Islamic Valour

Islamic Valour

1990 4 April 17 Islamic Valour (436) The battle of Hateen (1187) is a landmark in Islamic history, for it was here in north Palestine, that Salahuddin Ayyubi emerged victorious over the crusaders, thanks to his extraordinary military strategy. At that time the Muslim army numbered 18,000. While the Christian army numbered 15,000. In this war, the crusaders had large numbers of causalities. After the victory many Christian commanders were taken prisoner, including Guy de Lusignan, the King of Jerusalem and Reginald, a French general. Historians are agreed that Reginald committed several breaches of trust against Salahuddin Ayyubi.

The Encyclopaedia Britannica describes Reginald as “one of the leading figures of the crusades between 1147 and 1187, whose reckless policy in raiding Muslim Caravans during periods of truce led to the virtual destruction of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem and the loss of most of its territory.” (VIII/480)

The Historian Ibn Shaddad (1144-1234) has recorded how, when Reginald treacherously attacked a Muslim caravan in this way, his victims pleaded with him to leave them for the sake of God, as he was going against the truce arrived at between him and the Muslims. His only answer was a taunt: “Ask your Muhammad to save you! When news of this attack reached Salahuddin Ayyubi, he vowed that when God granted him victory over Reginald, he would kill him with his own hands. (AI-Nawadir AI-Sultania, p. 127)

When, after the victory, Reginald was brought before Salahuddin as a prisoner, the latter reminded him of all his acts of treason, in particular, his looting of a group of pilgrims, his denial mercy and his taunt to them to call on their Muhammad to save them. Salahuddin then drew his sword and slew him, saying, “I have taken revenge on behalf of Mohammad.”

The King of Jerusalem, Guy de Lusignan, shuddered at the swiftness of Reginald’s execution, for he thought that his fate was to be the same. But Sultan Salahuddin immediately set his mind at rest by saying. “It is not for kings to kill kings. So far as this man (Reginald) was concerned, he came to the end that he did because he had several times been found guilty of treason.”(Ibn Shaddad, AL-Nawadir Al-Sultania, p.64.)

Sultan Salahuddin summarily executed a proven traitor, but refrained from having a man who, although his enemy, had never had the perversity to commit a breach of trust.

This is Islamic Valour. The truely brave Muslim is one who knows how to make peace as well as war; who has the courage to forgive as well as punish; who knows when to take up arms and when to sheath his sword.