The Aqeeda of Sultan Salah ud din Ayyubi.
Salah ud din Ayyubi was Ashari as per the scholars but he was not qaboori at all, and he had good relations with Hanbali scholars, Ibn Qudama and his brother took part in the liberation of Bayt al Maqdas.
1. The son of Salah ud din Ayyubi and shrines over graves.
Imam Mur`i bin Yusaf al Hanbali said:
Many of the historians mentioned that Sultan Malik al Zaahir (who was Salah ud din’s son by the name of Malik al Zaahir Giyath ud din Ghazi bin Nasir Salah ud din Ayyubi 569 h to 613 h) intended to demolish all the structures over the graves in Qurafa, and The Muftis of his time gave a fatwa that it is wajib on the sultan to demolish all these structures over the graves.
[Shifa as-Sudur fe ziarah al Mashahid wal qaboor by Imam Mur`i bin Yusaf al Hanbali page 188]
2. When Salahuddin Ayuubi killed Baatini Quburi kharaji Abdul Nabi (Slave of Prophet).
Dhahabi said about Abdul Nabi:
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 وَخَمْسِيْنَ.فَقَامَ بَعْدَهُ عَبْد النَّبِيّ هَذَا، فَفَعَل كَأَبِيْهِ، وَسبَى الحرِيْم، وَتزَنْدَق، وَبَنَى عَلَى قَبْر أَبِيْهِ المَهْدِيّ قُبَّة عَظِيْمَة، وَزخرفهَا، وَعَمِلَ أَسْتَار الحَرِيْر عَلَيْهَا وَقَنَادِيْل الذَّهَبِ، وَأَمر 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 given sermons, worked, and called people to himself. He dominated Yemen, spread injustice, oppression, and corruption, and ripped open pregnant women’s bellies. He rebelled against God and was a proponent of the esoteric sect (Batiniah). God put an end to him in the year 550.
Then, this Abd al-Nabi took over, doing the same as his father. He enslaved women, committed adultery, and built a grand dome over his father al-Mahdi’s grave. He decorated the dome, hung silk curtains, and installed golden chandeliers. He ordered people to pilgrimage to the dome, bringing gifts. Anyone who refused to visit was killed, and he prevented them from performing the Hajj to the House of Allah. He amassed immense wealth and indulged in depravities until God took him away through Shams al-Dawla, brother of Sultan Saladin. He was tortured, then killed, and his treasures were seized. Praise be to God for the demise of this heretic.
Siyar A’lam an Nubala 15/261
3. Ibn Kathir said, after he liberated bayt al Maqdas:
، وَهَدَمَ الْمَقَابِرَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ لَهُمْ عِنْدَ بَابِ الرحمة، وعفا آثَارَهَا، وَهَدَمَ مَا كَانَ هُنَاكَ مِنَ الْقِبَابِ.
He destroyed the shrines that were near the Gate of al Rahmah, erased their traces, and demolished the domes that were there. [al Bidaya wal Nihaya 12/327]
4. Abul Hasan Nadwi said regarding Ayyubi
أنه كان مسلماً مؤمناً محمدياً لا يعرف غير لغة القرآن، ولا يعرف غير لغة الإيمان
He was Muslim, Momin, Muhammadi, he did not know any other language other than Quran and Eeman [quoted by Ali Muhammad as-Salabi in صلاح الدين الأيوبي وجهوده في القضاء على الدولة الفاطمية وتحرير بيت المقدس 1/521]
5. He liberated Bayt al Maqdas from Crusaders, and defeated them in Battle of Hattin [al Fath al Qassi fe Fath al Qudsi by Imad al-din Katib asFahani and other books of history]
6. Ibn Qudama Hanbali and other great hanabila took part in the battle of Hattin and liberation of al quds with Sultan salah ud din.
Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir said, in his biography of the righteous shaykh Abu ‘Umar al-Maqdisi, the brother of Ibn Qudama Hanbali.
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 maternal cousin Al-Hafiz Abdul-Ghani, and his brother Shaykh Al-Imad consistently accompanied Sultan Salah ad-Din on military campaigns against the Franks. They fought alongside him during the conquest of Jerusalem (Al-Quds) and participated in numerous other battles.”
(Al-Bidayah wa’n-Nihayah 17/21).
Note: It is said he is same Abu Umar, when Mongols attacked and some poet encouraged to take the shelter on his grave,
Ibn Taymiyah said:
، وقال بعض الشعراء:
يا خائفين من التتر … لوذوا بقبر أبي عمر
أو قال:
عوذوا بقبر أبي عمر … ينجيكم من الضرر
فقلت لهم: هؤلاء الذين تستغيثون بهم لو كانوا معكم في القتال لانهزموا.
Some poets said: Oh, those who fear the Tatars… seek refuge in the grave of Abu Umar, or he said: seek protection in the grave of Abu Umar… it will save you from harm.
So I said to them: These people you’re seeking help from, if they were with you in battle, they would flee. (Meaning going to graves and asking help will not be a reason of victory, victory is due to doing Jihad).
Kitab al Istigatha fe Radd al Bakri 1/412, 413.
7. He was the one who did this good deed i.e. putting an end to the ‘Ubaydi state who started these mawlid celebrations.
Imam ad-Dahabi said:
قرأت في تاريخ صنف على السنين في مجلد صنفه بعض الفضلاء سنة بضع وثلاثين وستمائة، وقدمه لصاحب مصر الملك الصالح:
I read in a one-volume book of history which describes what happened each year and was written by some good people around the year 630 and was given to the ruler of Egypt, al-Malik al-Saalih, in 667 [Tareekh al Islam (39/276)]
Dhahabi mentioned:
وكانت هذه الفعلة من أشرف أفعاله، فلنعم ما فعل، فإن هؤلاء كانوا باطنية زنادقة، دعوا إلى مذهب التناسخ، وآعتقاد حلول الجزء الإلهي في أشباحهم.
This action (i.e., putting an end to the ‘Ubaydi state) was one of the noblest of the deeds (of Salaah al-Deen al-Ayyoobi). What a good thing he did, for these people were baatinis and heretics who called for belief in transmigration of souls and the belief that the divine was physically incarnated in them. [Tareekh al Islam (39/276)]
8. Sultan Salah ud din was Ashari.
Accirding to Taqi al din al Miqrizi, Ayyu i imposed Ashari doctrine. He said:
“وأما العقائد فإن السلطان صلاح الدين حمل الكافة على عقيدة أبي الحسن علي بن إسماعيل الأشعري تلميذ أبي علي الجبائي، وشرط ذلك في أوقافه التي بديار مصر كالمدرسة الناصرية بجوار قبر الإمام الشافعي من القرافة، والمدرسة الناصرية التي عرفت بالشريفية”
As for the doctrines, Sultan Saladin imposed on everyone the creed of Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Ismail al-Ash’ari, a student of Abu Ali al-Jubba’i. He made this a condition in his endowments in Egypt, such as the Nasiriyya School near the grave of Imam al-Shafi’i in al-Qarafa, and the Nasiriyya School known as the Sharifiyya.
المواعظ والاعتبار بذكر الخطط والآثار 4/166
He was Ashari but not extreme sufi and qaburi who ask help from dead. Taqi ud din al Miqrizi (d 845 ah) is same scholar, who said about the tomb of Imam Jafar Sadiq and Abu Turab al-Nakhshabi
وبالله ان الفتنة بهذا المكان الآخر من حارة برجوان الذي يعرف بجعفر الصادق لعظيمة فإنهما صارا كالأنصاب التي كانت تتخذها مشركوا العرب يلجأ إليهما سفهاء العامّة والنساء في أوقات الشدائد ويُنزلون بهذين الموضين كَرْبَهم وشدائدهم التي لا ينزلها البد إلا بالله ربه ويسألون في هذين الموضعين ما لا يقدر عليه إلا الله تعالى وحده من وفاء الدين من غير جهة معينة وطلب الولد ونحو ذلك ويحملون النذور من الزيت وغيره إليهما ظنًا أن ذلك ينجيهم من المكاره ويجلب إليهم المنافع ولعمري إنْ هي إلاّ كرّة خاسرة ولله الحمد على السلامة
“I swear by Allah, the fitnah is in this place and the other location in Harat Burjwan, known as (tomb of) Ja’far al-Sadiq’s, for they have become like the idols that the Arab polytheists used to worship.
The common folk and women resort to these places in times of hardship, complaining about their difficulties and troubles, which a servant should only direct to Allah, their Lord.
They ask for things in these places that only Allah Almighty can provide, such as…Seeking children and similar requests
They offer vows, oil, and other offerings to these places, thinking that will save them from hardships and bring benefits.
By my life, it is nothing but a losing bargain. Praise be to Allah for our safety.”
Al-Mawa’iz wa al-I’tibar bi Dhikr al-Khutat wa al-Athar” (3/94)
Note: Taqi ud din al maqrizi was the student of Hafiz al Iraqee and Noor ud din al haythami, who were teachers of Ibn Hajr al asqalani.
Faida: Also Ayyubi’s nephew Ashraf bin Adil was inclined towards Hanbali aqeeda and had a discussion with al Izz bin Abdus salam as well. See Tabqat al Subki 8/218
9. When Salah ud din vowed to liberate bayt al maqdas and kill Reginald or Reynald of Châtillon the leader of Crusaders who did Tanqees of Prophet Muhammad Peace be upon him.
Ibn Kathir said when Salah ud din became extremely ill.
ثم نذر لئن شفاه الله من مرضه هذا ليصرفن همته كلها إلى قتال الفرنج، ولا يقاتل بعد ذلك مسلما، وليجعل أكبر همه فتح بيت المقدس، ولو صرف في سبيل الله جميع ما يملكه من الأموال والذخائر، وليقتلن البرنس صاحب الكرك بيده، لأنه نقض العهد وتنقص الرسول ﷺ، وذلك أنه أخذ قافلة ذاهبة من مصر إلى الشام، فأخذ أموالهم وضرب رقابهم، وهو يقول: أين محمدكم؟ دعوه ينصركم.
He vowed that if Allah gives him shifa from this illness then he will fight with crusaders with full force and will never fight any Muslim, and his biggest concern will be to liberate Bayt al Maqdas even if he has to spend on the way of Allah all the treasures and reserves of the kings, and that he will kill the Prince, leader of al Karak with his hands because he broke the covenant and did tanqees of Prophet peace be upon him, And what happened was that a caravan was going from Egypt to al Shaam, he (Prince) caught them and looted them and killed them and he said: Where is your Muhammad, call him so that he may help you.
[al Bidaya wal Nihaya vol 12 under 581 h]
Ibn Kathir mentioned Allah listened to his dua and he became fine and Allah listen to the prayers and this was became kaffara of his sins.
11. Completion of Salahuddin’s vow to kill Reginald or Reynald of Châtillon the killer of Muslims and who also abused Prophet peace be upon him.
Ibn Kathir said after the victory of Hitteen or Hattin:
ثم جيء بملوكهم فأجلسوا عن يمينه ويساره على مراتبهم، فأجلس ملكهم الكبير عن يمينه، وأجلس أرياط برنس الكرك وبقيتهم عن شماله، ثم جيء إلى السلطان بشراب من الجلاب مثلوجا، فشرب ثم ناول الملك فشرب، ثم ناول أرياط صاحب الكرك فغضب السلطان، وقال له: إنما ناولتك ولم آذن لك أن تسقيه، هذا لا عهد له عندي.
ثم تحول السلطان إلى خيمة داخل تلك الخيمة واستدعى بأرياط صاحب الكلرك، فلما أوقف بين يديه قام إليه بالسيف ودعاه إلى الإسلام فامتنع.
فقال له: نعم أنا أنوب عن رسول الله ﷺ في الانتصار لأمته، ثم قتله وأرسل برأسه إلى الملوك وهم في الخيمة.
وقال: إن هذا تعرض لسبّ رسول الله.
Then their (crusader’s captured) Kings came who sat on his left and right according to their status. Their great kings sat on his right side and Prince Iryat (Reynald) of al Kerak and others sat on his left. Then a drink with ice was brought to Sultan who drank and then given to the king who drank it and he gave it to the Prince Iryat (Reynald). Sultan (Salahuddin) became angry and said I gave it to you (i.e. The King) and I haven’t ordered you to give it to him (Reynald), there is no covenant for him with me.
Then Sulatan (Salahuddin) went to the tent within the tent and asked for the Iryat (Reynald) the ruler of al Kerak. He came to him and Salahuddin came to him with a sword and asked him to accept Islam which he denied.
Salahudin said to him, Yes I am Naaib of Messenger of Allah peace be upon him so that I may take revenge for his ummah (i.e. Reynald killed the Muslims the ummah of Prophet peace be upon him). Then he killed him and sent his head to the kings sitting in the tent.
Salahuddin said: He (Reynald) abused Prophet peace be upon him.
[al Bidaya wal Nihaya vol 12 under 583]
12. The Madrassa for Hanbalis.
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
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
The Ameer Sad al Din bin Mueen ud din, he was from the great umaraa in the days of Nur ud din and Salah ud din. He is brother of Sitt Hatun. When Salah ud din married her, he married his sister Sitt Rabeea Hatun to him (Sad al din’s) Nikah. The Madrassah al Sahbiat is attributed to her which is for Hanbalis in Qayson. [al Bidaya wal Nihaya vol 12 under 581 h]
13. When Rafadis started calling upon the household of Ali radhiAllahanho at the time of Ayyubi.
Ibn Kathir said:
وفيها: خرجت طائفة بمصر من الرافضة ليعيدوا دولة الفاطميين، واغتنموا غيبة العادل عن مصر، واستخفوا أمر العزيز عثمان بن صلاح الدين، فبعثوا اثني عشر رجلا ينادون في الليل: يا آل علي، يا آل علي، بنياتهم على أن العامة تجيبهم فلم يجبهم أحد، ولا التفت إليهم.
فلما رأوا ذلك انهزموا فأدركوا وأخذوا وقيدوا وحبسوا، ولما بلغ أمرهم السلطان صلاح الدين ساءه ذلك واهتم له، وكان القاضي الفاضل عنده بعد لم يفارقه، فقال له: أيها الملك ينبغي أن تفرح ولا تحزن، حيث لم يصغ إلى هؤلاء الجهلة أحد من رعيتك، ولو أنك بعثت جواسيس من قبلك يختبرون الناس لسرك ما بلغك عنهم.
فسرى عنه ما كان يجد، ورجع إلى قوله وأرسله إلى مصر ليكون له عينا وعونا.
This year in Egypt a group of Rafidis did khurooj to take Fatami govt. back.. and at night they sent 12 people who would call, YA AALE ALI, YA AALE ALI and their intention was that people would answer them BUT NO ONE answered them neither turned towards them… they were captured and when sultan Salah ud din came to know about them he became sad, The Judge al Fadhil was with him.. he said: You should be happy o King, you should not be sad as no one from the people listened to these ignorant under your rule..
[al Bidaya wal Nihaya vol 12 under 584 h]
14. When Salah ud din liberated Bayt al Maqdas no one shouted Ya Gawth, Ya Ali rather All the scholars shouted Takbeer.
Ibn Shaddad the teacher of Salah ud din wrote:
قصده العلماء من مصر ومن
الشام، بحيث لم يتخلف معروف من الحضور، وارتفعت الأصوات بالضجيج والدعاء
والتهليل والتكبري وخطب فيه،
Scholars came to join him , both from Egypt and from Syria ; there was not a single well-known scholar but came to the camp. Every voice was raised in shouts, calling upon God, and proclaiming His unity and power.
[Seerah Salah ud din by his teacher Ibn Shaddad 1/54]
These chants were unknown to sunnis back then, only rafadis who were against Ayyubi would call upon Ali radhiAllahanho and his household as mentioned previously.
15. The death of Salah ud din ayyubi. What a beautiful death.
Ibn Kathir said when he was ill, he appointed an Imam to recite Quran near him and when the illness goes into extreme he should ask him to say Shahadah, Ibn Kathir said, he recited Quran for whole night and then:
فلما أذن الصبح جاء القاضي الفاضل فدخل عليه وهو في آخر رمق، فلما قرأ القارئ { لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ } [التوبة: 129]
تبسم وتهلل وجهه وأسلم روحه إلى ربه سبحانه، ومات رحمه الله،
When he said Adhan of Fajr, Qadhi al Fadhil came to him and he was taking his last breaths, and when Qari recited “”there is no deity except Him. On Him I have relied” [al Tauba verse 129]
He (Salah ud din) smiled and his faced cheered and surrendered his soul to Lord the Almighty, and he died Rahimahullah.
[al Bidaya wal Nihaya vol 13 under 589 ]