Mawlawi Abdul Samad Shakir
Do you know about the Afghan Mujahideen who participated alongside Sultan Salahuddin Ayyubi in the conquest of Jerusalem and the Battle of Hattin? Are you aware of the existence of an Afghan village in Palestine? Why should Afghans and Pashtuns study the history of the Crusades that took place in Arab and Turkish lands? The following article provides answers to these very questions.
The short and simple answer is that we all share common beliefs and belong to one Ummah facing a shared destiny. The Crusades not only had negative effects on Muslims, but also impacted other nations of the region and even shaped the nature of international relations and global politics.
Historians say that these prolonged wars created such a deep divide between the East and the West that even centuries would not be enough to fully bridge it. Therefore, considering such an issue as limited to a specific region is not only illogical but can also lead to dangerous consequences.
However, the detailed and specific answer is that, contrary to what many people assume, Afghans were not a neutral or isolated people during the Crusades; rather, they actively participated in resistance against the Crusaders in various fields.
For example, as mentioned in historical sources, a person named Muhammad bin Mansur Abu Saad al-Harawi, who originated from this region and was appointed as the Chief Judge of Damascus, was among the first to make a large-scale and genuine effort to awaken the dormant strength of the Muslims, namely “jihad,” against the Crusaders. He initiated a new form of response and uprising, which was later followed and further expanded by figures such as Ibn al-Khashab.
Abu Saad al-Harawi was a distinguished religious scholar, a man of letters, a poet, and a powerful and courageous orator. In the courts of rulers and kings, as well as among the general public, whenever he spoke about the calamities and humiliation faced by Muslims, he left no one with any excuse to remain silent. When Muslims would weep upon hearing his powerful and emotional sermons, he would tell them that it was not a time for tears, but a time for swords and jihad. Poets would compose odes inspired by his speeches, and among Muslims he became widely known by the title “Zayn al-Islam.”
But unfortunately, it is a matter of deep sorrow that such great figures are no longer recognized even among their own people; so how could those unknown Afghan Mujahideen be remembered, who fought alongside Sultan Salahuddin Ayyubi in the battles for the liberation of Bayt al-Maqdis, especially in the decisive Battle of Hattin. After the victory, they were granted lands around Jerusalem, and some of their families are still settled there to this day, known by the name of Afghans.
To the southwest of Al-Quds, there is still an area known as “Hayy al-Afghani.” A lodge established during the Ottoman period, which also includes a small mosque, still exists under the name “Zawiya al-Afghaniyya,” and its caretakers still write the word “al-Afghani” alongside their names.
Zionists harbor such deep hostility toward these people that on 24/12/2016, a 34-year-old woman named Aisha al-Afghani was sentenced to 15 years in prison on the charge that a knife was found in her possession.
Accounts of Afghan participation in the Battle of Hattin are mostly based on oral traditions. Since Salahuddin Ayyubi (RH) had called upon all Muslims to take part in the battles for the liberation of Bayt al-Maqdis, available evidence suggests that the participation of Afghan fighters in these battles is highly likely. Even today, if someone travels to Palestine, they may hear confirmation of this matter from Palestinians themselves. Although many examples could be presented, here only one is mentioned as a sample.
In the memoirs of a British-Afghan individual named Muhammad Azizi, it is mentioned that when he traveled with a group of British and American Muslims from the United Kingdom to the occupied territories of Palestine in 2017, he and his companions received greater respect compared to others due to the Afghan contribution in the Battle of Hattin. It is also stated that stories of those battles and his related experiences can be found on his social media accounts.
From these accounts, it becomes clear that Afghans have notable historical achievements in the Levant (Sham region, which refers to areas in Southwest Asia including present-day Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Cyprus, parts of southern Turkey, and eastern Egypt), and other regions that have not yet been thoroughly studied independently. Therefore, there is a need to collect and analyze information from scattered sources so that such questions do not arise in the future as to why these historical events should be studied.
In this way, we will become aware of our historical relations and connections with the Islamic Ummah, we will also understand the causes of certain reactions and hostilities against us, and we will open another chapter in the areas of self-recognition and finding solutions. Because if most positions, new developments, and events are not viewed in a narrow sense but rather from a broad and deep perspective, it becomes clear that these present circumstances are like chains, linked to many distant historical events, extending all the way to the present and taking on new dimensions.
