23 July 1148 was the date when we all who were men put ourselves to the test and a test it would be for four days. That morning was like any other morning but for the shrieks of people abandoning the city, a rush of workmen to repair the outer walls the parts of the cracked gates, of cattle loose on the city streets and in general of total chaos. The ahdath militia, the brave defenders of Damascus, had assembled themselves outside the city gates and inside the city. They were calling on us to stop our fleeing and cowardice and stand boldly in front of the Christian oppressors.
It was at that moment did I see Al Findalawi for the first time standing by the square with his huge white beard and shaking his head to the Imam. He was old but strong, his eyes were gleaming and fists clenched. I went near the company to find that the mystic pleading before Al Findalawi. The holy Imam saw me and pointing to me he stated to Al Findalawi " Sire even these young bloods are leaving. We still have time. You must leave." The 71 year old lawyer looked at me and then to the Imam. "Halhuli I have never betrayed you.I have never betrayed the people I have served. This is my country and it has served me. How can you ask me to betray it ". "Damascus will not fall in a day and in any case at your age you dont stand a chance with those middle aged franks". The Imam's words had logic but it made no impact on Al Findalawi. Findalawi's perseverance and patriotism made me wonder what was it that i had planned to do. I had initially planned to leave the city in one of the last caravans after i had collected all my dues and i had made sure that my wife, parents and childen had already left for Mosul. Al Findalawi's resolve had a magnetic effect on me. His determination to fight for the city despite the knowledge that it was all alone in its defense made me feel ashamed of myself.
How could I leave the city now? I have been born here and it is here that I met my wife and got married. My parents also lived here as well. Today was more than anyday that Damascus needed the presence of its sons...No I could not abandon the city. My virtues would not let me. The ghosts of my ancestors would not let me.
I had followed the company of the Imam Al-Halhuli and lawyer Al Findalawi to the city hall. The Imam still trying to make sense of abandoning to the adamant Al Findalawi. In the hall the vizier and the commanders were chalking up the plans for the defense. Just then a messenger entered and gave us the latest details about the Christian army. It was forty thousand strong, had infantry supported by armoured cavalry, long bowmen and the dreaded seige engines from Ascalon. It had marched up the Wadi-Al-Ajam valley and was heading straight for Damascus. The messenger also stated that the Turkomen mercenaries were getting ready for an initial skirmish with the incoming enemy on the plains outside Kisawa. The vizier angered at the slow response of the Turkomen gave the order for an immediate attack.The messenger scurried away with the message followed with a scoff from the vizier. " With an army this size Damascus wont last a night. I had ordered these turk mercenaries to launch an immediate attack on the first sight of the enemy. But it seems these scoundrels have already lost the opportunity.Our only hope lies in the fact that they make these Christians believe that this part of the city is impregnable and our forces vast. Only then will the Christian infidels change route and attack on a part of the city where the walls are better suited to bear their seige weapons..". The Imam cut short the Vizier."Unur you are a loyal defender of Damascus. Allah will see to it that you be rewarded in this life or the next. And as for Damascus until Allah feels otherwise Damascus will be here. Have your faith upon him. I have prophesied that Damascus wont fall"."O holy Imam if only had you made this prophesy in the public square could then we have had a few more volunteer fighters and my mind a bit more relaxed.". The war of words between Vizier Unur and Al-Halhuli was getting hot. Suddenly Al-Findalawi stepped up from behind. He held my hand and said " If it so pleases both of you I will myself address this panicked public from the main square and if Allah wills we shall have a few more fighters and a safe night".
As we were arguing a commander stepped up and stated to the vizier a fact which all the while all of us had overlooked. He stated that as the Christian crusader army was still some way away from Damascus and it seemed like they would put up a seige it would do good to deprive them of the water by blocking all the irrigation canals and rivers and by putting up a few men on the main road outside the walls. It was a plan but the volunteers we lacked , however not for long.
That afternoon if you had been at the main square of Damascus you would have been bewildered. Poem, prophesy, oration and patriotism were churned by Al-Findalawi and served to the scared people of Damascus who couldnt find their place on the last caravan. I had reconciled myself to the fact that I wont be seeing my family,parents or friends again and now hearing Al-Findalawi's speech I felt it was the right decision. What would happen... we did not know. Whether we would live.... we did not know. Would Damascus and its citizens survive..... we had know clue. But we did know that from now on for every step the crusaders took it would be a step backwards. We did not resolve to live but to kill and get killed.
It was at that moment did I see Al Findalawi for the first time standing by the square with his huge white beard and shaking his head to the Imam. He was old but strong, his eyes were gleaming and fists clenched. I went near the company to find that the mystic pleading before Al Findalawi. The holy Imam saw me and pointing to me he stated to Al Findalawi " Sire even these young bloods are leaving. We still have time. You must leave." The 71 year old lawyer looked at me and then to the Imam. "Halhuli I have never betrayed you.I have never betrayed the people I have served. This is my country and it has served me. How can you ask me to betray it ". "Damascus will not fall in a day and in any case at your age you dont stand a chance with those middle aged franks". The Imam's words had logic but it made no impact on Al Findalawi. Findalawi's perseverance and patriotism made me wonder what was it that i had planned to do. I had initially planned to leave the city in one of the last caravans after i had collected all my dues and i had made sure that my wife, parents and childen had already left for Mosul. Al Findalawi's resolve had a magnetic effect on me. His determination to fight for the city despite the knowledge that it was all alone in its defense made me feel ashamed of myself.
How could I leave the city now? I have been born here and it is here that I met my wife and got married. My parents also lived here as well. Today was more than anyday that Damascus needed the presence of its sons...No I could not abandon the city. My virtues would not let me. The ghosts of my ancestors would not let me.
I had followed the company of the Imam Al-Halhuli and lawyer Al Findalawi to the city hall. The Imam still trying to make sense of abandoning to the adamant Al Findalawi. In the hall the vizier and the commanders were chalking up the plans for the defense. Just then a messenger entered and gave us the latest details about the Christian army. It was forty thousand strong, had infantry supported by armoured cavalry, long bowmen and the dreaded seige engines from Ascalon. It had marched up the Wadi-Al-Ajam valley and was heading straight for Damascus. The messenger also stated that the Turkomen mercenaries were getting ready for an initial skirmish with the incoming enemy on the plains outside Kisawa. The vizier angered at the slow response of the Turkomen gave the order for an immediate attack.The messenger scurried away with the message followed with a scoff from the vizier. " With an army this size Damascus wont last a night. I had ordered these turk mercenaries to launch an immediate attack on the first sight of the enemy. But it seems these scoundrels have already lost the opportunity.Our only hope lies in the fact that they make these Christians believe that this part of the city is impregnable and our forces vast. Only then will the Christian infidels change route and attack on a part of the city where the walls are better suited to bear their seige weapons..". The Imam cut short the Vizier."Unur you are a loyal defender of Damascus. Allah will see to it that you be rewarded in this life or the next. And as for Damascus until Allah feels otherwise Damascus will be here. Have your faith upon him. I have prophesied that Damascus wont fall"."O holy Imam if only had you made this prophesy in the public square could then we have had a few more volunteer fighters and my mind a bit more relaxed.". The war of words between Vizier Unur and Al-Halhuli was getting hot. Suddenly Al-Findalawi stepped up from behind. He held my hand and said " If it so pleases both of you I will myself address this panicked public from the main square and if Allah wills we shall have a few more fighters and a safe night".
As we were arguing a commander stepped up and stated to the vizier a fact which all the while all of us had overlooked. He stated that as the Christian crusader army was still some way away from Damascus and it seemed like they would put up a seige it would do good to deprive them of the water by blocking all the irrigation canals and rivers and by putting up a few men on the main road outside the walls. It was a plan but the volunteers we lacked , however not for long.
That afternoon if you had been at the main square of Damascus you would have been bewildered. Poem, prophesy, oration and patriotism were churned by Al-Findalawi and served to the scared people of Damascus who couldnt find their place on the last caravan. I had reconciled myself to the fact that I wont be seeing my family,parents or friends again and now hearing Al-Findalawi's speech I felt it was the right decision. What would happen... we did not know. Whether we would live.... we did not know. Would Damascus and its citizens survive..... we had know clue. But we did know that from now on for every step the crusaders took it would be a step backwards. We did not resolve to live but to kill and get killed.
