SALADIN

Okay, I’ve seen all the memes about the adherents of the Religion of Peace threatening to kill non-believers. You’ve seen them to. But it may come as some surprise to learn that Islam bans the killing of non-combatants, especially women, children and old people. ‘Whoever is slain unjustly, we have indeed given to his heir authority, so let him not exceed the just limits in slaying; surely he is aided,’ Quran 17:33.

And …. get this …. It’s also forbidden to kill a combatant who has been captured. Muslims are forbidden from attacking wounded soldiers (unless the wounded person is still fighting).

Stick with me because I’m going somewhere with this. The Prophet's view of non-combatants is shown by a hadith in which Muhammad sees a woman killed in the battlefield and condemns the action. ‘So when you meet in battle those who disbelieve, then smite the necks until when you have overcome them, then make (them) prisoners, and afterwards either set them free as a favour or let them ransom (themselves) until the war terminates,’ Quran 47:4

So, what kind of radicalisation can brainwash someone into thinking that violently killing innocent people comes anywhere close to being okay?

A noble example of ideal Muslim conduct of war was demonstrated by Saladin, and this is important. You see, in 1187 Saladin was the leader of the Muslim opposition to the Crusades. He occupied Jerusalem, and despite the fact that a number of holy Muslim places had been violated by Christians, Saladin preferred to take Jerusalem without bloodshed. He prohibited acts of vengeance, and his army was so disciplined that there were no deaths or violence after the city surrendered. 

There’s no denying Saladin was a top bloke. There was a Christian Crusader called Balian who’d been defeated by Saladin at the Battle of Hattin. He’d asked Saladin for permission to return to his family in Jerusalem, and Saladin agreed as long as Balian left immediately and swore an oath to never raise arms against him again. 

Fair enough.

But once he got to Jerusalem Balian decided that the greater need of Christendom was stronger than his oath to a non-Christian, so he stayed and defended the city against Saladin. When the siege started, Balian threatened to kill all the Muslim hostages – about 5000 of them – and destroy Islam’s holy shrines if Saladin didn’t offer ‘quarter,’ in other words didn’t offer the people the opportunity to buy their freedom.

Considering how fairly he’d been treated by Saladin, Balian was a bit of a shit really.

Anyway, Saladin agreed an extremely low ransom per person – about £30 in today’s money – and allowed the people 40 days to scrape it together. Even then, those who couldn’t afford it, he just let go. Once he’d taken Jerusalem proper, he just permitted the Jews to resettle in the city. Top bloke really.

So, my question is this: whatever happened to the spirit of Saladin?  

Copyright © Karl Wiggins