Diamante Posted September 22, 2005 Salamu Alaikum These days of late, I have become facinated with islamic poetry and especially muslim poets. Here are some of the poems I came accross and that I enjoyed reading. The first poem is by Jalaluddin Rumi, who is perhaps the most widely known Sufi poet in the world. Even after the passage of almost a thousand years his poems and writings are avidly read by people all over the world. In fact, today in the West, he is the most widely read poet among both Muslims and non-Muslims. Mathnawi Sometimes in order to help He makes us cry. Happy the eye that sheds tears for His sake. Fortunate the heart that burns for His sake. Laughter always follows tears. Blessed are those who understand. Life blossoms wherever water flows. Where tears are shed divine mercy is shown The second poem is truly magnificent and is hailed in Arabic literature as a masterpiece. It's reputedly composed by the Muslim poet Hassan ibn Thabit in the memory of Khubayb inb Adiy who was one of the Prophet's (pbuh)Companions. Khubayb was killed by members of the Quraysh leaders. The poem is more brilliant in Arabic, but since most people on the website don't read or understand Arabic, I looked for a translation. However, the charm of the original language and its lilt is impossible to convey in translation. Nevertheless, here it is. The enemy allies have converged on me, incited their clansmen to muster strength; They've invited their women and children to see, and tied me to a solid trunk. To Allah I complain of my loneliness and suffering; Of enemies who surround me to rejoice at my death. O Master of the Mighty Throne, grant me strength , To bear what they are doing to me; Piercing my flesh and tearing my limbs. They gave me a choice to turn away from Thee, But death is preferrable to that; That very thought of which brings tears to my eyes, Not the pain they inflict on me. I am not afraid of death, for some day everyone has to die; But I shudder out of fear for the fire of Hell, for the fury of its flames. These limbs of mine are a sacrifice for Allah, Hoping He'll bless every limb offered in His way. So long I die a Muslim, I don't regret a thing, For My death will occur in Allah's way. The third and fourth poems are written by Rabi'ah al-Adiwiyya. A major spiritual influence in the classical Islamic world and one of the central figures of the spiritual tradition. She was born around 717 (I think) C.E. in what is now called Iraq. Reality In love, nothing exists between heart and heart. Speech is born out of longing, True description from the real taste. The one who tastes, knows; the one who explains, lies. How can you describe the true form of Something In Whose presence you are blotted out? And in Whose being you still exist? And Who lives as a sign for your journey? My Greatest Need is You Your hope in my heart is the rarest treasure Your Name on my tongue is the sweetest word My choicest hours Are the hours I spend with You - O Allah, I can't live in this world Without remembering You - How can I endure the next world Without seeing Your face? I am a stranger in Your country And lonely among Your worshippers: This is the substance of my complaint. I hope that you enjoyed reading these poems as much as I did. Please feel free to share other poems, whether their classics, contemporary, or even written by yourself! Wasalam P.S. I'm open to suggestions to Islamic poetry and poets, other than the ones mentioned here! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mutakalim Posted September 23, 2005 These days of late, I have become facinated with islamic poetry and especially muslim poets. In like manner, must I say, good Diamante, that I am fascinated with your fascination. Arabic poetry in general and Islamic poetry in particular are a cavier to the general. It whets the appepite of only those strange persons with a refined literary taste. The Poems of Rumi, the idee fixe of many a gnostic, are, if apprehended aright, both a potable and edible feast of reason. His poems have educed in the dryly righteous, as often is the case, charges of heresy and apostasy. Owing to a handicap in intrepreation, such persons vituperated this traveller most unjustly. The Arab Sage, Al-Mutanabbi, expressed it best when he said, Wa Kam min Caa'ibin qawlan saxiixan, Wa aafatuhu min al-fahmi as-saqiimi Reading mystical poetry without a primer in islamic precepts, as one spirtual guider once told me, is akin to leaping in the dark. Have you ever leapt in the dark before? One must have a firm grasp of the language of metaphors. It's reputedly composed by the Muslim poet Hassan ibn Thabit Are you sure that Ibn Thaabit is the author thereof? According to my book of memory, it was Khubayb himself who pronounced those gripping words. Though I came across these verses many moons ago, I still find myself humming these words in private, and, ocassionally, in public, till this day. ولست ابالي ØÙŠÙ† اقتل مسلما*** على أيّ٠شقّ٠كان ÙÙŠ الله مصرعي وذلك ÙÙŠ ذات الإله وإن يشأ *** يبارك على أوصال شلو٠ممزَّع As regards Raabi'ah Al-Adwiyyah, she is a testament to the argument that females can reach elevated stations of purification if they satisfy the conditions of wayfaring. If you are interested in poems with islamic themes, than I will direct your attention to the poets of the Abasite period and the preceding "islamic period". Here are some legendary poets of those eras:- ان لله عباد ÙØ·Ù†Ø§ *** طلقوا الدنيا وخاÙوا Ø§Ù„ÙØªÙ†Ø§ نظروا Ùيها Ùلما علموا *** انها ليست Ù„ØÙŠ ÙˆØ·Ù†Ø§ جعلوها لجة واتخذوا*** ØµØ§Ù„Ø Ø§Ù„Ø£Ø¹Ù…Ø§Ù„ Ùيها سÙنا Imam Ash-Shafi' إذَا المرء٠لمْ يلبسْ ثياباً من التّÙÙ‚ÙŽÙ‰*** تقلَّبَ Ø¹ÙØ±ÙŠØ§Ù†Ø§Ù‹ وإنْ كانَ كاسÙيَا أخي! كنْ على يأس٠من النّاس٠كلّهمْ*** جميعاً وكÙنْ ما عشتَ لله٠راجيَا إلى الموت٠إلا أن يكونَ لمنْ ثَوى** منَ Ø§Ù„Ø®ÙŽÙ„Ù‚Ù Ø·ÙØ±Ù‘اً، ØÙŠØ«Ù…ا كانَ لاقÙيَا ØØ³Ù…ْتَ المÙÙ†ÙŽÙ‰ يا Ù…ÙˆØªÙ ØØ³Ù…اً Ù…ÙØ¨Ø±Ù‘ÙØØ§Ù‹** وعلَّمْتَ يا مَوْت٠البÙكاءَ البواكÙيا وَمَزّقْتَنَا، يا Ù…ÙŽÙˆÙ’ØªÙØŒ ÙƒÙلَّ Ù…ÙÙ…ÙŽØ²Ù‘ÙŽÙ‚ÙØŒ** ÙˆØ¹Ø±Ù‘ÙŽÙØªÙŽÙ†ÙŽØ§ يا موت٠منكَ الدَّواهÙيَا ألا يا طويلَ Ø§Ù„Ø³Ù‡ÙˆÙ Ø£ØµØ¨ØØªÙŽ Ø³Ø§Ù‡ÙŠØ§Ù‹** ÙˆÙŽØ£ØµÙ’Ø¨ÙŽØØªÙŽ Ù…ÙØºØªØ±Ù‘اً، ÙˆÙŽØ£ØµÙ’Ø¨ØØªÙŽ Ù„Ø§Ù‡Ùيَا Ø£ÙÙŠ ÙƒÙلّ٠يوم٠نØÙ† نلقى جنازة **Ù‹ ÙˆÙÙŠ كلّ٠يوم٠منكَ نسمع٠مناديا ÙˆÙÙŠ كلّ٠يوم٠مÙنكَ نرثÙÙŠ لمعْوÙÙ„Ù** ÙˆÙÙŠ ÙƒÙلّ٠يوم٠نØÙ†Ù Ù†ÙØ³Ø¹Ø¯Ù بالÙيَا ألا أيّها البَاني لغَير٠بَلاغَة ÙØŒ** ألا لخَراب٠الدّهْر٠أصْبَØÙ’تَ بانÙيَا ألا لزَوال٠العÙمْر٠أصْبَØÙ’تَ بَانÙياً؛** ÙˆÙŽØ£ØµÙ’Ø¨ÙŽØØªÙŽ Ù…ÙØ®ØªØ§Ù„اً، Ùَخوراً، Ù…ÙØ¨Ø§Ù‡Ùيا كأنّكَ قد وَلّيتَ عن ÙƒÙلّ ما تَرَى ØŒ** وخلَّÙْتَ مَنْ خلَّÙْتَه٠عنكَ سالÙيَا Abul Ataahiyah الا كل شيء ما خلا الله باطل وكل نعيم لا Ù…ØØ§Ù„Ø© زائل وكل ابن انثى لو تطاول عمره الا الغاية القصوى Ùللقبر ءايل وكل اناس سو٠تدخل بينهم دويهية ØªØµÙØ± منها الانامل وكل امريء يوما سيعر٠سعيه اذا ØØµÙ„ت عند الاله Ø§Ù„ØØµØ§Ø¦Ù„ Labeed Bin Rabee'ah الا ايها المقصود ÙÙŠ كل ØØ§Ø¬Ø© شكوت اليك الضر ÙØ§Ø±ØÙ… شكايتي الا يا رجائي انت تكش٠كربتي Ùهب لي ذنوبي كلها واقض ØØ§Ø¬ØªÙŠ Ø§ØªÙŠØª باعمال Ù‚Ø¨Ø§Ø Ø±Ø¯ÙŠØ¦Ø© وما ÙÙŠ الورى عبد جنى كجنايتي Ø§ØªØØ±Ù‚ني بالنار؟ يا غاية المنى ÙØ§ÙŠÙ† رجائي ثم؟ اين Ù…Ø®Ø§ÙØªÙŠØŸ رايت خيال الظل اعظم عبرة لمن كان ÙÙŠ علم الØÙ‚ائق راقي شخوصا واصواتا يخال٠بعضها لبعض واشكالا بغير ÙˆÙØ§Ù‚ تجيء وتمضي بابة بعد بابة وتÙنى جميعا ÙˆØ§Ù„Ù…ØØ±Ùƒ باقي Ibn Farid That is all for now. Camii Sabaaxan, good Diamante. With Salaams, PK P.S. You can find all islamic poets on this site . I would recommend that you start with Ash-Shafi' and Abul Ataahiyah. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Diamante Posted September 27, 2005 شكرًا متيكاليم Ùˆ قد أنت ØªÙØ¨ÙŽØ§Ø±ÙŽÙƒ لوقتك Ùˆ مجهودك لتوجيهني إلى موقع رائع . يجيء ÙØ§Ø³ÙŠÙ†ÙŠØ´Ù† ÙŠ بالأدب العربيّ من ÙØ¶ÙˆÙ„ كانت تزيد منذ إقامتي القصيرة ÙÙŠ سوريا . Reading mystical poetry without a primer in islamic precepts, as one spirtual guider once told me, is akin to leaping in the dark. Have you ever leapt in the dark before? I've leapt into the dark on quite a few occasions. Some proved to be just that, a leap in the darp. Others proved to be rewarding journeys. I'm hoping that this particular "leap" turns out to be one of the latter. I have briefly glanced at the website and the poems/poets you mentioned. My favorite so far is Abu al-Atahiya, I believe he was referred to as the "Father of Craziness" though there is nothing crazy about his poetry. أنا شكرًا ثانية . أنت كنت Ø£Ùيد من يمكن أن تعر٠ÙÙŠ أيّ وقت ! (hope you can understand my Arabic ) Salaam P.S. wasnt ash shafi anti-shia? (just out of curiosity) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites