Wot, using armour in desert combat?
They die allready before the battle if they use armour...
Go Abdul!
They die allready before the battle if they use armour...
Go Abdul!
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Of course they had armor, just not of the type that you find common in European societies. This is even a link to some depictions.
the last prologue
"Abdul Alim, wake up!"
Abdul started to come to his senses, and he could feel the sun on his face. He then remember the scene that had caused him to black out and sat bolt upright. His head began to swim with the sudden movement and he feel back to the desert floor. "Praise Allah you are alive. We were worried for your health. We have killed or drove off all of Barquq's men. Shortly we will have a proper camp made so as to allow you to rest," said Sharif.
"I have killed someone. I am unclean Sharif. No I am no longer fit for Caliph for sure."
"Abdul Alim you speak of killing as if it is murder, these things are not the same. Murder is something we do for ourselves, for anger, for revenge, killing is something that others drive upon us. This is something that Allah recognizes and does not hold against us. The Caliph will kill again you should know that there will always be those that will wish to challenge you. There will be false ones who wish to take your place. You must be strong in these times. Allah must have sent these men to teach you this lesson now, instead of later when it could be worse."
"Well I did not enjoy it, Sharif, and if possible I will never do it again! This I promise." Abdul raised to his feet at that and went to the place where the others were setting up pavilions for the shade. He sat for sometime, thinking about the life he took and how he could need to do such again. Maybe, he thought, it becomes easier after the first.
****************************************************
Two Weeks later they had arrived in the Holy City, two days ahead of the start of the Hajj. Sharif had planned well for these two days were set up to be meetings with chiefs of Hadjaz. To explain to the Imams what Sharif believed to be Allah's will. Most would not hear of it. They felt that the times of the Caliphs were past, but Sharif pressed them with the Hidith attempting to impart on them the passages. On the second day many of the Imams came and questioned Abdul Alim on the Qu'ran. While Abdul Alim was devote in his prayers, and practiced what he knew of the faith, he was not the best Qu'ranic scholar. He answered as best he could all the questions they had, but he knew that it was not the best. Finally after one answer an Imam stood, "This is ridiculous, he knows little of the scriptures how is he to be the Caliph. How can we trust one so unschooled to bring the law to all."
Sharif rose holding out a calming hand. "Sometimes we learn what we must as we go. He is both lines, the Fatimid and the line of Ali, how could he not be. As for the scriptures he has spent his whole life in a struggle to live, can we judge him for not having time to learn. He will learn we shall teach him, and Allah will bless him with revelation. Give the young one time to grow. The Hajj will teach him much, this I believe."
While most of the Imams could not believe any of this some were convinced and agreed to follow with there tribes, giving Abdul a small fighting force to return to Cairo with. With these items in place he readied himself for the ceremonies of the Hajj.
[/IMG]
As they were preparing Sharif went over the first ceremony of the Hajj, tawah, which is a circular counter-clockwise procession around the ka'bah (The square shaped empty block in the center of the Mosque in Mecca). "You will say 'Labbayka Allahumma Labbayk' (Here I am at your service, O God, Here I am!), this will prepare you to receive the blessings of Allah. Once this is complete we will preform the sa'i, the running from between the hills of Safa and Marwah, this to remember the time of Hajar's search for food and water. Next, we will travel a few miles to the plain of Mina and camp there. From Mina, we travel the following morning to the plain of Arafat where we will spend the entire day praying and devoting ourselves to Allah. That evening, we will move and camp at Muzdalifa, which is a site between Mina and Arafat. Here we will stay overnight and offer various prayers there."
"Then we return to Mina , and throw seven pebbles at a stone pillar that represents the devil. This symbolizes rejection of the polytheistic views of Satan. Then we sacrifice a sheep. The meat from the slaughtered sheep is distributed for consumption to family, friends, and poor and needy people in the community. After this sacrifice, we return to Mecca to end the formal rites of Hajj by performing a final tawaf and sa'i. This is the whole of the Hajj, and will bring you much peace with yourself and teach you much about Allah."
*****************************************************
On the plain of Arafat Abdul Alim sat praying to Allah, asking for guidance and wisdom. This is where he experienced the vision that truly changed his life. He saw himself standing on a dais before Allah during the day of judgment. He saw the accounting, the scroll that held all his accomplishments. They were many and he asked, "does this mean that I am the Caliph." And he heard the response, "that is your calling, but it is up to you how it will end. You shall use your gifts to please me and bring the ummah together again in devotion to me. This is your calling." At the end of the day he shared this with Sharif, and they celebrated the occurance at the feast the next day. Upon completing the the Hajj they set off for Cairo in order to claim what Allah had said was his to take, the thrown of Cairo the beginning of the Caliphate.
"Abdul Alim, wake up!"
Abdul started to come to his senses, and he could feel the sun on his face. He then remember the scene that had caused him to black out and sat bolt upright. His head began to swim with the sudden movement and he feel back to the desert floor. "Praise Allah you are alive. We were worried for your health. We have killed or drove off all of Barquq's men. Shortly we will have a proper camp made so as to allow you to rest," said Sharif.
"I have killed someone. I am unclean Sharif. No I am no longer fit for Caliph for sure."
"Abdul Alim you speak of killing as if it is murder, these things are not the same. Murder is something we do for ourselves, for anger, for revenge, killing is something that others drive upon us. This is something that Allah recognizes and does not hold against us. The Caliph will kill again you should know that there will always be those that will wish to challenge you. There will be false ones who wish to take your place. You must be strong in these times. Allah must have sent these men to teach you this lesson now, instead of later when it could be worse."
"Well I did not enjoy it, Sharif, and if possible I will never do it again! This I promise." Abdul raised to his feet at that and went to the place where the others were setting up pavilions for the shade. He sat for sometime, thinking about the life he took and how he could need to do such again. Maybe, he thought, it becomes easier after the first.
****************************************************
Two Weeks later they had arrived in the Holy City, two days ahead of the start of the Hajj. Sharif had planned well for these two days were set up to be meetings with chiefs of Hadjaz. To explain to the Imams what Sharif believed to be Allah's will. Most would not hear of it. They felt that the times of the Caliphs were past, but Sharif pressed them with the Hidith attempting to impart on them the passages. On the second day many of the Imams came and questioned Abdul Alim on the Qu'ran. While Abdul Alim was devote in his prayers, and practiced what he knew of the faith, he was not the best Qu'ranic scholar. He answered as best he could all the questions they had, but he knew that it was not the best. Finally after one answer an Imam stood, "This is ridiculous, he knows little of the scriptures how is he to be the Caliph. How can we trust one so unschooled to bring the law to all."
Sharif rose holding out a calming hand. "Sometimes we learn what we must as we go. He is both lines, the Fatimid and the line of Ali, how could he not be. As for the scriptures he has spent his whole life in a struggle to live, can we judge him for not having time to learn. He will learn we shall teach him, and Allah will bless him with revelation. Give the young one time to grow. The Hajj will teach him much, this I believe."
While most of the Imams could not believe any of this some were convinced and agreed to follow with there tribes, giving Abdul a small fighting force to return to Cairo with. With these items in place he readied himself for the ceremonies of the Hajj.
As they were preparing Sharif went over the first ceremony of the Hajj, tawah, which is a circular counter-clockwise procession around the ka'bah (The square shaped empty block in the center of the Mosque in Mecca). "You will say 'Labbayka Allahumma Labbayk' (Here I am at your service, O God, Here I am!), this will prepare you to receive the blessings of Allah. Once this is complete we will preform the sa'i, the running from between the hills of Safa and Marwah, this to remember the time of Hajar's search for food and water. Next, we will travel a few miles to the plain of Mina and camp there. From Mina, we travel the following morning to the plain of Arafat where we will spend the entire day praying and devoting ourselves to Allah. That evening, we will move and camp at Muzdalifa, which is a site between Mina and Arafat. Here we will stay overnight and offer various prayers there."
"Then we return to Mina , and throw seven pebbles at a stone pillar that represents the devil. This symbolizes rejection of the polytheistic views of Satan. Then we sacrifice a sheep. The meat from the slaughtered sheep is distributed for consumption to family, friends, and poor and needy people in the community. After this sacrifice, we return to Mecca to end the formal rites of Hajj by performing a final tawaf and sa'i. This is the whole of the Hajj, and will bring you much peace with yourself and teach you much about Allah."
*****************************************************
On the plain of Arafat Abdul Alim sat praying to Allah, asking for guidance and wisdom. This is where he experienced the vision that truly changed his life. He saw himself standing on a dais before Allah during the day of judgment. He saw the accounting, the scroll that held all his accomplishments. They were many and he asked, "does this mean that I am the Caliph." And he heard the response, "that is your calling, but it is up to you how it will end. You shall use your gifts to please me and bring the ummah together again in devotion to me. This is your calling." At the end of the day he shared this with Sharif, and they celebrated the occurance at the feast the next day. Upon completing the the Hajj they set off for Cairo in order to claim what Allah had said was his to take, the thrown of Cairo the beginning of the Caliphate.
The last of the prologue? What does the future bring. I can only imagine triumph and victory, but that is to say obstacles do not interfere.
Okay all so that it has been a while. RL happened. I will be getting back to this tomorrow during the day so watch for it. BTW I have decided that the settings are changing a bit. I am dumping the Hard due to the BB nerf. Thanks.