Source of my honor

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Qadi ‘Iyad ibn Musa (1083–1149), a famous scholar is supposed to have said these verses, which should be the pride of every Muslim.

ومـما زادني شـرفـاً وتـيــهـاً
وكدت بأخمصي أطأ الـثريا
دخولي تحت قولك يا عبادي
وأن صـيَّرت أحمد لي نـبيـا

The translation with my limited abilities is as follows:

ومـما زادني شـرفـاً وتـيــهـاً

And among what increased my honor, pride and bewilderment

وكدت بأخمصي أطأ الـثريا

That my feet almost tread upon the stars

دخولي تحت قولك يا عبادي

Is my being embraced in your statement "O My slaves"

وأن صـيَّرت أحمد لي نـبيـا

And you chose Ahmad  (ﷺ)   as a prophet for me

Loving the Beloved

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Love of the Prophet (ﷺ) is an essential component of the faith of every Muslim, and there are innumerable anecdotes, poems and stories that essential revolve around it.

So much so that it is considered to be the foundation of faith itself, as stated in these verses from an anonymous poet, which connect to a well known hadith :

روح ایماں مغز قرآن اصل دین
ہست حب رحمة للعالمین

The spirit of faith, the essence of the Qur'an and the reality of religion is the love of the "Mercy to the Worlds" (ﷺ) 

مغزِ قرآں روح ایماں جان دیں
ہست حب رحمة اللعالمین

The essence of the Qur'an, the spirit of faith, and the life of religion is the love of the "Mercy to the Worlds" (ﷺ) 

I received these last verses via a messaging service, and were probably written by Abu Sulayman (عبدالله الخربوش):

كالغيثِ ذكرُكَ يا حبيبي لمْ يزلْ

 يسقي القلوبَ محبَّةً ونعيمَا

Remembering you o beloved (ﷺ) is like those rain showers that flood the heart with incessant love and joy 

 يا سيدَ الثقلينِ حُزتَ مكانةً
 ومقامَ عزٍّ في النفوسِ عظيمَا

O sayyid us thaqalayn (master of the two weighty things ﷺ), you possess the station of great glory amongst all souls

يا مَنْ سلكتُمْ نهجهُ وسبيلهُ
 "صلُّوا عليهِ وسلِّمُوا تسليمَا"

O you who travel his path and follow his way, send peace and blessings upon him ﷺ

How can one not love the beloved Prophet(ﷺ), when referring to a hadith, Allama Iqbal in this poem said even a dead piece of wood wept due to separation:

من چہ گوئم ازتولائش کہ چسیت
خشک چوبے در فراقِ او گریست

من چه گویم از تولایش که چیست
خشک چوبی در فراق او گریست

How shall I speak of the devotion he ﷺ inspires?
(Even) a dry block of wood wept on separation from himﷺ.

Numerous scholars wished they could reach Al-Medina just so they could die and be buried near the beloved.  This quatrain written supposedly by the nephew (Payami) of Shaykh Al Hind Mahmud ul Hasan :

گلستان میں جاکر ہر اک گل کو دیکھا
نہ تیری سی رنگت نہ تیری سی بو ہے
نکل جائے دم تیرے قدموں کے نیچے
یہی دل کی حسرت یہی آرزو ہے

I have looked at every flower in the rose-garden

None of them have your beauty or fragrance

I give up my life under your feet

Is the only desire of my heart, and my only wish

I would like to end here with a supplication, which in the books of hadith is known as the supplication of the Prophet Dawud :

اللَّهمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ حُبَّكَ، وَحُبَّ مَنْ يُحِبُّكَ، وَالعمَل الَّذِي يُبَلِّغُني حُبَّكَ

 اللَّهُمَّ اجْعل حُبَّكَ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِن نَفسي، وأَهْلي، ومِن الماءِ البارِدِ

O Allah! I ask You for Your Love, the love of those who love You, and deeds which will cause me to attain Your Love. 
O Allah! Make Your Love dearer to me than myself, my family and cool water

All is Love

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Many Muslim thinkers have written extensively on love, and famous Sufis are seen as proponents of the doctrine of love.  Most famous among them is Rumi, who is seen as the epitome of love, says in this extract from his poem:

از محبت تلخها شیرین شود

Due to love, bitter becomes sweet

از محبت مسها زرین شود

Due to love copper becomes gold

از محبت دردها صافی شود

Due to love the pain becomes alleviated

از محبت دردها شافی شود

Due to love, sickness is healed

از محبت مرده زنده می‌کنند

Due to love the dead are revived

از محبت شاه بنده می‌کنند

Due to love kings become slaves


I also came across this interesting quatrain from either Saadi Shirazi or Khalilullah Khalili (hard to establish), which goes so far as to say that everything is love:

 در خرمن كاینات كردیم نگاه
 یك دانه محبت است و باقی همه كاه 

 Peering through the sheaf of the Universe
 I saw only the grain of love and rest was chaff

Do not sully his name

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Allamah Iqbal in his collection Pas Cheh Bayed Kard ai Aqwam-e-Sharq (What are we to do, O Nations of the East?) has a poem about present day politics, an extract of which is affected me deeply and I am sharing it below:

 چون بنام مصطفی خوانم درود
 از خجالت آب می گردد وجود

Whenever I recite durood(salawat) in the name of Mustafa ﷺ,
shame pervades my entire existence

 عشق میگوید که ای محکوم غیر
 سینهٔ تو از بتان مانند دیر

(it is as if) Love says (to me): “O slave of others, your breast is full of idols, much like a temple 

 تا نداری از محمد رنگ و بو
 از درود خود میالا نام او

So long as you are devoid of the fragrance and the hue of Muhammad ﷺ

do not pollute his name by your (empty) salutations.

Praising one who is beyond mortal praise

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

It is related by some that sidi Umar ibn `Alī ibn al-Fārid (may Allah bless him) was seen in a dream and was asked: "Why didn't you praise the Chosen Prophet ﷺ in your Diwan? He replied:

أَرَى كُلَّ مَدْحٍ فِي النَّبيِّ  مُقَصِّرًا

 وإِنْ بَـالَغَ الْمُثْنِي عَلَيْـهِ وَأَكْثَرَا
إذَا اللهُ أَثْنَى في الكِتَابِ المُنَـزَّل

 عَلَيْهِ فَمَا مِقْدَارُ ما  يَمْدَحُ الوَرَى

I think all praise of the Prophet ﷺ falls short
even if the exalter reaches the pinnacle of eulogy or surpasses it
(for) if God has praised him ﷺ in His revealed Book
What is the worth (by comparison) of praise by mortals?

Or in an alternate version:

أرى كل مـدح في النبي مقصـرا
وإن بالـغ المثني عليه وأكثرا
إذا الله أثنى بالذي هو أهله
عليه، فما مقدار ما يمدح الورى ؟

I think all praise of the Prophet ﷺ falls short
even if the exalter reaches the pinnacle of eulogy or surpasses it
(for) if God has praised himﷺ with what he is worthy of
What is the worth (by comparison) of praise by mortals?

Mirza Ghalib (1797 – 1869) was a classical Urdu and Persian poet from South Asia who said something similar in Farsi language:

حق جلوه‌گر ز طرز بیان محمد است‌
آری کلام حق بزبان محمد است‌‌
غالب ثناء خواجه به یزدان گذاشتیم‌
کان ذات پاک مرتبه دان محمد است

TRUTH Manifests Itself in Muhammad’s (ﷺ) Speech
Indeed the Utterances of Absolute Truth emanate from Muhammad’s (ﷺ) Tongue
Ghalib, I leave The Noble One’s(ﷺ) Praise to God Himself
For Truly HE Alone Knows the Status of Muhammad(ﷺ)

Salaam to Ramadhan

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

As-Sahifa Al-Kamilah Al-Sajjadiyya of Ali ibn Husayn al-Sajjad Zayn al-Abidin ( عَلِيّ ٱبْن ٱلْحُسَيْن ٱلسَّجَّاد‎) (may Allah bless him) contains many wonderful and eloquent supplications.  Part of the one Supplication in Bidding Farewell to the Month of Ramadan contains this wonderful extract of saying salaam to the month of Ramadan:

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا شَهْرَ اللَّهِ الْأَكْبَرَ ، وَ يَا عِيدَ أَوْلِيَائِهِ

 

Peace be upon you, O greatest month of God! O Eid of His friends!

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا أَكْرَمَ مَصْحُوبٍ مِنَ الْأَوْقَاتِ ، وَ يَا خَيْرَ شَهْرٍ فِي الْأَيَّامِ وَ السَّاعَاتِ

Peace be upon you, O most noble of accompanying times! O best of months in days and hours!

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ شَهْرٍ قَرُبَتْ فِيهِ الْآمَالُ ، وَ نُشِرَتْ فِيهِ الْأَعْمَالُ

Peace be upon you, month in which expectations come near and good works are everywhere!

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ قَرِينٍ جَلَّ قَدْرُهُ مَوْجُوداً ، وَ أَفْجَعَ فَقْدُهُ مَفْقُوداً ، وَ مَرْجُوٍّ آلَمَ فِرَاقُهُ

Peace be upon you, Comrade who is great in worth when found and who torments through  absence when lost, anticipated friend whose parting gives pain!

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ أَلِيفٍ آنَسَ مُقْبِلًا فَسَرَّ ، وَ أَوْحَشَ مُنْقَضِياً فَمَضَّ

Peace be upon you, familiar who brought comfort in coming, thus making happy, who left loneliness in going, thus giving anguish!

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ مُجَاوِرٍ رَقَّتْ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ ، وَ قَلَّتْ فِيهِ الذُّنُوبُ

Peace be upon you, neighbour in whom hearts became tender and sins became few!

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ نَاصِرٍ أَعَانَ عَلَى الشَّيْطَانِ ، وَ صَاحِبٍ سَهَّلَ سُبُلَ الْإِحْسَانِ

Peace be upon you, helper who aided against Satan, O companion who made easy the paths of good-doing!

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ مَا أَكْثَرَ عُتَقَاءَ اللَّهِ فِيكَ ، وَ مَا أَسْعَدَ مَنْ رَعَى حُرْمَتَكَ بِكَ

Peace be upon you - How many became freedmen of God within you! How happy those who observed the respect due to you!

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ مَا كَانَ أَمْحَاكَ لِلذُّنُوبِ ، وَ أَسْتَرَكَ لِأَنْوَاعِ الْعُيُوبِ

Peace be upon you - How many are the sins you helped get erased! How many are the kinds of faults you helped cover over!

 

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ مَا كَانَ أَطْوَلَكَ عَلَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ ، وَ أَهْيَبَكَ فِي صُدُورِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Peace be upon you - How drawn out were you for the sinners! How awesome were you in the hearts of the faithful!

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ شَهْرٍ لَا تُنَافِسُهُ الْأَيَّامُ

Peace be upon you, month with which no days compete!

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ شَهْرٍ هُوَ مِنْ كُلِّ أَمْرٍ سَلَامٌ

Peace be upon you, month which is peace in all affairs!

 

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ غَيْرَ كَرِيهِ الْمُصَاحَبَةِ ، وَ لَا ذَمِيمِ الْمُلَابَسَةِ

Peace be upon you, you whose companionship is not disliked, you whose friendly mixing is not blamed!

 

االسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ كَمَا وَفَدْتَ عَلَيْنَا بِالْبَرَكَاتِ ، وَ غَسَلْتَ عَنَّا دَنَسَ الْخَطِيئَاتِ

Peace be upon you, just as you have entered upon us with blessings and cleansed us of the defilement of offenses!

 

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ غَيْرَ مُوَدَّعٍ بَرَماً وَ لَا مَتْرُوكٍ صِيَامُهُ سَأَماً

Peace be upon you - You art not bid farewell in annoyance nor is your fasting left in weariness!

 

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ مَطْلُوبٍ قَبْلَ وَقْتِهِ ، وَ مَحْزُونٍ عَلَيْهِ قَبْلَ فَوْتِهِ

Peace be upon you, object of seeking before your time, object of sorrow before your passing!

 

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ كَمْ مِنْ سُوءٍ صُرِفَ بِكَ عَنَّا ، وَ كَمْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ أُفِيضَ بِكَ عَلَيْنَا

Peace be upon you - How much evil was turned away from us through you! How much good flowed upon us because of you!

 

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ وَ عَلَى لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ الَّتِي هِيَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ

Peace be upon you and upon the Night of Decree which is better than a thousand months!

 

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ مَا كَانَ أَحْرَصَنَا بِالْأَمْسِ عَلَيْكَ ، وَ أَشَدَّ شَوْقَنَا غَداً إِلَيْكَ

Peace be upon you - How much we craved you yesterday! How intensely we shall yearn for you tomorrow!

 

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ وَ عَلَى فَضْلِكَ الَّذِي حُرِمْنَاهُ ، وَ عَلَى مَاضٍ مِنْ بَرَكَاتِكَ سُلِبْنَاهُ

Peace be upon you and upon your bounty which has now been made unlawful to us and upon your blessings gone by which have now been stripped away from us!

Do not put me to shame

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

The last three couplets of this poem of Rumi are a prayer of humility and hope that we should frequently recite:

کای خدا این بنده را رسوا مکن
گر بدم هم سر من پیدا مکن

O God, do not put this servant to shame:
I am wicked, yet do not divulge my secret.

تو همی‌دانی و شبهای دراز
که همی‌خواندم ترا با صد نیاز

You know, during the long nights
During which I was calling unto You with a hundred supplications

پیش خلق این را اگر خود قدر نیست
پیش تو همچون چراغ روشنیست

Despite this having no worth in the sight of people

 (Let it be) in Your sight, like a shining lamp.

https://ganjoor.net/moulavi/masnavi/daftar3/sh105/

Love of homeland

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

حب وطن از ملک سلیمان خو شتر
خاروطن از سنبل وریحاں خوشتر

یوسف کہ عصر پادشاہی می کرو
می گفت گدا بودن کنعان خوشتر

Love of the homeland is better than the kingdom of Solomon (عليه السلام) . 
The thorns of the homeland are better than hyacinths and fragrant plant
Joseph (عليه السلام) wept as the king of his time
Preferring being a beggar of Canaan.



There is an alternate rendering as well:

خشتِ وطن از ملکِ سلیمان خوشتر
خارِ وطن از سنبل و ریحان خوشت
یوسف کہ ملکِ مصر شاہی می کرد
می گفت گدا بودن کنعان خوشتر

A brick of the homeland is better than the kingdom of Solomon (عليه السلام) . 
The thorns of the homeland are better than hyacinths and fragrant plant
Despite performing the role as the king of his time,  Joseph (عليه السلام) wept
Preferring being a beggar of Canaan.

He himself is the vessel

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

خود کوزہ و خود کوزہ گر و خود گلِ کوزہ

خود رندِ سبو کش

خود بر سرِ آں کوزہ خریدار برآمد

بشکست رواں شد

Khud Kuza-o, Khud Kuzagar-o, Khud Gil-e-Kuza, Khud Rind-e-subookash
Khud Barsar-e aan Kuza Khareedar Bar amad, Bishkast Rawan Shud


He is the vessel, he is its maker (the potter), and he is the clay used in making it,
He is the reveler drinking from it
He himself appears as its buyer 
Then and breaks it, and leaves.

Every moment appears in a new form

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

The following poem, attributed to Rumi or perhaps one of his disciples, is considered to be inspired by the concept of wahdatulu wujood, however, it should be seen as a manifestation of Divine Love and Mercy, otherwise it is problematic:

هر لحظه به شکلی بت عیار بر آمد
دل برد و نهان شد

Every moment, He arrives in the form of an artful idol;
Conquers the heart and disappears.

هر دم به لباس دگر آن یار بر آمد
گه پیر و جوان شد

With every breath, that beloved appears in new attire;
Sometimes as young, sometimes as aged.

گه نوح شد و کرد جهانی به دعا غرق
خود رفت به کشتی

Once he became Noah  (عليه السلام) and drowned a world by his prayer;

Himself embarked on the boat and left

گه گشت خلیل و به دل نار بر آمد
آتش گل از آن شد

Once he became Abraham (عليه السلام) and went through the fire;
Flames became roses.

یوسف شد و از مصر فرستاد قمیصی
روشنگر عالم

He became Joseph (عليه السلام) and sent his shirt from Egypt;
Illuminating the world

از دیده یعقوب چو انوار بر آمد
تا دیده عیان شد

Emanated as light from Jacob’s (عليه السلام)eyes
Giving eyes perfect vision

حقا که هم او بود کاندر ید بیضا
میکرد شبانی

In truth, it was he who caused the glowing hand

Of that shepherd (عليه السلام)

در چوب شد و بر صفت مار بر آمد
زان فخر کیان شد

In the wooden (staff), he took upon the qualities of a snake

And took pride in it

می گشت دمی چند بر این روی زمین او
از بهر تفرج

For some time he was wandering the earth
For his enjoyment.

عیسی شد و بر گنبد دوار بر آمد
تسبیح کنان شد

As Jesus (عليه السلام) and went to the round dome (the sky);
Rosary in hand

بالجمله هم او بود که می آمد و می رفت
هر قرن که دیدی

In total, he was Himself! Coming and going;
In every century that you witnessed

تا عاقبت آن شکل عرب وار بر آمد
دارای جهان شد

At last he arrives as the Arab (ﷺ )

the sovereign of the universe.

منسوخ چه باشد؟ نه تناسخ به حقیقت
آن دلبر زیبا

What is abrogation? There is never metamorphosis of the reality

Of that beautiful beloved

شمشیر شد و در کف کرار بر آمد
قتال زمان شد

It was a fallen sword, which came

For it was the time to fight

نی نی که هم او بود که می گفت انا الحق
در صوت الهی

No! No! It was he himself, who said (Ana Al-Haq) “I’m The Truth”
In the divine voice

منصور نبود آن که بر آن دار بر آمد
نادان به گمان شد

It was not Mansur al-Hallaj, who was hanged on the wooden (beam);
Those who think that are ignorant

رومی سخن کفر نگفته ست و نگوید
منکر مشویدش

Rumi did not deny the truth, nor he ever will;
He is not a rejecter

کافر بود آن کس که به انکار بر آمد
از دوزخیان  شد

Disbeliever was he, who denied the truth (Satan);

become condemned to hell-fire.

There is also an alternate rendering:

 هر لحظه به شکل بت عیار بر آمد دل بُرد و نهان شد
هر دم به لباس دگر آن یار بر آمد گه پیر و جوان شد
گاهی بدل طینت صلصال فرو رفت غواص معانی
گاهی ز تگِ کهگل فخار بر آمد زان پس بجنان شد
منسوخ چه باشد چه تناسخ بحقیقت آن دلبر زیبا
شمشیر شد و از کف کراّر بر آمد قتاّل زمان شد
می گشت دمی چند برین روی زمین او از بهر تفرج
عیسی شد و بر گنبد دواّر بر آمد تسبیح کنان شد
گه نوح شد و کرد جهانی بدعا غرق خود رفت به کشتی
گه گشت خلیل و ز دل نار بر آمد آتش گُل از آن شد
یوسف شد و از مصر فرستاد قمیصی روشن کن عالم
از دیده یعقوب چو انوار بر آمد تا دیده عیان شد
آن عقل که فاضل شد و کامل شد و عاقل ناگاه چو پیری
چون مست شده بر سر کهسار بر آمد برتر ز جوان شد
ایوب شد و صبر همی کرد ز کرمان خود درد و دوا شد
از خانه دل نهره زنهار بر آمد جسمش همه جان شد
یونس شد و در بطن سمک بود بدریا از بهر طهارت
حقا که هم او بود کاندر ید بیضا میکرد شبانی
در چوب شد و بر صفت مار بر آمد زان فخر کیان شد
موسی شد و خواهنده دیدار بر آمد بر طور روان شد
عیسی شد و در مهد همی داد گواهی آن روح مقدس
از معجز او نخل پر از بار بر آمد زان روح روان شد
مسجود ملائک شد و لشکر کشِ ارواح آن روح مقدس
شیطان ز حسد بر سر انکار بر آمد مردود زمان شد
بالله که هم او بود که می آمد و می رفت هر قرن که دیدی
تا عاقبت آن شکل عرب وار بر آمد دارای جهان شد
حقا که هم او بود که می گفت اناالحق در صوت الهی
منصور نبود او که بر آن دار بر آمد نادان بگمان شد
این دهم نه نهانست ببین گر تو بصیری از دیده باطن
این است کزو این همه گفتار بر آمد در دیده عیان شد
رومی سخن کفر نه گفت است نه گوید منکر مشویدش
کافر شده آن کس که به انکار بر آمد از دوزخیان شد
تبریز هم او بود هم او شمس معانی در گلشن انوار
او بود که در جوشش اسرار بر آمد در عشق نشان شد

Four things not in your treasure

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Legend has it that as Shams al-Dīn Muhammad Suzani Samarqandi (سوزنی سمرقندی) was approaching the end of his time here on earth, he uttered these lines:

چار چیز آورده ام یا رب، که در گنج تو نیست
نیستی و حاجت و عجز و گناه آورده ام

Four things, I bring O Lord, that your treasure-troves lack:
Nothingness, Need, Inability and Sin- that is all I bring

We shall not flee

These are supposedly the words of a poem the Prophetﷺ  recited when they were surrounded by hordes of enemies around the Trench.

وَاللَّهِ لَوْلا اللَّهُ مَا اهْتَدَيْنَا
وَلا تَصَدَّقْنَا وَلا صَلَّيْنَا
فَأَنْزِلَنْ سَكِينَةً عَلَيْنَا
وَثَبِّتِ الأَقْدَامَ إِنْ لاقَيْنَا
إِنَّ الأُولَى قَدْ بَغَوْا عَلَيْنَا
إِذَا أَرَادُوا فِتْنَةً *أَبَيْنَا*
إنَّ المَلَا قدْ أَبَوْا عَلَيْنَا

 https://dorar.net/hadith/sharh/11778

By Allah had it not been for You
We would not have been guided
Nor would we have given in charity, nor prayed
So, bestow on us tranquility
And make our feet firm when we meet the enemy, 
For indeed, if they want to put us in affliction (ie want to fight against us)
We shall not flee (but withstand them)

Sharpen Yourself

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

The final straw which caused Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali to break the bonds with this world came one day when his brother Ahmad entered while he was preaching and recited:

أَخَذْتَ بِأَعْضَادِهِمْ إِذْ وَنُوا
وَخَلَّفَكَ الْجُهْدُ إِذْ أَسْرَعُوا 

You helped them in their state of weakness 
Yet you were left behind as they sped ahead of you.

وَأَصْبَحْتَ تَهْدِي وَلاَ تَهْتَدِي
وتُسْمِعُ وَعْظًا وَلاَ تَسْمَعُ

 You took upon the role of a guide, yet you were not guided
 You preach but do not listen (to yourself).

فَيَا حَجَرَ الشَّحْذِ حَتَّى مَتَى
تَسُنُّ الْحَدِيدَ وَلاَ تَقْطَعُ

O whetstone, for how long
will you whet iron, but will not (be sharp enough to) cut?

What the Seeker Needs?

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

"What the seeker needs", is from the English translation of Kitab Kunh ma la budda lil- murid minhu (كنه ما لابد للمريد منه). This brief but important work by Shaykh al Akbar, Ibn ʿArabī (ابن عربي‎),  was reportedly written in Mosul in 1204 in answer to the question of what the seeker "should believe in and what he should do in the beginning, before anything else".

Translations of this work have been printed on several occasions in English for example by A. Jeffrey, and more recently by Shaykh Tosun Bayrak.

الحمد لله رب العالمين، وصلى الله على سيدنا محمد وآله وصحبه أجمعين

  

All praise and thanks are due to Allah Most High, and may His benedictions and salutations be upon His messenger, and the progeny and companions of His messenger.

.
سألت أيها المريد عن "كنه ما لا بد للمريد منه"، فأجبتك في هذه الأوراق، والله الموفق لا رب غيره

.

O disciple, you sought to know on what is required of a seeker, and I have responded in these few pages, by the leave of Allah, and there is no Lord but Him.


Translations of this work have been printed on several occasions in English for example by A. Jeffrey, and more recently by Shaykh Tosun Bayrak.

Gratitude

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

 

رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ

وَعَلَى وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ

وَأَصْلِحْ لِي فِي ذُرِّيَّتِي إِنِّي تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَإِنِّي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

(46:15)

رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَى وَالِدَيَّ
 وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَ 

(27:19)




According to Ibn Abi’l-Dunya, the following verses were composed by Mahmud al-Warraq(مَحْمُودٍ الْوَرَّاقِ):

 إِذَا كَانَ شُكْرِي نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ نِعْمَةً
 عَلَيَّ لَهُ فِي مِثْلِهَا يَجِبُ الشُّكْرُ
 فَكَيْفَ بُلُوغُ الشُّكْرِ إِلَّا بِفَضْلِهِ
 وَإِنْ طَالَتِ الْأَيَّامُ وَاتَّصَلَ الْعُمْرُ
إِذَا مَسَّ بِالسَّرَّاءِ عَمَّ سُرُورُهَا
 وَإِنْ مَسَّ بِالضَّرَّاءِ أَعْقَبَهُ الْأَجْرُ
وَمَا مِنْهُمَا إِلَّا لَهُ فِيهِ نِعْمَةٌ
 تَضِيقُ بِهَا الْأَوْهَامُ وَالْبَرُّ وَالْبَحْرُ

If my expression of gratitude to Allah for His blessings is a blessing,
Then how can one thank Him save by His Grace, no matter how much time passes or how long one is  alive?

If He sends prosperity, it brings along happiness. And if He sends adversity, He quickly follows with reward
In both, indeed, He exhibits His Bounty, too huge to be encompassed by men, land, and sea

O people gone on Hajj Pilgrimage

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Maulana Rumi beseeches the pilgrims in this poem from Deewan-e-Shams:

ای قوم به حج رفته کجایید کجایید
معشوق همین جاست بیایید بیایید

O people gone on Hajj Pilgrimage
Where are you? Where are you?
The Beloved is right here
Come on back! Come on back!

معشوق تو همسایه و دیوار به دیوار
در بادیه سرگشته شما در چه هوایید

Your Beloved is your next-door neighbor -
Wall-to-Walls -
Why are you wandering in the Arabian deserts?

گر صورت بی‌صورت معشوق ببینید
هم خواجه و هم خانه و هم کعبه شمایید

If you take a good look at Beloved's Faceless Face,
You 'll get to see clearly that
The Master, the Holy House, and the Kaaba
Are all in reality You!

ده بار از آن راه بدان خانه برفتید
یک بار از این خانه بر این بام برآیید

You've already journeyed like ten times
On the path of Hajj-Pilgrimage
To visit that Holy House.
For once in your life,
Also climb up to the roof of your own house.

آن خانه لطیفست نشان‌هاش بگفتید
از خواجه آن خانه نشانی بنمایید

That Holy House is indeed magnificent
You've already talked about its many wonders.
But from the Master of that House,
Did you even get its correct address?

یک دسته گل کو اگر آن باغ بدیدیت
یک گوهر جان کو اگر از بحر خدایید

Where is your flower bouquet
If you've seen that Divine Garden?
Where is your soul's pearly essence
If you now belong to the Ocean of God?

با این همه آن رنج شما گنج شما باد
افسوس که بر گنج شما پرده شمایید

Well, despite of it all,
May all your sufferings turn into your treasures.
Alas, you're always veiling your own treasures

Where are they now?

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Khayyam writes in one of his Rubaiyat:

آن قصر که با چرخ همیزد پهلو
بر درگه آن شهان نهادندی رو

دیدیم که بر کنگره‌اش فاخته‌ای
بنشسته همی گفت که کوکوکوکو

Roughly translated, it means:

That castle/palace which reached the sky

Towards whose door prostrated kings

All that remained on it's towers

A ringdove  singing repeatedly Koo Koo, Koo, Koo (where are they now)