# The Man Who Outsmarted Salahuddin | Ep. 10 | The Salahuddin Generation

**Author:** Dr. Hassan Elwan
**Series:** The Salahuddin Generation
**Published:** 2026-02-07
**YouTube:** https://youtu.be/A5KCw5yuHYU
**URL:** https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/the-salahuddin-generation/the-salahuddin-generation-episode-10
**Topics:** History

## Summary
This episode of 'The Salahuddin Generation' covers a critical phase of the Third Crusade, focusing on Salahuddin al-Ayyubi's struggle to defend the Muslim lands against the combined forces of Europe. Facing the massive German army of Frederick Barbarossa, Salahuddin sought help from Muslim rulers, including the Abbasid Khalifa in Baghdad and the ruler of Morocco, but received little meaningful support — the Khalifa sent a mere 20,000 dinars (equivalent to one day's siege expenses) and Morocco's ruler demanded an honorific title Salahuddin refused to grant. Despite this isolation, Salahuddin maintained unwavering tawakkul (reliance on Allah), as documented by his secretary Imad al-Din al-Asfahani. A pivotal turning point came when Frederick Barbarossa drowned crossing a river, causing most of his massive army to disband — an event described as divine intervention. Salahuddin's letter to the Muslim Ummah, calling them to rise without victim mentality and praising the Crusaders' unity and sacrifice as a mirror for Muslim shortcomings, is presented as timeless in its relevance. The episode details the fall of Akka after a two-year siege, including Richard the Lionheart's massacre of 3,000 Muslim prisoners, and the Battle of Arsuf where Salahuddin suffered a tactical setback due to his troops losing discipline. Throughout these trials, Salahuddin was spiritually sustained by letters from the scholar Al-Qadhi Al-Fadhil, who reminded him that true victory lies in maintaining one's character and gratitude to Allah. Salahuddin's chivalry is illustrated by his recovery of a Frankish woman's stolen baby, and his strategic clarity is shown in his firm rejection of Richard's two-state proposal, insisting all the land belongs to the Muslims. The episode ends with Richard beginning his inland march toward Jerusalem for the final confrontation.

## Key Points
- Salahuddin sought help from Muslim rulers during the Third Crusade but received little support — the Abbasid Khalifa sent only 20,000 dinars (one day's siege cost) and Morocco's ruler demanded an honorific title Salahuddin refused to grant to avoid causing division.
- Salahuddin demonstrated true tawakkul (reliance on Allah) by remaining calm, charitable, and firm-hearted even as his secretary Imad al-Din al-Asfahani grew anxious — showing that genuine reliance on Allah is paired with taking all practical means.
- Frederick Barbarossa's unexpected drowning and the subsequent disbanding of his massive German army is presented as divine intervention in response to Salahuddin's sincerity and effort.
- Salahuddin's letter to the Muslim Ummah contained no victim mentality — instead, he praised the Crusaders' unity and sacrifice to challenge Muslims to rise to the same level of commitment to their faith.
- A young Muslim chemist saved the city of Akka by developing a secret flammable liquid that destroyed three massive Frankish siege towers, then refused any reward, acting purely for the sake of Allah — illustrating the need for Muslims skilled in all disciplines.
- The city of Akka fell after Baha'uddin Qaraqosh negotiated a surrender with Richard, who then massacred the 3,000 Muslim prisoners in betrayal of the agreement, deeply grieving Salahuddin.
- Al-Qadhi Al-Fadhil's letters to Salahuddin taught that true victory is maintaining forbearance, gentleness, and gratitude to Allah in hardship — and that being chosen by Allah to stand for Islam is itself an honor, regardless of others' inaction.
- At the Battle of Arsuf, Salahuddin suffered a setback when his troops lost discipline and broke formation, allowing Richard's knights to counterattack — demonstrating that military defeat is not true defeat as long as one rises again with resolve.
- Salahuddin firmly rejected Richard's two-state solution, declaring Jerusalem and all the lands belong to the Muslims, and that any Crusader presence was only due to a temporary weakness that would eventually be reversed.
- Salahuddin's compassion was demonstrated when, in the midst of war, he stopped his army to help a Frankish woman recover her stolen baby — embodying the prophetic character of never becoming the monster one fights.

## Chapters
- 0:00 The Kings Who Swore to Break Him
- 3:09 When Titles Mattered More Than Lives
- 10:15 The Stranger Who Saved Acre
- 14:58 Miracle at the River
- 22:49 The Weapon Built to End It All
- 26:58 Betrayal at Acre
- 28:27 The Frankish Mother
- 33:28 Battle of Arsuf
- 46:42 The Shocking Wedding Proposal

## Transcript
**[0:00]** The army of Frederick Barbarossa has just landed in Asia Minor and Salahuddin sends letters asking everybody to help. And what do you think happened? Will Salahuddin get

**[0:17]** help from the Muslims to face this impossible encounter? Or will he be left alone?

**[0:42]** We saw last time that Salahuddin, though victorious in the battle of Hattin, yes liberated Jerusalem, faced an impossible encounter where the joint forces of Europe send a third crusade, and heading this crusade, the kings of Europe themselves. And Salahuddin now is facing the

**[1:00]** joint army of Europe. And we saw last time the news of the arrival of the German King Frederick Barbarossa, dedicated with the resolve that they are not going to stop till they liberate Jerusalem. It is said they were so fanatical that they swore that they will sleep

**[1:16]** in their armor, that all the time they'll be in their chain mail. They swore that anybody who does any mistake or any sin, they will put him to death because they viewed the reason they're defeated is because of their own sins. They were highly dedicated people heading now towards Salahuddin. People were terrified, rumors started to spread that the entire area

**[1:37]** of Sham is going to fall. And indeed, the news reached the Sultan and his camp. Imad al-Din al-Asfahani, the one that documents and writes the letters for Salahuddin, describes his own state as he received the news of the German knights heading towards Salahuddin.

**[1:55]** He says, the news of their arrival to Tripoli came in the month of Sha'ban. The Sultan was steadfast and firm hearted. Nothing moved him from guarding Akka and attacking the Franks surrounding it in every moment of the day and night. He fully entrusted his affairs

**[2:11]** to Allah, completely relied on Him and always had a smiley face, calm soul, continuously taking care of the people's needs and continuously, consistently giving in charity to whomever he asks. And now he says, for me, whenever I thought about the news of the German army,

**[2:29]** I got distressed and anxious. But whenever I would go and look at the Sultan, I find from the strength of faith and the reliance on God what would expand my own chest and make me feel certain that the victory will be for the Muslims. Salahuddin under such

**[2:47]** conditions, his heart, this is real tawakkul. The heart is completely attached to Allah But Salahuddin realizing that this is an impossible encounter, sends his nephew Taqiyyuddin with a part of his army to meet the tides and the other part is facing the Franks in Akka. Now he realized

**[3:07]** maybe he needs the help of other Muslims. He sent a letter to the Khalifa in Baghdad. The Khalifa's response was actually shocking. Salahuddin in his letter, his title is Al-Nasir Al-Nasir Salahuddin. This is the title that was given to him years ago in Egypt. The Khalifa

**[3:24]** got upset and he said, how dare you call yourself Al-Nasir? I am Al-Nasir, you are not Al-Nasir and who do you think you are? All what you've done is by my help and my soldiers and Salahuddin was his help, his soldiers, where are they? One thing I'd like to note that though the Abbasid Khalifa

**[3:46]** of the time was so weak, really not present, you should see the way Salahuddin sent letters to him, the way he treated the Khalifa. He treated him as if he is the master, the one that's doing everything because Salahuddin understood unity is important. Though the Khalifa is weak,

**[4:02]** though Khalifa is just a symbol, he is still important. What did he do? It is said he sent him a cheque with 20,000 dinars. A cheque? Yes, a cheque is a Muslim invention. It's called a saq. So back in the day, back even centuries before Salahuddin, Islam was widespread. So if you need

**[4:20]** to send money from some one place to the other, they invented that saq, meaning the Khalifa promises to pay whoever holds this, you know, cheque. So he sent him a cheque, 20,000 dinars and it was almost like an insult. Salahuddin spent 20,000 dinars every day on the siege of Akka.

**[4:40]** What will 20,000 dinars do? But Salahuddin accepted it with, you know, his polite character and thanked the Khalifa. He sent a letter to Morocco all the way there, asking them to come and help with whatever they can do. Come and help, send your fleet. My fleet, you know, my ships are

**[4:57]** not enough to stop the hundreds of ships coming. And now Akka is completely seized even from sea. It's completely surrounded. I need your help. And the response came back from Morocco. Why didn't you call me Amir al-Mu'mineen? What does that mean? The ruler was upset when Salahuddin

**[5:16]** did not give him the title Amir al-Mu'mineen. That's the title of the Khalifa. And people told Salahuddin, give him the title. Tell him, ya Amir al-Mu'mineen, let him come and help. And Salahuddin said, I cannot do that. This will cause confusion and division among the Muslims. Salahuddin did not

**[5:33]** receive much help. Now, if you were in Salahuddin's position, should you compromise? Should you say, I've had enough. Let me save Sham. Let me save Egypt, my country, my kingdom. Maybe Jerusalem, maybe we can make a two-state solution. Should you compromise? And Salahuddin refused. And

**[5:51]** Salahuddin started sending letters everywhere. And Wallahi, this is one of the letters of Salahuddin up till today. I think this letter is for us. From Salahuddin al-Ayyubi to the Muslim Ummah. And he says, we hope in Allah most high to whom be praise, who leads the heart of Muslims to

**[6:10]** calm what torment them and ruin that prosperity. Where is the sense of honor of the Muslims? The pride of the believers? The zeal of the faithful? We shall never cease to be amazed at how the disbelievers for their part have shown trust. And it is the Muslims who have been lacking in zeal.

**[6:26]** Not one of them has responded to the call. Not one intervenes to straighten what is distorted. But observe how far the Franks have gone. What unity they have achieved. What aims they pursue. What help they have given. What sum of money they have borrowed and spent. What wealth they have

**[6:45]** collected and distributed and divided among themselves. There is not a king left in their lands or islands. Not a lord or a rich man who has not competed with his neighbors to produce support and rival his peers in this military effort. In defense of their religion, they consider it a

**[7:02]** small thing to spend life and soul. And they have kept their brothers supplied with arms and champions of war. And all that they have done, and all this generosity, is purely out of zeal for him they worship in jealous defense of their faith. On the other hand, the Muslims are weak

**[7:22]** and demoralized. They have become negligent and lazy. The victims of unproductive heedlessness and completely lacking in resolve. If Allah forbid, something was to happen to Islam, no one of them, far or near, would come to blaze the zeal for Allah's religion.

**[7:40]** This is the moment to cast off laziness. To summon from far and near all those men who have blood in their veins. We are confident thanks to Allah in the help that will come from Him. And we entrust ourselves to Him in sincerity of purpose and deepest devotion. In sha Allah, the disbelievers

**[8:01]** will perish and the believers will have a sure deliverance. Salahuddin Ayyubi Looking at this letter, some remarks. Do you see any victim mentality? Did he bash the Franks? Did he say, look horrible, oh look what they do, look how they betray, look what they did to the

**[8:20]** women, look how they slaughter our kids, let me show you pictures of bad crusaders and pity for me. You do not see any victim mentality. If anything, he praised his opponent. He looked at them, look how sincere they are. The problem, they are acting the way they should act. What did you expect

**[8:41]** from them? They are acting true to their religion. Their religion says this land is mine in the name of the Bible, in the name of the Torah and as such I am going to come and take it. God promised me this land. They believe in their book. It's distorted. But they are true to their faith.

**[8:59]** On the other hand, the problem is the people of the truth are not as true to their faith. They do not have the same zeal. They don't have the same aspiration. They are not willing to sacrifice. Our opponent is sacrificing. Our opponent is giving. Our opponent is spending.

**[9:17]** We are not willing to do the same. What do you think will happen? So Salahuddin identified the problem. It's not a victim mentality. The problem is not them. Look at them. The solution will not come from them. The solution comes from us. We have to rise to the occasion and Salahuddin ends

**[9:34]** it with what? His trust in Allah. That by the grace of Allah, we will be victorious. He took all his means. This is not a person who's sleeping, who has no plan, did not train, has no weapons, has no army and all of a sudden wakes up. Yalla, Bismillah, let's go and fight and we will win.

**[9:53]** Salahuddin took all the means for decades. Really all the asbab of tawakkul, true reliance on Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, spiritual and materialistic. He's a good strategist as well as he's a good believer. His heart is with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and his brain is planning

**[10:12]** and his limbs and effort is in the battlefield fighting. That is true tawakkul. Meanwhile, now around Akka, something disturbing happens. The Franks have built three big towers. It is said five stories high and they started pushing those towers towards the city of Akka and the people

**[10:32]** inside Akka realized if those towers reach the city, it's game over. There is only 3,000 troops inside the city of Akka. Three thousand of the knights of Salahuddin, it has been more than a year and more than hundreds of thousands of the Franks cannot take the city from them.

**[10:50]** Aren't they superheroes? What kind of men are those? What kind of determination? What kind of hope and struggle and strength must you have to defend the city with just 3,000 against hundreds of thousands? They didn't waver and now the towers are coming near and they start to bomb the towers

**[11:08]** and use their trebuchets and catapults and Greek fire and nothing is working. It seemed they were well built. They say that they had put vinegar on them and other things that would protect them so that fire will not affect them and they are worried. Here a young man comes to Salahuddin

**[11:27]** and he says I know what to do. Who's that young man? It's a young man that before years before this was interested in chemistry. He used to spend his time you know studying chemistry and combustible materials but now he comes and he says my years of work will pay off. I know a certain

**[11:46]** chemical combination. I think I can get rid of those two three towers but send me inside Akka. Now how did they do that? Akka is surrounded. Salahuddin had numerous creative ways of reaching Akka. One of the ways they did is they got a ship put on some Frankish flags and the cross. They got

**[12:05]** some pigs put it on top of the ship. Everybody shaved their beards and everybody you know wore the cross looked like Franks and then the ship sails and the Franks would come towards the ship. Where are you going? And then this ship this Muslims pretending to be Franks

**[12:25]** they would talk back and say we just came from Europe. We are heading towards the city of Akka and then the other people respond Akka is under the control of Salahuddin and then they respond still what have you been doing for one year this is a joke and then they told them oh you better

**[12:41]** warn the other ship behind us. There was another Frankish ship there. I think they're heading towards the city of Akka. Go warn them lest they go there and Salahuddin captures and then they would go to warn the city. And they slip and they reach the city of Akka and this young man now is inside the city of Akka

**[12:59]** with all the material he needs and this young man starts making his chemical secret weapon if you will and it looks like a transparent it looks like water it's transparent and he goes to Baha'uddin and he tells him here is what I want you to do first put those containers of this liquid

**[13:18]** throw them at the towers make sure that all the towers are soaked with this liquid then throw fire on them and indeed that's what they did they first started throwing those containers of this transparent liquid on all the towers the Franks when they saw this they thought

**[13:33]** it's like what is this they're throwing water at us so they started to mock and you know make fun and nothing is happening what are you doing but then Baha'uddin gives the order throw fire at the first tower and once they threw the Greek fire the tower exploded in flames and the men

**[13:49]** started to jump out of the tower five stories high full of men they started to jump from the third and fourth floor that's the best chance and indeed they started to throw the Greek fire on the second and the third and all the towers were destroyed this young man saved the city of Akka and when

**[14:07]** Salahuddin saw this he was so impressed so happy and he said bring him out I want to reward him and this young man says no I've done this for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala I don't want reward I don't want any recognition sincerity this young man saved the city of Akka because he was

**[14:26]** studying he was serious in what he's doing he was a chemist his heart was what in what he's doing we need that we need people in all disciplines not only people that can fight on the on the battleground battles around the city of Akka continued to rage meanwhile Salahuddin received

**[14:45]** some good news and some bad news the good news well Taqiyyuddin is going to like confront the German soldiers what happened something out of everybody's expectation happened Frederick Barbarossa crossing a river decides to go and take a bath in the river for a change and subhanallah something

**[15:07]** happens and he drowns but the most amazing part is what happened next all his followers started to differ they did not agree on what to do they did not agree on who to follow and most of them decided to stop and head back to Germany how it doesn't make any sense it does because who controls

**[15:28]** the heart Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala this is an ayah from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala yes Allah's help will come if you were to bring aid to Allah's religion first you take that step first and Allah will aid

**[15:44]** you Salahuddin took all possible measures materialistic and spiritual and hence Allah's aid came to Salahuddin Allah's the one that controls the hearts of people this did not happen because of a political reason it's a miracle it's by the grace of Allah and notice how easy it is for Allah

**[16:03]** Ibn Al-Athir says had they come to the cities of Sham probably all Sham would have fell onto and they would have just taken everything there was too many of them but Allah will never let something this happens the likes of Salahuddin the likes of Taqiyyuddin the likes of people that have

**[16:19]** that type of sidq and that type of truthfulness and sincerity Allah never lets down now what's the bad news the bad news that came to Salahuddin and Ibn Shaddad says he gathers all the commanders starts opening a letter and when he was about to read the letter he started to cry what happened

**[16:39]** news came to him your nephew Taqiyyuddin died a natural death this young man in his prime one of the top commanders of Salahuddin passes away Salahuddin he lost Al-Faqih Isa Al-Hakkari and now he's losing Taqiyyuddin it's agony it was Ibn Shaddad that came to him told him Sayyidi

**[17:00]** we don't have time for this you should focus on what's befalling the Muslims and Salahuddin says you're right you're right may Allah forgive me he loved Taqiyyuddin like his son he holds back his grief in his heart and goes out to the Muslims how was Salahuddin like that how was he able to

**[17:17]** do this what kind of faith must he have had I'll tell you something one reason he was like this because he was not alone he was not only with knights he had scholars one scholar that was responsible for making the heart of Salahuddin that firm is Al-Qadi al-Fadil that great scholar

**[17:35]** the great judge of Egypt and we have many of the beautiful letters that Salahuddin used to send to him and he would send back knowing what Salahuddin is passing through and the agony and that he's left alone and other people are not coming to his help Al-Qadi al-Fadil sent him this letter

**[17:51]** and it reads my lord those nights that you stayed up in arms while people rested and your eyes stayed awake while others slept those days of the battles that makes one's hair turn into gray are the blessings of Allah on you the very seeds of the trees you'll have in Jannah they're the

**[18:11]** ornaments that will adorn your audience with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala on the day of judgment so thank Allah for them like you thank Him for the gift of manifest victories and then he says my goal is that you be thankful to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala for choosing you for this task and

**[18:30]** favoring you over others He's the one that put you on the front and delayed the others Allah's the one that puts forth whomever is worth and Allah's the one that delays and puts back whoever is not worth but the reality of the matter there are some people Allah does not

**[18:48]** want them to be on the front line this honor of being the one standing for Islam not everybody attains and Al-Qadi al-Fadil is telling Salahuddin don't you see what's going on do not see the creation see the creator this is an honor to be the one standing while others are sleeping

**[19:05]** don't be put down that other people are not taking this matter seriously don't see them see the favor of Allah on you you are the one that Allah selected to give this and then he tells him something else my lord the second goal is that you do not change your state of forbearance

**[19:23]** gentleness and care towards others and let not a single word of complaint or resentment be heard from you for hardship will go and its reward will stay like the victory did not cause my lord to be arrogant and haughty when you were victorious in Hattin when you crushed them when you took Jerusalem

**[19:42]** you are humble and that is victory victory is not to take Jerusalem and be arrogant that's a defeat real victory is not just taking Jerusalem you took it and what did you do forbearance calmness humility compassion that is victory and he tells him let not adversity cause you

**[20:03]** to complain or resent for me to hear that in those calamities you are still forbearing forgiving gentle to people tolerant of their mistakes is more beloved to me and more admirable than hearing the news of your military victory against your opponent that is true victory true

**[20:22]** victory is when I'm victorious here in my heart true defeat is when I trade off my values I trade off my akhlaq I trade off and I compromise my beliefs that is defeat defeat is when I stop trusting Allah Salahuddin this is his victory and that's the letter of Al-Qadi al-Fadil now the

**[20:43]** situation is getting worse and all of a sudden the news come both the kings of France and England have landed and now the Muslims are completely surrounded and Salahuddin is now faced with this impossible encounter as we said the first thing Richard the Lionheart did when he landed sent a

**[21:02]** letter to Salahuddin requesting an audience he was so impressed I heard a lot about Salahuddin I know of his victories I heard about what he did in Jerusalem and he was admiring the knight Salahuddin the chivalry of Salahuddin and he said I'm so eager to meet you the response of Salahuddin

**[21:21]** it is not befitting for kings to meet kings they break bread together then the next day they fight I cannot do that we can only meet if this matter comes to an end however I'll give you permission to meet my brother in just in case if you want to negotiate anything now at that point

**[21:42]** multiple operations started to happen day and night attacks against the city of Akka and we have Ibn Shaddad writes almost like a daily account about the the iron ram that they used to ram and how the the Muslims in Akka went out and took it in and how one time they they came so close to

**[21:58]** the ditch of the city and the Franks started throwing bodies you know they want to make a bridge and they started throwing the bodies of dead animals and men inside the ditch can you imagine and then what happened Baha'uddin Qaraqush orders his men to make a sortie a part of them

**[22:14]** would block the Franks the other part will jump into the ditches started cutting the corpses can you imagine of dead animals and throwing in the heat of the sun it was just a this is is an epic battle as I said it's unbelievable when you read the amount of struggle and forbearance those people

**[22:33]** had very admirable nevertheless Richard was so determined and he switched strategy he started building a giant trebuchet and it was five stories high and when it threw stones it wasn't small it was huge stones and then the trebuchet was ready and Richard gave orders attack one spot only and

**[22:55]** the trebuchet started throwing massive boulders of you know rocks and the walls of the city started breaking and Baha'uddin became very concerned and Baha'uddin soldiers come and try to repair the breaches that happened Richard is becoming frustrated two years and they cannot take

**[23:11]** one city from Salahuddin yet the city now is fully surrounded and it's winter time and Salahuddin attempts out of desperation he orders some of his ships to sail in winter against the waves maybe reach the city and give them supplies but the waves were too high and the ships ended up

**[23:33]** sinking and crashing and the city now Baha'uddin reports we're out of supply we're out of weapons we're running out of arrows we can no longer defend the city the walls have been breached and he says to Salahuddin give me permission permission for what permission to negotiate

**[23:50]** for a surrender maybe if we give them the city maybe they will spare us and will not kill us and Salahuddin was so upset no way we can surrender the city of Akka we will continue the fight we'll free the city no no negotiations whatsoever and he orders his commanders tomorrow

**[24:09]** we have to arrange for an attack and they tell him it's impossible we've been trying for two years there is no hope as they're speaking a shock happens they see the Frankish flags coming on top of the city of Akka what happened the city of Akka fell to the Franks what happened

**[24:32]** Baha'uddin Qaraqush made a negotiation with Richard he went to him and told him listen we've been kind to you if we were to deliver the city in peace would you allow us to leave and Richard agrees if you were to deliver the city in peace of course everybody can leave and everything is fine and

**[24:52]** and guess what happens when they agreed and they opened the doors the crusaders went inside the city they captured the three thousand Muslims there 2,700 warriors 300 maybe of their wives and kids and they captured all of them and they sent to Salahuddin al-Ayyubi you want them you

**[25:11]** give us 200,000 dinars they betrayed it is said when Salahuddin received the news when he saw the flags on top of the city Baha'uddin Qaraqush and we cannot blame him what I mean it's an impossible encounter the man resisted for years I mean and Ibn Shaddad says that Salahuddin

**[25:33]** was like a mother that lost her son he started crying and breaking in tears everybody around him it has been two years people were couldn't believe what's happening the city fell and again it was Ibn Shaddad that went to Salahuddin and said ya sayyidi

**[25:50]** there is no time for this there is no time for grief you have to think about the fate of the Muslims what about the three thousand men inside send to Richard and Salahuddin orders you are right and he gets he says bring me some rose water washes his face and sends to Richard with his

**[26:09]** grief and agony inside and Richard responds I will give them to you if you give me two hundred thousand dinars and the true cross Salahuddin responds I will get the money but how do I know that you'll fulfill your promise how do I know what if I give you everything and you guys betray

**[26:28]** your promises and the response came you first deliver the money and we'll see Salahuddin sends to the religious people in Akka give me your word that your king will will follow this promise of his the response comes back we cannot trust our leaders you don't have and Salahuddin

**[26:48]** sends to him okay I just want a proof and to his surprise Richard does something that amazed Salahuddin Salahuddin watches the doors of Akka opening the three thousand prisoners coming out shackled in chains is he going to free them is he chivalrous and then all of a sudden Richard

**[27:07]** orders the knights to attack the three thousand people of Salahuddin and Salahuddin in shock witnesses all of them are put to the sword he spared the leaders he spared Baha'uddin and why good ransom but he killed everybody else and Salahuddin was furious after all what we did

**[27:28]** after all our compassion and leniency I I never treated them this way look at look at this look at how ugly this is there is good in it what is good in this he said it has been two years they're entrenched in this

**[27:47]** camp and we couldn't do anything now they took the city of Akka now they have to leave and head towards the city of Yafa maybe now we can meet them in the battlefield maybe we can have a battle and then maybe we can defeat them and maybe that's good and Salahuddin agrees and then what

**[28:05]** happened next is something really amazing Ibn Shaddad is the one that narrates this as and I want you to imagine Salahuddin's state the agony he's he's he's facing the how troubled he is with the treason of the Franks and at that moment his army is moving a Frankish woman come running

**[28:22]** towards Salahuddin al-Ayyubi and he stops the army and he says what's wrong with her what's going on and they tell him she's asking to meet you and he says bring her forth what do you want and she starts crying and says yesterday some Muslim thieves sneaked into our camp they stole

**[28:41]** my baby my young boy or girl they stole my baby and they left and I couldn't do anything I went to our kings asking for their help and they told me we cannot help you but go to Salahuddin go to

**[28:56]** the sultan of the Muslims he is chivalrous he is compassionate he will help you I'm here looking for Salahuddin to bring my baby back said Salahuddin affected gentle gentle-hearted stopped the army said I think I know what they're going to do they're probably going to try to go

**[29:14]** to some marketplace sell this as a slave or as something and he orders his soldiers take the description of the baby go to the marketplace bring the baby back and he starts comforting the mother giving her some giving her some gifts surely enough few hours the soldiers of Salahuddin

**[29:31]** coming back with a child in their hands and the mother sees the child and she recognizes it's her son and she runs towards her son hugs him kisses him hugs him again and then looks at Sultan Salahuddin pointing to him and pointing to the heavens and making du'a for Salahuddin

**[29:52]** this is victory this is victory yes sometimes we have we face monsters we must never be the monsters we fight I'd rather be eaten by wolves than to be a wolf eating with wolves Salahuddin

**[30:08]** in the midst of all this retained his heart his compassion his gentleness although it was traumatic he did not become a monster he fought the monsters he did not become a monster he was still compassionate he was still gentle he was still able to differentiate between a woman and the

**[30:26]** leaders of the Franks he was able to help a woman from the enemy's camp because that's the prophetic he followed Muhammad (ﷺ) that is perhaps in my view one of the biggest victories of Salahuddin al-Ayyubi and a representation of what his generation represented now what happens next

**[30:48]** they took the city of Akka and although it looks bad Ibn Shaddad goes to Salahuddin and tells him yes although from a military perspective it's bad from a tactical perspective it will force the Franks to leave their position they're heavily entrenched now if they want to go further they

**[31:04]** need to go out from their entrenched positions in the open and that will be our chance to meet them in the open and maybe encircle them the way we did in the battle of Hattin and Salahuddin agrees and Salahuddin orders his forces to withdraw and starts preparing you know for the other battle

**[31:21]** and battle in the open with Richard the Lionheart and all the other kings and and rulers and leaders of Europe with their knights of the Templars and the Hospitallers a huge army and indeed it started to happen Richard starts gathering all the army and they start moving however the next

**[31:40]** step that Richard did was also very well thought of he was also a very very clever strategist and he knew what Salahuddin wanted and he was very aware of the techniques of Salahuddin and he did not want to be encircled at all so he started a march from the city of Akka to his next

**[31:58]** target the city of Yafa it's about 80 miles maybe a two-day march or something like that and he would be in the city of Yafa and then again he will lay siege and the same same scenario again after Yafa maybe then he can go inland and go towards the city of Jerusalem now on the way to

**[32:17]** Salahuddin starts ambushing Richard but Richard did something really clever he did not leave the coast he ordered his troops to march in a very disciplined way where the Mediterranean with all the Frankish ships on one side so nobody can attack from the sea and if they need resupplies

**[32:37]** they can get whatever they want and Salahuddin can never encircle them so do not leave the seashore and he arranged people in full armor in the first outer layer with their shields up so all the arrows of Salahuddin does not do anything now Salahuddin indeed slowed the march of Richard trying

**[32:56]** to do his favorite technique he would engage and try to retreat Richard gave direct orders nobody should leave the coast do not attack Salahuddin no matter what he does if he slows you down keep the pace the march continued days passed and it what was supposed to take two days started now to

**[33:16]** drag into weeks and Richard is moving like he's crawling but he's maintaining his formation and finally Salahuddin comes with a plan in a place called Arsuf. Arsuf is yeah it's by the coast but there is a forest the forest of Arsuf inland it's a very good place to put an ambush inside the

**[33:37]** forest and the attack started and the men of Salahuddin and his soldiers tired of this long long long war started to attack ferociously the light cavalry of Salahuddin the mounted archers started to really cause damage and the infantry started to retreat they concentrated the attack

**[33:55]** at the rear end attempting to pin it and slow the advancement and the attack was very successful and the Hospitallers were annoyed and they sent to Richard give us permission to attack and Richard refused he said not yet not yet being a strategist I know what he wants don't fall for his trick and

**[34:13]** Richard noticed something it was the Muslims that are losing cohesion they started losing patience and some of them started pushing forward and forward and chasing the infantry and a gap started to happen between them and the heavy cavalry of Salahuddin Salahuddin had newly

**[34:31]** formed heavy cavalry they're heavily fortified you know their horses are well armed they are capable and Salahuddin held them back because they're sluggish they're slow and the light cavalry the mounted archers are the one harassing but then the mounted archers went too far and at

**[34:47]** one point they decided to dismount so that they can aim better because there is no response and at that point Richard gave his orders the Hospitallers the Templars and Richard all the knights of the Franks attacked in cohesion and that was a point where the men of Salahuddin lost their formation

**[35:09]** and those mounted archers were not on the horses they and they could not stand the brunt of the attack and they got crushed and immediately the knights of the Franks went all the way to the Salahuddin's position and a very ferocious battle started to happen and Ibn Shaddad narrates

**[35:26]** what happened he said I saw the Franks they attack and men were starting to run away and I saw Salahuddin standing himself ordering the drummers to ask everybody to stay where they're at and the arrows are flying around so I said maybe the center is bad let me go to the right side I went to the

**[35:43]** right side I saw his brother in the same situation I went to the left side I realized our men has lost their cohesion and at that point Salahuddin was forced to order a retreat of his troop and the Frankish knights are now chasing the army of Salahuddin till they went inside the forest and

**[36:01]** things could have changed there but Richard ordered stop the pursuit do not follow he will trap us in those trees out of fear of that there is an ambush there Richard stops the attack and pulls his knights back and Salahuddin it seems the battle of Arsuf was a setback in this battle Salahuddin said he

**[36:23]** lost between 7,000 to 10,000 men Salahuddin in this battle from a technical perspective some people say it's defeat but it's not like the battle of Hattin he still has his army and Ibn Shaddad narrates that Salahuddin was so much grieved with what happened in this battle how the Muslims

**[36:41]** lost their patience for the first time and instead of being disciplined and they just went and kept attacking that caused what happened to happen so the battle of Arsuf revealed something about Salahuddin and some of the men around him it revealed an attitude that we see in the Quran as

**[36:58]** Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala tells us that on the path of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala it is expected sometimes that we have setbacks and if that happens to us do not lose hope it happened to good people before us and we see Salahuddin adopting that attitude a real defeat is when I become helpless

**[37:14]** and stop and sit back and do nothing yet Salahuddin was never this way if he's defeated here and there in the battlefield he only stands back up again with truthfulness and resolve to recover what he lost that is victory and as Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says

**[37:32]** you are the most high even when you have a military setback you're still the most high why because you continue to be believers you continue to believe in Allah you continue to have hope you're not helpless you believe in la ilaha illallah Muhammad rasulullah we're defeated when we

**[37:49]** compromise on la ilaha illallah and Muhammad rasulullah Salahuddin spent the entire night taking care of the wounded people himself it was a ferocious battle as we said and Salahuddin next day Ibn Shaddad says he gathers his army goes out in front of Richard only Allah knew how much pain

**[38:09]** and grief this man is carrying in his heart but with full determination asks Richard a second I'm here I'm not defeated I'm ready to attack Richard on the other hand again being wise in the battlefield he realized this is not about this battle I am not going to do what he wants

**[38:26]** he gives his orders do not engage Salahuddin continue moving towards the city of Yafa and Salahuddin realized what can I do he has this formation now like of a moving fort where even the injured men he uses the ships to take them all the way back to Tyre and

**[38:43]** reinforcements are coming by sea and he's consistently resupplied. What do we do? Yes, he His march is slowed down. It's now three weeks and he did not reach the city of Yafa yet But he's making his way there and Salahuddin asks his commanders. What should we do?

**[39:00]** What's the solution the concept of shura and everybody gathers and they came with a solution A solution that Salahuddin didn't like much but was the only viable solution They told him look it is not about a battle or two. This is all about Jerusalem

**[39:17]** We do not have enough of our army to protect all the cities if we go inside the city of Yafa The same thing that happened to Akka will happen again What does Richard want he wants Jerusalem so they told Salahuddin Destroy the city of Yafa

**[39:33]** Completely destroy it destroy the walls burn the city to the ground. Let him not have a base If he wants to go to Jerusalem, he has to go inland Once he's inland then we can surround him. We can cut his lines of supplies. He will be in trouble

**[39:50]** focus the battle on Jerusalem and Salahuddin agrees And he starts destroying the city of Yafa And slows down Richard and after three four weeks of a march that was Hectic Richard reaches the city of Yafa only to find the trace to the ground. Nothing is left

**[40:10]** And he was so affected by this It is it's an agony two years to take the city of Akka one month to march like 80 miles And that's all with all his ships. What will happen if he starts marching towards the city of Jerusalem? He realized things are not going well

**[40:26]** So he started to negotiate with Salahuddin. He starts sending to the brother of Salahuddin. Let's start a negotiation And he sends a letter with the brother of Salahuddin to Salahuddin In this letter Richard says the following the Muslims and the Franks are done for the land is ruined

**[40:45]** Ruined utterly at the hands of both sides property and lives on both sides are destroyed This matter has received its due All what we have to talk about is Jerusalem the holy cross and the lands that we own now

**[41:00]** Now for Jerusalem, this is the center of our worship, which we shall never renounce Even if there were only one person left of us, we will continue our march towards it as for the lands Let us keep what we have and you keep what you have as for the holy cross

**[41:16]** Let the sultan clement enough and magnanimous enough to give that back to us Then we can have peace then we can rest then we can get rid of this constant hardship both parties can rest Remember when they came they were they were saying we're going to take everything from you

**[41:35]** Now all what they want is what just give us Jerusalem. Let us keep what we have you keep what you have We can live together a two-state solution proposal How did Salahuddin respond? Many people in his position will say yeah, you did what you can give him Jerusalem and that's it

**[41:53]** They live in peace and we have peace and we're good the response of Salahuddin To Richard and I just want you to notice how clear the matter was in his head. What a lesson for us He says the following Jerusalem is ours just as much as it is yours

**[42:08]** Indeed for us it is greater than it is for you For it is where our Prophet (ﷺ) came on the night journey and it is the gathering place of angels And the land of the resurrection Let's not the king imagine that we will ever give it up for we are unable to even imagine such a thing

**[42:27]** Let alone talk about it amongst Muslims. You know what he's saying? The idea of giving Jerusalem to you is something I can't even make myself imagine. It's unthinkable And he doesn't stop there now notice the following notice how he responds he says as for the lands the lands that you took

**[42:46]** Your conquest of it was an unexpected accident due to the weakness of the Muslims at the time While the war continues we will not enable you to build one stone there and will in sha Allah by Allah's grace Take back all what belonged to us

**[43:03]** Salahuddin was clear. This is not about the peace and you have this and I have this the whole land is ours You have no place at all in this land. Not Jerusalem. Not Akka not Yafa not Antioch not Tripoli all of it

**[43:18]** belong to us It's one state you can live with us But you cannot divide the land and you rule one part and we rule another part and you expect peace This is not how it goes the only reason you have it is because Muslims were weak at one point but by Allah's grace

**[43:34]** Things will the tide will turn and we will take it back might take a century might take two centuries But at the end of the day this land is ours This land belongs to those who believe in all the prophets the inheritors of Musa (عليه السلام)

**[43:50]** The inheritors of Isa (عليه السلام) the followers of Muhammad (ﷺ) This is the holy place everybody else can be there and can worship Only under the rule of the Muslims will this place be safe when other people take it. It's never the same

**[44:05]** and Salahuddin starts again Refusing the negotiation with Richard Richard now very disturbed now. What is the next move? He takes the city of Yafa There is one of two possibilities. He can go inland attempt to take the city of Jerusalem and risk Salahuddin surrounding it or

**[44:24]** He can go continue the coastal march towards the city of Asqalan If he takes the city of Asqalan, he can start attacking Egypt So now he has one of two strategies Egypt is what's supplying all All this time. Where do you think the food and the grains and and the supplies of all the armies of Salahuddin is coming from?

**[44:46]** This war needs logistics. It's Egypt Without Egypt, they could have not done any of this campaign The resources of Egypt is what's supplying Salahuddin with all what he needs and Richard realized that Should I go to Egypt or should I go to Jerusalem?

**[45:02]** Salahuddin predicting what is going to happen gathers his commanders And he tells them we need to defend both cities and they tell him we don't have enough troops We cannot defend Asqalan and Jerusalem. What is the solution? They said unfortunately, there is one solution make the battle about Jerusalem destroy the city of Asqalan

**[45:22]** Asqalan at the time was a jewel was a big city And he says I don't want to destroy it, but everybody agrees. That's the only possible solution It's the best strategy and they destroy the city of Asqalan Ibn Shaddad describes this Al-Qadi al-Fadil was so Al-Qadi al-Fadil was born in the city of Asqalan

**[45:42]** It must have been very hard for him to see his own town destroyed on the hands of Muslims And Salahuddin looks to Ibn Shaddad and he tells him something he says Seeing all my children die losing all my children is easier for me than demolishing one stone from the city of Asqalan

**[46:00]** But what can I do? This is what strategy requires and this is what all my leaders and the Muslim thinkers told me the best strategy is that Richard reaches the city of Asqalan to find the city again completely destroyed He's been deprived from those two portal cities. Now what he has now to go inland to go to the city of Jerusalem

**[46:20]** Things are not turning well So he proposes I have another proposal for Salahuddin. I think I got a solution I think I have something that will satisfy both parties and he asked to meet Salahuddin's brother And Richard again now they started to be fond of each other and some kind of a friendship is starting to form

**[46:40]** Both men admired each other. There is chivalry. There is respect And Richard he tells him I have a proposal I have my sister here Joanne. Her husband died. She's a widow and You can marry her and both of you become the king and the queen of Jerusalem and we're all happy

**[46:59]** I win you win. Everybody is happy things are good And it's said Al-Adil was impressed. That's not a bad idea After all he gets married and he goes to Salahuddin And talks to Ibn Shaddad help me convince Salahuddin that this is a good idea

**[47:16]** And they go and they both speak to Salahuddin and it is said Salahuddin when he first heard this he said are you serious? I think he's joking. I don't think he means it and Al-Adil told him. No, I sat with him He's serious. He really wants to do this and Salahuddin said no, I think he's making fun of you

**[47:32]** No, no, no, he's serious and Salahuddin said it's not even practical. It's not pragmatic No, no, no, he and Salahuddin did the unexpected thing Richard was expecting Salahuddin to say what of course not Once he says of course not what happens?

**[47:47]** He will turn his brother against him and he will start telling him see I had a proposal your brother doesn't agree Drive a wedge between both of them and maybe get Al-Adil to his side and maybe he can divide the Muslims So that's what he wanted Salahuddin to say. He wanted him to say no, that's his plan

**[48:07]** Salahuddin being who he is. What do you think he did? He does not react in a way that his enemy expects And then he told his brother go tell Richard that Salahuddin agrees. Go ahead get married and let's do that And his brother was so happy goes back to Richard

**[48:25]** With a surprising answer Salahuddin agrees. Go ahead And that's not what he was expecting and he goes and tells his sister, you know, I made this proposal What about you marrying Salahuddin's brother Al-Adil? And it is said his sister was so furious

**[48:43]** That she gathered all her belongings and left back to England She was outraged of the idea of marrying an infidel a Muslim will never do that You're out of your mind and she left to England And the negotiation failed. Meanwhile, there was something else going on

**[49:00]** Conrad that Italian knight That you know the one that started this whole thing Realizes that things are not going well and most likely they might not be able to take Jerusalem and it looks like Richard might leave then what Salahuddin will go back to him and

**[49:17]** He wanted to secure his position. So he went to Salahuddin and started a separate negotiation And started telling Salahuddin if I take my troops and return back to the city of Tyre and stop Can we have a truce for 10 years? Can you leave me alone?

**[49:32]** And the reaction of Salahuddin again a strategy is what of course If we were to do a truce, that's really good a part of the army leaves Richard. That's a win That's a win for now And it's Ibn Shaddad said we were very happy with this at least a part of the army now is going to leave

**[49:49]** But something interesting happened Sunday after the church service and Conrad is going out and some of those people, you know Monks and what have you from the church come and ask to go out with Conrad for some food And as they're walking together

**[50:05]** One of them gets out a dagger and stabs Conrad to death An assassin who did that? Of course, it was blamed on Salahuddin Salahuddin did this good excuse now what for people to have more animosity? And now the troops of Conrad will follow Richard

**[50:24]** Later on Richard in Europe had to stand trial with that allegation That he is the one that was responsible for assassinating Conrad. Is it an assassin? Who did that? There is many theories reality is we really don't know and now Richard starts the final move

**[50:42]** He has to go in and attempt to take the city of Jerusalem Salahuddin orders everybody We are going to fortify the city of Jerusalem and I am going to defend the city myself We will not give the city of Jerusalem no matter what to Richard

**[51:00]** Now the final battle is happening. Richard is finally starting to march inland heading towards the city of Jerusalem And Salahuddin determined to protect the city. What will happen next the final battle of Jerusalem?

## Other Episodes in "The Salahuddin Generation"
- [SERIES FINALE: Salahuddin’s Legacy | Ep. 11 | The Salahuddin Generation](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/the-salahuddin-generation/the-salahuddin-generation-episode-11.md)
- [One Sultan vs. All of Europe — Counterattack | Ep. 9 | The Salahuddin Generation](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/the-salahuddin-generation/the-salahuddin-generation-episode-9.md)
- [The Victory That Reopened Jerusalem | Ep. 8 | The Salahuddin Generation](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/the-salahuddin-generation/the-salahuddin-generation-episode-8.md)
- [The Plot to Dig the Prophet ﷺ’s Grave | Ep. 7 | The Salahuddin Generation](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/the-salahuddin-generation/the-salahuddin-generation-episode-7.md)
- [Salahuddin’s Revolution Begins | Ep. 6 | The Salahuddin Generation](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/the-salahuddin-generation/the-salahuddin-generation-episode-6-salahuddin-revolution-begins.md)
- [3,000 Riders to Egypt: An Impossible Mission | Ep. 5 | The Salahuddin Generation](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/the-salahuddin-generation/the-salahuddin-generation-episode-5.md)
- [The Rise of Zengi | Ep. 4 | The Salahuddin Generation](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/the-salahuddin-generation/the-salahuddin-generation-episode-4-the-rise-of-zengi.md)
- [How Imam Al-Ghazali Built A Generation | Ep. 3 | The Salahuddin Generation](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/the-salahuddin-generation/the-salahuddin-generation-episode-3.md)
- [Why Jerusalem Fell in the First Crusade | Ep. 2 | The Salahuddin Generation](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/the-salahuddin-generation/the-salahuddin-generation-episode-2.md)
- [The Rise of the Assassins | Ep. 1 | The Salahuddin Generation](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/the-salahuddin-generation/the-salahuddin-generation-episode-1.md)
- [The Salahuddin Generation: Knights and Scholars | OFFICIAL TRAILER](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/the-salahuddin-generation/the-salahuddin-generation-official-trailer.md)
- [The Salahuddin Generation – Official Teaser](https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/the-salahuddin-generation/the-salahuddin-generation-series-official-teaser.md)