The Sword and the Pen:

Tracing the Histories of Nations and Ideas

Dr. E Yoosuf Sahib Nadwi Oachira

12 September 2026, 01 Rabi'ul Akhir 1448

An examination of the pages of history reveals that the rise and fall of empires did not depend solely on the sharpness of weapons. In his famous work Al Muqaddimah, the renowned historian and sociologist Ibn Khaldun beautifully and meticulously analyzes the distinct roles played by the sword and the pen in the emergence and decline of regimes.

In the initial or foundational stage of a regime, the sword takes precedence. This is because, during this phase, primary importance is placed on expanding the state and conquering enemies. However, Ibn Khaldun notes that as a state stabilizes, it frees itself from wars, and its civilization gains strength, then the pen becomes the most important instrument.

The sword and the pen are the two primary tools used by a ruler to execute governance. When a state reaches a period of peace, the necessity of the pen increases in order to safeguard the wealth and power acquired, to make administration efficient, and to codify laws and principles. Ibn Khaldun's observation is noteworthy: territory and power gained through the sword are permanently sustained, and the people are culturally governed by the pen. While the sword instills temporary fear and deference in people, the pen generates lasting enlightenment and an intellectual revolution across generations.

In history and Islamic tradition, priority has always been given to the ink of the pen over the sharpness of the sword. Eminent scholars and historians have testified that it is the power of ideas, rather than physical force, that has succeeded in reshaping the world. History records the famous words of Sultan Salahuddin Ayyubi regarding the pen of Al-Qadi al-Fadil, his chief minister and advisor. Sultan Salahuddin Ayyubi openly acknowledged that he conquered lands not through the strength of his army, but through the pen of Al-Qadi al-Fadil. The primary reason why such great significance was accorded to the pen of Al-Qadi al-Fadil whose name was Qadi Abd al-Rahim ibn Ali al-Baysani, was his extraordinary diplomatic capability and literary elegance. The official letters and proclamations he drafted for the Sultan were rich in thought, capable of inspiring fear in enemies and deep respect in friends.

Furthermore, it was his writings that unified scattered territories, diverse tribes, and varied ideas through compelling thought and precise administrative documentation. Beyond the battlefield, his official messages succeeded in sustaining the morale and spirit of both the populace and the army without fail. This stands as clear proof that a nation's victory and defense lie not merely in weapons, but in its underlying ideas and the diplomatic writings of its scholars.

What the renowned scholar Imam Abu al-Abbas al-Qalqalshandi records regarding the long-lasting influence of the pen in his monumental encyclopedia Subh al-A'sha is of supreme importance. He clarifies that the pen is more influential than the sword and pierces deeper than the spear. He observes that while the sword acts upon a single body, the pen impacts countlessly many generations yet to come, its mark remaining unfaded even after ages pass.

The primary message conveyed by these historical examples is that when a writer picks up his pen, he fulfills a responsibility far greater than that of a warrior conquering fortresses. A victory achieved through the sword may end with that generation. However, the lines flowing from a pen shaped through knowledge and reading will guide future generations for centuries.

Therefore, when an Islamic writer emerges, he does not merely put letters together; rather, he creates an intellectual revolution within society deeper than the revolutions forged by swords in history. It is only when reading, research, and honesty come together that this pen acquires a sharpness greater than that of the sword.

The role played by reading and research in literary formation and personality development is beyond limits. The reality that only a great reader can become a good writer has been continuously proven through history and experience. If reading is the first step in the acquisition of knowledge, then creative and research-oriented writing is the constructive expression of that knowledge. Examining the growth of Islamic sciences and civilization reveals that it was great scholars who read countless books and made thought and research their way of life who contributed priceless works to the world.

Reading is the primary threshold of Islamic propagation and knowledge. Indeed, the very first divine revelation sent down to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ upheld the virtues of reading and writing. In the opening verses of Surah al-Alaq in the Noble Qur'an, there is a command to read in the name of the Lord who created, as well as a mention of the grace of God who taught by the pen. These initial verses clearly define the two main instruments of knowledge: reading and writing. This stands as the ultimate proof that the cultural and intellectual survival of a society rests upon the pen and reading.

Likewise, in Surah al-Qalam, Allah takes an oath by the pen and what they write. By selecting the pen and the written lines for solemn testimony, it can be understood that the sanctity and importance of recording knowledge and writing matters truthfully are highlighted.

Prophetic teachings also place immense emphasis on acquiring knowledge and documenting it. Beyond mere memorization, the Prophet ﷺ commanded his companions to secure knowledge through writing. In a famous Hadith quoted in Sunan al-Darimi and Sahih al-Jami', the Prophet instructs to bind and secure knowledge by writing. Writing is the finest way to stabilize knowledge in the human mind, which is prone to forgetfulness and confusion. Certain Hadiths in Sahih Muslim mention that traveling to seek knowledge and studying books will make the path to Paradise easy. In the statement that if anyone travels a path seeking knowledge, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise, the word "path" is not merely physical travel; rather, it can be understood to encompass journeys through books, reading in pursuit of knowledge, and research.

Islamic history is a vast ocean of book collecting and reading. Established in Baghdad during the Abbasid era, the "Bayt al-Hikmah" (House of Wisdom) served as the intellectual center of the Islamic world. Greek, Persian, and Indian philosophy and scientific texts were translated into Arabic, and Islamic scholars who read and studied them went on to compose original research works. Deep reading, continuous research, independent thought and analysis, and scientific honesty are key elements required for any writer and researcher. Early scholars strictly maintained that one should not write even a single line without having read thousands of pages. They strived continuously to verify facts and uphold integrity. They were diligent in critically evaluating what they read, as well as recording citations and information with accuracy and without deception.

Looking into the lives of prominent scholars in the Islamic world, their dedication to reading and learning astonishes us. It was continuous reading that turned them into the finest writers of their times and for all time. The famous scholar of Spain, Imam Ibn Hazm, was notable for his vast collection of books and extensive reading. When his books were set on fire by his opponents due to political reasons, his words became legendary: "You may burn the paper, but you cannot burn the knowledge contained within the paper; it resides in my chest." Because he had read thousands of pages and retained them in his heart, he was able to produce invaluable works once again even after losing his books.

The historian and Qur'anic commentator Imam Ibn Jarir al-Tabari dedicated every single moment of his life to reading and writing. According to calculations by his students, he wrote or read an average of 40 pages every day from the time he reached maturity until his death. Before authoring his famous work of history and his Tafsir, he had thoroughly read through the knowledge stored in the major libraries of his era.

Imam Ibn al-Jawzi was a scholar who possessed an infinite passion for reading. What he notes about his reading experience in his book Sayd al-Khatir is particularly striking. He testifies that his appetite was never sated by reading books, and whenever he came across a book he had not seen before, he felt the joy of finding a great treasure. It is said that he read over twenty thousand volumes during his lifetime. It was this immense reading that transformed him into the author of more than four hundred books.

Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, the author of Fath al-Bari, the renowned commentary on Sahih al-Bukhari, astonished the world with his reading speed and focus. History records that he read through Imam al-Tabarani's Al-Mu'jam al-Saghir in a single sitting, specifically during the brief time between the Noon and Afternoon prayers. It was after reading and analyzing thousands of Hadith works and biographies of narrators that he embarked upon his monumental compositions.

It was a revolution of reading and writing that Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah created. His place stands in the foremost rank among the most enlightened readers and scholars with vast writing prowess in Islamic history. His reading world was not confined merely to religious texts; he conducted deep reading and research across philosophy, Greek logic, scriptures of other religions, natural sciences, and linguistics.

In his book Rawdat al-Muhibbin, Ibn Taymiyyah's prominent student, Ibn al-Qayyim, records the extent of his master's passion for reading. Once, Shaykh al-Islam fell severely ill. The physician told him, "Your reading and discussion of books will worsen your illness, so you must suspend it for a few days." Ibn Taymiyyah then asked the doctor, "Do you physicians not agree that when the mind experiences joy and vigor, the body's immunity increases?" When the doctor agreed, the Shaykh remarked, "The joy and comfort of my mind lie in reading and knowledge. Through it, my body gains strength to fight the illness." This incident of his continued reading even during illness demonstrates his deep commitment to knowledge.

He had to face death threats and repeated imprisonment for recording truthful ideas. Even while inside the prison of Damascus, his reading and writing were never interrupted. It was in prison that he completed many of his invaluable encyclopedic works. When authorities confiscated his pen, paper, and books in prison, he remarked that his Paradise was in his chest, accompanying him wherever he went. When paper was denied, he used pieces of charcoal to write his research conclusions on walls and on small scraps of paper he could obtain.

Meticulous analysis was his style. Before writing on any subject, he would read through all available earlier works related to that topic. To write Ar-Radd 'ala al-Mantiqiyyin, a work criticizing Greek philosophy, he thoroughly read and analyzed all books of the philosophers. He was astonishing in his speed of academic reading and writing. His famous work Al-Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah was completed in roughly two hours after the Noon prayer on a single day!

It was only after deeply reading the books of those whose ideas he disagreed with that he criticized and corrected them. This is the greatest quality required for an academic researcher. He found joy in reading books and spreading knowledge rather than in material comforts. He taught writers not to read passively, but to think deeply about every line and analyze it in the light of the Qur'an and Sunnah.

An Islamic writer's pen must be as honest and transparent as his reading. The primary values to be observed in academic writing are utmost honesty and impartiality. Information must be cited accurately, and false or unverified matters should never be written. One must completely avoid plagiarism by clearly acknowledging credit without claiming another person's idea as one's own. The Qur'an clearly states that hatred towards a people should not lead you to be unjust, and that adhering to justice is closest to taqwa (godfearingness).

When applied in the field of research, this means a writer is obligated to record evidence honestly, without concealing it even if it contradicts their own opinion. The primary objective of writing should not be praise or financial gain, but rather the dissemination of knowledge and the establishment of truth.

Writers must make extensive reading a way of life. Rather than limiting oneself to a single subject, one should read history, philosophy, linguistics, science, and primary texts. The habit of noting down key ideas and page numbers from the books read is absolutely essential.

It is also worth recalling the great lesson Imam al-Ghazali learned when his notes were stolen.

Imam al-Ghazali traveled from his birthplace of Tus to Jurjan to acquire knowledge from the prominent scholar Imam Abu Nasr al-Isma'ili. There, he took notes on everything the teacher taught on sheets of paper and compiled them into books. On his way back from Jurjan to Tus after completing his studies, his caravan was intercepted by a band of robbers. The robbers plundered all the belongings of the travelers, including the bundle of books and notes held by Imam al-Ghazali.

At this moment, Imam al-Ghazali walked behind the leader of the robbers, weeping and begging for his bundle of books to be returned. The prominent historian Imam Taj al-Din al-Subki records this incident in his work Tabaqat al-Shafi'iyyah al-Kubra. The chief of the robbers asked al-Ghazali, "Pity on you! What is inside these books?" Imam al-Ghazali replied, "These are pages I left my homeland to gather, to listen, learn, write down, and understand knowledge. So please return them to me."Then the robber chief laughed loudly in mockery and said, "How can you claim to have gained knowledge from these? When we seized these books from you, were you not left empty-handed with no knowledge at all?" Following this, the robber chief gave permission to return the pages to him.

Those words of the robber completely transformed Imam al-Ghazali's thinking. He realized that Allah had delivered this advice through a robber to guide his path. Returning to his hometown of Tus, he spent three continuous years memorizing and deeply mastering every note and book he had compiled. He ensured that even if a robber stole his books again, he would never be left ignorant. This incident offers us a great lesson: true knowledge consists not merely of notes written on paper, but of that which is deeply imprinted on the mind and implemented in life.

Making mere notes is not a researcher's ultimate goal; jotting down pages and concepts from the books one reads is only the first step toward knowledge. The recorded notes should not remain confined to a diary or a computer; rather, they must mature in thought and settle deeply in the mind. It is only when writing with knowledge deeply ingrained in one's own mind that the pen acquires sharpness and truthfulness. One must nurture the read information through contemplation, shape an individual style, and reserve a fixed time every day for writing. A critical review to re-read what was written and correct errors is also necessary.

Translation demands the same rigorous care and caution as original writing. Translating the Qur'an, Hadith, matters of Islamic creed (Aqidah), jurisprudence principles (Fiqh), and the methodology of the pious predecessors (Salafi Manhaj) is not merely an exchange of words or language, but the transfer of a people's soul and guidance. Therefore, when rendering these from Arabic into Malayalam or other languages, deep subject mastery and godfearing precision are essential alongside grammatical knowledge. A single misinterpretation or inaccurate word choice can lead to severe confusion, jurisprudential disagreements, and doctrinal deviations. Arabic expressions frequently carry precise, technical Islamic terminology (Istilahat).

Reducing terms like Taqwa, Ikhlas, Tawhid, Zuhd, or Ihsan to a single English equivalent drains their depth and solemnity. When individuals who lack a clear understanding of Shar'i traditions and the methodologies of the righteous predecessors (Salaf al-Salih) undertake the translation of sacred texts and works of the Salafi Manhaj, it can lead to grave consequences. Those handling primary sources must never mix personal opinions or political readings into the translation. Instead, while maintaining word-for-word accuracy, they must ensure complete alignment with authoritative Qur'anic commentaries (Tafsir) and Hadith explanations (Sharh) to provide transparent conceptual clarity.

This vigilance becomes crucial on another level when translating Arabic literature. Classical and modern Arabic literature are extraordinarily rich in ornamentation and deeply rooted in Arab culture. Translating Arabic figures of speech (such as Isti'arah [metaphor] and Tashbih [simile]), metaphors, and proverbs literally into another language can leave the translation sounding dull and completely meaningless to the reader. Therefore, literary translators must demonstrate profound literary skill by truly absorbing the culture and native context of the language, rendering it into a natural and fluent flow in English. Preserving the intrinsic nuance and atmosphere of the Arabic language without loss when translating poetry and prose remains a formidable challenge.

(To be continued)