Azzam: The Sword of Samarkand

Prologue

Assalam alaykum and peace be upon you.

Know, oh Believer, that in the vast ocean of gleaming sands that is Arabia there are several gushing springs of pristine water that sustain the sprawling kingdoms of the Muslims. To the north, Kareemiya with its fleet-footed Arabian stallions and its slave markets, to the west Ashmunein known for its flowery poetry and domed architecture, to the east the garden paradise of Safina, and in the heart of Arabia, Samarkand - rich in gold and jewels, fertile land and bustling sea-ports. 

Of the kingdoms of Arabia, Samarkand is the most beloved to the Muslims. Her Sultan is a just king, a pious man with a kind heart, full of mercy and love for his people. But of all the blessings bestowed on these lands, none can compare with the Qur’an - the Book of Wisdom, whose rhyming verses heals the souls of men.  It is belief in the Quran that unites all the people of Arabia - its eloquent flowing language espousing belief in a single all-powerful Deity, who calls Himself – ‘Allah’, meaning ‘the One to be Workshipped’. 

It was the book of Allah that brought together the Warring Tribes and ushered in the Golden Age of Prosperity. But hundreds of years have passed since its revelation,  and belief in the Quran has long since eroded and the kingdoms of Arabia almost completely destroyed.  Her treasures were looted by Frankish Knights and her peoples massacred by the Mongol Horde.  

And yet, a further calamity has befallen the Muslims of Arabia. The Sultan of Samarkand was found murdered in the chambers of his own palace, his body savagely mutilated. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’oon.

The Sultan is succeeded by the Black Prince - a greedy envious man with unbounded lust for flesh and gold. With astounding speed the Black Prince replaced the Sultan’s trusted advisers and generals with his own loyal followers. However, there remains a single obstacle to his total domination, the Sultan’s young son, and only heir to the throne, is nowhere to be found. Rumour has it that the Sultan had foreseen this evil day and had sent his beloved many leagues away in the care of his chief bodyguard and trusted confidante, the warrior Azzam al Turki.

The Black Prince will not rest until he has extinguished this future challenge to his throne. His soldiers roam the deserts looking for prince Omar and the Sultan’s loyal mamelukes – his warrior-slaves that were sworn to serve him to their dying breath.

Truly, an evil shadow has been cast on the lands of Arabia. The Sultan’s greatest fears have been realized. 

This is the story of Azzam’s struggle to return the righteous to the reins of power. May Allah have mercy on his soul and the souls of all those who follow Allah on the path of truth, Ameen.