He remained there—he, his brother, his companions, and the warriors who were with him—steadfast in person and struggle, clad in the armor of battle. He exhorted the people to stand firm, promised them victory(1), and gave them glad tidings of spoils and of attaining one of the two noble outcomes. At last Allah fulfilled His promise, strengthened His army, defeated the Tatars single-handedly, and granted the believers victory. The host was routed and turned on its heels; the word of Allah rose highest while the word of the unbelievers was cast lowest(2); the last remnant of that disbelieving folk was cut off.⦗68⦘ Praise be to Allah, Lord of all worlds.

The triumphant army of Islam entered the protected city of Damascus, the Shaykh among his followers, fully armed(3) as he entered with them—his word exalted, his proof established, his sainthood manifest, his intercession accepted, his supplication answered, his blessing sought, honored and revered, a man of authority and a compelling word. Yet he would say to those who praised him(4), “I am a man of religion, not a man of worldly power.”

A Syrian chamberlain—an emir among their emirs, a man of solid piety and truthful speech, well known at court—told me: “On the day of confrontation, when we were at Marj al-Suffar and the two armies faced one another, the Shaykh said to me, ‘O So-and-so of the Religion(5), place me at the place of death(6).’”