Stages of moral decline in conflict
Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 3|Chapter 375
۳۷۵. وَعَنْ أَبِي جُحَيْفَةَ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عليه السلام) يَقُولُ:
375. It is related from Abū Juḥayfah who said: I heard Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, saying:
أَوَّلُ مَا تُغْلَبُونَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْجِهَادِ الْجِهَادُ بِأَيْدِيكُمْ، ثُمَّ بِأَلْسِنَتِكُمْ، ثُمَّ بِقُلُوبِكُمْ؛ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفْ بِقَلْبِهِ مَعْرُوفاً، وَلَمْ يُنْكِرْ مُنْكَراً، قُلِبَ فَجُعِلَ أَعْلاَهُ أَسْفَلَهُ، وَأَسَفَلُهُ أَعْلاَهُ.
The first fighting with which you will be overpowered is the fighting with hands, thereafter with your tongues and then with your hearts. Consequently, he who does not recognize virtue with his heart or does not disapprove evil will be turned upside down. Thus, his upside will be turned downwards and his lowside will be turned upwards.