Ep.111 - Do We Need a Modern Salahuddin? with Dr Abdur Rahman Azzam
Do we need another Salahuddin to turn around our fortunes? Salahuddin Ayubi, the 12th-century general, statesman and sultan, is mythologised for his victory over the Crusaders in 1187 at Hattin and, ultimately, the reclamation of Islam’s third holiest place, Al Aqsa in Jerusalem. At a time when the Muslim ummah is undergoing what many suggest, with good evidence, to be the worst period in Muslim history – his name and mission remain an inspiration.
Yet many of us, have scant knowledge of the man behind the myth, the prevailing social and political climate that made him who he was and the geopolitical context within which he acquired his sense of mission. Like all historical heroes, there are periods of highs and lows in their lives and the deeper we dig, we find complexities that do not fit well into our idealistic rendering of history.
To help us understand the great Salahuddin, we invited Dr Abdul Rahman Azzam onto the show.
Dr. Azzam has authored several books, including Saladin: The Triumph of the Sunni Revival. He is a scholar specialising in Islamic history, and we are grateful for his time. If we are to recreate a Salahuddin, maybe his society the men with whom he surrounded himself, and the backdrop of a greater Sunni revival will aid us in understanding the chivalry with which he is famed and the mission of the man himself.
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Transcript