Summary of an extract from the book “Crusades through Arab eyes” Also some extracts taken from the book “Makers of the Muslim world: Warrior poet of the age of Crusades”

In august 1157 a Massive earthquake hit the Middle East and caused large amounts of fatalities and destruction.

Several towers of the Aleppo city walls collapsed , and a terrified population dispersed into the surrounding countryside. in Harran the earth was split so deeply that the remains of an ancient city were visible through the immense breach. In Tripoli, Beirut, Tyre, Homs, and Ma'arra, there were countless dead; innumerable buildings were destroyed (entire cities were abandoned).

But two cities were hit harder than any others by the cataclysm: Hama and Shayzar. It is said that a teacher in Hama, who had left his classroom to satisfy a pressing call of nature in a nearby vacant field, found has school demolished and all his pupils dead upon his return. Dumbfounded, he sat bleakly upon the ruins wondering how he would break the news to the parents, but none of them survived to claim their children.

On the same day in Shayzar, the sovereign of the city, the emir Muhammad ibn Sultan, a cousin of Usama, was organizing a reception in the citadel for a special occasion. All the cities dignitaries were there, along with members of the ruling family, when the earth suddenly began to tremble. The walls collapsed, decimating the entire assembly. Usama’s entire family was completely wiped out in mere moments!

Deeply upset Usama Wrote "Death did not advance step by step to destroy the people of my race , to annihilate them separately or to strike them down two by two. they all died in the twinkling of an eye, and their palaces became their tombs."