Who of us is like Saladin?

Saladin will remain one of the most important personalities which had the horsemanship's characteristics in its broader sense throughout history. Perhaps by studying his matchless personality, we can read his ideas, thoughts, generosity, tolerance, and his good spirit, in addition to other qualities that made him a true knight.

He was a true knight because in his peak of power, he preferred tolerance to vengeance and pardon over punishment. He was able to maltreat his captives in Bayt Al-Maqdis (Palestine) as they used to do with Muslims during their first campaign against Bayt Al-Maqdis: by killing 170.000 Muslims. However, he decided to pardon and tolerate which raised his status in the eyes of others to the extent that his enemies bore witness to him before friends.

Truly, he killed (Arnat) but he killed him because he violated prohibitions and killed some people without any right. Moreover, Arnat practiced a kind of thievery which Muslims and the crusaders did not like. Additionally, he violated the sanctity of Muhammad (peace be upon him) by saying that nobody will help them. Therefore, the response of Saladin when he killed Arnat was: Here I am taking vengeance on Muhammad.

Saladin got rid of the knights templars and hospitallers' leaders because they were the harshest crusaders' groups against Muslims and because they were captured and ransomed for money but they did not keep their pledge not to fight Saladin again.

However, Saladin did not kill the crusader king "Jay de Lusignan" after capturing him, justifying that behavior with "kings do not kill kings". Moreover, he treated the crusaders' women who were captured —such as the wife of Raymond, the third, and others— as free women should be treated. He also prevented his soldiers and leaders of doing any stupid act contrary to his tolerant religion. Furthermore, he released a large number of crusaders' captives for the sake of Allah, as he released the sick, old, children, and clergies who were captured in Bayt Al-Maqdis (Palestine) without ransom. He exerted efforts to end war between Muslims and Europeans by approving the marriage of his brother, Al `Adel, to princess Juana, the sister of his rival King Richard to rule together and open the city before all religions; thereby the conflict between the East and the West ends. Nevertheless, because wars against Muslims were imperialistic and had complex profound dimensions, clergymen refused to complete the marriage.

Indeed, Saladin is present inside every Muslim and inside every person whose pure nature has not been contaminated by temptations and heresies. However, there is a difference between those who know and those who do not know, and between those who know and act accordingly with full contentment and faith and those who know and do not act accordingly and when they act, they do it for fame, accessibleness, and opportunism. However, there is a difference between faith and Islam, and Saladin recognized that difference and wanted to be a true believer, therefore, his actions were in conformity with his beliefs, and exerted efforts to establish world peace between all people in his time. Yet, when his project was rejected, he did not forsook the basis of his religion and his right to restore his land and honor.

Who of us deserves to be like Saladin?

Do not say: "Saladin was not created but one time only." He was born many times inside every person, but he was lost in times and life. We may forget about his presence among us and perhaps we totally deny his presence and ask him to come back. We killed him in ourselves when we prevented our eyes to see the truth out of fear but rather we fear to admit it in ourselves for fear to be accused of committing sins, faults, or making plots.