He also said: “Any king whose vizier is ignorant is like a cloud that looms on the horizon—appearing vast and heavy, yet giving neither dew nor rain.”
Maxim. In the Book of Aristotle’s Counsels it is written: “Every affair that another person can conclude on your behalf, without battle and without harshness, is better than one you accomplish with your own hand.”
Hence the rule for viziers is this: whenever they are able to wage war with letters, let them do so; if affairs cannot be settled through stratagem and prudent management, then let them be settled by disbursing wealth, extending stipends, and bestowing gifts. And when an army is put to flight, they must pardon the rank-and-file and not rush to kill them, for while the living can be slain, the dead cannot be restored to life. A single man takes forty years to reach full strength, and only one man in a hundred proves fit for royal service.
If any soldier among the king’s men is taken captive, it is the vizier’s duty to free, ransom, and redeem him—indeed, to purchase his release—so that the troops hear of his deed and their hearts are fortified when they enter combat. The vizier must also safeguard the soldiers’ stipends, allotting to each according to his rank; train the brave in the instruments of war; address them in the finest language; soften his discourse with them; and be gentle in his replies—for in days of old and years long past, armies have slain many a vizier.
Part of the sultan’s happiness, the good fortune of his star, and his singular distinction is that God grants him a righteous vizier and a sincere counselor. The Messenger of God ﷺ said: “When God intends good for a ruler, He appoints for him an honest, trustworthy, and comely vizier: if the ruler forgets, the vizier reminds him; and if the ruler seeks his aid, the vizier assists him.”
The author of this book remarks: God—exalted is He—manifests His power at every time and season, selecting a company of His servants—such as sultans, viziers, and eminent scholars—through whom He makes the world flourish.
Among the marvels of the age is the tale of the Barmakids, for no equal has ever been found on earth to match their generosity, liberality, and unfailing beneficence. Vast and lucrative provinces lay under their authority, but after their extinction the condition of viziers deteriorated, and service to kings lost its luster and freshness—until God Most High brought forth the blessings of the Seljuq family and the shelter of their dominion.