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Encounter with the Tartars:
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Narrated Abu Hurayrah (radiallahuanhu), 'The Prophet (sallallahu
alaihe wa-sallam) said, 'The Hour will not
be established till you fight a nation wearing hairy shoes, and till you fight
the Turks, who will have small eyes, red faces and flat noses; and their faces
will be like flat shields…' [Saheeh al-Bukharee, vol.4, p.508, no.787] This
prophesy came true, and the Muslim nation found itself in battle with the fierce
and barbaric Mongols and Tartars, collectively referred to as Turks. The Tartars
committed great massacres and plundered Baghdad, which was one of the greatest
centers of learning of its time.
In the year 699H, when the Tartar ruler, Qazaan, was about to attack Damascus,
Ibn Taymiyyah boldly confronted him while others trembled in his presence. He
reminded Qazaan of the Tartar infringements on the sanctities of the Muslims and
was able to convince him not to attack the city, he said, 'You claim to be a
Muslim. I have been told that you have with you a Qadhi and an Imam, a Shaikh
and a mu'adhdhin; yet, you have deemed it proper to march upon Muslims. Your
fore-fathers were heathens, but they always abstained from breaking the promise
once made by them. They redeemed the pledges they made, but you violate the word
of honor given by you. You trample underfoot your solemn declarations in order
to lay a hand on the servants of Allah!' [Al-Kawakib ud-Durriyah, p. 25, also
see, al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah (14/122-123)] Ibn Taymiyyah's courage impressed
Qazaan who left Damascus unharmed and freed those whom he held captive.
Though some of the Tartar rulers claimed to be Muslims, they had little regard
for following the religion of Islam or for the sanctity of life. Ibn Katheer
says, 'during the time of Jahiliyah, the people used to abide by the misguidance
and ignorance that they invented by sheer opinion and lusts. The Tatar (Mongols)
abided by the law that they inherited from their king Genghis Khan who wrote al-Yasiq,
for them. This book contains some rulings that were derived from various
religions, such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Many of these rulings were
derived from his own opinion and desires. Later on, these rulings became the
followed law among his children, preferring them to the Law of the Book of Allah
and the Sunnah of His Messenger. Therefore, whoever does this, he is a
disbeliever who deserves to be fought against, until he reverts to Allah's and
His Messenger's decisions, so that no law, minor or major, is referred to except
by His Law.’
In the year, 702H, the Tartars attacked again and this time they found
Shaikhul-Islam in the ranks of the soldiers. Since it was Ramadaan, Ibn
Taymiyyah issued a fatawa for the breaking of the fasts for the soldiers. His
presence in the battlefield had a great influence in defeating the Tartars and
conquering Shaqaab, and this was the last ever battle between the Tartars and
Muslims. Shaikhul-Islam says, 'This was a magnificent victory, the like of which
the Muslims had not seen [in that age]: the imposing edifice of the Tatar
kingdom, that had humiliated the people of Islam, was never routed or defeated
the way it was defeated at the gate of Damascus in the great battle [of Shaqaab]
during which Allah showered upon us so many of His Favors that we cannot
enumerate them, neither generally nor specifically.' [Manaqib ash-Sham wa-Ahlih
(Virtues of al-Sham and Its People)]
