Most people are familiar with Machiavelli, whose famous book “The Prince” taught medieval lords and princes how to usurp and retain power. Machiavelli became famous and is remembered for his approach towards manipulation of common people, of nobility, of allies and enemies.

The view of the application of morality presented in the book is indeed a twisted one:

“Because how one ought to live is so far removed from how one lives that he who lets go of what is done for that which one ought to do sooner learns ruin than his own preservation: because a man who might want to make a show of goodness in all things necessarily comes to ruin among so many who are not good. Because of this it is necessary for a prince, wanting to maintain himself, to learn how to be able to be not good and to use this and not use it according to necessity.”

Though in this passage Machiavelli is very careful in using “not good” instead of evil, rest assured, what is being advocated is the use of evil to further pursuits of power and self-preservation. The basic thrust of the book is overall consumption of this world, how to increase it, and how to increase ones holdings of this world. This book is still studied today as a foundational text for members of parliament, dictators and presidents.

If you want to figure out why the world is suffering under endless power struggles, a good place to start is by reading “The Prince.”

What is interesting, and unknown to most Muslims is that Muslim princes also had their manual, the Sea of Precious Virtues (Bahr Al-Favaid) which is described:

It was compiled in Persia in the mid 12th century by an anonymous author and concerns the moral fitness of a ruler, defined in orthodox Muslim terms. In addition to direct admonitions to the ruler, the work is a veritable encyclopedia of Muslim knowledge and beliefs of the period.

This is a powerful manual for Muslim rulers, which compiled the understanding of Islam for the precise purpose of raising the just rulers of the Islamic empires. When considering the usual Western Orientalist understandings of most of the rulers of the Islamic empire (including accusations of debauchery, intoxication, and general evil, often stated as casual fact), it is interesting to note the types of lessons found in this text.

The testament of Yaqub (as): he told his sons, “Allah maintains this faith for you; strive to die in the Muslim faith, and do not despair of Allah’s mercy. Know and be aware that Allah gave the best of all things to the prophets, and that is faith; and He gave the worst of all things to His enemies, and that is this world. Beware of exchanging the best for the worst, and do not sell faith for this world. He who possesses faith is exalted in both worlds; but he who possesses this world without faith is abased in both worlds.”

The book for teaching Muslim princes is emphasizing detachment from power, emphasizing the power of faith in giving a proper perspective to the world. Viewing the world as the worst of things is the primary message being taught to a Muslim Prince.

Hazrat Zul-Qarnain conquered east and west and the Lands of Darkness. As he was dying he commanded, “Strip me naked, empty my hands, and expose me in my coffin, so that the world’s inhabitants will know that I take with me no gold and silver from this world: empty-handed I came into it, and empty-handed I depart.”

The meaning of this passage is actually quite deep. We find that Hazrat Zhul Qarnain (AS), who is mentioned in the Quran al-Karim as well, has left the world with nothing worldly. This attitude prevailed while he had collected vast areas of land under his authority. Furthermore, notice the use of the “Lands of Darkness” as the conquered territory, which suggest that the lands he conquered benefited from his just rule.

Within this small lesson we find that the Muslim prince is learning to go in and out from this world with nothing worldly. This emphasis purifies intentions of even the strongest conquering spirit, who is apt to be caught up in the confusion of this world in a Firawnic sense.

It is interesting to note that the few Muslim rulers who fell into this trap were often saved of dying without repentance, due to this Islamic training. For example, we find in a history of the Seljuk Empire:

He (Qawurt) died with the utmost resignation. “Never,” said he, “did I advance on a country or march against a foe without asking help of Allah in mine adventure; but yesterday, when I stood on a hill, and the earth shook beneath me from the greatness of my army and the host of my soldiers, I said to myself, `I am the King of the World, and none can prevail against me’: wherefore Allah Almighty has brought me low by one of the weakest of His creatures. I ask pardon of Him and repent of this my thought.” (A History of Persia, by Edward Browne 1902)

Notice that through his upbringing, such a thought did not enter his heart once in his lifetime until that one point. When that one feeling entered his heart for only a moment, Allah caused him to wake up and regret it. The standards that Muslims held themselves to were lofty indeed.

Another Excerpt from the Sea of Precious Virtues:

The Testament of Nuh (as): “Friends, honor Allah, that you may become close to Him. Do not associate or have commerce with innovators, unbelievers, and hypocrites, lest you repent of it. ‘Love is with Allah and anger is with Allah.’ Know that Allah’s pleasure lies in the pleasure of righteous mother and father; if a man’s mother and father who are obedient to Allah’s orders are pleased with him, Allah is pleased with him.”

The Muslim manual for Princes teaches us to avoid hypocrisy and keep the best of company.

Yet Machiavelli teaches the Western Prince:

Therefore it is unnecessary for a prince to have all the good qualities I have enumerated, but it is very necessary to appear to have them. And I shall dare to say this also, that to have them and always to observe them is injurious, and that to appear to have them is useful; to appear merciful, faithful, humane, religious, upright, and to be so, but with a mind so framed that should you require not to be so, you may be able and know how to change to the opposite.

What we have here is a manual on hypocrisy guiding the Princes of West, and a manual of foresight, wisdom and Islamic character guiding the Princes of the East.

Finally I close with Sultan Osman Ghazi, founder of the Ottoman Empire, addressing his son and successor Sultan Orhan Ghazi in his last will:

Son! Be careful about the religious issues before all other duties. The religious precepts build a strong State. Do not give the religious duties to careless, faithless and sinful men or to dissipated, indifferent or inexperienced people. And also do not leave the state administrations to such people because the one without fear of Allah the Creator is in fear of the created. The one committing a great sin and continuing to sin can not be loyal. A person would be loyal if he fits to the Prophet’s (sws) true traditions and does not go out from Sheriat. Avoid cruelty and superstition. Remove the persons who encourage cruelty and superstition from your State. The underlying reason for it is that such persons make you decline.

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Save the Beytul Mal (treasury). Try to make much the State stock. Within the borders of Sheriat be contented with what you have. Do not destroy in an unuseful manner but fulfill your needs and necessities and do not squander. Do not be proud with your soldiers and goods. Because they are the intermediaries in the way of Allah for carrying the public services as a whole and for widening justice and virtue in the world. Protect the statesmen working for Allah’s sake. After their death care about their families and answer their needs. Do not seize public goods by violence. Give your kind hand to the deserved people and save such persons’ relations from troubles. Protect capable military officials. Scholars, virtuous men, artists and literary men are the power of the State structure. Treat with kindness and show honor to these men. Make close relationship when you hear about a virtuous man and give wealth and grant to him. Thus, in your State the number of learned men, virtuous men and knowledgeable men becomes high. Put in order the political and religious duties.

Take lesson from me. I came to these places as a weak leader and the help of Allah reached me, although I did not deserve it. Follow my way and protect Din-i Muhammad (the religion of Muhammad sws) and the believers and your followers. Respect the rights of Allah and His servants. Do not hesitate to advise your successors in this way. Depend on Allah’s help regarding justice and fairness and attempt to remove cruelty in every duty. Protect your public from the enemy’s invasion and from their cruelty. Do not behave with any person in an unsuitable manner or with unfairness. Gratify the public and save all of their affairs.

The Muslim Prince and non-Muslim Prince were very different indeed, raised completely differently. It is important to maintain an understanding of our tradition, even as it applies to our nobility, as it is certainly nothing to be ashamed of. Focusing our efforts on certain aspects of tradition while neglecting other aspects is not a safe approach for a balanced understanding of who we are and what powerful Islamic values our forefathers carried to us in a practical reality. Falling into the trap of the orientalist and Western definition of Islamic rulers is an easy one, but it is easy to see the picture they paint is quite the opposite from the reality.

Thanks to Yeni Osmanli for collecting the excerpts.