Citations & References:"And what was the Third Judge said?" inquired the Owl soon after the Moon was greeting him with salam. The Moon replied, "I'll tell you what I've heard!The third Judge mentioned, "Unity gives strength. Faction and feuds, will overturn the state, whilst union, renders flourishing and great. A kingdom divided against itself, cannot stand. And since Friendships and Alliances are of so great importance to our well-being and happiness, we cannot be too often cautioned not to let them be broken by tale-bearers and whisperers, or any other contrivance of our enemies.Take notice on the following sketch,A certain King had many Sons, and each of them, maintained their own flag. But they were forever quarreling among themselves about which one who had better flag. Day after day, they were stayed quarreling, until they split into two groups. The first group, composed of princes who were backed up by the nobles, and so, they had advantages. They were able to control the palace guards, viziers, security forces, judges and almost all the Palace officials. They called themselves, "the Flag Holders."They managed to drive the second group, the princes who sided with the commoners, out of the palace circle. They put a second group, across the river, and they called them "the Antagonists."The Flag Holders, did as they wished, even the Palace's custom, if it hindered their aims and objectives, were immediately, being changed. In fact, the whole rules had been altered to what was called "Unus pro Omnibus," that is, advantage for them, and the punishment, for all who refused their ways. Should a book, be judged by its cover?The King, could say nothing, he failed to heal their disputes by his exhortations, notwithstanding he used every means in his power to persuade them to cease their contentions. When the quarreling had been much more violent than usual, the King fell seriously ill, depressed of thinking about his Sons.One day, on the point of death, the King, accompanied by his trusted Healer with his Young son, summoned the Prince's. The Antagonist's, unlucky, for, the only bridge, from where they were, had been destroyed, and the guards, deployed to block them, crossed the river. Therefore, only the Flag Holders attended the meeting with the King.So, they were gathering around him, waiting for some parting advice. He told them a fable,Four Bulls, which had entered into a very strict friendship, kept always near one another, and fed together. The Lion often saw them, and as often had a mind to make one of them his prey. But though he could easily have subdued any of them singly, yet he was afraid to attack the whole alliance, as knowing they would have been too hard for him. Therefore, contented himself for the present with keeping at a distance. At last, perceiving no attempt was to be made upon them as long as this combination held, he took occasion, by whispers and hints, to foment jealousies and raise divisions among them.This stratagem succeeded so well, that the Bulls grew cold and reserved towards one another, which soon after ripened into a downright hatred and aversion, and, at last, ended in a total separation. The Lion had now obtained his ends; and, as impossible as it was for him to hurt them while it they were united, he found no difficulty. Now they were parted, to seize and devour every Bull of them, one after another.Sadly, none of his Sons, understood the parable in question, they just looked at each other, when asked, what was the moral of the story. So, he ordered one of them to bring him a bundle of spears, then handing the bundle to each of his Sons in turn. He told them to try to break it. But although each one tried his best, none was able to do so. The King then demanded the spears untied, and asked each of them, to break it, one by one. This, they did very easily.With a cheerful face, the King said, "Now, you guys, do you understand?" All of them, silent, they just looked at each other, and said to one another, "Nope!" "Can't imagine!" "Got a headache!" "Can't think!" "So tired!" "My ears are ringing!" "What was it?" "Could it be repeated?"Hearing this, the King patted his forehead, "O Lord!" then suddenly gasped, and breathed his last, with mouth open and eyes wide.On the way home, the Young son questioned the Healer, "O father, what was the King tried to tell about?" The healer related, "The moral of the four Bulls story, is so well known, and allowed that to go about to enlighten it, would be like holding a candle to the sun. Since friendships and alliances are of the greatest importance to our well-being and happiness, we cannot be too often cautioned against suffering them to be broken by any dark plots and contrivances of our enemies. When by such wicked means as these, or by our own imprudence, we lose a friend, we shake the very basis of our interest, and remove the pillar that contributed to support it. Whatever in cases of this kind is applicable to individuals, is equally so to kingdoms and states; and it is as undisputed a maxim as ever was, urged upon the attention of mankind, by the best man that ever lived, that the people are invincible, when united."As for the spears," the Healer went on, "A kingdom divided against itself, is brought to desolation; and the same holds good, in all societies and corporations of men, from the constitution of the nation, down to every little parochial vestry. Every private family, should consider itself a little state, in which the several members ought to be united by one common interest. Quarrels with each other are as fatal to their welfare, as factions are dangerous to the peace of the commonwealth. But indeed, the necessity of union and friendship extends itself to all kinds of relations in life, and they conduce mightily, to the advantage of those who cherish and cultivate them. No enemy will dare to attack a body of men firmly attached to each other, and will fear to offend one of the number, lest he should incur the resentment of the rest. But if they split into parties, and are disunited by quarrels, every petty opponent will venture to attack them, and the whole fraternity will be liable to wrongs and violence."The Third Judged added, "Nothing is more necessary towards completing and continuing the well-being of mankind, than their entering into, and preserving friendship and alliances. The safety of a government depends chiefly upon this; and therefore, it is weakened and exposed to its enemies, in proportion as it is divided by parties. A kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. And the same holds good among all societies and corporations of men, from the constitution of the nation down to every little parochial vestry. But the necessity of friendship extends itself to all sorts of relations in life; as it conduces mightily to the advantage of particular clans and families. Those of the same blood and lineage have a natural disposition to unite together, which they ought, by all means, to cultivate and improve. It must be a great comfort to people, when they fall under any calamity, to know that there are many others sympathise with them; a great load of grief is mightily lessened, when it is parcelled out into many shares. And then joy, of all our passions, loves to be communicative, and generally increases, in proportion to the number of those who partake of it with us. We defy the threats and malice of an enemy, when we are assured, that he cannot attack us single, but must encounter a bundle of allies at the same time. But they that behave themselves so as to have few or no friends in the world, live in a perpetual fear and jealousy of mankind, because they are sensible of their own weakness, and know themselves liable to be crushed, or broken to pieces by the first aggressor."The Moon combined, "All For One? Unity is indeed necessary, but uniting for the sake of defending evil, tyrannical rulers, bad leaders, or something leads to destruction, needs to be questioned. In Islamic perspective, the concept of Frienship and Alliances, contained in the doctrine of Al-Walaa' Wal Baraa.' Frienship and Alliance for a Muslim, is to be for Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ), and the Believers, through a deep-rooted belief—‘aqeedah—and upon a firm basis. He does not form alliances based upon groupings, interests or goals, nor upon a way, which contradicts with Allah's Book. Virtus omnia in se habet; omnia assunt bona, quem penes est vertus—Virtue has all things in herself; he who has virtue, has all things that are good attending him. The Ummah, just sufficient with the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and it is not appropriate for any of them, to hostile to each other, as to think that the truth is, what his group holds, and other than that, is rejected. And Allah knows best."
- Muhammad Saeed Al-Qahtani, Al-Walaa' Wa'l-Baraa', Al-Firdous Ltd
- Samuel Croxall, D.D., Fables of Aesop and Others, Simon Probasco
- Thomas Bewick, Bewick's Select Fables, Bickers & Sons
