The Way of Wisdom

The Way of Wisdom

211:6

1994 10 October 20 The Way of Wisdom (311)

Although by political persuasion a colonialist, French statesman, Georges Bidautt (1899-1983) had many wise sayings to his credit. Here is one of them: ‘The weak have one weapon, the errors of those who think they are strong.’

Whenever an individual comes to think of himself as strong, he tends to overestimate his capabilities. And this can prove to be a weak point, for with his inflated self-confidence, he is likely to take steps whose consequences are beyond his control. In this way he becomes mired in difficulties of his own making.

This kind of weak point in the supposedly strong person becomes a weapon with which a weak person may always own himself. But if he is to gain full benefit from this, he must pursue a course of action which is characterised above all by patience. He must be judicious enough to keep a silent watch on the activities of his opponents. And then he must take practical steps only when they have sabotaged themselves by making a wrong move.

The battle of Khandaq, in 627 A.D., serves as one such example in the history of Islam. The Meccan opponents of the Prophet, overestimating their chances of victory, prepared a large army. Then, advancing on Medina, they held the city under siege. But this was a wrong move, considering, who their adversary was. The Prophet, very judiciously pursued a policy of avoidance by having a wide trench dug all around Medina, thus warding off the Meccan onslaught. Then instead of launching a counter-attack, he adopted a waiting policy, remaining within Medina.

This strategy proved extremely successful. All attempts to cross the trench failed. Dissension broke out among the attackers and then, with the added tribulation of a violent wind from the sea which blew for three days and nights, unleashing torrents of rain, they became discouraged and abandoned the siege.