When a student of hadith narrated a hadith on smiling in front of Nur ud din Zangi while Damietta (Egypt) was besieged by crusaders.
Ibn Kathir said:
وقد كان الملك نور الدين شديد الاهتمام قوي الاغتمام بذلك، حتى قرأ عليه بعض طلبة الحديث جزءا في ذلك فيه حديث مسلسل بالتبسم، فطلب منه أن يبتسم ليصل التسلسل، فامتنع من ذلك، وقال: إني لأستحي من الله أن يراني مبتسما والمسلمون يحاصرهم الفرنج بثغر دمياط.
Sultan Nur al-Din was extremely concerned and depressed about the situation (I.e. Crusaders besieged the Muslim City), Until some student of hadith read him a hadith on smiling and asked him to smile, but he refused and said: I am ashamed of Allah that he sees me smiling while the Muslims are surrounded by the Franks at Damietta.
(al Bidaya wal Nihaya the year 565 h)
Ibn Kathir said:
، ولما انجلت الفرنج عن دمياط فرح نور الدين فرحا شديدا
And when the Franks were expelled from Damietta, Nur al-Din became extremely happy.
(al Bidaya wal Nihaya the year 565 h)
