St. Francis and Islam

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St. Francis and Islam

• Francis of Assisi and al-Malik al-Kamil
  Christian-Islamic Dialogue in the 13th Century

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Giotto, St. Francis and the Sultan
(1297-99) Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi
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Al-Malik Al-Kamil Nasir Al-Din Mohammad Ibn
Al-Malik Al-Adil Ibi Bakr
In AH 615 (AD 1218) Sultan Al-Kamil became the
sole ruler after the death of his father in
battles against the crusaders. He himself was
known as a valiant warrior against the crusaders.
He spent 70,000 dinars to repair the
fortifications of Damietta. He completed the
construction of the Citadel of Cairo and
transferred his administration to it. Sultan
Al-Kamil was described as a just ruler whose
reign was one of great security.
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Giotto, St. Francis Before the Sultan
(1320-25) Bardi Chapel, Florence
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Giovanni di Paolo, St. Francis Before the
Sultan (c. 1450) National Széchényi Library,
Budapest
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St. Francis Meets the Sultan of Egypt (1457) cod.
1266, Museo Francescano, Rome
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Blessed Francis two years before his death kept a
Lent in the place of Mount La Verna in honor of
the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, the
Blessed Michael the Archangel from the Feast of
the Assumption of the Holy Virgin Mary until the
September Feast of Saint Michael the hand of
the Lord was laid upon him. After the vision and
words of the Seraph the impression of the
Stigmata of Christ in his body he composed these
praises written on the other side of this sheet
wrote them in his own hand, giving thanks to God
for the kindness bestowed on him.
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The Praises of God

• Written during Retreat in September 1224
• Kept by Br. Leo, who describes it
• Contains many of 99 Names of Allah
• On the back, a blessing of protection

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You are holy Lord, only God You do wonders You
are strong, You are great, You are most
high You are almighty King You Holy Father King
of heaven earth You are Three and One, Lord
God of gods You are good, all good, the highest
good, Lord God living and true You are love,
charity You are wisdom

• Al-Quddûs
• Al-Ahad
• Al-Azîz
• Al-Qawiyy
• Al-Kabîr
• Al-Aliyy
• Al-Muqtadir
• Al-Malik
• Al-Muhyî
• Mâlik-ul-mulk
• ...
• Al-Wâhid
• Al-Barr
• Al-Hayy
• Al-Wadûd
• Al-Wahhâb
• ...

The Holy One The Only One The Strong,
Powerful The Great The Most High The Almighty The
King The Giver of Life King of the Universe The
Only One The Benevolent The Living The
Tender All Wise
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Benedicat te dñs cu stodiat te. t ost?dat
faci? suã tibi misereat tui cõvertat vult? su?
ad te det tibi pac?
dñs be ne o te dicat
f le
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Illustrated Arabic Chronicle, Battle with
Crusaders
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A Blessing for the Sultan?

• May the Lord bless you keep you
• May He look upon you with kindness
• And have mercy upon you
• May He turn His countenance to you and give you
  peace

T
The Lord well may say weep
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Al-Malik al-Kamil (right) made peace offers
during 5th Crusade, including return of Jerusalem
to Christians. Offer rejected Christians were
defeated in battle. In 1239 he agrees to 10-year
peace with Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II
(left), placing Jerusalem under control of the
Crusader Kingdom.
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St. Francis of Assisi walked through the Crusader
battle lines near Damietta in Egypt in 1219,
entering into the presence of the Kurdish ruler
of Egypt, al-Malik al-Kamil, and attempted to
preach to him, without any notable results. But
the sultan, a son of the famous Salah al-din
(Saladin), was impressed by the piety and
simplicity of the poor man of Assisi and let him
return in peace to his fellow Christians. The
later career of al-Malik al-Kamil featured a
surprising detente with the Frankish invaders of
the Muslim Middle East. He even returned
Jerusalem to Crusader control. It is said that he
gave to the Franciscans the custody of the
Christian holy places. We need a new St. Francis
today. We may also need a new al-Malik al-Kamil.
Patrick J. Ryan, S.J., President Loyola Jesuit
College, Abuja, Nigeria (America Nov. 26, 2001)