Al-Ahkam al-Sultaniyyah - Al-Qadi Abu Ya’la Ibn al-Farra - (44)

Al-Ahkam al-SultaniyyahAl-Qadi Abu Ya’la Ibn al-Farra

Among the rulings governing this military command are the duties incumbent upon the army commander in managing the troops. These duties comprise ten matters:

First: He must guard them against any opening that the enemy could exploit to gain an advantage. He should do this by investigating concealed positions, securing them against the enemy, and surrounding their fortifications with guards whom they trust with their lives and baggage, so that they may rest during periods of peace and remain secure regarding what lies behind them in wartime.

Second: He must select for them the positions in which they will camp to engage the enemy. These should be the lowest-lying areas, the richest in pasture and water, and the best protected in their surrounding sides and approaches, so that they will be better able to confront the enemy.

Third: He must prepare whatever the army needs, including provisions and fodder, distributing them among the troops when needed, until they are reassured by supplies that spare them from having to seek them out. Thus, they will be better supplied for war and more capable of confronting the enemy.

Fourth: He must learn the enemy’s intelligence, keeping himself fully informed about them and examining their circumstances, so that he may remain safe from their stratagems and seek an opportunity to launch a surprise attack against them.

Fifth: He must arrange the army in battle formation, entrusting each sector to whoever he considers qualified for it; inspect the ranks for any gaps; and attend to every sector toward which the enemy turns, reinforcing it with support that will aid it.

Sixth: He must strengthen their resolve by conveying to them indications of victory and portraying to them the means of triumph, so that the enemy will appear fewer in their eyes and they will be bolder in confronting them. Allah Most High says: “When Allah showed them to you in your dream as few; and if He had shown them to you as many, you would have lost courage and disputed the matter” (Quran 8:43).

Seventh: He must promise those among them who are steadfast and distinguished through hardship the reward of Allah, if they are people of the Hereafter,

ومن أحكام هذه الإمارة ما يلزم أَمِيرِ الْجَيْشِ فِي سِيَاسَتِهِمْ، وَاَلَّذِي يَلْزَمُهُ فِيهِمْ عشرة أشياء: أحدها: حراسته من غرّة يظفر بها العدو. وذلك بأن يتتبع المكامن فيحفظها عليهم ويحوط أسوارهم بحرس من يؤمنون به على أنفسهم ورحالهم، لِيَسْكُنُوا فِي وَقْتِ الدَّعَةِ، وَيَأْمَنُوا مَا وَرَاءَهُمْ في وقت المحاربة. الثاني: أن يتخير لهم المنازل - موضع نزولهم- لمحاربة عدوهم، بأن يكون أوطأ الأرض مكاناً، وأكثرها مَرْعًى وَمَاءً، وَأَحْرَسَهَا أَكْنَافًا وَأَطْرَافًا، لِيَكُونَ أَعْوَنَ لهم على المنازلة. الثالث: إعداد ما يحتاج إليه الجيش: من زاد وعلوفة، تفرق عليهم في أوقات الْحَاجَةِ حَتَّى تَسْكُنَ نُفُوسُهُمْ إلَى مَادَّةٍ يَسْتَغْنُونَ بها عن طلبهم، لِيَكُونُوا عَلَى الْحَرْبِ أَوْفَرَ" وَعَلَى مُنَازَلَةِ الْعَدُوِّ أقدر. الرابع: أن يعرف أخبار عدوه، حتى يقف عليهم، ويتصفح أحوالهم، فيأمن مكرهم، ويلتمس الغرّة في الهجوم عليهم. الخامس: ترتيب الجيش في مصاف الحرب، والتعويل من كُلِّ جِهَةٍ عَلَى مَنْ يَرَاهُ كُفُؤًا لَهَا، ويتفقد الصفوف من خلل فِيهَا، وَيُرَاعِي كُلَّ جِهَةٍ يَمِيلُ الْعَدُوُّ عَلَيْهَا بمدد يكون عوناً لها. السادس: أَنْ يُقَوِّيَ نُفُوسَهُمْ بِمَا يُشْعِرُهُمْ مِنْ الظَّفَرِ، ويخيل لهم مِنْ أَسْبَابِ النَّصْرِ، لِيَقِلَّ الْعَدُوُّ فِي أَعْيُنِهِمْ، فيكونون عليه أجرأ. قال تَعَالَى (٨: ٤٣ - إذْ يُرِيكَهُمْ اللَّهُ فِي مَنَامِكَ قَلِيلًا وَلَوْ أَرَاكَهُمْ كَثِيرًا لَفَشِلْتُمْ وَلَتَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ) . السابع: أَنْ يَعِدَ أَهْلَ الصَّبْرِ وَالْبَلَاءِ مِنْهُمْ بِثَوَابِ الله، إن كانوا من أهل الآخرة،