 they did not line up an army or attack an enemy whether arab or nonarab so they sent out their numbers to them and met them with their equal. their only goal is to be submissive so that they would stop their violence and their disgrace from them and divert their plots from them. if they refuse to make peace and resolve to fight then their business and what their affair revolves around is nothing but protecting themselves fortifying their army and guarding against them. as for their ambitions rising and their souls ascending to the point of outwitting them and seeking to surprise them then this is something that does not occur to the mind of one who fights them.
ولا صافت جيشا ولا هجمت على عدو كانوا عربا أو عجما، فأخرجوا إليهم أعدادهم ولقوهم بمثلهم. وليس غايتهم إلا أن ينقادوا ليكفوا عنهم بأسهم ومعرتهم، ويصرفوا عنهم كيدهم. فإن هم امتنعوا من الصلح واعتزموا على الحرب فليس شأنهم والذي يدور عليه أمرهم إلا منع أنفسهم وتحصين عسكرهم، والاحتراس منهم. فأما أن ترقى هممهم وتسمو أنفسهم إلى الاحتيال عليهم، والتماس غرتهم، فإن هذا شيء لا يخطر على بال من يحاربهم.