# Life Story of Conqueror of Jerusalem - The Hero Palestine Longs For: Saladin Ayyubi - Language: en - Published: 2026-08-26 - Canonical: https://blog.towardseternity.com/en/blog/life-story-of-conqueror-of-jerusalem-the-hero-palestine-longs-for-saladin-ayyubi - Source video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07FtlU6xkVk - Channel: Towards Eternity This is the cleaned transcript of the source video. The speech is unaltered. --- Salah al-Din Ayyubi (known as Saladin) A voice emerges from a brave and mighty young man: "How can I find joy while Jerusalem and Masjid al-Aqsa remain under Crusader occupation? How can I eat and be content while this persists? How can I sleep peacefully at night? Get ready! We are about to share a story that will move us all, of a true Islamic hero. The Guardian of Masjid al-Aqsa, Khadim al-Haramayn, Conqueror of Jerusalem, al-Malik Abu al-Muzaffar For this video, extensive research has been conducted, including scriptwriting, voiceover, and video editing. We are a non-profit channel, free from advertisements. A team of dedicated volunteers working to share the truth. If you wish to support our efforts in spreading the truth, you can also subscribe to our channel and become part of our mission. Once upon a time, in Baghdad, there lived a renowned carpenter. In the twilight of his life, he dedicated much time to crafting a splendid minbar (pulpit) from walnut wood. He poured immense effort into the minbar, captivating all who beheld its beauty. The minbar, born from the carpenter's toil and tears, soon gained widespread acclaim. Whenever someone visited Baghdad, they would seek out the carpenter. They would approach him, saying, "Sell us this minbar so we may take it to our mosque." His response was always the same: "This minbar is destined for Masjid al-Aqsa." During that period, Jerusalem was under the occupation of the Crusaders. The Crusaders received continuous support from the Pope and Europe. The Seljuk Empire had collapsed. Numerous small Islamic states emerged in Anatolia and Mesopotamia, and they engaged in constant conflicts among themselves. In Egypt, the Batiniyyah Fatimids were established, weakening the Muslims from within. For Muslims, the dream of reclaiming Jerusalem remained distant amidst these three challenges. Everyone took it as a dream, yet, that carpenter continued to reply with unwavering confidence. "This is what I can do. I'm a craftsman. I carve minbars. Let a brave soul arise and seize Jerusalem so that this minbar may find its place." The story of this minbar spread to nearly every city. As people shared stories of its exquisite beauty, a young boy, perhaps 7 or 8 years old, heard the same account. That little boy was none other than Salah al-Din Ayyubi, and from the moment he heard the story, he harboured one steadfast ambition: To recapture Jerusalem from the Christians and put that minbar in its place. Born in the Iraqi city of Tikrit, Salah al-Din Ayyubi was the son of a Kurdish father and a Turkish mother. His inclination towards religious studies surpassed his interest in military training. He delved into subjects such as logic, philosophy, sociology, fiqh, history, and pursued arts and sciences. He completed his education at Hadith University in Damascus. Muslims regarded him as an exemplary Sultan, while the Crusaders saw him as a true Islamic hero. Both Eastern and Western historians and writers praise him in their works, and the sources unanimously depict him as pious,compassionate, cheerful, courageous, and formidable. When this remarkable figure reached the age of 26, he assumed numerous responsibilities in the state alongside his uncle Shirkuh. As Salah al-Din grew older, fate paved the way for him to conquer Jerusalem. How, you may ask? The Sultan of the Zengid State, Nur al-Din Zengi, unified all Turkish states under his rule and established a partial Islamic alliance, successfully reclaiming numerous cities from the Crusaders. When the Fatimid state of Egypt faced a crisis, the Crusaders of Jerusalem sought to expand their influence in the Middle East. The Crusaders besieged Cairo in 1168. Sultan Nur al-Din Zengi also set his sights on Egypt. Because whoever gained control of Egypt would hold a strategic advantage over the opposition. The King of the Fatimid state sought assistance from Nur al-Din Zengi. The Sultan dispatched his commanders, Shirkuh and Salah al-Din, and Shirkuh cleansed all of Egypt from the Crusaders. Due to his achievements, Shirkuh was appointed as the vizier of Egypt, but he passed away shortly after assuming the position. Salah al-Din Ayyubi succeeded his uncle as the vizier of Egypt, and became the commander of Sultan Nur al-Din Zengi's army in Egypt. At the age of 31, he assumed both these significant roles simultaneously, holding the title of Malik and serving as the vizier of Egypt. After Salah al-Din gained control of Egypt, he began to confront those who resisted him and the Turks; the Fatimids and the Crusaders and Byzantines who supported them. With his absolute authority over Egypt, Salah al-Din reorganised the army. He worked in support of Ahl as-Sunnah and established Sunni madrasas and new institutions. Gradually, he purged the Batiniyyah Fatimids from the bureaucracy. Ultimately, by order of Nur al-Din Zengi in 1171, he brought an end to the rule of the Batiniyyah Fatimids. During this period of progress, he received distressing news. Sultan Nur al-Din Zengi had passed away. On the one hand, he endeavoured to preserve the unity of the state and safeguard the cohesion of the Islamic states established by the Sultan, while on the other hand, he had to confront the Crusaders. Like every Islamic commander of that era, Salah al-Din Ayyubi had three aspirations: Securing the unity of Muslims, Liberating Jerusalem from occupation, and conquering Constantinople or Istanbul. The unity of Islamic states was solidified through victorious battles and the struggle against the Crusaders. The next objective was the recapture of Jerusalem. Qadi Baha ad-Din Ibn Shaddad describes Salah al-Din Ayyubi's love and longing for Jerusalem in these words: "His burden and sorrow for Jerusalem were so heavy that even mountains couldn't bear them. He resembled a mother grieving for her lost child. He would ride his horse from place to place, calling upon Muslims to wage jihad for the liberation of Jerusalem. He would address the masses and exclaim, "O Muslims... For the sake of Islam, For Islam!" Tears of sadness always filled his eyes. This was because Jerusalem remained under occupation. He would say: "How can I smile as long as the Crusaders control the city of Jerusalem and Masjid al-Aqsa? How can I be content and eat in peace as I desire? How can I sleep peacefully at night? Salah al-Din Ayyubi was resolute in his quest to retake Jerusalem. However, before initiating the conquest of Jerusalem, careful coordination was necessary. He skillfully organised and disciplined numerous irregular forces, shifting the balance of power in his favour. His primary focus was directed towards the Latin Crusader States. During this period, the King of Jerusalem died, and Guy of Lusignan succeeded him. Salah al-Din began his progress step by step. He conquered cities such as Diyarbakir, Urfa, Harran, Raqqa, Habur, Nusaybin, and many other cities before seizing Aleppo, which held strategic importance on the path to Jerusalem. The Sultan first laid siege to the city of Tiberias. Tiberias held significant strategic value. His objective was to lure the King of Jerusalem and his armies to Hittin, near Tiberias, in Northern Palestine. This was because he had devised a plan to alter the battle's course there. Hittin was renowned for its water wells. In advance, Sultan Salah al-Din seized control of the water wells leading to Hittin and deliberately filled them with rocks and sand. Consequently, the water wells became unusable. Upon the King and his army's arrival at Hittin, they were astonished to find the wells completely devoid of water. The entire army was compelled to engage in battle, dehydrated and fatigued under the scorching heat of the desert. The Battle of Hittin commenced on July 4, 1187. In this battle, Salah al-Din triumphed over the Crusader army led by the King of Jerusalem, Guy of Lusignan. Following this victory, Salah al-Din swiftly initiated a conquest operation. The extensive losses suffered by the Crusaders enabled the Muslims to gain control over nearly the entire Kingdom of Jerusalem. They captured numerous fortresses, including Aqqa, Tiberias, Ascalon, Nablus, Ramla, and Gaza. Within a matter of weeks, 52 cities, large and small, were conquered, and finally, the time came for Jerusalem. On September 20, 1187, the Sultan laid siege to Jerusalem. Catapults pounded the city walls. Before long, the Northeast walls were breached. The catapults were relocated there. After a short while, the wall was completely destroyed. Despite the Crusaders' attempts to stage a breakout operation, they failed to succeed. It was evident that they could no longer maintain control over the city. They requested safe passage from Salah al-Din Ayyubi, offering a ransom for their lives, preservation of crops, undamaged houses, and the release of Muslim prisoners. Sultan Salah al-Din accepted the terms, as he wished to ensure the safety of the Muslim prisoners and avoid further casualties by prolonging the battle. On the auspicious occasion of the Miraj miracle, 27 Rajab 832, 2nd of October 1187, on a Friday, Jerusalem was reclaimed. Salah al-Din Ayyubi's victory extended beyond the military realm. His triumph marked the dawn of a systematic and progressive state. Under his leadership, numerous madrasahs, hospitals, and mosques were constructed. This era witnessed the zenith of knowledge in the Islamic world. Scholars of the time were drawn to the regions under Salah al-Din Ayyubi's control. Through his support for scholars, he fostered the advancement and significant progress of knowledge. Scholars and students authored many works during this period. His governance served as a guiding light for numerous statesmen who came after him. On the 4th of March 1193, his remarkable life came to an end as this devoted servant of Islam took his last breath in Damascus. According to his will, after his death, his burial shroud (kafan) was tied to a spear and brought before the people, accompanied by these words resonating through the streets of Damascus: "O Muslims... O People... The conqueror of Egypt, Yemen, Syria, Palestine, Jerusalem, Sultan Salah al-Din, took nothing from this world except this burial shroud. Take this as a lesson, and do not be deceived by the world." He had such a purpose in life that purpose itself kept him alive. He showed us how a Muslim should set goals in life. A heart beating for Allah, a heart beating to establish justice in the world, and to bring the beauties of Islam to those who are unaware. Taking Jerusalem was granted to the one with such awareness. So, why is it not granted to us? Because we need to change ourselves first. Our lives are focused on this world, our dreams are worldly dreams, and our goals are worldly goals. Let us be sincere. Most of us think only about our comfort and ourselves. We need to scrutinise ourselves and have a heart that beats for Allah, we need to have lofty goals for Islam. Remember! Just like the great Sultan Salah al-Din, someday, our bodies will be shrouded in burial shrouds, and those burial shrouds will have no pockets.