Images of Heroism
The book has propounded the imagery of Salah-Ad Din’s life both from his own perspective and through the interview of his wife and friends. The interview was taken by a Jewish scribe who is named as Ibn Yakub. The author has demonstrated Saladin as a courageous warrior, a wise Kurdish military leader and a generous emperor. Salah- Ad Din fought with the European crusaders in order to take Jerusalem back from them. The Kurdish military leader won the battle with the crusaders because of his efficient strategies and effective leadership. Tariq Ali has portrayed him as a hero who got fame owing to his unrelenting efforts and a freedom fighter who freed his nation from the violence of the crusaders. Saladin saved the lives of his people from the attacks of religious zealots.
Images of Violence
The book has also conveyed the images of violence through the fights between crusaders and the Muslims, Jews, and Christians. The European crusaders seized the sacred land of Jerusalem because of the important landmarks there and to spread Christianity in the region. The author has depicted how they captured the land through inflicting violence on the masses. They regarded Muslims living in Jerusalem as heretics and God’s enemies. The images of violence are strife are also recurrent when Saladin became the sultan of Syria and Egypt. The Europeans persecuted the Muslims who were living in Jerusalem and they violated the sanctity of their religious beliefs.
Images of hypocrisy
Through the closed mindset of the European crusaders, the author has shown how the Muslims were accused for the evils which they did not possess. Ibn Yakub, who was Jew, interviews Saladin’s friends and his wife and he unveils the tragedies faced by the Muslims. This Jewish scribe also talks about the heroic deeds of Saladin without any amalgamation of lies. He demonstrated the heretical nature of crusaders who used to call Muslims as heretics. There are images which depict the hypocrisy of the Christians and Jews, who fought with the Muslims in the guise of getting the holy land. Their main purpose was to make the Muslims notorious by alleging them as the enemies of God and their religion.
