Salah ad-Din al-Ayyubi

Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub (532-589 AH / 1137-1193 CE), known in the West as Saladin, was the Kurdish Muslim sultan who founded the Ayyubid dynasty and liberated Jerusalem from the Crusaders after 88 years of occupation. Born in Tikrit (in present-day Iraq) to a Kurdish family in the service of the Zangid rulers of Mosul and Aleppo, he rose through the military ranks and eventually became the ruler of Egypt, ending the Fatimid caliphate and restoring Sunni governance.

Salah ad-Din united Egypt, Syria, parts of Mesopotamia, and the Hejaz under his rule, creating a Muslim coalition capable of confronting the Crusader states. His decisive victory at the Battle of Hattin in 583 AH (1187 CE) destroyed the Crusader army and opened the way for the liberation of Jerusalem, which he entered with remarkable mercy and restraint. In contrast to the Crusaders' massacre when they had taken the city in 1099 CE, Salah ad-Din allowed Christian inhabitants to leave safely and protected the city's holy sites. His chivalrous conduct was acknowledged even by his European opponents, and he became a figure of respect in Western literature.

Salah ad-Din was deeply pious, attending to his prayers even during campaigns, and was known for his generosity, often distributing his personal wealth to the poor and to soldiers. He died in Damascus in 589 AH (1193 CE) with barely enough money to pay for his own burial. His legacy as a just and courageous Muslim leader who embodied the virtues of faith, courage, and mercy continues to inspire Muslims and non-Muslims alike.