MAMLUKS
prevail in place of belief, because the people of the faith, sunk in self- indulgence, preoccupied with pleasure and abandoned to luxury, had become deficient in energy and reluctant to rally in their defense, and had stripped off the skin of courage and the emblem of manhood – then it was God ’ s benevolence that He rescued the faith by reviving its dying breath and restoring the unity of the Muslims in the Egyptian realms ( al- diy ā r al-Mi ṣ riyya ), preserving the order and defending the walls of Islam. He did this by sending to the Muslims, from this Turkish nation ( al- ṭā ʾ ifat al-turkiyya ) and from among its great and numerous tribes, rulers to defend them and totally loyal helpers. They were brought from the House of War to the House of Islam under the rule of slavery ( riqq ), which hides in itself a divine blessing. By means of bondage they learn glory and blessing and are exposed to divine providence; cured by slavery, they enter the Muslim religion with the firm r
