Address to the Troops Before the Battle of Hattin
Delivered in July 1187 in Northern Palestine, Sultan An-Nasir Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub rallied his unified Muslim forces before decisively defeating the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem at the Horns of Hattin.
Full Transcript
Soldiers of Islam! Brothers in faith! The hour of decision has arrived upon the parched slopes of Hattin.
Look across the valley at the Crusaders encamped without water in the scorching heat of July. Their horses grow weak, their armor heavy, and their ranks divided by rivalry and pride.
Victory is not achieved through numerical superiority, but through unity of spirit, discipline, and steadfast patience under heat and fatigue. Today we do not fight for personal booty or worldly dominion; we fight to restore justice to this land and to reclaim the holy sanctuaries of Jerusalem.
Maintain your ranks. Let no archer loose an arrow before the signal, and let our cavalry strike as one unbroken wave when the enemy attempts to break toward the springs of Tiberias.
Be merciful to those who surrender, chivalrous to the fallen, and relentless against those who refuse peace. For blood sheds blood, but justice endures forever.
Defining Key Excerpts
"Victory is not achieved through numerical superiority, but through unity of spirit, discipline, and steadfast patience under heat and fatigue."
"I warn you against shedding blood, for blood never sleeps."
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