In Granada, Ibn Jubayr worked as a secretary. In 1183, he took a journey to Mecca and departed the post. His journey's narrative is a valuable historical source. Egypt under the Ayyubids was one of the places he visited. The fact that ibn Jubayr was once an Almohad court officer adds to his interest. Ibn Jubayr dreamed of (The Almohads) conquering Ayyubid territory in spite of the praise:
[28th of March-25th of April, 1183]
THE first day of the month was a Sunday and the day after our arrival in Alexandria. The day of our landing, one of the first things we saw was the coming on board of the agents of the Sultan to record all that had been brought in the ship. All the Muslims in it were brought forward one by one, and their names and descriptions, together with the names of their countries, recorded. Each was questioned as to what mer-chandise or money he had, that he might pay zakat, without any enquiry as to what portion of it had been in their possession for a complete year and what had not. Most of them were on their way to discharge a religious duty and had nothing but the (bare) provisions for the journey. But they were com-pelled to pay the zakat without being questioned as to what had been possessed by them for the complete year and what had not.
Ahmad ibn Hassan of our number was called down to be questioned as to the news of the west [i.e. from Spain and North Africa] and as to the ship's cargo. Under watch he was in turn conducted first to the Sultan, then to the Qadi, then to the officials of the Customs, and then to a group of the Sultan's suite, and after being questioned concerning every-thing, and his statements recorded, he was released.
The Muslims were then ordered to take their belongings, and what remained of their provisions, to the shore, where there were attendants responsible for them and for carrying to the Customs all that they had brought ashore. There they were called one by one, and the possessions of each were pro-duced. The Customs was packed to choking. All their goods, great and small, were searched and confusedly thrown together, while hands were thrust into their waistbands in search of what might be within. The owners were then put to oath whether they had aught else not discovered. During all this, because of the confusion of hands and the excessive throng, many posses-sions disappeared. After this scene of abasement and shame, for which we pray God to recompense us amply, they [the pil-grims] were allowed to go.
There is no doubt that this is one of the matters concealed from the great Sultan known as Salah al-Din [Saladin]. If he heard of it, from what is related of his justice and leanings to pity, he would end it. But God is sufficient to the Faithful in this unhappy case, and (in the life to come) they will pay the zakat with the happiest heart. In the lands of this man [Saladin], we found nothing bad that merits mention save this affair, which was provoked by the officials of the Customs. Let it be absolutely certain and beyond doubt established that there is no Islam save in the Maghrib lands. There they follow the clear path that has no separation and the like, such as there are in these eastern lands of sects and heretical groups and schisms, save those of them whom Great and Glorious God has preserved from this. There is no justice, right, or religion in His sight except with the Almohades - may God render them powerful. They are the last just imams of this time, all the other Kings of the day follow another path, taking tithes from the Muslim merchants as if they were of the community of the dhimmah, seizing their goods by every trick and pretext, and following a course of oppression the like of which, oh my God, has never been heard of. All of them, that is, except this just Sultan, Saladin, whom we have mentioned for his con-duct and virtues. If he but had a helper in the cause of righteous-ness **** of what I desire. May Great and Glorious God mend the affairs of the Muslims with His beneficent attention and kind works.
A singular circumstance that we observed in the matter of the propagation of the Mu'min Almohade faith and the spread-ing of its word in these lands, and the inclination of its people to their dominance, is that most, indeed all their peoples, hint at it covertly and even quite plainly. They relate this to certain omens which fell to the notice of some of them and gave warn-ing of coming events which they saw in the result to be true. Amongst the omens leading to this is the following. Between the mosque of ibn Tulum and Cairo are two old and closely-built towers. On one is a statue facing the west, while on the other there had been a statue looking to the east. They used to relate that if one of them should fall, it would give warning of conquest by the people in whose direction it faced over the lands of Egypt, and others besides. By a strange conjuncture, the falling of the statue facing the east was followed by the victory of the Ghuzz [the Seljuk Turks under Saladin] over the 'Ubaydin [Fatimid] power and their conquest of the terri-tories of Misr and other lands. They now expect the fall of the statue facing west and the fulfilment of their hopes of being governed by the people of the west [the Almohade rulers of Spain]. Please God it may be so. There remains nothing but the happy prospect of an Almohade conquest of these lands, and attentively they watch for it one auspicious morning, being certain of it, and expecting it as they expect the (last) hour, the fulfilment of the promise of which no one feels doubt.
In this regard, we learnt in Alexandria and Misr and other places, both directly and by hearsay, of a strange circumstance which indicated that this dear event is truly decreed by God and that the claims concerning it are true. For it was told us that some jurisprudents and leaders of these countries have pre-pared an embellished discourse to be delivered before our lord the Prince of the Faithful - may God exalt his state - and that he expects that day as he expects the Day of Resurrection and composedly awaits it with the patience which is (proper to) our faith. May Great and Glorious God unfold His word and exalt His claim. As He wishes, so He disposes.
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