Introduction
The chronicle of Islamic history reveals the attack of Mongols over Islam and Muslim people. This paper presents the description of Ibn al-Athir on Mongols and their brutal massacre caused to the damage and ruin of Islam. Mongols seized, plundered and killed the Muslims and he believes that it is the worst black mark in the history of Islam.
Main Body
The chronicle of Ibn-al-Athir is an exceptional record of the medieval history. It reveals the whole Islamic history trying to depict the events around Caucasian region especially events in Spain, Iran, Iraq and North Africa. Mongol confederation was formed including central Asia and Western Europe and the people of this confederation were nomadic who wandered around this area consisting of three linguistic groups such as Turkic, Mongolic and Tungusic. The first reference to the Mogolian history can be traced in the work known as “Old Tang History” in the 10th century. Ibn al-Athir, the most famous chronicle writer described about Mongols in his own ‘complete history’ known as Al-Kamil fi al-Ta’rikh. Mongols attacked the Muslims in 1221 at the battle of Parwan and they slaughtered millions of Muslims.
“Indeed, one easily understands how the Islamic world viewed the Mongols not so much as any human enemy, but rather as the wrath of God or as a natural calamity. Those teaching courses related to the medieval Middle East will find a wealth of anecdotes to relate to their classes to make this point.”
Ibn al-Athir depicts on the cruelty of Mongols over Muslims that the humanity will not witness such a calamity until the world perishes. He writes that the antichrist who is yet to come will spare the people who follow him from that kind of brutality and cruelty. But Mongols did not spare anyone from the massacre, either their supporters or rebels. They slaughtered everyone – man, women and children – without showing any kind of mercy. They killed and opened the bellies of pregnant women and slaughtered the numerous babies who were about to be born. Ibn al-Athir compares this massacre to a wind that passed through the earth causing a universal ruin and damage and he thinks that the catastrophe and aftereffects of the brutality was severe and far and wide. Mongols who came from the periphery of China attacked and possessed the cities and they plundered, seized, killed and destroyed the inhabitants of the cities. Only a minute fraction of Muslims escaped from the brutal attack of Mongols. They captured the cities such as Kashghr, Balasaghun, Samarquand, Bukhara, Khurasan, Rayy, Hamadan, Aserbaijan, Arran, Darband, Alaris, Lazicans, Qipchaqs, Ghazna, some parts of India, Sistan and Kirman. They conquered all these cities in a year but Alexander who conquered all cities of the world took ten years to seize. Ibn al-Athir explains about their way of life as they worshiped Sun, ate animals like dogs, pigs, they did not admit the dignity of marriage, several men slept with a women and the children did not know who was their father. It was possible for Mongols because there was no obstacle for them to face in their path. The reason for the absence of any other challenge was Muhammad Khwarazmsnan had conquered the lands and kings of Islam before the attack of Mongols. Therefore, there was no one to challenge their superiority.
This was a hard time for the Islam and Ibn al-Athir believes that the Islam is the people of God, they belong to God and they will return to God. If God stands against somebody, no one can win anything. The writer asks God to grant victory to Islam and Muslims because there is no other help from any other beings in the universe. God can only save and defend Islam.
Conclusion
This paper presents the description of Ibn al-Athir on the massacre in which majority of Islam people were killed by Mongols. They killed people including children, women and men. He compares it to a wind that has passed over the earth causing indescribable effect and consequences.
Bibliography
Richards, D S. 2008. The chronicle of Ibn al-Athir for the crusading period from al-Kamil fi’l-Ta’rikh, part 3. De Re Militari. Web.