By Aziz Jalal
History holds certain days that stir pride not only among Muslims but across humanity. One such day is October 2, 1187, when Salah ad-Din Ayyubi, may Allah have mercy on him, brought solace to the oppressed, freed Jerusalem from the grasp of the Crusaders, and once again raised the banner of Islam over the sacred precincts of al-Aqsa.
Salah ad-Din was more than a conqueror. He was a scholar-warrior, a ruler of rare justice, and a leader guided by faith and wisdom. His courage, patience, and unshakable trust in Allah’s promise revealed to the world that Jerusalem cannot be bartered or claimed through political bargains; it is a trust safeguarded by the faith and sacrifice of believers.
For eighty-eight years, the Crusaders occupied Jerusalem. The city, revered by the followers of all three Abrahamic faiths, holds a special sanctity in Islam as the first qibla, the site of the Prophet’s Night Journey, and a symbol of the Ummah’s spiritual devotion. During that dark era, the invaders defiled its sanctity, turning al-Aqsa Mosque into a stable and slaughtering its worshippers within.
Yet Salah ad-Din did not despair. In the historic Battle of Hattin, he crushed the Crusaders with such finality that their arrogance turned to dust. That triumph was more than a military victory; it was proof of what unity, faith, and steadfastness can achieve when hearts beat with the same divine purpose.
When Salah ad-Din finally entered Jerusalem after years of relentless struggle and sacrifice, he did not come in pomp or vengeance. Barefoot and humbled before his Lord, he walked to the mihrab of al-Aqsa, bowed to the earth, and wept in gratitude. He knew this was not the triumph of the sword, but the fulfillment of divine will. After nearly a century of exile, the mosque was restored to those who cherished it in faith.
Salah ad-Din sought no crown, no fortune, no fleeting glory. His victory was for the honor of the Ummah, for the pleasure of Allah, and for the salvation of the oppressed. Al-Aqsa, the mosque bound to the Prophet’s journey and the heart of Islamic devotion, was reclaimed through his prayers, his labor, and his blood.
But today, O youth of the Ummah, pause and ask yourselves:
Al-Aqsa is once again under occupation. Where do you stand?
Thousands of Palestinian children are martyred. Why do you remain silent?
The oppressor silences truth. Where is your voice?
Salah ad-Din restored the Ummah’s dignity not only through battle but through knowledge, devotion, and moral strength. He was the voice of unity, the refuge of the oppressed, and a living symbol of sacrifice in the path of Allah.
Even now, the echoes of suffering rise from the mihrabs and minarets of al-Aqsa. The same mosque Salah ad-Din liberated with his blood is again in chains, a victim of our negligence, division, and decline. Our silence has become the soil in which tyranny thrives.
O Muslims, awaken. You are the heirs of Salah ad-Din Ayyubi. His piety, his courage, his sense of duty are the inheritance you must revive. Al-Aqsa waits for you.
The dignity of the Ummah is not preserved through gatherings and slogans but through faith, sacrifice, and righteous action. If we remain silent today, tomorrow’s history will condemn our apathy.
May Allah grant us the faith, resolve, and spirit of Salah ad-Din Ayyubi so that once more the call to prayer may rise from al-Aqsa, from the hearts of a free and faithful people. Indeed, Allah prevails over all affairs.
