Beginning of the siege around Baghdad:
Tuesday, 01 April 2008
Written by Administrator
Suddenly, the Mongolian army, under Holako, appeared at the eastern fences of the great city, on the 12th day of Muharam, 656 hijra. At the same time, Katbagha had made it to the southeastern side of the city, with the left wing of the army. They both started arranging their heavy arms around the city while the caliphate was horrified with the “scary” news.
The caliphate called for an emergency meeting for his top advisors including, of course, his Prime Minister (Moyed El-Deen) who was a known friend of the Mongols. What would the solution be, where is the exit out of the disaster? “In the end they cried (for mercy) when there is no longer time to be saved.” [Qur’an 38:3 ]
The Prime Minister recommended a peace agreement with Holako even if Muslims had to give up some of their freedoms and give concessions in exchange for safety! But, some others (including Mujahid El-Deen, Aybak and Soliman Shah) were in favor of fighting the attacking army till the end. The caliphate was not sure which way to go, but he finally listened to the fighters. But Jihad is not a sudden decision, it’s a process of long preparation and careful up bringing of a whole generation of people willing to give up their lives for their cause; above all, it’s a process of strengthening your beliefs until you reach a stage when you would “love” to die for Allah’s cause.
At any rate, the Abassy army started to get ready to meet the massive Mongolian army; while on their way they got news that there was another Mongolian army coming from the north under Pigeo through Turkey and Northern Iraq, about 50 km from Baghdad! Mujahid El-Deen decided to meet Pigeo first, before he surrounded Baghdad from the north. He met him at Al-Anbar (where Khaled Ibn Al-Waleed had a glorious victory 600 years ago). But this time Muslims met a different fate. Pigeo seemed to know the area better than it’s own people; he pretended to be withdrawing, dragging the Muslim army along, until he reached an area of swamps. Then, he sent his engineers to destroy the dams built over Al-Furat River to prevent Muslims from retracting further, and then he stared a vicious killing spree. Most of the Abassy army vanished at Al-Anbar. That was the 19th of Al Muharam, a week after Holako showed up at the eastern fences of Baghdad.
Pigeo did not waste his time; quickly he reached Baghdad from the north side as planned. The very next day Baghdad was tightly surrounded from east and north while the caliphate was in awe; he could not comprehend what happened. His Prime Minister (the inside man for the Mongols) pushed even more for negotiating the situation with the Mongols; the caliphate accepted to surrender (I mean to negotiate!). He sent two people to discuss terms of agreement with Holako; his Prime Minister and Makika, the head of churches in Baghdad. So, the caliphate sent a Shi’ite and a Christian to present the interests of the great Muslim Abassy Kingdom!
The secret negotiations went on while Holako offered great promises for both men if they would help him bring down (I mean liberate!) Iraq. Both men were eager to see the fall of the great Kingdom. They both deeply hated its mere existence. They were also eager to get the glamorous positions they were offered in the new Iraqi government!
Moed and Makika (the two messengers) came back with a strange request from Holako: he had heard of a violent group which did not like peace; this violent group wanted something very dangerous called jihad, so the caliphate had to give the heads of this dangerous movement to Holako to prove that the caliphate was peace loving!!! The Prime “Monster” (!) considered the results of the negotiations very satisfactory, as he succeeded in getting good offers from Holako in return for some small “sacrifices” that the Kaliph had to agree on.
The offers were:
1. Termination of the war between the two nations and starting a peaceful relationship.
2. The daughter of Holako (who slaughtered hundreds of thousands of Muslims) would marry the son of the Muslim caliphate!
3. Al-Mostasem will remain a Caliph.
4. Security is offered for all of Baghdad’s residents.
The conditions were:
Destruction of all Iraqi forts and military castles.
Giving up arms.
Filling up burrows.
Accepting the guardianship of Mongols over the Muslim leadership.
Holako finished his list of conditions by stating that he never came to this country wanting control or any kind of occupation, all he wanted was to establish democracy and liberate Iraqis from the unjust system they endured!; and as soon as that was established, Holako would let the Iraqis govern their country the way they liked.
The caliphate started to get some hope; should he trust Holako, he would have no ability to resist after fulfilling the conditions; but at the same time, he would stay as the caliphate. But, that is occupation, should he accept it? Why not; his advisors were recommending it under the name of accepting reality. Besides, if he resisted, Holako, he would be killed, no doubt, but if he accepted then there would be a possibility, very slim, yes, but there would be a possibility that he might live. Yes, he would survive in ignominy and disgrace, but he’ll survive anyway.
Behind the caliphate, the people are living the same dilemma; they have never learned the real meaning of jihad, they were not brought up to love martyrdom; instead, they loved living in luxury. At the same time, Holako is not giving much of a chance for thinking; his army is massive and costly to maintain. Besides this, Muharram falls in January of 1258 Gregorian which is a very cold month; above all, he can’t wait to see the beautiful Baghdad from inside.
The Death of Arafa
Holako did not give his “friend” the caliphate much time to think, he pressed him by starting to shoot blazing arrows and rocks on Baghdad, using his best technology. The secure city started to feel terror for the first time in its history. The shooting started at the beginning of Safar 656 hijra, and continued for four continuous days with no resistance worth mentioning.
Ibn Katheer (may Allah shower him with mercy) mentions a “small” incident in his book The Beginning and the End, that carried an important message to me, and here is the incident, quoting from Ibn Katheer: “Mongols surrounded the home of the Kaliph pointing their arrows at it, until a girl slave was hurt, her name was “Arafa”. This slave was dancing for, or amusing the caliphate, she was one of his most favored slaves. The caliphate was in shock, he picked up the arrows that came through the window and pierced the little girl’s body, killing her. The arrow had a message written on it. The message said: ‘When Allah wants something to happen, Allah deprives the wise people from their ability to think’. The caliphate read the message and ordered heavier drapes on the windows, so that the dancing slaves would be better concealed!”
The incident though small, carries a significant message: the caliphate who is responsible for the safety and the security of this great nation was busy watching dancers while the Mongols were literally at his door steps. Where are the brains? Where is the wisdom? And what a message from Holako to the caliphate, it is part of the well studied psychological war that raged even before the actual war began.
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