Louis IX Testament: Where Armies Failed, Strategy Prevailed

Principles thrive under strong protection, flourish when guarded by vigorous hands, and bear fruit when nurtured by virtuous hearts. But when they are deprived of security, protection, and vigilance against harm, they fall ill, become emaciated, and are destined for ruin and decay.

Our great religion, Islam, has guided us to protect our principles and to defend them from our enemies with strength. God Almighty says: "And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy" (Al-Anfal: 60). He also warned us that a lack of preparedness is a grave offense, stating: "And if they had intended to go forth, they would have prepared for it some preparation. But Allah disliked their departure; so He kept them back, and it was said, 'Remain with those who remain'" (At-Tawbah: 46). Those who "remain" are the sick, the weak, women, and children. God prevented them from going out so that they would stay with the hypocrites, like Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul, to expose them publicly, reveal their cowardice, and keep their evil away from the Muslims. "Had they gone forth with you, they would not have increased you except in confusion, and they would have run about among you, seeking [to cause] you discord" (At-Tawbah: 47).

They sought to remedy a matter whose beginning had passed,

But how can yesterday return, which tomorrow has erased?

How can it, when its claws have been dug into them,

Those calamities, and their numbers, have been diminished.

And whoever tends sheep in a land of lions

And sleeps, the lions will take over their herding.

Lions and beasts have always been numerous and poised to strike throughout history. Cunning foxes and chameleon-like creatures have been varied and dangerous across the ages. Muslims remained strong for a time, and a small ember of awakening still exists among the people in the face of major events. The enemies of Islam sensed this and were perplexed by it. Yet, they did not lose hope in fighting Muslims with other methods and various means that have achieved remarkable success.

Louis IX’s Testament

This strategy was founded on the experience and suffering of Louis IX, the King of France. He was exhausted by his wars with the Muslims until he was captured and imprisoned in the House of Ibn Luqman in Mansoura, Egypt. While in prison, he contemplated and drafted a document that laid out a path to overcoming Muslims without a fight. He wrote a document for the West, still preserved in the French National Archives in Paris, in which he states:

It is impossible to defeat the Muslims through war; instead, follow these steps:

1.      Spread discord among Muslim leaders.

2.     Prevent a righteous government from being established in Arab and Islamic countries.

3.     Corrupt governing systems in Islamic countries with bribery, corruption, and women until the people are disconnected from their leaders.

4.    Prevent the formation of a strong army that believes in the rights of its homeland and is willing to sacrifice for its principles.

5.     Work to prevent Arab unity in the region.

6.    Work to establish a foreign state in the Arab region that extends to reach the West.

The New Colonialism

The Crusader king who led the Seventh Crusade against the Islamic world realized that Muslims could not be defeated by weapons alone. They had to be fought in their faith, for that was the source of their strength. Since that time, Orientalists and Crusaders have been sowing their malicious, satanic seeds. They have raised leaders of the new colonialism on these corruptions and hatreds, which have stained their vile deeds. These hatreds remain locked in their hearts and surface from time to time on their tongues. This was exemplified when General Allenby kicked the tomb of Saladin, shouting, "We have returned, Saladin!" after occupying Damascus.

Colonialism continued to teach these principles and malicious hatreds not only to its own people but also to a vanguard of Muslims it adopted to inherit this rotten culture. This culture became the core of their intellectual sustenance, which they now openly declare in society, the media, and educational centers. Without conscience or shame for their nation, the blood of its martyrs, and its virtuous leaders, and without any sense of embarrassment before God and His Messenger, they announce a bitter schism with their faith—the source of their strength and civilization. They openly declare the separation of religion from politics and the removal of faith from life, branding it as backward, reactionary, and defeatist. They have forgotten that they only knew unity, honor, grace, dignity, and victory through it and by its hand.

The Consequences

These malicious, vile theories and hateful, pagan, and backward secular ideas have become ingrained in the souls of Arabs and Muslims. They have erected borders and barriers between their lands, shattered their unity, and drowned them in a vortex of ideological, bloody, and ignorant conflicts that still prevail in society, except where God has shown mercy. This has left wounds and illnesses in the body of the nation, stirring up the flames of blood, race, and sectarian and isolationist nationalisms. These have weakened and scattered the nation, dispersed its energy and capabilities, and squandered its resources, wealth, and potential.

The nation now prepares itself to be a follower of every enemy, using all dirty conflicts as sustenance for this thorny path. It allies itself with bloody and tyrannical dictatorships that rely on oppression, despotism, subjugation, and plunder. They enlist the military and intelligence forces of the nation to protect their systems, thrones, inner circles, and stolen spoils. This is to ensure the entire nation remains steeped in backwardness, darkness, and perpetual aggression and defeatism until it meets its end by its own hand.

It is shrouded and led by methods of deception and falsification, driven by vast media loudspeakers manipulated for a purpose, all under great and brilliant, yet deceptive, names and slogans like "Brotherhood, Justice, Unity, Dignity...!"

After a period of living in illusions, the nation is overcome with a state of national, human, and civil frustration and despair, at both the individual and collective levels. This bequeaths harsh conditions and depressing situations of need, poverty, unemployment, and a miserable life that are almost unparalleled. A kind of submissiveness, humiliation, and helplessness develops, to the point that they beg their enemy for weapons and security, despite having dozens of armies, millions of soldiers, and billions and trillions in wealth. With all this, they are afflicted with hysteria, terror, and panic from a small state like "Israel." Some of our large countries even become agents for it, carrying out its directives.

A Reminder of True Strength

Perhaps after all this, we will remember and understand Louis IX's testament and realize that without our military, moral, and psychological strength, our unity, and our faith, we are worth nothing. Today, it is more fitting for us to read the testaments of our Lord instead of the testaments of our enemies, where God Almighty says:

"And whoever turns away from My remembrance—indeed, he will have a difficult life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind." (Taha: 142)

"And remember the favor of Allah upon you—when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers." (Al Imran: 103)

"If Allah should aid you, no one can overcome you; but if He should forsake you, who is there that can aid you after Him?" (Al Imran: 160)

We should also remember the testament of Omar Al-Farouq, may God be pleased with him: "We are a people whom God has honored with Islam, and if we seek honor in anything else, God will humiliate us."

We hope that we understand, comprehend, and implement this, God willing. Amen.