The Tradition of "Khushdashiyya" (Comradeship) Among the Mamluks

Written by Alperen Alkan

Under the umbrella of the Mamluk Academy, we do not merely practice a sport or an art; we keep the spirit of a thousand year old tradition alive. One of the most fundamental and emotional pillars of this tradition is undoubtedly the concept of “Khushdashiyya” (Hoşdaşlık), which literally means "a comrade raised under the discipline of the same master."

Mamluks in Poland

Khushdash: The Protector of the Helpless, The Mirror of Life

In the Mamluk system, Khushdashiyya is not just a friendship, but a vital matter of existence. When Mamluks were torn from their roots and families at a very young age and brought to barracks called "Tibaq" they had no past to leave behind nor a family hearth to take refuge in. From that moment on, a Khushdash became that person's only family in the world.

To fill this emotional void, experienced Mamluks providing training in the tibaqs were called “Aghawat” (meaning big brother), and novice Mamluks were called “Ini” (meaning little brother). The highest authority of the Tibaq, the master, was called “Baba” (Father). In this new life where they had lost everything, novice Mamluks saw their own reflection, their mistakes, and their truths in their Khushdash. For this reason, Khushdash became mirrors to one another.

Mahmoud Qalyoubi & Jehad Shamis

A Sacred Law: A Khushdash Does Not Punish a Khushdash

The bond of Khushdashiyya was so sacred that even if political rivalry or personal tensions intervened, the "Law of Khushdashiyya" would come into play. The most famous example of this occurred between our great master Taybugha al-Yunani and Yalbugha al-Umari.

Yalbugha, who gained massive power in the administration during the reign of Sultan Hasan, eventually did not want to share this power and came into conflict with his Khushdash Taybugha, imprisoning him in the dungeons of Alexandria. However, this situation was met with great reaction in the Mamluk community, because for a Khushdash to treat a Khushdash in such a way was contrary to custom. Upon intense complaints, Yalbugha showed respect for the law of Khushdashiyya, pardoned Taybugha, and sent him to Jerusalem. In accordance with this tradition, the winning side would generally not punish their adversary heavily but would be more forgiving for the sake of the Khushdash bond.

Barış Demirtaş & Alperen Alkan

A Historical Example of Loyalty: Sultan Baybars and Sunqur al-Ashqar

The most unforgettable story regarding the loyalty of Khushdashiyya is between Sultan Baybars the first and Sunqur al-Ashqar. To rescue his Khushdash Sunqur, who had fallen captive while fighting the Mongols, Baybars made the crown prince of a vast kingdom (Armenian Prince Leon) the subject of a trade and did not give up until he rescued his Khushdash. When Sunqur was released, he personally met him outside Cairo, demonstrating how precious the law of Khushdashiyya was for the Mamluks.

Khushdashiyya in Modern Mamluks

Today, at the Mamluk Academy, we are bound to each other not by blood, but by the bonds of a common ideal. The unshakable friendships in our Academy keep that sincere legacy of the past alive:

Demet Nebilir & Özlem Çelebi

• The founder of our Academy, Alperen Alkan, and the Head Instructor of Türkiye, Barış Demirtaş, are two Khushdash raised in our modern tibaqs.

• The Head Instructor of Germany, Özlem Çelebi, and the instructor of Kemankeş Frankfurt, Demet Nebilir, are unshakable mirrors of this tradition.

• The Head Instructor of the UK, Jehad Shamis, and the Head Instructor of the United Arab Emirates, Mahmoud Qalyoubi, are the finest proof that distances cannot hinder this law.

Khushdashiyya is not just drilling or training together; it is sharing the same ideal and fighting for the same cause. As the Mamluk Academy family, we continue to keep this ancient "companionship of the path" alive.

Who is your mirror of life? Who is your Khushdash?