Volume One Crusades prior to the Rise of the Ayubid State

About the word Lord .................!

The 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 So-and-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#

(( i. ))

*Publisher's Note .......................... i

All praise and thanks belong to Allah alone, the One, the Almighty, And All-Merciful. Blessings and peace be upon Muhammad (SAAW), the last

of His Messengers and his family, his Companions and all those who follow

in his footsteps until the end of time.

The renowned contemporary Arab historian of Islam, Dr. ' Ali M. Sallabi, puts his heart and soul as well as his profound knowledge and

analytical abilities into the research, writing and production of his books in Arabic. It is undoubtedly a no less difficult task to render the voluminous texts of his work into English. The end result is a fascinating biography of a

man who looms larger than life throughout history, yet who remains largely unknown to people outside the Arab world. Dr. Sallabi's meticulous research has effectively filled that gap in our knowledge. His work is more than just

biography, as the reader will see. This three-volume work has been made more useful to the reader in this English edition through the addition of a map, a timeline, a list of the dynasties of the period, and a comprehensive Glossary. It is our pleasure to present the first unabridged English translation of Salah ad-Deen.

(( i. ))

*Translator's Forewords.................... ii

As history repeat itself? A saying of 'Umar, the first liberator of Jerusalem, suggests that it does. He said that the latter generations of this

Ummah would not prevail except by means of that by which its first generations prevailed.

If we try to prevail by any means other than Islam, Allah will cause us to suffer only more humility and defeat. The Companions and the early generations of Islam prevailed by means of Islam. At a time of decline, Salah ad-Deen understood that this was the way to restore the glory of this nation.In this book, Dr. Sallabi discusses the conflict of civilizations between

the Crusaders and Islam. He discusses the Crusades; the moral standards, ethics and character of Salah ad-Deen, and his support of the revival movement that was aimed to bringing Muslims back to the true path of Islam

by establishing many schools; and how he held the scholars in high esteem and included them in his inner circle. He devotes an entire chapter to the battle of Hatteen and the liberation of Jerusalem, and the causes of victory in

that decisive battle.He goes on to discuss the Third Crusade and the reaction of Western

Europe to the liberation of Jerusalem and the general mobilization that took place in Christendom. Finally, he describes the death of Salah ad-Deen, how the people were affected by it and how even European historians praised his

justice, strength and tolerance, and regarded him as the greatest character of the Crusade era. His life still inspires the Muslims with his heroic character and exploits which will bring back to life the glories of the past.It is important for anyone who wants to gain an historical perspective on present-day events to read this book and understand the life and times of

Salah ad-Deen.

Nasiruddin al-Khattab Toronto, November 2009

(( ii. ))

Introduction ............................. 1

All praise be to Allah, we praise Him and seek His help, guidance and forgiveness, and we seek refuge with Allah from the evil of our own selves

and from our bad deeds. Whomever Allah guides no one can misguide, and whomever He sends astray no one can guide. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship other than Allah alone with no partner or associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad (SAAW) is His slave and Messenger.

O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and do notdie except in a state of Islam [as Muslims] with complete submissionto Allah..' (Qur'an 3: 102)O humankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from asingle person, and from him He created his spouse, and from themboth He created many men and women, and fear Allah throughWhom you demand your mutual [rights], and [do not cut the relations of] the wombs [kinship]. Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you.) (Qur'an 4: 1 )O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him, and [always] speak the truth. He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins.

((. 1. ))

And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed achieved a great achievement. (Qur'an 33: 70-71) O Lord, to You be praise until You are pleased, to You be praise if You are pleased, and to You be praise after You are pleased. This book is a continuation of previous books studying the period of the Messenger

(SAAW), the era of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, the era of the Umayyad ('Umawiyah) state, the era of the Seljuks, the era of the Zangid state, the Almoravid (Murabitoon) and Almohad (al-Muwahhidoon) states and the era of the Ottoman state, of which have been published so far: The Messenger(SAAW)'s Biography, Abu Bakr, 'Umar ibn al-Khattdb, 'Uthmdn ibn Affdn,

Ali ibnAbi Tdlib, al-Hasan ibn Ali, Mu'dwiyah ibn Abi Sufydn, 'Umar ibn Abdal-Azeez, Fiqh al-Nasr wa at-Tamkeen fil-Qur'an al-Kareem( Understanding the means of victory and divine support in the Noble Qur'an), ath-Thimdr az-Zakiyah lil-Harakah as-Sanoosiyah (Achievements of the Sanoosi movement), Sultan Muhammad aUFatih, Shaykh Abd al-Qddir al-Jeeldni, Imam al-Ghazdli, Haqeeqat al-Khildf bayn as-Sahdbah (The true nature of the disagreements among the Companions), Fikr al-Khawdrij wa ash-Shee'ahfee Meezdn Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jamd'ah (Kharijite and Shiite

thought measured against the standards of the People of the Sunnah2

and the Community), al-Wasatiyah fil-Qur'an al-Kareem (The path of moderation as

described in the Noble Qur'an), and Aqeedat al-Muslimeen fee Sifdt Rabb il-Alameen (Muslims' belief in the Attributes of the Lord of the Worlds).

(( 2 ))

I have given this book the title of Salah ad-Deen al-Ayubi: Destroyer of the Fatimiyah state and Liberator of Jerusalem. This book may be regarded as an important link in this series on the Crusades, of which has been published

so far al-Saldjiqah wa az-Zinkiyeen (The Seljuks and the Zangids) and which we ask Allah, by His most beautiful names and sublime attributes, to make this work sincerely for His sake and to make it beneficial for His slaves, and to accept it and bless it, and to bless us with a good and sincere intention for His sake, and to help us to complete this encyclopedia of history that we are striving to produce.

This book discusses the conflicts between the Crusader venture and the Sunni Islamic course of action. Volume I gives a summary of the Crusades which preceded the establishment of the Ayubid state and discusses

the historical roots of the Crusader movement, such as the Byzantine-Islamic conflict at the beginning of the Islamic state, Islamic Spain in Andalusia, the nature of the Crusader movement which was led by Urban II, the movement

to encircle the Islamic world which was confronted by the Ottomans, and the

new colonialist movement. I refer to the most important reasons and motives

for the Crusade, such as religious, political, social and economic motives; the change in the balance of power in the Mediterranean, in Sicily, Andalusia and North Africa; the request for help from the Byzantine Emperor to the

Pope; the character of Urban II, his comprehensive plan for the Crusade, his

propaganda campaign and organised way of thinking.

(( 3 ))

I discussed the beginning of the First Crusade and their strategies following occupation; the

emergence of the resistance movement during the Seljuk era; the actual participation of the scholars of jurisprudence and judges in the field of Jihad3and their encouraging fighting in the battlefield; and the role of poets in the

resistance movement.

I give biographies of the Seljuk leaders of Jihad who me before Imad ad-Deen Zangi and their efforts in confronting the invasion such as: Qawwam ad-Dawlah Karbooqa, ruler of Mosul; Jekermish the emir of Mosul; Suqman ibn Anaq, ruler of Mardin and Diyarbakr; Kilij Arslan the emir of the Seljuks of Rum; and Sharaf ad-Dawlah Mawdood ibn at-Tuntigin, ruler of Mosul, whose Jihad campaigns are regarded as the harbinger of the campaigns of Imad ad-Deen Zangi.

(( 4 ))

I point out the obstacles to the Jihad movement during the era of the Seljuk emirs, among the most significant of which were: the Batinis, who proved their complete enmity towards the leaders of the Islamic Jihad during that era, and it was as if their poisonous daggers were paving the way for the Crusaders to establish themselves in Syria and Mesopotamia at the expense of the Muslims. Thus the events of history prove that the leaders of theIslamic Jihad in that era sometimes had something in common, namely martyrdom.

Previously, Sharaf ad-Deen Mawdood was assassinated, and now we see Ak Sunqur al-Bursuqi meeting the same fate. That is all reflected in the fact that the conduct of the Nizari Ismailis at that time was one of the most dangerous obstacles faced by the Jihad movement against the invaders, because the presence of two enemies at the same time meant that the Sunni Muslim leaders were faced with great difficulties in defending the beliefs and religion of the Ummah.4

I highlight the efforts of Imad ad-Deen, by means of which he managed to achieve a great deal of his plans and to carve out for himself a special position in Islamic history as a brilliant politician, a capable military man and a conscientious Muslim who understood the danger posed to the

Muslim world by the Crusaders.

(( 5 ))

He managed to shape historical

circumstances to serve the Muslims' interests, by uniting the Muslim forces after putting an end to the causes of division and disunity, and uniting the separate cities and emirates within the framework of a single state. He

managed, by means of his ability, to make the best of the potentials available to him in order to achieve his twofold program of forming an Islamic front and striking the Crusaders. The conquest of Edessa in 539 AH is regarded as

one of the greatest achievements of 'Imad ad-Deen.

The fall of this city into Muslim hands brought about a violent reaction in Western Europe and provided a motive for sending a new crusade quickly, after its fall instilled fear in people's hearts. Its fall came as a warning of destabilisation in the structure of the Crusader entities in the Near East. Noor ad-Deen and Sayf ad-Deen Ghazi, the sons of Imad ad-Deen, stood up to the Second Crusade against Damascus and achieved a great victory, along with the people of Damascus, against the Second Crusade.

(( 6 ))

Noor ad-Deen succeeded in making the most of the circumstances which followed the failure of the Second Crusade, in order to unite Syria

under his leadership, this time at the expense of the ruler of Damascus. Then he successfully resumed his Jihad against the Crusaders, which encouraged other Muslim forces, such as the Seljuks of Rum, the Artuqids and the

Turkmen to go ahead and confront the Crusaders, especially in Edessa and

Antioch; they even joined forces so that Noor ad-Deen Zangi was able to unite all of Syria under his leadership, from Edessa in the north to Hawran in the south.

First a united Islamic state was established, centred on Damascus. This was the first step towards forming a front that stretched from the Euphrates to the Nile, and which did indeed stand up to this Crusader danger. I discussed Noor ad-Deen's way of dealing with the Fatimid (Fatimiyah) state; the roots of the Ismaili (Isma'eeli) Shiite sect and the Fatimid state; their abhorrent deeds in North Africa, such as their advocates exaggerating about 'Ubayd-Allah al-Mahdi, oppression and injustice, their refusal of religious verdicts according to the madh-hab5of Imam Malik, the abolition of some Sunnah practices that are based on well-established and well-known texts, banning gatherings, destroying the books of Ahl as-Sunnah, banning Sunni scholars from teaching, the abolition of sharia6 laws and waiving obligations, forcing the people to break the fast before sighting the new moon, removing the relics of the Sunni caliphs and bringing their horses into the mosques. I speak about the methods of the Maghrebis in opposing the

Fatimid state, such as passive resistance, resistance on the basis of argument,

resistance in writing and the role of the Sunni poets.

((. 7. ))

I explain how the Fatimid state in North Africa declined and how it moved to Egypt. I mention

the efforts of the Nizami schools in the Sunni revival movement and confronting Shiite thought; the efforts of Imam al-Ghazali in defeating the

Shiite in argument; and Noor ad-Deen's three military campaigns against Egypt. I discussed the abolition of the Fatimid calip hate, the gradualabolition of sermons given in the name of the Fatimid caliph, and the lessons to be learned from the demise of the Fatimids in Egypt and the methods used by Salah ad-Deen to put an end to the Fatimid madh-hab and legacy, such as: humiliating the Fatimid caliph al-'Adid; how he undermined the position of the Palace of the Fatimid caliphate; how the citywide sermons were stopped in the Mosque of al-Azhar; abolishing the teaching of Fatimid thought;

destroying and burning the books of the Shiite; abolishing all sectarian festivals of the Fatimids; erasing the symbols and currency of the Fatimids; preserving the members of the Fatimid house; weakening the Fatimid capital;

the Ayubid revival of the issue of the Fatimids' false claim of descent from the (Messenger's (SAAW)'s family; and continuing to pursue the remnants of the Shiite in Syria and Yemen. I mention the conquests made by Salah ad-

Deen at the time of Noor ad-Deen Zangi; Jihad against the Crusaders and expelling them from Muslim lands; and the actual account of the alienation between Salah ad-Deen and Noor ad-Deen.

((. 8. ))

In Volume II, I talk about the establishment of the Ayubid state, mentioning the origins of his family, his birth and childwould; when the MAyubid state began; the character and ethics of Salah ad-Deen, such as his piety and worship, his justice, his courage, his generosity, his concern and forbearance, his habit of keeping away from anything that could undermine his dignity, his patience and seeking reward with Allah, and his sincerity; the official doctrine of the state; the Ayubids' efforts to build Sunni schools on a large scale, such as al-Madrasah as-Salahiyah, Madrasat al-Mash-had al-Husayni, al-Madrasah al-Fadiliyah, Dar al-Hadeeth al-Kamaliyah and al-

Madrasah as-Salihiyah; their academic efforts in Syria and Mesopotamia; the main elements of the Sunni ethos at the time of the Ayubids, such as the glorious Qur'an, Hadith of the (Messenger (SAAW), the basic principles ofSunni belief and the schools of fiqh; the Ayubids' concern to protect the Hajj routes and the two Holy Sanctuaries; and the Ayubids' efforts to combat the Shiite sect in Egypt, Syria and Yemen. I speak of the high esteem in which Salah ad-Deen held the scholars, including the scholars of jurisprudence, such as al-Qadi al-Fadil, who played a great role in the chancery (diwan al-

insha'); the development of Salah ad-Deen's army; his putting an end to the Fatimid opposition and reorganising administrative affairs in Egypt; his efforts to revive the Sunnah in Egypt; his Jihad against the Crusaders; his use of his literary skills in the service of Islam; and his keenness to unite theMuslim world.

(( 9 ))

Al-Qadi al-Fadil was the official spokesman of Salah ad-Deen both internally and externally. According to Ibn Katheer, he was dearer to the Sultan than the latter's own family and children. The Sultan pointed out his status when he said, "Do not think that I took control of the land by means of your swords; rather it was by means of the pen of al-Qadi al-Fadil."

Al-Qadi al-Fadil reached a position of high status in the state. He was Salah ad-Deen's right-hand man, as he made him his vizier and consultant, and did not issue any orders except after consulting him; he did not take any

decision that was not based on his opinion and he did not rule concerning any case without consulting him. This scholar was one of the scholars of revival, and the Ummah is in the greatest need of such men. His life story tells us the importance of becoming involved and active in public affairs or social or

governmental matters, the importance of acquiring experience and of achieving distinction in the performance of one's work, adhering to the way of the People of the Sunnah and cooperating with one's brothers in firm belief, and using one's abilities and potential to serve the Sunni mission.

(( 10 ))

He helped Salah ad-Deen to choose the ideal Sunni leadership and to draw up practical plans, and he did not withhold any opinion, suggestion or experience from Salah ad-Deen. The life story of this man is like a course for

understanding the aims of the Sharia, examining all sides of an issue, and studying the rise and fall of states. He left behind a method of dealing with the Shiite and the importance of dealing with masses who followed this sect on the basis of fairness, loving good for them, not shedding their blood, and striving to educate them. In contrast, force was used only against conspirators and military groups and those against whom nothing but force would be to

any avail, such as the Fatimid state in Egypt.

He took part in setting up the plans, means and methods to put an end to it politically, militarily and intellectually. I also highlight the efforts made by Abu at-Tahir as-Salafi and

Abu at-Tahir ibn ' Awf al-Maliki in serving Islam in Alexandria. Salah ad-Deen was keen to visit them and learn from them. I speak of al-Faqeeh 'Eesa

al-Hakari and his support of Salah ad-Deen in his role as vizier; how he wrote about reconciliation between Noor ad-Deen and Salah ad-Deen; his

role in the treaty with the people of Mosul; his success in carrying out the special missions that were entrusted to him; his courage in war; and his leadership on the battlefield. I also present a biography of al-Imad alIsfahani, the Qadi, imam, great scholar, mufti and vizier, and I highlight his

efforts in the service of the Sunni Islamic endeavour.

(( 11 ))

To sum up, the scholars and scholars of jurisprudence occupied a great position and were held in high esteem by Salah ad-Deen, who showed a great deal of love, care, respect and appreciation in both tangible and

intangible ways. I discuss the economic reforms and his interest in agriculture, commerce and industry; how he abolished levies and limited

income to legitimate sources; how he built hospitals, khanqahs (Sufi houses)and inns in remote areas far from the cities and on the roads connecting cities, to serve wayfarers and travellers; his interest in social reform and

fighting deviant beliefs and traditions and bad morals. I make reference to his reforms in infrastructure and administration and I explain the military systems of his reign, such as the development of military fiefs and diwdn al-

jaysh (the government department in charge of the army); uniforms of the troops; logistics and mobilization; auxiliary groups such as the engineers and medical corps; the organisation of the mail system and intelligence; how the

affairs of war and peace were run; prisoners of war; general staff; plans and methods of fighting, such as rapid warfare; plans for troops to fight in turns; demolishing cities; securing the roads; fortifying the border cities, citadels and fortresses; making the most of the fighting season; treatment of prisoners of war; treaties between Salah ad-Deen and the Crusaders; weapons of the Ayubid army; the Muslim navy; and the role of the Maghrebis in Salah ad-

Deen's fleet. I also described his efforts to unite the Muslim front and the attempts of the Ismaili Shiite to eliminate him by means of assassination, but their attempts failed, by the help of Allah, to Whom be praise; Salah ad-

Deen's style of discipline; his relationship with the Abbasid caliph, the Byzantine state and the Crusaders before Hattin; and how he organised

administrative and military affairs before that decisive battle.In Volume III, I discuss the battle of Hattin, the liberation of Jerusalem, and the Third Crusade. I start by describing the battle of Hattin and the beginning of the Muslim attack, Crusader losses, and the causes of victory in the battle of Hattin by following natural laws, such as the laws of preparation, cause and effect, and taking a gradual approach.

(( 12 ))

I also speak of Salah ad-Deen's farsightedness, political acumen, great sincerity towards Allah, application of the laws of Allah in his state and the blessings thereof: how he gained power in the land and prevailed over his enemies by the helpof Allah; security, stability, glory, honour, victory and conquest; the effect of justice on achievement of victory; preparation of a fighting generation in which were the attributes required for victory; his good relationship with

Allah and the way he would turn to Him after making preparations; the

success of the intelligence network; reactions of the Muslim world and Crusader world to the battle of Hattin; conquests on the coast before the conquest of Jerusalem; consequences of the battle of Hattin, such as its being

a decisive battle; the importance of geographical awareness in understanding and managing the conflict; and cumulative efforts in achieving major victories for nations. I also discuss Salah ad-Deen's military plan for theliberation of Jerusalem, such as the media angle; mobilising the troops and general mobilisation; sieges, fighting and m decisive attacks; negotiations

followed by the handover of Jerusalem and the liberation of the holy city; Salah ad-Deen's fulfilment of his promises; his mercy towards prisoners, old men and women, and the wives and daughters of the slain; his respect for the

Christians' feelings; fulfilling promises, seeking thereby the pleasure of Allah; his overwhelming humane feelings and spirit of sublime chivalry; and how he followed the example of the Rightly Guided Caliph 'Umar ibn al-

Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) when he conquered Jerusalem during his caliphate. The beauty of Islam became apparent to westerners

from the conduct of Salah ad-Deen in peace and in war, his respect for freedom of opinion and belief, and his adherence to lofty, humane values and the sublime teachings of Islam.

(( 13 ))

I discuss Salah ad-Deen's reforms in Jerusalem, how he sent delegations with the glad tidings to all parts of the Muslim world, his

difference of opinion with the Abbasid caliph and the presence of the scholars at the conquest of Jerusalem and elsewhere.I also mention some of the lessons to be learned from the liberation of

Jerusalem, such as: the importance of devoted scholars in waking up the Ummah; raising the new generation with sound Islamic beliefs; explaining the concept of loyalty to Allah and His Messenger and the believers; unity of

the Ummah; clear Islamic vision of the nature of the battle; having a long-term strategy; the need for human resources with great knowledge to

comprehend the actual situation; the importance of the Ummah repenting, turning to Allah and keeping away from sin. There is no way to liberate Palestine and the occupied Muslim lands except by Jihad for the sake ofAllah in the broadest and most comprehensive sense, which means engaging on all fronts: political, media, spiritual, academic, strategic, military and so

on.I discuss the Third Crusade and the reaction in Western Europe to the

liberation of Jerusalem, in terms of the general mobilisation that took place that resulted in this Crusade, in which kings, princes and Christian clergy took part. The German Emperor, the King of England and the King of France all took part in that Crusade, but it did not achieve its goals, first by the grace of Allah and then due to the efforts of Salah ad-Deen and the Muslim

Ummah that rallied around him, in Syria, Egypt, Iraq, the Maghreb and elsewhere. I speak of the nature of the negotiations between al-Malik al-

'Adil, the brother of Salah ad-Deen, and Richard the Lionheart, the King of England, which lasted for 15 months and involved 42 meetings before

culminating in the treaty of Ramlah. This Crusade was characterised by a large degree of understanding with the Muslims.Both sides were in close contact with one another, and it went beyond that to the suggestion of a

treaty, and the sending of fruits and ice to Richard the Lionheart during his illness and sending Salah ad-Deen's personal physician to treat him. The effects of this interaction on the lives of the Franks were as follows:

❖ .........They transmitted from the Muslims a large amount of science and knowledge

which was new (to the Europeans) at that time. They wrote books about it which contained a great deal of innovation and invention, and set out laws concerning the sciences.

❖........ They transmitted from the Muslims many new handicrafts and arts, such as

the manufacture of textiles, metalwork and glasswork. They also transmitted from them the art of architecture. This had a profound effect on the artistic, commercial and industrial life of Europe.

❖ .........Western civilisation was influenced by Islamic civilisation to such an extent

that the former began to flourish. Islamic civilisation helped it to emerge from the sea of savagery and darkness that prevailed at that time. The Orientalists admitted this fact before Muslim historians spoke of it.I mention the sickness and last days of Salah ad-Deen, and that one of the religious scholars stayed with him and recited the Qur'an over him. When

the reader reached the verse in which Allah says, iLd ildha ilia Huwa (nonehas the right to be worshipped but He)! In Him is my trust' (Qur'an 13:30), Salah ad-Deen smiled and his face lit up, and he surrendered his soul to its Creator, glory be to Him. He did not leave behind in his stores any gold apart from one dinar and a few dirhams.9 He did not leave behind any house, property, farm, garden or any kind of wealth or property.People were moved by the death of Salah ad-Deen.

(( 13 ))

Even European

historians prayed for mercy for Salah ad-Deen and praised his justice, strength and tolerance. They regarded him as the greatest character of the entire Crusader era. And the life of Salah ad-Deen will, by Allah's leave, continue to offer to the Muslims the example of his resolve, which may bring back to life the brilliance, delight and beauty of those glorious days of the

past, and highlight to coming generations of Muslims the importance of bringing the great mission of Islamic civilisation completely under the bannerof the People of the Sunnah and the Community. With the death of Salah ad-

Deen, one of the brightest chapters of history ended, in which human society had seen a brilliant man of the likes of Noor ad-Deen Mahmood ash-Shaheed. He had no interest in amassing wealth, he was never attracted to

power, and he never diverted from his greatest aim, which was to cleanse the Muslim lands of the Crusaders, to impose defeat upon them and make them go back whence they had come.

One of the important lessons of this book is to understand the conflict in courses of action at the time of Salah ad-Deen. There were three ventures in constant conflict and at the peak of the conflict was the Crusader mission

which had been led by the church from the time of Urban II, the Rafidi Shiite venture led by the Fatimid state in Egypt, and the true Islamic endeavour, the banner of which was carried after Noor ad-Deenby Salah ad-Deen. The core

issues on which the People of the Sunnah were focusing at the state and local levels were enhancing the Sunni identity, reviving true Islam in people's hearts, confronting and refuting the specious arguments of the Shiite and

preparing the Ummah to resist the Crusaders. These fundamental issues were interconnected and were being dealt with at the same time; the liberation of Jerusalem and defeat of the Crusaders in the battle of Hattin only came about after the Fatimid state had been quashed, both politically and militarily. It was preceded by ideological, intellectual, educational, historical and cultural victories for the Sunni madh-hab.

(( 13 ))

Those who were able to liberate Jerusalem and capture other cities, citadels and fortresses from the Crusaders were those who were distinguished by their sound Islamic mission. They understood the dangers of the endeavours of those groups that espoused esoteric interpretations alien to Islam, resisted them with complete resolve and determination. Any nation that wants to revitalize itself and rise again must revive its historical memory and learn lessons from history which may benefit it in the present and help it to plan for its future.Reading history gives the researcher, commander, leader, king or president an idea of the lives of those who went before. Awareness of history bears fruit by enabling people to change the reality of the present and plan for the future. Without this it is impossible to advance; there will never be a revival among those who do not understand or learn the laws of Allah and the lessons to be learned from history.Resurgence in general terms requires the tools of the pen and the tongue. No revival effort in history has ever succeeded without the strength of words written by pens or spoken on the tongue, expressing sincere hearts

which call for it and propagate its principles among the people. Producing useful books on this topic is essential in the world of conflict, debate and argument, which comes under the heading of the law of 'checking one set of

people by means of another'10 in ideas, beliefs, culture and methods. This comes before checking one set of people by means of another in a political or military sense. Any ambitious, expansionist political program requires beliefs and ideas to motivate it: the pen is what begets the sword, the tongue is what begets the spear and the book is what begets battalions.

The Encyclopedia of the Crusades (Mawsoo 'ah al-Huroob as-Saleebiyah) — of which as-Salajiqah wa 'Asr ad-Dawlah az-Zinkiyah (The

Seljuks and the era of the Zangid state) and this book have been published so far — answers many of the questions that have been asked locally, regionally and internationally. This era of history offers convincing historical evidence that Islam is able at any moment, when intentions are sincere, faith is true, commitment is responsible, intelligence is aware and there is understanding of the laws of revitalization and of building civilisations and states, to reclaim its leading role in forging civilisations and bringing people out from the confines of their societies to the justice of Islam.

I completed this introduction on the 15th of Sha'ban 1428/28 August 2007, at 4 pm after 'asr11 prayer. Praise be to Allah first and last. I ask Him, may He be glorified and exalted, to accept this work, open people's hearts to benefit from it and to bless it by His grace, bounty and generosity. Whatever of mercy Allah may grant to people, none can withhold it;and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter. And Heis the Almighty, the All-Wise (Qur'an 35: 2 )

Upon completion of this book I cannot but stand with a humble heart before my Almighty Creator and my most generous God, acknowledging His grace, favour and generosity, and denying any power or strength on my part, turning to Him in all my actions, in life and in death, for Allah my Creator is the most generous; my generous Lord is the only helper; my Almighty God is my only source of aid.

If He forsook me and left me to my mind and soul, and left me to the pen that is between my fingers, my mind would have become dull, my memory would have gone, my fingers would have frozen,my emotions would have dried up, my feelings would have stagnated and my pen would have failed to express anything.O my God, You know that everyone of whom I have spoken in my book had a story and a reason for me to speak of them. You know that I am eager to revive their stories as a means of supporting Your religion and to obtain thereby Your good pleasure, O Most Generous of the generous. O Allah, guide me to that which pleases You, open my heart to it, and keep me away from that which does not please You and divert it from my heart and my thinking. I ask You by Your most beautiful names and sublime attributes to make this work of mine for Your sake only and make it of benefit to Your

slaves; to reward me for every letter that I have written and place it in the scale of my good deeds, and to reward my brothers who helped me to complete this humble effort, which were it not for You, would not have been produced and propagated among people.We hope that every Muslim who reads this book will not forget in his

or her supplications its author, who is in need of the pardon, forgiveness, mercy and great pleasure of his Lord.O M y Lord! Grant me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your favours which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds that will please You, and admit me by Your Mercy to the company of Your righteous slaves.

(Qur'an 27: 19)I close this book with the words of Allah:O Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in faith, and do not put in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful.' (Qur'an 59: 10)Glory and praise be to You, O Allah, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship other than You, I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You, and

the end of our supplication is: Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.The one who is in need of the pardon, forgiveness, mercy and pleasure of his Lord.

B.Ali. M. Salabi

May Allah forgive him, his parents and all the Muslims. I would be happy to

receive readers' comments on this book and others, and I request my fellow

Muslims for pray for me in absentia and with all sincerity to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, so that we may uncover the facts and continue our efforts in the service of our Ummah's history.

(( 13 ))