Name: SERIES FINALE: Salahuddin’s Legacy | Ep. 11 | The Salahuddin Generation
Uploaded: 2026-02-14T15:03:04.000Z
Channel: Dr. Hassan Elwan
Description: This final episode of 'The Salahuddin Generation' series covers the concluding chapters of Salahuddin al-Ayyubi's life, beginning with the strategic standoff against Richard the Lionheart during the Third Crusade. After the Battle of Arsuf, Richard's forces marched toward Jerusalem, but Salahuddin f

The Final March to Jerusalem

Poisoned Wells & War of Attrition

The Night of Duʿa

The Counterstrike at Jaffa

“Islam Has No Greater King”

Salahuddin's One Dream

The Promise of 80,000 Dinars

The Illness of the Sultan

The Flag-Bearer’s Message

His Final Will to His Children

He defeated kings. He liberated Jerusalem. He broke the Third Crusade. But in the end, what mattered to him most? Not the throne. Not the cities. Not even Jerusalem. This episode uncovers Salahuddin&#x2019;s final concern, his greatest desire, and the responsibility he placed on those who came after him.

DH 2026 Donation

Cookie Consent Banner

The Salahuddin Generation – Official Teaser

The Salahuddin Generation: Knights and Scholars | OFFICIAL TRAILER

The Rise of the Assassins | Ep. 1 | The Salahuddin Generation

Why Jerusalem Fell in the First Crusade | Ep. 2 | The Salahuddin Generation

How Imam Al-Ghazali Built A Generation | Ep. 3 | The Salahuddin Generation

The Rise of Zengi | Ep. 4 | The Salahuddin Generation

3,000 Riders to Egypt: An Impossible Mission | Ep. 5 | The Salahuddin Generation

Salahuddin’s Revolution Begins | Ep. 6 | The Salahuddin Generation

The Plot to Dig the Prophet ﷺ’s Grave | Ep. 7 | The Salahuddin Generation

The Victory That Reopened Jerusalem | Ep. 8 | The Salahuddin Generation

One Sultan vs. All of Europe — Counterattack | Ep. 9 | The Salahuddin Generation

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

SERIES FINALE: Salahuddin’s Legacy | Ep. 11 | The Salahuddin Generation

All Members

Fellows

Researchers

Senior Fellow

Dr. Hassan Elwan

Series

Video

Islamic history provides a rich resource of wisdom from the Prophet's life and the legacy of scholars to help us navigate present challenges. This heritage offers insights to address current issues and misunderstandings.

History

This final episode of 'The Salahuddin Generation' series covers the concluding chapters of Salahuddin al-Ayyubi's life, beginning with the strategic standoff against Richard the Lionheart during the Third Crusade. After the Battle of Arsuf, Richard's forces marched toward Jerusalem, but Salahuddin fortified the city personally, poisoned wells along the route, and delivered a powerful speech reminding his army of their duty to Allah and the Muslims. A pivotal moment came when Salahuddin, sleepless with worry, was advised by Ibn Shaddad to perform du'a in Masjid al-Aqsa on a Friday between adhan and iqamah in sujood — combining multiple conditions for an accepted supplication. That very day, the Frankish forces halted their advance due to internal divisions, and Richard ultimately declared Jerusalem impossible to take while Salahuddin lived and the Muslims remained united. After a truce of three years and three months was signed — notably not a peace treaty acknowledging the Frankish state — Richard departed heartbroken. Salahuddin then wished to perform Hajj but was advised by scholars that his duty to protect the Muslims prevented him. He fell ill watching the Hajj pilgrims pass and died in Damascus, his face lighting up with a smile as the verse 'wa huwa Rabbul Arsh al-Azim' was recited. Shockingly, the Sultan of Egypt and Sham left only 47 dirhams — not enough for his own burial — having spent everything on the poor and the Muslim cause. His final message, carried by his flag bearer through the cities, warned against attachment to the dunya. His will to his children focused not on defending Jerusalem, but on taqwa, avoiding bloodshed, protecting the hearts of people, and guarding the rights of others (huqooq al-ibad). His legacy — the madrasas, scholars, and institutional infrastructure he built — continued to sustain Islam for centuries, even stopping the Mongols in the following generation.

The Kings Who Swore to Break Him

When Titles Mattered More Than Lives

The Stranger Who Saved Acre

Miracle at the River

The Weapon Built to End It All

Betrayal at Acre

The Frankish Mother

Battle of Arsuf

The Shocking Wedding Proposal

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.

Why Victory Triggers Counterattacks

Europe Declares the Third Crusade

The Siege of Tyre Begins

Winter War and Exhaustion

Salahuddin’s Greater Vision

The Siege of Acre Begins

Epidemic Spreads Through the Armies

Salahuddin Becomes Gravely Ill

The Egyptian Army Arrives

Barbarossa Enters the War

The Largest Crusader Army Assembled

The Battle of Hattin Begins

The Capture of the "True" Cross

A Decisive Victory Without Slaughter

Why Jerusalem Was Not Taken Immediately

Balian’s Moral Dilemma

The City Is Taken Without Bloodshed

Al-Aqsa Found in Ruins

The Pulpit of Nur ad-Din Is Installed

The death of Nur ad-Din Zengi

The fragile unity falls apart

Salahuddin returns to Damascus

The girl who stopped Salahuddin's army

The Assassins’ ceasefire with Salahuddin

Building Egypt, uniting al-Sham, keeping the Crusaders at bay

Reynald of Châtillon, the rogue Crusader knight

Reynald’s plot to dig the Prophet ﷺ’s grave

Salahuddin spares his enemy’s wedding

Salahuddin strategy to trap the Crusaders

Salahuddin’s major sin during his youth

Salahuddin as an example of Muslim masculinity

The scholars around Salahuddin

Generosity of Rabia Khatun, Salahuddin’s sister

The Crusaders’ navy attacks Egypt

Abolishing the Ismaili caliphate

Time to liberate Jerusalem, or too soon?

A conspiracy by the Assassins, Crusaders, and Ismaili loyalists

Nur ad-Din Zengi’s bloodless conquest of Damascus

Asad ad-Din Shirkuh and and the race for Egypt

The Battle of Harim (Zengids vs. Crusaders)

Resilience of Shirkuh and 3,000 Muslim knights

The Zengids’ second attempt to take Egypt

Shirkuh’s brilliant strategy

Shirkuh’s surprise in Alexandria

Saving Cairo from the Crusaders

Assassins’ Friday Killings

Imad ad-Din Zengi: Unity and Justice

Damascus Allies with the Crusaders

Edessa: The Weakest Crusader State

Zengi Assassinated—Hope Collapses Again

Nur ad-Din Zengi’s Lightning Counterattack

Scholars Behind the Revival (al-Jilani & Others)

Reforming the Kurds: A Dangerous Mission

Nur ad-Din Zengi: The Ascetic Ruler

Ends Don’t Justify Means (Leadership Shift)

Sharia Justice vs “Harsh Power”

Taxes Abolished—Charity Explodes

Second Crusade Targets Damascus

Outlasting the Crusader Super-Alliance

Ascalon Falls: Egypt in Danger

Defending Muslims Outside Damascus

Sham United: Mosul, Aleppo, Damascus

Victory Through the Weak (Prophetic Hadith)

Introduction

How Muslims Really Saw the Crusaders

Why Muslims “Smelled the Army” Before Seeing It

The Real Consequence of Living Beside Muslims

The Crusader's Coastline Advantage

Real Help Arrives… and Gets Betrayed

The Road of Change is Painful

When Muslims Unite… Against Muslims

A Power Vacuum in Aleppo

“Five Dogs” in a Dream…

Two Scholarly Strategies

The C vs A+ Problem: Ceasefire vs Liberation

Imam Al Ghazali Walks Away

A New Power Rises

The Salahuddin Generation

The knights of the Franks went all the way to Salahuddin's position and a very ferocious battle started to happen. 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. And at that point, Salahuddin was forced to order a retreat of his troops till they went inside the forest. It seems the battle of Arsuf was a setback. What will happen next? The final battle of Jerusalem. We saw last time how Richard eventually ended up taking the city of Jaffa though Salahuddin razed it to the ground and was forced to make the final decision. And Richard and the Franks decide to start the march towards the city of Jerusalem. After 2-3 years, all what the crusaders can do is take the city of Acre, Jaffa, Ashkelon and that's it. Now they head for their prize, the city of Jerusalem. Salahuddin understands that the battle is all about the city of Jerusalem and he starts supervising the fortification of the city himself. What will happen next? Salahuddin gathers all his army and gives them a speech. Now that today you are the army of Islam and the ones defending it, as you are aware, the blood of the Muslims, their property and their offspring depend on your protection. There are no other Muslims that can face this enemy but you. If you turn away, God forbid, the Franks will roll up these lands as they roll up a scroll. This is your responsibility as you are the ones whom Allah placed this responsibility on. You have been supported by the wealth of the people whom you are supposed to protect. The Muslims in all the lands depend on you. Salahuddin makes it clear, nobody else is coming to our aid and we are the ones that Allah put in that spot and we should perform with ihsan. Know that it's Allah that's watching us and know that everything we do is for His sake. And Salahuddin again with his reliance on Allah assures people that Allah will bring victory to the Muslims no matter what setbacks they had. And Salahuddin starts his strategy. The way from Jaffa all the way till Jerusalem goes inland. Now Richard is exposed and Salahuddin poisoned all the wells on the way and started harassing the forces of the Franks. And Salahuddin's strategy shifted. Drain them, cut their supplies. The further they go inland, the more difficult their situation becomes. And the march dragged and numerous battles happening and at one point Salahuddin now is really disturbed and he decides, he makes an announcement. I am going to protect the city myself. Nobody will surrender this city. I'll lead the defense from inside of the city. I'll divide my army. Half outside, half inside. So when they come, not only we can attack from inside, we surround them from the outside. And then because they're inland, there is no supply from the sea. It's going to be very difficult for them. It's said that he used to carry some stones on his own shoulder to fortify the city. That's how much he was keen to defend that city. Ibn Qudamah has a description of Salahuddin when he came and he says, I came and I find a king that is awe-inspiring. A king that is so approachable yet so revered by his friends. And he would spread his table and everybody would come and they would eat and they would discuss things and it's always full of scholars and he was deeply intellectual, deeply compassionate and everybody is speaking of such high matters. And then they would go and they would start fortifying the city. And he said, all his friends are mimicking him. They take him as a role model as he supervises the fortification of the city of Jerusalem. Now Salahuddin is really worried and Ibn Shaddad narrates that one night Salahuddin spent the whole day, you know, worrying, encouraging his soldiers and fortifying the city. Nighttime comes, Ibn Shaddad goes to Salahuddin as usual. Why? Because Salahuddin, as we said, every single night he studies hadith with Ibn Shaddad. And Ibn Shaddad said, I entered and I found the Sultan very concerned. He looked really grieved. He looked like he was really worried. I think you need to sleep. Maybe it's a good idea tonight. Just let's go to bed. Let's have some rest. And Ibn Shaddad said, I left the Sultan, went to my tent and I couldn't sleep myself. Out of what? Worry. Himself is worried. He sees how the Sultan is and the state of the Muslims. He said till it was almost Fajr time, I came back and I saw Salahuddin in the same state. And I told him, Sayyidi, maybe you didn't sleep. And he said, no, I couldn't sleep. Ibn Shaddad then said something really profound to Salahuddin. He said, I have an idea. Today is a Friday night. Here is what you need to do. It's Fajr time. So I want you to make wudu, go to the Aqsa mosque, give charity in secrecy and then between adhan and iqamah, pray two rak'ahs, which is a sunnah. And there is a reason why between adhan and iqamah, because we know between adhan and iqamah, if you make a du'a, Allah respo…

The Salahuddin Generation

Dr. Hassan Elwan

Other series

40 Hadiths on Social Justice

Confident Muslim

Sayedaty

The Faith Revival

Proofs of Prophethood

To Know Him is to Love Him: Finding Answers Through Allah's Attributes

Khutbahs

Virtues of Dhul Hijjah

Firm Roots

The Firsts (Sahaba Stories) | The Forerunners of Islam

Connect with us

Yaqeen app

Ameen app