The Glorious King of Erbil, Mudhaffar ad-Deen Kukburi
The Innovator of Celebrating the Birth of Our Prophet
He is al-Mudhaffar (the Victorious) the son of the Atabegh ruler Zayn ad-Deen Ali Kojac, Kukburi (Gökböri means blue wolf in the old Turkish language, a reference to his remarkable bravery). He was born in Mosul in 1154 CE of Turcoman origin. He was the ruler of Erbil, a city in Iraq, at the time of the Great Sultan Salahaddin al- Ayyoubi, and he married his sister Lady Rabia Khatoun with whom he had two daughters.
Al-Mudhaffar was known for his scholarly status, piety, and bravery. He led the army to victory in the battle of Cresson near Nazareth in Palestine. He was one of the main leaders and commanders of the armies in the decisive battle of Hattin حطين in the year 1187 that opened to Salahaddin the way to liberate Jerusalem. The contemporary historian Imad ad-Din al-Isfahani, described him as: “… the hero of well thought out projects, the lion who heads straight for the target, the most reliable and firmest chief.”
He had great vision and took extensive care of the physical and spiritual needs of his subjects. He opened hospitals and had a nurse assigned for each sick person. He specified four establishments for the disabled, whom he used to visit twice a week and ask each one individually about his situation and cheer them up. He opened orphanages, establishments for widows, guest houses and travelers’ inn and took great care of agriculture and commerce. He loved knowledge and sponsored the scholars and opened schools, including a religious college called Dar al-Hadith al-Muzaffariya (founded in 1198), and Sufi convents. He was extremely generous while being truly detached from this world. He used to distribute thousands of pounds of bread daily, and had a yearly allowance of clothes and money for the poor person in his dominion in addition of a yearly allowance amounting to thousands of Dinars for Mecca, Medina and Arafat. He set free 60,000 women and men prisoners of war.
He used to commemorate the honorable birth of our Prophet every year during the month of Rabii’ al-Awwal in a majestic way in the center of the city. For that celebration special wooden domes were set reaching the old citadel. Historians mention that he used to spend 300 000 Dinars for that celebration every year. Varied food including chicken and lamb meat, butter and desserts, in thousands of portions were set for people to eat. Many traveled from near and far—places like Baghdad, Mosul, Jazirah, Suijar, Nasibin, and others—to attend and participate in this honorable celebration. He gathered many scholars, including scholars of hadith, and the true Sufis, to participate in this honorable celebration.
King Mudhaffar ruled Erbil for about half a century until his death at eighty two years of age on a Friday night in Ramadan of the year 630 AH. Prior to his death he prepared a place for his burial in Mecca. However, the pilgrims that year did not continue their trip to the holy city because of drought, so they returned with his coffin and was buried in Koufa in Iraq. The historian Ibn Khallikan said about him:” As for his biography, he achieved amazing virtuous deeds that that no one else in his time achieved…He was modest, loving for the scholars and Huffaz and it was narrated that he was never defeated in a war”
May God have mercy on him. This is what this just ruler and lover of the Prophet, who was guided to celebrate the birth of the Prophet, and whom reward reaches his soul every time Muslims celebrate the Mawlid, did for this nation as it is unequivocally documented by historians in brilliant pages of history. Tell us what did those who wrongly and vehemently oppose the celebration of the birth of the Prophet do for this nation?!
Images are for the city of Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, located 50 miles east of Mosul. Erbil is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. One image shows the historical city center with the old citadel showing in the upper right of image, raised on a tell. Erbil Citadel was designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2014. Another image is for one of the most famous landmarks of the city- the Minaret of the Madrassa of al Muzaffar, also known by the Minaret of the mosque of al-Muzaffar, built by the king al- Muzaffar in 1190 CE, now part of the national park. The top half of the minaret fell due to natural causes in the 1990’s.
