Name: The Victory That Reopened Jerusalem | Ep. 8 | The Salahuddin Generation
Uploaded: 2026-01-25T17:21:21.000Z
Channel: Dr. Hassan Elwan
Description: Salahuddin lures the massive Frankish army out of their forts using Raymond’s wife as bait. The Crusaders march into a strategic trap — a desert without water, poisoned wells, and burning shrubs. By the time they realize what they’ve walked into… there is no way back.

The Largest Crusader Army Assembled

The Battle of Hattin Begins

The Capture of the "True" Cross

A Decisive Victory Without Slaughter

Why Jerusalem Was Not Taken Immediately

Balian’s Moral Dilemma

The City Is Taken Without Bloodshed

Al-Aqsa Found in Ruins

The Pulpit of Nur ad-Din Is Installed

<p>Salahuddin lures the massive Frankish army out of their forts using Raymond&#x2019;s wife as bait. The Crusaders march into a strategic trap &#x2014; a desert without water, poisoned wells, and burning shrubs. </p><p>By the time they realize what they&#x2019;ve walked into&#x2026; there is no way back.</p>

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The Salahuddin Generation – Official Teaser

The Salahuddin Generation: Knights and Scholars | OFFICIAL TRAILER

The Rise of the Assassins | Ep. 1 | The Salahuddin Generation

Why Jerusalem Fell in the First Crusade | Ep. 2 | The Salahuddin Generation

How Imam Al-Ghazali Built A Generation | Ep. 3 | The Salahuddin Generation

The Rise of Zengi | Ep. 4 | The Salahuddin Generation

3,000 Riders to Egypt: An Impossible Mission | Ep. 5 | The Salahuddin Generation

Salahuddin’s Revolution Begins | Ep. 6 | The Salahuddin Generation

The Plot to Dig the Prophet ﷺ’s Grave | Ep. 7 | The Salahuddin Generation

The Victory That Reopened Jerusalem | Ep. 8 | The Salahuddin Generation

One Sultan vs. All of Europe — Counterattack | Ep. 9 | The Salahuddin Generation

The Man Who Outsmarted Salahuddin | Ep. 10 | The Salahuddin Generation

SERIES FINALE: Salahuddin’s Legacy | Ep. 11 | The Salahuddin Generation

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Dr. Hassan Elwan

The Final March to Jerusalem

Poisoned Wells & War of Attrition

The Night of Duʿa

The Counterstrike at Jaffa

“Islam Has No Greater King”

Salahuddin's One Dream

The Promise of 80,000 Dinars

The Illness of the Sultan

The Flag-Bearer’s Message

His Final Will to His Children

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Islamic history provides a rich resource of wisdom from the Prophet's life and the legacy of scholars to help us navigate present challenges. This heritage offers insights to address current issues and misunderstandings.

History

This final episode of 'The Salahuddin Generation' series covers the concluding chapters of Salahuddin al-Ayyubi's life, beginning with the strategic standoff against Richard the Lionheart during the Third Crusade. After the Battle of Arsuf, Richard's forces marched toward Jerusalem, but Salahuddin fortified the city personally, poisoned wells along the route, and delivered a powerful speech reminding his army of their duty to Allah and the Muslims. A pivotal moment came when Salahuddin, sleepless with worry, was advised by Ibn Shaddad to perform du'a in Masjid al-Aqsa on a Friday between adhan and iqamah in sujood — combining multiple conditions for an accepted supplication. That very day, the Frankish forces halted their advance due to internal divisions, and Richard ultimately declared Jerusalem impossible to take while Salahuddin lived and the Muslims remained united. After a truce of three years and three months was signed — notably not a peace treaty acknowledging the Frankish state — Richard departed heartbroken. Salahuddin then wished to perform Hajj but was advised by scholars that his duty to protect the Muslims prevented him. He fell ill watching the Hajj pilgrims pass and died in Damascus, his face lighting up with a smile as the verse 'wa huwa Rabbul Arsh al-Azim' was recited. Shockingly, the Sultan of Egypt and Sham left only 47 dirhams — not enough for his own burial — having spent everything on the poor and the Muslim cause. His final message, carried by his flag bearer through the cities, warned against attachment to the dunya. His will to his children focused not on defending Jerusalem, but on taqwa, avoiding bloodshed, protecting the hearts of people, and guarding the rights of others (huqooq al-ibad). His legacy — the madrasas, scholars, and institutional infrastructure he built — continued to sustain Islam for centuries, even stopping the Mongols in the following generation.

The Kings Who Swore to Break Him

When Titles Mattered More Than Lives

The Stranger Who Saved Acre

Miracle at the River

The Weapon Built to End It All

Betrayal at Acre

The Frankish Mother

Battle of Arsuf

The Shocking Wedding Proposal

This episode of 'The Salahuddin Generation' covers a critical phase of the Third Crusade, focusing on Salahuddin al-Ayyubi's struggle to defend the Muslim lands against the combined forces of Europe. Facing the massive German army of Frederick Barbarossa, Salahuddin sought help from Muslim rulers, including the Abbasid Khalifa in Baghdad and the ruler of Morocco, but received little meaningful support — the Khalifa sent a mere 20,000 dinars (equivalent to one day's siege expenses) and Morocco's ruler demanded an honorific title Salahuddin refused to grant. Despite this isolation, Salahuddin maintained unwavering tawakkul (reliance on Allah), as documented by his secretary Imad al-Din al-Asfahani. A pivotal turning point came when Frederick Barbarossa drowned crossing a river, causing most of his massive army to disband — an event described as divine intervention. Salahuddin's letter to the Muslim Ummah, calling them to rise without victim mentality and praising the Crusaders' unity and sacrifice as a mirror for Muslim shortcomings, is presented as timeless in its relevance. The episode details the fall of Akka after a two-year siege, including Richard the Lionheart's massacre of 3,000 Muslim prisoners, and the Battle of Arsuf where Salahuddin suffered a tactical setback due to his troops losing discipline. Throughout these trials, Salahuddin was spiritually sustained by letters from the scholar Al-Qadhi Al-Fadhil, who reminded him that true victory lies in maintaining one's character and gratitude to Allah. Salahuddin's chivalry is illustrated by his recovery of a Frankish woman's stolen baby, and his strategic clarity is shown in his firm rejection of Richard's two-state proposal, insisting all the land belongs to the Muslims. The episode ends with Richard beginning his inland march toward Jerusalem for the final confrontation.

Why Victory Triggers Counterattacks

Europe Declares the Third Crusade

The Siege of Tyre Begins

Winter War and Exhaustion

Salahuddin’s Greater Vision

The Siege of Acre Begins

Epidemic Spreads Through the Armies

Salahuddin Becomes Gravely Ill

The Egyptian Army Arrives

Barbarossa Enters the War

The death of Nur ad-Din Zengi

The fragile unity falls apart

Salahuddin returns to Damascus

The girl who stopped Salahuddin's army

The Assassins’ ceasefire with Salahuddin

Building Egypt, uniting al-Sham, keeping the Crusaders at bay

Reynald of Châtillon, the rogue Crusader knight

Reynald’s plot to dig the Prophet ﷺ’s grave

Salahuddin spares his enemy’s wedding

Salahuddin strategy to trap the Crusaders

Salahuddin’s major sin during his youth

Salahuddin as an example of Muslim masculinity

The scholars around Salahuddin

Generosity of Rabia Khatun, Salahuddin’s sister

The Crusaders’ navy attacks Egypt

Abolishing the Ismaili caliphate

Time to liberate Jerusalem, or too soon?

A conspiracy by the Assassins, Crusaders, and Ismaili loyalists

Nur ad-Din Zengi’s bloodless conquest of Damascus

Asad ad-Din Shirkuh and and the race for Egypt

The Battle of Harim (Zengids vs. Crusaders)

Resilience of Shirkuh and 3,000 Muslim knights

The Zengids’ second attempt to take Egypt

Shirkuh’s brilliant strategy

Shirkuh’s surprise in Alexandria

Saving Cairo from the Crusaders

Assassins’ Friday Killings

Imad ad-Din Zengi: Unity and Justice

Damascus Allies with the Crusaders

Edessa: The Weakest Crusader State

Zengi Assassinated—Hope Collapses Again

Nur ad-Din Zengi’s Lightning Counterattack

Scholars Behind the Revival (al-Jilani & Others)

Reforming the Kurds: A Dangerous Mission

Nur ad-Din Zengi: The Ascetic Ruler

Ends Don’t Justify Means (Leadership Shift)

Sharia Justice vs “Harsh Power”

Taxes Abolished—Charity Explodes

Second Crusade Targets Damascus

Outlasting the Crusader Super-Alliance

Ascalon Falls: Egypt in Danger

Defending Muslims Outside Damascus

Sham United: Mosul, Aleppo, Damascus

Victory Through the Weak (Prophetic Hadith)

Introduction

How Muslims Really Saw the Crusaders

Why Muslims “Smelled the Army” Before Seeing It

The Real Consequence of Living Beside Muslims

The Crusader's Coastline Advantage

Real Help Arrives… and Gets Betrayed

The Road of Change is Painful

When Muslims Unite… Against Muslims

A Power Vacuum in Aleppo

“Five Dogs” in a Dream…

Two Scholarly Strategies

The C vs A+ Problem: Ceasefire vs Liberation

Imam Al Ghazali Walks Away

A New Power Rises

The Salahuddin Generation

Raymond started speaking. Do not go out and fight Salahuddin. I fought Muslims many times before. I've never seen an army like the army that Salahuddin has and are not stood up. What kind of talk is this? You're scaring us of Muslims? You need to renew your faith in Christ. Anybody who does not stand up and fight, irrespective of the consequences, is a traitor. The king gathers all the armies. Remember now, this is all the Franks. The Franks in all the cities is the biggest army they can muster. It is said it was more than 60,000. And they head out to meet Salahuddin. When Salahuddin saw this, he said, it worked. They swallowed the bait. That was a bait. They reacted in the way I wanted them to react. They went out and started heading towards the city of Tiberias. And Salahuddin says, جاءونا ونحن قولوا قوة They came to us and we are in the position of strength. He made them fight where he wants, when he wants, and how he wants. And that's a recipe of victory. And Salahuddin had a plan already laid for them. The march from their city all the way to Tiberias, it's dry land, desert and shrubs and it's very dry. And it was summer, the month of July, hot. And you can imagine the Templars, the knights of the Crusaders, the armor they wear. Can you imagine wearing the helmets and chain mail and shields and swords and walking in the heat of the sun? So he ordered his army in three parts. A part that he has himself, the center, where the special forces of Salahuddin are. Another part with Taqi al-Din, his nephew. And the third part with Muzaffar al-Din Gökböri. Muzaffar al-Din Gökböri, one of the best knights of Salahuddin al-Ayyubi. He was married to his sister. Muzaffar al-Din Gökböri, a very generous person. It is said that in the time when people think that the Prophet (ﷺ) was born, Muzaffar al-Din Gökböri used to slaughter 5,000 cows, 10,000 chickens and he would feed the whole people. Why? Because he loved the Prophet (ﷺ). He was a man of piety and taqwa and those were the leaders of Salahuddin. And now Salahuddin's plan, delay them. He ordered Muzaffar al-Din Gökböri, go to the rear end of the army, attack them so that you slow them down. And here comes the army of the Franks. And you have the king, King Guy in the middle. And then you have the Templars in the front with Raymond. And then you have Balian in the rear end with the Hospitallers. Three portions and Salahuddin surrounds them. And Muzaffar al-Din Gökböri starts attacking them with a very interesting technique, the mounted archers. It is said the attack of Muzaffar al-Din was so fierce. And then the Hospitallers would start to repulse the attack. Muzaffar al-Din would withdraw. Once they start going back, he attacks again. He pinned them in their place. They could not move. The army of the Franks extended over more than one and a half miles. Can you imagine? The front, you know, the vanguard and the center and they became separated. And now the king had to make a decision. He was told the rear end, the Hospitallers cannot even move. Muzaffar al-Din is attacking and giving them no break. If you choose to move yourself, you'll have to leave one third of the army behind. So he was forced, I have to camp the night. Their advancement came to a halt and they had to camp in the desert, in this dry area, nighttime. Salahuddin gave his orders, do not give them a break. They will not be able to sleep. They would throw rocks during the night, drums all around, you know, and they would throw arrows at them. They would ambush them. They would go try to burn their tents. They gave them no break. And Salahuddin spends the night with his soldiers between attacking and praying qiyam and making du'a to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Next morning comes, the Franks run out of water and now they're very thirsty and they did not get a chance to sleep. They are trapped in the middle of the desert with no water. If they do not reach a water source, they would die out of thirst. Ibn Shaddad describes, he says, those who looked like lions yesterday when they first came look like hedgehogs today. Hedgehogs. They threw so many arrows at them that when the morning came, they didn't have time to unplug the arrows. Tells you about the strategy of Salahuddin. And now Salahuddin orders, Taqi al-Din, stand between them and the water source, the lake of Tiberias. You must never reach that lake. And Muzaffar al-Din Gökböri, you start harassing them and attacking them from behind. And indeed, the Franks started attacking, attempting with every force they can to reach the lake. And unfortunately, the day passes for them and they are again unsuccessful. Forced to stay in the middle of the desert. And Salahuddin realizes, next day, they are going to really, really put all their efforts to reach the water source. So he gives the order to Taqi al-Din again. You have to prevent them from reaching the water source. And gives the order to Muzaffar al-Din Gökböri, start attacking their rear. And Ra…

The Salahuddin Generation

Dr. Hassan Elwan

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