From amongst our soldiers are two kinds…

Of the two, are cowardly soldiers who run away from the battlefield in fear of their enemies, even though they are being bombarded with shells and killed as they run…

As for the other kind, they stand strong and fight with what they have, a lot of them die in the process, but death is not a loss in their eyes. And those who do remain alive, strive on with everything they have. They fear not the bombs and the bullets that are constantly being fired at them. It may injure their bodies, but the pain doesn’t reach their hearts. They are the victorious, and the enemies know this all too well.

There lives a third soldier. He is a soldier who is neither running away, nor striving on. Rather he is at a standstill amidst the battleground. He looks around him and sees the two groups of soldiers. He looks at those who are running away. They are huge in number. He sees them weeping and wailing in fear, although they are not in as much physical pain as the other, for they have shamelessly surrendered to their oppressors.

He then turns the other way, and he sees very few, yet dignified men. He sees them running forth with all their might. They overlook any harm that has been inflicted upon them, and consider it only as a sign of success.

So here he is. In the middle of war, pondering over which of the two sides he should join. Deep in his heart, he knows who the true winners are, and deep down inside, he really loves them for what they do. Despite all that, he remains undecided. So he lays down on the muddy, blood-stained ground of the battlefield, and closes his eyes in hopes for some sleep. He tries to sleep in hopes that when he awakes, he will find himself with those great men on the frontline. Yet he is well aware that it is not as easy as that.

“Verily after hardship, comes ease.” – Quran (94:5)