Battle of Ain Jaloot
From Mw
Contents |
[edit] A Turning Point in History
In the 7th Hijri century, the Tatars launched one of their largest assaults on the land of the Islamic Khilafah, resulting in the seizure of the Khilafah capital, Baghdad, the killing of the Khalifah, and the occupation of three quarters of the Muslim land. At that time, one of the greatest Muslim leaders in the Islamic history emerged. He had pride in his religion and in the fact that he rescued his Ummah. This was in one of the most decisive battles in history back then. The leader was the "Victorious King" Mahmood Sayfu-d-Deen Qutuz, and the battle was that of "Ain Jaloot". It took place on Friday, 25th Ramadhan 658 (10th September 1260).
[edit] The Tatarian Invasion
The Tatars started breaking into the Muslim land towards the end of 656 AH (1258 CE). When the Khalifah, Abu Ahmad Al-Musta'sim Billah, began preparing his armies to block the invasion, his minister "Al-`Alkami" hoaxed him by convincing him to make peace with the invaders. Al-Alkami, who was a non-Arab Shia`, had secret correspondence with the Tatars, promising them to halt any resistance against them given that they appoint him as Khalifah and allow him to establish his own Shia` state in Baghdad.
When Al-Alqami deceived the leader of the believers and made him think that a peace agreement was finally reached with the Tatars, Al-Musta'sim departed along with his ministers and the scholars and leaders of Baghdad to meet the leader of the Tatars, who killed them all, and then occupied Baghdad and violated the honour of its Muslim occupants in a hideous manner.
The traitorous Al-`Alqami could not achieve his dream, however, because the Tatars, who knew that the person who betrays his leader wouldn't spare his enemy, killed him too.
Following the takeover of Baghdad, Muslims encountered a large number of defeats, and many more cities were captured. The Tatars, after seizing all of Iraq, started the demolition of the land of Shaam (which represents Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon and parts of Egypt and Iraq), seeking retaliation from its people because of their refusal to surrender.
With the downfall of Damascus, the Tatars headed towards Egypt and Morocco, the last stronghold of Muslims on the face of earth at that time, which, if seized, the whole Muslim Ummah would have collapsed.
After that, the leader of Tatars "Katabgha" sent, as usual, a letter full of threats to the Ameer of Egypt. This was his message:
| From the King of Kings of the East and West, the Great Khan. To Qutuz the Mamluk, who fled to escape our swords.
You should think of what happened to other countries and submit to us. You have heard how we have conquered a vast empire and have purified the earth of the disorders that tainted it. We have conquered vast areas, massacring all the people. You cannot escape from the terror of our armies. Where can you flee? What road will you use to escape us? Our horses are swift, our arrows sharp, our swords like thunderbolts, our hearts as hard as the mountains, our soldiers as numerous as the sand. Fortresses will not detain us, nor arms stop us. Your prayers to God will not avail against us. We are not moved by tears nor touched by lamentations. Only those who beg our protection will be safe. Hasten your reply before the fire of war is kindled. Resist and you will suffer the most terrible catastrophes. We will shatter your mosques and reveal the weakness of your God and then we will kill your children and your old men together. At present you are the only enemy against whom we have to march. |
Despite the linguistic weakness of the Tatars' letters, it had a great influence on Muslims back then because of their weakness and low morals.
Our Ameer Qutuz, who was raised according to the prophet's teachings, had a different reply to that of the other Muslim leaders: he killed the Tatarian delegation and left their corpses hanging in his capital, lifting his soldiers and people's spirit on the one hand, and putting down his enemy's and that of their spies and loyals on the other hand. His action was in accordance with the poetry:
The Sword speaks louder than books, Its sharp edge distinguishes gravity from child-play.
When Qutuz's reply reached the Tatars through their spies in Egypt, they realised that they were facing a different type of leader, with whom they have not dealt before.
Had they studied the history, they would have noticed that our victorious leader copied the example of Haroon Ar-Rashid and his reply to the Roman leader "Nakfoor", and that of "Al-Mu'tasim" to the governor of "Amouriyah", and they would have avoided clashing with him.
[edit] Preparing for the Battle
Qutuz did not forget that making such a critical reply will result in a severe and brutal war against him and his people, for which they must prepare.
So he started preparing his people with the weapon of belief and unity, prior to arming them with the weapons of steel. To achieve unity, he sent to the dispersed leaders and Ameers of Mamaleek, such as "Beebers Al-Bandakari" who was later known as "Beebers the superior", asking them to discard their marginal differences and unite to defeat their main enemy, the enemy of Islam.
Qutuz, knowing the important role scholars play and their influence on the masses, seeked their help and support, asking them to supplicate for victory, and to urge the people to stand for their religion, taking the scholars as his close counselors and advisers.
The most renowned scholar who contributed to this cause was the "Sultan of Scholars" Al-`Izz Bin Abdis-Salam. Qutuz seeked a fatwah (verdict) from Bin Abdis-Salam which would allow him to impose more taxes on the public in order to equip the Muslim army. The honest scholar of Islam made it clear that the governor can not impose new taxes, unless the governor's own wealth, and that of his leaders and close-by's, is all spent. Al-`Izz even forced the selling of the Mamaleek army leaders, because they were not legally set free from their slavery (the Mamaleek were mostly slaves who participated in the armies, and gained power gradually until they controlled the armies).
The needed money was obtained without forcing extra taxes on the people, who, witnessing the complete compliance and submission of their leader to the Laws of Allah as illustrated by the sincere scholars of Islam, woke up to the reality and were convinced with the legality of their leaders, and realised their duties in Jihad and sacrifice for Allah's Cause to stop the invaders from occupying their Muslim land.
[edit] The Battle's Progress
Observing the saying of Allah's Messenger (s.a.w.) "the people who are attacked in the center of their land (i.e. are on the defensive) will be dishonoured", Qutuz ordered his army to start moving to confront the foe. He also sent an exploitative battalion under the leadership of Beebers towards Gazza in Palestine, which confronted parts of the Tatarian army at small scales and beat them, covering the movements of the main army under the leadership of Qutuz, which finally arrived near the Palestine coastline where the crusaders had some strongholds. Qutuz warned the crusaders and made it clear to them that he could smash them before he meets the Tatars, if they do not stay neutral in this war. Realising the authenticity of this threat and seeing the power of the Muslim army, the crusaders were forced to stay neutral, especially that their numbers and the weakness of their armies would not allow them to clash with the Muslims.
When the main Muslim army came close to the enemy, Qutuz, may Allah have mercy on him, selected the battle's field, in a valley surrounded by mountains, and he stabilised some of his soldiers on the mountains to protect the back of the army against any possible crusade, Tatarian or other treachery from within.
Qutz told his army to wait until they finished the Friday prayers:
| Do not fight them till it is sunset and the shadows appear and the winds stir, and the preachers and people start to implore Allah for us in their prayers |
Jullanar, the wife of Qutz, was killed during the battle. He rushed towards her saying, "Oh my beloved one". She told him while uttering her last breath, "Do not say that, and care more for Islam." Her soul ascended to Allah after telling her husband that the Jihad for the sake of Allah and Islam is more important than love and personal relations.
During the battle, the horse of Qutz was also killed, and he stepped down and started to fight on the ground till they brought him another horse. He refused taking the horse of the other princes who volunteered their horses to him saying that he did not want to impede them from their holy duty, rescuing himself instead. He was asked why he did not ride on a horse and why he jeopardized himself and Islam. He answered,
| If I was killed, I would have gone to Heaven, and as to Islam, Almighty Allah is well capable of protecting it. |
The Tatarian army finally reached the area in which it would face its deadly end. Fighting erupted and the balance drifted towards the Tatars; their army's right wing started overcoming the left wing of the Muslim army.
When the Muslims started retreating, Qutuz climbed on a rock, throwing his helmet away, shouting "Wa Islamah.. Wa Islamah..", urging the army to keep firm and fight Allah's enemies. The frustrated leaders of the army looked towards that voice to see their leader's flushed face, hitting angrily with his sword, infiltrating between the Tatars' rows leaving behind dozens of dead corpses. Qutuz's courage stunned his leaders who promptly followed his footsteps, lifting the morality of the Muslim army.
Minutes later, the battle became in favour of the Muslims, until the Tatarian army was shattered, many of its soldiers being killed or captivated, and the defeated troops ran away, following the death of their leader and the captivation of his son. No one in the Tatarian army escaped death or capture, because those who ran away were slain by the people in Shaam.
After the battle was over and the victory was achieved for the Muslims, Qutz stepped down from his horse and smeared his face with the dust of the battleground and kneeled to Allah in thankfulness and gratitude.
The Muslims immediately started to chase the Mongolians. The chase continued to Halab, and when the Mongolians felt the approach of the Muslims, they left behind the Muslim prisoners, and suffered a great deal. In one month's time, the Muslims were able to restore Belad El-Sham entirely from the hands of the Tartars and the Mongolians.
When the glorious news reached Damascus city and its surroundings, the Muslims rejoiced and regained their honour and esteem, and began to attack the Tatars. They also attacked those who supported the Tatars, including some crusaders, Batini (`Alawi), Shi`a, and some deviated Sufis. Qutz entered Damascus five days after the battle.
When the Tatars realised that their state in the Islamic East was fading, and that Muslims regained their power, they escaped towards their homeland, which eased Qutuz's efforts to liberate all of Shaam in a few weeks.
Qutuz rewarded the Muslim Ameers who helped achieve this victory, by returning to some of the Ayyoubi kings their states, and appointing some of his bravest chiefs as governors.
[edit] The Battle's Outcome
The direct outcome of this battle was the liberation of the Muslims from the Tatarian rule and their corrupt creed, lifting the spirit and esteem of Muslims, and spreading the correct pure creed which teaches Jihad and forbids laziness and surrender.
It was reported that when Muslims defeated the Tatars in Bilad us Shaam, the scholar Ibn Taymiah asked the Tartar leaders to release the prisoners of war including the non-Muslims. Although the Tartar leaders agreed only to release Muslim prisoners of war, Ibn Taymiah insisted that all prisoners of war be released, including the non-Muslims, stating,
| we will never allow you to hold one prisoner Muslim or otherwise. |
Before this battle, some narrations say that a Tatarian woman would pass by a group of Muslim men, she would command them to wait for her until she could find a knife to slay them, and they would follow her orders obediently, waiting for hours, and even days, until someone comes and slays them! However, after this victory, Muslims started hunting the vanquishing troops of Tatars slaying them wherever they could meet them.
Another major outcome was the establishment of a powerful Islamic state after it was about to vanish. This state stood for centuries defending Islam and Muslims against anyone's avidity and greed.
Imam Ibn Kathir when commenting about the verse
"Do they seek then the judgement of the Days of Ignorance? And who is better in judgement than Allah." [TMQ 5:50], said:
| Allah (swt) denies those who went out of the rule of Allah (swt), which is well established and is inclusive (law) of every good, forbidding every bad, and turned away from it toward the opinions, whims, terms and desires put by men without any supporting evidences from the divine law of Allah (swt). Like what the people of ignorance (jahiliyyah) used to govern with of false and foolish things they put by their opinions and desires; like what the Tartars governed with of the royal policies taken from their king Genghis Khan who put for them al-Yasiq. This is a book of laws extracted from Judaism, Christianity, Islam and others, and there is in this book many rules he inserted as his own opinion and desire, so it became for his descendants law which they follow and give priority over the Book of Allah (swt) and the Sunnah of His Messenger Muhammad (saw). So whoever does that, such a person is a kafir. |
