KEHIDUPAN AL-ZAHIR BAYBARS SEBELUM MENJADI SULTAN [THE LIFE OF AL-ZAHIR BAYBARS BEFORE BECOMING SULTAN]

Abstract

Abstrak: Kajian ini meneliti kehidupan awal Sultan Al-Zahir Baybars sebelum beliau menaiki takhta Kesultanan Mamluk, dengan fokus kepada asal-usul geografi dan etnik, status sosial sebagai hamba, latihan ketenteraan, penglibatan dalam konflik utama, serta pembentukan ciri kepimpinan dan nilai keislamannya. Walaupun Baybars dikenali sebagai sultan agung, pemahaman menyeluruh tentang fasa formatif kehidupannya—daripada seorang hamba kepada pemimpin tertinggi—masih kurang diteliti, terutamanya mengenai bagaimana pengalaman awal ini membentuk karakter, strategi ketenteraan, dan legitimasi politiknya. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis latar belakang geografi dan etnik Baybars, pengalamannya sebagai hamba tentera, peranan dalam pertempuran penting seperti La Forbie, al-Mansurah, dan Ain Jalut, serta nilai-nilai keislaman dan hubungannya dengan ulama sebelum menjadi sultan. Penyelidikan ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif berdasarkan analisis teks sejarah melalui kajian kepustakaan terhadap sumber-sumber primer seperti karya Ibn Taghribirdi, al-Maqrizi, dan Ibn Abd al-Zahir, serta sumber sekunder daripada sarjana kontemporari seperti Thorau, Ayalon, dan Amitai-Preiss. Kajian ini dijangkakan dapat menunjukkan bahawa latar belakang Baybars sebagai hamba tentera dan pengalaman medan perangnya menjadi asas kepada kepimpinan militaristik dan pragmatiknya, manakala hubungan dengan ulama dan komitmen terhadap nilai Islam menyumbang kepada legitimasi dan kestabilan pemerintahannya. Hasil kajian mendapati bahawa Baybars berasal daripada etnik Kipchak dan melalui latihan ketenteraan yang rigoros dalam sistem Mamluk. Beliau membuktikan kecemerlangan strategik dalam pertempuran seperti al-Mansurah dan Ain Jalut, yang membuka jalan kepada peningkatan pangkatnya. Pembunuhan Sultan Qutuz merupakan langkah politik terancang yang didorong oleh persaingan dalam hierarki Mamluk, bukannya semata-mata berdasarkan prinsip "pembunuh sultan menjadi sultan". Selain itu, komitmennya terhadap nilai Islam dan hubungan erat dengan ulama telah membina asas legitimasi yang kukuh sebelum beliau memangku jawatan sultan.

Abstract: This study examines the early life of Sultan Al-Zahir Baybars before he ascended to the throne of the Mamluk Sultanate, focusing on his geographical and ethnic origins, social status as a slave, military training, involvement in major conflicts, as well as the development of his leadership traits and Islamic values. Although Baybars is widely recognized as a great sultan, a comprehensive understanding of the formative phases of his life—from slave to supreme leader—remains underexplored, particularly regarding how these early experiences shaped his character, military strategies, and political legitimacy. This study aims to analyze Baybars' geographical and ethnic background, his experiences as a military slave, his role in significant battles such as La Forbie, al-Mansurah, and Ain Jalut, as well as his Islamic values and his relationship with religious scholars before becoming sultan. This research employs a qualitative approach based on historical text analysis through a literature review of primary sources such as the works of Ibn Taghribirdi, al-Maqrizi, and Ibn Abd al-Zahir, as well as secondary sources from contemporary scholars like Thorau, Ayalon, and Amitai-Preiss. This study is expected to demonstrate that Baybars' background as a military slave and his battlefield experiences formed the foundation of his militaristic and pragmatic leadership, while his relationship with religious scholars and commitment to Islamic values contributed to the legitimacy and stability of his rule. The findings indicate that Baybars originated from the Kipchak ethnicity and underwent rigorous military training within the Mamluk system. He demonstrated strategic excellence in battles such as al-Mansurah and Ain Jalut, which paved the way for his rise in rank. The assassination of Sultan Qutuz was a planned political move driven by competition within the Mamluk hierarchy, rather than being solely based on the principle of "the sultan's killer becomes the sultan." Furthermore, his commitment to Islamic values and close ties with religious scholars established a solid foundation of legitimacy before he assumed the sultanate.