The Arabic Poetry Thread

[Re.TiReD]

Feel free to share. Please include translations though. JazakAllah khayr.

لسانك لا تذكر به عورة امرئ *** فكلّـك عورات وللناس ألسـن

وعينك إن أبدت إليك معايباً *** فدعها وقل : يا عين للناس أعينُ

Let not your tongue mention the shame of another
For you yourself are covered in shame and all men have tongues.
If your eye falls upon the sins of your brother
Shield them and say: "O my eye! All men have eyes!"

WassalamuAlaykum

[Re.TiReD]

Imaam Shafi'ee Rahimahullah

وَلَمّا قَسا قَلبي وَضاقَـت مَذاهِبـي
When My Heart Was Hardened & My Courses Constrained

جَعَلتُ الرَّجا مِنّي لِعَفـوِكَ سُلمـا
I Made My Hope A Stairway To Your Forgiveness

تَعاظَمَنـي ذَنبـي فَلَمّـا قَرَنُـتـهُ
My Sin Burdened Me Heavily, But When I Measured It

بِعَفوِكَ رَبّي كَانَ عَفـوُكَ أَعظَمـا
By Your Forgiveness Lord, Your Forgiveness Was Greater.

[Re.TiReD]

The Taabi'ee 'Ataa bin Abee Rabah رحمة الله عليه advised the king of his time Hishâm bin abd al-Malik with the following jewels..

...أتق الله في نفسك
...وأعلم أنك خلقت وحدك
...وتموت وحدك
...وتحشر وحدك
وتحاسب وحدك

Fear Allâh in regards to yourself,
Know that you were created alone...
...And that you will die alone,
Be resurrected alone....
.....And taken into account alone

[Re.TiReD]

أحـزان قلبـي لا تـزول
حتـى أبشـر بالقـبـول
وأرى كتابـي باليمـيـن
وتقـر عينـي بالرسـول


The Sorrow in my Heart will Remain
Until I am given the Gladtidings of Acceptance into Jannah,
Till I behold my Book of Deeds in the Right,
And my Eyes are Cooled by the Sight of the Messenger

[Re.TiReD]

فضل السكوت

وجدت سـكوتي متجرا فلزمتــه *** إذا لم أجد ربحا فلست بخاسر

وما الصمت إلا في الرجال متاجر *** وتاجره يعلو على كل تاجــر

Virtue of Silence


I found my silence to be a transaction so I adhered to it
If I don’t find a profit, then I am not a loser
And silence in men is not but a transaction
And its trader is elevated above every other trader

[Re.TiReD]

صَدِيقٌ لَيْسَ يَنْفَعُ يَوْمَ بُؤْسٍ * قَرِيبٌ مِنْ عَدْوٍّ فِي القِيَاسِ
وَمَا يَبْقَى الصَّدِيقُ بِكُلِّ عَصْرٍ * وَلاَ الإِخْوَانُ إِلاَّ لِلتَّآسِي
عَبَرْتُ الدَّهْرَ مُلْتَمِسَاً بِجُهْدِي * أَخَا ثِقَةٍ فَأَلْهَانِي التِمَاسِي
تَنَكَّرَتِ البِلاَدُ وَمَنْ عَلَيْهَا * كَأَنَّ أُنَاسَهَا لَيْسُوا بِنَاسِ

A friend who does not benefit at the time of hardships,
Is close to an enemy on the scales,
The friend does not remain, during all times,
Nor does the brother, except for consolation.
I searched the days, with all my strengths
for a brother to trust, but my search was fruitless,
The lands and those who live them were barren,
As though its people were not people [I wanted them to be]

[Re.TiReD]

Ibn Habeeb al-Wasiti said:

اصحب خير الناس أين لقيتهم *** خير الصحابة من يكون ظريفا
والناس مثل دراهم ميرتها *** فرأيت فيها فضة وزيوفا

Accompany the best of people wherever you find them
The best of companions are those favourable & nice

And people are like dirhams that I have differentiated between
So I saw in them the silver and the counterfeit

[Re.TiReD]

I don't know who the author of this incredible piece is, but have a read insha'Allah, it's really good:

ضحكت فقالوا ألا تحتشم = بكيت فقالوا ألا تبتسم
بسمت فقالوا يرائي بـها = عبست فقالوا بدا ما كتم
صمت فقالوا كليل اللسان = نطقت فقالوا كثير الكلم
حلمت فقالوا صنيع الجبان = ولو كان مقتدراً لانتـقم
بسلت فقالوا لطيشٍ به = وما كان مجترئاً لو حكم
يقولون شذ إذا قلت لا = وإمعة حين وافقتهم
فأيقنت أني مهما أرد = رضى الناس لابد أن أذم

I laughed and they said 'Won't you have some shame!'
I cried and they said 'Won't you smile?'

I smiled and they said 'He only shows off!'
I frowned and they said, 'What he hides has come out'

I was silent and they said 'Incoherent'
I spoke and they said 'He talks too much!'

I bore patience and they said 'What a coward
And were he to have power he'd surely punish!'

I was brave and they said 'He strikes with it
And were he to rule, he'd surely be reckless!'

They say 'wierd!' when I disagree
And call me 'opportunistic' when I agree

So I became certain that whenever I wanted to please people,
I am to be criticised.


As they say: رضى الناس غاية لا تدرك - "pleasing people is an objective that can never be attained."

[Na7lah]

و من الشَقاوة أن تحبَ

و من تحبُ يحبُ غيرك

أو أن تريد الخير للأن

سان و هو يريد ضيرك

"And from misery is that you love, and (the one) who you love, loves other than you,
or that you want good for a person, and he wants to hurt you".

[Re.TiReD]

You quoted my first post, lol

يخاطبني السفيه بكل قبح*** فاكره ان اكون له مجيبا
يزيد سفاهة فازيد حلما *** كعود زاده الاحراق طيبا

The fool talks to me in a foul way- and I would hate to respond to him
He increases in foolishness, and I increase in forbearance- like incense, the burning of which increases the good scent.

[Na7lah]

I don't know who the author of this incredible piece is, but have a read insha'Allah, it's really good:

ضحكت فقالوا ألا تحتشم = بكيت فقالوا ألا تبتسم
بسمت فقالوا يرائي بـها = عبست فقالوا بدا ما كتم
صمت فقالوا كليل اللسان = نطقت فقالوا كثير الكلم
حلمت فقالوا صنيع الجبان = ولو كان مقتدراً لانتـقم
بسلت فقالوا لطيشٍ به = وما كان مجترئاً لو حكم
يقولون شذ إذا قلت لا = وإمعة حين وافقتهم
فأيقنت أني مهما أرد = رضى الناس لابد أن أذم

I laughed and they said 'Won't you have some shame!'
I cried and they said 'Won't you smile?'

I smiled and they said 'He only shows off!'
I frowned and they said, 'What he hides has come out'

I was silent and they said 'Incoherent'
I spoke and they said 'He talks too much!'

I bore patience and they said 'What a coward
And were he to have power he'd surely punish!'

I was brave and they said 'He strikes with it
And were he to rule, he'd surely be reckless!'

They say 'wierd!' when I disagree
And call me 'opportunistic' when I agree

So I became certain that whenever I wanted to please people,
I am to be criticised.


As they say: رضى الناس غاية لا تدرك - "pleasing people is an objective that can never be attained."

loool its true jazakallah khair sis

[Re.TiReD]

I've been really inspired by Diwan Ash Shafi'ee and now I'm addicted to these wise words. They're not all from there btw. Random places on the net.

من نمّ لك نمّ عليك,
ومن نقل اليك نقل عنك

The Slanderer

Whoever slanders to you about others, will slander about you
And whoever reports to you, will soon report about you

- Imam al-Shafi'ee

[Re.TiReD]

Now this piece is amazing!

The Poem of Ibn Zaydoon

Ibn Zaydoon was a 4th century Andalusian poet. He was what they call رجل عصامي - someone who started life off on a low footing (poor and of low status) but worked their way up in society until he became one of the wuzaraa’ (ministers) and was respected by even the Amir.

Because of this and his ability to compose poetry very well, he was envied by many. The Amir at that time, al-Mustakfee had a daughter named Wallaada who was the attention of all the poets, but she was beginning to show some inclination towards Ibn Zaydoon. His close companions out of jealously turned to plotting against him and lied saying to al-Mustakfee that Ibn Zaydoon was planning to marry Wallaada and take Imarah (i.e. became the Amir).





As a result, al-Mustakfee imprisoned Ibn Zaydoon and below is a breakdown of a poem that he wrote whilst in prison, to his close friend Abu Hafs:

مـا على ظنيَ باسُ يـجرح الدهر وياسو
There is no doubt in my mind
That time wounds and yet cures

ربـما أشرف بالمر ء عـلى الآمال ياسُ


Perhaps it is despair that
Towards hope, a person it lures

Ibn Zaydoon is saying here that sometimes, despair itself pushes a person towards hope just as fear drives a cornered animal to attack & survive.

ولـقد يُنجيك إغفا لٌ ويـرديك احتراس
And indeed obliviousness may save you
And cautiousness destroys you

Looking too much into details and trying to read in to what’s not there may at times be a cause for our destruction whilst innocent obliviousness sometimes saves us from trouble.

والمحـاذير سـهام والمـقاديـر قيـاس


The perils are arrows
But Fate is the bow

No matter how much we try to avoid harm, perils and trouble, at the end of the day they are only arrows fired from the bow of Qadr. “…What has passed you by, was not going to befall you and what has befallen you was not going to pass you by…” [al-Tirmidhi]. In this line of the poem and the ones following, Ibn Zaydoon reflects on his imprisoned state and the ultimate fate he met - he may have held high positions, but it’s an established law that people are raised and lowered, and the Dunya is nothing but a garment of enjoyment that we wear.

وكذا الدهـر إذا مـا عـزَّ ناسٌ ذل نـاس
And surely, that is time
If it exalts one set of people, it only lowers another

نلبَـسُ الدنـيا ولكنْ متـعةٌ ذاك اللـباس
We clothe ourselves with the Dunya
But only an enjoyment! That is its garments

أنـا حيـران ولـلأ مـر وضوح والتباس
I am in a state of confusion


The matter is clear and but yet so murky

Here, he reflects upon what happened - he’s confused because his friends were the cause of his imprisonment, people he trusted proved to be treacherous. Yet the matter is also clear because of their jealousy and confession.

ما ترى في معشر حا لوا عن العهد وخاسوا
What then do you think of such a group


Who turned back on their promise and then betrayed

أذؤبٌ هامت بلحمـي فانتهاشٌ وانتـهـاس
Wolves, roaming and scavenging by my flesh


Ripping with their teeth and biting

He describes them as wolves, eating his flesh - alluding to the backbiting and slander that they took part in. He then says فانتهاشٌ وانتـهـاس - amazing usage of language! ‘Intihaash’ means to bite with the molar teeth whilst ‘intihaas’ means to rip and bite with the front teeth and canines - a picture is formed of wild beasts really digging into their prey (Ibn Zaydoon)

كلهم يسأل عن حـا لي وللذئـب اعتساس
They all seem to ask of me


And wolves only seek to patrol

The treacherous poets constantly ask about Ibn Zaydoon, whether he’ll be out soon or whether they’ve gotten rid of him for good. Ibn Zaydoon likens them to a pack of wolves and he uses the word i’tisaas - wolves that go out at night, patrolling the area, seeking news of further prey.

إنْ قسا الدهر فللمـا ء من الصخر انبجاس
If time proves harsh


Then water in stone will only gush forth

Pressure and hardship are what cause water to suddenly gush from stones, just like the pressures and hardships of life mould a person and cause him/her to flourish.

ولئن أمسيتُ محـبو سـاً فللغيث احتبـاس
If I continue to be a mere prisoner


Then the rain does remain imprisoned

He further consoles his friend (and himself) by saying that imprisonment is virtuous and sometimes only the best are imprisoned (when it’s done wrongly), just like the rain (ghayth) is with-held. Ibn Zaydoon uses the word ‘ghayth’ which is the rain that comes after a very long period, mostly after a drought and harsh seasons.

فتأمل كيف يغشـى مقـلةَ المجدِ النـعاسُ
Contemplate then, how sleep seems to weaken


And cover over the very eye of glory

Indirectly, Ibn Zaydoon calls himself ‘muqla al-majd’ i.e. core of honour and glory, and ’sleep’ in this context is the imprisonment. Hence, the Amir and those responsible for his imprisonment only bring humiliation upon themselves by covering over (imprisoning) the glory of their land (i.e. Ibn Zaydoon)

لا يكن عـهدُك وَرْدَاً إن عـهـدي لك آسُ
Don’t let your trust become a mere flower


Indeed my trust in you is as a myrtle

Very few people proved loyal to Ibn Zaydoon, one of them is Abu Hafs to whom this letter was addressed. He reminds him of the trust of friendship and tells him to strengthen it and make it like a myrtle which is a flower known to last long unlike other flowers.

واغتنم صفوَ الليالـي إنما العيش اختـلاس
Take advantage of the clear nights


Indeed life is only a short instant

By clear nights, Ibn Zaydoon alludes to happiness and clarity of affairs, when people don’t betray and when matters are clear without confusion.

وعسى أن يسمحَ الدهرُ فقـد طال الشـِـماس
Perhaps time will soon permit


For imprisonment has drawn long…

[Re.TiReD]

Abu Tayyib al-Mutanabbi:

مَن يَهُن يَسهُل الهَوان عليه *** ما لِجُرح بميتٍ إيلامُ
Whoever accustoms himself to degradation, degradation accustoms to him
Indeed, there is no pain for the corpse when it is wounded

- Here al-Mutanabbi likens the person who is passive to humiliation & degradation (i.e. is weak and does nothing to defend and protect himself etc) to a dead person - a wound does not further harm a corpse just like verbal abuse and humiliation does nothing to such a weak person.

[Re.TiReD]

يا رب إن عظمت ذنوبي كثرة*** فلقد علمت بأن عفوك أعظم
أدعوك ربي كما أمرت تضرعاً*** فإذا رددت يدي فمن ذا يرحم
إن كان لا يرجوك إلا محسن***فمن الذي يرجو المسيء المجرم
مالي إليك وسيلة إلا الرجا*** وجميل عفوك ثم أني مسلم-

-Oh my lord if my sins are great in multitude, then I know your forgiveness is greater
I call on you lord as you have commanded in humility, so if you reject my hand who will have mercy on me?
If only the righteous have hope in you, then in whom should the transgressing criminals hope in?
I have no path to you except hope, and your beautiful forgiveness, and that I am a Muslim.

-Four verses found under Abu Nuwas' pillow when he died..

[Re.TiReD]

مع أهل الطاعة

قال الشافعي رحمه الله

مَا أحَدُ إلا وَلَه مُحبّ ومُبْغِض, فَإنْ كَان لابُدّ مِن ذلك, فلْيَكُنِ المرءُ مَع أهْلِ طَاعَةِ اللهِ عَزّ وجَلّ

With the people of obedience

“There is no-one except that he has a lover and a hater. So if that must be the case, then let a person be with the people of obedience to Allaah, ‘azza wa jall.”


More at: http://kalamullah.com/ash-shaafiee.html

[Re.TiReD]

خَلِّ الذنوبَ صغيرَها و كبيرَها ذاكَ التُّقى
واصْنَع كَماشٍ فوقَ أرضِ الشّوكِ يَحْذَرُ ما يَرَى
لا تَحْقِرَنّ صغيرةً إنّ الجِبالَ منَ الحَصى

Abandon sins - big and small: that is Taqwa...
And be like a person walking one a land of thorns, cautious about what he sees...
Belittle not the small sins,
Indeed mountains are made up of small stones....

[Re.TiReD]

AssalamuAlaykum

حب من طرف واحد

و من البلية ان تحب *** ولايحبك من تحبه
و يصد عنك بوجهة *** وتلح انت فلا تغبه

One Sided Love

A great calamity is to love,
and not be loved by the one you love.
He'd turn his face away from you,
the more insistent you become.

Diwan ash-Shafiee

WassalamuAlaykum

[Re.TiReD]

ولا تعطين الرأي من لايريده
فلا أنت محمود ولا الرأي نافعه
And do not give your opinion to one who does not want it
For you are not praiseworthy and the opinion will not benefit him

[Re.TiReD]

إن لله عبادا فطنا * تركوا الدنيا وخافوا الفتنا
نظروا فيها فلما علموا * أنها ليست لحي وطنا
جعلوها لجة واتخذوا * صالح الأعمال فيها سفنا

Verily, Allah has intelligent slaves * They abandoned the dunya, and were cautious of its tribulations;

They looked to it, and when they realized * That it is not an abode for those who are truly alive;

They made it a transitory station, and took * Righteous actions as a vehicle.