or likening them to anything else, following the example of the salaf. This was the method he followed in Al-Ibdnah, which was his last book.182 .:. Shaykh Nu 'fun al-Aloosi 183 .:. Shaykh Abul-Ma'ali Mahmood al-Aloosi'f" .:. Al-tAllamah Muhibb ad-Deen al-Khateeb who said, describing the stages that al-Ash'ari went through and his complete return to the madh-hab of the salaf: Abul-Hasan al-Ash'ari 'Ali ibn Isma'eel is one of the greatest imams of kalam in Islam. He grew up as a Mu'tazilite and studied (that madh-hab) under al-Jaba'i, then Allah wakened him in middle age, at the beginning of his maturity. He announced his rejection of Mu 'tazilite misguidance and during this stage he was active in writing, debating and giving lessons refuting the Mu'tazilites, following a middle way between the path of philosophy and debating, and the path of the salaf. Then he purified his method and made it sincerely for the sake of Allah alone by coming back completely to the path of the salaf and affmning all the matters of the unseen that are stated in the texts and which Allah enjoins His slaves to believe in sincerely. He wrote about that in his last books, of which alIbtinah. is in circulation. His biographers stated that this was his last book and this is what he wanted to meet Allah with; everything contrary to that which is attributed to him or that the Ash'ariyah believe in was recanted by al-Ash'ari himself as he explained in Al-lbdnali and other books.185 Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state The second phase: His meeting with al-Hdfidh. Zakariyd as-Sdji After rejecting the Mu'tazilite school of thought and ridding himself of Ibn Kilab's method, he turned to the imams of Ahl alHadith, who were known for their sound belief and clear methodology, in order to learn from them the views of the salaf and scholars of Hadith. Among the most famous of these was the prominent hafidh and Hadith scholar of Basrah, Zakariya as_Saji.186 Ibn Taymiyah said of al-Ash'ari: He learned Usool al-hadith from Zakariya as-Saji in Basrah, then when he came to Baghdad he learned other things from the Hanbalis of Baghdad, and that was the last thing he did, as he and his companions stated in their books.187 Adh-Dhahabi said, in his biography of al-Hafidh as-Saji, "From him Abul-Hasan al-Ash'ari al-Usooli learned the view of ahl al-hadith and the salaf." 188 Elsewhere he said of al-Saji, "AbulHasan al-Ash 'ari learned from him the views of the salaf concerning the divine attributes, and Abul-Hasan based his argument on these views in many books." 189 Among those who affirmed that al-Ash 'ari met the scholar of Hadith al-Hafidh Zakariya as-Saji, and regarded it as an important turning point in the life of al-Ash'ari'j", were Ibn alQayyim'i", Ibn Katheer192, and others. The third phase: writing the book Al-Ibdnah - and affirmation of the attribution of this book to him The last book that al-Ash 'ari (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote was Al-Ibdnah 'an Usool ad-Diyiinah. In this book he stated that he was a follower of Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him), and that he adhered to the beliefs ('aqeedah) of the righteous salaf and that he was a follower of the imams of Hadith. After that he mentioned the beliefs of the righteous salaf concerning matters of

$allilJ,ad-Deen al-Ayubi religion. Many leading scholars, both in the past and more recently, have confirmed that this book was by al-Ash 'ari 193. The closest scholar to the time of al-Ash'ari was Ibn an-Nadeem (d. 385 AH), who mentioned the biography of al-Ash'ari in his book Al-Fihrist, along with a number of books written by him, including AtTabyeen 'an Usool ad-Deen. After him came Ibn 'Asakir, who supported alAsh'ari and affirmed that he wrote Al-Ibdnah; he quoted a great deal from it in his book At-Tabyeen, as praise for the soundness of alAsh'ari's beliefs. Ibn 'Asakir said of al-Ashari: His books are well known to the scholars, and it is proven by the scholars that his books are sound and good. The one who studies his book which is called Allbdnab will realize the high position that he attained in knowledge and piety.194 Then Ibn Darbas (d. 659 AH) wrote a book defending al-Ash 'ari and affirming that he was the author of Al-Ibiinah. He said: You should realize, my brother - may Allah guide us and you to the sound religion and guide us all to the straight path - that the book Al-Ibiinan 'an Usool ad-Diydnah, which was written by Imam Abul-Hasan 'Ali ibn Isma'eel al-Ash'ari, is the book which explains what he settled upon with regard to his beliefs, and what he regarded as true religion, after he recanted Mu'tazilite beliefs by the grace of Allah. Everything that is now attributed to him that runs contrary to what is mentioned in this book was recanted by him and he disavowed himself of it before Allah. He narrated and affirmed the beliefs of the Companions and Tabi 'een and the imams of Hadith in the past, and the views of Ahrnad ibn Hanbal (may Allah be pleased with them all). These beliefs are what is indicated by the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger. Can it be said that he went back to anything else? What could he recant? Could he recant the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet of Allah, and follow a way contrary to that of the Prophet's Companions, Tabi'een and imams of Hadith in the

past, when he realized that this was their view and he narrated them from them? This is something that it is not appropriate to attribute to ordinary Muslims, so how can it be attributed to imams? This book was mentioned and regarded as authentic, and its attribution to Imam Abul-Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him) was confirmed by a number of prominent imams, scholars of jurisprudence, leading scholars of Qur' an and Hadith, and others, who praised him for what he said in it and declared him innocent of all innovations that were attributed to him. 195 Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state Then he mentioned a number of these imams who confirmed the attribution of Al-Ibiinah. to al-Ash 'ari, among whom were the following: .:. Imam al-Qurra' Abu 'Ali al-Hasan ibn 'Ali ibn Ibraheem alHisi (d. 446 AH) .:. Al-Hafidh Abu 'Uthman as-Sabooni (d. 449) .:. Al-Faqeeh al-I:JafIdh Abu Bakr al-Bayhaqi (d. 458 AH) .:. Al-Imam al-Faqeeh Abul-Fath Nasr al-Maqdisi (d. 490 AH) .:. Al-Faqeeh Abul-Ma'ali Mujalli, the author of adh-Dhakhd'ir fil-Fiqh (d. 550 AH) There are many scholars who confirmed the attribution of AlIbdnab to al-Ash 'ari, apart from those who were mentioned by Ibn Darbas. They include the following: .:. Imam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) .:. AI-I:JafIdh adh-Dhahabi (d. 748 AH), who said: The book AlIbiinah. is one of the most famous works of Abul-Hasan, AlI:Jiifidh Ibn 'Asakir relied on it, and Imam Muhiy ad-Deen alNawawi copied it in his own hand.l96 b

$aliif;,ad-Deen al-Ayubi .:. Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 571 AH)197 .:. Al-Hafid]; Ibn Katheer (d. 774 AH) .:. Al-tAllamah Ibn Farhoon al-Maliki (d. 799 AH).198 There are numerous imams and scholars who affirmed that AlIbdnali was written by aI-Ash 'ari, and that it was the last book that he wrote. 199 The historians have mentioned several reasons why AbulHasan came back to the madh-hab of Ahl as-Sunnah and gave up following the Mu'tazilites, the most important of which is the mercy and guidance of Allah. The secret behind al-Ash'ari's historical greatness After this great change, Abul-Hasan aI-Ash 'ari set to work and began calling people to the beliefs of Ahl as-Sunnah, defending them zealously and faithfully, and refuting the Mu'tazilites, whom he would seek out in their gatherings and centres and try to convince them of the Sunni beliefs and the way of the salaf of which he had recently become convinced. He was more active in doing this than he had been in any other effort before that. He would go to them himself and debate with them. Someone spoke to him concerning that and said to him, "How can you mix with the followers of innovation and seek them out yourself, when you have been ordered to shun them?" He said, "They are people of prominent status; some of them are governors and judges, and because of their high standing they would not come to me. If they do not come to me and I do not go to them, how can the truth be made clear and how can they know that the Ahl as-Sunnah have someone who supports them with proof?,,200 These great efforts and this persistence in supporting the madh-hab of Ahl as-Sunnah are deserving of praise and appreciation. Abul-Hasan alAsh' ari was on a higher intellectual level than his contemporaries and Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state peers. He was a creative genius in the field of philosophy; he refuted the arguments and beliefs of the Mu'tazilites powerfully and with the greatest of ease and confidence, as a great teacher dispels his students' confusion and solves their problems. Abul-Hasan alAsh 'ari was a leading figure, diligent scholar and one of the founders of the field of kalam. Anyone who came after him submitted to his genius, profound thoughts, subtle thinking and sound ideas.20l Abul-Hasan al-Ash'ari explains the beliefs to which he adheres He stated: What we say and the belief to which we subscribe is adherence to the Book of our Lord and the Sunnah of our Prophet (~), and what was narrated from the Companions and Tabi 'een, and the imams of Hadith. We cling to it and follow what Abu 'Abdullah Ahmad ibn Muharnmad ibn Hanbal - may Allah brighten his face, elevate his status and make abundant his reward - says, and whatever contradicts his views we oppose, because he is the prominent imam and perfect leader through whom Allah made the truth clear and erased misguidance, explained the way and suppressed the innovations of the innovators, the misguidance of the misguided and the doubts of the doubters. May the mercy of Allah be upon him; what a prominent leader.202 The service rendered by al-Ash 'ari was not limited to only supporting the beliefs of Ahl as-Sunnah and the salaf in general, as the Hanbalis and scholars of Hadith were putting their efforts into that and were not falling short; rather his genius was manifested in the fact that he was establishing rational and philosophical proof and evidence to support these beliefs. He debated with the Mu'tazilites and scholars of philosophy with regard to each item of belief, all in a

~aliilJ.ad-Deen al-Ayubi language that they understood and a style with which they were familiar. Thus he proved that this religion and its clear beliefs are supported by reason, and that sound reason supports the sound religion, and there is no conflict between them.203 The source of 'aqeedah according to Abul-Hasan al-Ash'ari is as follows: al-Ash 'ari believed that the source of 'aqeedah and issues having to do with divinity and metaphysical matters was the Qur' an and Sunnah, and what the Prophets brought, not mere reason, analogy and Greek metaphysics. But he did not think it was right to keep quiet and turn away from issues that had developed with the passage of time and with this Ummah's mixing with other, foreign nations, religions and philosophies, which led to the formation of other groups and sects on that basis. He thought that keeping quiet about these issues was harmful to Islam and would cause a loss of respect for the Sunnah method, and make people think that the Sunni group was weak both intellectually and rationally. He was concerned that people would think that the scholars and their representatives were incapable of confronting these trends and resisting these assaults. Misguided groups might take this opportunity to influence Ahl as-Sunnah and tamper with sound 'aqeedah, to spread their poison and doubts among them, and to attract their smart and educated youth to join them. AI-Ash 'ari believed that the source of 'aqeedah was the revelation and the prophethood of Muhammad (~), and the way to learn it was the Qur' an and the Sunnah and that which had been proven from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). This is where he parted ways with the Mu'tazilites; he took the opposite approach to that of the Mu'tazilites, yet he sincerely believed that defending this sound 'aqeedah and instilling it in the hearts of the new Muslim generation required speaking the academic language that was prevalent at that time, using academic terminology and debating with opponents on the basis of rational principles. He did not only think that it was justifiable, rather he regarded it as the Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state best kind of jihad and the best means of drawing close to Allah at that time. This was the main difference between him and some of the Hanbalis and scholars of Hadith who regarded it as sinful and refused to go down to that level. 204 Abul-Hasan al-Ash'ari's written works Abul-Hasan ai-Ash 'ari did not stop at engaging in debates and discussions, rather he left behind many books in which he defended the Sunnah and explained proper beliefs. He wrote a tafseer (commentary) of the Quran, which was said to contain at least thirty volumes. Some writers said that he wrote as many as three hundred books,205 most of which dealt with refutation of the Mu'tazilites, and some of which dealt with refutation of other groups and sects, such as his book Al-Fusool, which was a refutation of the philosophers, agnostics, metaphysicists, Brahmins, Jews, Christians and Magians. It is a large book composed of twelve volumes. Ibn Khallikan lists among his books AI-Lam', Eeddli al-Burhdn, At-Tabyeen 'an Usool ad-Deen and Ash-Shad; wat-Tafseel fir-Radd 'ala Ahl al-Ifk watTadleel. In addition to books on rational issues and philosophy, he wrote books on other branches of Shariah knowledge, such as qiyas,206 ijtihdd and Khabr alWaIJid, and he wrote a book refuting the argument of Ibn al-Rawandi who rejected the idea of successive narration.i'" In his book Al- 'Umad, he mentioned the books that he had completed in 320 AH, four years before he died: there were sixty-eight books, many of which were composed of ten or more volumes. At the end of his life he wrote many books. His book Maqdliit al-Isldmiyeen indicates that he was not only a philosopher, but also an honest historian of comparative religion. He is acknowledged by the orientalists for his precision, honesty and efforts to tell the truth.208 His books on sects and other religions are indicative of his honesty and precision in quoting others.209

$ataJy,ad-Deen al-Ayubi His striving hard in worship Abul-Hasan al-Ash 'ari was not only a man of knowledge, reason and research, rather - in addition to reaching the level of being an imam and mujtahid210 in the fields of knowledge and reason - he was also a man who strove hard in worship, who had many good characteristics and virtues. This is what distinguished the earlier scholars, whose preoccupation with knowledge did not prevent them from striving hard in worship and being eager to do acts of obedience to Allah. They combined study, teaching, worship and asceticism. Ahmad ibn 'Ali al-Faqeeh related: I served Imam Abul-Hasan for many years and lived with him until his death in Baghdad; I have never seen anyone more pious than him, more earnest in lowering the gaze. I have never seen a shaykh who was more modest with regard to worldly matters, or more active with regard to matters of the Hereafter.211 Abul-Husayn as-Saroori tells of his worship at night and his devotion to worship, which is indicative of his eagerness and strength in worship?12 Ibn Khallikan commented: His income was the produce of a farm which had been given as an endowment by Bilal ibn Abi Burdah ibn Abi Moosa to his descendents. His daily expenditure was seventeen dirhams, as was stated by al-Khateeb.v':' The 'aqeedah of Abul-Hasan al-Ash'ari, which he died believing Abul-Hasan al-Ash 'ari stated: This is a list of the beliefs to which the followers of the Hadith and the Sunnah adhere: Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state 1Belief in Allah, His angels and His Messengers, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. 2That Paradise is true and Hell is true, that the Hour will undoubtedly come, and that Allah will resurrect those who are in the graves. 3Allah is above His Throne as He says: ~The Most Merciful rose over the Throne.s (Quran 20: 5) 4He has two hands, but we do not discuss how, as He says: ~I have created with Both My Hands.~ (Quran 38: 75) 5He has two eyes, but we do not discuss how, as He says: ~Sailing under Our Eyes.~ (Quran 54: 14) 6He has a Face, as He says: ~And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honour) (Quran 55: 27) 7The names of Allah cannot be said to be something other than Allah, as the Mu'tazilites and Khawarij say. 8They affirmed that Allah is All-Knowing, as He says: ~He has sent it down with His Knowledge) (Quran 4: 166) and: ~And no female conceives or gives birth except with His Knowledge.s (Quran 35: 11) 9They affirm that Allah can hear and see, and they do not deny that as the Mu'tazilites do. 10They affirm that Allah has power or strength, as He says: ~Did they not consider that Allah Who created them was greater than them in strengthvs (Quran 41: 15) 11They say that nothing happens on earth, good or evil, except what Allah wills. 12Things happen by the will of Allah, as He says: ~And you do not will except that Allah wills.s (Quran 81: 29) And as the

$alii/J ad-Deen al-Ayubi Muslims say: What Allah wills happens and what He does not will does not happen. 13They say that no one can do anything that Allah knows he is not going to do. 14They affirm that there is no creator except Allah, and that people's bad deeds are created by Allah (~) and that people's actions are created by Allah, and that people are not able to create anything. 15They say that the Quran is the word of Allah and is not created. 16Whoever suggests that the uttered words of the Quran are created is an innovator in their view. It should not be said that the uttered words of the Qur' an are created or not created. 17They believe that Allah will be seen in a literal sense on the Day of Resurrection as the moon is seen on the night when it is full. The believers will see Him but the disbelievers will not see Him because they will be veiled from seeing Him. Allah says: ~No! Indeed, they [evil doers] will be veiled from seeing their Lord that Day) (Quran 83: 15). Moses (~) asked Allah to let him see Him in this world, and Allah appeared to the mountain and made it collapse to dust (Quran 7: 143), so He showed him that he could not see Him in this world but he will see Him in the Hereafter. 18They do not regard any Muslim as a disbeliever if he commits sin such as fornication, stealing and other major sins; they are believers even though they have committed major sins. 19In their view, faith means believing in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the divine decree both good and bad, sweet and bitter, and that what has missed them would never

have befallen them and what has befallen them would never have missed them. 106 Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state 20Islam means bearing witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, according to what it says in the Hadith, and in their view Islam is something different from iman (faith, belief). 21They affirm that Allah is the Controller of the hearts. 22They affirm the intercession of the Messenger of Allah (~) and that it will be for those members of his Ummah who commit major sins; they affirm the torment of the grave, and that the cistern is true, the sirat is true and the Resurrection after death is true. 23The Reckoning by Allah of His slaves is true and the standing before Allah (on the Day of Resurrection) is true. 24They affirm that faith is both words and deeds; it may increase and decrease. They do not say that faith is created or not created. 25They believe that the names of Allah are Allah. 26They do not testify that anyone who commits a major sin will be in Hell, and they do not affirm that any individual among those who profess Islamic monotheism will be in Paradise. Rather Allah will put them wherever He wills. They believe that the matter is up to Allah: if He wills He will punish them and if He wills He will forgive them. They believe that Allah will bring some of those who profess tawhid out of Hell, according to what is mentioned in the reports from the Messenger of Allah (~). 27They denounce arguments about religion and disputes about the divine decree, and what the argumentative debate about

$alii/:tad-Deen al-Ayubi with regard to religious matters. They accept the sound reports which were transmitted by trustworthy narrators going all the way back to the Messenger of Allah (~), and they do not ask how or why, because that is innovation. 28They believe that Allah did not enjoin evil; rather He forbade it and enjoined good. He does not approve of evil even though He wills it. 29They acknowledge the rights of those whom Allah chose to accompany His Prophet (~); they recognize their virtues and refrain from discussing the disputes that arose among them. 30They give precedence to Abu Bakr, then 'Umar, then 'Uthman, then 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with them all). 31They affirm that they are the Rightly-Guided Caliphs and the best of all people after the Prophet (~). 32They believe in the hadiths which came from the Messenger of Allah (~) including: «Allah descends to the lowest heaven and says: Is there anyone who will ask forgiveness?» as the hadith came from the Messenger of Allah (~). 33They adhere to the Qur' an and Sunnah as Allah says: ~And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and His Messenger.s (Quran 4: 59) 34They believe in following the early generation of imams who did not introduce any innovation into their religion for which Allah did not give permission. 35They affirm that Allah will come on the Day of Resurrection as He says: ~And your Lord comes, and the angels rank upon rank.} (Quran 89: 22) 36And that Allah draws near to His creation however He wills, as Beliefs ('aqeedah) afthe Ayubid state He says: ~And We are closer to him than his jugular vein [by Our Knowledgel.s (Quran 50: 16) 37They believe in offering Eid and congregational prayers behind any ruler, good or bad. 38They affirm that wiping over the socks is Sunnah and is valid whether one is travelling or not. 39They affirm that engaging in jihad against the polytheists is obligatory, from the time Allah sent His Prophet (*) until the last group fights the false Messiah and after that. 40They believe that supplication should be said asking for the Muslim leaders to be guided aright, and that they should not rebel against them with the sword, and that they should not fight at times of fitnah.214 41They believe that the Dajjal will emerge and that 'Eesa ibn Maryam (Jesus, son of Mary) will kill him. 42They believe in Munkar and Nakeer,215 and in the miraculous ascent [of Prophet Muhamrnad (*) to heaven], and in the visions seen in dreams. 43And (they believe that) the benefit of supplication for deceased Muslims and charity given on their behalf after death will reach them. 44They believe that there are practitioners of witchcraft in the world, and that the practitioner of witchcraft is a disbeliever as Allah says, and that magic or witchcraft exists in this world. 45They believe in offering the funeral prayer for any Muslim who dies, whether he was righteous or otherwise, and that they may be inherited from. 46They affirm that Paradise and Hell are created entities.

SaW/; ad-De en al-Ayubi 47They affirm that everyone who dies, dies at his appointed time, and everyone who is killed, is killed at his appointed time. 48They affirm that provision comes from Allah, Who gives provision to His slaves, whether it is halal or haram. 49The devil whispers to people and instils doubt and confusion. 50It may so happen that Allah chooses to single out some of the righteous for signs that appear at their hands. 51The Sunnah does not abrogate the Quran.216 52With regard to children who die, it is up to Allah: if He wills He will punish them and if He wills He do whatever He wants with them. 53Allah knows what His slaves will do and has decreed that it will happen, and all things are in the hands of Allah. 54They believe in patience in adhering to < what Allah has enjoined and refraining from what He has forbidden; sincerity (towards Allah) in actions; sincerity towards the Muslims; worshipping Allah alongside those who worship Him; avoiding major sins, fornication, false speech, minor sins, pride, arrogance, looking down on people and self-admiration. 55They believe in shunning everyone who promotes innovation. 56They believe in occupying oneself with reading the Qur' an, studying reports of the Prophet (~), acquiring knowledge and studying fiqh with humility and a good attitude, doing favours, refraining from causing harm, refraining from backbiting, gossip and troublemaking, and checking on food and drink. 57This is a summary of what they enjoin, do and believe. Everything that has been mentioned of their beliefs we believe and follow also, and we have no help but that of Allah; He is Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state sufficient for us and is the best disposer of affairs; His help we seek and in Him we put our trust and to Him is the final destiny.r'" These are the beliefs of Imam al-Ash 'ari that he settled upon and professed, and they are part of the legacy that he left behind after he died. They undoubtedly contributed to raising the Ummah's awareness and educating the Muslims in the basic principles of Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, whether in the Nizami schools at the time of the Seljuks or at the time of the Zangids, Ayubids, Mamelukes and Ottomans, until the present day. It is academically fair to say that the Ash'ari madh-hab did not settle on the beliefs with which Imam Abul-Hasan al-Ash 'ari died, rather there were further developments in the Ash'ari madh-hab, which developed various opinions on many issues. Among the most well known of those who differed from Abul-Hasan al-Ash 'ari on some issues were: Abu Bakr al-Baqillani, Ibn Foorak, 'Abd al-Qahir al-Baghdadi, al-Bayhaqi, al-Qushayri, alJuwayni, al-Ghazali and others, to varying degrees. Dr. 'AbdurRahman ibn Salih ibn Salih al-Mahmood has studied these developments in some detail in his useful book Mawqif Ibn Taymiyah min al-Ashd'irah. His death He died in 324 AH and was buried in Baghdad in Mashroo' az-Zawiiyii.218 At his funeral, the words, "Today a supporter of the Sunnah has died," were called OUt.219 This is the Sunni belief that was followed by the Ayubid state. The Sunni scholars refuted the idea that the Prophet (~) mentioned 'Ali by name as his successor, as the Rafidi Shiites believe, on which basis their Imamate madh-hab is founded. They (the Sunni scholars) explained how flawed this idea is, on the grounds that Abu Bakr was elected and the Muslims swore allegiance to him on the day of as-

$aliiJ:tad-Deen al-Ayubi Saqeefah.220 At the same time, Sunni preachers began to affirm the legitimacy of the caliphate of the Sunni Abbasids and their rule over all Muslim lands, highlighting the flaws in Batini Ismaili thinking and what it contained of contradiction and deceit, and explaining the falseness of the Fatimids' claim of descent from 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (~). The Ayubids learned from the Seljuks and Zangids the means of spreading Sunni Islamic beliefs in Egypt and other parts of the Ayubid state. During the Ayubid period, Sunni Islamic beliefs and the means of propagating them, on one hand, and Sunni Shafi'i fiqh, on the other, represented one of the foundations of the Sunni message that was propagated by the Ayubids after they put an end to the Ismaili Shiite madh-hab.Y' Fiqh studies The Ayubids paid a great deal of attention to this branch of Sunni education, through the many schools which they founded and established as endowments for the scholars of jurisprudence of particular madh-habs, or to be shared between more than one madhab, as in the case of al-Madrasah al-Fadiliyah, which was established as an endowment for the Shafi'is and Malikis, alMadrasah az-Zahiriyah in Aleppo, which was founded as an endowment for the Shafi'is and Hanafis, and al-Madrasah a~- Salihiyah in Cairo which was established as an endowment by a~- Salih Najm ad-Deen Ayub for the four Sunni madh-habs. But the attention given by the Ayubids to the Shafi'i schools was greater because the Shafi'i madh-hab was the official madh-hab of the state, and it was the madh-hab followed by the judges. All the Ayubids followed this madh-hab and no one differed from that apart from alMalik al-Mu'adh-dham 'Eesa ibn al-'Adil, who was a Hanafi and whose sons emulated him by following the same madh-hab. It may be added that those who held official positions in Salah ad-Deen's Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state t state were also Shafi'is, for example al-Qadi al-Fadil, al- 'Imad alIsfahani and Baha' ad-Deen ibn Shaddad. This is supported by what we mentioned above, which is that although Noor ad-Deen was a Hanafi, most of his men were Shafi'is, and many of them were graduates of the Nizami schools, such as al-Qadi Kamal ashShahrazoori, Ibn Abi 'Asroon, and others.222 These are the basic elements of Sunni education on which academic institutions at the time of the Ayubids were based. The Ayubids paid attention to propagating and strengthening them, especially in Egypt, because of its historical background, as it had been the main stronghold of the Ismaili Shiite madh-hab. The elements of Sunni education were based on the Noble Quran, Hadiths of the Prophet (~), Sunni fiqh studies and the basic principles of belief (usool al- 'aqeedah), then they expanded to include everything that could serve this cause, such as grammar, literature and Arabic language. Philosophical studies played no role in it; rather anyone who wanted to study this type of knowledge would do so with a sense of shame, because focusing on such matters was disdained in the academic Sunni environment, and those who studied it were not socially accepted; rather they were rejected in academic Sunni circles.223 There are many such examples. Salah adDeen despised philosophers, those who denied the divine attributes and the Dahriyah (an atheistic, materialistic group).224 It seems that the enmity towards philosophy during this era was due to two things: (i) This attitude was a reaction against the Shiite madh-hab which relied heavily on philosophy in the formation and propagation of its beliefs. Hence the Muslim scholars rejected it, because they believed that the Sunni madh-hab was clear and simple, and easy for people to understand without any need to seek the help of philosophy, as was the view of Ibn as-Salah in his fatwas.z25

$alaf; ad-Deenal-Ayubi (ii) Philosophy had lost its lustre and tumbled from its high position since Imam al-Ghazali had launched his arrows against it in his book Tahdfut al-Faldsifali (The Incoherence of the Philosophers). The influence of al-Ghazali was still strong in Sunni circles after his era.226 Ayubid revival of the Abbasid caliphate At the end of the sixth century and beginning of the seventh century AH, the Ayubid state managed to revive the political influence of the Abbasid caliph ate in most parts of the Islamic east, after they put an end to the Fatirnid caliphate in Egypt in 567 AH/ 1171 CE. In 569 AHll173 CE, they succeeded in conquering Yemen, which was regarded as the oldest and firmest stronghold of the Fatirnid madh-hab. They managed to eradicate the Fatirnid preacher in that land, 'Abd al-Nabi ibn Mahdi, and started giving sermons in Yemen in the name of the Abbasids. From Yemen they expanded their influence to the Two Holy Sanctuaries, where they ensured that sermons were given in the name of the caliph in Baghdad.227 By these means, the Abbasid caliph fully regained spiritual authority and influence in the Muslim world, because he had now become the guardian of the Two Holy Sanctuaries, after the Fatirnid caliphate had been the only guardians, excluding the Abbasids, for a lengthy period?28 There are many references by contemporary Egyptian, Yemeni and Syrian historians to the Ayubid conquest of Yemen229, which makes it clear that this conquest was an ideological step aimed at finishing off the Fatirnid cause which had been the aim of the Seljuks that was continued by the Zangids and finally executed by the Ayubids, and it was in no way aimed at gaining Ayubid independence from Noor ad-Deen Zangi.23o When Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state the Ayubids conquered Yemen, they were very keen to bring Sunni books in with their troops, and they strove to spread the Sunni message in Yemen, so as to put an end to the Shiite books there, such as the books of the Mu'tazilites, Zaydis and Fatirnids which had been brought to Yemen from the land of the Daylam at the time of the Zaydi imams of Yemen and during the era of Fatirnid influence in Yemen?31 On the other hand, the Ayubids strove to incorporate the Muslim west (maghreb) and wrest it from the Muwahhideen (Almohads) in the interests of the Abbasids. Salah ad-Deen was keen to respect the Abbasid caliphs, and his method was an extension of that of Noor ad-Deen whom Sibt ibn al-Jawzi described as feeling that it was his religious obligation to show obedience to the caliph.232 This respect stemmed from his belief that obeying the Abbasid caliphs was obligatory. This may be seen clearly in one of the letters of al-Qadi al-Fadil to the caliph an-Nasir after Salill) ad-Deen captured Aleppo, in which he wrote: These three aims - jihad for the sake of Allah, putting a stop to injustice towards the slaves of Allah and obedience to the caliph of Allah - are the aims of the servant (Salah ad-Deen) when he takes control of any land and when he makes any worldly gain that is granted to him. Allah knows best that he is not fighting in order to live a more luxurious life. All he wants is these things which he believes it is obligatory to achieve.233 When the caliph an-Nasir li Deen-Illah sent word to Salah adDeen rebuking him for having the title of al-Malik an-Nasir despite the fact that it was the title of the caliph, Salah ad-Deen sent word apologizing and explaining that this title dated from the time of the caliph al-Mustadi', and that if the caliph chose to give him a different title he would not prefer to use anything else, and he showed proper respect to the caliph?34 This was the way of most of the Ayubids with the caliphs.235

!jallilJad-Deen al-Ayubi The Ayubid sultans' protection of the Hajj routes and the Two Holy Sanctuaries After the grace of Allah, the restoration of Abbasid authority over the Hijaz is due to the efforts of the Seljuks in wresting the holy places from the domination of the Shiite Fatimid state. Noor ad-Deen Zangi made great efforts to show kindness to the inhabitants of Makkah and Madinah. He sent troops to guard Madinah, allocated fiefs to the emir of Makkah and to the Arab emirs so that they could protect the pilgrims between Damascus and the Hijaz, completed the walls of Madinah and dug wells for the city. Supplications were said for him, after the Abbasid caliph, on the minbars of the two holy sanctuaries.236 There is some information of great significance to anyone who researches the history of the Ayubid dynasty and its rise, which indicates that the founder of this dynasty was appointed to lead the Syrian Hajj delegation during his service to Noor ad-Deen Zangi, and that was one of the main factors that gave some authority to this ambitious family. Hence we know that Najm ad-Deen Ayub, the head of the Ayubid clan, led the Syrian Hajj delegation on behalf of Noor ad-Deen Zangi from 551 AHl1156 CE, and this position was inherited from him by his brother Asad ad-Deen Shirkuh, who was described as being very close to Noor ad-Deen Zangi, who sent him as the leader of the Hajj delegation from Damascus?37 During his lifetime, Shirkuh spent huge amounts of his own wealth on improving the facilities for pilgrims and visitors to the two holy sanctuaries and doing charitable activities, along with his friend, the vizier Jamal ad-Deen, the vizier of the ruler of Mosul. He gave instructions to his friend that he should be buried in a graveyard near the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah,238 and the Ayubid kings were eager to fulfil this wish and final request. They transferred the remains of Najm ad-Deen Ayub and his brother Shirkuh after they Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state had been buried in Egypt, and re-buried them in Madinah, in accordance with their wishes.239 Abbasid authority was maintained in the Hijaz at the hands of the sultans and kings of the Ayubid state, and this authority was symbolized by the mention of the Abbasid caliphs in the sermons delivered in the sanctuary at Makkah, before the Ayubid sultan of Egypt and the Ayubid king of Yemen; by the sending of the caliph ate 's symbols confirming the appointment of the emirs of both Makkah and Madinah with the leader of the Iraqi Hajj delegation - the appointment or dismissal of the emirs of Makkah and Madinah, or their deputies, would be read out next to the Prophet's Mosque;240 by the sending of the cover of the Ka'bah (the kiswah) every year, adorned with the symbols of Banu 'Abbas - it was black with red embroidery bearing the name of the Abbasid caliph - and supplications for him?41 The Abbasid caliphs also took care of the upkeep of the sanctuary at Makkah and the Prophet's Mosque, and the Abbasid caliph was the only one who was entitled to raise his banner on the day that the pilgrims would stand at 'Arafat. 242As confirmation of Abbasid supervision of the Makkan sanctuary, the leader of the Iraqi Hajj delegation himself, along with his inner circle, put the cover on the Ka 'bah. 243Cloaks made of black cloth, the Abbasid colour, were also sent from Baghdad to the khateeb (sermon-giver) of the Makkan sanctuary, who received this cloak like the sermon-givers of other lands belonging to the Abbasid dynasty, according to Ibn Jubayr, so that he could wear it when ascending the minbar to deliver the Friday khutbah.f''" Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi, servant of the Two Holy Sanctuaries Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi inherited general authority from his master Noor ad-Deen Zangi, as well as his mission to unite the

$alfllJ ad-De en al-Ayubi Islamic front in order to wage jihad against the Crusaders, by means of reviving the Abbasid caliphate and supporting the Sunni madhab. He also inherited from his master the mission of taking care of the pilgrims and securing the Hajj routes. In 572 AH he ordered the abolition of the taxes that were taken in Jeddah from travellers coming via the Red Sea, and he compensated the ruler of Makkah with eight thousand bushels of wheat per year, to be brought by sea, and a similar amount to be distributed to the patients of the hospital in Makkah. He also established endowments for the pilgrims and the Two Holy Sanctuaries.v" to be spent on their needs when performing the obligatory duty of Hajj?46 He also allocated fiefs to the emir of Madinah in Upper Egypt and Yemen, 247and he allocated fiefs for the emir of Madinah, al-Ameer Jimaz, and his children in Upper Egypt. The Ayubid sources do not mention them, but they are confirmed by some documents of the shariah courts which today are preserved in the records of the land registry.248 Salah ad-Deen followed that by abolishing all the unlawful taxes that were collected by merchants from the pilgrims. As a result, the route became very safe for pilgrims after the Hajj had almost ceased and the pilgrims had almost been unable to perform the obligatory duty of Hajj.249All these favours that Salah ad-Deen did for the pilgrims to the sacred House of Allah entitled him to become the Protector of the Two Holy Sanctuaries, which is a manifestation of political leadership in the Muslim world.25o The Muslim world was impacted by the efforts of Salah adDeen, hence when Salah ad-Deen was mentioned after the Abbasid caliph and the emir of Makkah, in supplications on the minbars of the Two Holy Sanctuaries, cries of 'Ameen' echoed in all corners. When Allah loves one of His slaves, He makes people love him too, and that was due from them because of the care and kindness that he had shown towards them, and because of the taxes that he had abolished for them.251 Ibn Jubayr said, after mentioning the khateeb's Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state supplication for Salah ad-Deen: He is a man of great deeds and noble characteristics, and when the turn came for his name to be mentioned in the supplication, the people's voices were raised in saying 'Ameen' to the supplication for him, stemming from sincere hearts filled with respect because of what Allah bestowed on as-Sultan al-' Adil (this just sultan) of beautiful praise, and granted him of the people's love. The slaves of Allah are His witnesses on earth?52 Ibn Jubayr said: We came to know that the letter of Salah ad-Deen had reached the emir Mukthir, and its main point was that he should take care of the pilgrims and that it was important to be kind to them and make things easy for them, and to prevent any aggression against them, and that this should not be delegated to servants or other officials. And he said: We and you are taken care of because of the blessed supplications of the pilgrims, so think about this noble idea and noble aim. The kindness of Allah is multiplied for the one who is kind to His slaves and His generosity is bestowed upon the one who treats His slaves generously, and Allah has guaranteed to reward those who do good?53 In fact Salah ad-Deen did not spare any effort to secure the Hajj routes on an ongoing basis, and he made this his main concern. He continued to write to the emir of Makkah, urging him to take care of the pilgrims when they arrived at the Makkan sanctuary.F" as he had written to the emir of Barqah before him, urging him to protect the Maghrebi and Andalusian pilgrims who passed through his province?55 He was also on friendly terms with the emir of Madinah, honouring his envoys and expressing gratitude for his gifts, because they had come from the emir of the noble City of the Prophet (~). 256

Salal'} ad-Deen al-Ayubi Salah ad-Deen's protection of the land route for pilgrims coming from Egypt, the Maghreb and Andalusia The Crusaders realized the importance of the Hajj as one of the basic pillars of Islam which brought spiritual unity to the Muslims and strengthened the social and intellectual bonds among them, guaranteeing a sense of loyalty to one Ummah and one social entity. So they began to launch occasional attacks on the Hajj caravans and Egyptian trade caravans which passed through the Sinai desert and known pilgrimage routes, and plundered them.257 This led to the land route for pilgrims coming from Andalusia, the Maghreb and Egypt falling into disuse, and forced the pilgrims to make a lengthy journey starting from Alexandria to Fustat, then to the city of Qoos in Upper Egypt. From there the pilgrims crossed the 'Aydhab desert to the port of 'Aydhab on the Red Sea, whence they travelled in small ships known as al-jallab to the port of Jeddah. This journey was long and arduous, and the pilgrims suffered a great deal during it.258 The Crusaders blocked the Hajj routes across the Sinai after they captured the fortress of Kerak, which made recapturing this fortress one of the most important goals of Noor ad-Deen Zangi,259 and then of Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi when he was his deputy in Egypt, before he became its independent ruler. Hence Noor ad-Deen launched a two-pronged siege against Kerak, attacking from the direction of Syria and the direction of Egypt at the same time, and he almost captured it.26o When Salah ad-Deen became established as ruler, he made Kerak the target of his first campaign against the Franks, so as to re-establish the route for the caravans and merchants between Egypt and Syria across the Sinai, and to secure the land route for Egyptian pilgrims after it had been blocked. Undoubtedly Reynald de Chatillon' s sea campaign via the Red Sea and his attempt to reach Madinah and snatch the body of the Prophet (~) were done Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state with full awareness of the importance of the Muslims' pilgrimage to the Hijaz and visits to Madinah and the Prophet's Mosque. Lu'lu', the admiral of the Egyptian fleet, did not spare any effort to capture these Franks and bring them to Cairo in a scene of humiliation which was described to us by Ibn Jubayr, then he sent some of these prisoners to Madinah where they were slaughtered.i'" It comes as no surprise that Salah .ad-Deen had the nickname of 'Servant of the Two Holy Sanctuaries' and 'the Saviour of Jerusalem from the hands of the polytheists' ?62 Nothing is more indicative of the great importance attached by the Muslim world to the securing of the Muslim pilgrimage routes to Makkah and the keenness of the Ayubids to achieve this security that what al- 'Imad al-Isfahani, the historian of Salah ad-Deen, said - that the securing of the Hajj route to Makkah was one of the most important motives for !?alal).ad-Deen's conquest of Jerusalem and recapturing it from the Crusaders?63 The Ayubid rulers' direct supervision of the Hajj rituals The Ayubid rulers continued to protect and secure the Hajj routes, and to protect the Iraqi Hajj banner which represented the spiritual authority of the Abbasid caliphate over the Muslim world. This was usually the role of the Ayubids of Yemen, even when Salah ad-Deen was still alive, and their names were mentioned after his in the sermons in the Two Holy Sanctuaries.Y" In 582 AHl1186 CE, Sayf al-Islam Tushtigin himself, the Ayubid king of Yemen, reached the Ka 'bah to put a stop to the Shiite adhan containing the words Hayya 'alii khayr il- 'amal ('come to the best of deeds') and to prevent the slaves who were loyal to the emir of Makkah from extorting taxes from the pilgrims. He demanded the key of the Ka 'bah from the emir of Makkah so that he would be the guardian of

$aliilJ.ad-Deen al-Ayubi the Makkan sanctuary in practical terms. This occurred after the emir of Makkah had tried to lock the door of the Ka 'bah and give the key to its custodian from Banu Shaybah, in whose hands the Prophet (~) had said it would remain until Judgement Day. He wanted Tushtigin to go back without giving him the key of the Ka 'bah, but Tushtigin threatened to take it by force, at which point the emir ofMakkah gave in and handed the key to Tushtigin, who in turn handed it to Banu Shaybah.265 Another fact that confirms the Ayubid sultans' interest in and concern for the Hajj season was mentioned by the historians of Salah ad-Deen, who state that he introduced official ceremonies to welcome the Syrian Hajj delegation. That took place during his stay in Damascus. Salah ad-Deen would ride in military formation, wearing full military dress, and go out to the public celebrations, passing through the streets of Damascus, following a certain route.266 Historians have noted that none of the Ayubid sultans of Egypt performed Hajj because they were always preoccupied with jihad against the Crusaders. Among the Ayubids of Yemen, al-Malik alMu 'adh-dham Shams al-Dawlah Turanshah, the brother of Salah adDeen and conqueror and first king of Yemen,267 performed Hajj, as did al-Malik al-Mas'ood, known as Baqsees, the son of al-Malik alKamil, sultan of Egypt.268 Among the Ayubids of Syria who performed Hajj were al-Malik al-Mu'adh-dham 'Eesa ibn al-'Adil Abu Bakr, ruler of Damascus, and al-Malik an-Nasir Dawood ibn alMu'adh-dham 'Eesa, ruler of Kerak?69 From the time of Salah adDeen, the Ayubids had the honour of protecting the Hajj routes and supervising the Two Holy Sanctuaries, and reinforcing the political authority of the emir in charge of the Iraqi Hajj banner over the Hijaz. The Ayubid sultanate also became the protector of the Abbasid cause, working to extend Abbasid authority throughout the Muslim lands, whether they were possessions of the Fatimid state, or lands under the authority of the Almohads in the Maghreb or, more importantly, Muslim lands in Syria which had been regained from the

The Ayubids' efforts to combat Shiism in Egypt, Syria and Yemen Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state Crusaders. Undoubtedly the fact that the Ayubid sultans were the only ones who took on the mission of supporting the Abbasid cause, protecting the Abbasid caliphate and obliging the rulers of neighbouring Muslim lands to show obedience to the Abbasids gave the Ayubid state a strong Shariah foundation and gave it a prominent, leading position in the Muslim world.27o It is worth noting that the first Sunni sultan who took on the mission of protecting the Hajj, before Noor ad-Deen Zangi and his successors the Ayubid sultans, was Sultan Mahmood al-Ghaznawi, the first of the Sunni sultans to appear in the Muslim east?71 He was followed by the Seljuks; the Seljuk sultan Malikshah was the first to set the precedent of protecting the Hajj for the sultans who came after him. He built cisterns along the road to the Hijaz, and waived the unauthorized taxes along the Hajj route, and he compensated the emirs of the Two Holy Sanctuaries for that by allocating land and wealth to them. Before that, they used to take seven gold dinars from each pilgrim. He also bestowed many gifts upon the desert Arabs and those who dwelt in the vicinity of the Ka 'bah?n It is not easy to uproot a madh-hab simply by changing the political system in a country; change needs many years and planning which has nothing to do with power and force. Hence it may be noted that Salah ad-Deen used many means and methods to put an end to the Fatimid madh-hab in Egypt. Some of these means involved force, violence and immediate, decisive measures, other used tricks and a gradual approach, and yet others used military power; at the same time, he followed a path of calling, teaching, convincing and winning people over, by means of social and charitable institutions and

SallilJad-Deen al-Ayubi endowments which were established to spend on them.273 Al-Qadi al-Fadil played a prominent role in drawing up these strategies. We have seen these means and methods in our discussion of the demise of the Fatimid state. Among the most important of these means were: the humiliation of the Fatimid caliph al- 'Adid and lowering his status; showing disrespect to the palace of the Fatimid state; stopping Jumu 'ah prayers in the al-Azhar mosque; putting a stop to the teaching of Fatimid thought therein; destroying and burning Ismaili Shiite books; abolishing all the sectarian festivals of the Fatimids; eradicating Fatimid symbols and currency; detention of members of the Fatimid household; weakening the capital of the Fatimid state; reviving the issue of the Fatimids' false claim to be descended from the Prophet's family; and persistence in pursuing the remnants of Shiism in Syria and Yemen?74 It seems that the Shiites and the supporters of the Fatimids in Egypt fled to Upper Egypt and rallied around one of the Arab emirs who was a fanatical supporter of the Fatimid state in Egypt and who was known as Kanz ad-Dawlah. SaIal) ad-Deen sent his brother alMalik al- 'Adil at the head of an army, and he managed to put a stop to this rebellion.275 The Ayubid state decisively confronted all Fatimid attempts to bring Egypt back to the Ismaili Shiite madh-hab; the Ayubids continued to support Sunni beliefs and to eradicate the Rafidi Shiite legacy, seeking out its followers in Cairo and Upper Egypt, so that there was no one left who was able to openly follow that madh-hab. It thus disappeared from Egypt.276 They continued to pursue the followers of this madh-hab in Syria and Yemen until they managed to put an end to the Ismaili madh-hab in Egypt, Yemen and Syria, and thus completed what the Ghaznawids, Seljuks and Zangids had started, namely combating the Ismaili Shiite madh-hab and spreading the Sunni madh-hab in Iran and Syria?77 The Ismailis realized that their madh-hab had never, throughout their history, been struck a blow by the Sunni Ghaznawid and Seljuk sultans like that

Factors which helped the Ayubids In the Sunni revival movement Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state which was dealt by the fall of the Fatimid state, the greatest Shiite state that had ever existed in the history of Islam, which had gained the authority of a caliphate and had almost incorporated the entire Muslim world under its banner, when sermons were given in its name in Baghdad in 450 AH/1058 CE.278 So it comes as no surprise that the Ismaili Shiites all regard Salah ad-Deen as the one who destroyed their great state in Egypt. 279 Hence the pens of the Rafidi Shiites throughout history have never tired of trying to distort the image of an-Nasir Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi. Shiism continued to grow weaker in Egypt until it was almost totally eradicated, and Egypt began to follow the madh-hab of Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah. There were numerous factors which contributed to the Ayubids' success in the Sunni revival movement. Among these factors was the fact that the Ismaili Shiite madh-hab was not deeply rooted, and the Egyptians had two stances towards it. The first was admiration for the followers of this madh-hab because of the efforts they had made to spread their madh-hab, which included: a lot of celebrations, invitations and feasts; generosity in giving gifts; manifestations of luxury and living well which appeared in various activities in life; and presenting themselves as great and important, which they were always eager to do?80 The second attitude towards their madh-hab was reflected in the fact that most of those who became involved in it did so either in pursuit of money, status and position, or out of fear of persecution and punishment. Neither of these two parties embraced it out of belief or faith. The Fatimids used a carrot-and-stick approach, among other methods, in propagating their madh-hab. When Ya'qoob ibn Kallas became the vizier of al-

Salill; ad-Deen al-Ayubi 'Azeez, he gathered the scholars in his house and gave them all a salary.28l Some time after settling in Egypt, the Fatirriids obliged all their employees to embrace the madh-hab of the state, so holding on to one's position or getting promoted required an outward show of following their beliefs. It seems to us that a desire to attain official positions is what prompted some Sunnis to turn to the Shiite madhab?82 The terrorist methods used by the Fatimids to impose their madh-hab on the people were many. In 381 AHl991 CE, a man in Egypt was beaten and paraded around the city because a copy of AlMuwaud by Imam Malik was found in his possession.283 The Sunnis were persecuted during the rule of al-Hakim bi Amr-Illah in 395 AHI 1004 CE, and forced to write words reviling the Companions of the Prophet (~) on their houses, and they obeyed unwillingly.P" This wave of persecution under al-Hakim resulted in people hastening to join the madh-hab out of fear. The head judge sat to receive them, and they came from all directions, and a number of men and women died?85 At the time of adh-Dhahir, Maliki influence was still strong, and the caliph was forced to expel the Maliki scholars of jurisprudence from Egypt in AHl1025 CB. The (Shiite) preachers were ordered to teach the people the book Da' a 'im alIslam, about the principles of Ismaili belief, and other books, and make them learn them by heart, and they gave money to those who did SO.286From this it becomes clear to us that this madh-hab had no strong foundation in Egypt. Hence when Salah ad-Deen came and founded the Sunni schools and appointed Shafi 'i judges, then followed that by toppling the Fatimid caliphate, the Shafi'is and Malikis regained their influence in Egypt, and the Ismaili and Imami Shiite madh-hab disappeared from Egypt altogether,287 praise be to Allah. The Rafidi Shiites are still trying to gain a foothold in the beloved land of Egypt, but the love of the heroic Egyptians for their religion and their strong persistence down throughout the ages in adhering to sound Sunni belief, sound understanding of the Book of Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state Allah, sincere love for the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah and their following the example of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, have made all the attempts of the Shiites meet with failure. The Sunni schools helped the Ummah to adhere to the Quran and Sunnah, and warned them against innovations, and reminded them of what is proven in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (~) of prohibitions and warnings against innovations, such as the verse which clearly enjoins obedience to Allah and His Messenger.r'" Allah (~) says: ~Say: Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, but if you turn away, then upon him is only that [duty] with which he has been charged. And If you obey him, you will be rightly guided. And there is not upon the Messenger except the [responsibility for] clear notification.s (Quran 24: 54) ~So let those beware who dissent from his [the Prophet's] order, lest some fitnah [trials, afflictions] strike them or a painful punishment.s (Quran 24: 63) Another factor that helped the Ayubids in achieving their goals in Egypt was the fact that during their era Egypt became a magnet for Sunni scholars from all madh-habs. They made a brilliant contribution to the restoration of Egypt to the Sunni path, by teaching in the schools that were founded there, or by preaching and writing books which supported the Sunnah. These efforts continued to seek out the pockets of Ismaili Shiites who remained in Egypt. Most of the scholars who helped the Ayubids in their efforts were equal to the responsibility placed upon their shoulders in terms of knowledge, attitude and religious commitment. May of them also played a role in political and social life, such as al-Qadi al-Fadil, al-Imad al-Isfahani, Baha' ad-Deen ibn Shaddad, Sharaf ad-Deen ibn Abi 'Asroon and al- 'Izz ibn 'Abd as-Salam. Some of them even played an effective role in the fields of jihad and war, such as the faqeeh 'Eesa al-Hakkari,

Salal;.ad-Deen al-Ayubi Many of them showed great courage in confronting and advising rulers, so they were brilliant examples for the masses. Hence their influence on them was strong and effective?89 Many of the Ayubids were themselves scholars who played their part in supporting the Sunni madh-hab, as we shall see in detail below, in sha' Allah. Educational principles in the guidelines set out by Salah ad-Deen Among the principles which we may note in the guidelines set out by Salah ad-Deen in his letters as a political and Islamic leader were the following: The religious obligation of obedience to the ruler He said concerning his obedience to the Abbasid caliph, "We do not see obedience to the ruler as anything other than one of the pillars of Islam," and he said, "It is known what advantage Allah has given us over them and we support the state in that and are eliminating anyone who disputes his position. ,,290 Removing innovators from the pulpit He said concerning the removal of Shiite preachers from the minbar, "We did not purify the minbar from the impurity of the impostors for worldly gain, so there is no point in boasting about something the reward for which is in paradise and in the hereafter. But speaking of the blessings of Allah is obligatory.t'F" Beliefs ('aqeedah) of the Ayubid state Forbidding blind devotion to madh-habs He said in his letter to his brother al-' Adil who was his deputy in Egypt, when some people had caused some trouble: We have heard that in Egypt there are some scholars of jurisprudence who were joined by a group of people with swords, and they started to say bad things that are not acceptable, and they created an atmosphere of factionalism by following the forces of evil and bringing back to life that which Allah had caused to die. Allah says, and His word is sufficient proof for those who hear and obey: ~And hold firmly to the Rope of Allah all together.s (Quran 3: 103) Sectarian adherence to madh-habs is still filling hearts with hatred, but Allah forbids arguing with those who dissent and split away, so how about arguing with those who are in harmony, except in the best manner? We do not know of any good intention for that, or any interest that could be served by it.292 Encouraging justice and kind treatment He was always keen to direct his governors to do this, telling them to be just to the people who were entrusted to them, and to go beyond being just and be kind to them. If a governor delegated this matter to one of his officials, then he should fear Allah and not let himself be controlled by whims and desires, or let the devil have any way of reaching him, if he should be capable of it himself.293 He said, ''Taking bribes has become common nowadays, but it is a cause of doom which the Messenger of Allah (~) told us to avoid; he forbade

Saliif:tad-Deen al-Ayubi taking bribes and getting involved in that, and it is like interest, for which the one who pays it and the one who consumes it are both cursed. ,,294 Paying attention to the judiciary With regard to the judges who are the pillars and troops of the Shariah, and who preserve the knowledge thereof so that no tampering can reach it, they are the ones to be relied on, their help is to be sought and official positions are not to be given to those who seek them, rather to those that are not thinking of that. 295 Salah ad-Deen was keen to return to the basic principles mentioned in the Qur' an and Sunnah, and he put a great deal of effort into adhering to these principles in all his efforts, by eradicating innovations and things that were contrary to Shariah. He paid attention to maintaining curricula and seeking to unify them; he supported the principle of equal opportunity in education, and made the Ummah understand what was happening in the light of its sound beliefs, so it set out to achieve great victories, such as the liberation of Jerusalem and other conquests.

CHAPTER IV The Status of the Scholars In the Estimation of Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi 0alal) ad-Deen al-Ayubi realized that one of the means of achieving victory against the spread of Batini Shiism and the Crusader invasion was the presence of a God-fearing leadership. This is what could, by the grace of Allah, bring the Ummah towards its set goals with firm steps. He was fully convinced of the importance of having God-fearing scholars at the helm, for they were the heart and soul of the leadership. Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi realized that liberating and uniting lands was not merely a political or military action, rather it was much broader than that. It meant confronting the Batini, Rafidi Shiite madh-hab which posed an internal danger and threatened the beliefs of the Ummah and the soundness of its religious commitment; and it also meant facing up to the conflict with the European, Christian West. If the Ummah's character was not based on sound belief, their victories over their opponents would never be anything more than a partial, temporary achievement that would always be vulnerable to the ebb and flow of history, as always happens. What this situation required was not only external victories in battle or recapturing fortresses, rather it also required building an Ummah that knew how to fight and how to preserve its ideology and its cultural character against loss and disintegration. Then every military element of political gain would increase the strength of the Muslim social structure, its confidence in its identity and its cohesion, so that it would not crumble beneath a series of blows and thus cause years of toil and sweat to be wasted.296 The status of the scholars in the estimation of $atal:tad-Deen Academic activity at the time of Salah ad-Deen and his interest in scholars was in fact no more than a natural extension of the era of Noor ad-Deen Mahmood, and it was never an intellectual luxury or a traditional activity of some sector of the state. Rather it was deliberately aimed at laying the foundation for sound beliefs. The Ayubids took an interest in the scholars and played a role in supporting the Sunni madh-hab. Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi based his belief on evidence by means of studying with shaykhs and senior scholars of jurisprudence, and through that he developed an understanding of what he needed to understand, so that when a discussion took place in his presence, he could comment on it even though he did not express himself like a faqeeh.297 He was keen to spend time alone with some of the scholars who were close to him ...and read to him some hadiths or fiqh, and he would sit with the scholars of jurisprudence when they sat as consultants in judiciary committees.f'" We have seen above that he was very keen to listen to hadith and he would go to senior scholars of the Hadith and learn from them. Salah ad-Deen was keen for his children to grow up respecting knowledge and scholars, so he would take them with him to lessons and make them study some religious books, so they grew up loving knowledge and respecting scholars?99 Salah ad-Deen kept the scholars of the Zangid era close to him, and he honoured them and cooperated with them. The viziers and emirs in his state were senior scholars, one of the most famous of whom was his vizier, scribe and consultant, al-Qadi al-Fadil 'Abd arRaheem ibn 'Ali, of whom Salfih ad-Deen said, "I did not conquer any land by my sword, rather it was by the advice of al-Qadi alFadil." AI-QaQi al-Fadil combined deep piety with his political acumen; he prayed, fasted and read the Qur' an a great deal. He was humble, often visited the sick, and treated the poor kindly?OO There follows a biography of some of the most important scholars and a

$alii/:tad-Deen al-Ayubi discussion of the scholars' role in politics, academic life, jihad and education at the time of Salah ad-Deen. AI-Qa<;li al-Fa<;lil The imam and great and eloquent scholar, al-Qadi al-Fadil Muhiy ad-Deen, the master of the eloquent, Abu 'Ali 'Abd arRaheern ibn 'Ali ibn al-Hasan al- 'Asqallani, head of Salah ad-Deen's chancery, was born in 529 AH. In middle age he learned from Abu at-Tahir as-Salafi, Abu Muhammad al- 'Uthmani, Abul-Qasim ibn 'Asakir, Abu at-Tahir ibn 'Awfand 'Uthman ibn Faraj al-'Abdari?Ol Al-Qadi al-Fadil attained a high level of skill in writing rhymed prose, an art in which he had a brilliant touch and produced creative meanings. He attained a level of prominence which no one else could match and in which no one could compete with him, although there were many active in that field.302 He learned this skill from alMuwaffaq Yoosuf ibn al-Khallal, the head of al-'Adid's chancery. Then he served on the border for a while, then his services were requested by the son of as-Salih ibn Ruzzeek who employed him in the chancery?03 Al-Tmad said: He died as a good Muslim, not leaving any righteous deed but he did it, and not having entered any covenant but he fulfilled it. His great accomplishments in freeing prisoners and establishing endowments cannot be listed, especially the endowments he established for freeing prisoners. He supported the Malikis and Shafi'is by establishing schools, and he helped orphans by establishing schools for teaching the Quran. He restored people's rights, and was ahead in doing righteous deeds. The sultan was obedient to him, and lands were not conquered except because of his good advice and opinion. I am one of his good deeds. His writings were as The status of the scholars in the estimation of SaW!;,ad-Deen effective and powerful as mighty battalions, his pen was the jewel of the age, his intelligence was used for righteous purposes, his words were highly effective [literally - could undo the knots of witchcraft], his eloquence lent perfection to the state and gave the era of Salah ad-Deen precedence over others, surpassing the styles of the ancients. I never found him repeating a supplication in any letter that he wrote, and he never repeated a word when speaking to people.304 He said of him in his book Al-Kharreedah: Before I mention the prominent people of Egypt, I will start by mentioning one compared to whom all the prominent people of Egypt are no more than a drop in the ocean, al-Qadi alFadil.; He is like the Shariah of Muhamrnad that abrogated all laws that came before; he is the author of creative ideas, he is the one whose ideas represent the foundation of the state. What he produces in one day, if it were written down, would be the best help to people in that field. Where is a poet in comparison to his eloquence, where is Qays in comparison to his wisdom, where are Hatim and 'Arnr in comparison to his tolerance and zeal?305 He does not remind others of his favours when he does good deeds, or waffle when he speaks. He is a man of honesty, chivalry and purity, one of the close friends of Allah who are singled out for honour. Despite the overwhelming circumstances, he does not neglect supererogatory prayers or the people to whom he gives on a regular basis.306 Al-I:Jafidh al-Mundhiri said concerning him, "The Sultan trusted him completely and held him in high esteem. He was very righteous and did a lot of good deeds.,,307 Al-Muwaffaq 'Abd alLateef said:

$allilJad-Deen al-Ayubi Al-Qadi al-Fadil loved writing and books; he was religiously committed, dignified, persistently recited the supplications for morning and evening and read Quran. When Asad ad-Deen came to power he summoned him and admired him, then Salah ad-Deen made him one of his inner circle. He did not occupy himself with physical pleasures; he did a lot of good deeds and always prayed night prayers. He took an interest in tafseer and literature, and took less of an interest in grammar although he was good at it. His writing of official letters was unparalleled. Ibn Sina' al-Mulk mentioned that what he wrote filled twenty two volumes. Ibn Qattan mentioned that it was twenty volumes. He was abstemious in his food, physical pleasures and clothing; he wore white clothes. He often attended funerals and visited the sick, and he did charitable deeds secretly and openly. He was physically weak, with a gentle image, and he had a hunch-back that he covered with his taylasan (a shawl-like garment). He was hot-tempered but he suppressed it and did not harm anyone. He showed kindness to people of knowledge and treated them gently. He did not take revenge on his enemies except by showing them kindness or turning away from them. His annual income was approximately fifty thousand dinars, apart from trade with India and the Maghreb.308 He died of a heart attack when he needed death most, when things got very bad, which indicates that Allah cared for him.309 Abu Shamah said concerning him: He was wise and mature, respected by the Sultan Salah adDeen who asked for his opinion and consulted him at times of turmoil; the sultan obeyed him and did not conquer any region except on the basis of his opinion. His writings were a means that led to victory?lO The status of the scholars in the estimation of Salill}ad-Deen AI-QaQi al-Fadil was appointed to many posts and contributed to many achievements at the time of Salah ad-Deen, including the following: Head of the chancery When Salah ad-Deen was the vizier of the Fatimid state in Egypt, he was regarded as the sultan and was called as such. When al-Qadi al-Fadil was appointed as head of the chancery, he was regarded as his vizier.311 AI-QaQi al-Fadil continued to work in the chancery as its head, even though he kept the title of deputy head of the chancery, out of respect to his teacher, sponsor and superior, Shaykh al-Muwaffaq Abul-Hajjaj Yoosuf ibn al-Khallal. He never made Ibn al-Khallal feel that he had taken his place, even though Ibn Khallal may have liked that because of his respect and fondness for al-Qadi al-Fadil, and his liking for continuity in style and ideas; he was not disappointed in his student who treated him towards the end of his life as a righteous son treats his father.312 His position as head of the chancery was the highest position that he was hoping for. After a conflict that had lasted for twenty one years in Egypt, in which he went through all kinds of suffering, he reached a position that some of the scribes had tried to prevent him from reaching. After reaching this position, he became known as asSayyid al-Ajall (most respected master) and ash-Shaykh al-Ajall (most respected shaykh), Katib ad-Dast ash-Shareef (scribe of the noble council), and SaI:tibDiwan al-Insha' (head ofthe chancery)?13 However, most often he was called al-Qadi al-Fadil (the virtuous judge), a title by which he became better known than by his original name of 'Abdur-Raheem al-Baysani al-'Asqalliini, which was indicative of his homeland and birthplace, especially in writings about him. AI-QaQi al-Fadil took charge of the chancery in Egypt,

Saldl) ad-Deen al-Ayubi despite the presence of scribes who were older than him and whom he had met when he first entered the chancery as a student, and had trained under some of them, such as al-Qadi al-Atheer ibn Bayan. Then he worked with them and leapt ahead of them when he was promoted, whilst they remained where they were, which provoked some ofthem against him. It is clear that al-Qadi al-Fadil's energetic character, ability to adapt, keen intelligence, and strong intuition which helped him to recognize strengths and weaknesses in leaders, were among the factors that led to his rapid promotion, but his beautiful literary style opened up horizons for him, which is indicative of the importance of literature in politics and the appreciation that statesmen at that time had for literature and literary figures, and their sponsorship of those who were talented.r'" As soon as al-Qadi al-Fadil became head of the chancery, he started to work with Salah ad-Deen to make gradual preparations for putting an end to the Fatimid state. The first step they took in that direction was the preparation of an Ayubid army to implement the plan of revolt.315 AI-Qa<;li al-Fadil and the army of Salah ad-Deen As soon as he was appointed as vizier, Salah ad-Deen started working to prepare an Ayubid army that would form the nucleus of a new Egyptian army, to defend Egypt against Crusader invasion. The deterioration of the Fatimid army was no secret to him, because he had encountered it during his three journeys to Egypt between 559 AB and 564 AB, and he knew it very well with regard to its human, financial and military resources, and with regard to its organization and its battalions which were formed on the basis of ethnicity, such as the Sudanese, Armenians, Egyptians, Daylam, Turks and Bedouins. He knew the situation of each of these battalions in detai1.316 Al-Qadi The status of the scholars in the estimation of Saldli ad-Deen al-Fadil worked as an administrator of these forces at the time of Ruzzeek ibn al-Salih, and he took part with them in some of their battles during the second Syrian Frankish campaign against Egypt, and he saw the leaders of the different battalions when they were competing for power, which exhausted the forces and weakened Egypt to the point where it became incapable of defending its independence or even of surviving. Al-Qadi al-Fadil knew many of the Egyptian forces through his work with them in the military department and in the chancery which dealt with the military department, and he supervised the spies and messengers. Hence he was very knowledgeable about them; he knew their secrets and had information on each battalion and its commander. He did not withhold this information from Salah ad-Deen, rather he advised him on the organization and administration of his Ayubid army, and throughout the period in which he worked with Salah ad-Deen he supervised his troops and watched over their preparation, organization and financial resources. He accompanied them from Egypt to Syria to fight alongside ,salaQ.ad-Deen, and from Syria to Egypt to prepare for coming campaigns against the Franks.317 Although al-Qadi al-Fadil was the head of the chancery and the vizier of Salah ad-Deen's state, he was aware of everything, great and small, that had to do with the army because of the connection between the chancery and the military department. He took part in preparing war plans, supervising the financing of the army and fleet and their supplies, and preparing them for jihad. He continued with these responsibilities throughout the period during which he worked with ,sal3lj ad-Deen.V" AI-Qa<;lial-Fadil: ending Fatimid opposition Al-Qadi al-Fadil based his political manoeuvres, when Salah ad-Deen first became vizier, on his experiences in the Fatimid

$ald/:tad-Deen al-Ayubi palaces, in the army, and with the viziers and administrators. He realized that these institutions and their personnel formed a den of never-ending conspiracies and a source of ceaseless plotting. He had witnessed all of that and dealt with it before. He was also certain that they would not hesitate to seek help from the Franks despite all the disasters and calamities that had befallen the Egyptian people before, in order to hold on to their power, especially if they thought that the rule of Salah ad-Deen, or of the Ayubid sultans in general, represented a danger to them. Therefore, as soon as Salah ad-Deen gave him full responsibility in administration, he began to plant spies among these institutions, groups and individuals whom he recognized and whose evil he feared. These institutions and groups, for their part, started planning to put an end to Salah ad-Deen's rule. The confidant of the caliph was the leader of these groups; he started his activities as soon as Salah ad-Deen was appointed. Uncovering the conspiracy was one of the responsibilities of the chancery and, in particular, of al-Qadi al-Fadil, who continued to keep an eye on the chancery scribes, especially those who had been dismissed. The efforts of al-Qadi al-Fadil played a role in the uncovering of the conspiracy headed by the caliph's confidant, and he put an end to it. Salah ad-Deen broke the power of the Armenians, who were second to the Sudanese in strength and numbers. He burned a building belonging to the Armenians between the two palaces, in which there was a large number of Armenian troops, most of whom were archers who had government salaries. They were the ones who had tried to impede the movements of Salah ad-Deen's forces during the battle with the Sudanese, by shooting their arrows, so they got their just desserts. Those who survived were banished to Upper Egypt by Salah ad-Deen?19 Fatimid power was weakened, indeed broken, within the first five months of Salah ad-Deen being appointed as vizier. That was followed by two years in which the Egyptian administration was changed and became a new, Sunni, Ayubid The status of the scholars in the estimation of Saldl) ad-Deen administration. Al-Qadi al-Fadil played a role in this change which paved the way for Salah ad-Deen to become the absolute ruler in Egypt, for al-Qadi al-Fadil to be appointed as the vizier of Salah adDeen, and for an end to be put to the Fatimid caliphate?20 Reorganization of the administration in Egypt Al-Qadi al-Fadil started to implement his plan to topple the Fatimid system by getting rid of the department heads and scribes who were loyal to the Fatimids. Because of his work in the departments, he knew the men of state, heads of departments and scribes, and their political affiliations and sectarian inclinations. He was on friendly terms with some, regarded others as enemies and was in competition with still others. He had the opportunity to get rid of whoever he could, and he did just that. He got rid of a large number of Ismaili Shiites, Christian and Jewish scribes and others, fearing that they might conspire with the Fatimid remnants, or make contact with the Franks in the name of the departments in which they were working. He referred to the danger posed by these scribes in more than one official letter to the Abbasid caliph and to Noor ad-Deen. In one of the letters he wrote on behalf of Salah ad-Deen to the caliph alMustadi' (570 AHl1174-1175 CE), he described the situation of Egypt under the Fatimids by saying, "The Fatimids have inner circles whose members frequent their palaces, some of whom are calling the people in crafty ways to misguidance and making the people incline towards them. Some of them are scribes whose pens are like poison." His suspicions were proven to be true later on, when these scribes started plotting and conspiring to topple Salah ad-Deen. As he dismissed the scribes and administrators whose loyalty he doubted, he kept those of whose loyalty he was certain and those whose

Said!; ad-Deen al-Ayubi administrative skills, information and help he needed to implement the plans for revolt, foremost among whom was al-Khateer ibn Mamati, the head of the military department, and one of the friends of al-Qadi al-Fadil, Ibn Mamati had served in the military department at the time of Shawir, and had become a Sunni at the hands of Asad adDeen Shirkuh. He remained close to al-Qadi al-Fadil and loved him until his death in 578 AH?21 After he died, his son al-As 'ad ibn Mamati was appointed in charge of the department; al-As'ad was as loyal as his father to al-Qadi al-Fadil, who relied on his administrative skills and loyalty during his absence from Egypt. AIQadi al-Fadil also took care of al-Atheer ibn Bayan, the head of the office of governmental oversight, and kept him in his post; he was also a Sunni. This Ibn Bayan was older than al-Qadi al-Fadil; he had been working in the chancery when al-Qadi al-Fadil entered it, seeking knowledge in it, and he had defended him when he returned from Alexandria to Cairo. Al-Qadi al-Fadil continued to work with Ibn Bayan and rely on him, and when Ibn Bayan grew old and was no longer able to work, al-Qadi al-Fadil allocated him a pension to help hirn?22 He also kept al-Hasan al-Makhzoomi, who was a Sunni, as the head of the Royal Court. He himself remained as head of the chancery in addition to his general administrative role as vizier. He started directing these departments to serve the aims of Salah adDeen and his state,323 and his great Islamic project. Al-Qa9-i al-Fadil and the Sunni revival in Egypt Alexandria was a centre for the Sunni revival in Egypt. This was achieved at the hands of the scholars who came there from the Maghreb, such as Abu Bakr at-Tartooshi, and from the east, such as as-Salafi. They founded schools in the city which had a great impact The status of the scholars in the estimation of Saldh.ad-Deen on the Sunni revival and on the jihad movement against the Franks. This explains the support of the people of Alexandria for Asad adDeen - and Salah ad-Deen. As for Cairo, it was not blessed with schools and Sunni scholars of jurisprudence like Alexandria, but that situation changed with the appearance of Salah ad-Deen on the political stage. Even though Noor ad-Deen and Asad ad-Deen benefited from some of the Sunnis before Salah ad-Deen became vizier in getting popular support for their movement within Egypt, these elements on their own were not sufficient. There was a need for a "cultural revolution" in Egypt through which the country could gradually be brought back to the Sunni madh-hab. Salah ad-Deen began his reforms in Egypt even before dealing the final blow to the Fatimids, by establishing a number of schools for the four madhhabs, the first of which was built for the Shafi'is on the ruins of the alMa 'oonah jail, where many of the leaders of Egypt had been kept, in 566 AHll170-1171 CE. It was perhaps the first school of its type in Egypt. In 566 AHll170 CE, he also founded a school for the Malikis next to the mosque of 'Amr ibn al-'A~, which was known as alQamhiyah. Taqi ad-Deen 'Umar ibn Shahinshah ibn Ayub, Salah adDeen's nephew, founded a school for the Shafi'is and established a number of places as endowments to support it.324 These schools were the beginning of a Sunni school-building movement in which many of the Ayubids and their emirs took part during Salah ad-Deen's rule in Egypt later on. Al-Qadi al-Fadil also took part in it, by building one of the most prosperous of these schools, where he kept a large number of the Fatimids' treasury of books. The idea of building Sunni schools was imported from Syria, along similar lines to what Noor ad-Deen had done there of establishing schools with similar curricula and subjects to those which were taught in the Nizami schools in Baghdad. Financing these schools and selecting teachers for them were the responsibilities of al-Qadi al-Fadil, Among the administrative

Sala/; ad-Deen al-Ayubi reforms that were introduced during the viziership of Salah ad-Deen was the separation of the Fatimid department of endowments, which supervised and financed religious institutions, from the department of finance; it was made into a separate department under the direct administration of the vizier, namely Salah ad-Deen, before the fall of the Fatimids, and it came under the direct supervision of al-Qadi alFadil after their fall. After that he was primarily responsible for the administration of these important institutions and for selecting teachers, scholars of the Quran and the Hadith, preachers and imams for them.325 These were all means of change. It is well known that ~alill) ad-Deen relied on the experience of al-Qadi al-Fadil in selecting people for these roles when he was in Egypt, and he continued to do so after he moved to Syria, as he consulted him on religious and educational matters. After Salfih ad-Deen had prepared the Egyptians for the revolt and clipped the wings of the Fatimid institutions, as we have seen, he began to prepare to put a final end to the symbols of the Fatimid caliphate. In 565 AHl1169 CE, he abolished the altered form of the adhan that contained the words lfayya 'ala khayr il- 'amal, Muhammad wa 'Ali khayr al-bashar (Come to good deeds, Muharnmad and 'Ali are the best of humankind). Al-Maqreezi commented that this was the first change that was introduced to the state.326 .:. Then after that, he ordered on Friday 10th Dhul-Hijjah 565 AH (1170 CE) that the Rightly-Guided Caliphs be mentioned in the Friday khutbah: Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman and 'Ali?27 .:. After that he ordered that al-' Adid be mentioned in the khutbah in ambiguous terms, so as to confuse the Shiites. So the khateeb would say: 0 Allah, guide the supporter (al- 'ddidi to Your religion.328 .:. He appointed as qadi in Cairo the faqeeh 'Eesa al-Hakari, who was a Kurd and one ofthe closest people to Salah ad-Deen. He The status of the scholars in the estimation of ~aliifJ ad-Deen did this as a first step towards changing the people's loyalty in Cairo, most of the inhabitants of which were Ismailis?29 .:. He dismissed the Shiite qadis in Egypt, after which he captured the possessions of al-' Adid and the palaces, which he handed over to al-Tawashi Baha' ad-Deen Qaraqoosh alAsadi, who took control of Egypt and began to watch everything that happened there, great or small, until the caliph al-' Adid was effectively placed under house arrest in his palace.330 .:. At the beginning of 567 AH/1171-1172 CE, Salah ad-Deen issued orders stopping the sermons in the name of the Fatimids. This was also done gradually. On the first Friday of Muharram 567 AHl1171-1172 CE, the name of al-'Adid was omitted from the khutbah, On the second Friday, the khutbah was given in the name of the caliph al-Mustadi' bi Amr-Illah Abu Muharnmad al-Hasan ibn al-Mustanjid Billah, and sermons were no longer given in the name of the Fatimids.331 Al-'Adid died on 10 Muharram 567 AHl1171-1172 CE?32 This 'Ashoora was different from what the Egyptians were used to in terms of innovations introduced by the leaders of the Fatimid state, such as heartbreaking speeches and moving eulogies for the family of the Prophet (~), which provoked hatred by means of fabricated stories and blatant lies. The result of these innovative practices had been that they reviled the Rightly-Guided and Umayyad caliphs; then they would go to their homes to eat boiled corn, lentils and other traditional dishes that the generations who came after them inherited from them, and which are known on 'Ashoora' even today. Then the next day they would start a new year in their lives, and their gaze was focused on their rulers. The caliph used to hide away in his palace on 'Ashoora' and in the forenoon the chief qadi

$alfi/:tad-Deen al-Ayubi would ride, wearing special clothes, to the so-called shrine of al-Husayn. Then they would sit with the Quran reciters from the palace and the sermon-givers, and the vizier would come in at the head of the gathering, with the qadi and head preacher beside him, and the readers would recite the Qur' an one by one, with everyone listening. As soon as they had finished reading, the poets - who were usually poets other than the poets of the palace - would stand up and recite poetry that they had prepared for this special occasion; their poems were eulogies for the Prophet's family. If the vizier was a Rafidi they would exaggerate, and if he was a Sunni they would keep it short. They would continue like this for three hours, and after the Qur' an recitations and poems were finished, the envoys of the caliph would come and summon them. The first to leave would be the vizier. The chief judge, head preacher and their entourage would go to the golden gate of the palace where they would behold a scene different from that which they were used to. The valuable carpets had been rolled up and replaced with ordinary mats, and the gatekeeper was sitting, waiting for them. They would sit down, with the local dignitaries, scholars, and troops around them or beside them. The reciters would recite the Qur' an again, and the poets also repeated their performance, and the people present would weep again. Then food would be served to the mourners, nearly a thousand dishes of lentils, savouries, pickles, cheese, yoghurt, honey, pies, and bread of which the colour had deliberately been changed. At noon the gatekeeper and the host of the dining hall would tell the people to come in and eat. The first ones to enter would be the chief qadi and head preacher, and the gatekeeper would sit near them, on behalf of the vizier. Then whoever among the people wanted to eat would also enter. After the meal was finished, they would all

leave the place, and the mourners would go around in Cairo. Merchants would close their shops until 'asr (mid-afternoon), then they would open them?33 Now, however, life could return to normal after all these innovations. The status of the scholars in the estimation of $aliilJad-Deen Al-Qadi al-Fadil often had taken part in these celebrations because of his work and his closeness to the Fatimid establishment, but this 'Ashoora' was different from what the Egyptians were used to. There was no chief qadi, and no head preacher, because they had been dismissed. There were no poets or mourners going around in the streets of Cairo because the day had been prepared for another kind of celebration, which was the celebration of putting an end to these rituals which the Egyptians had observed for more than two hundred years, and putting an end to the caretakers of these rituals with all their symbols and concepts. Salah ad-Deen did not go to the so-called shrine of al-Husayn, as was customary for the vizier to do. Rather he went to the mosque of 'Amr ibn al-\..\~ to pray, accompanied by a number of people from Syria and Egypt. After the prayer he sat down, with al-Qadi al-Fadil nearby, and they spoke about what they had achieved since the previous Friday when the Fatirnid caliphate had been abolished and prayers for the Abbasid caliph had been included in the khutbah. Then one of the soldiers rushed in, came to them, told them something and left. Salah ad-Deen and al-Qadi alFadil looked at one another, and al-Qadi al-Fadil winked at him, and they both smiled with joy and relief. Salah ad-Deen's expression quickly changed though and he said, "If we had known that he - the caliph al-' Adid - was going to die on this day, we would not have annoyed him and omitted his name from the sermons." Al-Qadi al-Fadil laughed and replied, "0 master, if he knew that you would not erase his name from the sermons, he would not have died!,,334

$ataJ; ad-De en al-Ayubi Everyone present smiled at this word play between the vizier Salah ad-Deen and his scribe and adviser, which concluded the final page of the history of the Fatimid state. AI-'A.did, the last of their caliphs, died on this day, the day of 'Ashoora' in 567 AHl1171 CE, the day of remembrance for the murder of al-Husayn ibn 'Ali?35 Al-Qadi al-Fadil sees the end of the Fatimid state The Egyptian historian al-Maqreezi referred to the role played by al-Qadi al-Fadil in the revolt against the Fatimids, as he wrote, "Salah ad-Deen sought the help ot'(al-Qa<;li al-Fadil) in his plans to eradicate the Fatimid state, until he achieved what he wanted, so he made him his vizier and consultant.t'T" The phrase "sought the help of' points to the role that al-Qadi al-Fadil played in the implementation of Salah ad-Deen's plan to put an end to the Fatimid state. Similarly, ~alaQ ad-Deen's choice of al-Qadi al-Fadil as his vizier was no more than an expression of his appreciation for the role that al-Qadi al-Fadil played in this critical plan and in laying the foundations for the Ayubid state which preceded this plan. It is also indicative of Salah ad-Deen's clear acknowledgement of the role played by al-Qadi al-Fadil in toppling the Fatimids, and the importance of al-Qadi al-Fadil in the future plans of Salah ad-Deen. Salah ad-Deen continued to reap the benefits of choosing al-Qadi alFadil as his vizier until he died. The achievements of al-Qadi al-Fadil in the administration of Egypt from the time of Asad ad-Deen, and his words in his letters at the time of ~alaQ ad-Deen point to the important role he played in reinforcing the Sunni presence in Egypt. He strove hard, by means of a comprehensive Sunni plan, to put an end to the factors of religious division in the Muslim world, to protect Egypt against Frankish invasion, and to take back Palestine. The L _ The status of the scholars in the estimation of $ala/J ad-Deen opportunity to achieve these goals became available with Salah adDeen, and he hastened to achieve them?37 In Salah ad-Deen he saw a leader who was capable of saving Egypt from the Frankish danger on the one hand, and of rendering a great service to his Ummah on the other. This is why he put all his knowledge, experience and administrative, literary and poetic skills at Salah ad-Deen's disposal, and with his help and cooperation, brought some measure of internal stability to Egypt, after the land and its people had suffered calamities and tribulations. Salah ad-Deen realized that al-Qadi al-Fadil was a great man with a great mind and knowledge and a great position, and that he was able to help him to reach his goals in Egypt with his ample resources. Thus the two men worked together, each in his own field, to achieve a great goal that they both felt should be achieved.Y" Al-Qadi al-Fadil was a politician and a great statesman who combined the benefits of his political situation, flexibility and political acumen with a great aim to which he devoted himself, no matter how long it would take to achieve it, and he took advantage of the winds of history when they began to blow. He believed that the way of Islam was the way of Ahl as-Sunnah, and that every other way led to nothing but disputes and loss of faith and strength. The land of Palestine was never absent from his mind, and when the opportunity came to take it back and he was certain that Salah ad-Deen was sincere in his jihad for it, then his resolve grew stronger and he prepared himself to take part. The route he chose for himself enabled him to reach a high position, and he became the vizier of Salah adDeen, the second in command, and by doing so he achieved all that any politician would hope to achieve, by contributing to the plan and working hard, as well as achieving personal success on a high level. All of that is testimony to his many talents and high acumen.339 Al-Qadi al-Fadil was the official spokesman of Sultan Salah ad-Deen at home and abroad. According to Ibn Katheer, he was dearer to him than his own family and children.34o The Sultan would

$alii/J ad-Deen al-Ayubi point to his efforts and say, "Do not think that I have gained control of the land by means of your swords, rather it is by the pen of alFadil. ,,341 Al-Qadi al-Fadil attained a high position in the state, and he was Salah ad-Deen's right hand man, as he made him his vizier and consultant; he did not decide about any issue except on the basis of the vizier's advice, he did not do anything except on the basis of the vizier's opinion, and he did not pass judgement in any case except on the basis of the vizier's understanding of the issue.342 The life of this well-versed scholar teaches us many lessons, including the following: not to isolate oneself from public affairs; to get involved in society and government; to strive to gain experience and skills; and the importance of achieving distinction in what one does, of adhering to the path of Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, of cooperating with one's brethren in adhering to sound belief and of using all one's abilities and potential to serve the Sunni mission. He selected people for Salah ad-Deen of ideal Sunni character and drew up practical plans; he did not withhold any opinion, advice or experience. The life of this man is also a lesson for understanding the aims of the Shariah, weighing up the pros and cons, and the rise and fall of states. We can also learn from him, in his role as the thinker and great mufti in the state of Salah ad-Deen, the importance of dealing with the ordinary Shiite masses on a basis of justice, loving goodness for them, not shedding their blood, and being keen to teach them; force is only to be used against conspirators and militia groups, and with those with whom nothing will work except force. Al-Qadi al-Fadil and jihad Al-Qadi al-Fadil accompanied Salah ad-Deen on all his campaigns in Syria, then he stayed in Egypt to supervise its financial administration and to work on preparing the army and the fleet, after which he returned to Syria and stayed close to Salah ad-Deen until The status of the scholars in the estimation of $altlf} ad-Deen his final illness and death, with al-Qadi Ibn Shaddad, in 589 AHI 1193 CE.343 There were some cases in which al-Qadi al-Fadil played a major role and which confmned his position and high status in Salah ad-Deen's state. When the sultan Salah ad-Deen was camping in Marj al-Safar in Syria in 571 AHl1176 CE, the Crusaders asked him for a truce and he responded, because he had no choice, as there was a drought in Syria. Then he sent his army with al-Qadi al-Fadil to Egypt, so that the troops could rest on the one hand and because he feared turmoil in Egypt during his absence on the other. Hence his sending the army with al-Qadi al-Fadil was a smart move and an act of resolve, aimed at keeping order in the new territory.i''" Moreover, al-Qadi al-Fadil was almost always with Sultan Salah ad-Deen in his jihad, as may be confirmed by the letter that he sent to Sultan Salah ad-Deen apologizing for not joining him in his jihad against the Crusaders at Harim in 573 AHI1177 CE, because he wanted to perform Hajj. Ibn Wasil said: AI-QaQi al-Fadil stayed behind in Egypt with the intention of performing Hajj in the following year, and a letter from him reached the sultan in which he said: With regard to his highness's regret for the passage of time without engaging in the obligation (jihad) for which he left home, and the never ending obstacles that he faced, his highness's intention is sound. Isn't Allah aware of His slave? He will not ask the doer about the completion of his action, because that is beyond his control, but He will ask him about his intention because this is what matters with regard to acts of obedience, and (He will ask him) about whether he did his utmost within his abilities. If his highness is preparing all resources for jihad and trying to remove all obstacles that may prevent him from reaching his goal, then he is in a state of constant obedience and Allah has blessed him by making it lengthy. His highness has the hope of achieving what he is trying to achieve at the decreed time, and

SaW!;,ad-Deen al-Ayubi the reward will be commensurate with the hardships. Hajj is only regarded as great because of the effort involved and the difficulty entailed. If his highness manages to accomplish great conquests in the first days, and to settle the matter between the polytheists and the Muslims, all the efforts of jihad will have come to an end and the records of righteous deeds attained by watching and waiting will have been brought to a close.345 Al-Qa\fi al-Fadil: the man of letters Al-Qadi al-Fadil was prominent during his lifetime as a man of letters, after whom a school of prose was named, which was known as Madrasat al-Qadi al-Fadil. This earned him lasting fame among the literati and as a capable administrator whose administrative skills put him in the company of brilliant viziers, and as a man who devoted his life to serving the people with whom he came into contact and in jihad to liberate the Muslim lands that had been forcefully occupied by foreign peoples. He played his many roles very well, to such an extent that historians regard him as the ideal man of his era, but many are confused by his literary style. Although it can be difficult to understand, it demonstrates that he was very well read and had a deep knowledge of literature, Hadith, fiqh and other branches of knowledge, as well as a deep understanding of the Quran. Al-Qadi al-Fadil possessed the largest library of his era; the historians sang its praises and extolled its contents, stating that it contained a hundred thousand volumes. How can this man or his era be described as one of literary decline? This man was not only an administrator and politician, he was also one of the great teachers of his age, who spent his retirement in teaching and educating the new generation. His literary style represented a third way of expression that was unique to The status of the scholars in the estimation of $alal;.ad-Deen the Arabic language, in addition to the two modes of expression that are common to other literatures, namely poetry and unrhymed prose. Arabic literary expression contains three modes, the first and oldest of which is poetry, which has its origins in the poetry of the times of ignorance (prior to the coming of Islam) and still flourishes today. The second mode is that of unrhymed prose, in which books of history, philosophy, fiqh, usool, tafseer and other branches of knowledge mastered by the Arab and Muslim mind were written. The third mode is literary prose; in this category we find the literature of the maqdmdt 346 and essays which go back to introduction of prose into Arabic literary expression, represented by 'Abd al-Hameed alKatib. At the time of al-Qadi al-Fadil and his contemporaries, this was the accepted style of expression, not only from the point of view of eloquence, but also from the point of view of emotional impact. The letters written by al-Qadi al-Fadil and his contemporaries were political and social statements, and maqdmdt which carried various meanings.t'" What may eliminate any doubt with regard to the literary and linguistic standard of these essays is what they contain of references to literature, wise sayings, proverbs, the Prophet's hadiths and Qur' anic quotations, not to mention the imagery they used to describe current events.348 His call for unity after the death of Salah ad-Deen Al-Qadi al-Fadil held on to his influential status in the land after the death of Salah ad-Deen. AI-' Azeez 'Uthman, ruler of Egypt, listened to him and honoured him, and took him as an advisor and consultant. Nonetheless, al-Qadi al-Fadil did not show any willingness or eagerness to interfere in the affairs of state. He preferred to withdraw from the world of politics and devote the

$aliilJad-Deen al-Ayubi remaining years of his life to his school, al-Fadiliyah. Undoubtedly his political withdrawal at this time was due to numerous reasons including: with the death of Salah ad-Deen, he had lost the man on whom he had pinned all his hopes and during whose time he had reached a high position that no one else could dream of reaching; he had also devoted a large part of his life to advising and guiding him, giving him all he could of love and sincerity until he could hardly bear to be away from him during his life, so how about after his death? He missed Salah ad-Deen to such an extent that after Salah adDeen died, al-Qadi al-Fadil lost interest in life which was apparent in the number of letters that he wrote in which he expressed his wish to meet Salah ad-Deen in the Hereafter: We did not come to this world assuming that we would abide here forever with our loved ones or that death would not visit us, even if it stayed away for a long time. If we miss our loved ones who have departed, days are the stages that bring us closer to them, and our breaths are the steps by means of which we come closer to them. Every day we are moving towards them, every day we are coming closer. How can our grief not grow less when the distance is growing smaller?349 No occasion passed without remembering Salah ad-Deen. If he saw his acquaintances, he would remember him; if he saw people around him, an image of Salah ad-Deen would come to mind. In one of his letters, he said to 'Imad ad-Deen: Our consolation is the appointed day of meeting, which is the Day of Judgement; the night we meet is like Laylat al-Qadr. "- What a good life he lived, and what a good death Allah granted him. If a man is thought highly of despite them (life and death), then for his highness both stages were good. His first life was good, and it is justifiable that hearts beat with love for him and eyes weep for his 10ss.350

How things will turn out depends; if an agreement is reached then you will have lost nothing but his noble self (Salah adDeen), but if the outcome is otherwise, then that will be the least of future calamities, even though it is a great calamity. 352 The status of the scholars in the estimation of $ald/:tad-Deen Al-Qadi al-Fadil was no longer the political engine of the state after the death of Salah ad-Deen. The state was divided, and the work that he used to do at the time of Salah ad-Deen was divided among several people, among whom were some of whose conduct he had not approved when he was in office, such as Safiy ad-Deen ibn Shukr, the vizier of al-Malik al- 'Adil, and Diya' ad-Deen the vizier of al-Malik al-Afdal, who had tried to keep him away from his father's companions and consultants from the beginning. Al-Qadi al-Fadil realized that his career had ended with the death of Salah ad-Deen, and expressed his feelings in letters to some friends. In one he said: I am fed up with life; after having been like the eyes of the one whom I served, I have become like a speck in the eye. Most of life is filled with troubles, but the most burdensome of them is what comes at the end of life, when a man has little strength left?51 It may be said that the great dream to which al-Qadi al-Fadil had devoted his life came to an end with the death of Salah ad-Deen. The country that he had strived so long to unite and strengthen was divided among the sons of Salah ad-Deen, who began to compete with one another, motivated by their own selfishness and forgetting the enemy which was lying in wait on their borders. He started calling them to form alliances and tried to bridge the gaps between them. He did not let any occasion pass without reminding them of the necessity of uniting. He wrote to al-Malik adh-Dhahir, son of Salah ad-Deen, to offer condolences on the death of his father and to reassure him:

Saltily.ad-Deen al-Ayubi Al-Qadi al-Fadil also tried to bring about reconciliation between al-'Azeez 'Uthman ibn Salah ad-Deen, the king of Egypt, and al-Afdal ibn Salah ad-Deen the king of Syria?53 He tried to support al- 'Adil Abu Bakr, the brother of Salah ad-Deen, the oldest and most experienced of Saleh ad-Deen's relatives, so that he would stand as firmly against the Crusader danger as his brother had done. In one of his letters (593 AHl1196 CE), he wrote to him: The new arrival of the accursed enemy near Beirut and the danger they pose to the country makes every mother forget her child and brings distress and confusion to the people. Islam has a foothold today, but if it slips, then Islam itself will slip; it has ambition, but if it is weakened, victory will not be achieved. That foothold is the foothold of al-'Adil and that ambition is the ambition of Salah ad-Deen. I adjure you by Allah to stand firm; throwaway your beds and stay up for the sake of Allah, for there is no time to sleep. Do not listen to what anyone is saying, and do not say who is for you or against you, or who came and who passed by. Rather think of yourself as Islam in its entirety that has come out to fight polytheism. Think of yourselves as the shadow of Allah. If you think that way, nothing can erase the shadow of Allah. Be patient, for Allah is with the patient, and do not feel weak. Even though Salah adDeen has passed away, Allah is the best supporter. It is no more than a swift battle, then things will become clear; it is just one night, then morning will come; it is the matter of trade, then you will see the profits.354 Then he saw some cities fall into Frankish hands again, so he began to feel sad when he saw the beads of the necklace that Salah ad-Deen had put together beginning to fall apart. His despair and isolation increased, and the numerous sicknesses that al-Qadi al-Fadil had suffered had the effect of keeping him away from the political The status of the scholars in the estimation of $ala/:tad-Deen field, as he had a weak constitution and suffered from many illnesses. This is what had prevented him from participating in some campaigns when Salah ad-Deen was alive, and in his letters there are many references to his sickness and weakness which grew worse after the death of Salah ad-Deen.f" In one of his letters to his friend al- 'Imad al-Isfahani he said: Our master knows how the adult is when he loses his child, and how the weak, slow-moving person is when he is called to war. It is as if I did not know the nature of life except during these days, as if I came to this world knowing only that death would take me from it. I have been expecting the decree of Allah to come to me at night when I am sleeping or at midmorning when I am walking about.356 He also wrote to him in one of his letters describing his physical condition: I did this mission whilst my feet were affected by gout, which led to them being wrapped up and painted yellow and black with ointment, lying on my side. There is nothing sound in me except my sickness, which is hale and hearty. When I am alone with the devil of disease I scream.357 He wrote another letter to him in which he said, "As for my physical condition, do not ask in what bad shape I am; my joints are in pain, my teeth are wrapped in cloth, my gout is boiling, more is like less, more is like a stick in my shadow.,,358 He also described his pain at the end of his life to al- 'Imad by saying: The attitude of young men, what do you know about it? It is like a raging fire. I have started to believe that withstanding hardship is better for me than going through the hardship of working for them. So I get hungry but I do not say, "Feed me"; I get thirsty but I do not say, "Give me something to drink"; I

Sald/:!ad-Deen al-Ayubi gestured with my hand to say, "Move on," and I stretched out my leg and said, "Pull. ,,359 His death After all this physical pain and mental anguish, al-Qadi alFadil died on 6th Rabee' I 596 AHJ1199 CE. 'Imad ad-Deen alIsfahani said concerning the events of that year, eulogizing him: The great calamity occurred, the disaster for virtuous people concerning both religious and worldly affairs, when al-Qadi al-Fadil departed this transient world for the Hereafter in his house in Cairo?60 The night before he died, according to al-Isfahani, he was working in his school. He sat with the faqeeh Ibn Salamah, the teacher of the school; he talked to some people and all night he was seen to be more cheerful, smiling more and more outgoing. The gathering was pleasant and the conversation lasted for a long time, and he went home in good physical shape and talkative. He said to his servant, "Prepare what I need to go to the wash room and tidy my room when I wake up." The servant came to wake him up before dawn, but al-Qadi alPadil did not respond to the servant's voice, and the latter did not realize that the approach of death was preventing him from talking, and that the certainty of purifying himself with the waters of AIKawthar361 meant that he had no need to go to the washroom. His father came to him and found him calm and still, and he realized that the decree was about to come to pass. All that day, nothing was heard from him but a low moaning, which signalled that he had submitted to the will of Allah, then he died blessed?62 Al-Isfahani commented on his death thus:

Al-Hafidh as-Salafi The status of the scholars in the estimation of Saldl; ad-Deen A praiseworthy martyr has died; the decree of Allah has come to pass. He had a good example in the Master of the First and the Last [the Prophet (3@)]. Even though he has passed away, he will live forever with those whose records are preserved in an inscribed book specifically devoted to the pious believers, because he did not leave in life any righteous deed but that he had done it; he did not leave any action that could take him to Paradise but that he had performed it well. His actions in ransoming prisoners and establishing endowments are too many to count, especially the endowments that he established for freeing Muslim prisoners until the Day of Reckoning. He helped Shafi 'i and Maliki students by opening a school and he helped orphans by opening a religious school and by other charitable good deeds which will keep running for a long time and which will be like a second life for him until the Day of Resurrection, when all people will be resurrected .... He was with the Sultan (meaning Salah ad-Deen, may Allah have mercy on him) in every affair from beginning to end, from when he first established his state until it ended. Salah ad-Deen did not conquer any region except on his advice.363 His full name was al-Hafid]; Abu at-Tahir Ahmad ibn Muharnmad ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad as-Salafi al-Isfahani.I?" He was one of the eastern scholars who migrated to Egypt and settled in Alexandria, through whom Allah brought much benefit in spreading the madh-hab of Ahl as-Sunnah.

$aza/:tad-Deen aZ-Ayubi In Alexandria As-Salafi moved to Alexandria in 511 AH, at the age of thirtysix, having accumulated a great deal of experience, acquired abundant knowledge, and reached a level of specialized intellectual maturity in the field of Hadith, in which he had reached the level of a specialist scholar. He had travelled to many lands and had had the to meet many scholars and senior scholars of Hadith, from whom he learned narration, the foundations of Hadith, and Hadith terminology. He narrated many good quotations and useful words from their books, and copied many volumes with his own hand?65 He was also an experienced writer who had already written a biography of his shaykh in Isfahan, and another of his shaykh in Baghdad?66 He had previous knowledge of Hadith and teaching, of which he gained practical experience at the beginning of 492 AH in his home town of Isfahan, and also during his stay in Damascus where he worked in teaching from 509 AH to 511 AH. When asSalafi arrived in Egypt his education was not limited only to Hadith; he was also a faqeeh of the madh-hab of Imam Al-Shafi'i. He studied fiqh in the Nizamiya College of Baghdad under Shaykhs Alkiya al-Harrasi, Fakhr al-Islam ash-Shashi and Yoosuf ibn 'Ali azZanjani. As-Salafi was also well-versed in the different recitations of the Qur' an, which he had studied under the famous scholars of recitation of his time.367 Adh-Dhahabi said: I quoted from al-Hafid]; 'Abd al-Ghani al-Maqdisi what the shaykhs said about as-Salafi and that he learned the recitation of 'A~im368 from Abu Sa'd al-Mutarraz; he studied the recitation of I:Iamzah369 and al-Kisa'i from Muhammad ibn Abi Nasr al-Qassar; he studied the recitation of Qanoon370 from Nasr ibn Muharnmad ash-Shirazi; he studied the recitation of Qunbul371 from 'Abdullah ibn Ahmad alThe status of the scholars in the estimation of $ald/:tad-Deen Khuraqi. He studied with some of them in 491 AH. In addition to as-Salafi's deep knowledge of Hadith, fiqh and recitations before he came to Alexandria, he also had a good grasp of literature and the Arabic language; he had studied all of that in Baghdad under the famous linguist Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn 'Ali at-Tabreezi, the shaykh ofliterature in Nizamiya College. He was also a poet who enjoyed and appreciated poetry; he loved to listen to it and he ended every gathering in which he taught students of Hadith in Salamas with a few lines of poetry offering wisdom and advice?72 As-Salafi loved Alexandria and its people, and they honoured him. He thought it was a suitable place to live, because he could benefit himself and others there, so he temporarily gave up his intention of leaving it for Andalusia, and decided to adopt it as his place of residence, even if it was only for a short while. This decision of his was in fact due to a number of reasons, in addition to the love and honour that the people of Alexandria showed him, among which were the following: .:. The geographical location of Alexandria in the middle of the Muslim world, in particular between the Hijaz in the east and the Maghreb and Andalusia in the west, which made it like a meeting-point for Andalusian and Maghrebi pilgrims who used to rest there for a few days and take a break from the hardships of travel when they were heading to the Hijaz to perform Hajj and on their way back from the Hijaz to their own land. They made the most of their break in Alexandria for their scholars and men of letters to meet the local scholars and men of letters, so they would listen to one another and exchange various types of knowledge, and benefit from one another. .:. At the beginning of the sixth century AH, Alexandria was a meeting point for many Syrian scholars whose country had

Said!;,ad-Deen al-Ayubi become the battleground of the Crusades. Some of its cities had fallen into the hands of the Crusaders, such as Jerusalem, Rarnlah and many cities on the coast of Palestine,373 which had forced those scholars to migrate from there . •:. A large number of Muslim scholars from Sicily had moved to Alexandria after the Normans occupied their island in the second half of the fifth century AH. A number of Andalusian scholars had also moved there in the wake of ongoing political upheavals that were affecting some of the cities of Andalusia. This had motivated many scholars to migrate and seek safety elsewhere, as in the case of the famous Maliki faqeeh Abu Bakr at-Tartooshi and others . •:. The people of Alexandria enjoyed freedom of religious belief, compared to the people of Cairo, despite the fact that they were officially under the authority of the Shiite Fatimid caliphate. They were Sunnis of the madh-hab of Imam Malik. This relative freedom made those who came to Egypt head towards Alexandria instead of Cairo, to settle there far from the pressures of the Shiite Fatimid madh-hab which contradicted their Sunni beliefs. These reasons and others initially encouraged al-Hafid]; asSalafi to settle in Alexandria, and he soon put down roots in the city and grew to old age there. Finally he got married - when he was nearly sixty years old - to Sitt al-Ahl of Alexandria. Thus his load grew heavier and he finally gave up the idea of moving on altogether when the governor of Alexandria, al- 'Adil ibn as-Sallar, built a school for him, al-Madrasah al-'Adiliyah, and appointed him to supervise it and teach in it. So he settled down and had a good life there; he did not leave this city that he loved and eventually he died there.374 The status of the scholars in the estimation of $alalJad-Deen His academic activities and his school Al-Hafid]; as-Salafi started to teach Hadith when he first arrived in Alexandria in 511 AH. When the scholar of Hadith of Alexandria at the time, Shaykh Abu 'Abdulliih ar-Razi, who was known as Ibn al-Khattab, died in 525 AH, as-Salafi took his place and thus became the shaykh of Alexandria and its sole, undisputed scholar of Hadith. Then his fame and reputation increased day after day, and the Andalusian pilgrims began to tell people about him everywhere they went. Students of Hadith in Egypt and elsewhere heard about him and travelled to meet him. They came to Alexandria from all parts of the world to meet its great scholar of Hadith and prominent Qur' an reciter. Thus the study and narration of Hadith became very active, and Alexandria attained a prominent position in this field of study. It was said that Alexandria had been like the rest of Egypt: the study of Hadith was little practiced until as-Salafi came to live there, at which point people started travelling to that city to learn Hadith and Qur' an recitations.Y'' Al-Madrasah al-'Adiliyah as-Salafiyah As-Salafi continued to give lessons, sometimes in the mosque and sometimes in his house, for about a quarter of a century, until Abul-Hasan 'Ali ibn as-Sallar, who was known as al-Malik al- 'Adil, was appointed as governor of the city. He showed a great deal of interest in him and honoured him more, and built for him a school which was called al-Madrasah al- 'Adiliyah, after its founder al- 'AdiI. Then after that it became known as al-Madrasah as-Salafiyah, after its teacher as-Salafi.V? In his book A 'lam al-Iskandariyah, Dr. Jamal adDeen ash-Shayal states that it was founded in 544 AH?77 Dr. Hasan 'Abd al-Hameed Salih states that the school was built in 544 AH.378

SaId/:!ad-Deen al-Ayubi The historical sources indicate that Ibn as-Sallar was a Sunni of Kurdish origin,379 and that he openly showed his Sunni allegiance when he was the governor of Alexandria. Then he began to correspond with Noor ad-Deen Mahmood, the ruler of Aleppo, seeking his support against the Fatimid authorities. A strong friendship developed between them, and he sent reinforcements, because Ibn as-Sallar was a Sunni like him, and also because Noor adDeen wanted to conquer Egypt.380 Noor ad-Deen Mahmood may have suggested to Ibn as-Sallar in their correspondence that he should implement the same plan as was implemented in Syria to undermine the Shiite Fatimid madh-hab and put an end to it, by building schools. So Ibn as-Sallar built this school, and put al-Hafidh as-Salafi, the Sunni scholar of Hadith of Alexandria, in charge of running it and teaching in it.381 Naturally all this happened during Ibn as-Sallar's governorship in Alexandria and before he was appointed as vizier on the 15th of Sha'ban 544 AH. The Fatimid caliph adh-Dhahir was afraid and realized the danger posed by Ibn as-Sallar and the impact that his Sunni school might have by attracting the Sunnis around it, so he was worried and began to plot against him. He appointed as vizier the Shiite Najm ad-Deen ibn Massal, who was of Maghrebi descent. That angered Ibn as-Sallar, who was a Sunni, so he gathered his supporters among the Sunni people of Alexandria and marched with them to Cairo, which he entered after the defeat of Ibn Massal at alJazeerah on the 14th of Ramadan AH. We may not be exaggerating if we say that the real reason for the conflict between Ibn as-Sallar and Ibn Massal was the conflict between the beliefs of Ahl as-Sunnah, which were supported by Noor ad-Deen Mahmood, and the Shiite Fatimid madh-hab, which was represented by the Fatimid caliph?82 The people of Alexandria rejoiced greatly at the founding of this school, and regarded it as a great gift from their governor Ibn as-Sallar, for which it was their duty to thank him. So their poets began to praise him and express the joy they felt in their hearts.383 The status of the scholars in the estimation of Saliii) ad-Deen Al-Hafidh as-Salafi, being in charge of this school, made it into a beacon to bring the Egyptian people back to the beliefs of Ahl as-Sunnah, as well as a meeting place for intellectuals. Scholars and students of Hadith, jurisprudents of fiqh, and of the Quran, men of letters, poets, historians and storytellers used to meet there. It grew and flourished, and a lot of people came to the school and were influenced by the lessons they received there and the meetings, seminars and lectures that were held. Its influence on the people of Alexandria in particular was manifested in two instances: the day they set out with their governor Ibn as-Sallar to regain the viziership in Cairo and the day they fought alongside Salah ad-Deen, supporting him against the Fatimid vizier Shawar and his Crusader allies. They did not let him down or forsake him despite the harsh siege that was imposed on them for three months; they fought side by side with him and put all that they possessed in terms of strength, wealth and men at his disposal, until Shawar and the Crusaders lifted the siege.384 Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi never forgot those good deeds of the people of Alexandria; when he toppled the Fatimid state and established the Ayubid state on its ruins. He paid special attention to Alexandria and took great care of it, because of the importance of its strategic location in defending Egypt, and because of the high esteem in which he held the people of Alexandria due to their support for him in their heroic stance when Shawar besieged their city in 562 AH; they had defended him, giving him all they had of men, wealth and weapons. Hence it comes as no surprise to see Salah ad-Deen issuing orders, from the time he first became sultan of Egypt, that the walls of Alexandria were to be repaired, its watchtowers and citadels were to be fortified and new structures were to be built in the city. Not only that, he also travelled to Alexandria himself in 572 AH to see it for himself and organize its affairs, and he specifically ordered

$atal:t ad-Deen al-Ayubi that its walls and watchtowers be repaired.385 During this visit, Salah ad-Deen checked on the war fleet, and saw the destruction and losses that had affected it, so he ordered that it be repaired and that new ships be built and added to it, allocating a special budget for that and setting up a special department for it, for which he appointed an admiral of the fleet. 386Alexandria remained the focus of Salah adDeen's attention and care; he ordered that new buildings be constructed and he checked on it and followed news of it, until he had another opportunity to visit it in 577 AH, when he went there and checked for himself what repairs had been made, and inspected the new buildings that he had ordered built, and he ordered that they be completed quickly. AI- 'Imad al-Isfahani said, describing this visit: After Ramadan 577 AH, the sultan went to Alexandria via alBuhayrah, and camped at as-Sawari, and he saw the walls that had been rebuilt and the buildings he had ordered to be built, and he issued orders that they be completed.387 During this visit, Salah ad-Deen issued instructions that many new buildings and public facilities be built in Alexandria. He ordered that a large school be built for foreign students, in which they could learn all branches of knowledge and literature; he also built a house for them to stay in, bath houses where they could bathe, and a hospital where they could receive medical treatment for free, supervised by full-time doctors?88 Many schools were built in rapid succession in Alexandria during Salah ad-Deen's era, in accordance with his general policy of establishing large numbers of schools as an intellectual means of eradicating Fatimid Shiite thought. The number of schools increased in a few years, which attracted the attention of the historians who visited Alexandria and wrote about it. Ibn Khuzaymah, who visited Alexandria in 561 AHl1164 CE and stayed there, described it as follows, "In (Alexandria) there are one hundred and eighty schools The status of the scholars in the estimation of $alliJ:tad-Deen for the pursuit of knowledge. ,,389During this second visit, Salah adDeen ordered that his Grand Mosque be built, and he moved the Friday khutbah there, after it had been given during the Fatirnid era, in Masjid al-'Arrfu"een, the largest mosque in the city?90 Then he followed that by building a large number of mosques. The number of mosques during this period reached a high number, which attracted the attention of the historians who visited the city. They differed in their estimations of the number, and sometimes reached the point of exaggeration.T" Ibn al-Jubayr, who visited Alexandria in 578 AHduring Salah ad-Deen's era - described the large number of mosques in the city and said: It is the land with the greatest number of mosques, although people's estimations of the numbers differ; some of them overestimate and some underestimate. Those who overestimate say there are as many as twelve thousand mosques, and those who underestimate give figures that vary between eight thousand and other figures. In general, there are very many, and you can find four or five in one location. All of them have irnams appointed by the sultan.392 The Ayubids' interest in developing Alexandria continued after the death of Salah ad-Deen, and followed the same policy until the end of the sixth century AH.393 The distinct character of al-Hafidh Abu at-Tahir as-Salafi Serious attitude towards life Al-Hafid]; as-Salafi devoted all his life to teaching, study, writing and giving lessons, and there is no report that suggests that he

$aliif;,ad-Deen al-Ayubi ever got tired or bored of that. His entire life was serious and strict, as described by his student al-Hafidh 'Abd al-Qadir ar-Rahawi, who said: I have heard that during his stay in Alexandria, he did not go out to any garden or attend any event for entertainment except on one occasion; instead he stayed in his school. Whenever we entered upon him, we always found him studying something . ...He never saw the lighthouse of Alexandria except through a small window in his house.394 Ibn al- 'Imad also described him, saying, "As-Salafi lived in Alexandria for sixty-odd years, focusing on the study of knowledge, reading and collecting books." 395 His respect for the people who sat with him He (may Allah have mercy on him) was forbearing, humble and easygoing, and he felt at ease with people and they felt at ease with him. He put up with bad treatment and bore patiently the roughness of strangers. He loved those who came to visit him and showed great warmth to all; he did not spare any effort to benefit them and show kindness and sincerity towards them. Khaleel asSafadi described him as follows: He hardly ever showed any harshness towards anyone; if he did, he would hasten to correct it so that no one would leave him except on the best of terms. Nevertheless, when he was giving a lesson, he would not allow anyone present, no matter how important or prominent they were, to fidget or speak to his neighbour, or to distract others from listening, until he had finished his sentence or finished the idea he was discussing; The status of the scholars in the estimation of fJallilJad-Deen then he would give his audience the opportunity to ask questions or comment. Al-Hafidh adh-Dhahabi narrated that Sultan Salah ad-Deen and his brother attended his circle one day to listen to Hadith narration, and they were speaking to one another in low voices. Their vizier turned to them and showed that he was displeased, and said, "What is this ? We are reading the Hadith of the Prophet (~) and you are talking?" So they fell silent and listened after that.396 His love of reading and collecting books He read a great deal, and was endued with broad knowledge; he always strove hard in the pursuit of knowledge and spent a lot of time researching issues that were unclear. Nothing distracted him when he had finished teaching except reading a book, copying out the books of others, or writing commentaries on them. His student alI:Iafidh 'Abd al-Qadir ar-Rahawi described him as follows: We hardly ever entered upon him but we see him reading something. He loved books very much and was very keen to collect and own books. He had a large collection of various books but he did not have enough time to read them all. When he died, they found that most of them had rotted and the pages had stuck to one another, because of the humidity in Alexandria, which led to many of them being ruined.397 And whatever money he got, he would spend it. His relationship with intellectuals The study circles, which were held in the mosque initially, then in the schools later on, were a meeting point between him and all

Saldh. ad-Deen al-Ayubi other groups of educated people. Through these circles he was able to establish contacts with a very large number of scholars of Hadith, seekers of Hadith knowledge, intellectuals and men of letters, such as writers, literati and poets, and with senior state officials such as governors, judges and others, and with craftsmen and professionals such as doctors, engineers, merchants, papermakers, bookbinders, imams of mosques, preachers, copyists and muezzins, and with many of the pilgrims from the Maghreb and Andalusia who came to Alexandria on their way to Hajj. As for his relationship with the poets, it was good and was distinguished by kindness and compassion. He felt at ease with them and loved to meet with them and listen to them, and he recited his own poetry on occasions, as he was a poet like them; he composed poetry and he appreciated it and critiqued it. Al-Hafid]; adh-Dhahabi described him as: He appreciated poetry, wrote his own, and rewarded those who praised him.398 His relationship with common folk His relationship with the common folk was very good; they held him in high esteem and used to come to him on occasion, seeking blessing from him because of his piety and righteousness. They even exaggerated in their respect for him and believed that there was blessing in him.399 One of the interesting stories that al-Hafid]; adh-Dhahabi narrated in this regard is that the common folk of Alexandria would rush to him, if a woman was having a difficult time giving birth, and he would write some supplications for them on a piece of paper. He would write it for them, and not refuse to do so, and what he wrote was: 0 Allah, they think highly of me, so do not disappoint them concerning me.4OO

This Qastah was one of the wise emirs who is inclined towards justice and persists in reading books; he was most interested in history and biographies of the earlier generations. We were on friendly terms with one another and exchanged letters.404 The status of the scholars in the estimation of Sald/J ad-Deen His relationship with the Fatimid state As-Salafi avoided confrontation with the Fatimid state as much as possible, so that they would not harm him as they had harmed other scholars of Alexandria, or prevent him from teaching Hadith as they had done previously with the scholar of Hadith Abu Is-haq al-Habbal al-Masri.t'" He avoided criticizing them and speaking badly of them so as not to provoke them against him, and they kept away from him and left him alone; some of them even used to attend his study circle and listen to him. One of the factors that helped al-Hafidh as-Salafi to succeed in delivering his message was that during that period (511-567 AH), the Fatimid state was in an advanced state of decline, and the caliphs themselves were weak and had no strength of will and no authority; their affairs and their destiny were controlled by the viziers who were engaged in a power struggle of their own. These viziers were not so keen to take care of the Fatimid madh-hab and protect it as they were to seek control and remain in power, and there were some Sunnis among them.402 Despite the differences in their madh-habs, those viziers could not care less about the Fatimid madh_hab.403 As-Salafi's relationship with the Sunni governors of Alexandria who did not follow the Fatimid madh-hab was good; they respected him and loved him, acknowledged his status, attended his lessons and studied with him. The governor Qastah al-Amiri and as-Salafi were on friendly terms and exchanged letters. In Mu 'jam as-Safar as-Salafi commented concerning him:

$alii/:tad-Deen al-Ayubi Of the deputy governor of Alexandria, Abu ar-Rida' 'Abdullah ibn al-Fadl ibn Dulayl al-Hadrami, as-Salafi noted in his biography: He would accompany me and discuss with me issues that were not clear in his mind; he studied Bukhari with me with the commentary of Ibn Battal, studying it in depth and not merely reading it.405 As for the governor of Alexandria al-'Adil ibn as-Sallar, he honoured as-Salafi and held him in high esteem as befitted him; the governor ensured a sufficient income for him by establishing an endowment to bring al-Madrasah al- 'Adiliyah an income and cover its expenditure and needs. These are a few examples of the relationships al-Hafid]; as-Salafi had with the official statesmen of the Fatimid state. As we can see, they were good relationships in which there was clearly respect, despite the fact that he did not visit any of them in their homes or places of work.406 His relationship with the men of the Ayubid state Al-Hafidh as-Salafi rejoiced greatly at the demise of the Shiite Fatimid state and the establishment of the Sunni Ayubid state on its ruins. From the first moment their state was established, the Ayubids began to call for a return to the beliefs of Ahl as-Sunnah and for the removal of all manifestations of Fatimid beliefs and to scare all those who called for the restoration of Fatimid beliefs or the Fatimid madhab. Nevertheless, al-Hafidh as-Salafi did not knock at the door of any of the Ayubid sultans or emirs to congratulate them or thank them, just as he did not knock at the door of any of Fatimid rulers or emirs before them. The Ayubid sultans and emirs appreciated this The status of the scholars in the estimation of $alaf} ad-Deen behaviour of as-Salafi; they went to him and attended his studycircles and they listened to him just as others did, with all respect and honour. Sultan Salary ad-Deen, despite his lofty position and high status as ruler of all Egypt, went himself from Cairo to Alexandria - accompanied by his two sons al-Afdal 'Ali and al-'Azeez 'Uthman, his brother al- 'Adil, his secretary al- 'Imad al-Isfahani and his senior statesmen - to visit him and listen to Hadith from him.407 Al-Qadi Ibn Shaddad said, describing this visit when speaking of the attitude of Sultan Salary ad-Deen and his love of hearing Hadith: His highness was very fond of listening to Hadith, and when he heard of a shaykh who had great knowledge of Hadith, if he was one of those who could come to him, he would ask him to come and he would learn from him, and if that shaykh was one of those who do not knock at the door of people of authority but stays away from their gatherings, he would go to him and learn from him .... He visited al-Hafidh as-Salafi in Alexandria many times and narrated many hadiths (he had heard) from him.408 Abu Shamah al-Maqdisi, the author of Kitdb ar-Rawdatayn fee Akhbdr ad-Dawlatayn, narrated from al- 'Imad al-Isfahani a detailed description of that visit and said: Then the sultan set out from Cairo on Wednesday, the 22nd of Sha'ban, taking with him his two sons al-Afdal 'Ali and al- 'Azeez 'Uthman .... Then we reached the city of Alexandria and we went many times to visit Shaykh al-Hafidh Abu atTahir Ahmad ibn Muhammad as-Salafi; we continued to go to him regularly and we had the blessing of seeing in his face the light and joy of faith, and we listened to him for three days: Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the fourth of Ramadan. We made the most of the time, and those three days were among the best days of our lives.409

$ala/J ad-Deen al-Ayubi One of the interesting things that occurred during that visit was that on one of those days, al-Malik al-'Adil was next to his brother the sultan; he leaned towards him and whispered something in his ear, and when al-Hafidh as-Salafi saw them, he rebuked them and expressed his displeasure towards them, so they started listening to him.41O As-Salafithe poet and his relationship with poets Al-Hafidh as-Salafi (may Allah have mercy on him) was a poet; he composed poetry and appreciated and critiqued it on a basis of knowledge and skill. He liked to listen to poets and singers, and he gave generously to those who praised him.411 He loved to listen to and quote poetry, and to hear poetry quoted in his gatherings, and he would repeat the lines that he liked to the people who were with him. Among the lines of poetry that he liked to quote were: We show our fear of Allah at the time of every calamity, then we forget Him when the calamity is over. How can we hope for an answer to our supplication when we block its route with our sins? Some books have recorded for us his conversations with some of the poets; in these stories we can see the emotional impact of poetry and how it stirred in him feelings of longing and nostalgia for his people and his homeland of Isfahan. Abu Muharnmad 'Abdullah ibn Muhammad at-Tajeebi al-Andalusi, who was known as Ibn alMaleeh, said: Abul-Hajjaj ibn ash-Shaykh composed some lines of verse for Abu at-Tahir as-Salafi in which he said: The only fault I have is that I am a stranger and my people are kept away from me and me from them. The status of the scholars in the estimation of Saldh. ad-Deen Abu Muhammad ibn al-Maleeh recorded: Abul-Hajjaj said to me, "When Shaykh Abu at-Tahir reached this line, he started to weep and cry, and he shouted at the top of his voice, 'My people are kept away from me and me from them,' out of longing for his homeland Isfahan, and out of nostalgia for those relatives and brothers he had left behind, and he fell unconscious. His students started rebuking me and saying: 'What have you done to us today?' The Shaykh was taken into his house and he did not come out for four days. ,,412 His death On the morning of Friday - or it was said, on the night before - the 5th of Rabee' IT576 AH, the life of as-Salafi came to an end in Alexandria, and his productive life that had lasted for a century ended, a life that he spent in acquiring knowledge, teaching, studying, writing, learning and benefiting others. He had never ceased for a single day, and nothing stopped him; he continued studying and teaching until the last evening of his life.413The funeral prayer was offered for him by his friend Abu at-Tahir ibn 'Awf, the Maliki faqeeh of Alexandria, on Friday afternoon in the mosque of 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-' A~,and he was buried in the graveyard of Wa'lah which was described as follows by Ibn Khall ikan , "It is a graveyard within the walls, by the Green Gate,414 where a number of the righteous, such as at-Tartooshi and others, are buried.,,41s His grave was visited by famous historians including Abu Shamah, author of Kitiib ar-Rawdatayn fee Akhbdr ad-Dawlatayn, who mentioned that among the events of 576 AH and said: In (this year) al-Hafidh as-Salafi died, and I visited his grave inside the Green Gate.416

$aliilJ.ad-Deen al-Ayubi Al-Hafidh Abu at-Tahir as-Salafi was one of the great scholars. By virtue of his presence, Alexandria acquired global fame in the sciences of Hadith and Quran recitation throughout the sixth century AH. The people of Alexandria should be proud of this great scholar and return his favour by teaching the new generation about his status and bringing his name back to memory by naming one of their institutions or schools after him, or publishing his legacy.417 Abu at-Tahir ibn IAwf al-Iskandrani The shaykh and imam, Sadr al-Islarn, shaykh of the Malikis, Isma'eel ibn Makki ibn Isma'eel ibn 'Eesa ibn 'Awfibn Ya'qoob ibn Muhammad ibn 'Eesa ibn 'Abd al-Malik ibn Humayd, the son of the Companion of the Prophet (~), al-Qurashi az-Zuhri al-'Awfi alIskandari al-Maliki, a descendant of 'Abd ar-Rahman ibn 'Awf (~).418 He was born in 485 AH and studied fiqh under Professor Abu Bakr at-Tartooshi, and excelled in his studies, surpassing his companions. He narrated Al-Muwattd from at-Tartooshi and from Abu 'Abdullah ar-Razi. He was the imam of his era and unique in his knowledge of fiqh. He was a main source of religious rulings as well as being pious, an ascetic and a devoted worshipper.t'" He was humble: a man of integrity who was above trivial matters.420 Abu atTahir ibn 'Awf witnessed the end of the Shiite Fatimid state and the establishment of the Ayubid state. Salah ad-Deen visited Alexandria in 577 AH and he was keen during this visit to attend, along with his sons and senior statesmen, the lessons of Abu at-Tahir ibn 'Awf. They all listened to his narration of the Muwattd of Malik from his teacher at-Tartooshi. News of this visit and this listening to AlMuwattd was narrated by al- 'Imad al-Isfahani, who accompanied Salah ad-Deen during these visits. He said: After the month of Ramadan 577 AH, the sultan headed to Alexandria via al-Buhayrah,

May Allah grant long life to his highness al-Malik an-Nasir, Salah al-Dunya wal-Deen, the sultan of Islam and the Muslims, the reviver of the office of the Leader of the Believers (the Abbasid caliph); may Allah bless his journey in the pursuit of knowledge and reward him for it, and bring all sorts of goodness to him; may Allah inspire people to give thanks for His blessing for it is a blessing for which no one can give thanks except by His inspiration; may Allah instil the light of faith in his heart, for (the heart) is a place in which nothing can be instilled except that which He instils. How good were these two journeys of his, and what a good two days these were that he spent for the sake of Allah, both of which were filled with bright blessings. Praise be to Allah, Who has made his days either of two types: a day when he sheds the blood of the inkpot under his pen, or a The status of the scholars in the estimation of $alii/:tad-Deen and camped at as-Sawari, and he saw the walls that had been rebuilt and the buildings that he had ordered be constructed, and he issued orders that attention be paid to that. The sultan said, "Make the most of the life of Shaykh Abu atTahir ibn 'Awf. We visited him and listened to the Muwattd' of Malik which he narrated from at-Tartooshi in the last ten days of Shawwal; he himself, his sons and all of us listened to it. ,,421 Everyone believed that Salah ad-Deen had done very well to become a student of Ibn 'Awf and listen to him. Al-Qadi al-Fadil 'Abd ar-Raheem ibn 'Ali al-Baysani sent an eloquent letter to Salah ad-Deen in which he congratulated him for this and compared Salah ad-Deen's journey with his two sons to listen to al-Muwatid from Ibn 'Awf to the journey of Haroon ar-Rasheed422 with his two sons to hear the same book from its author Imam Malik. Here follows the text of this letter:

$aliil].ad-Deen al-Ayubi day when he sheds the blood of the disbeliever under his banner. In the former case, he is seeking the Hadith of alMustafa (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), thus making the Hadith prominent and visible, and in the latter case, he is striving to support his guidance over misguidance, thus making misguidance disappear. People need the ambition of the scholars in their journeys to transmit and hear Hadith, and their persistence in seeking out Hadith. They wrote books concerning that with the aim of encouraging people to do likewise and to highlight the high status of those who do so. They said: So-and-so travelled to listen to the Musnad of Soand-so; Zayd travelled to 'Amr even though he was so far away. This is when the one who travelled had devoted his entire life to knowledge and had spent his life in pursuit thereof, and his ambition was not distracted by any other high aims. So what about a king who had a great deal on his mind, thinking about the people's affairs as he is always thinking about his own religious commitment, when he travels to attain good (by listening to Hadith) when he is so pressed for time, but he overlooks the most urgent matters for the sake of knowledge, and dedicates some days to that, even though at the time of jihad every single hour and minute counted. It was unknown for any king to travel in pursuit of knowledge except for Haroon ar-Rasheed, but he had had two purposes for his trip: to visit the grave of the Prophet (~) and to seek knowledge. So he took his two sons and travelled to visit Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) and hear Al-Muwattd from him. So both ar-Rasheed and Salah ad-Deen had something in common: the desire to hear Al-Muwaud and travelling for that purpose. Ar-Rasheed asked Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) to give him and his two sons, alAmeen and al-Ma' moon, a private session in which they could

listen to his book, but he said to him in as many words: It is the Sunnah of your cousin [meaning the Prophet (~), because the caliph was a descendant of al-Abbas (~)]; people other than you tried to conceal it and people like you tried to spread it. And Salah ad-Deen undertook a journey that was second in terms of time, but surpassed it in terms of faith. Allah decreed that his highness should undertake a journey like that of arRasheed, and that his two sons 'Ali and 'Uthman should play the roles of ar-Rasheed's two sons al-Ma'moon and al- 'Ameen. The original copy of Al-Muwattd, which ar-Rasheed heard from Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) was in the library of Egypt. If it was there, that would be a great blessing, a great advantage and a great treasure; if not, it should be sought. What Moosa ibn Ja'far had written of the religious rulings of al-Ma'moon (may Allah have mercy on them both) was also there, and blessings might be sought from both of them, and through them the virtue of knowledge might be appreciated. May his highness never be devoid of Allah's blessing, for all blessing is from Allah and may He grant him good health on his journey, cause his bleeding to stop and relieve him of any distress. You started your journey with all kinds of blessed supplications, narrated from the Master of humankind. The first result of that is physical good health; may you enjoy good health and relief from any distress, and may Allah keep distress away from you always, and cause the bleeding to stop. May Allah cause him to prevail and grant him peace. Another result was that he travelled to hear the Muwaud of Malik (may Allah have mercy on him), and he travelled for the sake of knowledge from Syria to hear Al-Muwattd, may Allah bless his kingdom, bring about good, ward off harm, and bless his highness wherever he may go, in sha' Allah.423 The status of the scholars in the estimation of $alalJad-Deen

$alfiJ:tad-Deen al-Ayubi Since that time, Ibn 'A wf had been held in high esteem by Salah ad-Deen and he respected him greatly. If he came across any religious or worldly matter, he would send word to him, asking for his opinion and ruling. This is confirmed by the words of Ibn Farhoon: The Sultan Salah ad-Deen Yoosuf ibn Ayub respected Ibn 'Awf and corresponded with him and sought religious rulings from him.424 As-Safadi, in his book Nukat al-Hamydn, narrates a story of this correspondence in his biography of al-Qadi Sharaf ad-Deen 'Abdullah ibn Abi 'Asroon. This qadi became blind at the end of his life when he was still in his post as a judge. A dispute arose as to whether it was permissible for him to remain in his post after becoming blind. Ibn Abi 'Asroon himself was very keen to remain a judge, and he wrote an essay in support of the view that it is permissible for a qadi to be blind, which was a view held by the minority of jurisprudents and rejected by the majority. It seems that Salah ad-Deen was keen to please Ibn Abi 'Asroon and not hurt his feelings in his old age, so he sent word to Ibn 'A wf seeking his religious ruling on this issue. As-Safadi said: The Sultan Salah adDeen wrote in his own hand to al-Qadi al-Fadil saying: The qadi says: It is permissible for a blind man to be a judge. Go and meet with Shaykh Abu at-Tahir ibn 'Awf al-Iskandari and ask him about the hadiths which speak of a blind man being a judge.425 Salah ad-Deen would accept the opinion and advice of Ibn 'Awf; he hastened to carry out his wishes when he advised him to reinstate the export tax, which was a tax that was imposed on Frankish merchants who were leaving Alexandria, and to distribute what was collected to the jurisprudents of the city.426 The sources indicate that the activities of Ibn 'Awf were not limited to teaching only; rather he was similarly active in writing. Al-Suyooti said, "He wrote books. ,,427Shaykh Abu at-Tahir wrote Tadhkirah at-Tadhkirah fi Usool ad-Deen and other books.428 In 581 AH Ibn 'Awf died and was buried in Alexandria. He . . 429 was ninety-six.

'Abdullah ibn Abi 'Asroon The status of the scholars in the estimation of $alalJad-Deen What Abu at-Tahir as-Salafi and Abu at-Tahir ibn 'Awf in terms of seeking knowledge and spreading it among the people, and striving to revive the Sunni madh-hab, is among the greatest kinds of jihad. Devoting oneself to acquiring knowledge and teaching is one of the greatest kinds of jihad for the one whose intention is sound. No other deed can equal it because it is reviving knowledge and religion, guiding the ignorant, calling for good, forbidding evil and achieving a great deal of goodness which people cannot do without.43o The pursuit of knowledge is an act which combines a number of acts of worship, one of which is drawing closer to Allah by devoting oneself to it. Most of the imams stated that it is superior to the main acts of worship, and that was at a time when knowledge was flourishing, so how about nowadays when it has diminished and declined? It also involves learning a great deal about the legacy of the Prophet (~). Moreover, if a person follows a path in the pursuit of knowledge, Allah will make easy for him a path to paradise. The benefit of knowledge reaches the one who acquires it, and it goes beyond him to others; it benefits the one who acquires it whether he is living or dead. If a person's good deeds come to an end when he dies, and the scroll of his good deeds is rolled up, the rewards for good deeds of the scholars continue to increase every time people benefit from their guidance and their words. So the wise man who is guided by Allah should spend the best time of his life on pursuing knowledge and make that the focal point of his life, and regard it as preparation for a Day when he will need rewards for good deeds the most.431 The shaykh, imam, great scholar, brilliant faqeeh and prominent reciter, shaykh of the Shafi'is, chief qadi, scholar of Syria,

$ald/:t ad-Deen al-Ayubi Sharaf ad-Deen Abu Sa'd 'Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Hibat-Allah ibn al-Mutahhar ibn 'Ali ibn Abi 'Asroon ibn Abi as-Sarri atTameemi, who was originally from Haditha (in Iraq), al-Mawsili ashShafi'i.432 Ibn Abi 'Asroon was appointed, at the time of Noor adDeen, as qaQi of Sinjar, Nusaybin, Harran and other cities of Diyarbakir, where he became like the chief judge, with deputies in all the cities whom he appointed himself.433 He was born in Mosul in 492 or 493 AH, and studied with a number of scholars. He moved to Aleppo in 545 AHll150 CE, then he came to Damascus when Noor ad-Deen entered the city in 549 AHll154 CE. He taught in the mosque of Aleppo, and settled there, and he wrote many books about fiqh and madh-habs; many students studied under him and benefited from him, and he was a faqeeh of the highest order. He was described as the most knowledgeable in fiqh of his age, and he was an imam for the Shafi'i madh-hab at that time. He was unique in his knowledge and actions, and was quickly promoted by Noor ad-Deen, who appointed him to supervise the building of schools in Aleppo, Horns, Baalbek and elsewhere. Soon after that he was appointed as judge in Diyarbakir, where he was given far-reaching authority.434 In 566 AHl1170 CE, he was sent as an envoy to the caliph al-Mustadi' in Baghdad.435 IAbdullah ibn Abi IAsroon and Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi Salah ad-Deen knew 'Abdullah ibn Abi 'Asroon very well from the time of Noor ad-Deen Mahmood Zangi. They had both grown up under his shadow and under his care, especially Salah adDeen. They were both capable men; one of them worked in the judiciary as a judge, issuing religious rulings, and as a teacher in the field of education, and the other worked in the military field, which The status of the scholars in the estimation of $ald/:tad-Deen was his main focus. The course of events from the time of Noor adDeen Mahmood Zangi indicates that the relationship between the two men was good, dominated by a spirit of affection and respect. They knew one another well and showed mutual respect. The evidence for that is a letter that Salah ad-Deen sent from Egypt to Ibn 'Asroon in Syria, probably choosing him in particular over others as an acknowledgement of his ability to influence events. Hence his letter carried in its lines a kind of rebuke, expressing the hope that he would do his utmost to cause the failure of a treacherous deal. 'Abdullah ibn Abi 'Asroon did not approve of this pact, and was probably suffering mental anguish because of what had befallen the Muslims due to their weakness; indeed he preferred Salah ad-Deen to come from Egypt so that they could work together in complete harmony to put an end to such pacts and move on to achieve the stated goal, which was to expel the Crusaders who were occupying Muslim lands in Greater Syria.436 It seems that Ibn Abi 'Asroon was in favour of Salah adDeen coming from Egypt to Syria after the death of Noor ad-Deen and the disputes among the emirs after that. This idea is supported firstly by the fact that he did not sign the deal, and in this regard he was like the other emirs of Syria, and like the judges in particular, and he was one of the prominent figures in society. Secondly, he took a stand against the emirs who continued their opposition to Salah adDeen al-Ayubi and strove to prevent him from coming to Syria, which is why Salah ad-Deen appointed him to the judiciary in Egypt.437 Nevertheless, 'Abdullah ibn Abi 'Asroon went from Damascus to Aleppo with al-Malik as-Salih Isma'eel ibn Noor adDeen Mahmood Zangi before Salah ad-Deen came to Damascus, but it was not long before he returned to Damascus, where Salah ad-Deen was. That was in 572 AH, when Kamal ad-Deen ash-Shahrazoori, the qadi of Syria at the time of Salah ad-Deen, was dying. Indeed he was one of those who washed and shrouded him, and was foremost among those who attended his funera1.438

Said/:!ad-Deen al-Ayubi Appointment of Ibn Abi "Asroon as judge When Kamal ad-Deen ash-Shahrazoori realized that his end was near, he delegated the judicial affairs of Greater Syria to his nephew Abul-Fada'il al-Qasim ibn Yahya ibn 'Abdullah who was known as Diya' ad-Deen, and Salah ad-Deen could not do anything but agree to this appointment, because Diya' ad-Deen was qualified to serve as a judge, although the position of judge is a high position which should not be passed down by means of inheritance.F" Kamal ad-Deen ash-Shahrazoori had played a role in setting the scene for Salah ad-Deen's reception in Damascus because he believed that he was more qualified than the other emirs to stand up to the Crusader enemy. This was one of the glorious actions that are to the credit of Kamal ad-Deen ash-Shahrazoori, as he put the general interests of the Muslims before all else, and preferred Salah ad-Deen over all other emirs in Syria, who had signed a peace deal with the Crusader enemy.440 This will be discussed in detail below, in sha' Allah. But after the death of Kamal ad-Deen ash-Shahrazoori, Salah ad-Deen was inclined to appoint Ibn Abi 'Asroon to the judiciary for the following reasons: (i) 'Abdullah ibn Abi 'Asroon's strength of character, in terms of his great knowledge and the high esteem in which he was held, and his position as shaykh of the Shafi'i madh-hab of his era. Most of his contemporaries bore witness to that.44! (ii) Salah ad-Deen's love and respect for the followers of the Shafi'i madh-hab, especially since he was himself a Shafi'i, to the point of fanaticism on occasion, and he wanted to unite the state on the basis of the Shafi'i madh-hab. (iii) Salah ad-Deen had taken 'Abdullah ibn Abi 'Asroon under his wing when he came to Damascus and given him authority as

qadi of Egypt, as al-Maqreezi stated, in 570 AH. The fact that he sent him a letter urging him to abolish the peace deal that Damascus had made with the Crusaders in the same year 442is evidence that Salah ad-Deen had a great deal of love and respect for him, and wished that he would become the qadi; indeed the letter is regarded as having paved the way for his selection in the future. The status of the scholars in the estimation of Said/:!ad-Deen (iv) Moreover, the relationship between Salah ad-Deen and 'Abdullah ibn Abi 'Asroon was so strong that it was Ibn Abi 'Asroon who arranged the marriage between Salah ad-Deen and al-Khatoon 'Ismat ad-Deen, the daughter of the emir Ma'een ad-Deen Anar, who had been the wife of Sultan Noor ad-Deen before his death, and who was living in the Citadel of Damascus in 572 AH.443 (v) There were important personages in the state of Salah ad-Deen who preferred for the position of chief qadi of Syria to be given to 'Abdullah ibn Abi 'Asroon, such as al-Qadi al-Fadil whose relationship with him was distinct; Ibn Abi 'Asroon often addressed him in his correspondence as "Mujeer ad-Deen (the protector ofthe Faith) al-Qadi al-Fadil" as an indication ofthe high esteem in which he held him.444 Another was the faqeeh 'Eesa al-Hakari, one of the emirs of Salah ad-Deen, who had studied under 'Abdullah ibn Abi 'Asroon and was inclined to favour his teacher and hoped to see him as the chief judge of Syria.445 Undoubtedly these two people had a great influence on making Salah ad-Deen favour 'Abdullah ibn Abi 'Asroon and appoint him as the qac;li.446 (vi) The plan of 'Abdullah ibn Abi 'Asroon and his helpers who began to tell everyone that Diya' ad-Deen was going to be dismissed and might be harmed, so he found himself in a critical position which prompted him to err on the side of

$aldlJ ad-Deen al-Ayubi caution and offer his resignation from the post of judge, which was accepted with alacrity447 and with no hesitation. This shows us that Salah ad-Deen was inclined towards 'Abdullah ibn Abi 'Asroon, even though he did not want to put pressure on Diya' ad-Deen and dismiss him.448 Whatever the case, all these reasons together set the scene for Sharaf ad-Deen ibn Abi 'Asroon to be appointed as the chief qadi of all regions of Greater Syria that were under the control of Salah ad-Deen alAyubi in 573 AH.449 Salah ad-Deen also stipulated with regard to this appointment that Muhiy ad-Deen Abul-Ma'ali Muhammad ibn Zaki ad-Deen and al-Awhad Dawood should be the deputies of Kamal ad-Deen ash-Shahrazoori, acting as judges under his authority, but their appointment had to be signed by the sultan himself.45o Academic output of Ibn Abi IAsroon Ibn Abi 'Asroon was a unique character. The author of AnNujoom adh-Dhdhirah described him as a virtuous imam and writer.451 As-Subki, the author of Tabaqdt ash-Shdfi'iyah, described him as, "A resident of Damascus and chief judge thereof, its scholar and most prominent figure. ,,452Muwaffaq ad-Deen Ibn Qudamah alMaqdisi said of him: "He was the imam of the Shfifi'is of his age." Ibn as-Salah described him as the most learned of the people of his age, and the ultimate authority for rulings.453 AI- 'Imad al-Isfahani described him as: Hujjat al-Islam, the mufti of Iraq and Syria, the shaykh of knowledge and great scholar. With his religious rulings he supported Islam and all respect and honour are due to him. No one of our era who studied the Shafi'i madh-hab under him reached his level; his virtue was established everywhere. He wrote books of great benefit based on great knowledge.Y" The status of the scholars in the estimation of Saldh. ad-Deen Among the books written by Ibn Abi 'Asroon were: Safwat alMadh-hab fi Nihdyat al-Matlab, in 7 volumes; Al-Intisdr in four volumes; Al-Murshid, in two volumes; Al-Dharee'ah fee Ma'rifat ash-Shari'ali in one volume; At-Tayseer, which dealt with controversial issues, in four volumes; Ma'dkhidli an-Nadhr; Mukhtasar al-Farii'id; Irshiid al-Mugharrab fi Nasrat al-Madh-hab, which he did not complete, and was lost with what was lost of his works in Aleppo.455 He also wrote other works including at-Tanbeeh fi Ma'rifat al-Ahkdm, Fawa'id al-Muhadhdhab (2 volumes),456 alMawdfiq wal-Makhdlif, 457 Fawd'id al-Mundhiri (2 volumes). He also wrote a book on the permissibility of a blind man serving as a judge.458 In Hiddyali al- 'Arifeen,459 al-Baghdadi added: Fatdwa wa Musalsaldt fil-hadith.ti" Literary output of Sharaf ad-Deen ibn Abi JAsroon Sharaf ad-Deen was famous in the areas of fiqh, usool, controversial issues, religious rulings and judicial matters, and also in the field of literature. He was a poet and man of letters from whom al- 'Imad al-Isfahani and others transmitted many lines of poetry which reflect warm emotions, vivid imagination and deep experience of life.461 Examples of his poetry include the couplet: Every gathering ends up being scattered, every good time is contaminated with something to spoil it...462 The personality of Ibn Abi 'Asroon was unique because he combined many talents which had an impact on the fields of judicial matters, rulings, politics, administration, diplomacy and international relations. He enjoyed sufficient knowledge and literary ability to

~ala/:lad-Deen al-Ayubi qualify him to be appointed to the highest positions as a judge, emissary and the shaykh of the Shafi'is of his era.463 Taking good news to the Abbasid caliph One of the great missions undertaken by the qadi Sharaf adDeen Ibn Abi 'Asroon was conveying the good news to the Abbasid caliph in 567 AHll171 CE that Salah ad-Deen had put an end to khutbahs being given in the name of the Fatimid caliph al- 'Adid and had ordained that they be given in the name of the Abbasid caliph alMustadi' Billah. He also sent with him a copy of this good news that was to be read out in every city he passed through. Until he reached Baghdad, he did not leave any city he passed but he entered it and read out this proclamation of great importance, until his caravan reached Baghdad and all the people of that city came out to honour him, in recognition of that great news which he brought. They showed him great honour and respect, and gifts were sent to Noor adDeen and Salah ad-Deen.l'" Al-Qadi Sharaf ad-Deen ibn Abi 'Asroon continued to play a part in political life, contributing his knowledge and opinions, and serving as Salah ad-Deen's emissary to the Abbasid caliph in Baghdad, until the battle of Hattin in 583 AHI 1187 CE. The historians confmned that he took part in this great battle in which Allah granted the recapture of most of the coastal cities of Syria and Jerusalem.465 IAbdullah ibn Abi IAsroon becomes blind Sharaf ad-Deen ibn Abi 'Asroon remained a qadi, judging according to Shariah, until 577 AH, when he became blind and lost his sight. The people said that he was not qualified to be a judge and doubted his credentials/''" Salah ad-Deen found himself in a difficult The status of the scholars in the estimation of Sala/; ad-Deen situation, and faced with a problem of fiqh. He did not want to hurt the feelings of his companion who had lost his sight by dismissing him from the post of judge but at the same time he was hearing the opinions of jurisprudents who criticized keeping Ibn 'Asroon in his post because he was no longer qualified. Sharaf ad-Deen ibn Abi 'Asroon confronted the problem himself and wrote a book about the permissibility of a blind man serving as a judge, disagreeing with the majority of jurisprudents. The foundation of Ibn Abi 'Asroon's argument that it was permissible for a blind man to serve as a judge was an opinion expressed in Jam' al-Jawdmi' by ar-Ruwayani; Sharaf ad-Deen ibn Abi 'Asroon adopted this view and wrote a book based on it, and he remained a judge when he became blind. The argument of the majority was based on the idea that a blind man could not recognize the disputants or witnesses, so how could he judge properly concerning an issue that was put to him? The argument of those who regarded it as permissible was that Shu 'ayb, the Prophet of Allah, was blind, and if he was a Prophet who was sent by Allah then it was more appropriate that a qadi should be able to remain in his post, because a Prophet is nobler than a qadi, as Allah has given him precedence over others. In opposition to this, it was said that it was not proven that Shu 'ayb was blind, and even if we accept that he was blind, the number of people who believed in him was small, so perhaps there was no need for him to judge between them. If we assume that they needed that, revelation would have come to the Prophet Shu 'ayb (~) and guided him to a decisive judgement, and that is not available to a qadi because no revelation comes to him.467 In the face of this problem, in which Sharaf ad-Deen ibn Abi 'Asroon stood alone on one side and all the jurisprudents of Syria stood on the other, ~aliil).ad-Deen was very frustrated. What should he do? ~aliil).ad-Deen turned to al-Qadi al-Fadil, who was in Egypt at

$alii/:tad-Deen al-Ayubi that time, and sent word to him, asking him for help to solve this problem by contacting Shaykh Abu Tahir ibn 'Awf al-Iskandari and asking him what was narrated in the hadiths about a blind man serving as a qaQi,468in the hope that he would fmd a solution to the problem for which he could not find an answer. Soon the reply came from al-Qadi al-Fadil to Salah ad-Deen: There could be only one of two answers, and may Allah choose for his highness the best option and help him to solve this problem that no Muslim king would be able to solve. Either the post could be left in the name of the father, so that his opinion may be consulted and his fatwas and blessing sought, whilst appointing his son to act as his deputy, on condition that he be penalized and dismissed for the first error he made, or the matter must be delegated to Imam Qutub adDeen who was the last of the senior shaykhs and the most prominent among our companions, so no one in any land should take precedence over him except one who was more qualified in knowledge than he.469 In this answer, Salah ad-Deen found a way out which left no room for any criticism. So he kept Sharaf ad-Deen as the head judge and delegated matters to his son Muhiy ad-Deen Abu Hamid Muharnrnad ibn Sharaf ad-Deen, on the condition that his father should be the real judge, and it would appear to the people that he was his father's deputy, and it would not appear as if his father had been dismissed from his post as judge. Thus Sharaf ad-Deen ibn Abi 'Asroon continued to be the chief judge of Syria and his son acted as his deputy, because he defended himself and researched thoroughly in the books of fiqh and derived evidence to demonstrate the permissibility of a blind man serving as a judge. Moreover Salah adDeen stood by his side and his friend al-Qadi al-Fadil supported him on the basis of truth.47o The status of the scholars in the estimation of $ala/:t ad-Deen The death of Ibn Abi IAsroon Al-Qa<;liIbn Abi 'Asroon died on 11th Ramadan 585 AH.471 When the news reached al-Qadi al-Fadil in Egypt, he wrote a letter on this occasion eulogizing Sharaf ad-Deen, in response to the letter that had brought this news to him from Syria: I received a letter from your honourable person, may Allah grant you peace of mind and cause your family to be happy with you, and guide you to all goodness and make all your words and deeds be for the sake of Allah. In it was news which undermines Islam and more, which may lead to collapse, namely the news of what Allah has decreed of the death of Imam Sharaf ad-Deen Ibn Abi 'Asroon, may Allah have mercy on him, and that great calamity that has resulted from his death of reducing the land from its outlying borders (Quran 13: 4) and the grief of the Muslims and the rejoicing of their enemies. He was a banner of knowledge, following in the footsteps of the righteous first generations; he spread knowledge in Syria and everyone who benefited from his knowledge did so because of his efforts. May Allah be pleased with him and bestow abundant mercy upon him. He has not died who left all these books behind which are full of benefits; rather he has not died who left behind a son like al-Muhiy. This, by Allah, is the legacy and benefit that he has left behind. I was sorely grieved not to be present when he was on his deathbed, and not to be standing there to pray to Allah as he was dying. Allah knows how much distress I felt for losing him, and how lonely I felt because the world is bereft of him, and how concerned I am at the loss of the supplications that he used to offer for me. But praise be to Allah, he did not die until he had raised righteous sons and taught seekers of knowledge, and built schools and

Sald/:tad-Deen al-Ayubi mosques, and filled his days and nights with prayer, bowing and prostrating. This is his legacy. He lives on and it is rather we who are dead because of losing him.472 The faqeeh 'Eesa al-Hakari His full name was Diya' ad-Deen Abu Muharnmad 'Eesa ibn Muharnmad ibn 'Eesa al-Hakari, one of the emirs of Salah ad-Deen's state, on whom the sultan was relying for advice and consultation. He taught fiqh in al-Madrasah ar-Zujdjiyah in the city of Aleppo. He contacted the emir Asad ad-Deen Shirkuh, the paternal uncle of Salah ad-Deen, and became his imam, leading him in the five obligatory prayers. When Asad ad-Deen went to Egypt and became the vizier, 'Eesf accompanied him. Salah ad-Deen used to consult him and follow his advice, and he was so close to him that he talked to him in a manner that no one else could; his intermediation between Salah ad-Deen and the people was in their interests.473 His support for Salah ad-Deen's viziership After Salah ad-Deen was appointed vizier by the caliph al- ".\did, some of the emirs of Noor ad-Deen who had wanted the viziership for themselves objected to that and refused to obey Salah ad-Deen or serve under him.474 The situation almost led to conflict among Noor ad-Deen's forces in Egypt, were it not for the role played by the faqeeh 'Eesa al-Hakari, who was one of the Kurdish. He began to strive hard to unite these emirs around Salah ad-Deen, using all kinds of incentives and punishments, but 'Ayn ad-Dawlah al-Yarooqi preferred to go back to Syria to serve Noor ad-Deen Mahmood, rather than serve under Salfih ad-Deen's authority.475 Thus the great role played by the faqeeh 'Eesa al-Hakari in The status of the scholars in the estimation of $ald/J ad-Deen supporting Salah ad-Deen in his viziership becomes clear. By means of his strength of character and smartness he was able to pave the way for Salah ad-Deen when he was first appointed so that he could devote his energy to that which was more important than these conflicts, namely the greater jihad against the Crusaders.V? Resolving the misunderstanding between Salah ad-Deen and Noor ad-Deen It is due to Shaykb 'Eesa al-Hakari that the misunderstanding between Salah ad-Deen and the sultan Noor ad-Deen Mahmood was resolved, when Salah ad-Deen excused himself from marching to the fortress of Kerak, as Noor ad-Deen commanded him to do; Noor adDeen accepted the intervention of al-Hakari and gave him a letter to take to SaIaIJ ad-Deen, in which he stated: Protecting Egypt is more important to us than anything else.477 Salah ad-Deen relied on him with regard to many matters, such that al-Faqeeh 'Eesa became one of the greatest emirs of Salah ad-Deen. The latter respected his knowledge, wisdom and advice; he consulted him a great deal with regard to matters of ruling, and never went against what he advised.478 His role in reaching a peace deal with the people of Mosul After that, events unfolded which confirmed the importance and status of this faqeeh in the state of Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi, That became clear in 578 AHl1182 CE, when SaIaIJ ad-Deen wanted to besiege Mosul and take it back from its ruler, the atabeg 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood, and incorporate it into the Islamic front, in order to

$aliilJad-Deen al-Ayubi guarantee that it would stand with him against the Crusaders in his decisive battle with them. But after many clashes between the two sides, the Abbasid caliph intervened and sent Sadr ad-Deen, the Shaykh of Shaykhs, as an intermediary acting on his behalf, to bring about a reconciliation between the two sides.479 Sadr ad-Deen sent word to Salah ad-Deen, asking him to send some of his most trusted men to attend peace talks between the two sides. The sultan requested al-Qadi al-Fadil and al-Faqeeh 'Eesa to attend and inform him of what they heard from Sadr ad-Deen. So they went and met with the Shaykh of Shaykhs, and both of them discussed the matter on behalf of Salah ad-Deen, until a deal was reached between the two sides, and Salah ad-Deen lifted the siege from Mosul, and Muslim blood was thus spared.48o Negotiations with the vizier of Khallat In 581 AHl1185 CE, al-Faqeeh 'Eesa undertook another diplomatic mission, when the sultan Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi sent him to negotiate with the vizier of Khallat on his behalf. After the death of Shah Arman Sakman the ruler of Khallat, his Mameluke Sayf ad-Deen Baktamar took over the city, and al-Bahlawan the atabeg of Shams ad-Deen Muhammad ibn Eldakaz, the ruler of Persia, marched towards him to seize Khallat from him. The vizier of Khallat, whose name was Majd ad-Deen ibn al-Muwaffaq ibn Rasheeq, was also hoping to take over the city. He sent word to the sultan Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi, asking him to intervene and put an end to these conflicts. The sultan sent al-Faqeeh 'Eesa al-Hakari on this diplomatic mission, to hold discussions with all sides. The vizier of Khallat spoke with al-Faqeeh 'Eesa, asking him to hasten the arrival of the Sultan, before al-Bahlawan arrived. In fact the sultan had left Mosul and was on his way to Khallat. When al-Bahlawan The status of the scholars in the estimation of ~al/i1Jad-Deen found out about these developments and the determined stance adopted by al-Faqeeh 'Eesa in support of the vizier of Khallat, and his urgent message to the sultan, al-Bahlawan became afraid and sought a peace deal with the vizier of Khallat so that he could return to his own country. A peace deal was made and an end was put to the conflict, by means of the wisdom of al-Faqeeh 'Eesa who succeeded in this mission and opened the door to friendly relations between the two sides.481 A man of special missions In 582 AHll186 CE, the sultan Salah ad-Deen made a number of changes in Egypt and Syria, especially with regard to his deputies in various cities. He was seeking reassurance about the future of the land after his death on the one hand, and he wanted no disputes among his sons. In addition, he wished to train them in how to run the country during his lifetime and to protect the land from division on the other hand, especially since he was preparing himself to enter into a decisive battle in his jihad against the Crusaders. When news reached him that his nephew Taqi ad-Deen 'Umar - his deputy in Egypt along with his son al-Malik al-Afdal - had behaved in a manner which suggested that he wanted to gain full control in Egypt during his uncle's sickness when the latter was in Harran, he sent alFaqeeh 'Eesa al-Hakari, who was held in high esteem by his nephew and was obeyed by the troops, to Egypt, and ordered him to expel Taqi ad-Deen from that land and stay there himself.482 Al-Faqeeh 'Eesa hastened to obey the command and headed for Egypt to carry out these orders. He stayed there until al- 'Adil, the brother of Salah ad-Deen, arrived, accompanied by his son al-'Azeez 'Uthman ibn Salah ad-Deen. This is indicative ofthe great trust that Salah ad-Deen had in al-Faqeeh 'Eesa al-Hakari, and the extent to which he felt at

Said/:!ad-Deen al-Ayubi ease with him, especially since he knew how great an influence alHakari had on the troops of Egypt. 483 His courage in the wars against the Crusaders After things settled down, Salah ad-Deen started his jihad on the Syrian front, joined by many volunteers among the fuqaha' and 'ulema', foremost among whom was al-Faqeeh 'Eesa al-Hakari, who took part in his jihad against the Crusaders in practical terms, bearing weapons and fighting in battle as a fighter for the sake of Allah, wearing military dress with the turban of a faqeeh and thus combining the two styles of dress.484 The Islamic sources prove this practical participation of this faqeeh in jihad. When he went out with Salah ad-Deen in 573 AHlll77 CE to fight the Crusaders at Ascalon, he raided it, killed many Crusaders, took many prisoners and burned everything around it. Salah ad-Deen continued, with his entourage, until he reached Rarnlah, where he captured many prisoners and seized a lot of booty. Then when the army was distracted by the booty and scattered in the villages and areas around the city, and Salah adDeen stayed behind with a small number of his troops, the Crusaders launched a sudden attack and the Muslims got confused. They began fighting, but they were defeated, and many of them were killed or taken prisoner, and al-Faqeeh Diya' ad-Deen 'Eesa al-Hakari and his brother Dhaheer ad-Deen were among those who were taken captive. Ibn al-Atheer mentions with regard to this matter that he was one of those who fought the hardest on that day.485 One sign of the high esteem in which al-Faqeeh 'Eesa al-Hakari was held by Salah adDeen al-Ayubi, which was mentioned by the historians, is the fact that Salah ad-Deen ransomed him from captivity two years later for the sum of sixty thousand dinars.486 The historians add that not only did Salah ad-Deen pay money to ransom al-Faqeeh al-Hakari; he also

Zayn ad-Deen IAli ibn Naja The status of the scholars in the estimation of Saldl) ad-Deen released a large number of Knights Hospitaller'f" whom he was holding captive. This is indicative of the great esteem in which alFaqeeh al-Hakari was held by Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi.Y" Al-Faqeeh 'Eesa died in 858 AH.489 With regard to the attitudes and actions of some of the jurisprudents and 'ulema' at the beginning of the Ayubid state, it is worth mentioning the great keenness they showed in 569 AHl1174 CE for the soundness and security of the state, and their eagerness for it not to become divided, lest the enemies of Islam and the Muslims should get their hopes up. That was seen when some of the Shiite in Egypt engaged in a conspiracy aimed at restoring the Fatimid caliphate after it had been toppled by Salah ad-Deen in 567 AHlII71 CE. Their plan was to summon the Crusaders from Sicily and Syria to come to Egypt and help them, in return for money and land. Their plan was that when the Crusader forces arrived and Salah ad-Deen went out to meet them, the conspirators would light the fires of revolt in the land, and the sultan would then be caught between two traps: internal revolt and the Crusader attack from outside, which would scatter his forces along two fronts and lead to his defeat by the Crusaders on one hand and the conspirators who were seeking to gain control on the other. Foremost among these conspirators were the Shiite faqeeh and poet, 'Amarah ibn Abil-Hasan al-Yamani.T" 'Abd al-Samad al-Katib, al-Qadi Hibbat-Allah ibn 'Abdullah al- 'Uwayris and others among the Egyptian troops, black soldiers and the palace retinue, in addition to some of the emirs and troops of SalaI:t adDeen.491 Undoubtedly these plans were a blatant act of betrayal on the part of some of the Shiite, who sought the help of the Crusaders to fight the Muslims in order to achieve personal gains and to

$aliif.t ad-Deen al-Ayubi undermine the Sunni Islamic state of Salah ad-Deen which was fighting the enemies of the faith. This betrayal even went so far as enticing the Crusaders with offers of money to come to Egypt, instead of confronting and fighting them.492 But Allah willed that the conspiracy should be uncovered at the hands of a cleric, one of the smart and sincere jurisprudents who understood where the interest of Islam lay and who cared about the unity of the Islamic front. His name was Zayn ad-Deen 'Ali. Ibn alAtheer tells us: By the kindness of Allah towards the Muslims, the Egyptian group asked Zayn ad-Deen 'Ali ibn Naja, the preacher and qadi who was known as Ibn Najiyah, to join them.493 They appointed a caliph, vizier, preacher and judges.494 When alQadi Ibn Najajoined them and realized the seriousness of what they were trying to achieve, he told Salah ad-Deen all the details of the conspiracy. Salah ad-Deen asked him to make a show of sympathy with them and to go along with whatever they wanted him to do, and to keep him up to date with what was going on. He did that, and kept him informed of everything they were up to.495 Based on that, Salah ad-Deen managed to find out the details of the conspiracy. When an envoy from the Frankish king of the coast came with a gift and a letter, he appeared outwardly to be coming to Salah ad-Deen, but secretly he had come with a message to that group. He sent some of the Christians to them, and their messenger came to him. News had reached Salah ad-Deen from the Frankish lands of what was going on, so he appointed a Christian whom he trusted to spend time with that messenger and keep an eye on him, and the messenger told that Christian man exactly what was going on.496 When Salah ad-Deen was certain of the veracity of the reports he was receiving from al-Qadi Ibn Naja,

and with the aim of averting disaster before it was too late, he ordered the arrest and execution of all those conspirators, and thus the conspiracy was silenced.l'" The status of the scholars in the estimation of $alillJad-Deen Then the sultan brought Zayn ad-Deen 'Ali ibn Naja close to him and treated him kindly, awarding him gifts and a stipend, and rewarded him generously, giving him all he wanted and more. The sultan would consult him and ask his advice, and he was fond of him because he had known him for a long time and knew of his good character.t'" Salah ad-Deen called Ibn Naja" 'Arnr ibn al_'A~'499" and followed his advice because of his wisdom and smartness. Many of the state officials and prominent Sunnis in Egypt would not go against the advice of Zayn ad-Deen ibn Naja. AI-MaIik al-'Azeez 'Uthman ibn Salah ad-Deen said to him: If you have any idea that could achieve something good, then write it for me, for I will not do anything other than what you advise.soo Sibt ibn al-Jawzi stated that Ibn Naja became active in preaching and teaching the Hadith, and that Salah ad-Deen and his children used to attend his audiences and listen to his exhortations, and he had high status and was well respected. SOl When Salah ad-Deen went out to fight the Crusaders in Syria, he used to send letters to Zayn ad-Deen ibn Naja, describing events.S02 For example, when he conquered the citadel of Horns in 570 AHl1174 CE, he wrote to him, describing the citadel, in a lengthy letter.S03 When Salah ad-Deen decided to settle in Syria in 580 AHl1184 CE, Ibn Naja wrote him a letter trying to evoke nostalgia in him for Egypt with its Nile, goodness, mosques and historical sites, then he mentioned the virtues of Egypt, quoting as evidence Qur' anic verses, reports and literary passages. Salah adDeen responded with a letter - which was quoted by Sibt ibn alJawzi and Abu Shamah - in which he told him that living in Syria was better and that its climate was more pleasant, and that Allah has sworn by it in the Qur' an; he rebuked him for not longing for his

$atal:tad-Deen al-Ayubi homeland of Damascus and invited him to move there. Then he ended his letter with the words: May Allah guide Zayn ad-Deen. He mentioned Syria but was not content for Syria to be equal to other lands; rather he started to list its disadvantages. I hope that he and the people around him will come back to the truth, if Allah WillS.504 Whatever the case, Ibn Naja continued to work with Salah adDeen until he entered Jerusalem with him as a conqueror and gave the first lesson in al-Masjid al_Aq~a,505as we shall see below in sha' Allah. Abul-Hasan 'Ali ibn Ibraheem ibn Naja al-Hanbali, who was known as Zayn ad-Deen, died in 599 AH.506 'Imad ad-Deen al-Isfahani The qadi, imam, great scholar, mufti, chancellor and vizier, 'Imad ad-Deen Abu 'Abdullah Muharnmad ibn Hamid ibn Muharnmad ibn 'Abdullah ibn 'AIi ibn Mahmood ibn Hibbat alIsfahani, the scribe, came to Baghdad and stayed at an-Nizamiyah, where he excelled in fiqh, studying under Abu Mansoor Sa 'eed ibn ar-Razzaz. He became proficient in Arabic and was top of the class inthe art of letter writing. He wrote many books and became famous.507 He made contact with Ibn Hubayrah, then he went to Damascus in 562, where he made contact with the state officials and worked in the chancery of al-Malik Noor ad-Deen. He wrote in Farsi too, and Noor ad-Deen sent him as an envoy to al-Mustanjid, and appointed him to teach in al- 'Imadiyah in 567, then he employed him in the department. After Noor ad-Deen died, he was neglected, so he went to Mosul where he fell sick, then he came back to Aleppo when it was being besieged by Salah ad-Deen in 570. He praised him and joined his retinue, then Salah ad-Deen appointed him as a scribe and The status of the scholars in the estimation of Saldh. ad-Deen brought him close to him. Al-Qadi al-Fadil would stay in Egypt to do some tasks, and al-Tmad would act in his stead.508 Al-Trnad became al-Qadi al-Fadil's assistant in all his affairs, and he regained his old status, becoming the confidential scribe of ~alaQ ad_Deen.509 Salah ad-Deen appointed him as his scribe, trusted him and brought him close, and he became one of his inner circle, making decisions, sharing out the wealth that the sultan gave to him, signing what the sultan signed without consulting him, meeting the needs of the people who came to him, competing at the same level with the viziers and prominent state officials, even though he did not attain the same high status with Salah ad-Deen as al-Qadi al-Fadil did. Al- 'Imad spent more time with Salah ad-Deen than al-Qadi al-Fadil, who spent a lot of time away from the sultan and stayed in Cairo and Damascus to carry out some tasks given to him by the sultan. At the time of Salah ad-Deen he wrote many letters and official announcements, and joined various consultative councils.t'" When the sultan Salah ad-Deen died in 589 AH, al-Tmad's fortunes declined and his situation grew worse. The sons of Salah adDeen did not treat him as their father had done, and they dismissed him from his post. Concerning that, al- 'Imad commented in his introduction to Sand al-Barq ash-Shiimi: When Allah the Most Generous took him unto paradise, his sons divided his kingdom and I said to myself, "They are following in his footsteps and doing what he did; they appreciate my status and will promote me to a higher rank and keep my happy; they will not undervalue me." But they disappointed me, cutting me off and casting me aside, excluding me from their lives.511 After the death of Salah ad-Deen, the authors who wrote biographies of al- 'Imad al-Isfahani do not mention anything about him. Yaqoot said: He stayed in his home and focused on writing 1-

Said/:!ad-De en al-Ayubi books and teaching people.512 Ibn Khallikan stated that he stayed in his house and focused on research and writing books.513 It seems that after this period, al-'Imad went back to researching and writing, which is clear from the letter that al-Qadi al-Fadil sent to him from Egypt in 595 AH, complaining of his life of isolation in Egypt and regarding al- 'Imad's ability to focus on research and writing as a blessing for which he should be grateful. He said: Allah knows I am so isolated, but it is not the quiet corner that is recommended for the sane man at times of insanity . We are waiting for the Syrian Iightning!" to bring rain and definitely we will not be disappointed. The preoccupation of our master at this time with study and teaching and writing is a blessing for which scholars should give thanks and jurisprudents should feel joy.515 AI- 'Imad died on a Monday at the beginning of Ramadan 597 AHl5 July 1121 CE, and was buried in the Sufi graveyard outside Bab al_Na~r.516 Al-Khabooshani The great faqeeh and ascetic, Najm ad-Deen Abul-Barakat Muharnmad ibn Muwaffaq ibn Sa'eed al-Khabooshani, the Shafi'i and Sufi. He studied under Muhammad ibn Yahya and excelled.517 He was the author of al-Muheet, a book of sixteen volumes. He was originally from Nishapur. Sultan Salah ad-Deen brought him close to him and believed in his virtue. He was famous for his virtue, religious commitment and sound intentions. He lived on very little, and was very strong in his commitment to Islam. As he said, before he went to Egypt, "I shall go to Egypt and topple the kingdom of Banu 'Ubayd al-Yahoodi (the Fatirnids)." He settled in Cairo and started to say bad The status of the scholars in the estimation of Saldl; ad-Deen things openly about the inhabitants of the palace; reviling them became like glorifying Allah for him. They were confused about him and sent him a lot of money; it was said that the amount was four thousand dinars. But he said to the messenger, "Woe to you, what is this innovation?" So the messenger reacted quickly and threw the gold down in front of him, but he beat him, with his turban becoming unravelled, and threw him down the stairS.518 When he came to Egypt in 565 AH, he stayed in one of the mosques, and it so happened that the caliph al-'Adid li Deen-Illah saw in his dream, that he was in the city of Fustat, and a scorpion came out of a mosque that was known there and stung him. He woke up scared, and summoned the dream interpreter and told him what he had seen. The man said, "Harm will befall the leader of the believers from a man who is staying in that mosque." So he ordered the governor of that city to bring the man who was in that mosque. He went and brought a Sufi man to him, and al-'Adid asked him where he was from, when he had come to Egypt and what he had come for. He answered his questions without giving al-'Adid any reason to suspect him; rather he gave him the impression that he was poor and weak but sincere, so he gave him money and said to him, "0 Shaykh, pray for us," and let him go. He went back to his mosque and stayed there until Shirkuh came from Damascus and Salah ad-Deen Yoosuf ibn Ayub became the vizier of al- 'Adid and started to dismantle the state. He consulted the jurisprudents of Egypt, and his were the most severe of religious rulings. He listed the bad points of the people (the Fatirnids), described them as having no faith, and spoke at length, criticizing them.519 He enjoined what is good and forbade what is evil. The chamberlain of the deputy ruler of Egypt, Taqi ad-Deen 'Umar, came to him and said, "Taqi ad-Deen conveys salams to you." n

$ald/J ad-Deen al-Ayubi Al-Khabooshani said, "Rather (his name should be) Shaqiy ad-Deen ('disobedient in religion'), may Allah never grant him peace." Taqi ad-Deen 'Umar said, "He apologizes and says that there is no place where he can sell mizr520." Al-Khabooshani said, "He is lying." Taqi ad-Deen 'Umar said, "If there is a place, show it to us." Al-Khabooshani said, "Come here." Taqi ad-Deen 'Umar came near, and al-Khabooshani grabbed him by the hair and started beating him on the head, saying, "I am not a seller of rnizr to know where it is sold!" Then they rescued Taqi ad-Deen 'Umar from him.521 All his life al-Khabooshani never took a dirham from a king or from an endowment, and he was buried in the cloak that he had brought from his city. He was supported by a merchant who had come with him from his city.522 Al-Khabooshani died in Dhul-Qa'dah 587 AH.523 These are the biographies of some of the scholars at the time of Salah ad-Deen. These scholars and jurisprudents were held in high esteem by Salah ad-Deen and were highly respected. His audiences were filled with men of knowledge and virtue. AI- 'Imad mentions in this regard that he preferred to listen to hadiths with their chains of narration, and he liked the scholars with him to speak of beneficial Shariah knowledge. Because he used to engage in discussions with the jurisprudents, and take part in passing judgement with the judges, he became more knowledgeable than them on Shariah rulings and the evidence and foundations of these rulings.524 Ibn Shaddad also mentions that when he heard of a shaykh who narrated hadiths and was listened to a great deal, he would be among those who would come to him. If he (the shaykh) was one of The status of the scholars in the estimation of $aliiJ:tad-Deen those who could come to him, he would summon him and listen to him, and he would make those of his sons, Mamelukes and inner circle who were present listen as well ... .If the shaykh was one of those who did not frequent the doors of rulers and refrained from attending such gatherings, he would go to him and listen to him.525 Salah ad-Deen's relationship with the imam Qutub ad-Deen anNaysaboori was very strong, because Salah ad-Deen was always discussing with the leading scholars and greatest jurisprudents whatever he needed to understand.V" To sum up, the scholars and jurisprudents were held in high esteem and greatly respected by Salah ad-Deen, and received compassion, care, respect and appreciation from him in both material and intangible terms. Their opinions were highly respected by those rulers who thought that they should consult them concerning all Shariah matters that had to do with all aspects of life in the state. Indeed, those scholars and jurisprudents gained spiritual control of people's minds and their status reached such a high level that they wielded far-reaching influence over peoples and governments. Nothing is more indicative of that than the fact that the governments handed over the reins of defence and fighting to scholars and jurisprudents such as al-Faqeeh 'Eesa al-Hakari, who excelled in matters of both religion and warfare at the time of Salah ad-Deen.527 l _

CHAPTER V Economic Reforms and Types of Expenditure 0alill:l ad-Deen's state enjoyed abundance and easy living, because its sources of income were many and various. We may list these sources as follows: .:. The vast treasures of the Fatimids available to him after Egypt came under his control .:. Income from the tax that came from non-Muslims .:. Ransoms paid by prisoners .:. Income from booty acquired through war .:. Income from land tax which was taken from the inhabitants of lands conquered peacefully. In addition, there were other Islamically acceptable sources of income and other permissible sources of wealth. Salah ad-Deen was not one of those sultans who spent wealth inappropriately; rather he spent it for the sake of Allah, building fortresses and citadels, and other construction projects that benefited the state.528 His interest in agriculture and trade In order to spare the land the woes of famine that could be caused by war, Salah ad-Deen paid a great deal of attention to agriculture and irrigation so that the land could yield its best and offer

It is a beautiful city, surrounded by farms and gardens, with a lot of sugar cane, orange, banana and lemon trees, and Economic reforms and types of expenditure all types of produce. Egypt and Greater Syria cooperated III an exchange of agricultural produce, reinforcing and strengthening the economy and supplying the army with necessary wealth. The two provinces stood side by side to confront the treacherous aggression of the Franks and to supply the Muslim army with everything it needed of food and weaponry. Salah ad-Deen also paid a great deal of attention to trade. Egypt during his era was the link between east and west, and many European cities flourished because of this trade, such as the Italian cities of Venice and Pisa. Later on, the Venetians were permitted to establish a market in Alexandria. Salah ad-Deen took a great interest in markets and paid attention to them so that the economy could flourish and productivity in his state could increase. He increased the number of markets in Egypt and Syria, and paid attention to refurbishing and expanding them. The traveller Ibn Jubayr visited some of these markets on his journey during the time of Salah ad-Deen in 578 AH, and he recorded his admiration for their system. He said, speaking of the city of Aleppo: As for the town, it is massively built and wonderfully disposed, and of rare beauty, with large markets arranged in long adjacent rows so that you pass from a row of shops of one craft into that of another, until you have gone through all the urban industries. These markets are all roofed with wood, so that their occupants enjoy an ample shade, and all hold the gaze from their beauty, and halt in wonder those who are hurrying by. Most of the shops are in wooden warehouses of excellent workmanship.V" In his book Safar Nama, Nasir Khusrau (or Chosroes) described the city of Tripoli (in Lebanon) at the time of Salah adDeen: ------------------------------~

SaId/; ad-Deen al-Ayubi hostelries with four or five or six storeys. Its streets and markets are clean and beautiful, and you would think that every market is a beautiful palace. In the middle of the city there is a great congregational mosque, well kept, and finely adorned, and solidly constructed. In the courtyard of the mosque there is a large dome, beneath which there is a marble cistern with water coming out of a copper faucet, and in the marketplace there is a water fountain53o with five taps, from which a lot of water comes out, and the people take whatever they need.531 His interest in manufacturing Salah ad-Deen paid attention to the manufacture of weapons, textiles, fabrics, embroidered silk clothing, finely crafted horse saddles and glass. During his era the manufacture of pottery, ships, fleets and other things helped the economy to flourish, increased productivity and gave extra strength to the state.532 Craftsmen and artisans during the Ayubid era were among the most loyal to their inherited traditions. Groups of workers and craftsmen continued to follow the same systems and methods of manufacturing as had been used in previous eras. The artisans were organized in guilds which protected their rights and supervised the execution of their duties in the most complete way; they had their guilds and traditions which everyone respected and which were supported by the state.533 One of the traditions of these guilds was keeping the secrets of that craft or trade, and limiting it to the guild members and their families. Perhaps this explains the widespread phenomenon of certain families specializing in a particular craft that was handed down from father to son, in addition to the difficulty for strangers to enter their ranks.534 Among the most famous centres of manufacturing during the Ayubid era were the following: Economic reforms and types of expenditure Cairo The purpose behind the building of Cairo was not so that it could be the capital of the state or a homeland for every resident of Egypt; rather it was intended to be a place of residence solely for the caliph and his harem, troops and inner circle, far away from the city of Fustat and its environs. After just one century, at most, Cairo became an important city in which a society was soon established with all its classes and requirements, and all kinds of crafts and manufacturing spread throughout the city. These activities flourished throughout the Ayubid era.535 It is clear that the markets of Cairo flourished during the era of an-Nasir Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi, when the city was exposed to economic and social changes, which resulted in increased demand for market products in general. These developments also led to most of the changes that took place in the city's markets during that period. Among the most prominent of these changes was the development of specialization in the markets - for every type of product there was a market that specialized in it. This was an organizational method that began to be adopted at the time of Salfih ad-Deen, when it may be noted that most of the main markets that appeared during the Ayubid era specialized in selling one type of good or product. This phenomenon was unknown before the Ayubid era. For example there were markets where only sewn clothes, furniture and so on were sold. The great Sooq al-Jamaloon was founded at the time of Salah ad-Deen; this market specialized in selling silk cloth. Other markets specialized in selling bridal trousseaus and bracelets. A market also appeared between the two palaces, selling weapons, bowls, arrows, knives and other kinds of weapons that soldiers needed. Other markets, such as ashSharabishiyeen and al-Khawa'isiyeen appeared, which sold military uniforms and clothing, as well as the cloaks which the sultan gave to emirs, viziers and judges. Some of the markets and crafts were moved

!ialdl; ad-Deen al-Ayubi from Fustat to Cairo. This phenomenon was something natural, because it became permitted for the masses and ordinary people to live in Cairo at the time of Salah ad-Deen; a number of merchants and craftsmen found the opportunity to move to Cairo in order to practise their trades there, near the officials and emirs of the state, after the state dismantled the craftsmen system that had existed during the Fatimid era. This led to a large number of craftsmen moving to the various markets to work there. This undoubtedly contributed to the increase and development of manufacturing activity in Cairo, which in turn contributed to the flourishing of trade based on manufacturing at the time of an-Nasir Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi.i'" Fustat It may be said that the fire which was started by Shawar in 564 AH almost destroyed Fustat completely, were it not for the Ayubids' efforts to save it. From the time Asad ad-Deen Shirkuh became vizier, he showed an interest in rebuilding it, then this mission was continued after his death by his nephew Salah ad-Deen, who paid a great deal of attention to Fustat, renovating its mosques and principal buildings and building schools in the city. He crowned these efforts by incorporating it with Cairo in one city wall, thus offering protection to both. As a result of this attention, the city gradually began to be built up. The opportunities for building in Fustat were good from the time of Salah ad-Deen, when buildings, markets and workshops were built in this area.537 The workshops of Fustat were called foundries, for instance the copper foundry, the steel foundry and so on. There can be no doubt that the foundries were based in Fustat and produced both raw material and cast metal which were needed by the metalsmithing industry in Egypt to produce weapons and war engines, in addition to household utensils and various kinds of decorative items.538

Abolition of levies and being content with Shariah sources of income Economic reforms and types of expenditure Tanees Tanees539 is regarded as one of the most important centres of textile manufacture at the time of the Ayubids. Many historians and travellers spoke highly of its textile manufacturing.P''" It is worth mentioning that the people of Tanees remained active in manufacturing and trade until al-Malik al-Kamil Muhammad ibn Ayub destroyed it and demolished its walls and houses in 624 AHI 1226 CE.541 Other cities Other cities which were famous as centres of manufacturing during the Ayubid era included Damietta, Akhmeem, Alexandria, Jazeerat ar-Rawdah, Damascus, Aleppo and others.542 It comes as no surprise that there was nothing left in Salah adDeen's treasury after he died except 46 silver dirhams and a single gold dinar. His state's income was huge, and his expenditure on war was also huge. The more lands that came under his control, the more his income from them and his spending on them increased. His principles were always as follows: 1. Abolishing illegitimate levies and taxes in all lands that he conquered 2. Being content with Islamically acceptable sources of income such as zakah, jizyah,543 tribute, booty and the tithe (onetenth) on trade.

$aldJ; ad-Deen al-Ayubi The income from Egypt was his main source, because he regarded it as his kingdom. Hence he abolished the Hajj levies that were taken from Maghrebi pilgrims. And he abolished the levies on Yemeni merchants. He also abolished similar taxes in Damascus when he took control of it, and in Aleppo, Sanjar and Raqqah. His financial policy appears in the statement that he issued when he abolished the levies in Raqqah: The worst of rulers is the one who lines his pockets at the people's expense, and the furthest from the right way is the one who takes what is not his from the people and regards it as his by right. The one who gives up something for the sake of Allah will be compensated by Allah, and the one who lends to Allah a goodly loan will be repaid by Him. When our venture ended in the conquest of ar-Raqqah, we found out about the unlawful consumption of wealth and wrongdoing which Allah has commanded be stopped, so we obliged ourselves and the governors who are working for us to waive all of these taxes . ...We have issued orders that all these doors be closed and abolished and that the records of these taxes be erased from the department, and that both rich and poor be let off paying them forever. 544 Thus the taxes were abolished which the Crusaders used to get from as-Salt, al-Balqa', Jabal 'Awf, as-Sawad and al-Jawlan; the Franks used to take half of the taxes collected. Salah ad-Deen restored the obligation of zakah, which the Fatimids had abolished, as a sign of the restoration of the Sunni madh-hab, making it an alternative to the illegitimate levies and taxes. He paid attention to the collection of zakah; he set up a department for it and appointed someone in charge of it, but the collection of zakah was little.545 Zakah was levied and collected on gold, silver, trade goods, livestock and crops, with exemptions for foodstuffs such as sesame, flax seeds,

Hospitals at the time of Salah ad-Deen Economic reforms and types of expenditure olive oil and vegetables.F'" Tribute was collected according to the system and set times of Egypt. When the need arose to change from following the Hijri calendar to the solar Coptic calendar in 567 AH, because the times for collection had started to come before the time of production, Salah ad-Deen made this alteration. In other regions, such as Syria and Mesopotamia, the tribute was calculated based on (an area of land approximately equal to) one acre. The tax on wheat and barley was two and a half bushels for one acre. The tax was collected and then paid to the sultan's department. The rate on fava beans and chickpeas was similar, and there were cash taxes on some harvests such as grapes and other tree fruits, which varied between one and five dinars per acre. In the third year it was no more than three dinars. Those with dhimmi 547 status paid the jizyah, from which children, women and monks were exempt. It was called the community tax, and varied according to the people's circumstances, between one and 4.5 dinars, in addition to two and a half dirhams to be paid by all every year. Because metal and wood were essential for making weapons, Salah ad-Deen forbade anyone to have anything to do with them, and strictly enforced the state monopoly in these materials, because he was in a state of war with the Franks, and the punishment for anyone who smuggled any of these materials was great indeed.548 Most of the state's income was spent on the war, fortresses, citadels, schools, mosques, border posts, inns on the roads, hospices, salaries for state employees.i''" and so on. In Salah ad-Deen's time there were no schools of medicine per se, rather this specialty was taught in the hospitals. After a lecture, the student would go and see patients to learn how to diagnose and treat disease.55o ~alal.t ad-Deen built a number of hospitals during his reign, including the following:

SaW}; ad-Deen al-Ayubi The Nasiri Hospital in Cairo Salah ad-Deen built an-Nasiri Hospital in Cairo, choosing one of the splendid palaces and turning it into a huge hospital. He chose for this purpose a palace that was located far away from noisy areas.55! Dr. Ahmad 'Eesa explains: An-Nasiri or as-Salahi Hospital, or the Hospital of Salah adDeen: When the sultan Salah ad-Deen took over Egypt in 567 AHI1171 CE, he took control of the palace of the Fatimids. In the palace there was a hall which had been built by al-'Azeez Billah in 384 AHl994 CB. Sultan Salah ad-Deen made it a hospital, and it was the oldest hospital in the palace.552 Al-Qadi al-Fadil said concerning the events of 577 AHI1181 CE: The sultan Salfih ad-Deen Yoosuf ibn Ayub ordered that a hospital be opened for the sick and weak, and he chose a place in the palace. A monthly income of two hundred dinars was allocated to it from the chancery, as well as some income from Fayum (an agricultural region in Egypt). He employed in it doctors, oculists, surgeons, a supervisor, a worker and a servant, and people found great comfort and benefit in it.553 An-Nasiri Hospital was well furnished and was one of the finest palaces; it contained all that was needed for the treatment and comfort of its patients.554 The traveller Ibn Jubayr described the hospital which Salah ad-Deen built in Cairo, saying: Another of the things we saw, doing honour to the Sultan, was the hospital in the city of Cairo. It is a palace, goodly for its beauty and spaciousness. This benefaction he made seeking reward and the pleasure of Allah. He appointed as superintendent a man of science with whom he placed a store of drugs and whom he empowered to use the potions and apply Economic reforms and types of expenditure them in their various forms. In the rooms of this palace were placed beds, fully appointed, for inpatients. At the disposal of the superintendent are servants whose duty it is, morning and evening, to examine the conditions of the sick, and to bring them the food and potions that befit them. Facing this establishment is another especially for sick women, and they also have persons to attend to them. A third which adjoins them, a large place, has rooms with iron windows, and it also has been taken as a place of confinement for the insane. They also have persons who daily examine their condition and give them what is fitting for them. All these matters the sultan oversees, examining and questioning, and demanding the greatest care and attention to them.555 'Ali Mubarak Pasha said: When the sultan Salah ad-Deen Yoosuf ibn Ayub came to power, he allocated different parts of the caliph's palace to his emirs to live in, and he allocated other parts as a hospital. This was the hospital that was known as al- 'Ateeq (the ancient). He put its entrance in the quarter of al-Melokhiyah, which was the quarter of the commander in chief in the past. Its location is the place that is now known as Dar Ghumri al-Husri, along with neighbouring houses, as we have found in the title deeds. It is at the end of the quarter, in the direction of the small gate in the direction of Qasr ash-Shawq. From it one enters the ancient hospital. 556 With regard to the doctors who worked in an-Nasiri hospital, among the most famous of them were: Radi ad-Deen ar-Rahbi, Ibraheem ibn ar-Ra'ees Maymoon, Ibn Abi Usaybi'ah, Shaykh asSadeed ibn Abil-Bayan and al-Qadi Nafees ad-Deen ibn azZubayr.557

SaW; ad-Deen al-Ayubi The Hospital of Alexandria This was built by Salah ad-Deen when he entered Alexandria in 577 AH and began to study Al-Muwatta' with Shaykh Abu atTahir ibn Abi 'Awf, as well as establishing a place for the Maghrebis and a school sponsored by his brother Turanshah.558 The Salahi Hospital in Jerusalem Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi founded this hospital in 583 AHll187 CE, after he liberated Jerusalem from the Crusaders and expelled them therefrom.559 The Encyclopaedia of Palestine says concerning the Salahi hospital in Jerusalem: It is part of the legacy of the sultan Salal). ad-Deen al-Ayubi . ...Salah ad-Deen established it as an endowment, and appointed senior doctors for it, and he established many endowments to support it. That hospital became one of the most famous hospitals of that period, and medicine was taught as well as practiced there.560 The Hospital of Acre In AH, after the sultan Salal). ad-Deen conquered Jerusalem and rescued it from the clutches of the Crusaders, he went to Damascus, taking a detour via Acre. When he reached Acre, he stayed in its citadel and appointed Baha' ad-Deen Qaraqoosh to renovate it, refurbish it and restore its beauty. He turned the house of the Hospitallers into an endowment of two halves, for the poor and for scholars, and he turned the bishop's house into a hospital, establishing many endowments to provide an income for it. He put its Economic reforms and types of expenditure qadi, Jamal ad-Deen ibn ash-Shaykh Abun-Najeeb, in charge ofthat, and went back to Damascus with a sense of achievement and pride.561 Regardless of size, one hospital might differ from another in terms of its style and decor, the size of the gardens attached to it and the number of fountains it contained. Nevertheless, the hospitals also had a basic plan, according to which they all contained the following: o Sections which were just for men, and other, separate sections just for women o Different wards according to specialties. So there were wards that were just for patients affected by fevers, other wards for mental and psychological illness, others for eye diseases, and so on.562 o Special wards where those who were convalescing stayed until they were fully recovered o Wards where doctors could examine patients who were unconscious o Rooms for the head doctor and their administrators. o A lecture hall in which the head doctor gave his lessons and met with his students o A library o A kitchen for cooking healthy foods, as food was one of the means of treatment used, and also for making drinks and other remedies o A pharmacy for preparing medicines o Stores o A room for washing the dead

$ala/J ad-Deen al-Ayubi o A prayer room or mosque o Toilets and baths In addition, there were yards, courtyards and gardens containing fragrant trees and edible plants. Many of these hospitals also contained housing quarters for those who worked in them. Sufi khanqahs The word khanqah is a Persian word which originally means a dining table or the place where the king eats. After that it was applied to the khanqahs or houses which were established by kings and emirs who were seeking to do acts of righteousness and good deeds by providing accommodation for Muslim strangers who came to their countries, and by giving them food and educating them. Even though the five daily obligatory prayers were offered in special rooms in these khanqahs that were set aside for prayer, Jumu 'ah prayers were not held there.563 The khanqah, which was a house for Sufis, was more like a school, because it was in fact a school for the masses, for those who devoted themselves to a life of asceticism and austerity, whether they were ordinary people or artisans and craftsmen who were trying to implement the principle of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil in the streets and markets. Thus the khanqah resembled a school in appearance and function.Y" To sum up, the khanqah in Islam was something like a place of knowledge and worship that played an important religious, social and cultural role in the life of Muslim society from the beginning. At first they were institutions for the schools of jurisprudence and Hadith, and then they became beacons of culture, because of their libraries which contained books on many branches of knowledge.P'" There were many types of employment in the khanqah, such as the shaykh of the khanqah, the imam, supervisor of its endowment, teachers of the schools of Economic reforms and types of expenditure jurisprudence, assistant teachers, oculists, surgeons, pharmacists, librarians, keeper of attendance records, muezzin, supervisor of the bath house, supervisor of the kitchen, cook, servant of the shaykh, caretaker of the wooden chest in which copies of the Qur' an were kept, doorkeepers, housekeepers, drawers of water, hewers of wood, and so on. If this number of positions indicates anything, it indicates the number of various jobs that there were in these khanqahs. Each of these people was paid a salary in cash for his work, and the man in charge of the endowment made sure that the salary was appropriate to how well off he was and his position in society; that was in addition to the rewards they received in the form of food such as vegetables, meat, rice, milk, honey, sweets and so on, as well as clothing, soap and other provisions that were distributed to them in abundance.Y? Salah ad-Deen followed the method of his master Noor adDeen by paying attention to these institutions and the Sufis who came to them; he treated them kindly and consulted them about many issues, and he respected their scholars, sat with them and listened to their advice. They stood with him in his wars against the Crusaders in many battles.567 ~alill:tad-Deen had grown up with his father Najm ad-Deen Ayub, who was generous, had a good attitude and was very kind to the poor and Sufis, with whom he often mixed.568 Ibn Katheer noted, "He was courageous, prayed a great deal and sponsored a khanqah in Egypt and another in Damascus.,,569 In Baalbek, Ibn Khallikan saw a Sufi khanqah that was called Najmiyah, after Najm ad-Deen, and he praised him for being very righteous.V'' Nevertheless, the greatest influence on ~alill:tad-Deen's attitude and character came from his master Noor ad-Deen, from whom he had learned ways of doing good, to love people who are close to Allah and to strive in various ways of jihad. He followed the same path that Noor ad-Deen had followed before him. Before he started to liberate the land from the clutches of the Crusaders, he spent twelve years (570-582 AH) striving to achieve unity and restore

$aid/J.ad-Deen al-Ayubi the material and spiritual strength of Islam. So he increased the building of ribats571, kbanqahs and hospices, turning them into military and regular schools. As-Safadi said: He superseded Noor adDeen in all of that. Salah ad-Deen is regarded as having been the first one to introduce these places into Egypt. Al-Qalqashandi said, "With regard to kbanqahs and ribats, they were unknown in Egypt before the time of the Ayubid state. They were introduced by Salah ad-Deen ibn Ayub.,,572 Al-Maqreezi, as-Suyooti and others agreed with him on this point: Salah ad-Deen was the first one to build kbanqahs for the Sufis in Egypt, and he established many endowments for them. Their inhabitants were known for their knowledge and righteousness, and prominent people, from whom blessing was sought, were appointed as their shaykbs, in addition to their positions as viziers, emirs, state administrators, army commanders and leaders of troopS.573 These things attracted the attention of the Andalusian traveller Ibn Jubayr during his journey to the east, and he said: Among the features of this land (Egypt) and its sources of pride, which are in fact attributable to its sultan, are the schools and ribats which are set up for the seekers of knowledge and worshippers .... This sultan who has introduced these good traditions is Salah ad-Deen. He is Salah ad-Deen the victorious, may Allah increase him in righteousness and guidance.V" Wherever Salah ad-Deen went and halted, he built Shariah schools and kbanqahs side by side. During Salah ad-Deen's conquest of Jerusalem in 583 AH, he ordered the Muslims to preserve the Church of the Resurrection, and he built nearby a school for the Shafi'i scholars of jurisprudence and a ribat for the righteous Sufis, and established endowments to support them. Thus he did a favour to both groupS.575During his conquest of Acre, he allocated half of the Economic reforms and types of expenditure house of the Hospitallers as a ribat for the Sufis and the other half as a school for the scholars of jurisprudence.V? We see nothing strange in these actions of Salah ad-Deen, especially since we know that both groups accompanied him during his campaigns and conquests and the historians have highlighted to us the presence of these two groups, especially during the conquest of Jerusalem. Ibn Khallikan said: His conquest was great, and was witnessed by a number of scholars and ragged ascetics.577 This fact is reinforced by the words of Ibn al-Wardi in his Tdreekh, where he said: Many of the ragged ascetics and scholars were present at his conquests in Egypt and Syria, and none of them stayed behind.578 Salah ad-Deen would take Sufi scholars with him, so that he could seek their opinions and consult them, in addition to the fact that their presence was regarded as a strong incentive for their followers to fight with rare courage.579 The character of Salah ad-Deen was liked by the Sufis. He followed a path of asceticism, not keeping enough wealth to be subject to zakah and not leaving behind in his treasury anything but forty-seven dirhams and a single gold piece. He left behind no property, house, real estate, garden, village, cultivated land or any other type of wealth. In this world he was content with the shade of a tent blown right and left by the wind.58o For Salal) ad-Deen, gold and mud were all the same. Ibn Shaddad noted, "I heard him say in a discussion that there may be people who look upon wealth as they look upon dust, and it was as if he was referring to himself.,,581 There are many reports which confirm the asceticism of Salah ad-Deen, and the simplicity of his food and clothing, whilst he bestowed generous gifts upon the scholars of jurisprudence and Sufis, and established entire villages with all that they contained of resources and profits to serves as endowments for hospices and houses for the poor.582 Salah ad-Deen built inns in isolated places far

!$aZd/Jad-Deen aZ-Ayubi away from civilization, and on the routes that connected cities, to serve wayfarers and travellers. Ibn Jubayr saw the inn that Salah adDeen built on the road between Horns and Damascus, which was called Khan as-Sultan. The emir Baha' ad-Deen Qaraqoosh also built wayfarers' inns.583 Salah ad-Deen paid attention to attracting scholars and the Sufis. He established the first khanqah for the Sufis in Egypt, and devoted it to the poor Sufis who came from all over the world. He established great endowments for them and appointed a shaykh for them to run their affairs who was known as 'the Shaykh of Shaykhs'. Al-Maqreezi stated that its Sufi inhabitants were known for knowledge and righteousness, and the number of people living there was three hundred. The sultan allocated bread and sweets for them every day, and forty dirhams per year for clothing, and he built a bath house for them nearby. If any of them wanted to travel, he would give him money to help him reach his destination.i'" This attention that was paid to Sufi affairs was intended to serve several aims, some of which had to do with the Sunni revival movement. Although moderate Sufism was a trend which was respected by both rulers and common folk at that time, this kind of attention that was paid to it, in Egypt in particular, was a deliberate action, aimed at achieving a specific goal. Perhaps the reason for this was that the Fatimids in Egypt had failed, despite their various methods of calling people to their madh-hab, in changing the beliefs of the majority of Egyptians, but they had easily affected their emotions. The displays of grief and mourning for al-Husayn, and the celebrations ofthe birthdays of Ahl al-Bayt, and the attention paid by the Fatimids to these and other occasions, all of that had had an effect on the Egyptians' emotions, and traces of that can still be seen today. ,salal:tad-Deen tried to attract Sunni scholars to Egypt from all over, to contribute their knowledge and ideas to the Sunni revival movement. There was another important aspect which it was essential to fulfil and Economic reforms and types of expenditure turn it away from the direction in which it had been going under the Fatimids and find another outlet for it. That was the people's emotions, which the Fatimids had easily dominated.Y" The Sunni Sufis and their followers were among those who could fulfil this aspect at that time with their easy going attitude, their shunning of worldly delights and their ability to address people in their gatherings, which were usually for the purpose of exhortation, dhikr586 and so on.587Thus Salah ad-Deen, like Noor ad-Deen before him, was able to benefit from the Sunni Sufi groups in the Sunni revival movement and in confronting Shiism and the Crusader invasion. Social reform Social life at the time of Salah ad-Deen was characterized by its serious nature, resistance to the Franks and striving against the enemy. It was far removed from displays of ostentation and extreme extravagance, or false displays of greatness. Salah ad-Deen (may Allah have mercy on him) set a good example to his troops and his subjects by wearing ordinary clothing, eating coarse food and mixing with people in a humble manner. Al-Tmad al-Isfahani said, describing his clothing and his way of mixing with people, "He wore nothing but that which it is permissible to wear, such as linen, cotton and wool, and anyone who sat with him would not feel that he was sitting with a sultan, because of his humbleness.,,588 Salah ad-Deen was an athletic man who loved horsemanship and ball games, and encouraged others to engage in them too. He would ride to watch ball games and polo after dhuhr prayer, accompanied by his men. When he reached the field, he would dismount and watch the game, and the players would continue playing until the adhan for 'asr prayer. He would also take part in these games with his inner circle and would go out to play with some of his friends. Hunting and fishing were also beloved pastimes; people would go out in groups or alone to hunt

$alfl/:tad-Deen al-Ayubi birds and catch fish, or to hunt geese and rabbits. If this phenomenon indicates anything, it is indicative of complete readiness and preparedness to engage in battle with extreme bravery and unparalleled courage. Among the major reforms that Salah ad-Deen achieved in Muslim society was suppressing manifestations of promiscuity and immorality that were widespread at the time of the Fatimids, especially on special occasions and festivals such as the Nawrooz festival. If we want to know the extent of this immorality that was widespread in Egyptian society before the days of Salah adDeen, let us listen to what al-Maqreezi has said: Evil was manifest during the festival of Nawrooz, when there would be a large gathering, and effeminate men and immoral women would gather beneath the Pearl Palace where the caliph could see them, with musical instruments in their hands. Voices would become loud and wine would be drunk in the streets, and the people would throw water at one another, or water and wine, or water mixed with filth. If a decent person made the mistake of coming out of his house, he would be met by people who would sprinkle him and make his clothes dirty and humiliate him, and he would either have to give something to ransom himself or be exposed.589 Salah ad-Deen abolished these immoral goings-on and blatant evil, and restored an innocent and clean life. He brought back to them the morals and etiquette of Islam. Another of the corrupt phenomena that he abolished was the innovated occasions and festivals, such as the innovations on the day of 'Ashoora', which was a day of grief and mourning for the Fatimids, on which there was a lot of weeping and wailing out loud; people did not work and the markets were closed, and there was widespread chaos, as if each individual had lost the dearest of people to him. Salah ad-Deen was able to put an end to these blameworthy customs and innovations.P" Economic reforms and types of expenditure With regard to his generosity towards the people and his distribution of gifts to them, there is much to be said. He would give like one who did not fear poverty, because the way he regarded wealth was like that of one who was looking at dust. We have already seen that when he died he left behind in his treasury nothing but forty-seven silver dirhams and a single gold piece. He left behind no property, house, real estate, garden, village, cultivated land or any other type of wealth. Instead, he spent a great deal of wealth on restoration projects and preparing the means of warfare, and on deserving cases among the people, until he achieved complete security in society where no one was in need. The state was strong and all people enjoyed a good living. This is what this just sultan and heroic leader achieved. Among the actions for which Salah ad-Deen will be forever remembered is his abolition of many of the taxes which burdened society and caused the people great harm, such as the taxes that were imposed by the emir of Makkah on the pilgrims. The ruler of Makkah had ordered that the pilgrims pay the levies of Makkah in advance, in Jeddah, and the pilgrims were treated unfairly. Salah ad-Deen abolished this entire system and compensated the governor of Makkah by paying him a lump sum. Every year he sent to him eight thousand measures of wheat and stipulated that it be distributed among the people of the Two Holy Sanctuaries. Salah ad-Deen also abolished the taxes that were imposed on the people and with one lump sum paid from the treasury he benefited the people of the Two Holy Sanctuaries.Y' Another thing that points to his good intentions, his keenness to keep the people safe and unite the ummah, and his care to avoid wrongdoing, is the advice he gave to his son al-Malik adh-Dhahir, whom he appointed as governor of Aleppo. He advised him, as recorded by his qadi Ibn Shaddad: I urge you to fear Allah, for it is the root of all goodness, and I enjoin you to adhere to that which Allah commands you, for it

$ala/:t ad-Deen al-Ayubi is the means of your salvation. I warn you against shedding blood and indulging therein, for blood never sleeps. I urge you to be kind to the people and to take care of them, for you are my trustee and the trustee of Allah over them. I urge you to be kind to the emirs, state officials and prominent people, for I have not attained the position I have attained except by being kind to people. Do not bear grudges against anyone, for death will not leave anyone. Watch the relationship between you and people, for sins concerning them cannot be forgiven except with their consent, but what is between you and Allah will be forgiven if you repent, for He is Most Generous.592 These are the most important social and moral reforms undertaken by Salal) ad-Deen, which enabled Muslim society during his rule to flourish with the noblest character, best traditions and finest etiquette.593 Infrastructure Another of these reforms was the attention that he paid to the wall of Cairo, most of which had been destroyed and no longer prevented anyone from entering or leaving. Thus he rebuilt the wall. He appointed as supervisor of this rebuilding of the wall at-Tawashi Baha' ad-Deen Qaraqoosh. The wall extended around the cities that formed the city of Cairo at that time, namely the city of Fustat, which was founded by 'Amr ibn al-'A~, the city of al-'Askar, which was founded by Salih ibn 'Ali al- 'Abbasi, and the city of Cairo which was founded by Jawhar as-Siqilli, The aim behind building this wall was to protect the city from aggressors. In addition to building the wall, he built Qal 'at al-Jabal (the citadel of the mountain) to defend Cairo from treacherous attacks, but he was not able to finish building it all because he was distracted by wars in various arenas. This citadel is Economic reforms and types of expenditure regarded as one of the fortified relics of Egyptian history, which has been altered frequently down throughout the ages. Other citadels built by Salah ad-Deen include Qal 'at Sina' which he built in the Sinai Peninsula, 57 kilometres northeast of the city of as-Suways (Suez). To the south of the citadel he also built two neighbouring mosques and cisterns to provide water. On the doors of the cisterns the following lines were written: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful; may Allah send blessings upon our master Muhammad; may Allah cause the kingdom of our lord an-Nasir Salah al-Dunya wad-Deen, the king of Islam and the Muslims, the caliph of the Commander of the Faithful, to abide forever. This cistern was built by al-Malik 'Ali ibn an-Nasir al- 'Adil al-Muzaffar. Construction was completed in Sha'ban 590 AH.594 Professor Na'oom Shuqayr says in his book Tdreekn Sirui' wal- 'Arab: He passed by this citadel and the two mosques, and he saw that the citadel had a large gate on its northwest side, and over the lintel of the door there was a square historical Arabic stone on which was carved in relief the name of Salah ad-Deen and the words, 'In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the most Merciful; may Allah send blessings upon Muharnmad. May Allah cause the kingdom of our lord al-Malik an-Nasir Salah ad-Deen, the sultan of Islam and the Muslims, Yoosuf al-'Adil an-Nasir, to abide forever. Jumada IT 583 AH.'595 Salah ad-Deen's interest in building military fortifications was not everything. He also paid attention to developing Jazeerat arRawdah and Giza, building the Nilometer'/" and digging irrigation ditches, as well as building hospitals, schools and khanqahs. At the time of Salah ad-Deen, the cities of Giza and ar-Rawdah were the most important part of the country. Ibn Jubayr says in his Rihlah:

Said/; ad-Deen al-Ayubi In Giza there is a large market every Sunday where many congregate. Between it and Fustat there is an island (arRawdah) with fine houses and commanding belvederes, which is a resort for entertainment and diversion. Between this island and Fustat there is a canal from the Nile. On this island is a congregational mosque in which the khutbah is delivered. Beside this mosque is the Nilometer, which measures the Nile's increase or decrease. In it there is stone and marble, and other kinds of beauty and artistry. 597 Salah ad-Deen built irrigation channels and developed the fleet, and he established a special department for the fleet that was called diwdn al-ustool, which he handed over to his brother al-' Adil. Alexandria and Darnietta were the most important sea ports in Egypt, and Fustat and Qoos were the most important Nile ports. In them were built the warships that guarded those borders and went out on naval campaigns to make the word of Islam prevail and its banner fly in all places. Salah ad-Deen thought of Alexandria and its strategic importance in resisting the Crusader venture, and ordered that its walls and towers be rebuilt; he also built a hospital there, and tended to its bridges and irrigation ditches in order to improve the lot of its farmers. 598 Many factors contributed to the development of infrastructure at the time of Salah ad-Deen, including religious, geographic, political, administrative, economic, military, social and cultural factors. Dr. 'Adnan al-Harithi discussed them in detail in his useful book 'Umrtin al-Qdhirah wa Khutatuhd fee 'Ahd $alalJ,ad-Deen alAyyoobi.599 Dr. 'Izz ad-Deen Farraj discussed the features of the Ayubid style of development: The most important feature of development in Ayubid Egypt was those fortifications with their towers and gates, which were added to the walls and citadels. The gates which Salah

Administrative reform Economic reforms and types of expenditure ad-Deen built were of the staggered type, which was a new design aimed at making fortresses stronger. The gate did not go through the wall in a straight line like an ordinary gate; rather the enemy was forced to go through a gate between two towers, in which there were openings through which arrows could be shot into an exposed area where there was no protection for those who were coming in. There was also a new construction element that was used by Salah ad-Deen in these fortifications, which was a stone balcony that jutted out from the wall. This was equipped with narrow openings from which the troops could shoot their arrows at the attacking enemy from the front and sides. Professor Crosswell has proven that eastern architectural elements, as well as the design of schools with intersecting halls, were established and developed in Egypt, and this idea did not come from elsewhere. During this era, the use of decorative plaster and carpentry work also continued to flourish, and 'Naskhi' calligraphy appeared alongside Kufi calligraphy.P'" The emergence of the Ayubid state had a great impact on the creation of new official administrative developments which differed from the traditional Fatimid model. Al-Qalqashandi states that when the Ayubid state took over from the Fatimid state, it differed from it in the way of running affairs and changed most of its features.P'" When the Ayubids arrived from the Muslim east, they brought with them a new administrative spirit, which was based on the Seljuk, Zangid and Abbasid systems. Many changes were introduced into the administration, among the most prominent of which were new administrative posts such as the sultan's deputy,602 which reflected the necessity of the Sultan leaving the country because of the wars

Salill; ad-Deen al-Ayubi with the Crusaders. Hence there was a need for someone to act as his deputy during his absence.603 Salah ad-Deen divided his state into administrative regions, each of which had its own resources and distinct character, such as Egypt, Greater Syria, Northern Iraq, Nubia, the Maghreb, Yemen and the Hijaz. He spent most of the years of his rule on the battlefield, exercising a policy of planning, executing and supervising, while guiding the overall policy of the state. He allowed freedom of execution to the governors, with regard to local issues, such as jihad preparedness and defence, according to the circumstances and resources of each province. This is what is known in modem parlance as "decentralization." In fact, Salah adDeen did not hold all the reins of authority in his own hands, despite the fact that he was also running the affairs of the central government. It is most likely that he realized that the distribution of power would make each governor watch over the others and compare himself to the others in the way in which he exercised his special authority. Dividing the work among a number of qualified people also achieved a number of advantages that had to do with the quality and speed of work.604 Cairo was the centre of his government, where his deputies and viziers lived, and whence his commands were issued to different regions, and Greater Syria was his theatre of war and the arena of his jihad against the Crusaders.Y' He appointed the highest state positions to his sons, relatives and the closest of people to him, so as to protect his system and method of ruling and leadership. When selecting them, his choice was based on a rational approach, to the extent that he dismissed his son al-Malik adh-Dhahir Ghazi from his post as governor of Aleppo and gave it to his brother al- 'Adil when the interests of the state called for that. When he annexed an Islamic emirate into his state, he would leave its rulers in place if they agreed to come under his authority and implement his policies to serve his aims, rather the aims of Islam as a whole. If any of them refused, he would allow him to go wherever he Economic reforms and types of expenditure wanted. He used peaceful methods in order to reach an understanding with them. If any of them rebelled against him, he would overlook his mistakes and receive him with a cheerful face and honour him a great deal, as he did in the case of Taqi ad-Deen 'Umar when he wanted to rebel against him and go to the Maghreb after he was dismissed from his post as governor of Egypt. Salah ad-Deen paid attention to the public interest when appointing or dismissing governors, in addition to the political and military circumstances of the state. His conduct was distinguished by justice and humility; he did not hurt the feelings of anyone or put himself above anyone or behave arrogantly towards anyone. Tyranny was not part of his nature.606 Baha' ad-Deen Qaraqoosh Baha' ad-Deen Qaraqoosh was one of the administrators of the Ayubid state. He was a Roman (Byzantine) slave who had fled from one of the villages of Asia Minor and moved from one land to another until he reached Syria, then he joined the entourage of Asad ad-Deen Shirkuh, who recognized his potential for smartness and courage. So he drew him close to him and started training him in horsemanship and developing his fighting skills. In Damascus he was called Baha' ad-Deen ibn 'Abdullah al-Asadi, after Asad ad-Deen Shirkuh, who had bought him, trained him and taught him, and was the cause of his embracing Islam. Baha' ad-Deen soon climbed the army ladder and reached the position of commander. At the head of this army was the heroic leader Asad ad-Deen Shirkuh, who had entered Egypt during the final years of the Fatimid state; later on, Egypt had ended up in the hands of the commander Salah ad-Deen alAyubi, which led to the demolishing of the Fatimid state, and the Ayubid state was established in its stead. The meaning of the name Qaraqoosh in Turkish is osprey, which is a bird of prey. This name is

$aliilJad-Deen al-Ayubi given to a man for his chivalry and courage. The name is composed of two words, qara meaning black and qoosh meaning bird or eagle.607 Ibn Khallikan mentioned some details of his life story, saying: It was said that he was the servant of Asad ad-Deen Shirkuh, the paternal uncle of the sultan ~aliil) ad-Deen, who manumitted him. When ~aliil) ad-Deen took full control of Egypt, he put him in charge of the palace, then he acted as his deputy in Egypt for a while; ~aliil) ad-Deen delegated the affairs of Egypt to him and he relied on him to manage its affairs. He was a fortunate man, and a man of high ambi tion. 608 Ibn Katheer wrote a biography of him in Al-Biddyah wanNihdyah: The emir Baha' ad-Deen Qaraqoosh was a scholar and faqeeh, but he devoted himself to administrative and military service.609 The life of the emir Baha' ad-Deen Qaraqoosh was filled with great achievements, heroic acts and sincerity towards Islam and the Muslims during the time he was close to the leader Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi, and after he died, which made him a focal point for the plots of those who envied him and the enemies of Islam and the Muslims.i''" Among the actions that were delegated to him and in which he did well were: Guarding the Fatimid palace When Salah ad-Deen appointed him to guard the Fatimid palace so that none of its treasures could be leaked to the opponents of Ahl as-Sunnah, the emir undertook this mission in the best manner and guarded the Fatimid palace with an eye that never slept. The conspirators tried in vain to get hold of the wealth they needed to spend on this conspiracy, and they did not succeed. This was one of the factors that contributed to the failure of the conspiracy.611 This Economic reforms and types of expenditure was the conspiracy of the caliph's confidant, which we discussed previously. The Fatimid palace contained treasures such as no eye had ever seen: fine clothing, valuable jewellery, splendid treasures, precious stones such as rubies and emeralds, golden artefacts, silver vessels, necklaces and pearls. The emir Qaraqoosh guarded these treasures in the best manner until Allah granted victory to the commander Salah ad-Deen and gave him power in the land.612 Building Qal' at al-Iabal When the commander Salah ad-Deen returned from Syria and saw what the emir Baha' ad-Deen had achieved during his absence, in which the emir had demonstrated his brilliance and great experience in engineering, he ordered him to build for him a citadel to protect Fustat and left him to choose its location and determine its size. The emir Baha' ad-Deen selected an elevated piece of land in Jabal al-Muqattam which overlooks the whole of Cairo, to be the site of this citadel. He started to build it in 572 AH, and the construction of this citadel was part of a series of fortifications and military installations undertaken by the Ayubids to secure the cities of Egypt such as Fustat and Cairo. Hence the constructions had the outward appearance of fortifications, with towers and strong gates, and inside there were splendid buildings for the sultan, which impressed all the travellers and historians who visited them. The citadel was built on a high rocky hill, which increased its strength and solidity.i'':' Ibn Jubayr commented: We also looked upon the building of the citadel, an impregnable fortress adjoining Cairo which the Sultan thinks to take as his residence, extending its walls until it enfolds the two cities of Fustat and Cairo. The forced labourers on this construction, and those executing all the skilled services and

$aldlJ ad-Deen al-Ayubi vast preparations such as sawing the marble, cutting the huge stones and digging the fosse that girdles the walls noted above - a fosse hollowed out with pick-axes from the rock to be a wonder amongst wonders of which traces may remain - were the foreign Roman prisoners whose numbers were beyond computation. There was no cause for any but them to labour on this construction.P'" Bi'r Yoosuf (Yoosuf' sWell) Inside the citadel the emir Baha' ad-Deen built an amazing well that was dug very deep into the rock. This well until today is still called Bi'r Yoosuf (Yoosufs Well), after Yoosuf Salah ad_Deen.615 Professor 'Ali Pasha Mubarak says: The well known as al-Halazoon ('the Snail'), which is located inside the citadel is the work of Qaraqoosh during the days of Salah ad-Deen. It was dug to provide water inside the citadel if it were to be besieged by the enemy.616 The walls of Cairo, the citadel and Fustat After building the citadel in 567 AH, the emir Baha' ad-Deen extended the northern wall of Fatimid Cairo to the west, until it reached the port of al-Maqsi on the Nile, which is now the location of Masjid al-Fath al-Jadeed in Ramses Square. This is the same site that was occupied by Jami' Awlad 'Annan, before it was transferred. He also extended the wall eastwards until it joined the old northern Fatimid wall which lay east of the quarter of ad-Darb al-Ahmar, He extended a third wall from south of the citadel to Bab al-Qurafah at the city of Fustat, a distance of five and a half kilometres. 617The wall that was built by the emir Qaraqoosh was the third wall that surrounded Cairo at that time. The first wall had been built by the Economic reforms and types of expenditure Byzantine general Jawhar al-Siqilli; the second was built by the Fatimid vizier and army commander Badr al-Jamali: and the third was built of stone by the emir Qaraqoosh.i''" The wall went around the four cities which formed the city of Cairo at that time, which were: Fustat; al-'Askar; Cairo (al-Qahirah); and Fustat. The great wall of Cairo was regarded as one of the greatest military installations built during this era. The one who was appointed to supervise this work was the emir Baha' ad-Deen Qaraqoosh, who demonstrated brilliance, vast experience and great energy in building military installations. Every time Salah ad-Deen needed to build any military installation, he sought the help of the emir, Baha' ad_Deen.619 The bridges of Giza and the citadel of al-Maqsi Among the constructions and military installations built by the emir Baha' ad-Deen were the bridges of Giza which are located beneath the bridge that connects the Nile and the Pyramids, in the direction of the city of Fustat. 620 It was stated that he demolished the small pyramids that were scattered in Giza, and took the stones to build the bridges.621 Another was the citadel of al-Maqsi, which was the name of a large tower built by the emir Baha' ad-Deen at the Bridge of the Caliphs, near the Jami' mosque at the end of the wall of Cairo, at Bab al-Bahr. Its location is the site where the Awqaf building and the Ratib Pasha building now stand, next to Jami' Awlad 'Annan, in the direction of al-Bahriyah ash-Sharqiyah, in Bab al-Hadeed Square.622 As governor of Acre: his renovation of its walls In Muharram 585 AH, Salah ad-Deen went to Acre and stayed there, putting its affairs in order. He put the emir Baha' ad-Deen Qaraqoosh in charge of it and ordered him to develop it and renovate its walls.623 We will discuss Acre and what happened there below.

$alaJ:tad-Deen al-Ayubi Origin of the saying "(As harsh and irrational as) the ruling of Qaraqoosh" Qaraqoosh was one of the bravest and most brilliant commanders. On one occasion he was captured and was ransomed for ten thousand dinars, and Salah ad-Deen rejoiced greatly when he was ransomed. It seems that the way he ran the affairs of Cairo was very wise and decisive; he removed the Fatimids from power and kept a tight grip on their remnants, so they could find no way to fight him except by spreading rumours and trying to tarnish his reputation. So they wrote a book about him called Al-Fashoosh fee Ahkdm Qaraqoosh ("Strange stories about the rule of Qaraqoosh"), which is nothing more than rumours which are repeated foolishly by our contemporaries.V" Ibn Khallikan stated that the people attributed bizarre verdicts to the emir Baha' ad-Deen Qaraqoosh when he was serving as ~aliiQad-Deen's deputy. In his book, al-As'ad ibn Mamati mentioned far-fetched and unlikely events which it seems were fabricated. Salah ad-Deen relied on Qaraqoosh with regard to running the kingdom, and were it not for his confidence in his knowledge and ability, he would not have entrusted that to hirn.625 The book by al-As'ad ibn Mamati is thus the origin of this saying which became widespread in all regions, from the date it first appeared and until now. It is a small book that contains stories and funny anecdotes, written in the vernacular, discrediting the emir Baha' ad-Deen Qaraqoosh and showing him to be the opposite of what he really was. It makes him appear as a laughable character, like the character of Juha in the tradition of comic folklore. The aim ofIbn Mamati was to undermine the emir Baha' ad-Deen Qaraqoosh.Y'' Ibn Khallikan was of the opinion that this book was entirely fabricated, because al-As'ad ibn Mamati was close to, and indeed a part of, the Ayubid court, so how could he have denounced and condemned the system of which he was a part?627 Economic reforms and types of expenditure In fact the motive behind this book, which slandered the emir Baha' ad-Deen Qaraqoosh, Salah ad-Deen and the entire Ayubid state, was a propaganda campaign and plan that was drawn up to undermine the sultan Salah ad-Deen and the Ayubid state at the peak of its glory. The aim was to damage this state that played such a prominent role in putting an end to the Fatimid state and defeating the invading Crusaders. What we can also be certain of is that the fact that the book was written in the form of a letter offering advice to the sultan Salah ad-Deen in the vernacular is indicative of the craftiness and malicious intent of its author. In fact he managed to achieve his goal, which is borne out by the speed with which the lies contained in this book spread and were repeated by people as if they were true. Even as-Suyooti was influenced by it and narrated it to his students - as is seen in the Paris MS - even though he acknowledged that the emir Baha' ad-Deen Qaraqoosh was a righteous man who was more inclined to do good.628 The aim behind the book AI-Fashooshfi Ahkdm Qaraqoosh was to shake people's confidence in the emir Baha' ad-Deen Qaraqoosh, who was a prominent leader and trustworthy assistant of Salah ad-Deen, whose help the latter sought at times of crisis. This misinformation was intended to rally and incite the people against the Sunni Ayubid state which had put an end to Shiite Fatimid rule. So the book was no more than a means of political propaganda against the Sunni venture.

CHAPTER VI The Military System at the Time of ~alaD ad-Deen 0alill) ad-Deen began to fortify cities, build citadels and organize the army to withstand the possibility of attacks against him. At that time he focused on building up naval forces because he was aware of the strength of the Franks at sea and their weakness on land, and he realized that it was essential to build a war fleet to block Frankish naval convoys which could supply the Crusader kingdoms on the Syrian coast with food, weapons and men every time the pressure against them on land increased. In addition to that, Salah adDeen discovered that the structure of the state in Egypt was weak and vulnerable, so he had no option but to reorganize its legislative and administrative affairs before confronting the Franks. ~alill) ad-Deen realized the importance of keeping the trade and transportation routes between the Mediterranean and Red Sea open, and he recognized the difference between the interests of the merchants of the Mediterranean European cities and the ambitions of the rulers of the Latin kingdoms in central, western and northern Europe. So he signed trade agreements with them in return for their breaking their ties with the rulers of those kingdoms. Another thing that he realized was that the Franks were attempting to extend their domination from the coast of Syria and Palestine to the Red Sea, and he recognized the possibility that trade caravans may be exposed from the rear, as well as the possibility that the Hajj caravans may also be exposed to danger. Hence he ordered that his army be sent to Yemen, to secure

Development of the military feudal system at the time of Salah ad-Deen The military system at the time of $ala/:!ad-Deen the sea lanes and put an end to pirate activity and attacks against pilgrim caravans.629 In the Ayubid feudal system, fiefs630 were given in return for military service. It was not, however, an heritable system, as the bestowing of a fief by the Ayubid sultan did not mean that ownership of the agricultural land was being given to the recipient, nor did it mean that the recipient could enjoy the yield of the fief on a long-term basis. Rather the bestowal of a fief simply meant that the recipient had the right to collect for himself and his troops a certain amount of taxes in return for military and civil duties that he was obliged to do. Salah ad-Deen began to allocate the land of Egypt in the form of fiefs. He gave some to his family members, and some to his emirs and commanders. He allocated Alexandria, Damietta and Buheira to his father Najm ad-Deen, and he allocated Qoos, Aswan and 'Aydhab to his brother Shams ad-Deen Turanshah. That is supported by, among other things, what al-Maqreezi noted, "Since the time of Salah adDeen Yoosuf ibn Ayub and up until now, all the land of Egypt is allocated as fiefs to the sultan and his emirs and troopS.,,631 At the time of Salah ad-Deen, the allocation of military fiefs was a practice not limited only to Egypt; rather it was extended to all the lands that Salah ad-Deen was able to incorporate into the venture of Islamic unity. He followed a number of methods of distributing those fiefs to his emirs and troops, such as that which was aimed at confirming his control of the lands that came under his sway, as when he captured Horns and Hamah in 570 AHJ1174 CE, when he allocated a fief to his paternal cousin Nasir ad-Deen Muharnmad ibn Asad ad-Deen Shirkuh, and another to his maternal uncle Shihab ad-

$aldl:tad-Deen al-Ayubi Deen al-Hazimi.632 Salah ad-Deen also used the allocation offiefs as a means of achieving Islamic unity. This is indicated by the call that he sent when he halted at Bira, when he wrote to the kings of neighbouring cities saying, "Whoever comes and submits willingly, his land will be safe, provided that he is one of the sultan's troops, and one of his followers and helpers in the jihad against the disbelievers. ,,633 He acted on the same basis with 'Imad ad-Deen Zangi, 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood, the ruler of Mosul, and the ruler of 'Ayn Tab, when he wrote to the sultan announcing that he would obey him. When he took control of it, he affirmed it as his fief, in 579 AHll183 CE.634 Salah ad-Deen also awarded fiefs to his men as a reward for their great exploits. This is what Salal; ad-Deen did with the emir of Hasankeyf, which he allocated to Amid as a reward for services rendered to Salah ad_Deen.635 He did likewise with Sayf ad-Deen alMashtoob, when the Crusaders released him from captivity. Salah ad-Deen welcomed him warmly and allocated Nablus and its surroundings to him as a fief, in 588 AHl1192 CE.636 It may also be noted that when allocating fiefs, Salah ad-Deen paid attention to security matters in his state. He allocated fiefs to Arab tribes whose people often betrayed him and sent food supplies to the Crusaders. He allocated various fiefs in Egypt to the tribes of Judham and Tha'labah, so as to maintain security and encourage those Bedouin to join him in the jihad.637 Another of the unique characteristics of the Ayubid feudal system was that it allowed fiefs to be transferred from one beneficiary to another, but this transfer was not done through inheritance. At the time of Salah ad-Deen, no fief was transferred by inheritance except in three cases.638 In return for the income acquired from the fief, the beneficiary had a number of commitments that he was obliged to fulfil. These were military commitments such as sending troops at The military system at the time of $aliilJad-Deen times of war, in addition to a number of non-military obligations.f'? such as implementing decrees issued by ,salill) ad-Deen, establishing security within the fief, and paying attention to the welfare of individuals living in the fief.64o In addition to that, the recipient had a number of civil duties, the most important of which had to do with irrigation and cultivation of the fief, and some special services to the sultan.641 The fiefs sometimes contained lands that were already developed and cultivated as the result of prior construction of irrigation ditches and bridges; in that case the recipients had to do their utmost to improve this developed land, in addition to building and maintaining jusoor baladiyah, which were small agricultural dams which played a major role in irrigation of the fiefs. Jusoor sultaniyah, on the other hand, were large agricultural dams which were built to benefit whole regions, so the recipients of fiefs were not responsible for them in theory, but in fact they did help the sultan to build this kind of dam, by supplying men, cattle, equipment and so on. In addition to that, the recipient also took part in digging and cleaning channels.P'" Salah ad-Deen used the same method as had been used by his Zangid forebears in paying the troops' salaries; he allocated fiefs to his commanders as an alternative to what was required of paying salaries to the troops. It was sufficient for Salfih ad-Deen to notify the recipient of the fief when he decided to launch the jihad against the Crusaders, and the recipient would march to join him with his troops, fully equipped with sufficient food supplies.F'? Because Salah adDeen was the original source for allocation of fiefs, he could cancel a fief at any time if the recipient failed to carry out his duties or behaved in such a manner that undermined his military commitments, as happened in 573 AH/II77 CE, when Salah adDeen took Akhbaz away from a group of Kurds because they were the cause of the Muslim army's defeat at the battle of al-Ramlah at Tell as-Safiyah by the Crusader army led by Reynald de Chatillon.644

$ala/:t ad-Deen al-Ayubi In fact the military feudal system was very important to the army of Salah ad-Deen.645 Moreover, this system, with the duties it involved, punished the fief-holder by dismissing him from his fiefdom if he fell short in any of those duties, and guaranteed the sincerity of the troops and their standing firm in battle. This is in addition to what some of the fief-holders did of military actions against the enemy. Ibn Wasil and Ibn Katheer mention; among the events of 575 AHll179 CE, that 'Izz ad-Deen Farakh Shah, whose fief at that time was Baalbek, raided Safad in that year, and came back safe and sound after killing a large number of (Crusader) fighters and seizing a large amount of booty.646 In addition to that, the military feudal system was regarded as one of the main sources of income for the Ayubid state, because it was a source of permanent income that was required to spend on the sultan's army and the armies of the feudal emirs, in addition to important military ~~~reoo~~~~~~~~~~~~~ by implementing the military feudal system in his state, Salah adDeen saved himself the task of supplying the entire army with weapons, equipment and supplies.648 Salah ad-Deen's military department This department was responsible for army affairs and was supervised by one who had knowledge and experience of the affairs of this institution, on the condition that he was a Muslim of high rank and prominent status.649 It was akin to what we call the ministry of defence nowadays, and the man in charge of it was responsible for knowing the situation of the troops and recording their presence or absence, state of health, and deaths.65o One of the duties of the military department was issuing regular statistics on the numbers of troops and the amount of money allocated to them. One of this

department's specialities was mentioned by Ibn Khallikan in his biography of al-Malik adh-Dhahir Ghiyath ad-Deen ibn Salah adDeen who came to inspect the troops one day. He had the army records before him, and every time a soldier appeared in front of him, he asked him his name and the scribe wrote it on the list. 651 The employees of the military department recorded the names of those who had received fiefs, according to their various levels, and the number of troops belonging to each fief-holder in his fief. In front of each fief-holder's name, there was a symbol referring to his fief without mentioning it clearly by name. Perhaps this was a precaution aimed at secrecy on the part of the department employees. Hence the department avoided mentioning the names of the fiefs and their yields, unless ordered to do so by the sultans.652 It seems that the military department spent wealth on the infrastructure and fortifications in which Salah ad-Deen took an interest, especially in Egypt, for fear of Crusader attacks against it whilst he was in Syria. The best testimony to that may be the fortifications on which he spent a huge amount of wealth, such as the Ayubid walls of Cairo and Qal 'at al-Jabal which he built on the side of Jabal al-Muqattam.F'' He also fortified the city of Darnietta, which al-Maqreezi said cost "a million dinars" .654 The most important employees of the military department at the time of Salah ad-Deen included the ruizir, who was regarded as primarily responsible for everything that happened in the department. Next to the nazir came the mutawalli ad-diwdn, whose job was to supervise the carrying out of the nazir's instructions, and the mustawJi, whose role was to follow up on the employees and ensure that they submitted the figures required from them on time; and there were other employees.Y" The military system at the time of $aliiJ;,ad-Deen

$azalJ ad-Deen al-Ayubi The uniforms of the troops When the Ayubid state succeeded the Fatimid state in Egypt, it differed from it in many of the ways in which the state was run. It changed most of its methods to follow the ways of the Atabeg state at the time of 'Imad ad-Deen Zangi in Mosul, then of his son al-Malik al-'Adil Noor ad-Deen Mahmood in Syria. Their habit was to wear yellow woollen caps656 on their heads, with no turban wrapped around them, and with their hair in braids, hanging below the caps. It was the same for Mamelukes, emirs and others.657 In general, the attire of the troops in the Ayubid state was a natural extension of the attire of troops in the Zangid state. Food supplies Food supplies were usually carried in the rear of the army and were called ath-thiql (the load). But it so happened in some campaigns that they put the 'load' in the middle of the army near the heart of the troops. The reason for that may have been their fear that the enemy might capture their supplies. In the middle of Jumada I 584 AHl1188 CE, the sultan mobilized to meet the enemy and organized the battalions, putting the right flank first, the heart in the middle and the left flank in the rear, led by Muzaffar ad-Deen ibn Zayn ad-Deen, and the "load" travelled in the middle of the army.658 We find that the troops, for their part, carried some essential food supplies with them in sacks - called soolaq - made of leather which hung from their shoulders. When preparing to set out, the troops would stock up by going to the market and buying the necessities, which might be no more than some bread, cheese, onions and a little dried meat, and some grains, legumes, fruit and dates.659 When preparing for the battle of ar-Ramlah which ended in defeat for

Salal) ad-Deen (573 AHll177 CE), al- 'Imad al-Katib al-Isfahani reported: The call went out to the troops to take provisions for another ten days, in order to be on the safe side. Orders were sent to the military market for the troops to buy at a time when prices had started to rise.660 During the campaigns that followed the battle of Hattin, when the Ayubid army had started to raid the coast near the Crusader Kingdom of Tripoli in 584 AHl1188 CE, the call went out to the troops: We are going to the coast, where there is little food available for sale, and the enemy is surrounding us on all sides, so take with you provisions for one month.661 When hardship intensified for the people of Acre during the harsh and lengthy siege, the emir Baha' adDeen Qaraqoosh sent word from inside the city, complaining to the sultan of the lack of food supplies. So the sultan arranged a huge ship for them and sent it to them. In order for it to reach Acre safely, he appointed in charge of the ship some former Christians from Beirut who had become Muslim, so that they could work out a deal with the enemy who were besieging the city and trick them with their language and dress. To make the trick work better, he told them to raise crosses on the mast of the ship, and to put pigs on the deck. They sailed towards Acre, and on the way they were intercepted by the Crusaders, but they managed to make the trick succeed and convince them that they were fellow Crusaders, and so they were able to enter the besieged port,662 bringing supplies such as four hundred containers of wheat, a quantity of cheese and onions, some sheep, and everything that was needed.663 Supplies were sent repeatedly to Acre because of the length of the siege; they came from Egypt, which was a land of plenty, in addition to what was sent from Beirut. 664The Muslims invented different ways to prevent the city falling into Crusader hands, but then they were defeated and Acre fell, and the The military system at the time of $aliil].ad-Deen

$aZa!:tad-Deen al-Ayubi difficulty of supplying the city was one of the main reasons for its fall. But some of the cities that were in Crusader hands fell to the Ayubid army because their food supplies were cut off.665 We find that the Ayubid army resorted, at times of war, to cutting off food supplies in order to starve the enemy and thus weaken them and make them surrender. They also destroyed the Crusaders' crops and cut down their trees in the region of Kerak in an attempt to weaken its ruler, Reynald de Chatillon,666 and they harvested the enemy's produce so as to leave them with nothing.667 Military mobilization Mobilization refers to a number of actions taken by the leader to gather the troops for battle and lead them to the fighting front or coordinate his commanders to respond to an enemy attack and defeat them.668 There is no difference in the concept of mobilization between ancient times and the modern era, but the means of mobilization, the troops, the equipment used and other factors are what changes. As for the system followed by the Ayubid army, it was a five-part system.669 The five-part system We think that Salah ad-Deen was not the inventor of this system but that it existed before his time. He did not differ in principle from the leaders who came before him and who were known to have implemented this system.670 The Ayubid army was organized in the form of cadres similar to the main parts of a human body, or the shape of a cross. The trunk in the middle was like the 'heart' ofthe army, the vanguard was in front like the head, the right and left flanks were like the arms on each side, then the rearguard of The military system at the time of $aid/J ad-Deen the army were like the two legs together in the rear. Hence you can see that the format in this system was in five partS.671 The sultan's place was usually in the heart of the army, and with him were his banners, so that all the commanders could see him and carry out his orders, to strengthen the army or reorganize it if that was necessary for any reason. In some cases, he would move to the front to stir up the soldiers' zeal, and to instil fear in the hearts of the enemy. Salah ad-Deen would put well-known leaders and commanders at the head of each flank. At the head of the vanguard he put the scouts, as well as cavalry, swordsmen, archers and those who were able to move swiftly in single combat and in pursuit of the enemy.672 The mner circle and the sultan's Mamelukes The sultan's inner circle was composed of a number of troops who surrounded Salah ad-Deen like bodyguards. This inner circle played a prominent role in various battles. They played a clear role in the conquest of the coast and Crusader strongholds. Ibn al-Atheer referred to the conquest of the citadel of Barziyah, the location of which was known to be rugged and well fortified, and described how Salah ad-Deen divided his army into three parts so that they could take turns to fight. When the turn of Salah ad-Deen's elite forces came, they fought fiercely despite the intense heat. 673The inner circle also played a supervisory role during the siege of Acre, moving with Salah ad-Deen when he moved between Tell Kharubah, Shaf amar and Tell Kaysan, which were places surrounding Acre. This inner circle were the only ones who stayed with Salal; ad-Deen after the troops returned to their homes to rest when winter came in 588 AHI 1192 CE. Most of those in the inner circle were Egyptian troopS.674 What confirms the importance of this inner circle is that they, and they

Salii~ ad-Deen al-Ayubi alone, were in the heart of the Ayubid army, according to the report of Ibn Shaddad, who was one of the inner circle.675 It happened that the sultan went to confront the enemy accompanied by no one but the inner circle.676 The men of the inner circle may have formed the group or battalion that was named after the sultan, al-Firqah asSaldhiyah. or al-Firqah an-Niisiriyah, The fighters who came under the direct command of a prominent commander would be named after him, because they were his Mamelukes or slaves. So 'an-Nooriyah' were the Mamelukes of Noor ad-Deen Mahmood and 'al-Asadiyah' were the Mamelukes of Asad ad-Deen Shirkuh. Abu Shamah stated that included in the estate of Asad ad-Deen Shirkuh in Egypt in 564 AHl1168 CE, he left behind a number of slaves and five hundred Mamelukes, who formed the Asadiyah battalion.677 This means that the Ayubid army knew the Mameluke system. The Egyptian army at the time of the Mamelukes was formed from the remnants of the Ayubid army, most of whom were Turkish Mamelukes, and some Kurds.678 The elite Mamelukes of the sultan were called 'the (inner) circle' .679 The Ayubids followed the same method as the Seljuks and their atabegs - 'Imad ad-Deen Zangi, then his son Noor ad-Deenin having a lot of Turkish Mamelukes and using them in the army, despite the fact that the Ayubids or the founders of the Ayubid dynasty were not atabegs and were not the Mamelukes of anyone, and no member of Banu Ayub was ever a slave.68o Battalions and types of army divisions based on the weapons carried by each division The army of Salfih ad-Deen was based on the division of the army into groups like squadrons. At the head of every two hundred (or one hundred or seventy) horsemen there was an ameer muqaddam (the rank of commanderj.P'" It would be said that suchThe military system at the time of Saldl) ad-Deen and-such a campaign included such-and-such squadrons.682 Each fighting or auxiliary squadron had its own special character and role which distinguished it from other squadrons. This distinction was shown in the type of weapons and equipment used, and the duties given to them. The army could not move successfully or engage in any military operations unless it was able to work in complete harmony and with full coordination, with all sectors helping one another when battle was joined. There were two basic types of squadron in the Ayubid army in addition to the auxiliaries. The cavalry The cavalry, who formed the backbone of the army. Their main roles were fighting, scouting and reconnaissance, because these roles required the swiftness of movement that was essential for attacking, finding out, pursuing the enemy and cutting off their retreat so that they could not get more supplies and food. Men who were sincere and chivalrous, with experience of war, were usually chosen for this duty, and they would avoid combat with the enemy in order to carry out reconnaissance. The aim of their operations was to estimate the enemy's strength and find out their weak points. In addition to that, the cavalry would lend support to places that were exposed to sudden danger. However, they were placed behind the infantry in battle order, as at-Tarsoosi explains, "Let the cavalry and superior warriors be behind the infantry, waiting to charge, then when they want to charge, a way will be opened for them through which to charge, with the cooperation of the infantry. ,,683 The characteristics that were required of the true knight were physical fitness and strength, and sound knowledge of how to confront the enemy, such as unarmed combat skills, how to use a spear and the art of archery.684 Horsemen were equipped with swords

Said/].ad-Deen al-Ayubi and long spears, and wore chain mail, shields and helmets; as for their horses, it is possible that they put chain mail on them as well as their saddles.685 The infantry The infantry, who formed the greater part of the army and bore the brunt of fighting and its hardships and consequences. The weapons carried by this group were light weapons, because they marched on foot. They used swords, bows and short spears. It was the infantry who drove the enemy out of their trenches and finished them off.686 The most important duty of the infantry was protecting the army as it marched, so as to prevent it being ambushed by the enemy, and guarding the caravans which carried supplies and equipment as they were being moved.687 In order of battle, the infantry were placed in the front lines, with the cavalry and superior fighters behind them.688 Other auxiliary squadrons Other auxiliary squadrons were known by the names of the equipment that they used and the tasks they performed. So there were mangonel squadrons, testud0689 squadrons, naphtha-thrower'f" squadrons, intelligence-gathering (scouting) squadrons, quartermaster squadrons and so on.691 Before heading to the coast, Salah ad-Deen inspected his army, positioning different battalions, filling in gaps and empty spaces, and making sure that the weapons carried by the fighters were in good condition. Just before setting out for Hattin, on the day of inspection, the sultan organized the troops and checked on them from afar and close up; he showed each commander his place and his position in the right flank or left flank, from which he should not

Volunteers in the Ayubid army The military system at the time of $alaf;,ad-Deen move. He brought out the banners692 and the courageous archers in each division, and advised each division as to how it should cooperate with others. He said, "When we enter enemy territory, it is in this order that we should enter, and this is where the locations of our battalions and heroes should be.,,693 There was a person in the army whose mission was to call out, mobilize the troops to fight and raise their morale. His place was close to Salal;tad-Deen. Every time a command was issued, he would convey it in a loud voice to the army. He was called al-Jaweesh.694 He would call out to the people to get ready, or if necessary he would call on a certain commander to move his troops to give help to such and such a group during the fight, if the enemy had penetrated the ranks, or he would stir up the fighters' zeal by shouting encouraging words such as, "Ya lil-Islam wa 'asdkir al-muwahhideenl (For the sake of Islam, 0 monotheist troopS!),,695 In addition to the regular fighters, both cavalry and infantry, who were registered in the department of the Ayubid army, and the feudal troops belonging to the Ayubid emirs and other emirs who came under the authority of Salah ad-Deen one after another, who supplied the Ayubid army with fighters at times of need, and in addition to the sultan's Mamelukes, there were also individuals who volunteered to put themselves at the army's disposal out of love for jihad for the sake of Allah and the desire to liberate Muslim lands from Crusader occupation. In fact the era of Islamic revival began to show clearly with the emergence of the Mujahid 'Imad ad-Deen Zangi, the founder of the Zangid state and at the time of his son Noor ad-Deen Mahmood ash-Shaheed. This era reached its peak at the time of Salah ad-Deen. His era brought to mind the days of

$alalJ,ad-Deen al-Ayubi volunteerism and jihad in the early days of Islam. It comes as no surprise to discover that the army of Salah ad-Deen included a large number of volunteers, especially at the battle of Hatteen and the conquest of Jerusalem and subsequent battles, which has attracted the attention of historians. Ibn Katheer states that when the sultan decided to conquer Jerusalem, scholars and righteous people came to him as volunteers.P'" The volunteers came from various Muslim social backgrounds, tribesmen, villagers and city dwellers, poor and rich alike, especially scholars of jurisprudence and Sufis.697 Noor adDeen Mahmood ordered that the call should go out to the warriors and mujahideen, and new volunteers including the young men of the cities and strangers, to make ready and prepare to confront the Franks, the polytheists, and heresy.698 The word 'volunteer' was used to describe those groups who were not part of the regular forces.699 In the mosques, the sermon-givers urged the people to volunteer for the Muslim army. No sooner had the sermon-givers come down from the pulpits than the worshippers were shouting slogans and invocations, coming in groups and individually from all directions to the army camp. Salah ad-Deen sometimes delegated to the volunteers the task of executing prisoners, especially heretics or Crusader archers, as happened at Bayt al-Ahzan in 575 AHl1179 CE.700 Following the victory of Hattin, Salah ad-Deen asked each one of the volunteers, including the Sufis, to execute one of the prisoners belonging to the two Crusader groups, the Templars and Hospitallers."?' The volunteers had accomplished great things on the day of Hattin and contributed to the achievement of a swift victory against the Crusaders, when they hastened to set fire to the dry grass that surrounded the Crusaders. The flames leapt high and the fire grew hot,702 and the wind was against the Crusaders, so it blew the

Auxiliary squadrons in the army The military system at the time of $alfi/; ad-Deen heat and smoke towards them, and they were faced with a combination of thirst, hot seasonal weather, the heat and smoke of the fire, and the heat of battle, according to Ibn al-Atheer.Y" The engineer corps The army was usually accompanied by an engineer corps and a medical corps. The former undertook missions which required specialized knowledge of the military engineering that was required for fighting, especially attacks on walls and ditches, such as setting up heavy war machines like the mangonel, testudo, heavy catapults, naphtha-thrower, and so on. They also built camps and walls, especially in places that had a sensitive military advantage; built and demolished bridges; filled in ditches; dug wells; decided where to lay siege to the walls of a city intended for conquest and where to breach its walls; diverted the course of rivers; and did other engineering tasks which made up the duties of this corps. During the siege of Jerusalem, Salah ad-Deen and his army kept circling the city for five days, and finally those who had knowledge of engineering found a suitable place in the northern side of the wall, near the Twin-Pillared Gate and the Church of Zion, and Salal; ad-Deen ordered that the siege engines be set up in that place.704 In 581 AHl1185 CE, during the siege of Mosul, when the army of ,salai) ad-Deen was unable to achieve a direct military victory against it despite his many attempts because of the strength of its walls, some of his men suggested depriving the city of water by diverting the flow of the Tigris. He put this idea to the scholar of jurisprudence Fakhr ad-Deen ibn adDahhan al-Baghdadi, who was the best engineer of his era, who said, "This is possible and not impossible; it is easy and not difficult." 705

$allil;ad-Deen al-Ayubi In a letter sent by Salah ad-Deen to the Abbasid caliph, written by his consultant, al-Qadi al-Fadil, it says: The engineers who have experience said that it would be easy to divert the Tigris away from Mosul and thus deprive (that city) of a source of water, at which point its people would be forced to hand it over without fighting and without the harm that would be caused by intensifying the siege.706 Salah ad-Deen did not put this idea into practice, however, and that was perhaps due to the fact that it was difficult and costly, he did not have much time, and he was interested in more important projects.i'" The medical corps The medical corps accompanied the army to the battlefield in order to treat the sick and wounded, which was necessary. The doctors and their aides formed what might be described as a mobile clinic, with everything that they needed of medicines, equipment and stretchers to carry the wounded and sick. This equipment was carried on the backs of animals. They would set up in the camp a tent where those who needed to could stay overnight. It seems that Salah adDeen's era was one in which matters to do with medicine flourished, because there was a great need for that. Salah ad-Deen and his emirs spent generously on them. In fact Salah ad-Deen started to take an interest in medical matters and encourage those involved in them from early on in his career. He showed a great interest in the doctors who served the Fatimid court in Egypt and the court of the atabeg Noor ad-Deen in Syria, and paid a great deal of attention to them.708 One of the doctors who took part in the military expeditions carried out by the Ayubid army was Abu Zakariya Ameen adThe military system at the time of $atal] ad-Deen Dawlah Yahya ibn Isma 'eel al-Andalusi, one of the students of alHakeem Muhadh-dhab ad-Deen. He accompanied the army of Salah ad-Deen in battle and then settled in Damascus, like many of the doctors of his era. It seems to us that the reason why they settled in this city was the presence of the great Noori Hospital. Damascus was also chosen because of its proximity to the battlefields, so the wounded and sick could easily be sent there. Abu Zakariya was unable to work at the end of his life, but the sultan allocated to him a military pension that he received until his death?09 Salah ad-Deen did the same for other doctors, such as Ibn ad-Dahhan al-Baghdadi and the oculist Abul-Fadl Sulayman al-Masri.t'" One of the most famous doctors of Salah ad-Deen's corps was Muwaffaq ad-Deen Abu Nasr As'ad, who was known as Ibn alMatran ad-Dimashqi; it is known that he participated in the Sultan's campaigns and worked in the Noori Hospital. He wrote a number of medical books, including one entitled The Ndsiri Paper on the Preservation of Health,711 and many others. Al-Isfahani said concerning this doctor that he was brilliant and gentle, and was greatly praised for his sincerity. He (Abu Nasr) earned the appreciation of Salah ad-Deen, who held him in high esteem. He was very knowledgeable, smart and intuitive.712 The sultan also had his own private physician, who accompanied him on campaigns, because he sometimes suffered from pain and felt unwell, and pustules appeared on his back. His companions criticized him for not taking care of his health and not getting enough rest. His response to them was, "When I ride for jihad, the pain disappears, until I dismount. ,,713 His private physician not only treated the sultan; he also treated his senior emirs and army commanders. When the ruler of Irbil, Zayn ad-Deen Yoosuf Niyaltajeen fell sick with the fever that would lead to his death (during the siege of Acre in 586 AHl1190

$aliiJ:tad-De en al-Ayubi CE), Salah ad-Deen's doctor went to treat him.714 The sultan himself would sometimes supervise the treatment of the wounded, as happened after the Muslims' defeat at the battle of Arsuq in Sha'ban 587 AHlSeptember 1191 CE, when he sat and watched as the wounded were brought in and treated.715 Military music corps After the jaweesh called out to the camp to get ready, the banners would be unfurled and the cymbals would start to clash. This was akin to military music or marches nowadays, and was part of what was done to stir up the zeal of the fighters.f '? Historical events prove that military music played an important role in the Ayubid army; a special place was allocated for it, which was called the tabal khanah ('place of drums'). With regard to this, al-Maqreezi wrote that after ,salal) ad-Deen settled in Egypt at the end of the Fatimid state, he organized the tabal khCinah.717 Al-Qalqashandi explained the meaning of this word, saying: The meaning is 'house of drums', for it contains drums, flutes and other instruments. These instruments were played at the time of fighting, and on other days three times a day.718The one who beat the drum was called dabandar, and the one who played the flute was called munaffir. The one who struck the copper cymbals against one another was called the koosi (from kOOSOJ, meaning cymbalsj.i'" The custom was for the cymbals to be played when an important military personage arrived at the camp, whilst flags and banners were unfurled and flutes were also played. Every occasion had its own rhythm, which the musicians were taught to play and the fighters were trained to recognize. There was a special rhythm when circumstances dictated that fighting should not stop despite the defeat that had befallen them, so the cymbals kept playing and did not The military system at the time of Saldh. ad-Deen stop.720 There was also a special rhythm that announced glad tidings of victory. When news came in Shawwal 587 AHJl191 CE that the Muslim fleet had captured Frankish ships that were carrying more than five hundred Crusaders, the Muslims rejoiced thereat, the victory rhythm was beat and the victory tune was played.721 Flag bearers In the army there was a group whose mission was to carry and protect the sultan's banner. The flag or banner was the symbol which differentiated one group from another and one state from another. Each Muslim and non-Muslim state had its own flag with a particular colour.722 The colour of Salah ad-Deen's flag was yellow; in the middle there was the image of an eagle, as a symbol of strength and confidence of victory.723 Among the banners was a huge banner of yellow silk, called aZ-'Isiibah, on which were embroidered in gold the titles and name of the Sultan; a large banner called al-Jdleesh, at the top of which was a braid of hair; and a small yellow flag called asSanajiq.724 The large banner was usually carried with the sultan's entourage.725 AI- 'Imad (al-Isfahani) spoke of Salah ad-Deen's banner when the Ayubid army conquered Sidon in 583 AHJl187 CE: The envoys of its ruZer brought its keys, and we ended its dark days, and the yellow banner appeared on its walls.726 Salah ad-Deen's banner is also mentioned in a number of odes composed by the poets of that era on various occasions when the Ayubid army achieved victory over the Crusaders and raised the Ayubid flag over them. When the Muslims defeated them and destroyed Bayt al-Ahzan (575 AHJl179 CE), a group of poets offered their congratulations on this occasion, among whom was

Saldh. ad-Deen al-Ayubi Baha' ad-Deen Abul-Hasan 'Ali as-Sa'ati al-Khorasani, who mentioned the yellow banner in his ode.727 AI-' Alam ash-Shatani praised it in his ode, too, which begins with the words: I see victory accompanying your yellow banner. So march and take over the whole world, for you deserve that.728 The flag was a symbol of sovereignty, and it was raised in places such as fortresses, ships and major military installations. When one party was defeated, the first thing the victor did was to pull down the banner of the defeated party and raise his banner in its place, as the Muslims did in the fortresses they conquered which had been in the hands of the Crusaders.729 As for the Crusader flag, it was described by Ibn Shaddad who saw it being carried on a cart. He noted: The enemy's flag is raised on a cart to which it is fixed and which is pulled by mules, and they fight to defend the flag. It is very high like a minaret, made of white cloth and painted with red in the shape of a cross.730 In other words, the Crusader flag was similar to the flag of the International Red Cross nowadays.73l Mail and intelligence Organiza tion of the mail Organization of the mail system was done by a department that was set up for this purpose, which was called diwiin al-bareed and was supervised by state employees, whose job was to run the affairs of this institution.732 The Ayubid mail and intelligence systems were The military system at the time of $alal; ad-Deen famous for always being superior to what the Crusaders had. During the battle of Ramlah which took place in 573 AHlII77 CE in southern Palestine, and which ended in defeat for the Ayubid army, subsequent events proved that Salah ad-Deen had a very effective mail service. The way in which it was able to move quickly put an end to the rumours which were spreading in Egypt, which said that Salah ad-Deen had been killed. The swiftness of the mail put an end to the ambitions of men who had started preparing to topple the Ayubid rulers in Egypt. That was when Salah ad-Deen sent his envoys from the Egyptian border on dromedaries to Cairo to confirm to anyone who may be thinking of rebelling against him that he was still alive, and carrier pigeons were sent with the good news that he was on his way back to Cairo.733 In 578 AHll182 CE, when ~alal) ad-Deen was in Egypt, he carried out a raid on Kerak and laid siege to it for ten days. When he saw how low his army's provisions were, though, he ordered them to leave and go back to Egypt. The Ayubid historian Muhammad ibn Taqi ad-Deen 'Umar who was with the sultan's entourage said, "Whilst we were marching, the mail carriers came to him with the good news of his uncle 'Izz ad-Deen Farakh Shah's victory in the battle of Dabooriyah.t'T" Salah ad-Deen's intelligence system was so accurate and swift that news of the enemy arrived continually, hour after hour, until morning,735 especially during the siege of Acre. His intelligence network included some of the Crusaders to whom the sultan had granted security on various occasions. The importance of these people was based on the fact that they knew the language of the enemy and no one would think that they were ~alill) ad-Deen's men, because of their physical appearance. They supplied the Ayubid army with news of the enemy which it would be difficult to get via his Muslim intelligence agents. On one occasion they told Salah adDeen what the enemy was intending to do, which was to take the Muslim troops unawares at night.736 They told him about the huge

SaId/:!ad-Deen aI-Ayubi Crusader mangonel on which they had spent fifteen hundred dinars and which had been prepared to launch an attack on Acre.737 They also supplied Salah ad-Deen with news of the German campaign. During the siege of Acre, all means of communication with the besieged fighters were used in order to find out about their difficult situation and to send the money they needed. Contact was made with them by using carrier pigeons and swimmers. Perhaps one of the most famous stories of heroism in the Ayubid mail system is that of a swimmer named 'Eesa. This man was able to enter Acre despite the naval blockade, bringing instructions from the sultan in a letter which he tied around his middle, along with some money. Once he arrived in Acre, they would release a bird to inform the sultan of his safe arrival. One night he went down to the sea and tied three bags to his waist containing one thousand dinars and letters to the troops, but he could not reach the city, and he drowned off the coast of Acre?38 They realized something bad had happened which had prevented the release of the bird. A few days later they found his body, with the pieces of gold and the wax seal of the letters around his middle. Ibn Shaddad commented, "Never before have we heard of a dead man delivering a message entrusted to his care during his lifetime, except this man." 739 The Yazak scout corps Yazak is a Farsi word referring to army scouts. The Yazak were a group of scouts who were sent out in the direction of the enemy ahead ofthe army. The mission ofthe Yazak fighters was part of the intelligence system, to send information on the approaching army to the army commanders as quickly as possible. So we could say that the word Yazak referred to the system of daily dispatches sent by specialized individuals who were always on standby to go The military system at the time of $aliiJ:tad-Deen and find out at close hand what the enemy was doing or planning to do. The members of the Yazak were chosen from among those who were sincere and courageous in war to undertake this duty. They avoided mixing with the enemy whenever possible, because the aim of their duties was to estimate the enemy's strength and find out their weak points. Hence they did not wear armour or carry shields or any other heavy equipment that might impede their progress. They chose horses that were calm, swift, of good temperament, sure-footed and strong, and were not easily spooked.74o In fact, contemporary historians - especially Ibn Shaddad and al- 'Imad al-Isfahani - refer to the Yazak in their narratives, and the many missions that they undertook, of which sending information was just one?41 Nothing is more indicative of the importance and critical nature of the Yazak's role at the time of Salah ad-Deen than the fact that he appointed at its head, senior military figures such as his brother al-Malik al-' Adil742 and his oldest son al-Malik al-Afdal, as well as senior emirs such as Badr ad-Deen Daldaram al-Yarooqi, 'Izz ad-Deen ibn al-Muqaddim, 'Izz ad-Deen Joordeek, 'Alam ad-Deen Sulayman ibn Jundur and others. These emirs all led the Yazak in turn. Among the missions that were entrusted to the Yazak was the task of finding out the situation in cities, especially Jerusalem, when the Crusaders were threatening to re-occupy it after it was liberated in 583 AHl1187 CE. All Salah ad-Deen had to do was send his brother al-Malik al- 'Adil at the head of the Yazak to find out about the city's defensive strength. Al-'Adil set out for this purpose in Ramadan 587 AHl1191 CE.743 ~alaJ:tad-Deen did something similar when he sent the emir 'Izz adDeen Joordeek, Jamal ad-Deen Farakh and others to march under the auspices of the Yazak to the vicinity of Jaffa, to find out the numbers of cavalry and infantry in the city.744 On some occasions the Yazak carried out ambushes, as happened on the way to Jaffa. This mission was entrusted to Badr adDeen Daldaram, who set up an ambush involving a good number of

$ataJ:tad-Deen al-Ayubi troops. Some enemy cavalry came by who were guarding a caravan bringing food supplies.I'" Fighting took place between the two sides in which the enemy lost; thirty were killed and a number were taken captive.746 The Yazak fought the Crusaders on numerous occasions. In one of their clashes, the Yazak almost captured King Richard the Lionhearted after he was stabbed, but one of the Crusaders managed to prevent his capture. Richard's compatriot offered himself in ransom for him and distracted the soldier who had stabbed Richard with the fine clothes that he was wearing. So the hapless Yazak focused on this lower ranking Crusader and captured him, and the accursed Richard escaped, leaving no trace. A number of his cavalry were killed or captured, and they fled from that encounter defeated and with their hearts filled with terror.747 Moreover the Yazak protected the Ayubid army against the possibility of sudden attack by the Crusaders, as happened at Antioch.748 These multifaceted responsibilities that were delegated to the Yazak are indicative of their high status in the Ayubid army, which means that this military detachment included the elite and bravest of the Ayubid army. The size of the Yazak depended on the military mission being undertaken. Hence, as is to be expected, they included a large number of horsemen. Their number was as great as one thousand on occasion, as in the case of the Yazak which Salah ad-Deen appointed to keep watch on Acre, when he decided to move his forces to Jabal alKharoobah.i'" Thus we see that the Yazak developed as its missions developed through the course of the ongoing bloody confrontations with the occupiers. It developed from a group which specialized in gathering information about the enemy into an active military organization which had certain aims of defending Ayubid army bases or Muslim cities, or launching sudden attacks on enemy camps and setting up ambushes.75o The military system at the time of Saldl; ad-Deen Pigeon post One of the main means of communication during the Ayubid era involved the use of carrier pigeons, which are also known as homing pigeons because of their remarkable ability to find their way back to their nests over vast distances.751 Al-Qadi al-Fadil described this bird in a delightful manner, calling it the "angel of kings" because it descends from the sky to the kings as the angels descended from heaven to the Prophets (peace be upon them); it never fell short with regard to what was entrusted to it, and no act of betrayal on its part can ever be imagined?52 In addition to its ability to find its nest, this kind of pigeon was also famed for its swift flight. 753Even if it was caught and kept away from its homeland for ten years or more, it still possessed strong mental ability, a good memory and love for its homeland, and as soon as it had the opportunity, it would fly home.754 Hence the price ofthese pigeons was very high, as much as seven hundred dinars and even, sometimes, one thousand dinars. The price of a single egg of this splendid type of bird could be as much as twenty dinars?55 There were organized stations for these carrier pigeons, which were the pigeon lofts for which keepers or guards were appointed to look after them, train them, feed them, ensure their comfort, release them and receive them. But when a pigeon landed with a message, the guard did not usually retrieve the message himself; rather he would take the bird to the caliph or sultan, lest there be some secret content in the letter which should not be seen by anyone else, even if the time was not suitable, such as if the sultan was eating or sleeping. So he would leave his food or be woken from his sleep so that there would be no delay in dealing with urgent and important matters. He would open the message himself,756 or the head guard would do this task.757

Salti!:tad-Deen al-Ayubi Noor ad-Deen used carrier pigeons from the time he became governor of Aleppo and Syria, following the example of his father 'Imad ad-Deen Zangi, but in 567 AH he organized the pigeon system on a new basis, paying more attention to how pigeons were taken care of and where they landed in various regions of his state. This system was inherited by the Ayubid state. The appointment of guards and protocols as to how messages were written and attached to the bird, how the pigeons were received, how the messages were opened and read - all of these matters were already in place when Salah adDeen gained power. All he did was to increase the number of connections between Egypt and Syria by means of this 'air mail', until there was a network of pigeon stations in Egypt and Syria that stretched from the southernmost part of Egypt, from Aswan to Cairo, then Suez and on to Bilbeis, then from Bilbeis to Syria, and from Bilbeis also to Salihiyah and to Qatya 758.From Qatya it extended to al-Waridah on the way to Gaza, then to Gaza. In other words, Bilbeis, which lies east of Cairo, was the centre for pigeons landing in Egypt. Similarly, from Gaza on the coast of southern Palestine, a line extended to Hebron, and to Lod, and from there to Qanoon,759 and then to Jenin, Safad, Baysan, Irbid, Tafas, and then to Dameen f" and Damascus, and from each of these centres to neighbouring cities. From Baysan to Adhra'at;761 from Damascus, pigeons flew to Baalbek and also to Qarah,762 and from Qarah to Horns, and thence to Hamah, then al-Ma'arrah, then Aleppo, then Bira, and so on for the other cities of Syria and Mesopotamia.P" These stations undoubtedly contained a large number of pigeons. Later on, it was estimated that the number of birds in the pigeon loft of Cairo alone was approximately two thousand.I''" The profession of raising pigeons became very profitable as there was a high demand for the birds, especially during the Crusader siege of Acre. Al- 'Imad al-Katib (alIsfahani) wrote:

We began to heap a great deal of praise upon the one who raised these birds, buttering him up with special words of appreciation, asking him to give us more birds, night and day, until his stock ran low because we had asked him for so many.765 The military system at the time of SaW/:!ad-Deen The Ayubid army made use of the pigeon system established by Noor ad-Deen. Salah ad-Deen and his deputies used it at times of hardship. Carrier pigeons conveyed the good news from Palestine to Egypt that the sultan was safe following the battle of Rarnlah in which the Ayubid army was defeated. Al-Tmad said, "We sent the good news with pigeons; we sent letters with the birds to put an end to all rumours and to spread reassurance after fear-mongering had broken OUt.,,766 The Ayubid army would carry with it pigeons belonging to various regions with which it intended to make contact, or when there was a need to seek help from them, as happened in 574 AHJll78 CE, when the Crusaders gathered and marched towards Damascus with their king, raiding and plundering the outskirts, killing and taking captives. Salah ad-Deen sent word to his brother 'Izz ad-Deen Farakh Shah, telling him to take a group of soldiers with him and, when he drew near to the Crusaders, to inform him of that on the wing of a bird: in other words, by carrier pigeon. So Farakh Shah marched with his troops to seek them out. 767 Perhaps as a confirmation of how well organized the 'air mail' system was during this period, the pigeons continued to reach Salah ad-Deen from all over during his lengthy siege of Acre. Ibn Shaddad states that during Ramadan 586 AHJl190 CE, pigeons were sent from Aleppo to Hamah, and from Hamah to Acre, carrying news from the deputies of al-Malik adh-Dhahir, the ruler of Aleppo, that enemy forces from the Crusader principality of Antioch were launching raids on villages belonging to Aleppo, taking advantage of the weakness of its forces, which was due to the fact that its troops

Sala!; ad-Deen al-Ayubi had gone, led by al-Malik adh-Dhahir, to Acre. But the remaining forces in Aleppo had managed to lay ambushes and defeat the aggressors, who were completely unaware until the swords were falling on them. Seventy-five of their troops were killed and many were taken captive.768 The Muslims used all sorts of methods to conceal their secrets, so that the enemy would not find out about them, especially during the siege of Acre. They even used special symbols, or what we would call a code, to indicate things that had been previously agreed upon. AI-'Imad stated that the mail officials carried letters and birds, and they would go back with letters and birds: "They would write to us and we would write to them on the wings of birds with a secret code; in these letters were written our secrets." 769 Ambushes There was more ambush activity during the Crusades, especially at the time of Salah ad-Deen, than at any other period in Islamic history. This was because of the close proximity of the enemy and the ongoing friction between the Muslim forces and the Crusader strongholds that they established along the Syrian coast or close to it. The word ambush refers to the sending of small parties or expeditionary forces of fighters on horseback towards the enemy to take them by surprise and inflict casualties in limited clashes that do not lead to the level of all-out fighting. These operations were begun in secret, and so the men who fought in them had to have certain characteristics which would enable them to fulfil their mission in the required manner.770 It seems that after 585 AHll189 CE, Salill).adDeen decided that it was better to follow a policy of sending out ambush parties to harass the enemy forces and not leave them any room to relax; in the meantime he was gathering his forces around

Administrative matters in war and peace and to do with captives The military system at the time of $aliilJad-Deen Acre. So the Ayubid army now had to defend Acre on the one hand whilst laying siege to the Crusaders who were besieging Acre on the other, and also send ambushes to harass groups of Crusaders here and there.771 We find that the circumstances in which the Ayubid army found itself during this period and the suitability of the Greater Syrian landscape - especially Palestine, with its foliage and mountains in which fighters could conceal themselves - made it essential for the army to organize these types of military actions which were of limited effectiveness but were aimed at disturbing the enemy and not letting them feel secure. This method of fighting is akin to that of guerrillas or special forces.772 War cabinet in Salah ad-Deen's army It is natural that Salah ad-Deen had helpers who aided him in managing the war, making military plans and administering the affairs of state. These helpers formed a committee, which was akin to what we would call a general staff, composed of Salah ad-Deen, who usually chaired the meetings, as it were; his brothers, especially alMalik al-'Adil; his older sons, especially al-Malik al-Afdal 'Ali and al-Malik adh-Dhahir Ghazi; his nephews such as Taqi ad-Deen 'Umar; his maternal uncle Shihab ad-Deen Mahmood al-Harimi; senior emirs and commanders; his wise consultant al-Qadi al-Fadil; the qadi of the troops, Baha' ad-Deen ibn Shaddad the historian; Baha' ad-Deen Qaraqoosh; Sayf ad-Deen al-Mashtoob al-Hakari; other commanders such as Abul-Hayja' al-Hadhabani and 'Alam adDeen Sulayman ibn Jundur; the commander of the Egyptian fleet Husam ad-Deen Lu'lu'; rulers of well known cities and citadels such

Sala/:!ad-Deen al-Ayubi as Muzaffar ad-Deen Kawkabri, Shams ad-Deen ibn al-Muqaddim, 'Izz ad-Deen Joordeek and al-Faqeeh Diya' ad-Deen 'Eesa al-Hakari, Each of these men had the right to state his opinion openly and frankly, so long as it was based on the principle of service to the state and to the army of Salah ad-Deen.773 The committee would meet whenever Salah ad-Deen thought it necessary.T" We shall see below in sha' Allah, in the events discussed in this book, how Salah adDeen consulted his companions on all occasions and with regard to all serious events, and he agreed with their views, sometimes willingly because he liked what they said, and sometimes unwillingly, but in the interests of protecting the Muslims' interests, making them happy and showing respect for the opinions of his commanders.775 Battle plans and fighting methods The overall aim of the Ayubid army in fighting was to expel the occupying Crusaders who had settled on the Greater Syrian coast from Antioch in the north to Ascalon in the south, as well as some regions in the interior such as Jerusalem, Kerak, Edessa, Tiberias and elsewhere.T" The strategic aim of their fighting was to regain land that had been occupied by the Crusaders since the end of the fifth century AHleleventh century CE. In order to achieve this aim, the Muslim army used different means and methods, whether in direct confrontations with the enemy or by weakening their economy and their morale by confining them to a few concentrated locations. The Muslims - especially at the time of ~alaQ ad-Deen - used different tactics to strike the Crusaders.777 Military plans in the Ayubid army were not drawn up by Salah ad-Deen alone: he was helped by his consultative committee, even though central command was in the hands of Salfih ad-Deen. Success was usually guaranteed if the The military system at the time of SaIa/; ad-Deen commander was able to receive ongoing information about the enemy, otherwise he might be subject to defeat if he lost this information.T" The Yazak played a basic role in that regard; it served as a constant source of information on enemy forces to the army leadership. Among the methods used by the Ayubid army and the operations that may be listed under the heading of tactical operations were the following: Cutting down trees Among the actions that were aimed at weakening the enemy, he instructed his troops to cut down the grapevines of the farms of Safad in the Jordan Valley during the battle of Bayt al-Ahzan, which took place in 575 AHJl179 CE779, and he ordered that their produce be harvested. The aim behind that was to destroy the enemy's economy so that they could not benefit from the grapes or the wood, or the grain that the troops had already harvested.F" This action was repeated on numerous occasions. The historian Muhammad ibn Taqi ad-Deen 'Umar al-Ayubi stated: The sultan set out with those whom he selected from among his troops and headed towards Kerak at the beginning of 578 AHJl182 CE, and reached it in a few days. There he found a large number of Franks. We camped close to them, and harassed them and put pressure on them until they retreated to the wall; we captured them, cut down their trees and grazed our animals on their farmland.i'" They did likewise when preparing for the decisive battle of Hattin, when they marched to the fortress of Kerak, intimidated its inhabitants, seized what was around it, grazed their animals on its farmland and cut down its trees and grapevines, then they marched to the fortress of Crac de Montreal and did the same thing there.782

$alar; ad-Deen al-Ayubi Cutting off water The tactic of cutting off water had a profound effect on weakening and defeating the enemy. It is well known that the fact that the Ayubid army had control of the springs on the day of Hattin was one of the reasons for the enemy's defeat, as they were prevented from reaching the water783 until thirst nearly killed them.784 The Ayubid army resorted to soiling the water of some of the springs of Jerusalem in 587 AHl1191 CE in an attempt to prevent the city from falling into Crusader hands after the defeat of the Muslims at Acre.785 Spoiling of the water was done by throwing arsenic or dead bodies into it.786 Methods of rapid warfare Another of the plans that he followed was the application of methods of rapid warfare, taking the enemy by surprise and defeating him before he could gather his strength. This method is most clearly seen between the years 583 and 584 AH (1187 and 1188 CE) when, not content with the decisive victory at Hattin, he pursued further rapid victories to prevent the Crusaders from gathering in anyone place and engaging in another all-out battle with him. Immediately after Hattin, the Ayubid army attacked, one after another, Acre, Sephoria (as-Saffooriyah), Nasirah, Caesarea, Nablus and Darum, and conquered them all. When they could not manage to conquer the city of Tyre because of its fortifications, he had no choice but to leave it alone, but he continued his conquests in other places, and he went on to conquer Jerusalem and other cities on the coast and in the interior; he conquered Hunayn.i'" Jablah, Latakia and Mount Zion. Then he headed north and captured the fortresses of Bakkas, Shaghar, Barziyyah, Darbasak and Baghras, which surrounded the Crusader principality of Antioch. Then a division of his army went south again, and at the end of 584 AHl1188 CE they captured the The military system at the time of $aIaI:tad-Deen strong fortress of Kerak, which was called 'the Rock of the Desert' . Finally he conquered Safad and Kawkab, before drawing back to Damascus because of the onset of winter, so that he could get some rest.788 The plan to fight in turns Salah ad-Deen went to Tyre again, and at the walls of the city he implemented a plan which he had carried out successfully in his conquest of some other citadels, such as Barziyah. This was the plan to fight altemately,789 which meant dividing his troops into three groups, each of which fought for a limited time, then they rested so that the fight could be continued by a second group and then a third. By following this method he aimed to exhaust the Crusaders and leave them no room to rest. However, this method was confronted with the strongly fortified walls of Tyre, in addition to the city's topography.Y" Driving a wedge into the Crusader ranks Salah ad-Deen followed a policy of driving a wedge into the Crusader ranks, creating trouble among them and befriending some of their leaders, in an attempt to weaken them. Ibn Shaddad tells us that on one occasion in Shawwal 578 AHl1191 CE, the sultan summoned the ruler of Sidon to hear his message and listen to what he had to say. He came and brought a number of people with him, and the historian mentioned above was present. The sultan honoured his Crusader guests greatly and spoke to them, and he offered them food as was customary. When the food was cleared away, he sat alone with them and decided to offer a truce to the Marquis de Montfort, the ruler of Tyre, who was joined by a number of senior Franks, including the ruler of Sidon. Salah ad-Deen stipulated that this dissenting Marquis should show enmity towards the Franks,

$atal; ad-Deen al-Ayubi from whom he had split. The Marquis was very afraid of them, and furthermore he had disagreements with them that had something to do with marriage. The sultan agreed to certain terms with the aim of causing division amongst them, according to Ibn Shaddad.791 Strengthening economic and commercial ties with the Italian city-states Another of the wise procedures to which Salfih ad-Deen resorted in order to weaken the enemy economically was strengthening economic and commercial ties with the Italian citystates such as Pisa, Genoa and Venice. From the time he came to power in Egypt, he did his utmost to attract trade from these cities to Egypt; he began to make arrangements with these city-states to exchange ambassadors with them. Salah ad-Deen benefited from these agreements in two ways: 1. Increasing the income of his state by commercial activity; thus he was able to get goods he needed, such as iron, timber and wax. 2. Weakening the Crusaders' commerce, especially if we realize that Salah ad-Deen dominated the Red Sea. No doubt this trade led to an interest in rebuilding the Ayubid Muslim fleet. 792 In a letter addressed to the 'Abbasid caliph in 571 AHl1175 CE, Salah ad-Deen wrote: Among these armies are the Venetians, Pisans and Genoans, who may sometimes come as fighters whose harm will be difficult to withstand and the spark of whose evil will be difficult to extinguish, and sometimes they may come as ambassadors, complying with the rulings of Islam with regard to the goods they are trying to sell. But now all of them are bringing to our country weapons for fighting and jihad, and trying to show kindness The military system at the time of $aldJ;,ad-Deen to us by giving gifts of their finest work. I have established contact with all of them, and have made peace with them on the basis that we have got something extra that they dislike, and on the basis of what we prefer and they do not.793 These ties between Egypt and the Italian city-states were nothing new; rather they were a continuation of what had existed at the time of the Fatimids?94 Salah ad-Deen succeeded in preserving and developing them. Destruction of cities With regard to Salah ad-Deen's war plans, it is worth mentioning that during his final conflict with the Crusaders who were led by Richard the Lionhearted, he resorted to destroying the city of Ascalon which had been the southern key to Jerusalem and the route for caravans heading towards Egypt, and which the Muslims called 'the Bride of Syria' because of its beauty.795 The sultan resorted to this action when his army failed to defend the city,796 lest it be captured by the Crusaders when it was still intact, as had happened at Acre, and thus cut off the route to Egypt;797 Salal) ad-Deen decided to save his army's defensive strength to protect Jerusalem. He consulted his brother al-Malik al- 'Adil and his senior emirs concerning that, and they agreed with his idea. 'Alam ad-Deen Sulayman ibn Jundur, one of his senior consultants, said, "This is Jaffa where the enemy has camped, and it is a city that lies between Ascalon and Jerusalem. There is no way to protect both cities, so go ahead and destroy its walls and citadel." Thus the decision was made to destroy Ascalon.798 In fact this city was not the only one to suffer this fate; he decided to destroy the fortress of Rarnlah too,799 as well as the fortress of Natrun which belonged to the Ternplars.Y" part of the wall of Jaffa, Gaza, Lod and Darum on the southernmost coast of Greater Syria, which Salah adDeen destroyed when he took control of the coast in 584 AH. This is

Said/:tad-Deen ai-Ayubi what happened to the fortress of Sarmeeniyah too. After al-Malik adh-Dhahir Ghazi captured it in Jumada II 584 AHl1188 CE, he expelled its inhabitants before destroying it and levelling it, leaving no trace of it.801 He destroyed the fortress of Yazoor on the coast of Rarnlah in Palestine and at the same time destroyed the town of Bayt Jibreen, just before making a peace deal with Richard. 802 Securing the route connecting Egypt and Syria Another action that came under the heading of Salah adDeen's strategic planning was securing the route connecting Egypt and Syria, the distance of which took approximately thirty days to trave1.803 Salah ad-Deen fortified the citadels and halting places, and set up guards along the route connecting Egypt and Syria, thus restoring security and peace to Sinai. Salah ad-Deen and his commanders also used this route when coming and going to Syria.804 Fortifying cities and border posts He took care to fortify the cities of Fustat and Cairo, and the borders and entry points into Egypt, the most important of which at the time of Salah ad-Deen were Alexandria, Darnietta, Rasheed, 'Aydhab and Tees. Salah ad-Deen understood the extent of the danger that could befall Egypt from the north at the hands of the Crusaders. What happened at Darnietta when Amalric besieged it by land and sea in 565 AHl1169 CE made him pay a great deal of attention to that border city, and he was keen to fortify it. He also made sure to fortify the Red Sea coast. With regard to the Egyptian interior, the most important fortifications he built were in the city of Cairo. The sultan began to build the walls of Cairo because most of them had been destroyed and it had become impossible to prevent anyone from entering or leaving the city; he appointed Qaraqoosh alKhadim in charge of that.805 l~ ~~================== The military system at the time of SaidiJ ad-Deen The fighting season Preparations for fighting began at the end of winter, when temperatures began to rise with the arrival of spring. During the winter, the two sides did not engage beyond a few brief clashes, setting up ambushes and sending out scouts to find out what the enemy was doing. If we look at the period of battles we will see that they happened during a period of eight or ninth months, starting when the period of intense cold ended, and ending with the onset of winter.806 If we follow the log of Salah ad-Deen's daily movements which were recorded by al-Isfahani, Ibn Shaddad and other contemporary and later historians, we will see that fighting and the arrival of armies from other provinces at the battlefield came to a halt in winter, but as soon as this cold and muddy season ended - especially in Syria - the army's activities resumed and preparations were begun anew to confront the enemy, and forces from the provinces arrived at the battle zone.807 After the fighting season ended, the troops would go back to their own lands. Al-Isfahani states that when the intensity of winter attacked and autumn came to an end, and the mountain peaks turned white with snow and the ground turned muddy in the camp, the emirs asked Salah ad-Deen for permission to go back to their own lands so that they could rest and recuperate. So the ruler of Sinjar departed, followed by the ruler of Jazeerah, Ibn 'Umar, and after him the son of the ruler of Mosul left. 808 Ibn Shaddad states in that regard, under the heading, "Return of the troops from jihad," that when winter attacked and the sea became wild, and we became certain that the enemy was not going to gather troops or march to besiege any Muslim city because of the intensity and great frequency of rain, the sultan gave permission to the Muslim troops to go back to their homelands, so that they and their horses could rest until the time for action came.809 On many occasions the troops came to the battlefield to support the main

Said/:!ad-Deen al-Ayubi Ayubid army after the winter ended, then they went back to their homelands when that season came again.8lO During the days of fighting, Salah ad-Deen would be cheerful and optimistic if fighting occurred on a Friday, because of the status and sanctity of this day among Muslims. This does not mean that he refrained from fighting on other days of the week, waiting for Friday; rather he would be optimistic about the outcome of the fighting if it happened to occur on a Friday. During the battle of Hattin, he sent his troops in the middle of the day on a Friday in Rabee' IT in 583 AH, seeking blessing through the supplications of the sermon-givers on the minbars, in the hope that this would be more likely to receive a response.811 The army of Salah ad-Deen entered Acre on a Friday.812 During the conquest of the citadels on the northern Syrian coast, the citadels surrounding Antioch, it so happened that every conquest occurred on a Friday, which was a sign that the supplications of the Muslim sermon-givers had been accepted, which brought joy to the sultan as he had been enabled to conquer them on the day on which rewards for good deeds are multiplied.V'' Perhaps ~alal). ad-Deen's war council planned for fighting to happen on Fridays, which means that this day had a good effect on the Muslim fighters and motivated them to achieve heroic exploits in the fight.814 We do not think that victory and defeat have anything to with a specific day; rather the effect of Friday with regard to Salah ad-Deen's army was psychological. Victories occurred on other days too, and indeed, his army also suffered some defeats on Fridays.815 Treatment of prisoners Salah ad-Deen was not inclined to shed blood and take revenge on Crusader captives, even though they had come as invaders and occupiers of Muslim land. Among the reports that have The military system at the time of $alfll:tad-Deen been narrated in this regard, we see that he prevented his sons from killing prisoners so that this desire to shed blood would not develop in them, because if they got used to killing their prisoners whilst they were young, they might do that without differentiating between Muslims and non-Muslims.816 Rather he warned his son al-Malik adh-Dhahir - when he was twenty years old - against shedding blood in the advice he gave to him during his final illness.817 In general, we find that the treatment of prisoners varied between putting them to work in forced labour, detaining them in Damascus, offering them for sale (as slaves) and executing them. Perhaps it would be correct to say that ~aIal) ad-Deen did not differ from previous leaders or rulers in the way he treated prisoners, such as Noor ad-Deen Mahmood in whose footsteps Salfih ad-Deen followed in the way he ruled. He executed prisoners on some occasions, as happened in 552 AHJl157 CE, when some prisoners were brought to him, and he ordered that they be beheaded. Similarly, Noor ad-Deen Mahmood imprisoned them on most occasions, especially the senior leaders, as happened with Reynald de Chatillon, the ruler of Antioch then of Kerak, whom he detained for fifteen years, then the emir Gumushtigin, one of the emirs of Noor ad-Deen, let him go after the latter's death, so as to annoy Salah adDeen. The aim of keeping prisoners alive - especially the rulers and princes among them - was to make use of them in exchanging them for Muslim prisoners, as it is well known that Noor ad-Deen Mahmood was very keen to ransom Muslim prisoners, whether by exchanging prisoners or paying ransoms, especially the Maghrebi prisoners, because they were strangers in Syria and had no family there. Among the things that Ibn Jubayr mentioned in this regard was that among the kindness bestowed by Allah upon the Maghrebi prisoners in Syria, kings and rich men would allocate some of their own money to ransom the Maghrebi prisoners.t'"

$aliilJad-Deen al-Ayubi Salah ad-Deen was very keen to follow the example of Noor ad-Deen Mahmood; indeed he often released poor Crusader prisoners for nothing in return, as happened when he conquered Jerusalem, in addition to ransoming Muslim prisoners. That was a must for him, as he was responsible for the lives of the fighters, and because by freeing them from captivity he was releasing a detained Islamic force. Hence this was a good deed and an act of piety. Some of his emirs also followed this practice. Among the reports about Muzaffar adDeen Karkabarri, the ruler of Irbil and son in law of Salah ad-Deen, it is said that he sent messengers twice a year to the coast of Syria, carrying a great deal of money to free Muslim prisoners from the clutches of the Crusaders.t'" Sibt ibn al-Jawzi said: The wealth of his emirate has been used up in charity. This historian estimated the number of Muslim prisoners who were freed by this emir as sixty thousand, including both men and women.820 One of the events which highlight the good treatment of prisoners is what happened in 587 AHl1191 CE, when forty-five Crusaders were brought to him from Beirut, among whom was a very old man who had no teeth left in his mouth. When he was brought before Salah ad-Deen, he asked the interpreter to ask him the reason why he had come to the east when he was so old, among other questions. The elderly Crusader replied to the Sultan's questions, and the Sultan felt sorry for him and released him with no ransom, sending him back to the enemy camp on a horse.821 At the same time, Salfih ad-Deen imposed the severest punishments on some of the prisoners because they had committed the most heinous crimes that could not be forgiven except by shedding their blood, and by exposing their crimes before starting to kill them,822 as will be explained below in sha' Allah. We find that Salah ad-Deen thought it preferable to keep prisoners alive so that he could make use of their labour in some projects. When he began to build the citadel of Cairo (known as the Citadel of Salah ad-Deen), he put these prisoners to The military system at the time of $ala/J ad-Deen work on this hard labour, cutting marble and huge rocks and digging the ditch that surrounded the fortress, which was dug from the rock with pickaxes, work which was so hard to do that there was no way - as Ibn Jubayr says - to employ anyone in this construction except the non-Muslim, Frankish prisoners.823 A later Egyptian historian stated that Qaraqoosh employed fifty thousand Crusader prisoners in the building of the Citadel and the walls.824 Peace deals between Salah ad-Deen and the Crusaders The first peace deal between Salah ad-Deen and the Crusaders occurred at the beginning of 571 AHlsummer 1175 CE, when Salah ad-Deen first settled in Syria. Undoubtedly the pressure of political, economic, military and other circumstances was what motivated him to make a truce with the Crusaders. In addition, he needed extra time to settle accounts with the Muslim groups who were opposed to him, as he was the leader who was supposed to lead the Islamic front against the Crusaders. Salah ad-Deen also needed to block the way for the Muslim groups who wanted to cooperate with the Crusaders at his expense, especially the atabegs of Mosul and Aleppo.825 All of these reasons motivated the sultan and the Crusaders to stop the fighting and establish a period of peace between the two sides. When the truce had been concluded, the sultan ordered the Egyptian troops to return to Egypt, because there was no longer any need for them to be in Syria, in addition to the difficult economic situation in Syria - as we have noted. Similarly, Egypt was in need of its troops at harvest time. Al-Isfahani states that the Sultan gave the Egyptian troops permission to go back to Egypt and stay there for a while.826 In fact Salah ad-Deen did not make this truce or any other without still being cautious that the Crusaders might break it, as

$allif;,ad-Deen al-Ayubi indeed happened; neither did he lay down arms or feel content with a truce with the enemy occupiers. On the contrary, he kept his army in a state of continual preparedness, always watchful, and the fear of treachery did not stop him from engaging in skirmishes. Salah adDeen also consulted his war council when he decided to make an agreement with the enemy to stop fighting. 827 Weapons of the Ayubid army The ongoing state of war with the Crusader invaders which affected the region, particularly Greater Syria, led to the establishment of an active war industry, especially since this region had abundant supplies of some of the necessary raw materials as well as many skilled artisans. Greater Syria was known for the wide availability of timber from the thick mountain forests, especially pine trees, various types of oak, beech and other trees. However, the region was known for its scarcity of iron, but the rulers - especially Salah ad-Deen - compensated for this shortfall by importing iron from Italy and elsewhere. Iron was found only in a few areas of Syria and Mosul, and it is most likely that this iron was still being mined at the time of the Crusades, whether by the Muslims or the Crusaders when they occupied this area. In addition to that, the region of Mosul was rich in tar, and in the naphtha that was needed for the naphtha throwers.828 Mosul supplied Salah ad-Deen from time to time with whatever its land and artisans could give. It sent him loads of white naphtha, shields and spears, yielding the best and finest of each type.829 Egypt was rich in various kinds of wood, which was used in shipbuilding.V" With regard to the kinds of weapons used, they were as follows:

The Ayubid navy The military system at the time of $ala/:tad-Deen o Individual or light weapons such as the sword, the dagger, the spear,the axe, the mace,the bow, and the slingshor.f" o Heavy weapons such as the naphtha and fire thrower, or weapons operated by a group, such as the mangonel, the testudo and the like. o Armour, like the head covering worn under the helmet, the iron helmet, the coat of mail and the horse's coat of mail, were worn to protect the body. These items were worn by the knight or horseman and he clothed his horse likewise, for protection against being burned by fire.832 o There was also the muthallathdt (triangles), a small tool made of iron or wood in the shape of a triangle with sharp edges,833 and so on. $alill:tad-Deen's strategy changed after he moved from Syria to Egypt and found areas of weakness in the latter. He began to fortify its cities, build citadels and organize the army to prevent the possibility of attacks against it. At that time he focused on building up naval forces because he was aware of the strength of the Franks at sea and their weakness on land, and he realized that it was essential to build a war fleet to blockade the Frankish naval convoys which were supplying the Crusader kingdoms on the Syrian coast with food, weapons and men every time the pressure against them on land increased. At that time Salah ad-Deen discovered that the structure of the state in Egypt was weak and vulnerable, so he had no option but to reorganize its legislative and administrative affairs before starting to confront the Franks. Here it is essential to point out two matters that

$alill:tad-Deen al-Ayubi Salah ad-Deen dealt with in addition to building a war fleet and fortifying the walls and the citadels. Firstly, Salah ad-Deen realized the importance of keeping the trade and transportation routes between the Mediterranean and Red Sea open and, secondly, he recognized the difference between the interests of the merchants of the Mediterranean European cities and the ambitions of the rulers of the Latin kingdoms in central and north-western Europe. So he signed trade agreements with them in return for their breaking their ties with the coast of Syria and Palestine. He also recognized the possibility that trade caravans might be exposed from the rear, as well as the possibility that the Hajj caravans might also be exposed to danger. Hence he ordered that his army be sent to Yemen, to secure the sea lanes and put an end to pirate activity and attacks against the pilgrim caravans. 834 Activities of the Ayubid navy The researcher may note that the Ayubid navy went through three stages: The initial stage In this stage, which we may call the preparatory stage, when the foundations were laid for the Ayubid fleet in Egypt, Salah adDeen carried out a number of reforms. He reorganized the fleet, setting up for it a separate department under his brother's supervision, giving him the authority to take whatever raw materials he required and to recruit the men he needed. Thus the new state acquired a fleet that was able - with support from the land forces - to defend the borders of Egypt, starting from 565 AHll168-1169 CE. The fleet continued to grow, and by 575 AHll179 AH, its numbers The military system at the time of Saldl) ad-Deen had multiplied to include sixty men-of-war and twenty lighter ships. The men-of-war, in particular, entered Byzantine territory and harassed the Frankish coast, capturing a thousand non-Muslims and bringing them as captives in chains, and killing the senior officers. 835 The stage of Ayubid naval strength in Egypt This stage lasted from 757 AHl1180 CE and ended at the beginning of 579 AHl1183 CE, nearly four years. During this period the Ayubid fleet managed to carry out a number of war operations against the Crusader fleet, and to repel attacks launched by the enemy, once the number of ships had increased and the resolve for jihad grew strong.836 The first war operation carried out by the Ayubid fleet was its confrontation with the enemy in a naval battle in 575 AHl1180 CE, in which it achieved victory and managed to capture a large Crusader ship, with which they brought a thousand prisoners. This naval victory was accompanied by the Ayubid army's victory in the battle of Bayt al-Ahzan, so there was victory on both land and sea.837 It was no coincidence that the Ayubid forces achieved these two victories at the same time, because Salah adDeen's victories started coming so swiftly that the Crusaders could not keep up with him, and he was not content only with defeating the enemy, destroying Bayt al-Ahzan and raiding Tyre, Sidon and Beirut, but he ordered the fleet to go out a second time from Egypt to attack Acre, the 'Constantinople of Syria', as al-Qadi al-Fadil put it. They managed to capture numerous Crusader ships and started destroying, breaking and scuttling them. This was something the like of which the Islamic fleet had never done before, not even when Islam was strong and disbelief was weak.838 Perhaps the greatest and most resonant victory was that which Salah ad-Deen's fleet achieved in the Red Sea. In Sha'ban Autumn 1182 CE, the Crusader commander Reynald de Chatillon

$aZd/Jad-Deen aZ-Ayubi took advantage of the fact that Salah ad-Deen was preoccupied with the siege of Mosul, and launched a huge venture that had several aims, including gaining control of the Red Sea, attempting to cut off the two Holy Sanctuaries, and trying to persuade the Christian kingdom of Ethiopia to take part in the Crusades. Reynald attempted to gain control of the Red Sea by occupying Eilat on the Gulf of 'Aqabah and 'Aydhab on the southern Egyptian coast, overlooking this sea. His targets included Jeddah and Rabigh on the Arabian coast, from whence he planned on occupying Aden; thus the waters of this sea would be at the mercy of the Crusaders, and in this way they would gain control of the trade routes, then they would reach the waters of the Indian Ocean. Reynald also planned to cut off the two Holy Sanctuaries, the heart of the Muslim world, from the rest of the Muslim lands, whether by land or by sea. This attempt was aimed as an act of provocation against all the Muslims and at sending a wave of panic and fear among them. The Crusaders even resolved to enter Madinah and take the body of the noble Prophet (~) from his tomb.839 Reynald de Chatillon hoped to persuade the Christian kingdom of Ethiopia to take part in the Crusades. Reynald made preparations to carry out his naval venture. He ordered that the forests in the area under his control be cut down; he cut down the palm trees of al-' Areesh, and he made ships from the wood, which he tested in the waters of the Dead Sea.840 He also asked the Crusaders of Ascalon to make more ships, until he had a fleet formed of five large ships and a large number of medium-sized and small ships. Then his men transported the ships in pieces to the coast of the Gulf of 'Aqabah, carried on the backs of hired camels belonging to the local Bedouin after he tempted them with money.841 Reynald sent a land army to Tabuk to block any military reinforcements that the ruler of Eilat might summon from Syria or Egypt. Reynald de Chatillon The military system at the time of $alal) ad-Deen travelled by sea and headed towards Eilat; it fell to him after a brief resistance. His forces were unable to occupy the citadel, Jazeerat Fir' awn (the 'Island of Pharaoh'), but they prevented its people from acquiring water, so they suffered intense hardship, according to Ibn al-Atheer. 842 The remaining ships of the fleet continued to raid the African coast, attacking everything that crossed their path, until they reached 'Aydhab, where they captured merchant ships laden with goods that had come from Yemen and other areas such as India and Aden. The Muslims panicked when they saw the Crusader ships roaming the Red Sea, because it had never happened that they saw any Franks in that area, whether merchants or fighters.843 The Crusaders did terrible things, such as burning nearly sixteen Muslim ships. They captured a ship carrying pilgrims, and burned food supplies that were being sent to Makkah and Madinah. This was in addition to killing and capturing people, and other atrocities that they carried out on land and sea.844 From 'Aydhab, the Crusaders set out for the eastern shore of the Red Sea (the Hijaz) where they set fire to the ships anchored at alHawra' and Yanbu, the two ports of Madinah, then they penetrated further south until they reached Rabigh, one of the ports of Makkah, near which they sank a pilgrim ship that was heading towards Jeddah.845 This news reached ~aliil).ad-Deen in a letter that was sent by the man in charge of the citadel of Eilat, who was staying in Mosul. The sultan sent word to his brother and deputy in Egypt, alMalik al- 'Adil Abu Bakr, urging him to take the necessary steps to respond to the aggressors as soon as possible. It seems that al-Malik al- 'Adil was already preparing for this mission before the request of his brother the Sultan reached him.846 He ordered the admiral of the fleet, Husam ad-Deen Lu'lu', to get ready for a military campaign. Husam ad-Deen constructed a fleet in the cities of Fustat and

Saldl) ad-Deen al-Ayubi Alexandria, then dismantled the ships and carried them on camels to the coast of the Gulf of Suez. The ship pieces were accompanied by Maghrebi fighters, who then reassembled them. The admiral Husam ad-Deen Lu'lu' divided the ships of his fleet into two groups. The first headed towards the citadel of Eilat and captured all the enemy ships, killing most of those on board, apart from a few who managed to escape and hide in the mountain passes and valleys. The admiral sent his men after them; they found them and finished them off like an eagle swooping down on its prey.847 As for the second group, he sent them towards 'Aydhab but they did not find any of the enemy there, so they started to search for the enemy fleet and found one ship near al-Hawra'. They disembarked from their ships and started fighting them, pursuing any who fled. They captured one hundred and seventy of them and freed the Muslim prisoners; then they captured their ships and the goods on board.848 The admiral returned with his victorious fleet to Egypt, bringing the prisoners with their legs in irons. Their entry into Alexandria on 1 Dhul-Hijjah 578 AH/1183 CE was a great day that coincided with the arrival of the famous traveller Ibn Jubayr to that city. He saw a crowd of people who had gathered to watch the Crusader prisoners being brought into the city riding on camels, facing backwards, to the sounds of drums and flutes.849 Al-Malik al-'Adil ordered that they be beheaded and that none of them be left alive so that no one would be able to tell the route to that sea or any other information about it.850 Some Sufi men, scholars and prominent religious figures took on the task of executing them.851 As it says in the letter of al-Qadi al-Fadil to the court of the caliph in Baghdad: There was no question about these disbelievers being executed; there was no Shariah justification for keeping them alive and no interest to be served by doing so. Let us be resolved to kill them so that no others like them would dare to

do their deeds again. Their actions were so terrible; Islam had never seen the like before.852 The military system at the time of $alii/Jad-Deen It so happened that it was Hajj season, so the Muslims took some of the prisoners to Mina to slaughter them like the sacrificial animals.853 The success of Salah ad-Deen's fleet in responding to the Crusader raid was a very bitter experience for the raiders. More than any other incident, it contributed to increasing the fame of Salah adDeen and strengthening his position among Muslims. It also increased the fame of the admiral Husam ad-Deen Lu'lu,.854 As for the leader of the Crusader campaign, Reynald de Chatillon, he managed to escape captivity and return to his fortress at Kerak like a wounded wolf licking its wounds,855 to continue planning his aggression against the Muslims. But Salah ad-Deen announced that he would never forgive him for his attempt to violate the two Holy Sanctuaries, and he vowed to take revenge on him himself.856 Neither this Crusader ruler nor any other Crusader leader was able to repeat this bitter experience in the Red Sea, which remained a Muslim sea. Perhaps the last action undertaken by Salfih ad-Deen's navy during this period was when it set out at the beginning of AHll183 CE and travelled far into the Mediterranean to look for Crusader ships. They found a large ship carrying three hundred and seventyfive fighters and their weapons.Y" It was heading towards the occupied Syrian coast, carrying wealth and weapons. The Muslims fought them and both sides stood firm for a while, then the Muslims were victorious; they captured the remaining crew and took them and the booty back to Egypt. 858 l~~ _

$ald/:tad-Deen al-Ayubi The stage after Hattin until the treaty of Ramlah (583-588AH) After the decisive victory of Hattin, Salah ad-Deen's army continued to achieve victories on various fronts, conquering the border posts and fortresses in northern Syria, Palestine and the Jordan Valley. But the activity of the fleet remained below the level required in military operations, and its role in helping to reduce the land army's heavy burden of fighting to conquer the coastal cities was limited. This was not the result of weakness on the part ofthe Ayubid navy so much as the result of the strength of the Crusader navy. Salfih ad-Deen was aware of this difference and did not want his fleet to play a major role. In addition to that, he was worried about the attacks that the enemy might launch on the Egyptian coast if he sent all his naval forces to the Syrian coast. Hence we see that the land army did not conquer inland citadels and fortresses only, but it also conquered coastal cities such as Acre, Beirut, Ascalon, Latakia and others. Nonetheless, this did not prevent his fleet from undertaking some missions to support his army. In Tyre things grew very difficult for Salah ad-Deen's army, as they were fighting on three fronts: the besieged city with its fortified walls, the northern front and the southern front surrounding the city. Thus the Crusaders found them an easy target for arrows from their ships, which were anchored on both sides of the place where the Muslims were fighting the people in the city. They shot at and wounded the Muslims from their port, and their arrows also reached from one side to the other because the place was so narrow. Many Muslims were killed or wounded, but they could not get near the city.859 Salah ad-Deen soon sent for the Egyptian men-of-war anchored off the coast of the recently conquered city of Acre, and these ships arrived in the nick of time. The Muslims were able to get The military system at the time of $aliif;,ad-Deen close to the walls of the city and they fought on land and sea, putting pressure on the enemy, and it was expected that the city would fall after that. For these reasons the mission that was given to the fleet was of particular importance. One of its tasks was to blockade the port and prevent any help reaching the Crusaders in Tyre by sea. Because of this, the fighters inside the city could not hold out for long.86o However, the Muslims grew a little careless in carrying out their mission of preventing Crusader ships from getting close to Tyre. Whilst five ships of the Ayubid navy were on guard to prevent the Crusaders from entering or leaving Tyre, they thought that everything was under control; the guards felt safe and went to sleep just before dawn, and the men of the Crusader navy took this opportunity to attack them. They killed whomever they wanted to kill, took the rest in their ships and brought them into the port of Tyre, as the men of Salah ad-Deen's army on land were watching. The commander of the Muslim fleet was 'Abd as-Salam al-Maghrebi, whom Ibn al-Atheer described as proficient in his work and courageous.t'" and Badran al-Farisi was with him.862 Some of the sailors who had been captured in their man-of-war whilst they were asleep managed to throw themselves into the sea, and some of them swam and were saved but others drowned. As for the remaining five men-of-war, the Sultan asked their captains to head towards Beirut, because he could not benefit from their presence as they were too few, so they left, but the Crusader ship pursued them, and all the Muslim sailors and fighters on board threw themselves from the ships onto land. Thus they saved themselves and abandoned their ships. Salah ad-Deen did not allow these ships to fall into Crusader hands, however; he ordered a number of his men to go out and scupper them, then he returned to fighting Tyre on land.863 As was to be expected, the Sultan was saddened by this disaster, and the

$alfl/J ad-Deen al-Ayubi disbelievers rejoiced at this strike.864 Thus the Ayubid fleet failed to take part in the battle for one of the coastal cities in Crusader hands. This operation was the only one undertaken by this fleet in this arena, and it was not repeated in the conquest of other cities. But it may be noted that the fleet resumed its activities during the lengthy Crusader siege of Acre, to help the city withstand the siege and supply it with much needed weapons, food and fighters. 865 The most important naval reforms of Salah ad-Deen In order to revive the navy in Egypt, Salah ad-Deen undertook a number of reforms, as follows: Requisitioning the forests of Egypt The forests of Bahsana, Safat, Ashmooneen, Asyut, Akhmeem and Qoos were especially sought after. The value of a single plank of wood was one hundred dinars, according to al-Maqreezi.T'' According to this edict, no one was allowed to deal in trees, so that their timber might be used. This edict remained in effect until the end of the Ayubid era in Egypt, despite the neglect of the navy. In this regard, 'Uthman Ibraheem an-Nabulsi, who was a contemporary of the Ayubid state in Egypt, mentioned that the forests came under the same ruling as metals, which was that they belonged to the treasury of the Islamic state, and no one had any right to ownership of them, with no exceptions.Y" This law also applied to other necessary materials which the state also imported from elsewhere, especially iron and timber, which were needed to build ships. The Ayubid state had connections and trade relations with the Italian republics, by means of which it acquired what it needed of these two raw materials. 868 The military system at the time of $alfiJ:tad-Deen What confrnns the application of this law concerning these materials is what was stated by the Egyptian historian mentioned above, an-Nabulsi, that all timber, iron, lead and other types of material were brought to Egypt by sea, and they were sold to the naval department nearly at cost. The department bought them in order to build men-of-war and other kinds of ships, as well as for building construction and making stockpiles of weapons.869 In Alexandria there was a department called the Sultan's store, whose role was to buy imported goods needed by the state for military purposes, especially those needed for building ships. The men in charge of the store bought these goods with the assets from the war tax which was imposed on merchants. In addition to what we have mentioned, in building his fleet Salah ad-Deen also made use of the pines and cedars that grew in the forests of Lebanon, and the iron which was mined in the mountains of Lebanon near Beirut. 870 If this is true, then this happened after those regions were regained by the Muslims, after 583 AHl1187 CE. Salah ad-Deen establishes the Naval Department In order to fund the naval department he allocated for its expenses the land tax of Fayum and its environs, and the land tax of al-Barr al-Sharqi and al-Barr al-Gharbi. Al-Barr ash-Sharqi included the areas of Bahteen, Ameeriyah and Minya, and al-Barr al-Gharbi included the areas of Safat, Nahya and Waseem al-Basateen outside Cairo. He also allocated for this purpose the yield of Natrun, which at that time was estimated at eight thousand dinars per year, as well as whatever zakah funds were acquired in Egypt, which was more than fifty thousand dinars, in addition to the fees collected from government boats.871

SaId/:!ad-Deen al-Ayubi Raising living standards of sailors and workers Salah ad-Deen paid attention to raising the living standards of the sailors and shipyard workers and those involved in connected industries, so as to improve their situation and encourage people to join the navy and work in shipbuilding. It was decided that the dinar of the fleet would be equivalent to three-quarters of a dinar after it had previously been five-eighths; in other words, it was an increase of 17.5% on its previous value.872 Appointment of leaders for the fleet -Salill)ad-Deen appointed important military personnel to lead the fleet. Although the sources do not mention the names of those who worked in the administration of Ayubid naval affairs in the early years of Ayubid history, apart from the name of the prominent commander Husam ad-Deen Lu'lu', who was famous for repelling the attack of Reynald de Chatillon, as we have seen above, and the names of a few ships' captains such as Ya'qoob al-Halabi, Jamal adDeen Muharnmad ibn Arkakaz, Badran al-Farisi, Muhammad ibn Isl)aq, 'Abd as-Salam al-Maghrebi and others. The fact that Salah adDeen appointed his brother al-Malik al- 'Adil head ofthe navy in later years definitively points to the extent of his concern for the Naval Department. When al-Malik al- 'Adil began his work, he appointed Safi ad-Deen 'Abdullah ibn 'Ali ibn Shukr873 to be his deputy in supervising the administration of the fleet. Salah ad-Deen granted the commander of the fleet far-reaching authority to carry out naval missions. After Salah ad-Deen had finished preparing the fleet in 572 AH/1176 CB, he wrote to all lands saying, "The one in charge of the fleet has full authority and should not be prevented from taking his men and whatever he needs." - and he ordered the commander of the fleet not to leave the sea.874 The military system at the time of $aliilJ.ad-Deen Fortifying the borders Salah ad-Deen paid a great deal of attention to fortifying the borders; he decided to carry out large-scale operations at different times to maintain and refurbish towers and walls, and dig ditches around them; he allocated large amounts of money to this mission and appointed men who were qualified to implement these plans, such as Baha' ad-Deen Qaraqoosh, to whom he entrusted the mission of renewing and building many military installations and other projects. 875 Salah ad-Deen visited to inspect and oversee fortification and construction projects that were going on in the cities on the Mediterranean coast, especially at Alexandria and Darnietta, and also Tanees. Following his return from his first journey to Syria, he set out in Sha 'ban 572 AHl1176 CE with his two sons, al-Malik al-Afdal 'Ali and al-Malik al- 'Azeez 'Uthman, as well as al-Isfahani, the well known historian, and went via Darnietta, where he saw how the work was progressing and saw precautions being taken. 876 In 577 AHl1181 CE, Salah ad-Deen appointed troops to man the two towers that stood at either end of the city facing the sea, and he ordered that the boats be chained together so that the defenders of the city might fight on them if the enemy managed to penetrate between the two towers. In the same year he also ordered that the walls of Darnietta be refurbished and the holes in them repaired. Later on, Salah ad-Deen ordered that the ditch of Damietta be dug, and a bridge be built near the chain of the tower. 877 Then he left Darnietta and went to Alexandria, where - as the historian said - the sultan refurbished the encircling wall. He did not leave before he had issued instructions that its border posts be completed and the fleet developed.Y" This was the second inspection visit that he made to Alexandria; he made a third and final visit to Alexandria in 577 AHl1181 CE, to see the walls that had been refurbished and the construction work that he had initiated, and ordered that it be

$aliiJ:tad-Deen al-Ayubi completed.V" Among the fortifications that Salah ad-Deen ordered built in Alexandria during this visit was when he ordered Fakhr adDeen Qarajah to break up four hundred Roman columns which surrounded the lighthouse, and place them on the shoreline. This was possibly to prevent enemy boats from reaching the port, or to reduce the strength of the waves against the wall of Alexandria. 880 Encouraging men to join the navy Salah ad-Deen encouraged men to join the navy and brought in qualified elements from outside Egypt. His attempts succeeded because of the enticements offered to them by the navy department, or because of the spirit of jihad in the Muslims' hearts which urged them to volunteer and work in the fleet, so that those who served in the fleet were called mujahideen fighting for the sake of Allah against the enemies of Allah, and people sought blessing from their supplications.P'" Salah ad-Deen himself set a brilliant example of jihad. His historian Ibn Shaddad, who had seen a great deal of the terrors of the sea, said that Salah ad-Deen turned to him one day when they were talking and said to him: I am thinking that if Allah enables me to conquer the rest of the coast, I will divide the land, give my last instructions and bid farewell, then I will travel by sea to their islands and pursue them there until there is no one left on the face of the earth who disbelieves in Allah, or I will die.882 The role of the Maghrebis in the Muslim fleet The Maghrebis were the ones who responded most to Salah ad-Deen's call to work in the navy. They were the ones on whom he relied in preparing the Egyptian fleet, to such an extent that it became The military system at the time of Said/:!ad-Deen their exclusive preserve, according to al-Maqreezi, because they were well acquainted with the ways of the sea.883 It is known that the Maghrebis became very famous in the east, especially in terms of naval jihad, because of their skill in piloting ships and navigation, and in the arts of naval warfare. Hence they were known as the knights of the sea from an early stage, and the Fatimids, Ayubids, Mamelukes and Ottomans all sought their help in the administration of their fleets. The traveller Ibn Jubayr states that the naval campaign led by Husam ad-Deen Lu'lu' against the Crusaders in the Red Sea at the time of Salah ad-Deen involved a large number of Maghrebi naval heroes.884 Perhaps the greatest evidence of the Maghrebis' specialization in naval affairs at that time is that Salah ad-Deen sent his envoy' Abd ar-Rahman ibn Munqidh to the ruler of the Maghreb, Ya'qoob al-Mansoor al-Muwahhidi, asking him for naval help to attack the Crusader posts in Syria. Despite the reports that alMansoor refused Salah ad-Deen's request because he did not address him in his letter as Ameer al-Mu'mineen, in other words, he did not acknowledge the al-Muwahhid caliphate, the Maghrebi historian asSalawi an-Nasiri suggests that al-Mansoor sent Salah ad-Deen one hundred and eighty warships to keep the Crusader ships away from the Syrian coast. 885 Maghrebi participation in the jihad against the Crusaders in Egypt and Syria took place on both land and sea. In this regard, we find a great deal of material in biographies and accounts of journeys which describe their actions and exploits, and mention the names of those who were martyred and buried there in Palestine. It is sufficient to refer in particular to the Andalusian traveller Ibn Jubayr, who visited Egypt and Syria. This Maghrebi traveller has given us valuable information about the activities of the Maghrebi mujahideen in the Crusades. For example, he refers to the additional tax that was imposed by the Crusaders in Syria only on Maghrebi merchants and not on other Muslim merchants. The reason for that was because a

$alaf} ad-Deen al-Ayubi number of Maghrebi heroes fought alongside the sultan Noor adDeen Mahmood Zangi and captured one of the Crusader fortresses after a display of rare and exemplary courage. So the Franks punished them by imposing an additional tax of one dinar on every Maghrebi merchant who passed through their colonies in Syria - this was in addition to the taxes paid by other Muslim merchants - as a penalty for their courage. Ibn Jubayr also speaks of the interest taken by Muslim kings, wealthy men and rich ladies in ransoming Maghrebi prisoners because they were far from their homeland. This was in addition to the many endowments that were set up for Maghrebis who settled in Syria.886 The Maghrebis played a noble role in jihad. They were always in touch with their brothers in the east in both good times and bad, in the fields of knowledge and of jihad. They offered their fighting expertise to their eastern brothers at the time of the Zangids and Ayubids, and they did not withhold their military capabilities from the Ayubids; they used them to confront the Crusader fleets. This shows us that the Muslim peoples were always interacting with one another and joining forces under the banner of Islamic jihad whenever the umrnah was exposed to danger. One of the important lessons we learn from this is that of the Muslims overcoming, by means of their religion and beliefs, the constraints of narrow-minded nationalism and tribalism. Noor ad-Deen was a Turk, Salah ad-Deen was a Kurd, Yoosuf ibn Tashfeen was a Berber and the Abbasid caliph was an Arab, but they all formed a united front under the banner of Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah. Protecting the holy places against Crusader aggression was regarded as the most important task of the Ayubids during their rule.887 We could say that Salah ad-Deen managed to form a land army and naval fleet that was equipped with everything that it needed for fighting in terms of weapons, equipment and supplies, thanks to The military system at the time of Saldl; ad-Deen this wise policy that he followed in organizing his army, which spread the spirit of Islamic jihad in their hearts. He implemented a system of military fiefs in his state, through which it was possible to guarantee the availability of an organized army which was supplied with everything it needed. This army played a part in achieving Muslim unity and paving the way for the jihad venture which was aimed at eradicating the Crusader presence in Syria. There was no obstacle left to prevent Salah ad-Deen from focusing onjihad against the Crusaders and taking back Jerusalem888 except unifying the internal front. This is what we will find out about in the next chapter, in sha' Allah.

CHAPTER VII Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi's Efforts to Unite the Muslims CJ::e death of Noor ad-Deen came as a shock that no one was expecting. Whilst Damascus was celebrating the circumcision of his son on Eid al-Fitr 569 AH, the Muslim world lost him unexpectedly two weeks later. As soon as news of his death became known, all manner of greed and ambition was let loose, not only among the close family of Noor ad-Deen but also among his emirs and military commanders, as well as the occupying Franks. Everyone was trying to get the most benefit for himself in the absence of the man who had, until his death, held the fate of the region and of the Franks in his hands with dignity, courage, piety and farsightedness. Noor ad-Deen left behind a far-flung state that stretched from Barqah and Yemen to Syria, Mesopotamia and Mosul. If we examine the sequence of events immediately after his death, we will see that conflicts between various forces had begun and that each group was taking action according to its level of power.889 The Zangid family in Mosul Their representative and Noor ad-Deen's deputy among them was Sayf ad-Deen Ghazi - his brother's son. He had gathered his army to help him in fighting the Franks, and now he suddenly found himself heading towards Nusaybin and taking possession of it. He $ala/:t ad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims sent detachments to Khaboor, which he captured and allocated as fiefs, then he marched to Harran and besieged it for several days, taking possession of it after its ruler Qaymaz al-Harrani, Noor adDeen's Mameluke, surrendered. Then he besieged Edessa and took possession of it from the eunuch and servant of Noor ad-Deen. Then he sent troops to Raqqah, on the banks of the Euphrates to take possession of it, and to Surooj. Thus the cities of Mesopotamia, with the exception of the citadel of Ja'bar, came under Sayf ad-Deen's control, and he reintroduced the levies and was lenient with regard to matters of entertainment and drinking. 890 The emirs in Damascus held on to the child al-Malik as-Salih whom Noor ad-Deen had left behind and who was only eleven years old. They agreed to unite and appointed the emir Ibn al-Muqaddim as the leader of their group, as they gave him the role of the child's custodian (atabeg), to supervise his education.F" The emir Shams ad-Deen ibn ad-Dayah was ruling Aleppo with his two brothers. He stayed in the middle between the Zangids in the east and the group in Damascus, even though he was a friend of Salah ad-Deen and was inclined towards him.892 The Franks immediately took advantage of the situation and attacked the fortress of Baniyas at the southern entrance to the Golan at the end of Shawwal 569 AH/1174 CE. Noor ad-Deen's widow - with courage surpassing that of most women, according to William of Tyre - sent word asking for the siege to be lifted; the city paid a lot of money and was given a temporary truce, but King Amalric refused and continued to besiege Baniyas for two weeks, and used up his equipment there. Finally he accepted the money, along with the release of Frankish knights who were being held captive, then he went back and died. He was replaced by his son, the young leper Baldwin IV.893 This is according to the Frankish account. The Arabic sources state that Ibn al-Muqaddim came out to them in his role as

$alfif} ad-Deenal-Ayubi atabeg and extended the offer of a truce in which he would pay a huge amount of money and release Frankish prisoners as well, and they agreed to these terms. It clearly seems that Noor ad-Deen's widow, who was the daughter of the atabeg Anar, was influential in Damascus as she held a leading position as the king's mother; hence the letter was in her name even though the atabeg Ibn al-Muqaddim was the commander of the army and the man in charge of the state's affairs. He concluded a truce with the Franks, which meant the cessation of all hostilities.894 As for Salah ad-Deen in Egypt, the news reached him via the Franks, and he did not believe it. He wrote to Noor ad-Deen as follows: News has reached me from the accursed enemy about our master Noor ad-Deen; Allah forbid that I should hear bad news about him; may Allah keep him healthy and bring joy to his people. The news is deeply upsetting and distressing. If, Allah forbid, it is true, then kings arrange matters so that their sons end up in power. I urge you by Allah not to let that cause division among us, lest the enemy achieve their goals. Do not become divided and let that lead to your failure, because the enemy is surrounding us on all sides. We are supporters of this house (of Noor ad-Deen) and will never let them down. His last wishes to us are already decided and his son is in charge. Sa'd ad-Deen Gumushtigin is with him, so if this bequest is accepted, all well and good, otherwise we shall support this son against his enemies. But if news comes confirming that he is alive and well, this is what we want. 895 A letter came to him from the emirs of Damascus, signed by al-Malik as-Salih, which read: May Allah grant long life to his highness, al-Malik an-Nasir, and increase our reward and his concerning the loss of our !jallilJ.ad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims father, the just master. The emirs who are present have gathered to affirm their allegiance and solemn oath to al-Malik as-Salih, and there is no trouble preoccupying us here except the Franks, may Allah humiliate them. His highness al-Malik as-Salih (may Allah have mercy on him) has never relied on anyone except him (meaning Salah ad-Deen) when such a calamity happens; he has put his hopes for his present and future in him and has relied on him for himself and his son.896 Is there any helper (nasir) other than an-Nasir (Salah adDeen)?897 The emirs of Damascus wanted to reassure Salal; ad-Deen so that he would stay far away, and regard his task as fighting the Franks only, because Noor ad-Deen had delegated him to do that. They were aware of his strength and feared his interference. Salah ad-Deen mourned for three days, and wrote to al-Malik as-Salih offering condolences. At the end of his letter he stated: As for the enemy - may Allah humiliate him - this servant (meaning himself) is after him, seeking him night and day, until he can uproot him from his foothold. That is the least of my duties towards (your) noble house. My service to you started on Friday 4th Dhul-Qa'dah, which is the day on which sermons began to be given in the noble name (of al-Malik a~- Salih) ... This servant is today as he was yesterday to the one before you (loyal to the Zangid house); he will fulfil his duties towards you and strive to unite the Muslims. May Allah grant his highness al-Malik as-Salih long life and bring prosperity to the Muslims by means of him. May Allah help this servant in what he intends to do, which is to support his authority and increase the extent of his kingdom.v" In another letter after that he wrote:

Saldl) ad-Deen al-Ayubi This servant is continuing what he started: complying with the commands of the new king, supporting him, leading his troops and showing loyalty and sincerity. He is awaiting instructions so that he might comply and to be given a task so that he might do it and to be sent against the enemy so that he might go. He hopes that there will come a day when Allah will expose what is in his heart towards his highness (so that he might prove his loyalty and sincerity).899 Coins were minted in the name of al-Malik as-Salih, some of which were sent to the new ruler, and sermons were delivered in his name at the pulpit.900 Salah ad-Deen continued to watch events in Syria and Iraq. When he heard news of them whilst he was in Egypt, he sent letters, sometimes protesting and sometimes advising or making suggestions. He heard that Sayf ad-Deen Ghazi had seized possessions of his late uncle, so he sent word to al-Malik as-Salih rebuking him for not informing him about that so that he could have come and helped him and prevented Sayf ad-Deen from achieving his goal.901 He heard about the Frankish attack on Baniyas and the truce that Ibn al-Muqaddim had contracted with them for a large amount of money. He objected to this deal and wrote to a number of prominent people as well as to Ibn al-Muqaddim and al-Qadi ibn Abi 'Asroon in Damascus, saying: When I heard about the death of (Noor ad-Deen) I left Egypt with the aim of engaging in jihad and cleansing the land of the disbelievers, then I heard about the truce which is humiliating to Islam .... Our master the shaykh is certainly expected to denounce that deal, for by means of his words swords are put back in their sheaths and rights are restored.902 !$alalJad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims Salah ad-Deen recognized the weakness of the emirs of Damascus from this incident. He heard about the dispute between the emirs of Damascus and Ibn ad-Dayah in Aleppo, then how the commander Shad Bakht - the commander of the Citadel of Aleppo - had been able to conspire with Ibn al-Muqaddim to bring al-Malik as-Salih to Aleppo and put together a plan in which they arrested Ibn ad-Dayah and his two brothers by treacherous means, after promising him the position of atabeg of the state, and they put them in prison after beating and kicking them. Fnally Ibn al-Muqaddim, who was the ruler of Damascus, got angry and wrote to Salah ad-Deen, asking him to come and intervene. Salah ad-Deen stayed in Egypt for three and a half months, until the beginning of Safar 571 AH, never tiring of writing letters. He was preoccupied with other two matters: the internal conspiracy of Kanz ad-Dawlah and the Norman-Sicilian attacks on Alexandria, both of which posed a great danger. When they ended, he realized that the arrest of Ibn ad-Dayah was another indication that the emirs in Damascus were following their own whims, desires and interests, and competing with one another, and they were not paying attention to the wishes of Noor ad-Deen himself. Salah ad-Deen believed that the son of Noor ad-Deen should, after his father's death, be under the guardianship of Majd ad-Deen ibn ad-Dayah and his brothers in Aleppo, who were his friends and allies.903 He trusted them, but their beatings and arrests by treacherous means made him think: I am more deserving of fulfilling covenants and good efforts; if these people remain in authority it will cause division; Egypt will be split from Syria and the disbelievers' hopes of attacking Muslim lands will be raised. He wrote to Ibn al-Muqaddim in Damascus, denouncing what they had done questioning how they had dared to transgress against

$aliil)ad-Deen al-Ayubi the members and pillars of the state. Ibn al-Muqaddim wrote back to him trying to dissuade him from these thoughts and suggesting that it was unacceptable to think such things: Let it not be said of you that you harboured ambitions against the house that planted you, raised you and established you, and helped you to become king of Egypt. It does not befit you, because of your good character, because of the close friends you have and because of your kindness.904 Salah ad-Deen was tom between fulfilling his duty of loyalty towards the house of Noor ad-Deen and avoiding the accusation that he harboured ambitions toward it. It seems that the large number of letters he received from prominent figures and scholars in Syria and Damascus put an end to his confusion, and he decided to intervene. If he had not done that at the time when the people were pinning their hopes on him after the death of Noor ad-Deen, Salah ad-Deen might not be remembered today, and his name would probably be just one among the many emirs of his era. 90S From the end of Noor ad-Deen's rule, Salah ad-Deen was not just one of Noor ad-Deen's most prominent emirs, but there was a military institution that belonged to him, and he had a family of cooperative military leaders, among whom were Shirkuh and Najm ad-Deen Ayub first of all, then Salah ad-Deen and his maternal uncle Shihab ad-Deen al-Harimi, then his brothers, prominent among whom were Turanshah, Tughtigin, Abu Bakr (al-'Adil) and Boori, and some of Salah ad-Deen's nephews and his cousin, in addition to some of Salah ad-Deen's sons: al-Afdal 'Ali, adh-Dhahir Ghazi and al-'Azeez 'Uthman. So there were three generations of leaders and commanders who put themselves at the service of Noor ad-Deen and carried his banner. Noor ad-Deen put them together so that they could cooperate through the family ties they shared. Noor ad-Deen was certain of Salah ad-Deen and of cooperation of the rest of his Saled) ad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims relatives with him, and he was certain that Salah ad-Deen would have full control over them as a group in Egypt, and he was also confident that Salah ad-Deen was wise in his approach and managernent.I'" Salah ad-Deen's strength lay not only in this, but also in the rich resources of Egypt, both economic and human. The land that had become his fief was larger in area and greater in wealth than the original kingdom of Noor ad-Deen himself in Greater Syria and Mesopotamia. His own emirate stretched from Barqah to Nubia to Yemen. Similarly, Salah ad-Deen's situation was not like that of Noor ad-Deen's other commanders; he surpassed them in strength, wealth and status. None of the three sons of ad-Dayah became prominent except one, and he did not have the same opportunities as Salah ad-Deen had, for whom Egypt was like an environment or laboratory in which the potential of the Ayubid family came to the fore. Salah ad-Deen realized this fully, as did the other emirs.907 When the emirs of Damascus decided to unite and cooperate in opposing ,salaJ; ad-Deen, Shaykh Isma'eel the state treasurer, alHusayn al-Jarrahi, Shihab ad-Deen al-'Ajami, at-Tawashi Husam adDeen Rayhan and, foremost among them, Ibn al-Muqaddim, met in the presence of al-Qadi Kamal ad-Deen ash-Shahrazoori, who said, "You know that Salah ad-Deen the ruler of Egypt is the Mameluke and deputy of Noor ad-Deen, and it is better to consult him with regard to what we are doing and not to exclude him, lest he rebel against us and take it as evidence against us, because he is the only ruler of Egypt. ...He could expel us and brush us aside and take care of serving al-Malik al-Salih." These words did not meet with their approval, however, and they were afraid that if Salah ad-Deen came to Damascus, they might have to leave.908 They thought that if he entered the land he would expel them from it.909

Saldh.ad-Deen al-Ayubi Salah ad-Deen completed his mission in Egypt even though what was going on upset and angered him, especially what was happening in Aleppo, where Sunni-Shiite division had taken place, and his friend Ibn Ad-Dayah had been betrayed. He had written to Ibn al-Muqaddim in Damascus and to the emirs, saying: If Noor ad-Deen had known that there was among you someone who could take my place and whom he could trust like me, he would have given him Egypt, which is the greatest of his possessions and provinces. If he had not died so soon, he would not have asked anyone to take care of raising his son and serving him except me. I can see that you have taken care of my master and the son of my master without me. I shall come and serve him, to pay back the favours of his father in a great manner, and I shall punish each one of you for his poor conduct in not defending his land.91O Thus he regarded himself as responsible for the state of alMalik as-Salih and for protecting him and it properly.l"" He wrote to the emirs in Aleppo warning them that he was coming to Syria, and they wrote back to him in an ill-mannered fashion.912 It seems that they thought that he was going to leave Egypt, so they wrote to the ruler of Mosul, asking him to come to Damascus and take possession of it before Salah ad-Deen could do so, but the emir of Mosul thought that this was a plot on their part, so he did not respond to their request. Meanwhile, the people of Damascus urged Ibn al-Muqaddim - who had come back to them - to ask Salah ad-Deen to come and take control of Damascus lest Gumushtigin, who had taken over Aleppo, come and take over Damascus too. Many letters reached him asking him to come to Syria, so Salah ad-Deen decided to do just that.913 $alaJ:tad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims Annexation of Damascus After the internal situation in Egypt settled down and he had gained full control of it, Salah ad-Deen prepared to march to Syria, five months after the death of Noor ad-Deen Mahmood, He left Cairo in Safar 570 AHlSeptember 1174 CE at the head of seven hundred soldiers, accompanied by Sayf ad-Deen Tughtigin, Taqi ad-Deen 'Umar and 'Izz ad-Deen Farookh Shah. He appointed his brother al- 'Adil to run the affairs of Egypt during his absence, and also took some precautions to protect it, allocating troops to guard its borders and entry points.914 He travelled slowly, taking three months between the beginning of Safar and the end of Rabee' 11571 AH, stopping en route in Bilbeis and inspecting the fortress of Eilat or 'Aqabah. Was he thinking of the rumours that the Zangid emirs would spread, accusing him of disobedience and of harbouring personal ambitions? Or did he take his time because he was drawing up a plan to win over the emirs of Noor ad-Deen without war or conflict? Or was he trying to gauge the extent of his popularity among the people with this small army, coming to Syria like one who was unarmed, whilst his armed forces remained in Egypt? Or was he challenging those who wanted to dismiss him from Egypt and to keep for themselves the inheritance of Noor ad-Deen and his son? Or was he calmly paving the way to enter the country peacefully, on the basis of his popularity'i'"? Many ideas may have crossed his mind, perhaps the strongest of which was that his enemies would entertain all sorts of bad thoughts about him and accuse him of harbouring personal ambitions. A letter was written for him by al-Qadi al-Fadil in which he stated: Loyalty only manifests itself after the death of the one whom you love, and love manifests itself when enemies become numerous. However, I am in one valley and those who think

$alalJ ad-Deen al-Ayubi badly of me are in another. Our aim is to do what is right and nothing can divert us from this. The one who is seeking to do the right thing cannot be accused of being a wrongdoer, and the one who has laid down arms cannot be accused of wounding others. All we want is to do what is best and not to cause turmoil. If our aim was any different, we would not have read your letters and written our replies. No one should interpret our actions except in the best manner or think of us except in good terms, for the basis of all our actions is goOd.916 Salah ad-Deen sent a letter to the Abbasid caliph al-Mustadi' explaining the reason he was marching to Syria. The aim of this letter was to lend some legitimacy to the action he was undertaking, and to make the Abbasid caliphate aware of his 10yalty.917 Salah ad-Deen's address to the Abbasid caliph The sultan Salah ad-Deen sent his spokesman Shams ad-Deen ibn al-Wazeer Abul-Mada' to the Abbasid caliph's court with a message which included a letter beautifully written by al-Qadi alFadil, with a lengthy list of the sultan's achievements: in the field of jihad against the Franks during Noor ad-Deen's lifetime; the conquest of Egypt, Yemen, and many lands on the border of the Maghreb, where he had ensured that Friday sermons were delivered in the name of the Abbasids. His instructions to the bearer of this message were: After greeting the caliph with salam and supplicating fervently for him, let him mention events which are real and not fabricated; no matter how much is said, they are much more than that. Let him mention them in brief, so that this may make him (the caliph) happy and highlight to him some points of which he is unaware, for Allah is not worshipped in secret. $aliif:tad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims In his missive, Salah ad-Deen addressed the Abbasid caliph as follows: ...For we used to carry fire in our hands so that others might have light, and we used to carry water in our hands so that others might drink. We would receive arrows in our chests whilst others worried about how they looked, and we were struck by swords in our chests whilst others claimed prominent positions. So we have no alternative but to claim back our property on the basis of justice by means of which usurped property is returned. People should obey us and have love for us in their hearts. What prevented us from making this claim is that we were waiting for the initiative from your highness in bestowing blessing that matches our initiative for service, and we were waiting for support for our rights that matched our pioneering efforts (in jihad). We started in Syria, conquering land and directly involving ourselves in jihad and fighting the disbelievers, leading at the forefront of our troops, ourselves, our father and our paternal uncle. There was no city that was conquered, no fortress that was captured, no army that was defeated and no troops that went out for the sake of Islam but we were part of it. No one was unaware of our deeds and our enemy did not deny that. We gave them hell and we had the upper hand in the situation; we led our troops, organizing them in the battlefield and calling for mobilization, until the legacy for which we will be rewarded became apparent in Syria, and it does not matter to us if others take the credit for that. We were kept updated about what was happening in Egypt and how things were deteriorating there, where junior officials and troops were rebelling against senior figures. The system was corrupt and Islam had grown weak and there was no one there to support it.

$aliilJad-Deen al-Ayubi The one in charge in Egypt was forced to make a deal with the Franks, giving them a large amount of money, a seriously high amount. The Sunnis were suppressed; Shariah law existed in name only and was not implemented; innovations were widespread and well known; there was much of the misguidance which leads to separation from Islam, according to those who issue religious rulings; that madh-hab whose followers were deeply infatuated with it was widespread; those idols which were set up instead of Allah were worshipped and venerated. Exalted be Allah far above being likened to His slaves, and woe to the one who is deceived by the strutting about of the disbelievers in the land. Therefore we aspired, unlike all others, to conquer the land and bring back to Islam those who went astray, and restore to Islam what it had lost. So we marched there with a huge army and vast multitude, by means of wealth that was completely exhausted, spending from what we owned and what we earned, and from the ransoms paid for Frankish prisoners who fell into our hands. But there were obstacles placed in our way and the Egyptians sent envoys to seek the help of the Franks, and that put an end to all hopes. Nonetheless, Allah decreed that we should take possession over Egypt in the best manner and gain full and perfect control over it: the Franks betrayed the Egyptians when there was a truce between them, which caused a great deal of damage and it became known that their aim was to eradicate Islam from that land. So the Muslims wrote to us from Egypt at that time, as the Muslims are writing to us from Syria now, saying that unless we try to deal with the problem, things will get out of hand, and unless we fight the enemy today, if we leave it till tomorrow, we will not succeed. So we marched with our troops and emirs to a land where two things paved the way for us and two things established love for

us in their hearts: the first is what they know of our preference and support for the correct madh-hab and for the revival of the original truth; the second is their hope of ransoming their prisoners and freeing themselves from the tithes. Thus Allah did what He decreed and the troops attacked the enemy, so they retreated and were cornered, and the land found relief after its farms and agricultural regions had been under full control of the enemy, with their crossed flags flying over it and their idols erected in it, and there had been despair that any of what they had captured could be regained or that what they had gained possession of could be rescued. We reached that land (Egypt under the Fatimids) where there were great numbers and multitudes of troops, with huge financial resources; they were united and more focused on fighting Islam than on fighting the Crusaders. There were Sudanese men, more than a hundred thousand, all of them speaking with a foreign accent. ~They are only like cattle ...~ (Quran 25: 44) They knew no lord except the one who dwelt in the palace and no qiblah except wherever he was. There were Armenian troops too who were still Christian, but the jizyah was not collected from them; they had influence and power, and were tribal and stuck together. They (the Fatimids) had their retinue in their palaces, preachers with subtle and crafty ways of misguiding people and leading them to doom, and scribes who wrote evil. There was great fear which prevented ideas from even crossing people's minds, let alone allowing them to plan and make arrangements. Moreover they clearly regarded what is haram as halal and no longer established obligatory duties; they distorted the Shariah by misinterpreting texts and twisting the divinely intended meanings. It was disbelief by another name; the banner of the Shariah was raised, but they ruled according to something else. $alaf;, ad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims

$allilJad-Deen al-Ayubi We continued to plan and strive to bring about change, and what we achieved is something that is beyond imagination and no human could have achieved it without divine help. They sought the help of the Franks against us during that period; these sent an army to Bilbeis and another to Damietta; in each case the enemy arrived with all its power918 and in huge numbers, especially in the campaign of Damietta, because they besieged it by sea with a thousand ships, warships and carriers, and by land with two thousand horsemen and foot soldiers. They besieged it for two months, trying to breach it morning and evening, motivated by devotion to the cross. We were fighting two enemies, one hidden and one visible, and two persistent opponents, the hypocrite and the disbeliever, until Allah brought His decree to pass and granted us victory, whereupon both the Egyptians and the Franks lost hope. We started to deal with these groups, the Armenians, the Sudanese and the troops. We expelled them from Cairo by issuing decrees concerning them because of their treacherous activities, and by means of the sword and burning fire, until nothing was left except the palace and the servants and children therein. Its supporters were scattered, its innovations were torn apart, its madh-hab faded away and its misguidance disappeared. At that point we were able to establish the word of truth, openly deliver Friday sermons in the name of the caliph and raise the great black (Abbasid) banner. Allah soon brought death to that tyrant, thus relieving us of commitment to our oath, then another oath, the sin of breaking which would be easier than the sin of keeping him alive, as his death was hastened because of his great distress, and his death meant the death of his (Fatimid) state. When we were finished with that and had established full authority in the land, we began to focus on campaigning in the $aliiiJ,ad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims land of the disbelievers (the Crusaders). There was no year when we did not go out on campaign on land or sea, on ships or on mounts, until we killed or captured very many of them, and enslaved them by force and power.919 We conquered for them (the Muslims) that which the people of Islam thought, after it had been taken away from them, that they would never regain, and never sent their cavalry or army to recapture it. Some of those fortresses were destroyed, and some were taken over intact. Among them was a citadel on the border of Eilat which the enemy had built on the Red Sea, which is the route to the Two Holy Sanctuaries and Yemen. The enemy attacked the coast of the Forbidden Sanctuary and captured some people there, and disbelief penetrated deeply into that part of the Muslim land; Makkah itself was nearly captured, the holy places of Allah were about to be inhabited by people other than their people, The Station of Abraham was almost occupied by those whose fire is not cool and safe, and the grave of the Prophet (~) was nearly disturbed by those who do not follow the religion of Islam that he brought. But Allah granted the conquest of this fortress and it became a foothold of jihad and a resting place for travellers and other servants of Allah ... Salah ad-Deen continued: In Yemen there were the infamous actions of the misguided heretic and rebellious innovator 'Ibn Mahdi', who did a great deal of damage to Islam, and the Prophet himself would even seek revenge on him because he took righteous women captive and sold them for a cheap price, violating their honour in a way which would cause anguish to any Muslim. He introduced innovation, calling people to his father's grave, which he called a ka'bah; he took people's wealth unlawfully and consumed it; and he permitted adultery.

$allil;ad-Deen al-Ayubi So we sent our brother with our troops to him, after preparing all that he needed in cash and good weaponry. He went there and we prevailed, to Allah is due all praise. Our authority there, by Allah's will, now extends as far as India. And our legacy in the Maghreb is even more amazing. That is because we came to know thatBanu 'Abd al-Mu'min (in Morocco) had established their authority there and their army was so powerful that no one could withstand them. Praise be to Allah, we gained control of lands nearby, more than a month's travel in breadth. We sent army after army there, and they came back with victory after victory. Among the well-known cities and lands over which we gained control are: Barqah, Gafsa, Qasteeliyah and Tozeur; in all of these places the khutbah is now given in the name of his highness al-Mustadi' bi AmrIllah - Ameer al-Mu'mineen, may the peace of Allah be upon him - and before that the khutbah had never been given in the name of the caliph; and authority is established there under the banner of the Abbasids and their symbols. This year we received a delegation of seventy riders, each of them asking for official approval for the ruler of his city and hoping for a good promise from us and fearing us. We have given them symbols of authority, praise be to Allah. There are enemies lying in wait and watching for an opportunity in this land, and the disbelievers who are fighting us, who have a lot of power and control large territories, including the King of Constantinople, who is the greatest tyrant, the ruler of that kingdom which is in slow decline, the defender of Christianity. We (have not ignored them, but) have carried out raids against him by sea and conducted correspondence=" with him openly and secretly. We did not leave Egypt until we had received envoys twice in one week, with two letters, in each of which he showed an inclination

towards humility and a willingness to lay down arms and to move from a state of hostility to a mutual exchange of gifts, from a state of aggression to a state of friendship. Another of these disbelievers is the ruler of Sicily; when he learned that the Crusader ruler of Syria and the ruler of Constantinople had met during the Damietta campaign and had been defeated and humiliated, he wanted to make an independent show of power, so he prepared a fleet, exhausting all his wealth and time, and for the last five years he has been building up his army and preparing his weapons until, in this past year, he sent a campaign to Alexandria that was so huge that it was a burden on the sea itself, and the land was filled with his cavalry and troops, an army such as no king before had ever assembled, but Allah caused him to be humiliated. Among these armies were those of Venice, Pisa and Genoa, each of which sometimes sent campaigns against us whose viciousness and evil were immense, and sometimes they sent travellers who respected the rules of Islam with regard to their merchandise. There is none of them now who does not bring weapons to our country for fighting and draws close to us by means of gifts of their finest crafts. With all of them we have established good relations and we have a peace deal with them on the basis of what we want and what they dislike, what we prefer and what they do not prefer. When Allah decreed the death of Noor ad-Deen, in that year we were intending to launch our campaign; the army was ready and the camps were set up. The Franks were camping in Baniyas and were about to conquer it. Its ruler sought our help, so we marched towards it and the enemy heard of our march and quickly made a truce with Damascus; were it not for our march, this truce could not have been made. Then we returned fJaliilJ,ad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims

$aliif; ad-Deen al-Ayubi to Egypt and news came to us of what was happening in Noor ad-Deen's kingdom: differences of opinion and disputes; it was in turmoil, every citadel had its own ruler and everyone was trying to gain power; the Franks had built fortresses on the borders of Muslim lands and were putting pressure on the Syrian cities. The senior emirs of Noor ad-Deen were put in prison and punished, and their wealth confiscated, and unknown Mamelukes who had been created to sit at the edges of gatherings and not at the head, and were created to stand and not sit in gatherings, have extended their hands, eyes and swords, and behaved badly by enjoining what is evil and forbidding what is goOd.921 Each one of them is trying to do favours to the Franks so that they can win their support. We realized that if we do not try to recapture Jerusalem and if we do not try to uproot disbelief, it will become deeply rooted and it will be difficult for the Muslims to deal with it; the proof of Allah will be established against those who fall short, and those who are able to do something will be sinning by not doing anything. We are unable to tackle the enemy whilst we are in Egypt because of the great distances involved and because of our remoteness, and because the riding animals prepared for jihad would be exhausted by the time they got there, but if we move closer to the enemy, that will achieve an obvious interest and bring benefits. Distances will be closer and campaigning will be possible, food supplies will be available and the horses will be rested, troops will be plentiful and there will be a lot of suitable time. We will be able to uproot corrupt beliefs in Greater Syria, put things straight and put an end to corruption and the greed that is controlling some people and affecting their minds, and we will be able to take care of this child whose father has died, because we are more entitled to look after him than people who are seeking worldly

gains in his name and making a show of loyal service when in fact they are oppressing him. The aim now is whatever will strengthen the state, support the call, bring the Ummah together, preserve harmony, guarantee mercy, regain the rest of the land and spread the name and authority of the Abbasids everywhere, as is the case in Egypt, Yemen, the Maghreb, Syria and in all the lands that were ruled by Noor ad-Deen, and in all the lands that Allah may grant in conquest to the Abbasid state by our swords and those of our troops. Anyone whom we appoint as our successors, brother or son, will also guarantee the same to the Abbasids, that this blessing may continue and their authority may be reinforced. In general, Greater Syria cannot become stable at a time when Jerusalem has no one to save it and take care of it, and the Franks know us as opponents who never get tired of fighting until they themselves get tired and as opponents who still hold their swords upright until they (the Franks) leave. If the opinion of others supports us and our advice, we will wield swords that will be effective even when sheathed, and we will reach our goal by Allah's will. We will free our captive - the mosque to which Allah took His slave on the miraculous Night Journey.922 $ala/:t ad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims In another letter transcribed by al-Fadil, Salfih ad-Deen states: ...Another reason your servant left his house was a promise that he made to Noor ad-Deen (may Allah have mercy on him) to attack the invaders from two sides, from Egypt and Syria, your servant with his troops on land and sea, and Noor adDeen from the plains and rugged terrain of Syria. Then the decree of Allah came to one of the two, and many developments took place: the Muslims became weak in many locations; many border posts were lost to the enemy; people

SalliJ:tad-Deen al-Ayubi with corrupt ideas came to power; good aims were no longer paid any heed; Batini people became close to the ruler to the exclusion of true believers; Muslims started paying jizyah to the disbelievers; and the emirs who were supporters of Islam and whose swords had been the cause of its victory began to complain that they were being suppressed and that the disbelievers were building fortresses on the borders of Muslim lands, then we decided upon this course of action. No doubt, after we decided on this plan the Franks were very upset; they began to panic, and sought the help of Christians throughout the land. They paraded their crosses and altar cloths, they threatened their greatest king that Judgement Day was at hand, and sent the patriarchs and bishops with letters containing images of what they call saints, and said, 'If negligence occurs, it will be difficult to correct mistakes.' The rulers of Constantinople and Sicily, the kings of Germany and other lands beyond the sea, and the rulers of the islands, such as Venice, Pisa, Genoa and others, are all preparing big ships and large fleets. But Islam, 0 Ameer al-Mu'rnineen, will prevail, especially since they are supporting falsehood, whereas Islam is the truth and calls for worship of the Creator whilst they worship His creation.923 The caliph responded to Salah ad-Deen's requests and bestowed on him the rule of Egypt and Syria, and sent to him the caliph's envoys when he was besieging Hamah in 570 AH/1174 CE, bearing the symbols of power and authority.Y" This is an indication of the Abbasid caliphate's willingness to deal sincerely with Salah ad-Deen, in whom they saw the character who could fill the vacuum left by Noor ad-Deen Mahmood; they acknowledged his authority and recognized that he was the one who was qualified to defend the Muslims. This recognition by the caliph gave him status before the _ Muslim emirs in general and before the Crusaders in particular. Salah $ala/:t ad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims ad-Deen, despite the power he had, needed the support of the caliph in his conflict with the Muslim emirs who were opposed to him, especially the Zangid emirs; hence he informed the caliph immediately of his movements and achievements, in order to win his support.925 His entry into Damascus Salah ad-Deen and his army reached Damascus and were welcomed warmly. Ibn al-Muqaddim opened the gates of the city to him on the following day and handed the city over to him. However, the citadel was in the hands of a servant whose name was Jamal adDeen Rayhan, who refused to submit to him, until Salah ad-Deen won him over and convinced him to hand it over to him. Thus SaW) ad-Deen annexed Damascus and its citadel on the basis of protecting as-Salih Isma 'eel from the danger of the Crusaders and the ambitious emirs, and he regained control over the possessions that had been captured by Sayf ad-Deen Ghazi, the emir of Mosul and Mesopotamia.Y'' In Damascus, Salah ad-Deen tried to win the people's support, so he ordered that money be spent on the people, abolished taxes and levies and sought to soften people's hearts towards him. He honoured the scholars because of the great influence that they had on the common folk, to this end he visited the house of al-Qadi Kamal ad-Deen ash-Shahrazoori and dispelled any misunderstanding that there might have been between them.927 AlQadi ash-Shahrazoori responded to him by saying, "Be at ease, for the command is yours and the city is yours. ,,928 The qadi's words were an announcement to the people of Damascus that they should submit completely to Salah ad-Deen and obey him. So they announced their joy929 and submitted their affairs to him, and he in turn showed kindness and respect to them and was

SaW/:! ad-Deen al-Ayubi pleased with them.93o Salah ad-Deen addressed the people of Damascus, saying, Allah has given us control of Damascus by peaceful means, not by means of violence, and by His grace it was not decreed to be a way to commit sin (during conquest), and no transgression occurred so that some might say it may be forgiven .... So they knew that chaff is blown by the wind, darkness is erased by morning and the sword is most truthful in deciding matters; truth is more solidly rooted, falsehood will inevitably diminish and the foam of the sea will vanish. Indeed we believe that forgiveness is closer to piety and is the most appropriate way. So we protected blood from being shed and we put minds at rest, we left authority in place and kept swords away from other swords by leaving them in their sheaths. We left the wind blowing (we did not interfere) and it will continue blowing. We said to the fire of resentment, 0 fire, be cool. We looked at the situation of the house of Noor ad-Deen, may Allah honour it, and we found that its lights were extinguished and its memory was nearly erased.931 After the annexation of Damascus, Salah ad-Deen began to implement his policy of rebuilding the unified Islamic front so that it would extend from Northern Iraq to Greater Syria and Egypt, so that after that he could start the Islamic jihad movement against the Crusaders when the Muslims were at their most united: strong and cohesive.932 When he captured Damascus and its citadel and settled there, he established justice and spread kindness, and erased all trace of injustice and oppression. He abolished all the abhorrent and evil actions, burdens, taxes and un-Islamic practices that the governors had introduced after the death of Noor ad_Deen.933 Then he marched northwards to take on Gumushtigin in Aleppo, after appointing his brother Tughtigin as governor of Damascus. He annexed Horns and $aliiJ:tad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims headed towards Aleppo, after failing to capture the citadel of Homs.934 Attack on Aleppo Al-Malik as-Salih Isma'eel had become ruler after the death of his father, but because he was a minor, he did not know how to run the affairs of state. Hence he was head of state in name only, and his helpers had been able to tamper with state affairs, and moved the seat of power from Damascus to Aleppo.935 From Aleppo Gumushtigin, the guardian of al-Malik as-Salih and the one who had a monopoly on power in the city, had begun to implement a special policy aimed at strengthening his influence. He captured Ibn ad-Dayah and began planning to keep Salah ad-Deen away from Aleppo by all means. When Salah ad-Deen came to Aleppo, Gumushtigin sent him a letter in which he accused him of wanting to dominate the possessions of his master Noor ad-Deen Mahmood and his son al-Malik a~_~alil)..936 Salah ad-Deen was aware of the intentions and aims of Gumushtigin, and he corresponded with al-Malik as-Salih, explaining the situation to him and offering his advice, so as to prevent any deterioration in the relationship between them.937 It seems that al-Malik as-Salih did not approve of the actions of his emirs, but he was weak and thus unable to keep them away from him. He was also easily swayed by them because he was so young. There is nothing more indicative of the weakness of al-Malik as-Salih and Gumushtigin's meddling in his affairs than the fact that although the former objected to the arrest of 'Izz ad-Deen Joordeek, the emir of Hamah and envoy of Salah ad-Deen who was sent to make a peace deal between the two sides, Gumushtigin did not pay any attention to these objections. He arrested Joordeek, put him in chains, tortured him and put him in the dry well in which he had put the sons of Ibn

$ald/:tad-De en al-Ayubi ad_Dayah.938 Hence it was natural that Salah ad-Deen would head towards Aleppo to save his envoy and al-Malik as-Salih from the clutches of Gumushtigin and to annex Aleppo, because of its importance in his plans to unite the Muslim forces. Gumushtigin closed the gates of Aleppo in Salah ad-Deen's face when he began to besiege it on 3 Jumada IT 570/30 January 1174 CE.939 Its people, with the exception of the Shiite leaders, were inclined to submit to him, so al-Malik as-Salih urged the Shiites to protect him against a man who wanted to take away his inheritance, so the Shiites stipulated their conditions for supporting him: He was to allocate the eastern side of the Jami' mosque to them; The adhan was once again to include the words "hayya 'alii khayr il- 'amal (come to the best of deeds)" and that was to be announced in the market places; The names of the twelve imams were to be mentioned at funerals; Takbeer was to be recited five times over the bier; Matters of marriage among them were to be dealt with by Abu Tahir al-Husayni, As-Salih Isma'eel agreed to their demands under the influence of Gumushtigin.P'" This happened at the time when Gumushtigin had resorted to seeking the help of the Assassins and Crusaders to keep Salah ad-Deen away from the walls of Aleppo. Sinan, the leader of the Ismaili Batini Shiites, responded by sending a group of commandos in Jumada IT570 AHlJanuary 1175 CE, disguised in the uniforms of regular soldiers, to kill Salah ad-Deen. Some of them managed to sneak into his tent and almost managed to carry out their plan, but they were discovered and Salah ad-Deen was saved from their assassination attempt.941 After the Ismaili Shiites failed to Saldl) ad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims assassinate Salah ad-Deen, Gumushtigin sent word to Raymond III, Count of Tripoli and regent of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, asking him to put a limit to the increasing power of Salah ad-Deen, because the Crusaders had been unable to prevent the union of Damascus and Cairo, but Aleppo at least was still not part of this union. Thus the Crusaders realized that the independence of Aleppo and its remaining in the hands of the Zangid dynasty was the only guarantee of preventing Muslim unity stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates. Their interests coincided with those of the Zangids in this regard.942 Raymond III tried to use political means; he sent word to Salah adDeen encouraging him to make a deal, hinting that the Franks had got closer together and become united. But Salah ad-Deen did not fear this threat and he responded to Raymond III by raiding the outskirts of Antioch.943 At that point the Crusader ruler had no means of keeping Salah ad-Deen away from Aleppo except by attacking Horns; he appeared there and attacked the walls, supported by the garrison in the citadel which was still loyal to the Zangids. In fact, Salah ad-Deen was forced to lift the siege of Aleppo and leave its walls in order to save Horns, but Raymond III did not stay to meet him; rather he went back to the fortress of Akrad after being certain that he had achieved his aim.944 When Salah ad-Deen was reassured that Horns was safe, he left it and headed towards Baalbek and annexed it on 4 Ramadan 570 AH/30 March 1175 CE.945 The emirs of Aleppo knew that Salah adDeen was stronger than them in terms of physical resources and morale, but they made a mistake in their plans to deal with him and relied on provoking three forces against him: Mosul, the Franks and the Ismailis. Hence they sent an envoy, whose name was Qutub adDeen Yanal ibn Hassan al-Munji, with a threatening letter. Salah adDeen welcomed the messenger warmly and hosted him for three days, but the envoy delivered the message at the end of that time, which stated:

Salii~ ad-Deen al-Ayubi The swords which enabled you to control Egypt are still in our hands, the spears by means of which you gained power over the Fatimid palaces are still on our shoulders, and the men who warded off from you all these troops are going to ward you off; what you want to conquer they will keep you away from. You have gone too far and overstepped the mark. You are one of Noor ad-Deen's men; you are supposed to take care of his son for him.946 Salah ad-Deen did not respond to any of that; he ignored it and overlooked the harsh tone of these words, and spoke gently to the envoy, saying, "You should realize that I have come to Syria to unite the Muslims, protect the masses, and defend the borders, to take care of the son of Noor ad-Deen and to ward off the aggressors." Ibn Hassan replied, "You have only come to take power for yourself and we will not go along with you in that. There is a huge barrier between you and what you want, and the orphaning of children (much fighting and killing)." Salah ad-Deen smiled and gestured to his men to take him away. Salah ad-Deen controlled his desire when he felt the urge to attack him and said, "By Allah, I have only come to save al-Malik a~- SaIil) from the hands of men like you; you are the cause of his kingdom's decline. ,,947 Gumushtigin refused to submit to Salah ad-Deen and did his utmost to confront him. Gumushtigin used clever tactics against Salal; ad-Deen. He played up the sectarian differences and negotiated with the Shiite groups in the city, trying to appease them. They stipulated a number of conditions, as mentioned above, which Noor ad-Deen had previously banned. Gumushtigin granted them all of that so that they would defend him.948 Said/:!ad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims He toyed with the emotions of the masses. He gathered the people, including the Shiites, of course, and brought out to them the child al-Malik as-Salih, who addressed them with the words that Gumushtigin told him to say, "0 people of Aleppo, I am your son and your guest, the one who has sought your help. Your elders are like fathers to me and your youth are like brothers and your children like sons ..." Then he began to sob and could not continue. The people were moved and shouted as one; they threw down their turbans and wept and wailed noisily, saying, "We are your slaves and the slaves of your father, we will fight for you and sacrifice our wealth and our lives for you." Then they began to offer supplications for him and prayed for mercy for his father.949 Nevertheless, the alliance between Aleppo, Mosul, the Ismailis and the Franks could not withstand ~alal) ad-Deen's unity venture. Barely had the month of April begun before Salah ad-Deen extended his authority to include all of Greater Syria as far north as Hamah. After that, he started working to give legitimacy to his position before the Muslims. We have discussed the letter that he sent to the Abbasid caliph al-Mustadi' bi Amr-Illah and his lengthy letter that was written by al-Qadi al-Fadil, in which he listed his conquests and his jihad against the Crusaders in the service of the Abbasid caliphate, especially the fact that he had restored the Friday sermons to being given in the name of the Abbasids in Egypt and secured the route to the Hijaz and Yemen. In that letter he indicated that he had come to Syria to set its affairs straight, to protect its borders and serve the son of Noor ad-Deen Mahmood. At the end of the letter he asked to be officially recognized as ruler of Egypt, Yemen, the Maghreb and Greater Syria, all of which had been part of the state of Noor adDeen Mahmood, and any other land that he conquered by the sword.95o

Saza~ ad-De en al-Ayubi The Battle of Quroon Hamah Sayf ad-Deen Ghazi Il, ruler of Mosul, was watching Salah adDeen's expansion in Syria; he was upset by the latter's taking control of Damascus, Horns, Hamah and Baalbek and was angered by his besieging Aleppo in an attempt to annex it. Then the picture became clear to him: if Salah ad-Deen continued in his progress and managed to annex Aleppo, then that would pose a real threat to Mosul which would become an easy target after that. Hence Sayf ad-Deen Ghazi Il realized the importance of joining Aleppo in a defensive alliance against Salah ad-Deen.l"! It so happened at that point that as-Salih Isma'eel was put under pressure by Salah ad-Deen, so he sought the help of his cousin, the ruler of Mosul, and asked him to supply troops; his delegation managed to convince him of the necessity of offering him help to stand up to Salah ad-Deen because, if the latter gained control of Aleppo, he would have no other target left but Mosul.952 Sayf ad-Deen Ghazi Il did not need anyone to encourage him to confront Salah ad-Deen; he had already realized that if he let his guard down, Salah ad-Deen would gain control of the land and reinforce his position, and he himself would come under threat. So he hastened to gather troops from Mosul and Mesopotamia, and made preparations to cross the Euphrates to Aleppo. He sent word to his brother, 'Imad ad-Deen Zangi Il, ruler of Sinjar, asking him to come with his troops, but the latter refused to respond to his request after Salal). ad-Deen managed to win him over and convince him that he was more entitled than his brother to rule because he was the oldest of the Zangid family. So the ruler of Mosul was forced to subjugate his brother and at the same time send a military detachment to Aleppo under the leadership of his brother 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'00d.953

o The hostile movement of Mosul against Salah ad-Deen would be overlooked. $alii/:!ad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood crossed the Euphrates, heading towards Aleppo. When he reached it, he was joined by the troops there, and he travelled to Hamah and besieged it. After some discussion, both sides, the Ayubids and Zangids, thought that the public interest dictated coming to some sort of agreement and preventing the shedding of Muslim blood, so they entered into negotiations at the end of which it was decided that: o Salah ad-Deen would give up to al-Malik as-Salih the cities and citadels in Syria that he had taken from him, especially Horns and Hamah, and would be limited to Damascus, provided that he act as his deputy in Damascus and acknowledge that he belonged to him, and Friday sermons and currency would be in the name of al-Malik as-Salih. o Salah ad-Deen would return everything that he had taken from the treasury.F" This agreement gave the Zangids the opportunity to restore their influence in Syria and maintain the dignity of the Zangid dynasty. Moreover, Salah ad-Deen's acceptance of the principle of reaching an agreement was aimed at protecting the land from fragmentation and division far away from personal ambitions. But the Zangids, who felt proud of their power, hoped to gain more advantages after they realized how few in numbers his army was. They asked him to give up Rahbah and its environs, but he refused to respond to their request on the grounds that it was under the control of his cousin Nasir ad-Deen Muharnmad ibn Asad ad-Deen Shirkuh, and he had no power to do that. 955

$ala/:t ad-Deen al-Ayubi Thus Salah ad-Deen did not allow any division to enter his ranks. He may have discovered that the Zangids wanted to strike at his forces from within, so he preferred to protect the unity of his camp. As a result of this refusal, the Zangids decided to continue their military operations, but Salah ad-Deen defeated the Zangid army in a place on the borders of Hamah in the valley of the Orontes River known as Quroon Hamah, which lies to the north of the city. That occurred on 19 Ramadan 570 AHl23 April 1175 CE. He captured a number of emirs, but then released them; he pursued his opponents as far as the gates of Aleppo, where he besieged the city for a second time. He issued orders that the Friday sermons in the name of alMalik as-Salih be stopped and his name removed from the coinage in the areas under his contro1.956 Nevertheless, he did not feel that he had sufficient strength to carry on fighting. For their part, the people of Aleppo were inclined towards a peace deal. 957As the result of negotiations between the two sides, a truce was decided upon in which it was determined that Salfih adDeen would have what was in his possession of Greater Syria, and the Zangid allies would have what was in their possession. Added to his possessions would be some lands north of Hamah, such as alMa'arrah958 and Kafar Tab.959 After signing the deal, Salah ad-Deen left Aleppo.96o The victory achieved by Salah ad-Deen in Quroon Hamah helped to consolidate his position in Syria, and also weakened the position of his opponents; it also led to him taking the title 'King of Egypt and Greater Syria' and prayers for offered for him under that title on the pulpits; gold coins were also issued in this name.961 In fact, Salah ad-Deen's intentions in dealing positively with al-Malik as-Salih Ismfi'eel were sincere. He tried to convince him that he was prepared to serve him sincerely, although it was clear that he would never allow his opponents to be close to him. As-Salih regarded this service as his due and a required duty. With this ~alalJ ad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims positive refusal of all attempts to reach an understanding, Salah adDeen had no choice but to absolve himself from this obligation and did not find any reason not to go ahead and give himself the title of king.962 The echoes of the battle of al-Quroon were as serious as its consequences. No sooner had the sultan reached Hamah on his way back than the envoys of the caliph al-Mustadi' reached him, bearing gifts of honour and black banners, and a document to confirm his authority over Egypt and Greater Syria, excluding Aleppo. Thus he became the legitimate ruler, the greatest and strongest in the entire region, and the true heir of Noor ad-Deen in principle. This was what annoyed the defeated Zangids and increased the resentment of both the Aleppans and the Franks. All of that led to the resumption of fighting, as if the treaty with Aleppo and the security had all been in vain.963 The battle of Tell Sultan and the final attempt to expel Salah ad-Deen In fact the dispute between the Ayubids and Zangids, did not end with Salah ad-Deen's victory at Quroon Hamah. Sayf ad-Deen Ghazi IT did not lose hope when the news of defeat reached him. He was annoyed by Salah ad-Deen's receiving official recognition from the caliph of his rule of Egypt and Greater Syria, in addition to the coinage that was minted in his name, which prompted him to think of revenge and make military plans to corner him and guarantee victory for himself. His plan was fourfold: o He sent word to the emirs of Aleppo rebuking them and blaming them for hastening to make a peace deal; he urged them to break it and cooperate with him in fighting the coming battle.964

$aliil;ad-Deen al-Ayubi o He sent an emissary to Raymond Ill, Count of Tripoli and regent of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, asking him to form an alliance with him and support him against Salah adDeen.965 o He tried to find out Salah ad-Deen's intentions. He sent a messenger to him on the pretext of seeking a peace deal, but the real mission was to mislead him and find out what his intentions were. Sayf ad-Deen's messenger made a mistake when he took out the letter Sayf ad-Deen had written to the emirs of Aleppo. Salah ad-Deen read it and realized what the Zangids were planning; at the same time he realized that the emirs of Aleppo had broken the treaty which they had made with him and were preparing to continue fighting.966 o He won over the rulers of Hasankeyf f'", Mardin and other Turkrnen emirs; his brother 'Imad ad-Deen Zangi 11, ruler of Sinjar, also indicated that he was ready to cooperate with him.968 It is clear that Salah ad-Deen was not far away from this hostile environment. In order to put a stop to this cooperation between Sayf ad-Deen Ghazi 11 and the Count of Tripoli, he made an offer of peace and friendship to the latter, if he would take a neutral stance and would release the Crusader prisoners he was holding as a sign of his good intentions.f'" Sayf ad-Deen Ghazi 11 assembled a large number of troops and led them to Nusaybin970 in Rabee' 1571 AHlSeptember 1175 CE, where he stayed until the end of winter, then he crossed the Euphrates from Bira.971 He wrote to Sa'd ad-Deen Gumushtigin and al-Malik as-Salih Isma'eel, asking them to support him. In fact it was agreed that the ruler of Mosul would come to Aleppo and meet up with his nephew so that they could decide together on the next step.972 $ataf; ad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims The two parties met in a place known as 'Ayn al-Mubarakah, and it was decided that the armies of Aleppo and Mosul would join together. The combined number of these two armies was twenty thousand troops. This huge army moved towards Damascus in Ramadan 571 AHl1l76 CE, and halted at Tell Sultan, twenty miles south of Aleppo.973 At this point Gumushtigin decided to cooperate with the Crusaders in order to force Salah ad-Deen to fight on two fronts and thus weaken him. Hence he released the Crusader prisoners in Aleppo, especially Reynald de Chatillon, the ruler of Kerak, and Joscelin, Count of Edessa, as a gesture of goodwill.f '" Salah ad-Deen made a move towards his opponents after receiving reinforcements from Egypt. He crossed the Orontes river at Shayzar975 in Shawwal/ April, and passed by Quroon Hamah, until he reached Tell Sultan. No more than ten days passed before he was caught unawares by Sayf ad-Deen Ghazi Il, when his own troops had dispersed to find water for their horses. However, the ruler of Mosul hesitated to attack, and decided to delay the encounter until the following day. 976When he mobilized his troops the following morning, on 10 Shawwal/l Z April, to attack the camp of Salah ad-Deen, it was too late.977 The two sides met in an intense battle. The first attack of the Zangids nearly succeeded, but Salah ad-Deen led the reserve troops he had with him to counter attack, and broke through the enemy lines; before evening he had gained control of the situation and inflicted great losses on the Zangids. Some of their leaders fell captive, but Salah ad-Deen was kind to them and let them go,978 showing great flexibility in political thinking. It seems that the aim was to win them over, especially since they were people of high standing and influence. Sayf ad-Deen Ghazi Il thought that this defeat was enough and decided to return home.979 He had not gained anything but the

$aliilJad-Deen al-Ayubi enmity of Salah ad-Deen. The wealth that he left behind in his camp when he withdrew was given by Salah ad-Deen to his troops by way of reward. This decisive victory paved the way for Salal; ad-Deen to annex Aleppo and its environs, but at this point he did not want to pursue the remnants of the Zangid troops and besiege Aleppo; he was content to launch raids against the possessions of his opponents in the area, after his troops took control of the fortresses surrounding Aleppo to the north and south. As a result of this division in the Muslim ranks, the two sides thought it was necessary to begin negotiations for the sake of making peace and preventing the Crusaders from benefitting from this situation as well as serving the interests of the Muslims in general. Hence both sides made some concessions and decided on the following deal: o They would all be united against the Crusaders. o None of the parties was allowed to break the treaty. o If any party broke the treaty or went against it, the others would be united against it until it came back to the Muslim ranks. o Saliil). ad-Deen conceded the citadel of 'Aziiz980 to alMalik as-Salih. o The truce was concluded in Muharram 572 AHlJuly 1176 CE.981 Death of Sayf ad-Deen Ghazi II and succession of 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood I It seems that developments in Mosul took a different course that attracted Salah ad-Deen's attention once again. Sayf ad-Deen Ghazi IT died in Safar 576 AHlJuly 1180 CE. Something strange had ~aliilJ.ad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims happened during his reign, which was that people went out to pray for rain in Mosul in 575 AH. because of high prices in the city. Sayf ad-Deen came out with his retinue and the people rushed to him, seeking his help. They asked him to issue orders banning the sale of wine, and he responded to their request. They entered the city and sought out the establishments of the wine-makers, breaking down the doors, plundering the houses, pouring away the wine and breaking the vessels; they did things that are not permissible. The occupants of those houses sought help from the sultan's deputies, and they complained in particular about a man among the righteous whose name was Abul-Faraj ad-Daqqaq, who had not been involved in plundering; all he had done was pour away the wine. When he saw what the common folk were doing, he told them not to do that, but they did not listen to him. When the complaint was made, he was brought to the citadel and struck on the head, and his turban fell off. When he was released, he left the citadel bareheaded, and they wanted to cover his head with his turban but he did not do that and said, "By Allah, I will not cover it again until Allah avenges me against those who have wronged me." It was not long before ad-Duzdar, who had wronged him, died. That was followed by Sayf ad-Deen falling sick, and his sickness continued until he died. He was thirty years old, and his governorship had lasted for ten years and some months. In life, he was one of the most handsome of men, with a fine profile, good features, white skin, a well-groomed beard and an average build, neither skinny nor fat. He was wise and dignified, and did not turn around often (inquisitively, to see what was going on) whether he was riding or sitting. He was decent, and it was never said that he did anything that was contrary to decency. His protective jealousy was strong; he did not allow any servant to enter his womenfolk's quarters without saying takbeer;982 only child servants entered upon

$ala/:tad-Deen al-Ayubi them. He did not like to shed blood or seize wealth, and was also somewhat on the stingy side.983 After his death, Mosul entered a vicious circle of conflicts to find his replacement. Sayf ad-Deen Ghazi IT had wanted his son Mu'izz ad-Deen Sanjar to succeed him. Mu'izz at that time was twelve years old, and Sayf ad-Deen had been worried about what would happen to his state after he was gone because of the ambitions of Salah ad-Deen, owing to his son's youth. His brother 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood also objected to this decision on the grounds that he was more entitled to rule, and he was supported by the emirs of Mosul. The emir Mujahid ad-Deen Qaymaz explained to Sayf ad-Deen Ghazi II the dangers that the Atabeg state would face as the result of a young boy's accession at the time when Salah ad-Deen's strength in Greater Syria was on the increase. It seems that Sayf ad-Deen Ghazi II was convinced by his emirs' view and he appointed his brother 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood as his successor.984 Death of al-Malik as-Salih Isma'eel ibn Noor ad-Deen Mahmood Al-Malik as-Salih Isma'eel ibn Noor ad-Deen Mahmood died on 25 Rajab 577 AH in the citadel of Aleppo and was buried there. The cause of his death - it was said - was that the emir 'Alam adDeen Sulayman ibn Jundur murdered him by putting poison in a bunch of grapes whilst he was out hunting. It was also said that he was assassinated by Yaqoot al-Asadi who put poison in his drink, which caused him to suffer colic, and he remained like that until he died, may Allah have mercy on him. He was a handsome, good looking young man who had not yet reached the age of twenty. He was one of the most decent of kings and the most like his father; he did not wrong anyone. The doctors prescribed wine for him during $alii/:tad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims his illness; he consulted one of the scholoars of jurisprudence about that, and the latter issued a ruling stating that he could drink it. As-Salih asked him, "Will drinking it extend or shorten my life at all?" The scholar replied, "No." He said, "Then by Allah I will not drink it, for I do not want to meet Allah having drunk what He forbade to me." When he lost all hope of recovery, he summoned his emirs and made them swear allegiance to his cousin 'Izz ad-Deen Mas 'ood, the ruler of Mosul, because of his strength and position, and so as to prevent Salah ad-Deen from capturing Aleppo; he was also afraid that allegiance would be sworn to his other cousin, 'Imad ad-Deen Zangi the ruler of Sinjar, who was his sister's husband and had been raised by his father, lest he be unable to protect Aleppo again from Salah ad-Deen. When he died, the Aleppans summoned 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood ibn Qutub ad-Deen, the ruler of Mosul, who came to them with great pomp and ceremony, and it was a great day. That occurred on 20 Sha'ban. He received the city's treasures and income, and whatever weapons it had. Taqi ad-Deen 'Umar was in the city of Manbij and fled to Hamah, where he found that the people had already declared their allegiance to 'Izz ad-Deen, the ruler of Mosul. The people of Aleppo encouraged 'Izz ad-Deen to recapture Damascus in the absence of Salah ad-Deen, who was back in Egypt, and told him that the people of Damascus loved this Atabeg dynasty. He responded, "There are many promises and covenants between me and him, and you want me to betray him?" He stayed in Aleppo for several months, and travelled to Raqqah where he stayed and the envoys of his brother 'Imad ad-Deen

$aid/J ad-Deen ai-Ayubi Zangi came to him asking him to trade Aleppo for Sinjar. They persisted in asking but he refused, then he did that reluctantly, handing Aleppo over to him, and 'Imad ad-Deen handed over Sinjar, Kaboor, Raqqah, Nusaybin, Surooj 985 and other cities to him. When the sultan, Salah ad-Deen, heard of this, he set out from Egypt with his troops and marched until he reached the Euphrates. He crossed the river and met some of the emirs of the ruler of Mosul, but they retreated. As a result, Salah ad-Deen captured all of Mesopotamia and wanted to besiege Mosul, but that did not happen. Instead, he came to Aleppo and took it from 'Imad ad-Deen Zangi.986 The first siege of Mosul Political developments in Syria, Mesopotamia and Mosul after the death of as-Salih Isma'eel prompted Salah ad-Deen to leave Egypt and head eastwards in order to be closer to the events that were unfolding there, so that he could intervene when circumstances dictated it. He regarded the way in which 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood I was running the affairs of Aleppo as contrary to the treaty that had been drawn up between the Ayubids and Zangids, because this city and its neighbouring citadels belonged to him by the Abbasid caliph's decree. Furthermore, this breach of the treaty could lead to the end of the mission of Islamic unity that he was striving to achieve. Hence he took many steps on his way eastwards aimed at disconnecting Aleppo from what was around it. He asked his nephew, Taqi ad-Deen 'Umar, ruler of Hamah, Farrookh Shah, ruler of Damascus, and other emirs to attack the regions west of Mesopotamia and annex them to the Ayubid possessions, and to prevent the army of Mosul from crossing the Euphrates. But Taqi ad-Deen 'Umar was unable to prevent 'Izz adDeen Mas'ood I from entering Aleppo. Farrookh Shah was also $alli/:zad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims preoccupied with withstanding the efforts of Reynald de Chatillon to invade the Arabian Peninsula, to which end the latter had set out from the fortress of Kerak.987 Salah ad-Deen wrote a letter to the Abbasid caliph an-Nasir li Deen-Illah (575-622 AHl1180-1225 CE), in which he outlined his efforts and jihad for the sake of Islam and the great things he had achieved for the Abbasid caliphate. He explained his role in the downfall of the Fatimid caliphate and the restoration of Abbasid authority in Egypt. He also described to him the bad situation in Syria, the vulnerability of Hanm988 to Crusader attacks, the betrayal of the ruler of Mosul, the transgressions of the Aleppan troops against his possessions and their seeking help from the Crusaders, a~d their correspondence with the Assassins with the aim of cooperating with them against the Islamic unity mission he was striving to achieve. He reminded him that the caliph al-Mustadi' bi Amr-Illah had given him authority over Aleppo and its environs, and that he had only given it up for the sake of the son of Noor ad-Deen Mahrnood, but now he could not but ask for his rights. He expressed that by saying, "Now let everyone who had a right take what is his due, and let everyone be content with his lot." 989 For his part, 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood I made a move towards the Crusaders in order to win them over and urge them to attack the Muslim borders, so as to distract Salah ad-Deen from targeting his territory. Salah ad-Deen was very annoyed by the betrayal of the ruler of Mosul, so he decided to focus his attention on the areas of northern Syria and Mesopotamia. He headed towards Aleppo and Mosul, and was joined in his march to Aleppo by Muzaffar ad-Deen Kawkaboori, the ruler of Harran, who suggested to him that he should cross the Euphrates and capture the land lying to the east before heading towards Aleppo, so that he would not be distracted from it by anything else, and he promised to help him.99o It is worth ________________________________ J

SaldlJad-Deen al-Ayubi mentioning that Kawkaboori had a dispute with the ruler of Mosul and his deputy Qayrnaz, who had dismissed him from his post as governor of Irbi1.991 Salah ad-Deen set out towards Aleppo with the approval of the caliph, and besieged it for three days in Jumada I1September, after which he moved towards Mosul in order to capture it from the Zangids, preferring to annex Mesopotamia and its fortresses beforehand. He crossed the Euphrates at Bira, the ruler of which was Shihab ad-Deen Muharnmad ibn Ilyas al-Artuqi, who was loyal to Salah ad-Deen. The Artuqids in Hasankeyf and Mardin then announced their loyalty to him and joined his army. The cities of Mesopotamia began to fall to him, one after another, Edessa, Surooj, Nusaybin, Raqqah, Khaboor and others. He appointed Kawkaboori as governor of Edessa, Husam ad-Deen Abul-Hayja' as-Sameen as governor of Nusaybin, and he gave Khaboor to Jamal ad-Deen Khoshtareen.992 Thus ~alill! ad-Deen succeeded in gaining control of all of Diyar Mudar (in the Jazeerah region) and forming an alliance opposed to the emir of Mosul. There was now nothing left for him to do but head towards Mosul and subjugate it. In fact, Mosul was a source of worry for him, and an obstacle that stood in the way of achieving his aims. So he decided that he had no alternative but to conquer it, if he could not gain its support and cooperation. He realized that he could not realize his objective unless he annexed Mosul, Sinjar and Jazeerat Ibn 'Umar.993 Salal) ad-Deen arrived in Mosul in Rajab 578 AH/ December 1182 CE, and laid a concentrated siege to the city. Then he soon attacked it, but he did not breach its defences; it proved to bea difficult target for him because of its fortifications, the strength of its walls and the huge preparations that had been made by 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood I and his deputy Qaymaz. They had mobilized large numbers of troops to defend it, using weapons which included $alal:tad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims stupendous siege machines.Y" During the siege, Salah ad-Deen undertook reconnaissance around the city, and it became clear to him that it was impossible to breach it.995 In the meantime, the ruler of Mosul took measures to seek help from allies all around. He sent al-Qadi Baha' ad-Deen Ibn Shaddad to Baghdad to seek the help of the Abbasid caliph in repelling Salah adDeen from his land, and the caliph wrote to Sadr ad-Deen Shaykh ash-Shuyookh, who was with Salah ad-Deen, ordering him to mediate between the two sides.996 He sought help from Qizil Arslan, the ruler of Azerbaijan.f'" Bahlawan ibn Ildakaz, the atabeg of Hamadhan,998 and Baktamar Suqman, the ruler of Khallat.999 None of them tried to help except Baktamar, who sent word to Salah adDeen asking him to accept his intercession and to stay away from Mosul.lOOO Despite the fact that Salah ad-Deen sent Baktamar's envoys away, all these factors prompted him to rethink his plans to annex Mosul by force, and he decided to use diplomatic means instead. It seems that he found himself in a difficult position and was afraid of losing his status as a Mujahid for the sake of Islam due to appearing to harbour ambitions against the state of Mosul. So he suggested a peace deal to 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood I, who asked him to return the lands that had been taken from him. Salah ad-Deen agreed to that on condition that he did not object to the annexation of Aleppo, but the ruler of Mosul refused to betray his brother and was keen for his brother to keep his authority in Aleppo, and announced that he was prepared to help him if he was faced with danger.IOOl Annexation of Sinjar As a result of the failure of negotiations between the two sides, Salah ad-Deen decided to put more pressure on Mosul and isolate it

$ald/:rad-Deen al-Ayubi from Aleppo. Sinjar was the city that gave him the opportunity to carry out this plan. Hence he lifted the siege of Mosul and went to Sinjar on 16 Sha'ban 576 AH/15 December 1182 CE. He notified the caliph of what he had decided to do. He besieged the city for fifteen days until it fell to him. 1002 Consequences of the annexation of Sinjar The annexation of Sinjar provoked the emirs of Mesopotamia, who called one another to a defensive alliance against Salah adDeen's policy, as they were aggravated by his penetration into the Mesopotamia region and his annexation of Sinjar, which threatened their security. This alliance consisted of Shah Arman Suqman, ruler of Khallat, Qutub ad-Deen ibn Najm ad-Deen Albi, ruler of Mardeen, Dawlat Shah ruler of Badleesl003 and ArzanlOO4, in addition to 'Izz ad-Deen Mas 'ood I. 1005 The allies went out to confront him, taking advantage of the fact that his army was scattered throughout Mesopotamia, and camped in Harzum, on the outskirts of Mardeen. When he learned of their march, he gathered his army and marched to Ra's al- 'Aynl006 to meet them. It seems that they were afraid to enter into battle, so they scattered and returned to their homelands. lOO? Thus 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood I failed in his attempt to expel Salah adDeen from Mesopotamia despite the support of some of its emirs; he no longer had the power to put any obstacles in the way of Salah adDeen's ventures in the region.1008 Annexation of Amid Salah ad-Deen took advantage of the division and weakness among his opponents and went to Amid, after seeking permission from the caliph an-Nasir li Deen-Illah to attack it, which was granted to him. Noor ad-Deen Muhammad, the ruler of Hasankeyf, had urged

Annexation of Aleppo SaId/:!ad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims him to attack it and capture it and hand it over to him, in accordance with the agreement between them.IO09Salah ad-Deen reached Amid on 17 Dhul-Hijjah 578 AHl15 April 1183 CE and laid siege to it. Its provisional ruler, Muhammad ibn Ildakaz, was weak and had no authority except in name only. Its actual ruler was Baha' ad-Deen ibn Nisan, who was known for his miserliness and bad conduct, and for withholding provisions and assets from the inhabitants of the city. During this time, Salah ad-Deen sent letters to the prominent emirs of Amid, making promises and issuing threats if they persisted in fighting.v''" These circumstances led to the inhabitants becoming unfocused and careless in defending the city, so Ibn Nisan was forced to ask for safe passage for himself and his family, and to ask Salah ad-Deen to give him three days to move his personal property and treasures. After the end of this period, he handed the city over to Salah ad-Deen on 10 Muharram 579 AHl16 May 1183 CE, and Salah ad-Deen in turn handed it and its environs over to Noor ad-Deen Muhammad. He ordered Noor ad-Deen to establish justice and put an end to injustice, and to hear and obey the sultan with regard to facing their enemies and showing kindness to their allies at all times, and told him that any time he asked for reinforcements from Amid to fight the Franks, he should find them ready. lOll After taking over areas of Mesopotamia that were adjacent to the emirate of Aleppo, Salah ad-Deen decided to annex them into his possessions before taking Mosul. So he crossed the Euphrates and camped at Tell Khalid on the outskirts of Aleppo, and besieged it until it surrendered in Muharram 579 AHlMay 1183 CE. Then he travelled from there to 'Ayntab (Gaziantep),I012 the ruler of which, Nasir ad-Deen Muhammad ibn Khimartagin offered allegiance to ----------------------~------

$ala/:tad-Deen al-Ayubi him and asked him to leave him in position in charge of his emirate. Salah ad-Deen agreed to that, then moved on from 'Ayntab to Aleppo, where he camped on 26 Muharraml21 May, but he did not initiate the fighting; rather he camped in a place known as 'the Green Field', then he moved a few days later to Mount Jawshan and gave 'Imad ad-Deen Zangi ITthe impression that he was building lodgings there for himself and his troops, so as to force him to surrender, thus avoiding bloodshed.Y':' 'Imad ad-Deen Zangi ITwas forced to begin negotiations with Salah ad-Deen for the handover of the city, and the emir Husam ad-Deen Tooman acted as mediator between them. The negotiations ended with the following conclusions: o 'Imad ad-Deen Zangi ITwas to give up Aleppo to Salah adDeen o Salah ad-Deen was to give 'Imad ad-Deen Zangi ITSinjar, Khaboor, Nusaybin and Surooj o Salah ad-Deen was to give Husam ad-Deen Toornan and Raqqah o 'Imad ad-Deen Zangi ITwas to put his military forces at the disposal of Salah ad-Deen whenever he asked him to Salah ad-Deen entered Aleppo after the conclusion of this deal on 17 Safar 579 AHJ18 June 1183 CE, and was welcomed by its inhabitants.Y'" Consequences of the annexation of Aleppo As a result of Salah ad-Deen's annexation of Aleppo, his position was strengthened and the Islamic front became more cohesive; he became so powerful that he was able to focus on fighting the Crusaders, thus their fears increased. They regarded this _ Saldh.ad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims event as the greatest crisis they had ever faced. In addition to that, it strengthened political and military ties between Egypt and Greater Syria; the Crusader kingdoms in Greater Syria found themselves besieged along this axis. Bohemond Ill, ruler of Antioch, asked Salah ad-Deen for security and he granted him a truce so as to allow himself time to perfect his plans to unite the Muslim world in the Near East.lOlS Second siege of Mosul Soon new developments in Mosul forced Salah ad-Deen once again to intervene in its affairs. In Jumada I 579 AHlSeptember CE, 'Izz ad-Deen Mas 'ood I listened to the incitement of some of his senior emirs against his deputy Mujahid ad-Deen Qaymaz, against whom they shared a strong enmity. 'Izz ad-Deen arrested him, imprisoned him and confiscated his property. Irbil, Jazeerat Ibn 'Umar, Shahrazoor.Y'? Daqooqa'Y'" and Qal'at 'Aqar alHameediyah were all under the rule of Qaymaz, administered by deputies in his name. When he was arrested, these deputies decided to rebel. Both Zayn ad-Deen Yoosuf, the governor of Irbil and Mu'izz ad-Deen Sanjar Shah, the governor of Jazeerat Ibn 'Umar, sent letters of loyalty to Salah ad-Deen, and these two cities came under his control. By means of this irresponsible attitude, 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood I contributed to the weakening of his own position vis-a-vis Salah adDeen. 'Izz ad-Deen inclined towards diplomacy and sent al-Qadi Baha' ad-Deen ibn Shaddad to the Abbasid caliph in Shawwal 579 AHlJ anuary 1184 CE, asking him to intervene again to bring about a reconciliation between him and Salah ad-Deen. The caliph responded to his request and sent Shaykh ash-Shuyookh and Basheer al-Khadim to Damascus to negotiate with ~alaQ ad-Deen for a solution to the ___________________

$aliil:tad-Deen al-Ayubi problems between him and the ruler of Mosul. Muhiy ad-Deen ashShahrazoori joined them as the representative of the ruler of Mosul, accompanied by al-Qadi Ibn Shaddad.1018 The negotiations came to a dead end, however, because Salah ad-Deen insisted that the rulers of Irbil and Jazeerat Ibn 'Umar should have the freedom to choose whether they joined him or the ruler of Mosul. This position was rejected by the representative of 'Izz ad-Deen Mas 'ood I, who insisted that they should follow the ruler of Mosul, and that their names should be mentioned in the treaty document. So the envoys went back without having achieved anything. 1019 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood, who had put himself in this dilemma, realized that the situation was critical and regretted what he had done to his deputy, and he tried to rectify matters; he released him from prison and restored to him his former authority. 1020Mujahid ad-Deen Qaymaz came out of prison at a time when Mosul had lost some of its power and the morale of those in authority was on the decline, so he strove to restore the strength of the various branches of the state, including the army, asking for help from neighbouring forces. He succeeded in his attempt to win over Qazal, the ruler of Azerbaijan, who supplied him with three thousand troopS.1021After he became certain of his ability to take action, he decided to recapture the cities that the Atabegs had lost; he attacked Irbil, but he failed to breach its walls. 1022 Salah ad-Deen was not unaware of what was going on, and he decided to intervene in the interests of his ally Zayn ad-Deen Yoosuf, the ruler of Irbil, and, after that, to head towards Mosul to wrest it from the clutches of 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood I. He soon mobilized his forces and set out, leading them to Harran in Safar 581 AH/May 1185 CE. He camped at Ra's al- 'Ayn, then he went to Dunaysar,1023 where he was joined by 'Imad ad-Deen ibn Qara Arslan al-Artuqi and the troops of his brother Noor ad-Deen Muhammad, the ruler of $aIaIJ ad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims Hasankeyf and Amid. They marched together to Nusaybin, where they were joined by Mu'izz ad-Deen Sanjar Shah ibn Sayf ad-Deen Ghazi I, ruler of Jazeerat Ibn 'Umar.1024 Salah ad-Deen continued to march towards Mosul, and camped in Isma'eeliyat which is close to the city in Rabee' I 581 AH/June 1185 CB. To reinforce his position, he sent a letter to the Abbasid caliph telling him of his decision to settle matters with Mosul. He indicated that the people of Mosul were giving Friday sermons and issuing coinage in the name of Tughrul the Seljuk, the sultan of Persia and the opponent of the caliph, as well as corresponding with the Crusaders and inciting them to attack Muslim lands. He also mentioned that his decision was not based on any ambition to expand his own realm or get rid of the Zangids, rather it was to bring them back to obeying the caliph and supporting Islam, to prevent them from committing injustice and transgressing the sacred limits, and to cut off their relationship with the Seljuks of Persia and force them to respect their neighbour's rights and uphold the ties of kinship.1025 The pressure on 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood I was intense, and he felt helpless, so he was inclined to reach a deal; he headed a delegation which included the daughter of his paternal uncle Noor ad-Deen Mahmood and other women, and a number of prominent figures, to seek a reconciliation and an end to the siege of Mosul. Salah ad-Deen would have accepted this offer of reconciliation were it not for the objection of al-Faqeeh 'Eesa al-Hakari and the emir 'Ali ibn Ahmad al-Mashtoob, who warned him against accepting this offer and said, "A city like Mosul should not be given up for the sake of a woman." 'Izz ad-Deen Mas 'ood only sent the women because he was unable to protect the city.1026 Salah ad-Deen was convinced by their argument and gave his apologies to the delegation from Mosul, and continued to besiege the city. However, there were many obstacles in his way, so he was forced to lift the siege of Mosul.

$atalJ ad-Deen al-Ayubi Among the most important of these obstacles were the following: The people of Mosul were able to go out from the eastern side and fight the Ayubid forces, then return into the city, which put pressure on Salill} ad-Deen's forces. Qaymaz had strengthened the fortifications of the city and reorganized the army, so that they were able to resist the Ayubid attacks, and the troops fought courageously to defend the city. The siege of Mosul occurred during the summer when temperatures were very high, so Salah ad-Deen ordered a halt of military operations until the temperature dropped. It so happened that water levels in the Tigris fell at that time, so the engineers suggested to Salill} ad-Deen that he should divert the course of the river away from Mosul, to cut off water for its inhabitants so that they would become thirsty and would be forced to surrender. But Salah ad-Deen thought that this project would take more time than he had and a lot of effort that would exhaust the troops. During the siege, it so happened that Shah Arman, the ruler of Khallat, died without leaving a son to succeed him, and Noor adDeen Muhammad, the ruler of Amid and Hasankeyf, also died; 1027 Salah ad-Deen felt he ought to organize the affairs of the Artuqid emirates in a way that served his aims. 1028 Attempt to annex Khallat One of the Mamelukes of Shah Arman, whose name was Sayf ad-Deen Baktamar, took charge in Khallat after the death of its ruler. Salah ad-Deen hoped to annex the city and consulted his general staff concerning that. Some of them suggested that he continue besieging $ala/:t ad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims Mosul whilst others advised him to travel to Khallat and take over the city on the grounds that it would be a first step towards taking over the other citadels in the area. As a result of this difference of opinions, Salah ad-Deen hesitated did not know what decision to make until he received letters from the people of Khallat summoning him so that they could hand over the city to him. 1029 In fact, Shams ad-Deen Bahlawan ibn lldakaz, the ruler of Azerbaijan and Hamdhan, hoped to take over Khallat when he found out about the death of Shah Arman. Baktamar was afraid that he would lose his position if this happened, and the people of Khallat refused to submit to Bahlawan. To prevent him coming and taking over the city, Baktamar came to an agreement with the prominent people of the city to write to Salah ad-Deen saying that they agreed to give their allegiance to him; their intention, however, was to set the two sides against one another so that the city would remain in their hands. Saliil) ad-Deen headed towards Khallat without knowing the intentions of Baktamar. In his vanguard were his cousin Nasir adDeen Muharnmad ibn Shirkuh, Muzaffar ad-Deen son of the ruler of Harran, and others. They camped in Tawanah, near Khallat, and he sent al-Faqeeh 'Eesa al-Hakari and Ghars ad-Deen Qilij Arslan to Khallat to discuss the terms of the handover. He himself headed towards Mayafariqin, to annex it. As for Bahlawan, he had marched towards Khallat and camped near the city. Then the envoys of Baktamar went back and forth between the two sides. They warned Bahlawan that if he attacked Khallat, Baktamar would hand the city over to Salah ad-Deen, but Bahlawan was able to win Baktamar over, and gave him his daughter in marriage. Baktamar apologized to the envoys of Salah ad-Deen, who went back without having achieved their aim. Thus Salah ad-Deen's efforts to take over Khallat failed. 1030 For his part, Qutub ad-Deen Suqman, who had succeeded his father as ruler of Amid and Hasankeyf, offered his loyalty to Salah ad-Deen for fear that he might take Amid back from him.1031

$aliilJ ad-Deen al-Ayubi Annexation of Mayafariqin Mayafariqin was under the rule of Husam ad-Deen Yoolaq ibn Qutub ad-Deen Ilghazi, ruler of Mardin, who was ten years old; in it was a garrison belonging to Shah Arman the ruler of Khallat, and its troops were led by Asad ad-Deen Yaranqash, who had refused to come under Salah ad-Deen's banner and had declared his rebellion. Salah ad-Deen was forced to besiege the city but was not able to breach its defences, so he decided to use a political ruse. He contacted the widow of Qutub ad-Deen who was living there and gave her the impression that Yaranqash had made an agreement with him to surrender the city; he also sent word to Yaranqash telling him that this lady was inclined towards a peace deal. By means of this subterfuge he annexed the city on 29 Jumada I 581 AHl28 August 1185 CE.1032At that point a letter reached Salal; ad-Deen from the Abbasid caliph, appointing him in charge of Diyarbakir and of taking care of its kings' orphans, thus Friday sermons were given and coinage was minted in his name in the Artuqid provinces. Third siege of Mosul: Salah ad-Deen takes over When Salah ad-Deen had finished with Mayafariqin, he returned to Mosul to besiege it for the third time. He travelled via Nusaybin, reaching Kafar Zahhar in Sha'ban 581 CE, where he stayed until winter ended. Then the envoy of 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood, ruler of Mosul, came, seeking a peace deal.1033Salah ad-Deen fell ill at that time and went to Harran, so 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood I took advantage of this opportunity to renew his attempts to make an agreement with him, after having despaired of getting support from the caliph and the Persian ruler. He sent Baha' ad-Deen ibn Shaddad, $aliil:tad-Deen al-Ayubi's efforts to unite the Muslims giving him the authority to sign a peace deal.1034 The peace deal between the two sides stated the following: 1. 'Izz ad-Deen Mas 'ood, the Atabeg of Mosul, was to hand over to Salah ad-Deen Shahrazoor and its environs, the province of Qurabi and all the territory beyond Zab, as well as the province of Bani Qafhaq.1035 2. Salill) ad-Deen was to give up Mosul and its environs to 'Izz adDeen Mas'ood Zangi, which would be under his administration, but would belong to Salah ad-Deen as a "self-governing" area within the framework of the Ayubid state. 3. 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood would be obliged to order that Friday sermons be given in the name of Salah ad-Deen on the pulpits in the city and surrounding areas, and his government was to stop giving Friday sermons in the name of the Seljuks in those areas. 'Izz adDeen Mas'ood also agreed to mint coins in the name of Salah adDeen in that land. 4. 'Izz ad-Deen Mas'ood and his troops were obliged to be at the service of Salah ad-Deen whenever he called him, and both sides were to take part in the jihad against the Crusaders and the fight to take back Palestine.