30 March 2012

Preparations of War

A war is never a calm prospect. The word itself is affiliated with negative thoughts and daunting ideas. Never has it been used for purposes good and bright. Always it will be used for things dark and unwanted.

The scale of war however, is very different. Some wars are fought by hundreds of thousands. Others? A few hundred. There are even those involving two and sometimes just one person. While the size of the opposing sides too vary, the essence of it all remains the same. To topple the rest, level the opponents and bury them deep underneath the soles of your boots!

Of course, to win wars you must fight wars. The battlefield is not a place for the faint-hearted nor is it meant to hold cowards and the cowardly. And to fight, you need tools, weapons. Now, most people think of weapons of war as those you see in movies and television. In actual fact, it is not. Similarly, when speaking of preparations for war, there is a high tendency for the public to think of things that directly relate to killing, shooting, severing, and bashing. When, again, it is not so...

The preparations of war go far beyond that thin piece of barrel you call a gun, longer than the sharp blades of swords, further than the farthest reach of the sniper scope. It actually lies in your hearts.

That, my friend, is why the old caliphates put a strict condition for warriors in their army. That is why anyone who does not perform qiamullail cannot be a soldier by default. Why is that so? To the logical mind, it seems irrational that praying at night be the prerequisite to joining the army. Yes, I agree. But how many things in life are logical? Not a lot I suppose...

In application to us as young adults in search of academic excellence, the same would apply. The effort to excel and ace that exam and to graduate as well as to get into a promising career is much much more than sinking your faces in books and words and formulas. This is our kind of war! And if you still think that what's needed to win it is weapons, then you're looking for the wrong tools. God helps those who helps his cause. Trust is all you need :)

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