As Salam Alykom brothers and sisters

Taking a shift after Iftar today at work, a co worker came to check my computer and told me how hard it was for his department going through the ISO check. He told me the ISO representative remained invstigating for one whole hour until the head of the departement was really drained. Then Sobhan Allah came out with a mistake that was very hard to be found. He was astonished for this capability of finding the mistake. Sobhan Allah, I immediately remembered that this ISO representative is a critic and I told him how about the Baseer The All Seeing who is certainly aware of all whay we do and say, why aren't we preparing ourselves for the moment we are going to stand and listen to His Criticism. Although at the same time, unlike the ISO representative, Al Baseer is also the Merciful wishing for all of us to escape hell fire and just giving us every possible chance to eliminate rather than picking up mistakes Sobhna Allah.

May He allow us all to fight our nafs, shaytan and be able to escape any positions in which we may slip ameen

<b>THE CRITERION</b>

BETWEEN THE ALLIES OF THE MERCIFUL AND THE ALLIES OF THE DEVIL

BY: SHAIKH-UL-ISLAM IBN TAIMIYA (RA)

TRANSLATED BY:

Salim Abdallah Ibn Morgan

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE BENEFICENT, THE MERCIFUL

AL-FURQAN

Chapter 1

All praise is to Allah. We seek His aid, ask Him for guidance, and ask His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil which is in ourselves, and the wicked of our actions. Whoever Allah guides none can send astray, and whoever Allah sends astray, none can guide. We testify that there is no deity except Allah, alone and with no partner. And, we testify that Muhammad is His slave and messenger. He sent him with the guidance and the way of truth so that He (i.e. Allah) might make it predominate over all other ways, and Allah is sufficient as a witness. He sent him preceding the Hour (qiyama), as a bringer of good tidings, a warner, and a caller to Allah by His permission, and as a beacon light. He (Allah) guided with it those who had been lost, and gave sight to those who had been blind, gave uprightness and order to those who had been following unbridled impulse, He opened unseeing eyes, deaf ears, and sealed hearts. With it, He established the criterion for distinguishing truth from falsehood, guidance from going astray, uprightness from following of whims, the believers from the disbelievers, the joyous people of paradise and the miserable people of the fire, and the allies of Allah from His enemies. Whoever the Prophet (sas) has attested to as being among the allies of Allah, are the awliyaa' (friends or allies) of the Merciful, and whoever the Prophet has described as being among the enemies of Allah, are indeed among the enemies of Allah, and are among the awliyaa' of the shaitaan (devil).

Allah has explained in His Book, and in the Sunnah of His Prophet that He has awliyaa' among the people and that shaitaan also has his awliyaa', and He has differentiated between these two types of awliyaa'. Allah said:

[indeed, there is no fear upon the awliyaa' of Allah, nor shall they grieve, those who believe and are ever pious in their actions. To them are glad tidings in this life and in the hereafter. There is no changing the words of Allah. That, then, is the great success.] Qur'an 10/62-64

[Allah is the protector (ally) of those who believe, He takes them out of the darknesses into the light. As for the disbelievers, their allies are the taaghoot who take them out of the light and into the darknesses. Those are the people of the fire, and they will be in it forever.] Qur'an 2/257

[O, you who believe, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are allies of each other. Whoever among you puts his allegiance with them, is certainly one of them. Allah does not guide a people who oppress. And so, you see those in whose heart is sickness rushing to (make alliances with) them, saying: "We fear being caught in some unfortunate turn of events". Perhaps Allah will bring victory, or something from Him, such that they come to regret that which they hid within themselves. And the believers (will) say: "Are these the ones who swore their strongest oaths that they were with you?" Their works have been invalidated, and they have ended up in complete loss. O, you who believe, whosoever among you turns back from his way (Islam) Allah will surely bring another people whom He loves and who love Him. (They will be) humble and merciful with the believers, strong and firm with the disbelievers; they fight in the path of Allah, and do not fear the blame of those who blame. This is the grace of Allah, and He gives it to whom He wishes, and Allah is encompassing, knowing of all things. Verily, your (true) ally is Allah, His Prophet, and those who believe; those who establish the prayer, pay the zakat, and bow in prayer. Whoever puts his allegiance with Allah, His Prophet, and those who believe, the party of Allah are surely the victorious ones.] Qur'an 5/51-56

[Thereupon the only true alliance is with Allah, the Truth, that is the best in reward, and the best in final results.] Qur'an 18/44

The allies of the devil have also been mentioned in the Qur'an :

[And so, when you read the Qur'an, seek refuge in Allah from the accursed shaitaan. He has no power over those who believe and depend on their Lord. His power is only over those who give their allegiance to him and who (succumb to his urgings and) associate (partners) with Allah.] Qur'an 16/98-100

[Those who believe fight in the path of Allah, and those who disbelieve fight in the path of taaghoot, so fight the allies of shaitaan, verily, the plot of Shaitaan is weak (when confronted with true faith).] Qur'an 4/76

[And when we said to the angels: "Bow down to Adam.", they bowed down all except for Iblis. He was one of the jinn, and he rebelled against the order of his Lord. And so, do you then take him and his descendants as allies instead of me, though they are your avowed enemies? What an evil substitute for the oppressors!] Qur'an 18/50

[And whoever takes the devil as an ally instead of Allah, has brought about a very clear loss.] Qur'an 4/119

[Those to whom the people said: "The people are gathering against you, so fear them," were only increased (by that) in faith, and they said: "Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best of guardians." So, they returned with bounty from Allah and His grace. No harm touched them. They sought only Allah's pleasure, and Allah's grace is great. That is only shaitaan, he gives his allies the ability to strike fear into your hearts, so do not fear them, and fear me if you truly are believers.] Qur'an 3/173-175

[We have made the devils allies of those who do not believe; those who commit outrages and then say: "We found our predecessors on this (tradition)" ... Surely, they have taken the devils as allies instead of Allah, and they think that they are on the guidance.] Qur'an 7/27-28, and 30

[And, verily, the devils pass suggestions to their allies, so that they might dispute with you.] Qur'an 6/121

Allah narrates the statement of the prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him):

[O, my father, I fear that you may be touched by a punishment from the Merciful, and be an ally of the devil.] Qur'an 19/45

[O, you who believe, do not take my enemy and your enemy as allies toward whom you (secretly) cast your love.] Qur'an 60/1

[Our Lord, do not make us a temptation for the rejecters of faith, and forgive us, you are the mighty, the wise.] Qur'an 60/5

<b>Chapter 2</b>

Once it is known that there are among the people allies (awliyaa') of the Merciful, and allies of the devil, we must differentiate between this group and that, just as Allah and His Prophet (sas) differentiated between them. The allies of Allah are the pious believers, as Allah said:

[surely, there is no fear upon the allies of Allah, nor shall they grieve: those who believe and are pious (have taqwa).] Qur'an 10/62-63

Abu Huraira narrates in the sahih hadith found in the collection of Al-Bukhari, that the Prophet (sas) said:

"Allah ta'ala says: I have declared war on anyone who is an enemy of any of my allies. There is nothing better with which my slave can come closer to me than fulfilling all that I have made obligatory upon him. Then, my slave will continue to come closer to me be making extra efforts until I love him. When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his leg with which he walks. If he asks me, I will give him, if he seeks refuge with me, I will give him refuge. I have not hesitated in anything which I do as I hesitate in taking the soul of my believing slave. He dislikes death, and I dislike annoying him, but he must meet his death."

This is the most authenticated narration about the awliyaa' (allies) of Allah, in it, the Prophet explains that to be enemies of the allies of Allah, is to enter into warfare against Allah!

In another hadith, the Prophet (sas) says:

"I will take revenge for my allies as the revenge of a ferocious fighting lion."

i.e. He will extract revenge from those who oppose His allies as a fighting lion takes his revenge. The reason for this is that the awliyaa' (allies) of Allah are those who believe in Him, and give their full loyalty to Him. Thus, they love all that which Allah loves, hate what He hates, are pleased with what pleases Him, despise what He despises, they enjoin that which He enjoins, forbid that which He forbids, give to those whom Allah loves for them to be given, and withhold from those whom Allah loves not to receive. The Prophet said, in a hadith narrated by At-Tirmidhi and others:

"The most dependable handhold on faith is: love for the sake of Allah and hatred for the sake of Allah."

And, in another hadith, narrated by Abu Daud, the Prophet said:

"Whoever loves for Allah, hates for Allah, gives for Allah, and withholds for Allah, has sought the completion of his faith."

The word for the allies of Allah, awliyaa', singular: waliy, comes from the root wilaya. Wilaya is the opposite of enmity ('adaawa). The basic meaning of wilaya is love and closeness, while the basic meaning of 'adaawa is hatred and distance. It has also been said that the waliy (of Allah) has been called this because of his consistency (muwaalaatihi - from the same root) in obedience to Allah, but the first analysis is more correct. The waliy, therefore, is one who is close. It is said this one yaliy (the verb from the same root) that one i.e. is close to him. Another example is the statement of the Prophet:

"Give the assigned portions (i.e. of the inheritance) to their rightful owners, then that which the assigned portions leave should be given to the nearest (awlaa, the superlative from the same root we are discussing) male man."

i.e. to the man most closely related to the deceased. The redundance of the adjective "male", and the word "man" is by way of emphasis that this ruling is for male relatives only, and females are not included. Redundance is normal as a means of emphasis just as in the hadith about zakat in which the Prophet used the phrase: "a nursing male son". "A nursing son" fully describes a young male camel of a certain age range, and male is redundant and only for emphasis.

Since the waliy of Allah is the one who agrees with and follows Allah in all that he loves and accepts, hates and despises, and enjoins and forbids, it is clear why the enemy of Allah's waliy has in fact put himself in a position of enmity with Allah ta'ala. Allah said:

[Do not take my enemy and your enemy as allies (awliyaa') toward whom you (secretly) cast your love.] Qur'an 60/1

Thus, whoever bears enmity towards the allies of Allah, bears enmity towards Allah, and whoever bears enmity towards Allah is at war with Allah. This is why the Prophet (sas) said in another version of the hadith about the allies of Allah:

"Whoever bears enmity towards an ally of mine has entered into warfare with Me."

The best of Allah's allies are His prophets, and the best of His prophets are the messenger prophets, and the best of the messengers are the five known as the five firmly intentioned prophets (uluu ul-'azm): Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, 'Isa, and Muhammad, may the peace and prayers of Allah be upon them all. Allah said:

[Allah has ordained for you by way of deen that with which he counselled Nuh, that which has been revealed to you, and that with which He counselled Ibrahim, Musa, and 'Isa: to establish your deen (way) and do not become divided therein.] Qur'an 42/13

Revised to here...

[And when we took from the prophets their covenant, as we did from you, from Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, and 'Isa the son of Maryam, we took from them a mighty covenant. (This) so that the truthful may be rewarded for their truthfulness, and

He has prepared for the rejectors a painful punishment.] Qur'an 33/7-8

The best of the firmly-intentioned prophets is the Prophet Muhammad (sas), the seal of the prophets, the imam of the pious, the foremost among the sons of Adam, the imam of the prophets when they gathered (on the night of israa'), and their speaker when they came in delegations, the one of the praiseworthy position (Al-Maqaam al-mahmood) for which he will be envied by people of the early and the late generations, the possessor of the flag of praise (Al-hamd), the possessor of the pond to which believers will flock (Al-hawdh which awaits Muhammad and his followers in paradise), the Intercessor for the creation on the day of Qiyama, the owner of Al-waseela and Al-fadheela, the one with whom Allah sent the best of His books, and ordained the best laws of His deen, and made his nation the best nation brought forth for the people. Allah gathered together for Muhammad and for his followers all qualities of dignity and goodness which were divided among the previous nations, never found all at once. They are the last nation to be created, the first nation to be brought back, as the Prophet said in the sahih hadith:

"We are the last ones, the first ones on the day of Qiyama. Even though they were given the Book before us, and we were given it after them, this is their day over which they have differed (he is referring to Friday), to which Allah has guided us. The people then follow after us: tomorrow for the Jews, and the day after tomorrow for the Christians."

"I am the first one who the earth will give up."

"I will come to the door of paradise and seek entry. The guard will say: "Who are you?" When I say that I am Muhammad, he will say: "You are the one for whom I was ordered to open to no one before you."

His good qualities (sas) and those of his followers are many. From the moment he was made a Prophet, Allah made him the criterion between His allies and His enemies: none are allies (awliyaa') of Allah except one who believes in Muhammad and in that with which he was sent, and follows it openly and in secret. Whoever claims love of Allah and alliance (wilaya) with Allah but does not follow the Prophet (sas) is not one of the allies of Allah. No, whoever contradicts the Prophet is one of the enemies of Allah, one of the allies (awliyaa') of the devil (shaitaan). Allah said:

[say: If you truly love Allah, then follow me so that Allah may love you.] Qur'an 3/31

Al-Hassan Al-Basry said about this verse:

"A group of people claimed to love Allah, and so He sent down this verse as a test for them."

Allah has made clear in this verse that Allah loves whoever follows the Prophet, and whoever claims the love of Allah, but does not follow the Prophet, is not one of the allies of Allah, even though many people imagine themselves or others to be among the allies (awliyaa') of Allah while they are in no way close to or in alliance with Allah. Examples are the Jews and the Christians, who claim that they are allies of Allah, and that no one will enter paradise except one who joins them, or, they even claim that they are the sons or the beloved of Allah. Allah said:

[Then why would He punish you for your sins? No! You are nothing more than people among those who He created.] Qur'an 5/18

[And they say: "None shall enter paradise unless they be a Jew or a Christian. Those are their hopes. Say: Produce your proofs, if you speak the truth. No! Whoever submits his face to Allah, and is a doer of good has his reward with Allah; there will be no fear upon him, nor shall he grieve.] Qur'an 2/111-112

The associationist Arabs used to claim that they were the "people of Allah" because they lived in Makka near the house of Allah. This was a source of pride and arrogance for them over other people. Allah said:

[My verses used to be read to you, but you used to turn back on your heels. Arrogant with it (Ibn Abbas said about this verse: "it" here is the Ka'aba about which they used to say: "We are its people"), enjoying light talk into the night, neglecting (their true obligations to) it.] Qur'an 23/66-67

[And when the disbelievers plotted against you, to keep you in bonds, kill you, or expel you from your home; they scheme, and Allah schemes, and Allah is the best of schemers. * When our verses are read to them they say: "We have heard. If we wanted to, we could say things like this. This is nothing but tales of the ancients. * And when they said: "O, Allah, if this is the truth which comes from You, then send down on us a rain of stones from the sky, or bring us a painful punishment." * Allah is not about to punish them while you are among them, and He is not about to punish them while they (i.e. some among them) seek His forgiveness. * Yet what plea do they have that Allah should not punish them when they block people from the sacred Masjid though they are not its guardians (awliyaa'). Its guardians can only be the righteous, but most of them do not know.] Qur'an 8/30-34

Allah explains that the associationists are not his allies (awliyaa'), nor are they the guardians (awliyaa') of His house - these are only the pious in belief and action.

It has been authenticated in the books of Muslim and Bukhari on the authority of 'Amr ibn Al-'aas (May Allah be pleased with him) that he said:

"*I heard the Prophet say publicly, not in secret: "Verily, the family of so-and-so are not of my awliyaa' - referring to one group among his relatives - (Note: The word awliyaa' in Arabic means in general those who are close, beloved, or allied, and also means specifically, as we have seen those closely related by blood, i.e. relatives) My allies (awliyaa') are none other than Allah and the righteous believers."

This is the same meaning as in the verse:

[Verily Allah is his (i.e. the Prophet's) guardian (or protecting ally) and the righteous of the believers.] Qur'an 66/4

The "righteous of the believers" are all those who are righteous of the believers, and they are the believers who are pious (have taqwa), the allies of Allah. This category includes Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali, and all the people of the Oath known as bai'at-ul-Ridhwaan who took the oath under the tree. They were fourteen hundred in number, and all of them are in paradise, as is authenticated in the sahih hadith that the Prophet said:

"No one shall enter the fire among those who took the oath under the tree."

"My allies are the pious whoever they are, and wherever they are."

Some of the kuffar (disbelievers) claim to be allies (awliyaa') of Allah. They are not so, rather, they are enemies of Allah. Also, some of the hypocrites, who put on an outward display of Islam, acknowledging publicly the testimony of faith: that there is no deity other than Allah, and that Muhammad is His Prophet and messenger, and that he was sent to all of the people, no, to both humans and jinns, but they believe in their hearts things which invalidate that. Examples of beliefs which invalidate the testimony of faith:

1) One who does not truly believe that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, but believes that he was a great and respected ruler who, like other great kings, led his people based on his own intellectual efforts and opinions.

2) One who believes that Muhammad is a messenger of Allah, but not to the entire race, e.g. to the illiterate Arabs only, and not to the people who were given previous books. This is heard from many of the Jews and the Christians.

3) One who believes that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah to the whole creation generally, but that Allah has special allies (awliyaa') to whom he was not sent, and who are not in need of his message, rather, they have a way to Allah without need for the Prophet, as Al-Khidhr was with Musa in the story found in Sura Al-Kahf.

4) One who says that he can take what he needs directly from Allah and benefit from it without the need for any intermediaries or prophets.

5) One who believes that Muhammad was only sent with the "superficial" laws which he accepts, but believes that there are other hidden truths with which the Prophet (sas) was not sent, did not know, or that he is able to know them better than the Prophet, or that he can come to know them as the Prophet knew them, but not through the Prophet (sas).

Some of these people even say that the people of the Suffa (a place in the Prophet's masjid reserved for the Muslims who migrated to Madina, and had no house or other place to stay) were not in need of the Prophet, and he was not sent to them. Some of them say that Allah gave revelation to the people of the Suffa, showing them secretly that which was revealed to the Prophet on the night of the ascension, so they are equal to the Prophet in status. In their excessive ignorance, they did not even know that the ascension occurred when the Prophet was still in Makka, as Allah said:

[Glory to the one who took His slave on a journey by night from the sacred Masjid (which is in Makka!) to the farthest Masjid whose precincts we have blessed.] Qur'an 17/1

and that the people of the Suffa did not exist until after the migration of the Prophet (sas) to Madinah. The Suffa was an area in the northern parts of the Prophet's Masjid in which stayed the newcomers who had neither family nor close friends in Madinah with which they could stay. The believers used to migrate to the Prophet in Madinah; if they had some place in which to stay, they went to it, and if this was not easy for them, they stayed in the masjid until it was made easy for

them to find another place to stay.

The "people of the Suffa" were not a particular group of people who never left the Suffa. In fact, they used to decrease in number sometimes, and increase other times. A man may stay there for some time, and then move out to another location in Madinah. Those who stayed in the Suffa represented all sectors of the people, they had no particular characteristics of knowledge or religiosity. In fact among the people of the Suffa was one who turned back from Islam, and was killed by the Prophet. In sahih Bukhari, there is a story of a group of Arabs who came to Madinah during the time of the Prophet. They found difficulty with the climate of Madinah, and their health degenerated. They asked the Prophet to supply them with milk. He ordered them to go to where his camels were being tended. They went there and drank of the milk and the urine of the camels. When they regained their health, they killed the one tending the camels, stole the camels, and ran off into the desert. The Prophet (sas) sent out a party in pursuit, and when they were captured, he ordered that their eyes by cauterized by heated nails, their hands and feet were cut off without sealing the wounds, and they were left in a rocky area of Madinah, asking for water but finding no one to give them.

In this hadith, as it is found in Sahih Bukhari, it is mentioned that they had been staying in the Suffa. So, it was inhabited by people like this, and it was also inhabited by some of the best of the Muslims such as Sa'ad ibn Abi Waqqaas, he was the best of those who stayed in the Suffa, then he moved elsewhere. Abu Huraira and others also stayed in the Suffa. The scholar Abdul Rahman As-Salmi has collected a history of those who spent time in the Suffa.

As for the Ansaar, none of them were of the people of the Suffa. Likewise, the greatest of the migrators like Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, Ali, Talha, Az-Zubair, Abdul Rahman ibn 'Auf, Abi 'Ubaidah ibn Al-Jarraah, and others, none of them were ever of the people of the Suffa.

It has been narrated that a boy of Al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba stayed in the Suffa, and that the Prophet said about him: "He is one of the seven." This hadith is a forgery and a lie in the unanimous opinion of the scholars, even though it is found in the book by Abu Na'im called "Hilyat-ul-awliyaa'. Furthermore, all of the hadith which have been narrated as words of the Prophet (sas) about mysterious personages of a specific number are all false hadith, none of them has been authenticated as being the words of the Prophet. Examples of these fabrications are: that there are specific numbers of awliyaa', abdaal (substitutes), nuqabaa' (sing. naqib), nujabaa' (sing. najib), awtaad (literally: stakes), or aqtaab (sing. qutb, literally: poles), and that their number is four, seven, twelve, forty, seventy, three hundred, three hundred and thirteen, or that there is only one qutb, etc. None of this is authentic, it is all found in weak and fabricated hadith, and the first generations of Muslims never uttered these words at all except for the word abdaal.

There is a hadith narrated about the abdaal found in the collection of Imam Ahmad known as the musnad which says that they are forty in number, and that they are in Shaam. It is attributed to Ali (May Allah be pleased with him), but its chain is broken, thus it is not a sound hadith. It is well known that Ali and those companions who were with him were better than Mu'awiya, and those who were with him in Shaam (the area of Syria), so the best of all people would not have been found in the camp of Mu'awiya and not in the camp of Ali.

In a hadith found in Muslim and Bukhari, Abi Sa'eed narrates that the Prophet said:

"An element will shoot out of the deen at a time when the Muslims are divided. They will be killed by the closer of the two groups to the truth."

This element which left Islam are the khawaarij (sometimes referred to in English as the "kharijites" who left the fold of Islam when the dispute arose between the Muslims about the Caliphate of Ali. They were killed by Ali ibn Abi Talib and those with him. Thus, this sahih hadith proves clearly that Ali ibn Abi Talib was closer to the truth than Mu'awiya and those with him. How, then could the supposed abdaal be in the lesser of the two camps and not in the better of them?

Also among the lies attributed to the Prophet are what some attribute to the Prophet that when he heard a poet read:

"The serpent of lusts has bit my liver

So there is no doctor for it, nor any healer

Except for the beloved with whom it is infatuated

With him is my cure and my healing incantation"

that the Prophet (sas) was overtaken with feelings until his cloak fell from his shoulders. This story is a lie in the unanimous opinion of the scholars of hadith. An even worse lie than this is the version narrated by some which says that he tore up his cloak when he heard the poem, and that Jibreel took a piece of the torn cloak, and hung it on the 'arsh (throne) of Allah. These and other nonsense like them are of that which the people of knowledge and background in the study of the Prophet recognize as the most blatant lies against the Prophet.

Of the same type is that which has been attributed to Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "The Prophet and Abu Bakr would be talking, and I would be between them like a foreigner." This is a lie and a fabrication in the unanimous opinion of the scholars of hadith.

The point here is: that there are among those who accept the message of Muhammad generally externally, some who hold beliefs internally which invalidate their apparent acceptance of Islam, and as such are hypocrites. Such claim for themselves and for others like them that they are the allies (awliyaa') of Allah in spite of their hidden, internal kuf or rejection of that which the Prophet brought to us - either out of rebelliousness or ignorance, just as many of the Jews and Christians believe that they are the allies of Allah. They may also believe that Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah, but they say: "He was sent to other than the Jews and the Christians, and it is not obligatory upon us to follow him because we have already been sent prophets before him. All of these are disbelievers (kuffar), even though they believe that their group are allies of Allah. The allies of Allah are only those who Allah has described as possessing His wilaya:

[Verily the allies of Allah will have no fear upon them, nor shall they grieve - those who believe and have taqwa of Allah.] Qur'an 10/62-63

Belief (imaan) of necessity entails belief in Allah, His angels, His books, His Prophets, and the Last Day. The believer believes in every prophet whom Allah has sent, every book which Allah has revealed, as Allah said:

[say: We believe in Allah and in that which has been sent to us and in that which was sent to Ibrahim and Isma'il and Is-haq and Ya'qub and the Tribes, and that which was given to Musa and 'Isa and that which was given to the prophets from their Lord. We do not differentiate between any of them, and we submit to Allah. And so, if they believe in that in which you believe, they have achieved guidance, but if they turn away, they are surely in rebellion. Allah will suffice you against them, and He is the all-hearing, the all-knowing.] Qur'an 2/136-137

[The Prophet has believed in that which was sent to him from his Lord as have the believers. All of them believe in Allah, His angels, His books, and His messengers. We do not differentiate between any one of His messengers, and they say: "We hear, and we obey. Your forgiveness, our Lord, to You is the end of all things. * Allah does not emburden any soul except with that which is within his ability. To it is (the good of) what it earned, and upon it is (the bad of) what it earned. Our Lord, do not hold us responsible if we forget, or make a mistake. Our Lord, and do not put on us burdens as were placed on those who came before us. Our Lord, and do not put on us that which we have no power over. And over look for us (our sins), and forgive us, and have mercy on us, You are our Guardian and Protector, so give us victory over the people who reject faith.] Qur'an 2/285-286

[A.L.M. * This is the book in which there is no doubt, a guidance for those who are pious. * Those who believe in the unseen, establish the prayer, and spend out of what we have provided for them. * Those who believe in that which was sent down to you and that which was sent down to those before you, and have certainty of faith in the existence of the hereafter. * Such are on true guidance from their Lord, and such are the successful.] Qur'an 2/1-5

Thus, a necessary component of faith (imaan) is to believe that Muhammad (sas) is the seal of the prophets, that there is no prophet after him, and that Allah sent him to all of the two possessors of free will: humans and jinns. Anyone who has not believed in that which he brought is not a believer, much less a pious ally of (waliy) of Allah. Whoever believes in part of what he brought and rejects part is a kafir (disbeliever), and is not a believer. Allah said:

[Those who disbelieve in Allah and His prophets and seek to differentiate between Allah and His prophets, and they say: "We believe in some and we reject some" and they seek to strike a path between that. Such are the true disbelievers, and we have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating punishment. As for those who believed in Allah and his prophets, and sought not to differentiate between any of them, these Allah will give their reward, and Allah is forgiving, merciful.] Qur'an 4/150-152

Faith also includes: belief that the Prophet is the intermediary between Allah and His creation for the purpose of delivering His orders and forbiddances, His promises and threats, and the definition of the halal (allowed) and the haram (forbidden). The halal is that which Allah and His Prophet have declared halal, and the haram is that which Allah and His Prophet have made haram. The deen (way) is that which Allah and His Prophet have ordained. Thus, whoever believes that any waliy has a way to Allah without following Muhammad (sas) is a kafir, and is an ally of the devil (shaitaan).

As for Allah's creating of the creation, and his providing them with sustenance, and His answering their supplications, His guiding of their hearts, His aiding them over their enemies, and all other types of bringing about benefit, or driving away harm: all of this is from Allah alone. He does these things, and links them to whatever (observable) causes He wishes. The intermediation of Prophets does not enter into these matters.

Moreover, whatever level a person reaches in terms of asceticism, devotion, and knowledge, but without believing in the entire message brought by Muhammad (sas) can never make him a believer, nor an ally of Allah, as, for example the monks and ascetics among the scholars and worshippers of the Jews and the Christians. Also, those seeming to have knowledge and devotion among the associationists of Arabia, Turkey, or India, or others among the "sages" of India or Turkey who possess some knowledge, discipline and devotion in their religion, but are not believers in all of the message of Muhammad (sas), are all kafir (disbelievers) and enemies of Allah. This, even though many may believe them to be allies (awliyaa') of Allah. Thus, the sages of the Persian Zoroastrians are all kafir, as well as the sages of Greece such as Aristotle and those like him. They were associationists, worshipping idols and the planets. Aristotle was before 'Isa (Jesus) by three hundred years, and was a minister for Alexander son of Phillips the Macedonian, who is mentioned in the histories of Rome and Greece, as well as the histories of the Christians and the Jews. He is not, however, the same as the man named Dhu-l-Qarnain who Allah mentioned in His book, as some imagined.

Some people mistakenly thought that Aristotle was a minister for dhu-l-qarnain, when they saw that (the one found in the Western histories) was named Alexander, and the names are similar, they thought that they were one in the same man. This mistaken view has been promulgated by Ibn Seena and some others with him.

This is not the case. Rather, the associationist Alexander - for whom Aristotle was a minister lived much later than the man mentioned in the Qur'an. He never built the wall, and did not travel to the land of Juj and Ma'juj, and the history of the Alexander for which Aristotle served as minister has been recorded in the well-known histories of Rome.

Among the various types of associationists, those of the Arabs, India, Turkey, and Greece, and others are individuals who exert themselves very much in seeking knowledge, disciplining themselves and in devotions, but they do not follow the prophets, nor do they believe in the messages brought by the prophets, neither believing them in the information which they passed on from Allah ta'ala, nor obeying them in the orders they transmitted. Such people are not believers, and not allies of Allah. The devils (shayateen) attach themselves to such people, and come to them so that they amaze people with some mysterious acts. They, with the help of their shayateen can perform miraculous feats which is actually sorcery. They are nothing more than a type of sorcerer or fortune-teller upon which the shayateen descend, as Allah said:

[should I tell you upon whom the shayateen descend? They descend upon every forging sinner. They cast to them the hearing (which they "snatched" from the heavenly assembly), and most of them are liars.] Qur'an 26/221-223

All of these are associated with revealing of secrets and miraculous feats, but are not followers of the prophets. They will always, of necessity lie, and their helpers among the shayateen will also lie to them. Also, there must appear in their actions something which is sinful and corrupt. It may be some form of associationism, oppression, obscenity, or excess or innovation in worship.

Because of these transgressions, the shayateen which have attached themselves to them come to them, so they have become the allies of the devil, and are not of the allies of Allah. Allah said:

[Whoever turns away from the reminder of the Merciful, we will assign to him a devil, who will be a partner to him.] Qur'an 43/36

The "reminder of the Merciful" is the reminder with which He sent His Messenger (sas) such as the Qur'an. So, whoever does not believe in the Qur'an, in all the information contained therein, and does not believe in the obligatoriness of the orders contained therein, has turned away from it, and so is assigned a shaitaan who attaches himself to him.

Allah said:

[This is a blessed reminder which we have sent down] Qur'an 43/36

[And whoever turns away from my reminder will have an oppressive, restricted life, and we will resurrect him on the day of Qiyama blind. He said: "Lord, why have you resurrected me blind, while I used to see?" He said: "Just as my verses came to you and you forgot them, today you are forgotten."] Qur'an 20/124-126

This verse shows clearly that "my reminder" (dhikriy) here is the same thing as "my verses" (aayaatiy) which Allah sent down. Thus, even if someone mentioned Allah (which is also called dhikr in Arabic) constantly, day and night, with the utmost of self discipline, and exerted himself in constant acts of worship and devotion, but, at the same time, was not a follower of Allah's dhikr (Qur'an) which He sent down to His Prophet (sas), he would be one of the allies of the shaitaan, even if he were to fly through the air, or walk on water. The shaitaan is perfectly capable of carrying him through the air, or over the water. This has been explained more fully elsewhere.

<b>Chapter 3</b>

There are some people who have some faith (imaan), and along with it some components of hypocrisy (nifaaq), as has come in the sahih hadith on the authority of Abdullah ibn Umar that the Prophet (sas) said:

"Anyone in whom are found four things is a pure hypocrite, and if they have some degree of these things, they have that degree of hypocrisy until they change their ways: When they speak they lie, when they promise they break their promise, when they are given a trust they betray it, and when they engage in a truce they are treacherous."

And in the two books of Muslim and Bukhari on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Prophet (sas) said:

"Faith (imaan) is some seventy-odd components. The greatest of them is the pronouncement: There is no deity other than Allah, the least of them is removing something harmful from the road, and modesty is a component of faith."

From these hadith, we understand that anyone in whom are found some of these components has some degree of hypocrisy until he changes his ways.

Also in the two books of sahih, that the Prophet said to Abu Dharr, one of the best of the believers:

"You are a man in whom there is jahiliya (pre-Islamic foolishness). Abu Dharr asked: "At my age, O messenger of Allah?" The Prophet said: "Yes".

Also in a sahih hadith, the Prophet said:

"Four things are found in my nation from the affairs of the jahiliya (pre-Islamic ignorance): pride in social status or class, casting doubt on peoples family origin, weeping and wailing over the dead, and praying for water using the stars."

"The signs of the hypocrite are three: when he speaks he lies, when he promises he breaks his promise, and when he is trusted he betrays your trust." In one version of this hadith, the Prophet added: "...even if he fasts and prays and thinks that he is a Muslim."

Imam Bukhari mentioned on the authority of Ibn Abi Maleeka that he said:

"I met thirty of the companions of Muhammad (sas), every one of them fears for himself from hypocrisy."

Allah said:

[That which afflicted you on the day when the two armies met was by the permission of Allah, and that He would know the believers, and that he would know those who were hypocritical. It was said to them: "Fight in the path of Allah, or defend." They said: "If only we knew how to fight, we would follow you." They, on that day were closer to kufr than to imaan.] Qur'an 3/166-167

Allah has described the band of hypocrites on that day as being closer to disbelief than to belief. It is clear that they combine some qualities of belief and some of disbelief, and that their disbelief is stronger than their degree of belief. Others mix kufr and imaan, but the imaan is stronger than the kufr.

Since the allies of Allah are the pious (i.e. having taqwa) believers (Qur'an 10/62-64), it is clear that the degree of ones closeness to Allah (wilaya) is according to the degree of his faith (imaan) and his piety (taqwa). Thus, whoever is greater in faith and in piety, is greater in closeness of his relationship to Allah. So, people are of different degrees of closeness to Allah, in accordance to the difference in degree of their imaan and their taqwa. (Note: We are translating the word taqwa as piety for lack of a better word. Taqwa denotes both the mental state of piety, and the outward actions which may protect one from Allah's punishment, make one deserving of His mercy i.e. obedience.) In the same way, people differ in their degree of enmity to Allah ('adaawa) in accordance to their different degrees of disbelief (kufr) and hypocrisy (nifaaq). Allah said:

[And whenever another sura is sent down, some of them say: "Which of you has been increased in faith by this?" As for those who believe, it has increased them in faith, and they they look forward to good. But those in whose hearts is sickness, have only been increased by it more disease on top of their disease until they die in a state of disbelief.] Qur'an 9/124-125

[Verily An-nasee' (exchanging another month for one of the sacred months when one wishes to fight wars in the four months in which they are prohibited) is an increase in disbelief.] Qur'an 9/37

[And Allah increased those who became guided in guidance, and granted them the characteristic of taqwa.]

[in their hearts (i.e. the hypocrites) is a disease, and Allah increased them in disease.] Qur'an 2/10

In these verses, Allah explains clearly that a single individual may contain a portion of closeness (wilaya) to Allah in accordance with his degree of faith, and, at the same time, a portion of enmity ('adaawa) to Allah in accordance with his degree of disbelief and hypocrisy. Allah said:

[And those who believe increase in belief.] Qur'an 74/31

[...that they may increase in faith in addition to their faith.] Qur'an 48/4

<b>Chapter 4</b>

The allies of Allah are of two levels: forerunners, those brought near, and those of the right hand who acted in moderation. Allah has mentioned them in a number of places in His sacred Book such as in the beginning of sura number 56, and again at the end of the same sura, and in suras 76, 83, and 35. In the beginning of the sura called Al-waaqi'a (56) Allah mentioned the Greater Qiyama, and at the end of it, He mentioned the Lesser Qiyama. In the beginning of this sura, He said:

[When the inevitable event comes to pass * There will be no one to deny its reality. * Bringing (some) low, raising (others) high, * When the earth will be shaken to its depths, * And the mountains will be crushed and split, * Until they become mere floating, scattered dust. * And you become three categories * Those of the right hand, and what are those of the right hand? * And those of the left hand, and what are those of the left hand? * And the forerunners, the forerunners * They are the ones brought near, * In gardens of bliss * Many from the early generations, * And a few from the later generations.] Qur'an 56/1-14

This is the division of people at the time of the Greater Qiyama in which Allah will collect together all the people of the early and the later generations, as Allah as described in many places in His book. Then, Allah said at the end of the same sura:

[so why, then, when it (i.e. the soul of a dying person) reaches the throat * And you, at that time are looking on, * And we are closer to him than you, but you do not see * So why, if you truly are not to be held to account * Do you not call it back (i.e. stop death), if you speak the truth? * Then, if he is one of those brought near, * Then rest and complete satisfaction, and a garden of bliss. * And if he is one of those of the right hand * Then "Peace unto you" from those of the right hand * And if he is one of the deniers, those who are lost * For him is a resting place of boiling water * And the basking in a ferocious fire * Verily, this is the certain truth * So glorify the name of your Lord, the Great.] Qur'an 56/83-96

Allah said in sura number 76:

[We surely have shown him (i.e. man) the way whether (he chooses to be) grateful or ungrateful, rejecting. * Verily, we have prepared for the rejectors chains and bonds and roaring fire. * The righteous drink from a cup whose mixer is kaafuur. * (There is) a spring from which drink the slaves of Allah, they cause it to spring forth at will. * They (used to) fulfill their oaths and fear a day whose evil is widespread. * They (used to) feed others (their) food in spite of their love for it: poor people, orphans, and prisoners. * (They say) We only feed you for the pleasure of Allah, we want no reward from you nor thanks. * Verily we fear from our Lord a day long, and difficult. * So Allah protected them from the evil of that day, and will give to them a beautiful light, and joy. * And He will reward them for their patience a garden and silk.] Qur'an 76/3-12

[No! Surely the destiny of the wicked is to an oppressive prison. * And what can make you understand the reality of that prison? * A destiny which has already been set. * Woe, on that day, to the deniers * Those who deny the (existence of the) Day of Judgement. * None deny that except for every transgressor and sinner. * When our verses are read to him, he says: "Stories of the ancients!" * It is not so! Rather, the sins which they used to commit have coated their hearts (preventing them from understanding) * On that day they will be blocked from the seeing of their Lord * Then, they will enter the #### fire. * Then it will be said to them: "This is the reality which you used to deny!" * No! Surely the destiny of the righteous is to a wide and spacious place * And what can make you understand the reality of that wide and spacious place? * A destiny which has already been set. * The righteous will be in bliss * On comfortable seats, looking (i.e. at Allah) * One can recognize in their faces the brightness of bliss. * They are given to drink from sealed bottles of wine. * Drinking it leaves the smell of finest musk. For this should be the competition of those who compete. * It (the wine) is a mixture of tasneem (the finest drink of the people of paradise). * A spring with which drink those brought near.] Qur'an 83/7-28

On the authority of Ibn Abbas, and this is the statement of others of the early generations: A mixture is prepared (i.e. from the spring of tasneem) for those of the right hand, while those brought near are allowed to drink directly from the spring as they wish. It is as they said (the language also supports this interpretation). Because Allah said: "They drink with it" (yashrabu bihaa), and did not day "They drink from it" (yashrabu minhaa). This is because the word for drink in this way includes the concept of quenching of thirst. One may drink, but not necessarily completely quench his thirst. Thus, when it is said: "They drink from it", it does not denote quenching of thirst, but when it is said: "They drink with it", the meaning becomes that they fully quench their thirst and eliminate their need for drink. So those brought near totally quench their thirst with pure tasneem from the spring, and are not in need of anything else of lesser degree along with it. This is in contrast to those of the right hand for whom a mixture is prepared. This is just as Allah said also in another verse:

[its mixer is kaafuur, a spring from which the slaves of Allah drink, they cause it to spring forth at will.] Qur'an 76/5-6

The "slaves of Allah" in this verse are the same as the ones referred to as "those brought near" elsewhere. This is because rewards are of similar nature to actions, both in good and in bad, as the Prophet (sas) said:

"Whoever relieves a believer of a hardship of this life, Allah will relieve him of a hardship of the day of Qiyama. Whoever gives relief to someone in difficult (financial) straits, Allah will make it easy for him in this life and in the hereafter. Whoever conceals the fault of a Muslim, Allah will conceal for him his faults in this life and in the hereafter. And Allah is (engaged) in the aid of His slave as long as the slave is engaged in the aid of his brother. And whoever travels a road searching for knowledge, Allah will make his road to paradise easy for him. And whenever a group of people come together in one of the Houses of Allah, reciting the Qur'an and teaching it to one another, peace will descend on them, mercy will cover them, the angels will congregate in large numbers over them, and Allah will mention them to those around Him. And whoever is slow in application, Allah will not be fast in assigning its reward." (Muslim)

"The Merciful has mercy on those who are merciful. Be merciful with those on earth, so that He who is in the heavens may have mercy on you." (At-Tirmidhi said: A good, sound hadith)

"Allah says: I am the Merciful (Ar-Rahman), I created the womb (Ar-Rahm), and I derived its name from my name. So, whoever maintains its relations, I will maintain my relation with them, and whoever cuts off its relations, I will cut them off."

Examples of this type are many in the Qur'an and the Sunnah.``

The allies of Allah are of two types, as we have said: those brought near, and those of the right hand. The Prophet mentioned the actions of the two groups in the hadith of the awliyaa' (allies) saying:

"Allah ta'ala says: I have declared war on anyone who is an enemy of any of my allies. There is nothing better with which my slave can come closer to me than fulfilling all that I have made obligatory upon him. Then, my slave will continue to come closer to me be making extra efforts until I love him. When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his leg with which he walks. If he asks me, I will give him, if he seeks refuge with me, I will give him refuge. I have not hesitated in anything which I do as I hesitate in taking the soul of my believing slave. He dislikes death, and I dislike annoying him, but he must meet his death."

The righteous, those of the right hand are those who seek to come close to Allah with all that is obligatory: they do that which Allah has ordered them to do, and avoid that which Allah has forbidden them, and do not demand of themselves the doing of the commendable but less than obligatory (i.e. the mandoob), or the avoiding of some of the disrecommended of the allowed (i.e. the makrooh).

As for the forerunners, those brought near, they sought to come close to Allah with extra efforts after the obligatory. They did the obligatory and the commendable, and avoided the forbidden and the disrecommended. When they sought to come close to Him with everything within their ability of that which they love, Allah's love for them became complete, as He said (as reported by the Prophet):

"Then, my slave will continue to come closer to me by making extra efforts until I love him."

He means unqualified love, as in Allah's statement:

[Guide us to the straight path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed Your grace, not the path of those with whom You are angry, nor of those who have gone astray.] Qur'an 1/5-7

i.e. upon whom You have bestowed Your grace - Your complete and unqualified grace which has been mentioned in another aya:

[And whoever obeys Allah and His Prophet are among those upon whom Allah has bestowed His grace: the prophets and the ever-truthful, ever-believing, and the martyrs, and the righteous doers of good, and what good companions these are.] Qur'an 4/69

For those brought near, ordinary allowed actions (i.e. which are neither obligatory nor forbidden) become acts of obedience to Allah with which they come closer to Allah. Thus all of their actions are worship of Allah, and so they drink from the spring straight and pure, just as their actions were purely for Allah ta'ala. On the other hand, those who were moderate their efforts, had in their actions things that, though not forbidden, were done for their selves and in their own interest. They are neither punished nor rewarded for such actions, and they do not drink directly from the spring. Rather, a mixture is prepared for them from the drink of those brought near (mixed with lesser ingredients) according to the way they mixed their actions in this life.

Analogous to this is the division of the prophets into slave messengers and prophet kings. Allah gave Muhammad (sas) the choice between being a slave and a messenger or being a prophet and a king, and he chose the former. Prophet kings are like the Prophet Dawood, Sulaiman, and others (prayers and peace of Allah be upon them). Allah said, informing us of the statement of Sulaiman:

[My Lord, forgive me and give me a dominion which will not be allowed to anyone after me, verily You are the Giver. * And so we brought the wind under his control - it goes under his command, gently, wherever he wishes. * And also the shayateen, including every builder and diver * And others bound up in shackles. *

This is our grant, so give or withhold, no account will be asked.] Qur'an 38/35-39

i.e. give to whomever you wish, and deny whomever you wish, there is no account-taking upon you. Thus, the prophet king does what Allah orders him, avoids what Allah has forbidden, and acts freely in whatever worldly power or property he has been granted in whatever way he chooses and likes, without any sin upon him.

As for the slave messenger, he gives to no one without the order of his Lord, he cannot give whom he wishes nor can he withhold from whom he wishes. He gives to whom Allah has ordered him to give, and assigns responsibilities and powers to those whom Allah has ordered him to assign. Thus all of his actions are acts of worship to Allah ta'ala, as the Prophet (sas) himself said in the hadith found in Sahih Bukhari:

"Verily, by Allah, I give no one, and I withhold from no one. I am only a divider, I place wherever I am ordered."

For this reason, Allah has described the public properties in Islam as belonging to Allah and His Prophet, as in His statement:

[say: The spoils are Allah's and His Prophet's.] Qur'an 8/1

[That which Allah has caused to come back to His Prophet from the people of the villages is Allah's and His Prophet's.] Qur'an 59/7

[And know that one fifth of that (property) which you have captured belongs to Allah and to the Prophet] Qur'an 8/41

Thus, the clearest of the opinions of the scholars is that these properties are to be spent in any ways loved by Allah and His Prophet, according to the ijtihaad (jurisprudential effort) of the head of the Islamic state. This is the position of Imam Malik and other early scholars. It has been mentioned as the position of Imam Ahmad. It has also been said about the one-fifth portion of the spoils: It is divided into five parts (i.e. according to the five mentioned in the rest of the aya above - See Qur'an 59/7), as is the opinion of Ash-shafi'i, and the most famous opinion of Ahmad, and it has been said: it is divided into three parts, which is the opinion of Abu Hanifa.

What is intended here is that the slave messenger is superior to the prophet king, just as Ibrahim, Musa, 'Isa, and Muhammad, upon them be peace, are superior to Yusuf, Dawood, and Sulaiman, upon them be peace. In the same way, the forerunners, those brought near are superior to the righteous, those of the right hand who are not of those brought near nor forerunners. So, whoever performs all that Allah has ordered him to perform, and does of the allowed (halal) whatever he wishes, is of the second group, and whoever does everything according to what Allah loves and is pleased with, and seeks the allowed only to aid him in the performing of the obligatory, is of the first group.

to be Cont ..........

Asalam~O~Alykum

Could plz someone tell me where did section Banat A`iash's section go b/c I looked for it and I can't find it anywhere. I am not sure if my pc did that or the moderators. So can u plz fix this problem as soon as u can.

Salam~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Masriahmuslimah

as salam alykom

Suhail a month ago told me that they are told in college that Salahuddin was not a good man and that his army was badly defeated. Also Mutawkkil posted a song by Chris deburg stating the defeat of Salahuddin. I can not believe that they even distort history. So I found this article about Salahuddin

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Sultan Salahuddin Ayubi, the hero of hundreds of battles, was the person who for twenty years braved the storm of the Crusaders and ultimately pushed back the combined forces of Europe which had come to swarm the Holy Land. The world has hardly witnessed a more chivalrous and humane conqueror.

The Crusades represent the maddest and the longest war in the history of mankind, in which the storm of savage fanaticism of the Christian West burst in all its fury over western Asia.

`The Crusades form', says a Western writer, `one of the maddest episodes in history. Christianity hurled itself against Muhammadanism in expedition after expedition for nearly three centuries, until failure brought lassitude, and superstition itself was undermined by its own labour. Europe was drained of men and money, and threatened with social bankruptcy, if not with annihilation. Millions perished in battle, hunger or disease and every atrocity imagination can conceive disgraced the warrior of the Cross'.

The Christian West was excited to a mad religious frenzy by Peter the Hermit, and his followers to liberate the Holy Land from the hands of the Muslims. `Every means', says Hallam, `was used to excite an epidemical frenzy'. During the time that a Crusader bore the Cross, he was under the protection of the Church and exempted from all taxes as well as free to commit all sins.

Peter the Hermit himself led the second host of the Crusaders comprising forty thousand people. `Arriving at Mallevile, they avenged their precursors by assaulting the town, slaying seven thousand of the inhabitants, and abandoning themselves to every species of grossness and liberalism'. The savage hordes called Crusaders converted Hungary and Bulgaria into desolate regions. When they reached Asia Minor, they, according to Michaud, `committed crimes which made nature shudder'.

The third wave of the Crusaders commanded by a German monk, according to Gibbon, `were comprised of the most stupid and savage refuse of people. They mingled with their devotion a brutal licence of rape, prostitution and drunkenness'. `They forgot Constantinople and Jerusalem', says Michaud `in tumultuous scenes of debauchery, and pillage, violation and murder was everywhere left on the traces of their passage'.

The fourth horde of the Crusaders which had risen from western Europe was, according to Mill, `another herd of wild and desperate savages... The internal multitude hurried on the south in their usual career of carnage and rape'. But, at last, they were annihilated by the infuriated Hungarian Army which had a foretaste of the madness of the earlier Crusaders.

Later the Crusaders met with initial success and conquered a major part of Syria and Palestine, including the Holy city of Jerusalem. But their victories were followed by such brutalities and massacres of innocent Muslims which eclipsed the massacres of Changiz and Hulaku. Mill, a Christian historian, testifies to this massacre of the Muslim population on the fall of the Muslim town of Autioch. He writes: `The dignity of age, the helplessness of youth and the beauty of the weaker sex were disregarded by the Latin savages. Houses were no sanctuaries, and the sign of a mosque added new virulence to cruelty'. According to Michaud: `if contemporary account can be credited, all the vices of the infamous Babylon prevailed among the liberators of Scion'. The Crusaders laid waste to flourishing towns of Syria, butchered their population in cold blood and burnt to ashes the invaluable treasures of art and learning including the world famous library of Tripolis (Syria) containing more than three million volumes. `The streets ran with blood until ferocity was tired out', says Mill. `Those who were vigorous or beautiful were reserved for the slave market at Antioch, but the aged and the infirm were immolated at the altar of cruelty'.

But in the second half of the 12th century, when the Crusaders were in their greatest fury and the emperors of Germany and France and Richard, the lion-hearted king of England, had taken the field in person for the conquest of the Holy Land, the Crusaders were met by Sultan Salahuddin Ayubi, a great warrior who pushed back the surging wave of Christianity out to engulf the Holy Land. He was not able to clear the gathering storm but in him the Crusaders met a man of indomitable will and dauntless courage who could accept the challenge of the Christian West.

Salahuddin was born in 1137. He got his early training under his illustrious father Najmuddin Ayub and his chivalrous uncle Asaduddin Sherkoh, who were the trusted lieutenants of Nooruddin Mahmud, the monarch of Syria. Asaduddin Sherkoh, a great warrior general was the commander of the Syrian force, which had defeated the Crusaders both in Syria and Egypt. Sherkoh entered Egypt in 1167 to meet the challenge of the Fatamid Minister Shawer who had allied himself with the French. The marches and counter-marches of the gallant Sherkoh and his ultimate victory at Babain over the allied force, according to Michaud, `show military capacity of the highest order'. Ibni Atheer writes about it: `Never has history recorded a more extraordinary event than the rout of the Egyptian force and the French at the littoral by only a thousand cavaliers'.

On January 8, 1169 Sherkoh arrived in Cairo and was appointed as the Minister and Commander-in-Chief by the Fatimid Caliph. But Sherokh was not destined to enjoy the fruits of his high office long. He died two months later in 1169. On his death, his nephew Salahuddin Ayubi became the Prime Minister of Egypt. He soon won the hearts of the people by his liberality and justice and on the death of the Egyptian Caliph became the virtual ruler of Egypt.

In Syria too, the celebrated Nooruddin Mahmud died in 1174 and was succeeded by his eleven year old son, Malik-us-Saleh who became a tool in the hands of his courtiers, specially Gumushtagin. Salahuddin sent a message to Malik-us-Saleh offering his services and devotion. He even continued to keep his name in the `Khutaba' (Friday Sermons) and coinage. But all these considerations were of no avail for the young ruler and his ambitious courtiers. This state of affairs once more heartened the Crusaders who were kept down by the advice of Gumushtagin retired to Aleppo, leaving Damascus exposed to a Frankish attack. The Crusaders instantly laid siege to the Capital city and released it only after being paid heavy ransom. This enraged Salahuddin who hurried to Damascus with a small force and took possession of it.

After occupying Damascus, he did not enter the palace of his patron, Nooruddin Mahmud, but stayed in his father's house. The Muslims, on the other hand, were much dismayed by the activities of Malik-us-Saleh and invited him to rule over the area. But Salahuddin continued to rule on behalf of the young Malik-us-Saleh. On the death of Malik-us-Saleh in 1181-82, the authority of Salahuddin was acknowledged by all the sovereigns of western Asia.

There was a truce between the Sultan and the Franks in Palestine but, according to the French historian Michaud, `the Mussalmans respected their pledged faith, whilst the Christians gave the signal of a new war'. Contrary to the terms of the truce, the Christian ruler Renaud or Reginald of Chatillon attacked a Muslim caravan passing by his castle, massacred a large number of people and looted their property. The Sultan was now free to act. By a skilful manoeuvre, Salahuddin entrapped the powerful enemy forces near the hill of Hittin in 1187 and routed them with heavy loses. The Sultan did allow the Christians to recover and rapidly followed up his victory of Hittin. In a remarkably short time, he reoccupied a large number of cities which were in possession of the Christians including Nablus, Jericho, Ramlah, Caesarea, Arsuf, Jaffa and Beirut. Ascalon, too, submitted after a short siege and was granted generous terms by the kind-hearted Sultan.

The Sultan now turned his attention to Jerusalem which contained more than sixty thousand Crusaders. The Christians, could not withstand the onslaught of the Sultan's forces and capitulated in 1187. The humanity of the Sultan towards the defeated Christians of Jerusalem procures an unpleasant contrast to the massacre of the Muslims in Jerusalem when conquered by the Christians about ninety years before.

According to the French historian Michaud, on the conquest of Jerusalem by the Christians in 1099 `the Muslims were massacred in the streets and in the houses. Jerusalem had no refuge for the vanquished. Some fled from death by precipitating themselves from the ramparts; others crowded for shelter into the palaces, the towers and above all, in the mosques where they could not conceal themselves from the Christians. The Crusaders, masters of the Mosque of Umar, where the Muslims defended themselves for sometime, renewed their deplorable scenes which disgraced the conquest of Titus. The infantry and the cavalry rushed pell-mell among the fugitives. Amid the most horrid tumult, nothing was heard but the groans and cries of death; the victors trod over heaps of corpses in pursuing those who vainly attempted to escape. Raymond d'Agiles who was an eye-witness, says :that under the portico of the mosque, the blood was knee-deep, and reached the horses' bridles.'

There was a short lull in the act of slaughter when the Crusaders assembled to offer their thanksgiving prayer for the victory they had achieved. But soon it was renewed with great ferocity. `All the captives', says Michaud, `whom the lassitude of carnage had at first spared, all those who had been saved in the hope of rich ransom, were butchered in cold blood. The Muslims were forced to throw themselves from the tops of towers and houses; they were burnt alive; they were dragged from their subterranean retreats, they were hauled to the public places, and immolated on piles of the dead. Neither the tears of women nor the cries of little children--- not even the sight of the place where Jesus Christ forgave his executioners, could mollify the victors' passion... The carnage lasted for a week. The few who escaped were reduced to horrible servitude'.

Another Christian historian, Mill adds: `It was resolved that no pity should be shown to the Mussalmans. The subjugated people were, therefore, dragged into the public places, and slain as victims. Women with children at their breast, girls and boys, all were slaughtered. The squares, the streets and even the un-inhabited places of Jerusalem, were strewn with the dead bodies of men and women, and the mangled limbs of children. No heart melted in compassion, or expanded into benevolence'.

These are the graphic accounts of the massacre of the Muslims in Jerusalem about ninety years before the reoccupation of the Holy city by Sultan Salahuddin in which more than seventy thousand Muslims perished.

On the other hand, when the Sultan captured Jerusalem in 1187, he gave free pardon to the Christians living in the city. Only the combatants were asked to leave the city on payment of a nominal ransom. In most of the cases, the Sultan provided the ransom money from his own pocket and even provided them transport. A number of weeping Christian women carrying their children in their arms approached the Sultan and said `You see us on foot, the wives, mothers and daughters of the warriors who are your prisoners; we are quitting forever this country; they aided us in our lives, in losing them we lose our last hope; if you give them to us, they can alleviate our miseries and we shall not be without support on earth'. The Sultan was highly moved with their appeal and set free their men. Those who left the city were allowed to carry all their bag and baggage. The humane and benevolent behaviour of the Sultan with the defeated Christians of Jerusalem provides a striking contrast to the butchery of the Muslims in this city at the hands of the Crusaders ninety years before. The commanders under the Sultan vied with each other in showing mercy to the defeated Crusaders.

The Christian refugees of Jerusalem were not given refuge by the cities ruled by the Christians. `Many of the Christians who left Jerusalem', says Mill, `went to Antioch but Bohemond not only denied them hospitality, but even stripped them. They marched into the Muslims country, and were well received'. Michaud gives a long account of the Christian inhumanity to the Christian refugees of Jerusalem. Tripoli shut its gates on them and, according to Michaud, `one woman, urged by despair, cast her infant into the sea, cursing the Christians who refused them succour'. But the Sultan was very considerate towards the defeated Christians. Respecting their feelings, he did not enter the city of Jerusalem until the Crusaders had left.

From Jerusalem, the Sultan marched upon Tyre, where the ungrateful Crusaders pardoned by Sultan in Jerusalem had organized to meet him. The Sultan captured a number of towns held by the Crusaders on the sea coast, including Laodicea, Jabala, Saihun, Becas, Bozair and Derbersak. The Sultan had set free Guy de Luginan on the promise that he would instantly leave for Europe. But, as soon as this ungrateful Christian Knight got freedom, he broke his pledged word and collecting a large army, laid siege to Ptolemais.

The fall of Jerusalem into the hands of the Muslims threw Christendom into violent commotion and reinforcements began to pour in from all parts of Europe. The Emperors of Germany and France as well as Richard, the Lion-hearted, king of England, hurried with large armies to seize the Holy Land from the Muslims. They laid siege to Acre which lasted for several months. In several open combats against the Sultan,, the Crusaders were routed with terrible losses.

The Sultan had now to face the combined might of Europe. Incessant reinforcements continued pouring in for the Crusaders and despite their heavy slaughter in combats against the Sultan, their number continued increasing. The besieged Muslims of Acre, who held on so long against the flower of the European army and who had been crippled with famine at last capitulated on the solemn promise that none would be killed and that they would pay 2,000,000 pieces of gold to the chiefs of the Crusaders. There was some delay in the payment of the ransom when the Lion-hearted king of England butchered the helpless Muslims in cold blood within the sight of their brethren.

This act of the king of England infuriated the Sultan. He vowed to avenge the blood of the innocent Muslims. Along the 150 miles of coastlines, in eleven Homeric battles, the Sultan inflicted heavy losses on the Christian forces.

At the last the Lion-hearted king of England sued for peace, which was accepted by the Sultan. He had found facing him a man of indomitable will and boundless energy and had realized the futility of continuing the struggle against such a person. In September 1192, peace was concluded and the Crusaders left the Holy Land with bag and baggage, bound for their homes in Europe.

`Thus ended the third Crusade', writes Michaud, `in which the combined forces of the west could not gain more than the capture of Acre and the destruction of Ascaion. In it, Germany lost one of its greatest emperors and the flower of its army. More than six lakh Crusaders landed in front of Acre and hardly one lakh returned to their homes. Europe has more reasons to wail on the outcome of this Crusade as in it had participated the best armies of Europe. The flower of Western chivalry which Europe was proud of had fought in these wars'.

The Sultan devoted the rest of his life to public welfare activities and built hospitals, schools, colleges and mosques all over his dominion.

But he was not destined to live long to enjoy the fruits of peace. A few months later, he died on March 4, 1193 at Damascus. `The day of his death' says a Muslim writer, `was for Islam and the Mussalmans, a misfortune such as they never suffered since they were deprived of the first four Caliphs. The palace, the empire, and the world was overwhelmed with grief, the whole city was plunged in sorrow, and followed his bier weeping and crying'.

Thus died Sultan Salahuddin, one of the most humane and chivalrous monarchs in the annals of mankind. In him, nature had very harmoniously blended the benevolent and merciful heart of a Muslim with a matchless military genius. The messenger who took the news of his death to Baghdad brought the Sultan's coat of mail, his horse one dinar and 36 dirhams which was all the property he had left. His contemporaries and other historians are unanimous in acknowledging Salahuddin as a tender-hearted, kind, patient, affable person--- a friend of the learned and the virtuous whom he treated with utmost respect and beneficence. `In Europe', says Phillip K. Hitti, `he touched the fancy of the English minstrels as well as the modern novelists and is still considered the paragon of chivalry'.

Salahuddin’s Conquest of Jerusalem

Hadia Dajani-Shakeel. "Some Medieval Accounts of Salah al-Din's Recovery of Jerusalem (Al-Quds)"

in Hisham Nashabe (ed) Studia Palaestina: Studies in honour of Constantine K. Zurayk, Institute for Palestine Studies, Beirut 1988.

Introduction

" If God blesses us by enabling us to drive His enemies out of Jerusalem, how fortunate and happy we would be! For the enemy has controlled Jerusalem for ninety-one years, during which time God has received nothing from us here in the way of adoration. At the same time, the zeal of the Muslim rulers to deliver it languished. Time passed, and so did many [in different] generations, while the Franks succeeded in rooting themselves strongly there. Now God has reserved the merit of its recovery for one house, the house of the sons of Ayyub, in order to unite all hearts in appreciation of its members."

Salah al-Din

This statement not only sums up Salah al-Din's attitude towards Jerusalem but also embodies what the Arabs and the Muslims of the area keenly felt. That the liberation of Jerusalem had always been the ultimate goal of Salah al-Din (d. A.H. 589/A.D. 1193), as it had been that of his predecessor Nur al-Din Zangi (d. A.H. 569/A.D. 1174), is a historical fact for which evidence is abundant. Interruptions in Salah al-Din's progress towards achieving this goal may have led some historians to minimize his quest for the recovery of the city, but, in our judgment, this is a misreading of history.

The accounts of the actual capture of Jerusalem are varied with respect to the perspective from which they were written and the details they give. However, despite some discrepancies, they cohere and complement one another. Our concern in this article will be mainly with the different aspects of Salah al-Din's recovery of Jerusalem: the military, the demographic, and the ideological. We will thus focus on the following topics:

• I. Jerusalem Between July and September 1187

• II. Salah al-Din's Attack

• III. The Surrender of Jerusalem

• IV. The Latin Exodus

• V. The Fate of the Native Christians

• VI. The Muslim Response to the Liberation of Jerusalem.

The Arabic accounts give us general information about Salah al- Din's attack on Jerusalem, but they fail to identify the exact locations of some of his battles and other important information about the Latins in the city, as well as about Salah al-Din's contacts with the Arab-Christian community in Jerusalem. In order to complete this picture we will utilize the chronicle of Ernoul (Chroniquc d'Er- noul). Ernoul (d. A.D. 1230) was the squire of Balian of Ibelin, the Latin leader who negotiated the surrender of Jerusalem to Salah al- Din. He was an eyewitness to the battle of Jerusalem and provides insight into what was happening within the walled city,.

There is some measure of coherence among the Arabic accounts as well as between the Arabic accounts and Ernoul's account. The consistency of these accounts itself supports their claim to authenticity. In addition to the medieval accounts, we will also use, wherever possible, modern sources that have utilized accounts in Latin.

Jerusalem Between July and September 1187

Salah al-Din's decisive victory at Hittin on Saturday, 24 Rabi' al- Thani, A.H. 583/4 July, A.D. 1187 opened the way for him to reconquer the rest of Palestine. Thus, within a period of two months, from July to September, he recovered all the inland cities and fortresses except Jerusalem, al-Karak, and al-Shawbak in Transjordan, as well as some fortresses in the north, like Kawkab (Belvoir) and Safad. He also recovered all major ports between 'Asqalan and Jubayl except Tyre.2 In so doing, he cleared the land route between Egypt and Palestine for the movement of his troops and established his fleet in the Mediterranean between Alexandria and Acre. His fleet went into action immediately (Jumada al-Thani, A.H. 583/September, A.D. 1187) and blocked the movement of European ships in the area under its control.

Jerusalem, the capital of the Latin kingdom, had suffered a great loss of manpower as a result of Hittin. Among those captured or killed were the king, Gui of Lusignan; his counsellors; his brother Amaury, the constable of the kingdom; the grand masters of the Templars and the Hospitallers, and a large number of the knights of these two military orders. The only surviving leaders, who fled the battle to safety through Muslim lines, were Raymond of Tripoli, Reynold of Sidon, and Balian of Ibelin (referred to in Arabic sources as Balian Ibn Barzan). These men had enjoyed friendly relations with Salah al-Din and were suspected by the Latins of complicity with him. Of the three, the most important for our discussion is Balian.

While Salah al-Din mopped up Crusader strongholds in Palestine after the battle of Hittin, Jerusalem was placed under a temporary government, with Queen Sybil, wife of Gui of Lusignan, as the ruler along with Heraclius, the controversial and unpopular patriarch. The city faced many problems. In addition to the loss of most of its male population, it suffered from a shortage of food because the battle of Hittin had occurred at harvest time and, accordingly, the crops were lost.

The shortage of food and supplies became more acute as refugees poured into Jerusalem from most of the areas surrounding it. Some of these refugees must have gone to Jerusalem seeking shelter within its walls, while others presumably went to defend the city, just as native Palestinians had done ninety years earlier. The city, which could accommodate a population of about 30,000, became the residence of about 60,000 persons, according to estimates of Arab chroniclers. As Runciman indicates, there were fifty women and children for every man. Refugees so crowded the streets, the churches, and the houses that the walled city could hardly accommodate them. According to Ibn al-Athir's somewhat exaggerated description, when Salah al-Din's forces approached the city, "they saw on the wall a terrifying crowd of men and heard an uproar of voices coming from the people inside the wall, which led them to infer that a large population was assembled there.''

Faced with all these problems, Jerusalem could not have resisted an attack by Salah al-Din for very long. Realizing this, its authorities tried to establish contact with Salah al-Din to discuss the future of the city. We have two different accounts of their efforts.

The first, by Abu Shamah, who quotes al-Qadisi, indicates that Salah al-Din had said in a letter to a relative that the sovereign of Jerusalem (Malik al-Quds) had contacted him during his attack on Tyre (Jumada al-Thani, A.H. 583/August, A.D. 1187) to ask for safe conduct (aman), and that Salah al-Din had responded, "I will come to you in Jerusalem." According to al-Qadisi, the astrologers informed Salah al-Din that the stars indicated he would enter Jerusalem but that he would lose one eye. To this Salah al-Din responded, "I would not mind losing my sight if I took the city." Only the siege of Tyre prevented him from going to Jerusalem.

The second account is by Emoul, the Latin chronicler who was in Jerusalem during Salah al-Din's invasion of the Latin kingdom, and it provides details that do not appear in the Arabic sources. Ernoul indicates that a delegation of citizens from Jerusalem went to see Salah al-Din on the day he took 'Asqalan (Jumada al-Thani, A.H. 583/September, A.D. 1187) to ask for a peaceful solution for Jerusalem. On the day of the meeting there was an eclipse of the sun, which the Latin delegates considered to be a bad omen. Never- theless, Salah al-Din offered them generous terms for the city: They were to be allowed to remain in the city temporarily, they were to retain the land within a radius of five leagues around it, and they were to receive the supplies they needed from Salah al-Din. The settlement was to remain valid until Pentecost. If the citizens of Jerusalem could obtain external help, they would remain rulers of the city; if not, they were to surrender it and remove themselves to Christian lands.

According to Ernoul, the delegation rejected this offer, saying they would never give up the city in which "the Lord died for them." Salah al-Din then vowed to take Jerusalem by force and started his march against the city.

It seems most probable that there was more than one contact between Salah al-Din and the authorities in Jerusalem, the first being in Tyre. 'Imad al-Din informs us that while at Tyre Salah al-Din summoned King Gui and the grand master of the Templars and promised both of them freedom if they helped him secure the surrender of other cities. These two did in fact later help him to secure the surrender of 'Asqalan and Gaza. Salah al-Din may at the same time also have contacted Balian of Ibelin, who was already in Tyre, and asked him to secure the surrender of Jerusalem. Ernoul mentions that while Salah al-Din was in Tyre, Balian sought his permission to go to Jerusalem in order to rescue his wife, Maria Comnena, as well as other members of his family and their possessions. Salah al-Din granted him permission to go to Jerusalem on the condition that he not bear weapons against him and that he spend only one night there.

In so doing, Salah al-Din must have hoped to use Balian as his chief negotiator for the surrender of Jerusalem. Balian ultimately did negotiate the surrender of the city, but only after he had broken his agreement with Salah al-Din and played a dramatic role in its defence.

After arriving in Jerusalem, Balian was pressed by the patriarch to remain there and to mobilize the population for its defence. At first Balian resisted, insisting that he would adhere 10 his commitment to Salah al-Din. But at the insistence ol the patriarch, who absolved him of his oath, Balian finally consented to accept the leadership of the city. His rank among the Latins was, according to Ibn al-Athir, analogous to that of a king.

Balian began immediately to consolidate the Latin forces and plan the defence of the city. According to Latin sources, he found only two knights in the city who had survived Hittin. Thus, to make up for the shortage of male fighters, he knighted fifty sons of the nobility. According to Runciman, he knighted every boy of noble origin who was over sixteen years of age; he also knighted sixty burgesses. Since money was scarce, Balian, with the blessing of the Patriarch Heraclius, stripped the silver from the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and used it, along with some church funds and money that King Henry II of England had sent to the Hospitallers, to produce a currency. He then distributed arms to every able-bodied man in the city.

As the undisputed ruler of Jerusalem, Balian is most likely to have contacted Salah al-Din once again regarding Jerusalem at 'Asqa- lan. According to Latin sources, Balian wrote him at 'Asqalan to apologize for having broken his agreement and to ask his forgiveness, which Salah al-Din gave.2

No one knows the nature of the secret correspondence between the two leaders, but the terms that Ernoul alleges Salah al-Din to have proposed, regarding the fate of Jerusalem, seem doubtful. Salah al-Din was by then well aware that Jerusalem would not be able to hold out against him for long, especially since he had isolated it almost completely. Nor would he have allowed a situation to develop in Jerusalem such as that in Tyre, which had become the centre of resistance against his forces. Furthermore, even before the capture of 'Asqalan, Salah al-Din had written to the caliph and to other relatives announcing his intention to capture the city. In one letter he stated, "The march to Jerusalem will not be delayed, for this is precisely the right time to liberate it." Ernoul's account need not be taken as a contradiction of other accounts. Moreover, although it raises many questions, one cannot discount it. Hence, it seems quite likely that a Latin delegation went to 'Asqalan proposing the kind of terms that Ernoul attributed to Salah al-Din, that Salah al-Din rejected them, and that the authorities in Jerusalem began their preparations for the defence of the city.

Salah al-Din's Attack

After capturing 'Asqalan on 16 Jumada al-Thani, A.H. 583!5 September, A.D. 1187 and arranging for its administration and settlement, Salah al-Din summoned all his forces, which were then dispersed along the coast between 'Asqalan and Jubayl. They joined him, according to Ibn Shaddad, "after having fulfiled their desires in pillaging and raiding," and he then marched on Jerusalem, "entrusting his affairs to God and anxious to profit by the opportunity of finding the door of righteousness opened." Salah al-Din marched in a great procession accompanied by his knights, sons, brothers, mamlukes, commanders, and friends in "squadrons ranked according to their merit, in platoons drawn up in solemn cavalcades . . . with yellow flags that signalled disaster to the Banu al-Asfar."

As they were approaching Jerusalem, however, the vanguard of the army, unaware of the presence of Latin scouts, was ambushed near al-Qubeiba and sustained heavy losses. Ibn al-Athir, who mentions this incident without indicating its location, notes that one of Salah al-Din's commanders, an amir, was killed along with some of his men. This incident grieved Muslims greatly.

Upon reaching Jerusalem Salah al-Din enquired about the location of al-Aqsa mosque and the shortest route to it, "which is also the shortest route to Heaven." As 'Imad al-Din reports, he swore to bring back to the sacred shrines their old grandeur and vowed not to leave Jerusalem until he had recovered the Dome of the Rock, "from which the Prophet had set foot," raised his flag on its highest point, and visited it personally.

According to Arabic sources, Salah al-Din arrived from 'Asqalan at the western side of the city on Sunday, 15 Rajab, A.H. 583/21 September, A.D. 1187, although, according to Ernoul, he arrived on Thursday evening, 12 Rajab, A.H. 583/18 September, A.D. 1187. The next day, Ernoul says, Salah al-Din ranged his forces opposite the western wall of Jerusalem, where he subsequently started his attack. Arabic chroniclers do not tell us the exact location of Salah al-Din's forces in the first few days of combat, but Ernoul states that they were stationed opposite the western wall between David's Gate (Bab al-Khalil) and St. Stephen's Gate (Bab al-'Amud). More specifically, they were facing the hospital for leper women behind David's Gate and that for leper men near St. Stephen's Gate.

The western side of the city was well fortified because of its geographical location. Al-Qadi al-Fadil describes it as follows:

" From this side of the city, where he [salah al-Din j had encamped, he saw a deep valley, a precipice rugged and profound, with a wall which encircled the city like a bracelet, and towers which represented the larger pearls of the necklace worn by that place of residence."

This location was extremely difficult for Salah al-Din's army, or any other, to attack, for it enclosed two towers. The first was David's Tower (al-Qal'a), which was impregnable, and the second was Tancred's Tower. According to a twelfth-century Latin pilgrim, David's Tower contained two hundred steps leading to the summit and formed the main defence of the city. It was very heavily guarded in times of both peace and war. During the confrontation with Salah al-Din most of the Latin fighters were stationed in David's Tower. This same citadel had been attacked by Raymond of Toulouse, ninety years before Salah al-Din, and had been taken from its defenders only after they had surrendered.

This part of the western wall gave the Latins other advantages as well. According to Ernoul, they had the sun to their backs, while Salah al-Din's forces were facing it. This fact determined to some extent the pattern of battle, for the Latins attacked the forces of Salah al-Din in the morning, trying to push them away from the walls, while Salah al-Din's forces attacked the Latins in the afternoon and continued the fight until nightfall.

The Latins had the upper hand at first. Writing of some of the battles between the two sides, 'Imad al-Din hints at the courage of the enemy:

"They challenged [us I to combat and barred the pass. They came down into the lists like enernies. They slaughtered and drew blood. They blazed with fury and defended the city .... They drove us back and defended themselves. They became inflamed and caused us harm, groaned, incited, and called for help in a foreign tongue.... They clustered together and obstinately stood their ground. They made themselves a target for arrows and called on death to stand by them. They said: "Each one of us is worth 20, and every ten is worth 200! We shall bring about the end of the world in defence of the church of resurrection." So the battle continued, as well as slaughter with spear and sword."

Ernoul provides additional details of the battle at the western wall. He says that Salah al-Din had at first warned the authorities in Jerusalem and asked them to surrender, but they had rejected his request because they were very well armed and fortified. Salah al-Din then ordered his troops to attack the city. They tried to reach the gates several times but failed. The Latins, in turn, tried to make sorties but were repulsed.

As the fighting raged, Salah al-Din travelled around the city in an attempt to find a more suitable location for his attack. After one week, according to Ernoul, or five days, according to the Arab chroniclers -- he decided to reposition his forces. Abandoning their old encampment between David's Gate and St. Stephen's Gate his troops camped in a triangular area at the northeastern corner of the city, where, Ernoul tells us, they were facing the area between the Postern of St. Mary Magdalen (Bab al-Sahira) and the Gate of Jehoshafat (Bab al-Asbat). According to al-Qadi al-Fadil, this area was more accessible and better suited to the movement of cavalry. Salah al-Din pitched his tent very close to the city walls so that it could be reached easily by the weapons of the enemy.

The new location, on the Mount of Olives (Jabal al-Zaytun), was quite high, according to Ernoul, so that from it Salah al-Din was able to watch the movement of the Latin forces insidc the city walls, except in those streets that were covered. Furthermore, in this location Salah al-Din's forces had their backs to the sun, while the Latins were facing its glare.

In addition, a demographic factor made it more favourable to Salah al-Din. The northern triangular section of the city, which extended between St. Stephen's Gate and the Gate of Jehoshafat and which was known in medieval times as the Juiverie, enclosed the quarters of the native Christians. Often referred to in medieval chronicles as 'Syrians," they formed the most underprivileged community in Jerusalem under Latin rule and were despised by their Latin neighbours. Medieval Latin pilgrims placed them at the bottom of the demographic scale next to Muslims, or "Saracens."

The native Christians were more inclined towards Salah al-Din than towards the Latins. For besides their hostile relations with the Latins and their linguistic and ethnic identification with the Arabs of the area, they were also influenced by the Greek Orthodox Church in Byzantium. Byzantium at this time was an ally of Salah al-Din. The Emperor Isaac II Angelus had confirmed an agreement with Salah al-Din in A.D.1185, according to which Salah al-Din offered to convert existing Latin churches in the Holy Land to the Christian rite once they had been recovered.

Once in Jerusalem, Salah al-Din seems to have contacted the leaders of the native Christian community through an Orthodox Christian scholar from Jerusalem, known as Joseph Batit. Batit, as Runciman says, had even secured a promise from the leaders of the community that they would open the gates of the city in the vicinity of Salah al-Din, but this did not take place because the R Latins decided to surrender the city.

On Friday, 20 Rajab, A.H. 583/25 September, A.D. 1187, Salah al-Din set up his mangonels and started his attack on the city. Ibn Shaddad gives a brief account of the battle, stating only that Salah al-Din pressed his attack on the city in hand-to-hand combat and through the use of archers, until a breach was made in the wall facing the Jehoshafat Valley (Wadi Jahannam) in a northern villagc. Realizing the inevitability of their defeat, the besieged Latins decided to ask for safe conduct and thus sent messengers to Salah al-Din to ask for a settlement. An agreement was soon reached.

Ibn al-Athir's account of the battle is more detailed. According to him, on the night of 20 Rajab, A.H. 53/25 September, A.D. 1187 Salah al-Din installed his mangonels, and by morning his machinery was functional. The Latins also installed their mangonels on the wall and started to fire their catapults. Both sides fought bravely, each considering its struggle to bc in defence of its faith. The Latin cavalry left the city daily to engage in combat with Salah al-Din's forces, and both sustained casualties.

In one of these battles a Muslim commander, 'Izz al-Din 'Isa Ibn Malik, was martyred by the Latins. His death so grieved the Muslims that they charged the Latins vehemently, forcing them away from their positions and pushing them back into the walls of the city. The Muslims crossed the moat and reached the wall. Sappers prepared to destroy it while archers gave them cover, and mangonels continued bombarding the Latins to drive them away from the wall so the sappers could complete their work. When the wall had been breached, sappers filled it with wood.

Realizing that they were on the verge of perishing, the Latin leaders met in council and agreed to surrender Jerusalem to Salah al-Din and to ask him for safe conduct. Accordingly, they sent a delegation of their leaders to speak with Salah al-Din, but he turned them away, saying that he would treat them the way their anccstors had treated the residents of Jerusalem in A.H. 492/A.D. 1099, by death and captivity. On the following day, Balian Ibn Barzan (Balian of Ibelin) left Jerusalem to discuss the future of the city and its population with Salah al-Din.

Al-Qadi al-Fadil gives us an account that differs slightly from that of Ibn al-Athir. According to him, the authorities in Jerusalem first sent a message to Salah al-Din offering to pay tribute for a limited period. This was only a delaying tactic until they could secure external help, however, and Salah al-Din, perceiving their intentions, rejected the offer and positioned his mangonels closer to the wal1.

According to al-Qadi al-Fadil, the fire from the mangonels destroyed the tops of the towers, "which were used to repel the attacks." When they collapsed, "the towers made such a noise that even the deafest among the enemy must have heard it." The defenders thus had to abandon their positions, giving the sappers a chance to accomplish their task. When the wall fell, Balian Ibn Barzan, the leader of the besieged, left the city and told Salah al-Din that Jerusalem should be taken by surrender rather than by force.

Before discussing the negotiations between Salah al-Din and Balian, we shall present the viewpoint of the Latin chroniclers, which supplements the Arabic accounts.

Although Ernoul and the author of Libellus agree with the Arabic accounts, they give us more details about the last stages of the war and the resulting negotiations. Ernoul says that the battle at the northeastern corner of the city lasted one week. The author of Libellus notes that Salah al-Din divided his forces, using 10,000 archers or more, "well armed down to their heels," to shoot at the walls. At the same time, according to Ernoul, about 10,000 horsemen, armed with lances and bows, waited between St. Stephen's Gate and the Gate of Jehoshafat to repulse any sortie by the Latin garrison, while the rest of his army was deployed around the siege engines.

] When Salah al-Din's forces breached the wall, the defenders tried to drive them "away with stones and molten lead, as well as with arrows and spears," but they failed. They attempted a sortie, but this too failed. Sappers in Salah al-Din's army succeeded in making a breach, about thirty metres in length, in the wall, which was sapped in two days. After that, the defenders fled the walls: "In the whole city there was not found a man bold enough to dare stand guard for a single night for a 100-bezant reward."

The author of Libellus states that he personally heard a proclamation by the patriarch and others indicating that "if 50 strong men and daring servants were found who could guard the corner that had been destroyed for that one night, they would be given all the arms they wanted, but they were not to be found."

The breach in the wall was in the same spot from which the first Crusaders had entered the city in 1099. When the wall fell, the great cross that had been installed there to celebrate the capture of Jerusalem by the Latins in that year also fell.

The Surrender of Jerusalem

Ernoul informs us that, realizing they could not hold the city for very long, the authorities in Jerusalem held an emergency meeting, attended by the Patriarch Heraclius and Balian of Ibelin, at which they discussed their military options. The citizens' representatives and the sergeants advanced a proposal for a massive attack on Salah al-Din's forces, thus "dying honourably in defence of the city."

The patriarch rejected this proposal, however, arguing that if all the men died, the fate of the women and children in the city would be left in the hands of the Muslim forces, who would certainly convert them to Islam. He proposed instead that the city should be surrendered, and he promised that after surrendering it, the Latins would seek help from Europe. The authorities accordingly agreed, and hence dispatched Balian to discuss the terms of the surrender with Salah al-Din. According to Ernoul, Balian left the city to negotiate with Salah al-Din, and, while the talks were in progress, the Muslim forces succeeded in raising their flag on the main wall. Rejoicing, Salah al-Din turned to Balian and asked: "Why are you proposing to surrender the city? We have already captured it!" However, the Latins counter-attacked Salah al-Din's forces, driving them away from the section they had captured. Salah al-Din was so angered by this that he dismissed Balian and told him to return the following day.

When Balian returned to the city without an agreement, fear gripped the population. According to Ernoul, the citizens "crowded in the churches to pray and confess their sins, [they] beat themselves with stones and scourges, begging for God's mercy." The Latin women in the city placed tubs in front of Mount Calvary and filled them with cold water, then took their young daughters, stripped them naked, and placed them in the water up to their necks. They cut their hair and burned it in the hope of averting their shame. Meanwhile, the clergy walked in procession around the walls of the city chanting psalms and carrying the Syrian "true cross," which had been kept in the city after the "true cross" of the Latins had fallen into the hands of Salah al-Din's forces at the battle of Hittin. Ernoul reports that the entire population took part in the procession, except for the very old men, who locked themselves inside their homes.

When Balian appeared again before Salah al-Din, he asked for a general amnesty in return for the surrender of the city, but Salah al-Din rejected his request. Balian then threatened that the Latins inside the city would fight to the death: They would burn their houses, destroy the Dome of the Rock, uproot the Rock, and kill all Muslim prisoners, who were estimated to number in the thousands; they would destroy their property and kill their women and children. According to al-Qadi al-Fadil, Balian also "offered a tribute in an amount that even the most covetous could not have hoped for."

Salah al-Din met with his commanders and told them that this was an excellent opportunity to capture the city without further bloodshed. After lengthy negotiations, an agreement was reached between Salah al-Din and the Latins according to which they were granted safe conduct to leave the city, provided that each male paid a ransom of ten dinars, each female paid five dinars, and each child was ransomed for two dinars. All those who paid their ransom within forty days were allowed to leave the city, while those who could not ransom themselves were to be enslaved.

'Imad al-Din indicates that Balian offered to pay 30,000 dinars on behalf of the poor, an offer that was accepted, and the city was at last surrendered on Friday, 27 Rajab, A.H. 583/2 October, A.D. 1187. The twenty-seventh of Rajab was the anniversary of al-Mi'raj, through which Jerusalem had become a part of Islamic history and piety . When Salah al-Din entered Jerusalem triumphantly, he immediately released the Muslim prisoners, who, according to Ibn Shaddad, numbered close to 3,ooo. The newly released captives were later rewarded with the homes vacated by the Latins.

Meanwhile, the Latins started to prepare for their departure. They began to sell their property and possessions at very low prices to the merchants in Salah al-Din's army, as well as to native Christians. According to 'Imad al-Din, they stripped the ornaments from their churches, carrying with them vases of gold and silver and silk- and gold-embroidered curtains as well as church treasures. The Patriarch Heraclius collected and carried away gold plating, gold and silver jewelry, and other arteacts from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

In order to control the departing population, Salah al-Din ordered that all the gates of Jerusalem be temporarily closed. At each gate a commander was appointed to control the movement of the Latins and to ensure that only those who had paid ransom could leave. Persons were employed inside the city to take a census. 'Imad al- Din says that Egyptian and Syrian officers were appointed to collect the payments and to give the departing Latins receipts that were to be submitted at the gate before leaving the city. Although this sounds like good administration, at the time the Latins were being counted and were making their departure, the city was in a state of chaos and there was much mismanagement of the ransom money collected. The grand masters of the Templars and Hospitallers were approached to donate money for the release of poor Latins, but when they resisted, a riot almost erupted and they were forced to contribute to the ransom.

There were examples of magnanimity on the part of the Muslim victors, however. The patriarch and Balian asked Salah al-Din to set some slaves free. Accordingly, he freed 700 slaves on behalf of the patriarch and 500 on behalf of Balian. Al-Malik al-'Adil, Salah al-Din's brother, asked him to release 1,000 slaves on his behalf and was granted his request. Furthermore, Salah al-Din sent his guard throughout the city to announce that all old people who could not pay would be allowed to leave the city: These came forth from the Postern of St. Lazar, and their departure lasted from the rising of the sun until night fell." Salah al-Din also allowed many noble women of Jerusalem to leave without ransom. Among them was Queen Sibyl, who left unhindered with all her entourage. Salah al-Din even granted her safe conduct to visit her captive husband in Nablus. The widow of Renaud of Chatillon was also released, as well as a Byzantine princess who had led a monastic life in Jerusalem and who was allowed to leave with all her entourage without paying a ransom. Some of Salah al-Din's commanders ransomed groups who they claimed belonged to their iqta' For example, the ruler of al-Bira asked for the release of 500 Armenians, and Muzaffar al-Din Ibn 'Ali Kuchuk asked for the release of 1,000, claiming that they had come from Edessa. Salah al-Din granted his request.

After the exodus of all those Latins who could leave, 15,000 individuals remained in the city. According to Imad al-Din, 7,000 of them were men and 8,000 were women and children. All were enslaved.

'Imad al-Din was amazed at the amount of treasure that had been carried away by the departing Latins. He reports having told Salah al-Din that these treasures could be valued at 200,000 dinars. He reminded him that his agreement with the Latins was for safe conduct (arnan) for themselves and their own property, but not for that of the churches, and he counselled that such treasures should not be left in Latin hands. But Salah al-Din rejected his proposal:

"If we interpret the treaty [now] against their interest, they will accuse us of treachery, although they are unaware of the real meaning of the treaty. Let us deal with them according to the wording of the treaty so they may not accuse the believers of breaking the covenant. Instead, they will talk of the favours that we have bestowed upon them."

Certainly Salah al-Din's magnanimity towards the Latins contrasts sharply with the attitude of the victorious Crusaders in 1099.

Emoul, by now a Latin refugee, indicated that the ransomed refugees were assembled in three groups. One was placed in the custody of the Templars and another in that of the Hospitallers, while Balian and Patriarch Heraclius took charge of the third. Salah al-Din assigned each group fifty of his officers to ensure their safe arrival in territories held by the Christians. One chronicler gives Salah al-Din's officers credit for their humane treatment of thc refugees, noting that these officers,

" who could not endure the suffenng of the refugees, ordered their squires to dismount and set aged Christans upon their steeds. Some of them even carried Chnstian children in their arms."

The refugees departed in three directions. One group went to Tyre, which was already overcrowded. Accordingly, the authorities there allowed only fighting men to enter the city.

The second group, accompanied by those turned away from Tyre, went to Tripoli, though not before they had suffered at the hands of other Latins. Near al-Batrun, a local baron known as Raymond of Niphin robbed them of many of their possessions. When they reached Tripoli, only the rich among them were allowed into the city. Ernoul states, in apparent shock, that Count Raymond of Tripoli sent his troops to rob the burghers of the possessions they had been allowed to take from Jerusalem. The remaining refugees continued their journey to Antioch, where some of them settled, while others went on to Armenia.

The third group headed for 'Asqalan and then to Alexandria. According to Emoul, they were treated hospitably in Egypt and remained in Alexandria until March 1188, when they were put on ships for Europe. The captains of Genoese, Pisan, and Venetian ships at first resisted boarding 1,000 poor refugees, but they were later obliged by Alexandrian officials to accept these destitutes in order to obtain sailing permits. Assurances were also secured of good treatment of the refugees on the part of the Italians by means of the threat that if they did not keep their promises, their fellow citizens would suffer in retaliation once they had arrived in Egypt. "Thus did the Saracens show mercy to the fallen city," says Lane-Pool. "One recalls the savage conquest by the first Crusaders in 1099, when Godfrey and Tancred rode through the streets choked with the dead and dying."

If the taking of Jerusalem were the only fact known about Salah al-Din, it would be sufficient to prove him the most chivalrous and great-hearted conqueror of his own, and perhaps of any, age.

The Fate of the Native Christians

'Imad al-Din indicates that, after paying their ransom, the native Christians requested Salah al-Din's permission to remain in their quarters in safety. Salah al-Din granted their request, provided that they paid the poll tax (jizya). Some members of the Armenian community also asked to stay in the city and were allowed to do so, provided that they also paid the tax. Many of the poor from both groups were exempted. Rich Christians bought much of the property of the departing Latins, as has been mentioned above. Salah al-Din allowed them to pray freely in their churches, and he handed over control of Christian affairs to the Byzantine patriarch.

'Imad al-Din notes that at first Salah al-Din ordered the closure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Its future was discussed, and some even advised that it should be demolished in order to sever completely the attachment of the Christians to Jerusalem. However, a majority of the Muslims rejected the idea. They argued that demolishing the church would not help, for it would not prevent Christians from visiting it. According to 'Imad al-Din:

" Those who come to visit it come to worship at the location of the cross and the sepulchre rather than at the building itself. Christians will never stop making pilgrimages to this location, even if it has been totally uprooted."

Those who spoke in favour of preserving the Church of the Holy Sepulchre even suggested that when the Caliph 'Umar conquered Jerusalem, he confirmed the right of Christians to the church and gave no orders to demolish the building.

When the Byzantine emperor received the news of Salah al-Din's victory in Jerusalem, he asked him to restore the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to the Greek Orthodox Christians, a request that Salah al-Din granted. The Latins, however, were not allowed into Jerusalem for four years. In September 1192 the knights of the Third Crusade were allowed into the city as pilgrims to pray at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. When Hubert, Bishop of Salisbury, met with Salah al-Din, he was granted permission to have four Latin monks in the church.

The Muslim Response to the Liberation of Jerusalem

Salah al-Din's recovery of Jerusalem concluded a lengthy campaign of military activity and ideological preparation, which had begun at a slow pace early in the twelfth century, and became a massive liberation movement focusing on Jerusalem as its rallying symbol during the regimes of Nur al-Din and Salah al-Din.

When the first Crusaders entered Syria in A.H. 49l/A.D. 1097, the first scholars to raise their voices in condemnation of the passiveness of the Muslim rulers, and to warn of the potentially disastrous consequences of the Crusade, were in Damascus. Among them was 'Ali Ibn Tahir al-Sulami (d. A.H. 5OIIAD 1106). Al-Sulami wrote one of the earliest treatises on the jihad in response to the Crusade.

Al-Sulami defined the Crusade as an invasion by Western nations, which started with the conquest of Sicily and parts of al-Andalus. These same nations, having encountered the weakness of the Muslims in the West and heard reports about their disunity in the East, marched against the East, while their ultimate goal was the conquest of Jerusalem. This definition of the Crusades by al-Sulami appears to have escaped many modern historians, who allege that the Muslims underestimated the nature and motives of the Crusade in the twelfth century.

Al-Sulami, who preached in Damascus until his death, interpreted the Crusade as a divine warning to test the willingness of the Muslims to refrain from committing acts that God forbade and to unde take the duty of jihad, which they had neglected. He warned his contemporaries that if they did not act immediately, while the enemy was still weak and far from his sources of supply, they would not be able to uproot him.

In his preaching al-Sulami provided his contemporaries with a new definition of jihad that, although derived to a great extent from the Islamic theory of war, was aimed at the confrontation with the Crusaders. According to him:

" The early jurists emphasized the offensive Jihad, or the Jihad against enemies in countries that are nearby or remote. However, if an enemy attacks the Muslims, as this enemy [the Crusaders] has done, then pursuing him in areas that he has conquered from us [an allusion to those parts of Syria and Palestine then held by the Crusaders] is a just war aimed at protecting lives, children, and families and at preserving those parts that are still under our control."

Al-Sulami, who established the theoretical foundations of the Countercrusade, did not live long enough to see the results of his teachings. However, he sowed the seeds of national and religious renaissance, which passed from one generation of scholars to another. These scholars, who included Syrian, Palestinian, Egyptian, Baghdadi, Andalusian, and even non-Arab Muslims - among whom the most outspoken was 'Imad al-Din al-lsfahani - passed the torch of the liberation of Jerusalem and other occupied terrltories in Syria and Palestine to Salah al-Din, who grew up and flourished in the same environment. The result of the long ideological campaign was manifested in the popular response to Salah al-Din's successes in Palestine, especially after the battle of Hittin. According to Ibn Shaddad, "Knowing that Salah al-Din was marching on Jerusalem, people had flocked from Syria and Egypt to join him in his battle,'' hoping thereby to earn a spiritual reward. Every famous person from Egypt and Syria witnessed the liberation, so that when Salah al-Din entered the city he was surrounded by scholars, jurists, and poets as well as by crowds of civilians and members of the military.

The initial response to the recovery was euphoric: "People raised their voices in praise of God, expressing their gratitude and devotion to Him for having granted them the long-awaited victory.''

Salah al-Din celebrated this great historical moment by receiving the crowds who had gone to congratulate him. He sat most humbly and graciously amongst the men of religion and scholars.

'Imad al-Din, who witnessed this gathering, described it as follows:

"The sultan sat with his face gleaming with happiness. His seat looked as if it were surrounded by the halo of the moon. Around him readers of the Qur'an were reading the words of guidance and commenting; the poets were standing, reciting and seeking favours; while the flags were being unfolded in order to be raised and the pens were being sharpened in order to convey the good tidings. Eyes were filled with tears of joy while hearts were humbled in devotion to God and in joy for the victory."

The initial euphoria of the victory was followed by a busy week during which Salah al-Din, his relatives, and his entourage worked earnestly to restore al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock to their original Islamic character in preparation for the following Friday congregation (4 Sha'ban, A.H. 583/9 October, A.D. 1187). This task was rather difficult because they had to demolish many structures that the Latins had introduced into both buildings as well as in the area between them, al-Haram al-Sharif. Ibn al-Athir and 'Imad al-Din state that the Templars had built some residences to the west of al-Aqsa mosque, which they had equipped with grain storage and latrines, and they had included a part of al-Aqsa in their buildings. Salah al-Din had these structures cleared away and ordered the niche (mihrab) of al-Aqsa purified.

In fact, it seems that the Latins had made more changes in this area of Jerusalem than Ibn al-Athir and 'Imad al-Din indicate. One Latin pilgrim, Theoderich, who visited the Holy Land around A.D. 1172, refers to al-Aqsa mosque as the Palace of Solomon (others refer to it as the Temple of Solomon), as it was known to the Latins and to Europeans in general. He says it was in the hands of the Templars,

" who dwell in it and in the other buildings connected with it, havng many magazines of arms, clothing, and food in it. They have below them stables for horses built by King Solomon himself in the days of old; adjoining the palace a wondrous and intricate building resting on piers and containing an endless complication of arches and vaults, which stables, we declare, according to our reckoning, could take in 10,000 horses with their grooms."

Another pilgrim, John of Wurzburg, who visited the Holy Land some time between A.D. 1160 and A.D. 1170, confirms Theoderich's account. However, he refers to the stables as having the capacity to hold 2,000 horses or 1,500 camels. These stables were at the southeast corner of the Haram area. John of Wurzburg also refers to the foundations of a large new church, which was not yet finished.

All the columns that had been installed by the Latins were removed, according to 'Imad al-Din, and the floors were carpeted with precious carpets instead of woven and straw mats. A pulpit that had been prepared by Nur al-Din for the occasion was installed. Ibn al-Athir described it as a unique piece of art that was made over a period of several years by specialists in woodcraft in Aleppo. This pulpit was unfortunately burned soon after the Israeli occupation of the city.

The Dome of the Rock also suffered from desecration by the Crusaders, who, according to 'Imad al-Din, had built a church and an altar on top of the Rock and decorated both with images and statues. They had also built residences there and erected a small dome on the "footprint," which they ornamented with gold and marble.

'Imad al-Din and others do not give us a very clear picture of the changes that the Crusaders had made in the Dome of the Rock. To get a clearer picture of the Dome at the time of the Crusaders, and to see what changes Salah al-Din introduced, we have to look again at the detailed account of the Latin pilgrim Theoderich, referred to earlier. The Dome of the Rock was known to the Latins as the Temple of the Lord. All the Latins' additions were removed and arrangements were made to replace some missing pieces from the Dome of the Rock that had been taken by the early Crusaders and sold as relics in European markets for very high prices.

The Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa mosque were purified with large quantities of water and rose water and perfumed with incense. Even Taqi al-Din 'Umar and other relatives of Salah al-Din participated in the purification in the hope of gaining spiritual reward, according to 'Imad al-Din.

When this was done, the first Friday prayer took place in al-Aqsa mosque on 4 Sha'ban, A.H. 583/9 October, A.D. 1187. Muhyi al-Din Ibn al-Zaki addressed the first audience in al-Aqsa eloquently, explaining the place of Jerusalem in Muslim history and piety. In so doing, he echoed many of the ideas that had been preached throughout the twelfth century by the scholars and jurists during the period of the city's loss to

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#6 is missing the 2nd part.

In the Name of Allah and in Him we seek assistance, and the praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. "Glory be to You, we have no knowledge except what you have taught us. Verily, it is You, the All-Knower, the All-Wise." Quran 2: 32 (. Al-Baqarah) and peace and prayer be upon Mohamed the messenger. As we cite in our work from the Quran a lot, we saw that it could be of major help to our non Muslim members to present (with Allah’s will) a research on the validity of the Noble Quran and Prophecy of Mohamed (SAW). Of course in this research we will not be able to cover or identify all the points of relevance. Since no human being is able to make a comprehensive research on any given point raised regarding the Quran. We just try to initiate a study which could serve as a springboard for everybody to embark on more detailed work.

In the following I’ll quote several verses of the Holy Quran and keep the comment until the end:

“O Messenger (Muhammad SAW)! Proclaim (the Message) which has been sent down to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you have not conveyed His Message. Allah will protect you from mankind. Verily, Allah guides not the people

who disbelieve” Quran 5. 67 (Al-Mâ'idah).

“It is He Who has sent down the Book (the Qur'ân) to you (Muhammad SAW) with truth, confirming what came before it.

And he sent down the Taurât (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)” Quran 3: 3 (آl-'Imrân)

Allah also stresses the humanity of the prophet by saying:

“Say (O Muhammad SAW): "I possess no power of benefit or hurt to myself except as Allah wills. If I had the knowledge of the Ghaib (unseen), I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings unto people who believe." Quran 7.188(Al-A'râf).

“Muhammad (SAW) is no more than a Messenger, and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away before him. If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels (as disbelievers)? And he who turns back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah, and Allah will give reward to those who are grateful” Quran 3: 144 (آl-'Imrân)

“Verily, you (O Muhammad SAW) will die and verily, they (too) will die.” Quran39:30 (Az-Zumar).

“And We granted not to any human being immortality before you (O Muhammad SAW), then if you die, would they live forever?” Quran 21: 34 (Al-Anbiyâ').

In the following a number of verses that contain blame and instructions:

“Verily, they were about to tempt you away from that which We have revealed (the Qur'ân) unto you (O Muhammad SAW), to fabricate something other than it against Us, and then they would certainly have taken you a friend! And had We not made you stand firm, you would nearly have inclined to them a little. In that case, We would have made you taste a double portion (of punishment) in this life and a double portion (of punishment) after death. And then you would have found none to help you against Us.” Quran 17 :73-75 (Al-Isrâ').

“That this is verily the word of an honoured Messenger [i.e. Jibrael (Gabriel) or Muhammad SAW which he has brought from Allah]. It is not the word of a poet; little is that you believe! Nor is it the word of a soothsayer (or a foreteller), little is that you remember! This is the Revelation sent down from the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists). And if he (Muhammad SAW) had forged a false saying concerning Us (Allah swt), We surely should have seized him by his right hand (or with power and might), And then certainly should have cut off his life artery (Aorta), And none of you could withhold Us from (punishing) him” Quran 69:40-47 (Al-Hâqqah).

“The Prophet (Peace be upon him)) frowned and turned away, because there came to him the blind man (i.e. 'Abdullâh bin Umm-Maktûm, who came to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) while he was preaching to one or some of the Quraish chiefs).

But what could tell you that per chance he might become pure (from sins)? Or that he might receive admonition, and that the admonition might Prophet him? As for him who thinks himself self-sufficient, To him you attend; What does it matter to you if he will not become pure (from disbelief, you are only a Messenger, your duty is to convey the Message of Allah). But as to him who came to you running. And is afraid (of Allah and His Punishment), Of him you are neglectful and divert your attention to another, Nay, (do not do like this), indeed it (these Verses of this Qur'ân) are an admonition” Quran 80: 1-11 ('Abasa)

“And never say of anything, "I shall do such and such thing tomorrow." Except (with the saying), "If Allah will!" And remember your Lord when you forget and say: "It may be that my Lord guides me unto a nearer way of truth than this." Quran 18: 23-24 (Al-Kahf)

“And they ask you (O Muhammad SAW) concerning the Rûh (the Spirit); Say: "The Rûh (the Spirit): it is one of the things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little." Quran 17: 85 (Al-Isrâ')

With a simple analysis of the last two verses, considering the occasion of their revelation, you will find that Jewish rabbis decided to challenge Prophet Mohamed’s (prayer and peace be upon him) position in order to verify whether or not he was the last messenger mentioned in their Torah. They urged people from Quraish to carry three questions, which he had to answer. They asked him about the soul, and a group of men who took refuge in a cave due to their faith during the reign of a tyrant king, and Dhul-Qarnain (One who has two horns). He very confidently told them that he would provide a reply the next day being sure that he will receive the correct answer down by Gabriel. However, opposite to his expectation Allah gave him a lesson for not referring the action to Allah’s will and the revelation stopped for about 15 days. That is when people of Quraish (his tribe) who refused to follow him said that Mohamed’s God abandoned him (now they admitted that God is there). At that time the following verses were revealed “By the forenoon (after sun-rise); And by the night when it is still (or darkens); Your Lord (O Muhammad (Peace be upon him) has neither forsaken you nor hated you” Quran 93: 1-3 (Ad-Duha) along with the verse 18:23-24 and then the explanation of the soul included in 17: 85 (Al-Isrâ').

Even when he provided an answer about the soul he did not explain but rather admitted that no one has this knowledge except Allah. If Quran were from his composition, at least he would have tried to forge an explanation in order to prove full knowledge. Furthermore, Quran affirmed that mankind has but less knowledge. While the reply about the other two points (men of the cave and Dhul-Qarnain) were included in Surat Al –Kahf which will be mentioned later.

“Do they not then consider the Qur'ân carefully? Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much contradictions” Quran 4: 82 (An-Nisâ')

“So perchance you (Muhammad SAW) may give up a part of what is revealed unto you, and that your breast feels straitened for it because they say, "Why has not a treasure been sent down unto him, or an angel has come with him?"

But you are only a warner. And Allah is a Wakîl (Disposer of affairs, Trustee, Guardian, etc.) over all things” Quran11:12 (Hûd).

From the above-mentioned verses one could conclude that Prophet Mohamed (prayer and peace be upon him) did not call for personal credit or glory. He was instructed by Allah to declare himself as a messenger who possesses no special power or authority. Quran also confirmed that his duty is restricted on transmitting the message as exactly received. In the verses under the blame and instructions paragraph, Allah addresses the prophet in a very strong and threatening language which if the Quran was the Prophet’s creation would have avoided in order to shadow himself as God as some people in the West claim. Also in Surat Abasa the verse narrates a certain occasion due to which Allah blamed the prophet SAW. Prophet Mohamed (SAW) did not wish to attain personal credit or at least he would have skipped such situation and similar others in which Allah seriously blamed or instructed him.

Quran included several stories from the past as well as numerous future incidents. Neither of them the Prophet (SAW) had any knowledge about. As an example of the future incidents:

“And We said to the Children of Israel after him: "Dwell in the land, then, when the final and the last promise comes near [i.e. the Day of Resurrection or the descent of Christ ['Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary) on the earth]. We shall bring you altogether as mixed crowd (gathered out of various nations).[Tafsir Al-Qurtubî, Vol. 10, Page 338]” Quran 17: 104 Al-Isrâ'. This presents the current situation-taking place in Israel when the Jews from all over the world began to immigrate last of Which Russian immigrant number million landed in Israel. How could Mohamed (SAW) expect this in details.

“The Romans have been defeated. In the nearer land (Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and Palestine), and they, after their defeat, will be victorious. Within three to nine years. The decision of the matter, before and after (these events) is only with Allah, (before the defeat of Romans by the Persians, and after, i.e. the defeat of the Persians by the Romans). And on that Day, the believers (i.e. Muslims) will rejoice (at the victory given by Allah to the Romans against the Persians),With the help of Allah, He helps whom He wills, and He is the All_Mighty, the Most Merciful” Quran30: 2-5 Ar_Rûm

So Quran foretold two incidents one which took place after 6 years while the other after almost 1420 years.

“O assembly of jinn and men! If you have power to pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, then pass (them)! But you will never be able to pass them, except with authority (from Allah)!” Quran 55: 33 (Ar-Rahmân).

This is an indication for the space discovery included in the Holy Quran 1420 years ago.

“Thereafter We made him (the offspring of Adam) as a Nutfah (mixed drops of the male and female sexual discharge) (and lodged it) in a safe lodging (womb of the woman).Then We made the Nutfah into a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood), then We made the clot into a little lump of flesh, then We made out of that little lump of flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, and then We brought it forth as another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators” Quran 23:14 (Al-Mu'minûn).

In this the development of an embryo is clearly described as discovered by modern scientists.

While in Surat (Al-Masad) “Perish the two hands of Abû Lahab (an uncle of the Prophet), and perish he! His wealth and his children (etc.) will not benefit him!

He will be burnt in a Fire of blazing flames! And his wife too, who carries wood (thorns of Sadan which she used to put on the way of the Prophet (Peace be upon him), or use to slander him) .In her neck is a twisted rope of Masad (palm fiber)” Quran111.

How could the prophet (SAW) predict that his uncle will continue to be a non- believer even after the revelation of this Surat? It did not occur to Abu Lahab even to try and prove the falsification of Mohamed’s (SAW) religion by declaring himself as a Moslem in order to nullify the Surat.

Stories from the past were also included; taking in consideration that Mohamed (SAW) was illiterate and never attended teachings with any scholar. I can incorporate numerous verses, however, only a sample will be presented:

“Do you think that the people of the Cave and the Inscription (the news or the names of the people of the Cave) were a wonder among Our Signs? (Remember) when the young men fled for refuge (from their disbelieving folk) to the Cave, they said: "Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Yourself, and facilitate for us our affair in the right way! Therefore We covered up their (sense of) hearing (causing them, to go in deep sleep) in the Cave for a number of years.

Then We raised them up (from their sleep), that We might test which of the two parties was best at calculating the time period that they had tarried.

We narrate unto you (O Muhammad SAW) their story with truth: Truly! They were young men who believed in their Lord (Allah), and We increased them in guidance.

And We made their hearts firm and strong (with the light of Faith in Allah and bestowed upon them patience to bear the separation of their kith and kin and dwellings, etc.) when they stood up and said: "Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens

and the earth, never shall we call upon any ilâh (god) other than Him; if we did, we should indeed have uttered an enormity in disbelief.

These our people have taken for worship âliha (gods) other than Him (Allah). Why do they not bring for them a clear authority? And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah.

(The young men said to one another): "And when you withdraw from them, and that which they worship, except Allah, then seek refuge in the Cave, your Lord will open a way for you from His Mercy and will make easy for you your affair (i.e. will give you what you will need of provision, dwelling, etc.)."

And you might have seen the sun, when it rose, declining to the right from their Cave, and when it set, turning away from them to the left, while they lay in the midst of the Cave. That is (one) of the Ayât (proofs, evidences, signs) of Allah. He whom Allah guides, is rightly guided; but he whom He sends astray, for him you will find no Walî (guiding friend) to lead him (to the right Path). And you would have thought them awake, while they were asleep. And We turned them on their right and on their left sides, and their dog stretching forth his two forelegs at the entrance [of the Cave or in the space near to the entrance of the Cave (as a guard at the gate)]. Had you looked at them, you would certainly have turned back from them in flight, and would certainly have been filled with awe of them.

Likewise, We awakened them (from their long deep sleep) that they might question one another. A speaker from among them said: "How long have you stayed (here)?" They said: "We have stayed (perhaps) a day or part of a day." They said: "Your Lord (Alone) knows best how long you have stayed (here). So send one of you with this silver coin of yours to the town, and let him find out which is the good lawful food, and bring some of that to you. And let him be careful and let no man know of you.

"For if they come to know of you, they will stone you (to death or abuse and harm you) or turn you back to their religion, and in that case you will never be successful." And thus We made their case known to the people, that they might know that the Promise of Allah is true, and that there can be no doubt about the Hour. (Remember) when they (the people of the city) disputed among themselves about their case, they said: "Construct a building over them, their Lord knows best about them," (then) those who won their point said (most probably the disbelievers): "We verily shall build a place of worship over them." (Some) say they were three, the dog being the fourth among them; (others) say they were five, the dog being the sixth, guessing at the unseen; (yet others) say they were seven, the dog being the eighth. Say (O Muhammad SAW): "My Lord knows best their number; none knows them but a few." So debate not (about their number, etc.) except with the clear proof (which We have revealed to you). And consult not any of them (people of the Scripture, Jews and Christians) about (the affair of) the people of the Cave. And never say of anything, "I shall do such and such thing tomorrow." Except (with the saying), "If Allah will!" And remember your Lord when you forget and say: "It may be that my Lord guides me unto a nearer way of truth than this." And they stayed in their Cave three hundred (solar) years, and add nine (for lunar years).

Say: "Allah knows best how long they stayed. With Him is (the knowledge of) the unseen of the heavens and the earth. How clearly He sees, and hears (everything)! They have no Walî (Helper, Disposer of affairs, Protector, etc.) other than Him, and He makes none to share in His Decision and His Rule." Quran18: 9-26 (Al-Kahf).

“And they ask you about Dhul-Qarnain. Say: "I shall recite to you something of his story. Verily, We established him in the earth, and We gave him the means of everything. So he followed a way. Until, when he reached the setting place of the sun, he found it setting in a spring of black muddy (or hot) water. And he found near it a people. We (Allah) said (by inspiration): "O Dhul-Qarnain! Either you punish them, or treat them with kindness." He said: "As for him (a disbeliever in the Oneness of Allah) who does wrong, we shall punish him; and then he will be brought back unto his Lord; Who will punish him with a terrible torment (Hell). "But as for him who believes (in Allah's Oneness) and works righteousness, he shall have the best reward, (Paradise), and we (Dhul-Qarnain) shall speak unto him mild words (as instructions)." Then he followed another way, Until, when he came to the rising place of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We (Allah) had provided no shelter against the sun. So (it was)! And We knew all about him (Dhul-Qarnain).

Then he followed (another) way, Until, when he reached between two mountains, he found, before (near) them (those two mountains), a people who scarcely understood a word.

They said: "O Dhul-Qarnain! Verily! Ya'jûj and Ma'jûj (Gog and Magog)[] are doing great mischief in the land. Shall we then pay you a tribute in order that you might erect a barrier between us and them?" He said: "That (wealth, authority and power) in which my Lord had established me is better (than your tribute). So help me with strength (of men), I will erect between you and them a barrier. "Give me pieces (blocks) of iron," then, when he had filled up the gap between the two mountain-cliffs, he said: "Blow”, till when he had made it (red as) fire, he said: "Bring me molten copper to pour over it."

So they [Ya'jûj and Ma'jûj (Gog and Magog)] were made powerless to scale it or dig through it. Dhul-Qarnain) said: "This is a mercy from my Lord, but when the Promise of my Lord comes, He shall level it down to the ground. And the Promise of my Lord is ever true." Quran 18: 83-98 (Al – Kahf).

Conclusion:

“Neither did you (O Muhammad SAW) read any book before it (this Qur'ân), nor did you write any book (whatsoever) with your right hand. In that case, indeed, the followers of falsehood might have doubted”. Quran 29:48 (Al-'Ankabût)

“They (the Jews, Quraish pagans, idolaters, etc.) did not estimate Allâh with an estimation due to Him when they said: "Nothing did Allâh send down to any human being (by inspiration)." Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Who then sent down the Book which Mûsa (Moses) brought, a light and a guidance to mankind which you (the Jews) have made into (separate) papersheets, disclosing (some of it) and concealing (much). And you (believers in Allâh and His Messenger Muhammad SAW), were taught (through the Qur'ân) that which neither you nor your fathers knew." Say: "Allâh (sent it down)." Then leave them to play in their vain discussions” Quran 6: 91 (Al-An'âm).

Praise be to Allah and Prayer and peace be upon His Messenger Mohamed

Salam Alaikum . I have problem with suqun (jazm) of Lam by writing this...وَ ا ْلعَصْر

This dzamma should be over the letter lam and not right of Lam. For example the suqun (jazm) at letter sad is ok...I hope you understand me...Please need urgend help....Wassalam

السلام عليكم

ادعية القران الكريم

مرتبة حسب ترتيب المصحف الشريف

الرقم الاول هو رقم السورة والرقم الثانى هو رقم الاية

ربنا تقبل منا انك انت السميع العليم (2/127)

وتب علينا انك انت التواب الرحيم (2/128)

ربنا اتنا في الدنيا حسنة وفي الاخرة حسنة وقنا عذاب النار (2/201)

ربنا افرغ علينا صبرا وثبت اقدامنا وانصرنا على القوم الكافرين (2/250)

ربنا لا تؤاخذنا ان نسينا او اخطانا (2/286)

ربنا ولا تحمل علينا اصرا كما حملته على الذين من قبلنا (2/286)

ربنا ولا تحملنا ما لا طاقة لنا به واعف عنا واغفر لنا وارحمنا انت مولانا فانصرنا على القوم الكافرين (2/286)

ربنا لا تزغ قلوبنا بعد اذ هديتنا وهب لنا من لدنك رحمة انك انت الوهاب (3/8)

ربنا انك جامع الناس ليوم لا ريب فيه ان الله لا يخلف الميعاد (3/9)

ربنا اننا امنا فاغفر لنا ذنوبنا وقنا عذاب النار (3/16)

اللهم مالك الملك تؤتي الملك من تشاء وتنزع الملك ممن تشاء وتعز من تشاء وتذل من تشاء بيدك الخير انك على كل شيء قدير (3/27)

تولج الليل في النهار وتولج النهار في الليل وتخرج الحي من الميت وتخرج الميت من الحي وترزق من تشاء بغير حساب (3/27)

رب هب لي من لدنك ذرية طيبة انك سميع الدعاء (3/38)

ربنا امنا بما انزلت واتبعنا الرسول فاكتبنا مع الشاهدين (3/53)

ربنا اغفر لنا ذنوبنا واسرافنا في امرنا وثبت اقدامنا وانصرنا على القوم الكافرين (3/147)

ربنا ما خلقت هذا باطلا سبحانك فقنا عذاب النار (3/191)

ربنا انك من تدخل النار فقد اخزيته وما للظالمين من انصار (3/192)

ربنا اننا سمعنا مناديا ينادي للايمان ان امنوا بربكم فامنا (3/193)

ربنا فاغفر لنا ذنوبنا وكفر عنا سيئاتنا وتوفنا مع الابرار (3/193)

ربنا واتنا ما وعدتنا على رسلك ولا تخزنا يوم القيامة انك لا تخلف الميعاد (3/194)

ربنا اخرجنا من هذه القرية الظالم اهلها واجعل لنا من لدنك وليا واجعل لنا من لدنك نصيرا (4/75)

ربنا ظلمنا انفسنا وان لم تغفر لنا وترحمنا لنكونن من الخاسرين (7/23)

ربنا افتح بيننا وبين قومنا بالحق وانت خير الفاتحين (7/89)

ربنا افرغ علينا صبرا وتوفنا مسلمين (7/126)

انت ولينا فاغفر لنا وارحمنا وانت خير الغافرين (7/155)

ربنا لا تجعلنا فتنة للقوم الظالمين ونجنا برحمتك من القوم الكافرين (10/86)

رب اني اعوذ بك ان اسالك ما ليس لي به علم والا تغفر لي وترحمني اكن من الخاسرين (11/47)

انت وليي في الدنيا والاخرة توفني مسلما والحقني بالصالحين (12/101)

ربنا انك تعلم ما نخفي وما نعلن وما يخفى على الله من شيء في الارض ولا في السماء (14/38)

رب اجعلني مقيم الصلاة ومن ذريتي ربنا وتقبل دعاء (14/40)

ربنا اغفر لي ولوالدي وللمؤمنين يوم يقوم الحساب (14/41)

رب ادخلني مدخل صدق واخرجني مخرج صدق واجعل لي من لدنك سلطانا نصيرا (17/80)

ربنا اتنا من لدنك رحمة وهيئ لنا من امرنا رشدا (18/10)

رب انى وهن العظم منى واشتعل الراس شيبا ولم اكن بدعائك رب شقيا (19/4)

رب اشرح لي صدري ويسر لي امري واحلل عقدة من لساني يفقهوا قولي (20/25)

رب زدني علما (20/114)

لا اله الا انت سبحانك انى كنت من الظالمين (21/87)

رب لا تذرنى فردا وانت خير الوارثين (21/89)

رب انزلنى منزلا مباركا وانت خير المنزلين (23/29)

رب اعوذ بك من همزات الشياطين واعوذ بك رب ان يحضرون (23/98)

ربنا امنا فاغفر لنا وارحمنا وانت خير الراحمين (33/109)

ربنا اصرف عنا عذاب جهنم ان عذابها كان غراما انها ساءت مستقرا ومقاما (25/65)

ربنا هب لنا من ازواجنا وذرياتنا قرة اعين واجعلنا للمتقين اماما (25/74)

رب هب لى حكما والحقنى بالصالحين واجعل لى لسان صدق فى الاخرين واجعلنى من ورثة جنة النعيم (26/89)

ولا تخزنى يوم يبعثون يوم لا ينفع مال ولا بنون الا من اتى الله بقلب سليم (26/89)

رب نجني واهلي مما يعملون (26/169)

رب اوزعنى ان اشكر نعمتك التى انعمت على وعلى والدى وان اعمل صالحا ترضاه وادخلنى برحمتك فى عبادك الصالحين (27/19)

رب انى ظلمت نفسى فاغفرلى (28/16)

رب انصرنى على القوم المفسدين (29/30)

ربنا وسعت كل شيء رحمة وعلما فاغفر للذين تابوا واتبعوا سبيلك وقهم عذاب الجحيم (40/9)

ربنا وادخلهم جنات عدن التي وعدتهم ومن صلح من ابائهم وازواجهم وذرياتهم انك انت العزيز الحكيم وقهم السيئات ومن تق السيئات يومئذ فقد رحمته وذلك هو الفوز العظيم (40/9)

ربنا اكشف عنا العذاب انا مؤمنون (44/12)

رب اوزعني ان اشكر نعمتك على وعلى والدي وان اعمل صالحا ترضاه واصلح لي فى ذريتى انى تبت اليك وانى من المسلمين (46/15)

ربنا اغفر لنا ولاخواننا الذين سبقونا بالايمان ولا تجعل في قلوبنا غلا للذين امنوا ربنا انك رءوف رحيم (59/10)

ربنا عليك توكلنا واليك انبنا واليك المصير (60/4)

ربنا لا تجعلنا فتنة للذين كفروا واغفر لنا ربنا انك انت العزيز الحكيم (60/5)

ربنا اتمم لنا نورنا واغفر لنا انك على كل شيء قدير (66/8)

رب ابن لي عندك بيتا فى الجنة (66/11)

ونجني من القوم الظالمين (66/11)

رب لا تذر على الارض من الكافرين ديارا انك ان تذرهم يضلوا عبادك ولا يلدوا الا فاجرا كفارا (71/27)

رب اغفرلى ولوالدي ولمن دخل بيتى مؤمنا وللمؤمنين والمؤمنات ولا تزد الظالمين الا تبارا (71/28)

منقووووووول

A very powerful story

this is an excellent story that one of my friends showed me .....i know its long...but its worth it, so READ IT..its very powerful...take a

look :

He remembered his grandmother's warning about praying on time: "My son, you shouldn't leave prayer to this late time". His grandmother's age was 70 but whenever she heard the Adhan, she got up like an arrow and performed Salah. He, however could never win over his ego to get up and pray. Whatever he did, his Salah was always the last to be offered and he prayed it quickly to get it in on time.

Thinking of this, he got up and realized that there were only 15 minutes left before Salat-ul Isha. He quickly made Wudhu and performed Salat-ul

Maghrib. While making Tasbih, he again remembered his grandmother and was

embarrassed by how he had prayed. His grandmother prayed with such tranquility and peace. He began making Dua and went down to make Sajdah and stayed like that for a while. He had been at school all day and was tired, so tired

He awoke abruptly to the sound of noise and shouting. He was sweating profusely. He looked around. It was very crowded. Every direction he

looked in was filled with people. Some stood frozen looking around, some were running left and right and some were on their knees with their heads in their hands just waiting. Pure fear and apprehension filled him as he realized where he was. His heart was about to burst.

It was the Day of Judgement.

When he was alive, he had heard many things about the questioning on the Day of Judgement, but that seemed so long ago. Could this be something his mind made up? No, the wait and the fear were so great that he could not have imagined this. The interrogation was still going on. He began moving frantically from people to people to ask if his name had been called. No one could answer him. All of a sudden his name was called and the crowd split into two and made a passageway for him. Two people grabbed his arms

and led him forward. He walked with unknowing eyes through the crowd. The angels brought him to the center and left him there. His head was bent down and his whole life was passing in front of his eyes like a movie.

He opened his eyes but saw only another world. The people were all helping others. He saw his father running from one lecture to the other, spending his wealth in the way of Islam. His mother invited guests to their house and one table was being set while the other was being cleared. He pleaded his case, "I too was always on this path. I helped others. I spread the word of Allah. I performed my Salah. I fasted in the month of Ramadan.

Whatever Allah ordered us to do, I did. Whatever he ordered us not to do, I did not." He began to cry and think about how much he loved Allah.

He knew that whatever he had done in life would be less than what Allah deserved and his only protector was Allah. He was sweating like never

before and was shaking all over. His eyes were fixed on the scale, waiting for the final decision.

At last, the decision was made. The two angels with sheets of paper in their hands, turned to the crowd. His legs felt like they were going to

collapse. He closed his eyes as they began to read the names of those people who were to enter Jahannam. His name was read first. He fell on his

knees and yelled that this couldn't be, "How could I go to Jahannam? I served others all my life, I spread the word of Allah to others".

His eyes had become blurry and he was shaking with sweat. The two angels took him by the arms. As his feet dragged, they went through the crowd and advanced toward the blazing flames of Jahannam. He was yelling and wondered if there was any person who was going to help him. He was yelling of all the good deeds he had done, how he had helped his father, his fasts, prayers, the Qur'an that he read, he was asking if none of them would help him. The Jahannam angels continued to drag him. They had gotten

closer to the Hellfire. He looked back and these were his last pleas. Had not Rasulullah [saw] said, "How clean would a person be who bathes in a river five times a day, so too does the Salah performed five times

cleanse someone of their sins"? He began yelling, "My prayers?my prayers?my prayers." The two angels did not stop, and they came to the

edge of the abyss of Jahannam.

The flames of the fire were burning his face. He looked back one last time, but his eyes were dry of hope and he had nothing left in him. One of

the angels pushed him in.

He found himself in the air and falling towards the flames. He had just fallen five or six feet when a hand grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back. He lifted his head and saw an old man with a long white beard. He wiped some dust off himself and asked him, "Who are you?" The old man replied, "I am your prayers". "Why are you so late! I was almost in the Fire! You rescued me at the last minute before I fell in". The old man

smiled and shook his head, "You always performed me at the last minute, did you forget?"

At that instant, he blinked and lifted his head from Sajdah. He was in a sweat. He listened to the voices coming from outside. He heard the adhan for Salat-ul Isha. He got up quickly and went to perform Wudhu.

pass this on to ur friends and family, and maybe u can help someone open their eyes........

and who knows?? maybe this is a good deed that can help you during the day of judgement....right???

I was getting that error message earlier today, is everything okay now?