Salah ud din Ayyubi al Ashari loved Hanabilah and hated grave worship.
Did you know? There was a man named Abdul Nabi. Salah ud-Din Ayyubi fought and killed the Baatini Quburi Kharaji, Abdul Nabi (Slave of the Prophet ﷺ).
1. About Abdul Nabi:
Dhahabi said:
عَبْدُ النَّبِيِّ ابنُ المَهْدِيِّ عَلِيِّ بنِ مَهْدِيٍّ
كَانَ أَبُوْهُ قَدْ وَعظَ، وَاشْتَغَل، وَدَعَا إِلَى نَفْسِهِ، وَجَرَتْ لَهُ أُمُوْر،
وَغلبَ عَلَى اليَمَنِ، وَعسف وَظلم، وَفجر، وَشقَّق بُطُوْن الحبالَى، وَتَمرَّد عَلَى اللهِ، وَكَانَ مِنْ دُعَاة البَاطِنِيَّة، فَقصمه الله سَنَةَ نَيِّفٍ وَخَمْسِيْن.فَقَامَ بَعْدَهُ عَبْد النَّبِيّ هَذَا، فَفَعَل كَأَبِيْهِ، وَسبَى الحرِيْم، وَتزَنْدَق، وَبَنَى عَلَى قَبْر أَبِيْهِ المَهْدِيّ قُبَّة عَظِيْمَة، وَزخرفهَا، وَعَمِلَ أَسْتَار الحَرِيْر عَلَيْهَا وَقَنَادِيْل الذَّهَبِ، وَأمر النَّاس بِالحَجّ إِلَيْهَا، وَأَنْ يَحمِلَ كُلُّ أَحَدٍ إِلَيْهَا مَالاً، وَلَمْ يَدَعْ أَحَدٌ زِيَارَتَهَا إِلاَّ وَقَتَلَهُ، وَمَنَعهُم مِنْ حَجَّ بَيْت الله، فَتَجَمَّع بِهَا أَمْوَال لاَ تُحصَى، وَانهمك فِي الفوَاحش إِلَى أَنْ أَخَذَهُ الله عَلَى يَد شَمْسِ الدَّوْلَةِ أَخِي السُّلْطَان صَلاَح الدِّيْنِ، عذَّبه، ثُمَّ قَتَلَهُ، وَأَخَذَ خَزَائِنه، فَلله الْحَمد عَلَى مصرع هَذَا الزِّنْدِيْق
Abd al-Nabi, son of al-Mahdi Ali bin Mahdi, followed his father’s footsteps. His father had sermons, ruled over Yemen with oppression, and rebelled against God. Abd al-Nabi continued his father’s ways: enslaving women, committing adultery, building a grand dome over his father’s grave, decorating it with silk and gold, forcing people to pilgrimage there, killing those who refused, and preventing Hajj to the House of Allah. God removed him through Shams al-Dawla, brother of Sultan Salah ud-Din. He was tortured, killed, and his treasures seized. Praise be to God for the demise of this heretic.
(Siyar A’lam an Nubala 15/261)
2. Salah ud-Din destroyed shrines:
Ibn Kathir wrote:
، وَهَدَمَ الْمَقَابِرَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ لَهُمْ عِنْدَ بَابِ الرحمة، وعفا آثَارَهَا، وَهَدَمَ مَا كَانَ هُنَاكَ مِنَ الْقِبَابِ
He destroyed the shrines near the Gate of al-Rahmah, erased their traces, and demolished the domes.
(Al-Bidayah wal Nihayah 12/327)
3. Structures over Muslim graves in Qarafah removed by his son:
It is said, King al Kamil made initial dome over the grave of Imam al Shafi’i in Qarafa, but Imam Mur’i al-Karmi said:
Many historians recorded that Sultan al-Malik al-Zahir, son of Salah ud-Din (Ghiyath al-Din Ghazi ibn Nasir Salah ud-Din, 569–613 AH), intended to demolish all grave structures in al-Qarafa. The muftis of the time issued a fatwa that it is wajib for him to do so.
(Shifa’ al-Sudur fi Ziyarat al-Mashahid wal Qubur, p.188)
Even Ibn Hajr al Haytami said about the shrines in Qarafa:
وقد أفتى جمع بهدم كل ما بقرافة مصر من الأبنية حتى قبة إمامنا الشافعي رضي الله عنه التي بناها بغض الملوك وينبغي أن لكل أحد هدم ذلك ما لم يخش منه مفسدة فيتعين الرفع للإمام أخذا من كلام ابن الرفعة في الصلح
Scholars have given fatwa to demolish all the buildings in Qarafa egypt, even the dome of Imam Shafiee Aleh Rahma that was made by the king. Everyone should demolish these (domes) if there is no fear of corruption, otherwise It is the work of Imam (the one who is in authority). I have taken this from al-Sulah which is the book of Ibn Raf`a [Sharah al-Minhaaj Kitab al Janaiz page 198]
4. Salah ud-Din’s love for the Hanbalis:
a) Great Hanbali scholars fought alongside him, including Ibn Qudama, during the Battle of Hattin and the liberation of Jerusalem.
Ibn Kathir on Abu Umar al-Maqdisi and Ibn Qudama:
وكان هو وأخوه وابن خالهم الحافظ عبد الغني وأخوه الشيخ العماد: لا ينقطعون عن غَزاة يخرج فيها الملك صلاح الدين إلى بلاد الفرنج، وقد حضروا معه فتح القدس الشريف وغيرها
“Abu Umar, his brother Ibn Qudama, their cousin Al-Hafiz Abdul-Ghani, and his brother Shaykh Al-Imad consistently accompanied Sultan Salah ud-Din in campaigns against the Franks, including the conquest of Jerusalem.”
(Al-Bidayah wa’n-Nihayah 17/21)
b) Abdul Aziz bin Abdur Rahman bin Saeed said:
كذلك شهد الموفق آخر الحروب الصليبية في عهد صلاح الدين الذي كسر شوكة الصليبين في «حطين ) وحرر « القدس ) من أيديهم في رجب عام ٥٨٣ه
“Likewise, al-Muwaffaq witnessed the last of the Crusader wars during the reign of Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn, who broke the power of the Crusaders at Hattin and liberated Jerusalem from their hands in the month of Rajab, 583 AH.”
[Ibn Qudamah wa atharuh al-usuliyah page 96]
5. Madrassah for Hanbalis:
Ibn Kathir:
الأمير سعد الدين مسعودابن معين الدين، كان من كبار الأمراء أيام نور الدين وصلاح الدين، وهو أخو الست خاتون وحين تزوجها صلاح الدين زوجه بأخته الست ربيعة خاتون بنت أيوب، التي تنسب إليها المدرسة الصاحبية بسفح قيسون على الحنابلة
Prince Sad al-Din bin Mu’een ud-Din, a great emir during Nur ud-Din and Salah ud-Din’s era, was the brother of Sitt Hatun. When Salah ud-Din married her, he married his sister Sitt Rabeea Hatun to him. The Madrassah al-Sahbiat, for Hanbalis, is attributed to her.
(Al-Bidayah wal Nihayah 12/581 AH)
5. Ibn Jawzi, the staunch opponent of seeking help from the dead, and mentor of Ṣalāḥ ud-Dīn, Nūr ud-Dīn Zankī.
Ibn Kathir said:
قال ابن الجوزي: استرجع نور الدين محمود بن زنكي رحمه الله تعالى من أيدي الكفار نيفا وخمسين مدينة، وقد كان يكاتبني وأكاتبه.
Ibn Jawzi said: Nur al Din Mahmud bin Zangi Rahimahullah took 50 cities back from the captivity of Kuffar, He and I would write to each other.
[al Bidaya wal Nihaya vol 12 under 569 h]
6. Victory with Takbeer, not Quburiyyah:
When Salah ud-Din liberated Bayt al-Maqdas, no one chanted Ya Ghawth, Ya Ali. Instead, all scholars shouted Takbeer.
Ibn Shaddad:
قصده العلماء من مصر ومن الشام، بحيث لم يتخلف معروف من الحضور، وارتفعت الأصوات بالضجيج والدعاء والتهليل والتكبري وخطب فيه
“Scholars from Egypt and Syria came to join him; every voice raised in shouts, proclaiming God’s unity and power.”
(Seerah Salah ud-Din 1/54)
Rabia the sister of Salah ud din was Hanbali in aqaid and fiqh.
Ibn al Imad said:
وتزوّج بأخته ربيعة واقفة مدرسة الصاحبة بشرقي الصالحية
And he (Malik Muzaffar) married his (i.e., Salah al-Din’s) sister, Rabi’a the founder of Madrassa Al-Sahiba east of Al-Salihiyya.
Ibn Kathir said:
الأمير سعد الدين مسعودابن معين الدين، كان من كبار الأمراء أيام نور الدين وصلاح الدين، وهو أخو الست خاتون وحين تزوجها صلاح الدين زوجه بأخته الست ربيعة خاتون بنت أيوب، التي تنسب إليها المدرسة الصاحبية بسفح قيسون على الحنابلة
He (Salah ud din) married his sister Sitt Rabeea Hatun to him (Ameer Sad al-Din bin Mu’een ud-Din) The Madrassah al-Sahbia, located on the slope of Mount Qasioun for the Hanbalis.
(Al-Bidayah wal Nihayah 12/581 AH)
Some very important Notes۔
1. Her first husband was Amir Sa’d al-Din. Her second husband was Malik al-Muzaffar, who did not strictly adhere to any particular madhhab (school of Islamic law). He was generally inclined towards the Shafi’i and Hanafi schools, though some claimed he did not follow any established madhhab at all.
2. The first to openly and publicly celebrate the Mawlid al-Nabi (the Prophet’s birthday, peace be upon him) among the Sunnis was Malik al-Muzaffar. He would incorporate dancing and musical instruments in the celebrations. Allamah Yaqut al-Hamawi (d. 626 AH), who lived during his era, mentioned that he was a ruler who combined tyrannical rule with charitable works. Later historians often omitted mention of his tyranny due to his notable good deeds, as seen in historical works like al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah and others. Al-Muzaffar followed the teachings of Ibn Dahiyah, who authored the first book specifically on celebrating the Mawlid. It seems he later changed his views after marrying sister of Salah ud din ، Rabi’a hatun، because he was the one who is credited with completing the construction of Al-Muzaffari Mosque the Hanbali Mosque on the slope of Mount Qasioun in Al-Salihiya, Damascus or he did out of love for his wife Allahu Alam.
3. Ibn Dahiyah held several notable opinions:
· He stated that the parents of the Prophet (peace be upon him) died in a state of disbelief. (See al-Tadhkirah by al-Qurtubi, p. 40)
· Regarding claims that certain people had met Khidr (peace be upon him), he remarked it was strange, questioning: “How can a person of intellect meet someone he does not recognize, have that unknown person claim to be so-and-so, and then accept that statement?” (See al-Zahr al-Naḍir fī Ḥāl al-Khiḍr by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, p. 180)
· He declared that the hadiths concerning the prayer on Laylat al-Bara’ah (the 15th night of Sha’ban) were fabricated and had interrupted chains of narration. He asserted that “anyone who acts upon a report known to be false is a servant of Satan.” (See Tadhkirat al-Mawdu’at, p. 45)
Furthermore, Ibn Dahiyah transmitted a qasidah (poem) from his teacher, al-Suhayli, which is replete with themes of pure monotheism (Tawhid). (See al-Dībāj al-Madhhab fī Ma’rifat A’yān ‘Ulamā’ al-Madhhab, 1/89)
4. Rabi’a held her teacher, who was a student of Umm al-Latif daughter of Sheikh Al-Nasih al-Hanbali, in great esteem. She would consult her on various matters and follow her guidance. It was this teacher who inspired her to establish this madrassah. Shaykh al-Nasih al-Hanbali was the first teacher appointed there. It is also said that he used to deliver lectures during the lifetime of Hafiz Abdul Ghani al-Hanbali, who was a student of Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani.
5. Salahuddin Ayyubi never objected to her being a Hanbali or to why she founded a Hanbali madrassah. She was the last of her siblings to die, passing away even after Salahuddin. The building still exists today.
May Allah have mercy upon all the figures mentioned above. Ameen.
See The detailed article on this madrassah: