When the Muslim Kings used to Answer Christian Kings directly from Quran.
The King of of Castile and Toledo (Iberian Peninsula) Alfonso VIII VS Yaqub al Mansur the third Almohad Muslim Caliph of Morocco in the year 591 Hijri.
Ibn Kathir said:
وذلك أن القيش ملك الفرنج ببلاد الأندلس، ومقر ملكه بمدينة طليطلة، كتب إلى الأمير يعقوب بن يوسف بن عبد المؤمن ملك الغرب يستنخيه ويستدعيه ويستحثه إليه، ليكون من بعض من يخضع له في مثالبه وفي قتاله، في كلام طويل فيه تأنيب وتهديد ووعيد شديد.
فكتب السلطان يعقوب بن يوسف في رأس كتابه فوق خطه: { ارْجِعْ إِلَيْهِمْ فَلَنَأْتِيَنَّهُمْ بِجُنُودٍ لَا قِبَلَ لَهُمْ بِهَا وَلَنُخْرِجَنَّهُمْ مِنْهَا أَذِلَّةً وَهُمْ صَاغِرُونَ } [النمل: 37] .
ثم نهض من فوره في جنوده وعساكره، حتى قطع الزقاق إلى الأندلس، فالتقوا في المحل المذكور، فكانت الدائرة أولا على المسلمين، فقتل منهم عشرون ألفا، ثم كانت أخيرا على الكافرين فهزمهم الله وكسرهم وخذلهم أقبح كسرة، وشر هزيمة وأشنعها.
فقتل منهم مائة ألف وثلاثة وأربعون ألفا، وأسر منهم ثلاثة عشر ألفا، وغنم المسلمون منهم شيئا كثيرا، من ذلك مائة ألف خيمة وثلاثة وأربعون خيمة، ومن الخيل ستة وأربعون ألف فرس؛
ومن البغال مائة ألف بغل، ومن الحمر مثلها، ومن السلاح التام سبعون ألفا، ومن العدد شيء كثير، وملك عليهم من حصونهم شيئا كثيرا، وحاصر مدينتهم طليطلة مدة، ثم لم يفتحها فانفصل عنها راجعا إلى بلاده.
ولما حصل للقيش ما حصل حلق لحيته ورأسه ونكس صليبه وركب حمارا وحلف لا يركب فرسا ولا يتلذذ بطعام ولا ينام مع امرأة حتى تنصره النصرانية.
ثم طاف على ملوك الفرنج فجمع من الجنود ما لا يعلمه إلا الله عز وجل، فاستعد له السلطان يعقوب فالتقيا فاقتتلا قتالا عظيما لم يسمع بمثله، فانهزم الفرنج أقبح من هزيمتهم الأولى، وغنموا منهم نظير ما تقدم أو أكثر، واستحوذ السلطان على كثير من معاملهم وقلاعهم، ولله الحمد والمنة.
“And so, the King of the Franks in the land of Andalusia, whose capital was Toledo, wrote to Amir Ya’qub bin Yusuf bin Abd al-Mu’min, the King of the West, inviting him, summoning him, and urging him to join him, so that he might be one of those who submit to him in his conquests and battles. The letter contained a long speech with rebukes, threats, and severe warnings.
But Sultan Ya’qub bin Yusuf wrote at the top of his response, above his signature (the verse of Quran): “”Return to them, for we will surely come to them with soldiers that they will be powerless to encounter, and we will surely expel them therefrom in humiliation, and they will be debased.” [Surah an-Naml verse 37]
Then, without delay, he mobilized his troops and marched to Andalusia, where they met at the designated place. At first, the Muslims suffered a defeat, with 20,000 of them killed. But in the end, the infidels were defeated, and Allah humiliated them, crushing them with a terrible defeat, the likes of which had never been seen. One hundred and forty-three thousand of them were killed, 13,000 were taken prisoner, and the Muslims gained a vast amount of spoils, including 100,000 tents, 46,000 horses, 100,000 mules, 70,000 weapons, and many other things. They also conquered many of their fortresses and besieged the city of Toledo for a time before withdrawing. When the King of the Franks suffered this defeat, he shaved his beard and head, broke his cross, rode a donkey, and vowed not to ride a horse, enjoy food, or sleep with a woman until he had taken revenge on the Christians. Then, he toured the kingdoms of the Franks, gathering an army whose size only Allah knows. Sultan Ya’qub prepared for battle, and they clashed in a fierce fight that had never been seen before. The Franks were defeated even more severely than before, and the Muslims gained even more spoils. The Sultan also gained control of many of their fortresses and strongholds. Praise be to Allah for His grace and favor.”
[al Bidaya wal Niaya vol 13 under 591 ]Love of Ameer ul Momineen Caliph Abu Yusaf Yaqoob al Mansoor for Quran and Sunnah.
Ibn Khilkaan praised him and said
و امر برفض فروع الفقه وان العلماء لا يفتون الا بالكتاب العزيز والسنة النبوية و لا يقلدون احدا من المجتهدين المتقدمين, بل تكون احكامهم بما يودى اليه اجتهاد هم من استنبلطهم القضايا من الكتاب والحديث و الاجماع والقياس
He ordered to leave faroo al Fiqh and said Scholars should issue fatwa from Quran al Aziz and Sunnah of Prophet peace be upon him and do not make taqleed of Mujtahideen and Mutaqaddimeen, but make the judgments from Quran ,Hadith,Ijma and Qiyas [Ibne Khilkaan in “وفيات الأعيان” (7|11)] He was third Almohad Muslim Caliph of Morocco which was started by Ibn Tumrat, it is said Ibn Tumrat claimed to be Mahdi, as per Imam Yafiee, Ibn Khilkan and others Abu Yusaf asked his people to come back to Qur`an and Sunnah.
al-Yafi’I (d. 768) and Sibt Ibn Jawzi (653 h) praised him like this:
وبسط أحكام الناس على حقيقة الشرع، ونظر في أمور الدين والورع، والأمر بالمعروف والنهي عن المنكر، وأقام الحدود حتى في أهله وعشيرته، فاستقامت الأحوال وعظمت الفتوحات،
Mir`at al Zaman vol 14 page 468 and Mir`at al Jinan vol 3 under 595
Ibn Kathir said regarding him
السلطان أبو محمد يعقوب بن يوسف ابن عبد المؤمن، صاحب المغرب والأندلس بمدينته، وكان قد بنى عندها مدينة مليحة سماها المهدية، وقد كان دينا حسن السيرة صحيح السريرة، وكان مالكي المذهب، ثم صار ظاهريا حزميا ثم مال إلى مذهب الشافعي، واستقضى في بعض بلاده منهم قضاة، وكانت مدة ملكه خمس عشرة سنة، وكان كثير الجهاد رحمه الله، وكان يؤم الناس في الصلوات الخمس، وكان قريبا إلى المرأة والضعيف رحمه الله.
Sultan Abu Muammad Yaqub bin Yusuf ibn Abd al Momin who was the leader of Maghrib and Andulas, he build a city near al Andulas which he names Mahdiya, he was very religious with good seerah, he was Maliki in Madhab then became Zaahiri Hazmi and then inclined towards madhab of Shafiee… He used to do lots of Jihad Rahimahullah who used to lead five prayers to people. He was helper of women and poor Rahimahullah.
[al Bidaya wal Nihaya vol 13 under 595 h]Help of Caliph Yaqub bin Yusuf to Salah ud din Ayyubi against the crusaders.
Ibn Kathir mentioned a strange thing regarding Yaqub bin Yusuf.
وهو الذي كتب إليه صلاح الدين يستنجده على الفرنج فلما لم يخاطبه بأمير المؤمنين غضب من ذلك ولم يجبه إلى ما طلب منه،
He is the one to whom Salah ud din wrote a letter asking his help against Crusaders but he did not addressed him with Ameer ul Momineen, so he became angry and did not answer to what he asked. [al Bidaya wal nihaya vol 13 under 595 h]
This account is not mentioned by Moroccan historian Abdelwahid al-Marrakushi in his book المعجب في تلخيص أخبار المغرب who lived at the time and rule of Yaqub bin Yusaf. Rather another historian of Tunis i.e. al Maghreb Ibn Khaldun mentioned otherwise who said:
ويقال انه جهز له بعد ذلك مائة وثمانين أسطولا ومنع النصارى من سواحل الشأم والله تعالى أعلم
It is said that he then prepared for him (Salah ud din) a hundred and eighty fleets and prevented the Christians from the coast of al Sham, and God Almighty knows best.
[Tareekh Ibn Khaldun 6/246]
It seems that the account mentioned by Ibn Kathir and other historians is not correct, that is why Moroccan historian Abdelwahid al-Marrakushi who saw his rule did not even mention this in his book, rather it is said He did help Ayyubi. Also Ibn Kathir himself regarding him:
السلطان أبو محمد يعقوب بن يوسف ابن عبد المؤمن، صاحب المغرب والأندلس بمدينته، وكان قد بنى عندها مدينة مليحة سماها المهدية، وقد كان دينا حسن السيرة صحيح السريرة، وكان مالكي المذهب، ثم صار ظاهريا حزميا ثم مال إلى مذهب الشافعي، واستقضى في بعض بلاده منهم قضاة، وكانت مدة ملكه خمس عشرة سنة، وكان كثير الجهاد رحمه الله، وكان يؤم الناس في الصلوات الخمس، وكان قريبا إلى المرأة والضعيف رحمه الله.
Sultan Abu Muammad Yaqub bin Yusuf ibn Abd al Momin who was the leader of Maghrib and Andulas, he built a city near al Andulas which he named Mahdiya, he was very religious with good seerah, he was Maliki in Madhab then became Zaahiri Hazmi and then inclined towards madhab of Shafiee… He used to do lots of Jihad Rahimahullah who used to lead five prayers to people. He was helper of women and poor Rahimahullah.
[al Bidaya wal Nihaya vol 13 under 595 h]So, he used to do lots of Jihad and help Muslims, then why would he not help Ayyubi and Muslims against Christians?. He did help Ayyubi as Ibn Khaldun mentioned. According to Ibn Kathir it happened due to the will of Allah.