The Fortress of Nizwa | قَلْعَةُ نِزْوَى
"A young soldier defends the great fortress against an invading army with cunning and courage"
قَلْعَةُ نِزْوَى
The Fortress of Nizwa
الفصلُ الأَوَّلُ: الحِصارُ
Chapter One: The Siege
ارْتَفَعَتْ قَلْعَةُ نِزْوَى كَجَبَلٍ مِنَ الحَجَرِ فَوْقَ السُّهُولِ الخَضْراءِ. لَقَدْ بَناها الأَجْدادُ لِتَكُونَ دِرْعًا لِلْوَطَنِ، وَاليَوْمَ كانَتْ تُواجِهُ أَعْتَى اخْتِبارٍ.
The fortress of Nizwa rose like a mountain of stone above the green plains. The ancestors had built it to be a shield for the homeland, and today it faced its fiercest test.
جاءَ جَيْشٌ غازٍ مِنَ الشَّمالِ، يَفُوقُ المُدافِعِينَ عَشَرَةَ أَضْعافٍ. حاصَرُوا القَلْعَةَ وَأَرْسَلُوا رَسُولاً يَقُولُ: «اِسْتَسْلِمُوا أَوْ نَسْحَقُكُمْ!»
An invading army came from the north, outnumbering the defenders tenfold. They besieged the fortress and sent a messenger saying: "Surrender or we shall crush you!"
وَقَفَ حَمَدُ بنُ سَعِيدٍ، قائِدُ الحَرَسِ الشَّابُّ، وَقالَ: «قُلْ لِسَيِّدِكَ إِنَّ نِزْوَى لا تَسْتَسْلِمُ!»
Hamad bin Sa'id, the young captain of the guard, stood and said: "Tell your master that Nizwa does not surrender!"
الفصلُ الثَّانِي: الخُطَّةُ الجَرِيئَةُ
Chapter Two: The Bold Plan
عَرَفَ حَمَدٌ أَنَّ القِتالَ المُباشِرَ يَعْنِي الهَزِيمَةَ. فَجَمَعَ رِجالَهُ وَقالَ: «إِنَّ العَقْلَ أَقْوَى مِنَ السَّيْفِ. سَنَسْتَخْدِمُ الدَّهالِيزَ السِّرِّيَّةَ لِنَضْرِبَهُمْ مِنْ حَيْثُ لا يَتَوَقَّعُونَ.»
Hamad knew that direct combat meant defeat. He gathered his men and said: "The mind is mightier than the sword. We shall use the secret passages to strike them where they do not expect."
فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ، خَرَجَ خَمْسُونَ مُقاتِلاً مِنَ الأَنْفاقِ المَخْفِيَّةِ. أَشْعَلُوا النَّارَ فِي مُعَسْكَرِ العَدُوِّ، وَأَطْلَقُوا خُيُولَهُمْ، وَصاحُوا صَيْحاتٍ مُرْعِبَةً.
In the dead of night, fifty warriors emerged from the hidden tunnels. They set fire to the enemy camp, released their horses, and let out terrifying cries.
ظَنَّ الغُزاةُ أَنَّ جَيْشًا عَظِيمًا يُهاجِمُهُمْ، فَوَقَعَ الذُّعْرُ فِي صُفُوفِهِمْ.
The invaders thought a great army was attacking them, and panic fell upon their ranks.
الفصلُ الثَّالِثُ: النَّصْرُ المُبِينُ
Chapter Three: The Clear Victory
عِنْدَ الفَجْرِ، رَأَى المُدافِعُونَ مَشْهَدًا عَجِيبًا: كانَ الجَيْشُ الغازِي يَفِرُّ مُذْعُورًا، تارِكًا وَراءَهُ أَسْلِحَتَهُ وَمُؤَنَهُ.
At dawn, the defenders saw an amazing sight: the invading army was fleeing in terror, leaving behind their weapons and provisions.
صَعِدَ حَمَدٌ إِلى أَعْلَى البُرْجِ وَرَفَعَ الرَّايَةَ العُمانِيَّةَ. صاحَ: «اللهُ أَكْبَرُ! نِزْوَى مُنْتَصِرَةٌ!»
Hamad climbed to the top of the tower and raised the Omani flag. He cried: "God is greatest! Nizwa is victorious!"
وَصارَ حَمَدُ بنُ سَعِيدٍ أُسْطُورَةً تُرْوَى لِلْأَجْيالِ، وَبَقِيَتْ قَلْعَةُ نِزْوَى شاهِدَةً عَلى شَجاعَةِ العُمانِيِّينَ.
And Hamad bin Sa'id became a legend told to generations, and the fortress of Nizwa remained a witness to the courage of the Omanis.
تَمَّتِ القِصَّةُ | The End