Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech

War, Soldiers And Armies

War, Soldiers and Armies الحرب والجُنُود والزحْف

1. Soldiers [who fight for Islam] are the glory of religion and the bastions of [its] leaders.

1ـ اَلجُنُودُ عِزُّ الدّينِ، وحُصُونُ الوُلاةِ.

2. Fleeing at the right moment is equivalent to victory in its time.

2ـ اَلفِرارُ في أوانِهِ يَعْدِلُ الظَّفَرَ في زَمانِه.

3. Soldiers are defenders of the people.

3ـ اَلجُنُودُ حُصُونُ الرَّعِيَّةِ.

4. The bane of an army is opposing its commanders.

4ـ آفَةُ الجُنْدِ مُخالَفَةُ القادَةِ.

5. One who abandons his army has helped his adversaries.

5ـ مَنْ خَذَلَ جُنْدَهُ نَصَرَ أضْدادَهُ.

6. Cast down your gaze in battles, for this will make you calmer and cause your hearts to be more tranquil.

6ـ غُضُّواالأبْصارَ في الحُرُوبِ، فَإنَّهُ أرْبَطُ لِلْجَأْشِ،

7. Put the armoured man forward and the unarmoured one behind, and grit your teeth because this will make the swords skip off the skulls.

7ـ قَدِّمُوا الدّارِعَ، وأخِّرُوا الحاسِرَ، وعَضُّوا عَلَى الأضْراسِ،

8. He who is frightened by what is in front of him retreats [and flees].

8ـ وَمَنْ هالَهُ مابَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ نَـكَصَ عَلى عَقِبَيْهِ.

9. Defend [yourselves] with the edge of blades, charge forward [against the enemy] with your swords, give up your lives [for the sake of Allah] and walk towards death with calm.

9ـ نافِحُوا بِالظُّبى، وَصِلُوا السُّيُوفَ بالخُطى، وطيبُوا عَنْ

10. By the one who splits the seed and creates the human being! They did not accept Islam, rather they succumbed to it [to remain safe] and hid their disbelief; and when they found supporters for it, they brought forth in the open that which they had hidden and made manifest that which they had concealed.

10ـ والَّذي فَلَقَ الحَبَّةَ وبَـرَأَ النَّسَمَةَ، ما أسْلَمُوا،

11. I swear by Allah! Even if you run away from the sword of this transitory world you will not be safe from the swords of the Hereafter. You are the foremost among the Arabs and the greatest figures [of the community], so be ashamed of fleeing [from the battlefield], for certainly in it is a covering of disgrace and [a cause of] entry into hellfire.

11ـ وأيْمُ اللّهِ لَئِنْ فَرَرْتُمْ مِنْ سَيْفِ العاجِلَةِ

12. Do not fight against the one who seeks refuge in religion, for one who combats religion is ruined.

12ـ لاتُحارِبْ مَنْ يَعْتَصِمُ بِالدّينِ، فَإنَّ مُغالِبَ الدّينِ

13. Do not combat the one who seeks the support of truth, for the one who fights the truth is [always] defeated.

13ـ لاتُغالِبْ مَنْ يَسْتَظْهِرُ بِالحَقِّ، فَإنَّ مُغالِبَ الحَقِّ

14. Never seek to challenge anyone in combat, but if you are challenged, then respond; for the one who seeks it is an aggressor, and the aggressor is struck down.

14ـ لاتَدْعُوَنَّ إلى مُبارَزَة، وإنْ دُعيتَ إلَيْها فَأجِبْ، فَإنَّ

15. Do not let the fleeing which is followed by return and the retreat that is followed by attack bear down on you. Give the swords their due right and prepare a place for the fallen [soldiers][^1]. Embolden yourselves to charge with intensity and strike with full force, and silence the voices, as this dispels cowardice.

15ـ لاتَشْتَدَّنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ فَرَّةٌ بَعْدَها كَرَّةٌ، ولا جَوْلَةٌ

16. Keep on enduring and remain firm, until the pillar of truth illuminates upon you while you have the upper hand, and Allah is with you, and never will He stint [the reward of] your deeds.

16ـ صَمْداً صَمْداً، حَـتّى يَنْجَلي لَكُمْ عَمُودُ الحَقِّ، وأنْتُمُ

17. Defend your religion with the edge of blades, charge forward [against the enemy] with your swords and seek the help of Allah you will gain victory and [His] assistance.

17ـ ضارِبُوا عَنْ دينِكُمْ بالظُّبى، وَصِلُوا السُّيُوفَ بِالخُطاءِ،

18. Give up your lives [for the sake of Allah] willingly and walk towards death with ease.

18ـ طيبُوا عَنْ أنْفُسِكُمْ نَفْساً وامْشُوا إلَى المَوْتِ

19. The survivors of war grow larger in number and have more children.

19ـ بَقِيَّةُ السَّيْفِ أنْمى عَدَداً وأكْثَرُ وَلَداً.

20. Many a war is more beneficial than peace.

20ـ رُبَّ حَرْب أعْوَدُ مِنْ سِلْم.

21. Sometimes you may be attacked from within your sanctuary.

21ـ رُبَّما أُتِيْتَ مِنْ مَأْمَنِكَ.

22. The best of arsenals is seeking support [from Allah].

22ـ أفْضَلُ العُدَدِ الإسْتِظْهارُ.

23. Verily in fleeing [from the battlefield] there is the wrath of Allah, the Glorified, persistent disgrace and lasting shame; and certainly one who flees does not prolong his life, nor does he delay his day [of death].

23ـ إنَّ فِي الفِرارِ مَوْجِدَةَ اللّهِ سُبْحانَهُ، والذُّلَّ

24. Your intellects have decreased and your judgments have become fatuous. You are thus targets for the archer, morsels for the eater and easy prey for the hunter.

24ـ خَفَّتْ عُقُولُكُمْ، وسَفِهَتْ حُلُومُكُمْ، فَأنْتُمْ غَرَضٌ

25. Keep returning to fight and be ashamed of fleeing [from the battlefield], for it is a disgrace for the progenies and [a cause of entry into] hellfire on the Day of Reckoning.

25ـ عاوِدُوا الكَرَّ، واسْتَحْيُوا مِنَ الفَرِّ، فَإنَّهُ عارٌ فِي

26. Grit your back teeth, for this makes the swords skip off the skull.

26ـ عَضُّوا عَلَى النَّواجِدِ، فَإنَّهُ أنْبا لِلْسُّيُوفِ عَنِ

27. Fleeing [from the battle field] is one of the two humiliations.

27ـ اَلْفِرارُ أحَدُ الذُلَّيْنِ.

28. Be ashamed of fleeing [from battle], for it is a disgrace for the progenies and [a cause of entry into] hellfire on the Day of Reckoning.

28ـ اِسْتَحْيُوا مِنَ الفِرارِ، فَإنَّهُ عارٌ فِي الأَعْقابِ، ونارٌ

29. Twist the sides of the spears [while attacking], for this makes the spearheads move with more force.

29ـ اِلْتَوُوا في أطْرافِ الرِّماحِ فَإنَّهُ أمْوَرُ لِلأَسِنَّةِ.

[^1]: Indicating seriousness in battle.