Courage is defined as "facing hardships and dangers when
necessary, remaining steadfast in the face of fear, and showing contempt for
death."
Courage is an instinct that God places in whomever He wills
among His servants. Our master Umar ibn al-Khattab said, "Courage and
cowardice are instincts in men" (Sunan al-Daraqutni). The essence of
courage is sacrificing oneself to death for one's religion, one's honor, one's
oppressed neighbor, one's wronged refugee, and for any injustice done to one's
property, reputation, or in any other aspect of upholding truth, regardless of
whether the opposition is small or large (Ibn Hazm, Al-Akhlaq wa al-Siyar).
Courage has five levels: first, the valiant one, so named for his ambition and
resolve; second, the bold one, so named for his boldness, the opposite of
hesitation; third, the valiant one, so named for his bravery and strength;
fourth, the hero, so named either because he nullifies the actions of his peers
or because he renders the courage of others ineffective, causing them to
surrender and cease fighting him; and fifth, the noble one, so named for his
honorable and courageous nature, the courageous master, or the shrewd one (Ibn
al-Qayyim).
Among the examples of courage in the Quran is the prohibition
against believers fleeing from encountering enemies and the command to stand firm
and not be cowardly in battle. In the words of God Almighty: “O you who have
believed, when you meet those who disbelieve advancing [for battle], do not
turn to them your backs [in flight]. * And whoever turns his back to them on
such a day, unless swerving [as a strategy] for war or joining [another]
company, has certainly returned with anger [upon him] from Allah, and his
refuge is Hell—and wretched is the destination.” (Surat Al-Anfal: 16). Another
example is God's call to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to urge
the believers to fight and to encourage them to do so with everything that
strengthens their resolve and raises their spirits, by encouraging jihad and
warning against cowardice. And submission, as in the Almighty’s words: “O Prophet,
urge the believers to battle. If there are among you twenty [who are]
steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. And if there are among you one
hundred [who are] steadfast, they will overcome a thousand of those who have
disbelieved because they are a people who do not understand.” (Surat Al-Anfal
8:65). This verse includes the virtues of courage and patience in facing
enemies and the good that results from them in this world and the Hereafter. It
also mentions the harms of cowardice as a bad trait, for it detracts from one’s
faith and honor.
Courage was a characteristic of the prophets and messengers.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was the bravest of people, and
his Companions, may God be pleased with them, were the best of horsemen and the
most patient when facing the enemy. Anas, may God be pleased with him, said,
“The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was the most handsome, the most
generous, and the bravest of people. One night, the people of Medina were
terrified, and they rushed towards the sound. The Prophet, peace and blessings
be upon him, met them, having already reached the source of the sound before
them. He was saying, ‘Do not be afraid, do not be afraid,’ while he was riding
Abu Talha’s horse, which was bareback with no saddle on it, and he had a sword
around his neck. He said, ‘I have found it.’” “A sea, or it is indeed a sea,”
meaning “the horse” (Narrator: Anas Ibn Malik; Source: Sahih Al-Adab
Al-Mufrad). And Ali Ibn Abi Talib—may God be pleased with him—who was one of
the heroes and brave men of the nation, said, “I saw us on the day of Badr, and
we were taking refuge with the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant
him peace, and he was the closest of us to the enemy, and he was the fiercest
of men that day” (Narrator: Imam Ali; Source: Musnad Ahmad). And the Tabi’i Abu
Ishaq Amr Ibn Abdullah Al-Sabi’i reported that when a man named Qais jokingly
asked—as in the narration of Ahmad—Al-Bara’ Ibn Azib, may God be pleased with
him, he said to him, “Did you flee, O Abu Umarah, on the day of Hunayn?” He
said, "No, by God, the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him
peace, did not turn away, but his young companions and their young men went out
unarmed and without weapons." They came upon a group of archers, the
tribes of Hawazin and Banu Nasr, whose arrows were so accurate that they could
hardly miss. They shot arrows at them with such accuracy that they could hardly
miss. Then they came to the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace,
while he was on his white mule, and his cousin Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith ibn Abd
al-Muttalib. He led him, so he dismounted and sought help, then said, "I
am the Prophet; there is no lie in that. I am the son of Abdul-Muttalib."
Then he lined up his companions. (Narrated by: Al-Bara' ibn Azib; Source: Sahih
al-Bukhari)
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