سندبادنامه 2.1

2.1

“The righteousness of the servants and rectitude of the nations, the safety of creation from every grief,
comes from two things with no third between them: the cleaving of the sword and the gentleness of the pen.”
Therefore He reinforced religion with kingship, and gave lustre to kingship through religion, and made each of the two
settled, firm, powerful, and fortified by the other; and after obedience to the divine commands and prohibitions,
He commanded compliance and submission to those in authority, and deemed obedience and submission to them equal
to His own pleasure and that of the prophets who are absolute deputies, as He says:
“Obey God and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you” (4:59). Hence, from this
it becomes clear that religion without kingship goes to ruin, and kingship without religion becomes void.
And the Prophet—peace be upon him—said: “Religion and kingship are twin brothers.” And Gushtāsp, who was the central gem in the necklace