Palestine: Islam’s Magnanimity

Salahuddin Ayyubi was an able and kind general who never violated the rules of battle. His treatment of Christian prisoners of war (POWs) was in total contrast to that of his rivals. During those days there was no concept of feeding and keeping the POWs. The Crusaders brutally killed the Muslim POWs. Once during the Third Crusade King Richard lost his horse while fighting Salahuddin’s army. Salahuddin did not take advantage of the situation. Instead he asked one of his men to offer a horse to Richard as it did not behoove an emperor to fight like a foot soldier.