The Political Persona of Allama ‘Izz al-Din ibn Abd Al-Salam (May Allah Have Mercy on Him)
Allama ‘Izz al-Din ibn Abd Al-Salam (may Allah have mercy on him) was known in Sham as a man of dignity and profound reverence, earning the respect even of sultans, who would stand up in his honor. He carried himself with distinct pride and awe, never setting foot in the sultans’ palaces without invitation. When summoned, he would advise the sultan with courage and impartiality, with views always in favor of Islam and the Muslim community.
During Sultan al-Malik al-Ashraf’s illness, a high-ranking official visited the Shaykh to invite him to see the Sultan and pray for him. The Shaykh, upon hearing this request, regarded visiting the sick as a noble act of worship and expressed hope that its benefit would extend beyond both parties. Upon meeting, the Sultan joyfully welcomed the Shaykh and kissed his hand, despite a prior misunderstanding between them.
The Sultan apologized to the Shaykh, asking for forgiveness and requesting his prayers and advice. The Shaykh assured him that every night before sleeping, he pardoned all of Allah’s servants and bore no grievances. He also prayed for the Sultan, asking Allah to grant him insight and keep his record clean before Allah.
In his counsel, the Shaykh urged the Sultan to direct his enthusiasm for conquests and dominance away from internal conflicts and toward the Tatars, highlighting that internal wars hindered efforts against Islam’s true enemies. He advised the Sultan to abandon conflicts with his brother and focus instead on opposing Allah’s enemies. Following this advice, the Sultan ordered his army to turn its efforts from fighting al-Malik al-Kamil and to focus on the Tatars. The change was swiftly enacted, and the people realized that the Sultan was preparing for battle against the Tatars.
The Sultan then asked the Shaykh for further advice. The Shaykh pointed out that while the Sultan was ill, state officials were indulging in luxury and imposing unjust taxes on the people. He advised the Sultan to end such injustices and address the grievances of the public. The Sultan issued these suggestions as decrees and expressed gratitude to the Shaykh, offering him a thousand Egyptian dinars as a gift, which the Shaykh declined, explaining that his visit and prayers were purely for the sake of Allah.
Boldness and Bravery in the Court of the King of Sham
Sultan al-Malik al-Salih Ismail, fearing an attack from Egypt’s Sultan al-Malik al-Salih Najm al-Din Ayyub, sought assistance from the Crusaders, promising them the cities of Sidon, Sakif, and other fortresses as rewards. This emboldened the Crusaders to enter Damascus and purchase arms. The Shaykh, dismayed by the thought of the Crusaders attacking Muslims with their own weapons, declared it forbidden (haram) to sell weapons to the Crusaders, as Muslims knew these would be used against them.
The Shaykh was deeply troubled by the Sultan’s religious indifference and the Muslims’ state of despair. Instead of following the court-appointed imams, who would pray for the Sultan’s success, the Shaykh would conclude his Friday sermons with, “O Allah, support Islam and its defenders, and humiliate and destroy the disbelievers and enemies of the religion,” to which the congregation would respond with heartfelt “amens.”
This displeased the Sultan, who ordered the Shaykh’s arrest and exile to Jerusalem. At that time, al-Sultan Salih Ismail al-Malik al-Mansur, the governor of Homs, together with the Crusaders, was planning an attack on Egypt and entered Jerusalem. Resentful of the Shaykh, Salih Ismail sent an envoy to persuade the Shaykh to reconcile. If he refused, the Sultan instructed the envoy to detain the Shaykh in a tent next to his own.
The envoy tried to coax the Shaykh into showing deference, saying, “Just go to kiss the Sultan’s hand, and everything will be forgiven.” The Shaykh’s historical reply, worthy of being inscribed in gold, was: “O poor man, by Allah, I wouldn’t be content if the Sultan came to kiss my hand, let alone I kiss his. You people are on one path, and I am on another, and I thank Allah who has spared me from what you have been tested with.”
The envoy, baffled, said, “Then I must arrest you.” The Shaykh replied, “By all means, fulfill your duty.” The Shaykh was confined in a tent next to the Sultan’s, where he continued to recite the Quran, and the Sultan could hear him from his own tent. One day, the Sultan remarked to the Crusader leaders, “Do you want to hear the Shaykh’s recitation?” They replied affirmatively, to which the Sultan said, “This is the greatest preacher of the Muslims, whom I imprisoned for protesting my alliance with you.”
Not long after, Egypt’s army returned victorious, the Crusaders were defeated, and Salih Ismail was overthrown. The Shaykh returned safely to Egypt, stopping briefly in the province of Karak, where the governor invited him to stay, but the Shaykh responded, “This small town cannot bear the weight of my knowledge.”
Arrival of the Shaykh in Egypt
In Egypt, Sultan al-Malik al-Salih Najm al-Din warmly welcomed the Shaykh, appointing him as a judge and assigning him the task of restoring a dilapidated mosque. When the Sultan established the Salihiyyah Institute, he appointed the Shaykh as a teacher of Shafi’i jurisprudence. With unwavering dedication, the Shaykh fulfilled this heavy responsibility, greatly benefiting the people.
The Shaykh and Egypt’s Sultans
During the Shaykh’s life in Egypt, many political upheavals took place. Upon his arrival, Egypt was under the rule of the Ayyubids. After the reign of al-Malik al-Salih, Najm al-Din Ayyub, who was the successor to al-Malik al-Muazzam Nur al-Din Shah, governance passed to Turkic emirs who all respected the Shaykh. The Shaykh continued to be honored, particularly by the notable Sultan of Egypt, al-Malik al-Zahir Baybars, who revered him greatly.
After the fall of the Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad, following the Shaykh’s counsel, the uncle of the last caliph, al-Mu’tasim Abu al-Qasim Ahmad (known as al-Muntasir), was appointed as caliph in Egypt in 559 AHS. The Shaykh first pledged allegiance to him, followed by al-Malik al-Zahir Baybars, the Chief Judge Taj al-Din, and others.
