Author: Obaidullah Nimruzi
The Guardian of Al-Andalus (Spain): Sultan Yusuf ibn Tashfin [MABH] (Part 36)
The Tragedy of Barbushtar: The Cross Against the Quran
The city of Barbushtar had long been considered one of the capitals of the highlands of Andalusia and had been under Muslim rule for three hundred and sixty years. [1] In this city, the Quran was recited, faith had taken root, and the light of Islam had shone on its homes; but in 456 AH/1064 AD, Barbushtar was the victim of one of the most brutal crusade attacks in the history of Andalusia.
Europe, at the instigation of Pope Alexander II, launched a huge crusade. The command of this attack was most likely the regent of the French monarchy – whom Islamic sources have mentioned as “Al-Baytin”. The participants in this expedition were the king of Aragon, the commanders of the army of Catalonia, southern France, Poitiers, and the Normans from Scandinavia. [2]
The Crusader army entered the center of their kingdom, Castile, where their king, Al-Baytin, joined them. The internal conditions of the Muslims, especially the tribal kings, played a large role in the victory of this army. At that time, Barbushtar was under the command of Yusuf ibn Hud, nicknamed Al-Muzaffar, who was unable to help the city. His brother, Al-Muqtadir the Emir of Zaragoza, also did not support the people of Barbushtar due to hostility and rivalry. These divisions caused the resistant city of Barbushtar to be defenseless against the Crusader attack.
The siege of the city lasted forty days. The Muslim people and fighters fought bravely and killed five hundred of the Crusader army in the first battle. [3] However, the number of the enemy was very large, reaching forty thousand people. The Muslims who had taken refuge in the inner city faced a shortage of provisions, but what marked the final fall was the cutting off of water.
The Crusader army entered the city when its resistance broken, and committed great atrocities that reflected their base and savage nature. They had neither religion nor honor; neither humanity nor justice. All they brought with them was blood and fire.
Divine promise and a bright end
These atrocities were bitter and life-threatening, but history has taught us that the fate of a nation is changed not by permanent humiliation but by a return to faith and trust in Allah. As the Holy Quran says: “إِن تَنصُرُوا اللَّهَ يَنصُرْكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَكُمْ” Translation: “If you help Allah, He will help you and make consistent.” [4]
Human Tragedy in Barbushtar: Thirst, Betrayal, and Genocide
In a tragic incident, the underground water supply route that brought water from the river to the city was suddenly destroyed. The balanced aqueduct that directed water from the riverbed into the city collapsed and a large stone fell into it, blocking the entire route. As a result, the water supply to the city was cut off. People were thirsty and despaired of life. They were so forced that they asked the enemy for protection to save their lives, without taking any property or family with them. The enemies also apparently gave them protection, but when they came out, They broke the treaty with them and betrayed them severely. They killed all the people, except the commander of the city, “Ibn al-Tawil”, and the judge, “Ibn Isa”, with a small group of the city’s elders.
The enemies entered the city and began to kill, capture, and rape. As is known from them, they created the ugliest scenes and displayed a clear manifestation of their deep hostility and the complete collapse of their humanity throughout history with dead consciences, irreligiousness, lack of supervision, and a thirst for revenge on the helpless.
Thirsty Mothers, Wailing on the Walls
When the aqueduct collapsed and thirst spread everywhere, women would stand on the city wall and shout to people passing by: “Give me a drink of water, for me or my child!” And they would hear the answer: “What do you have that I should give you in exchange for water?” The women would also give their clothes, jewelry, and whatever they had in order to get a little water. [5]
Betrayal Again, Unprecedented Genocide
After the enemies had captured the city and committed various atrocities, they declared peace for the remaining inhabitants of the city; but when they saw that the number of people was large, the commander of the Crusaders ordered them to be reduced by the sword. Following this order, a brutal massacre began and thousands of defenseless women, men, and the elderly were killed. The number of victims was estimated at more than six thousand.
Then they declared peace again and ordered the remaining ones to leave through the gates. The people rushed to leave, but the crowd was so great that many died in the rush. Due to the intense thirst and pressure of the crowd, some tried to climb down from the city walls, but many women from Barbushtar fell from the walls and died, because when fleeing, they ran impatiently and hastily towards the water, without having any time, and they bent over the water so that they fell down on face into it and died.
The number of those killed and captured was estimated to be between fifty and one hundred thousand people; a disaster so great that it is beyond the power of words and pen to describe it. [6]
The Third Betrayal: Captivity in houses and gang rapes
In the midst of this disaster, about seven hundred of the city’s elders gathered in a corner and were worried about their fate. After the others were either killed, or left the city, or died in the stampede, it was announced to this group that each one should return to his own house and stay safe with his family.
But when they returned to their homes, the Crusader enemies, by order of the king, divided the city among themselves. Each stranger occupied a house with its people. Allah forbid…
Then these criminals shamelessly violated the harem of the captive women. They raped a virgin in the presence of her father and a married woman in front of her husband and relatives…
Crimes occurred that no Muslim had ever seen before. Such crimes were beyond the power of human to describe and human reason could not comprehend.
When the king of Rome decided to return to his country, he chose a number of virgin girls, beautiful women, and handsome boys to take with him and present to his superior ruler. The emperor of Constantinople also sent a number of these captives to the court. He left a garrison of fifteen hundred cavalry (1,500 people) and four thousand infantries to guard the city. [7]
Continues…
References:
- Al-Maqri, Nafh al-Tayyib, Vol. 2, p. 576.
- Al-Samarrai, Relations of the Almoravids, p. 59.
- Al-Maqri, Nafh al-Tayyib, Vol. 2, p. 574.
- Surah Muhammad, Verse 7.
- Al-Maqri, Nafh al-Tayyib, Vol. 2, p. 574; Ibn Azari, Al-Bayan al-Maghrib, Vol. 3, p. 226.
- Ibid.
- Ibn Azari, Al-Bayan al-Maghrib, Vol. 3, pp. 253 and 227; Al-Maqri, Nafh al-Tayyib, Vol. 2, p. 575.
