Imam ash-Shafi'i's Poetry

[Editor]

as-salamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullah

Please post your favourite poems by Imam ash-Shafi'i, rahimahullah. Accompanying translation would be greatly appreciated.

I'm also looking for a particular poem of his regarding how once his memorisation deteriorated and upon asking his teacher, was told that it was due to sins.

Jazakum Allahu khair.

[Shajaa3ah]

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]

[Shajaa3ah]

بِقَدْرِ الكَدِّ تُكْتَسَبُ المَعَالِي * وَمَنْ طَلَبَ العُلاَ سَهِرَ اللَّيالِي

وَمَنْ رَامَ العُلاَ مِنْ غَيْرِ كَدٍّ * أَضَاعَ العُمْرَ فِي طَلَبِ المُحَالِ
تَرُومُ العِزَّ ثُمَّ تَنَامُ لَيْلاً * يَغُوصُ البَحْر مَنْ طَلَبِ اللآلِي






My mother's comment [some people will get it]:

من طلب العلا سهر الليالي، فما شأن التي فرضت عليها العلا؟

[Shajaa3ah]

إِذَا الْمَرْءُ أَفْشَى سِرِّهُ بِلِسَانِهِ * وَلاَمَ عَلَيْهِ غَيْرَهُ فَهُوَ أَحْمَقُ
إِذَا ضَاقَ صَدْرُ المَرْءِ عَنْ سِرِّ نَفْسِهِ * فَصَدْرُ الَّذِي يُسْتَودْعُ السِّرَّ أَضْيَقُ

If a man spreads his secret with his own tongue
and blames another... then he is a fool.
If his own breast is too narrow to conceal his own secret,
Then the breast of the one in whom he places it is even narrower.

[Sabr Wa Shukr]

Part from the days where you used to do as you wish
And restrain your soul when the decree of Allah is ordained
And don't despair over the events of the past
For none of the events of the dunya were ever meant to remain
And be a man who is firm upon his affairs
And whose character is that of pardoning and nobility
And there is no sadness or happiness that is continuous
Just as there is there is no comfort or pain
If you are a person who is satisfied with what he has
Then you and the owner of all possessions are equal
And upon he who's open valley death descends upon
Then there is no earth or sky to protect you from it
And the earth of Allah is vast but
When the ordainment of Allah descends even the open valley congests.

~ Imaam Shaafi

[Sabr Wa Shukr]

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".

~ Imaam Shafee

[Sabr Wa Shukr]

as-salamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullah

Please post your favourite poems by Imam ash-Shafi'i, rahimahullah. Accompanying translation would be greatly appreciated.

I'm also looking for a particular poem of his regarding how once his memorisation deteriorated and upon asking his teacher, was told that it was due to sins.

Jazakum Allahu khair.


Wa'alaykumasalaam Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barakatauh

i don't know if this is the one your looking for...

Imaam Shafee said:

I complained to Waki about the weakness of my memory
So he ordered me to abandon disobedience
And informed me that the knowledge is light
And that the light of Allaah is not given to the disobedient

Wa'alaykumasalaam Wa Rahmatullahi

~ Sabr Wa Shukr

[Editor]

Yes that's the one! Alhamdulillah! I don't suppose you have the arabic? Does anyone else, please?

Jazakumallahu alf khair both of you. Such beautiful poetry, masha Allah.


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



:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Editor]

Imaam Shafee said:

I complained to Waki about the weakness of my memory
So he ordered me to abandon disobedience
And informed me that the knowledge is light
And that the light of Allaah is not given to the disobedient

This is the man whose memory was so powerful, during lessons, he'd write notes in saliva on his arm and before it dried up, he would've memorised it. This is the man who would have to cover the next page of an opened book for fear his eyes would wander to it (before he finished the first) and he would've memorised that page too. Rahimahullah.

Allahu akbar.

[Stuck in Prison]

wow subhanAllaah amazing

[Editor]

This is the man whose memory was so powerful, during lessons, he'd write notes in saliva on his arm and before it dried up, he would've memorised it.

I just got told that this might be an exaggeration and not true, Allahu a'lam. But still, gotta admire his memory... It's like his memory when weak still surpasses our memory at its peak innit.

[Catalyst]

my sig (though its incomplete, but I cant load the rest on :( )

and 'shakawtu ill wakee ... soo' hifdhi ... - quite famous. I hope someone will put it up in arabic in shaa' Allaah.

[Aboo Muhammad-]

as-Salaamu `Alaykum wa Rahmatullaahi wa Barakaatuhu,

al-Hamdulillaah wa-Salaatu wa-Salaam `Alaa Rasoolillaah:

The first line isn't by al-Imaam ash-Shaafi'ee (rahimahullaahu ta'aala), it's from another poets sayings etc that I'd just like to post because it's meaningful and what you're asking for follows it bi'ithnillaahi ta'aala..............


وما سُمي الإنسان إلا لنسيه ** ولا القلب إلا أنه يتقلب

Wa Maa Summiyaa al-Insaanu Illa Linasyeehi -- Wa Laa Qalbun Illa Annahu Yataqallabu

“He's only called man cause of his forgetfulness, and it is only called the heart cause it changes so rapidly.”


شكوت إلى وكيع سوء حفظي** فأرشدني إلى ترك المعاصي
وقــال إن علم الله نـــــــورٌ ** ونور الله لا يعطى لعاصي
Shakawtu Ilaa Wakee` Soo'a Hifdhee -- Fa-arshadanee Ilaa Tark al-Ma`aasee
Wa Qaala Inna `Ilma Allaahi Noorun -- Wa Nooru Allaahi La Yu`taa Li `Aasee

“I complained to Wakee` about my bad memory, and he taught me that I should keep away from sin.
He said that knowledge of Allaah is light, and the light of Allaah is not given to the sinner.”

[Editor]

Jazakallahu khair kathir wa ahsanallahu ilayk!

[Editor]

wa 'alaykum as-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh (didn't reply in last post)


وما سُمي الإنسان إلا لنسيه ** ولا القلب إلا أنه يتقلب

Wa Maa Summiyaa al-Insaanu Illa Linasyeehi -- Wa Laa Qalbun Illa Annahu Yataqallabu

“He's only called man cause of his forgetfulness, and it is only called the heart cause it changes so rapidly.”

Jazakallahu khair. That so doesn't work in English eh?

Ok what about Imam Shafi'i's poem on how bad it is to have an 'alim committing evil deeds, but worse to have a jaahil performing 'ibadah?

[Shajaa3ah]

Ok what about Imam Shafi'i's poem on how bad it is to have an 'alim committing evil deeds, but worse to have a jaahil performing 'ibadah?

فَسَادٌ كَبِيرٌ عَالِمٌ مُتَهَتِّكٌ * وَأَكْبَرُ مِنْهُ جَاهِلٌ مُتَنَسِّكُ
هُمَا فِتْنَةٌ فِي العَالَمِيْنَ عَظِيْمَةٌ * لِمَنْ بِهِمَا في دِينِهِ يَتَمَسَّكُ

[flag_bearer]

As salaamu alikum wa rahmatullahi wa barkatuhu,

This is a pretty popular one of his poems (rahimahullah)...


ولما قسا قلبي وضاقت مذاهبي *** جعلت الرجا مني لعفوك سلما
تعاظمني ذنبي فلما قرنته *** بعفوك ربي كان عفوك أعظما
فما زلت ذا عفو عن الذنب لم تزل *** تجود وتعفو منة وتكرمــا

I also came across this one,

الدهر يومان ذا أمن وذا خطر *** والعيش عيشان ذا صفو وذا كدر
أما ترى البحر تعلو فوقه جيف *** وتستقر بأقـصى قـاعه الدرر
وفي السماء نجوم لا عداد لها *** وليس يكسف الا الشمس والقمر


*sorry couldn't find any translations*

[Editor]

As salaamu alikum wa rahmatullahi wa barkatuhu,

wa'alaykum as-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh

Jazakillahu khair!

*sorry couldn't find any translations*
Nobody said you have to find translations ;) :D

[flag_bearer]

Jazakillahu khair! on contraire ukhtee... Jazakillahu khair for starting this beautiful thread...and BarkAllahu feeki :D

[Neon Knight]

*bump* can we please have more Insha Allah;

Here is some I found:

“The fool addresses me with every ugliness, so I hate to be one who replies to him.

He increases in stupidity and I increase in patience, like aloes wood* increased in scent by burning.”
-imam shafi'i-

[MakeHijraFillah]

This thread is amazing...and such a heart softener along with eye opener, walHamdulillah. yes please bring more, some of it is understandable in a3raby, but since Im no pro in a3rabic, I need translations to get maximum benefit- yeh I know I need to get my act together and start working harder to learn the language of the Quraan and Sunnah- InshaAllah with time...and patience...and hardwork...and again time...

Please keep the poems coming..and not only from Imaam as-Shafi3, if youve got other poems that are of benefit and will comfort the soul in this wretched dunyaa, then please dont hesitate to put em up. But I want to make sure Editorr doesnt have a prob with that, since its your thread Habibti do you prefer just poems by Imaam as-Shafi3? Or is it okay for other poems by other Talibul I3lm? If anything we can just start a new thread for different poems in a3rabic and translations (for the slower ones like myself..)

-) Jazaakumallahu Khairan al Khairal Jazaa Jameean-

[al-Mizzi]

I used to have his diwaan but my books were all split up so I dont have any access to the poems anymore.

But I liked:

دع الأيام تفعل ما تشاء

[Fajr]

As-salaamu 'alaikum

Where can I get Imam Ash-Shaafi'ee's Diwaan?

[Abu Anas]

wa'alaykumus salaam wa rahmatullaah,Where can I get Imam Ash-Shaafi'ee's Diwaan?You can download an online version here (http://www.almeshkat.com/books/open.php?cat=17&book=16).

[Sitt ad-Daar]

http://www.kl28.com/books/showbook.php?bID=22&pNo=1#start

[Fajr]

JazaakumAllaahu khaira Abu Anas and Sitt ad-Daar, really appreciate it.

[yusuf]

does anyone have the poem of his, that goes (roughly):

"waladatka ummuka yabna aadam

wan-naas hawlaka suroora

(can't remember the third line)

kay takoon dhaahikan masroora.."

[Abu Muqatil]

Imam al-Shafi'i's career involved a lot of travel. The descendant from Ahl al-Bait was born in 150 AH (767 CE) in Gaza and travelled to Mecca as a child with his mother having been orphaned. There he travelled to Medina to learn from Imam Malik having memorised his al-Muwatta` hadeeth collection. Then he travelled to Baghdad (195-197) where he learnt from Imam Muhammad bin Hasan (Abu Hanifa's famous student and colleague) amongst others. He returned to Mecca and went back to Baghdad in 198 for a few months where he wrote al-Hujjah according to his earlier school of jurispudence. Then he moved to Egypt in 199 where he wrote al-Risaalah (in fundamentals of jurispudence - usool al-fiqh) and al-Umm (in his revised school of jurispudence). He died in 204 - rahimahullaah rahmatan waasi'ah (may Allah have extensive mercy upon him).

He wrote the following poem encouraging travel for which I found an instinctual affinity and encouragment (my translation below):-


الحض على الترحال

ما في المقام لذي عقلٍ وذي أدبٍ----------من راحة فدع الأوطان واغترب


سافر تجد عوضاً عمن تفارقه----------وانصب فإن لذيذ العيش في النصب


إني رأيت وقوف الماء يفسده----------إن ساح طاب وإن لم يجر لم يطب


والأسد لولا فراق الأرض ما افترست----------والسهم لولا فراق القوس لم يصب


والشمس لو وقفت في الفلك دائمة ً----------لملها الناس من عجم ومن عرب


والتبر كالترب ملقي في أماكنه----------والعود في أرضه نوع من الخطب


فإن تغرب هذا عز مطلبه----------وإن تغرب ذلك عز كالذهب
SOURCE: http://www.alhandasa.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-53188.html

There is no peace of mind for the one with intellect and sophistication in remaining stationary - so leave homelands and and go to foreign fields,

Travel! You will find a replacement for what you have left. Crash out! The sweetness of life is in crashing out,

I have seen that standing water stagnates, if it flows it nourishes, and if it doesn't run, it doesn't nourish,

If the lion doesn't leave his den he can't hunt, and if the arrow doesn't leave the bow it won't strike,

If the sun stood still in its course then people, Arab and non-Arab, would become bored,

Gold dust is as the earth thrown in its places, and oud is a type of firewood in its ground,

If one travels this, his ambition is honoured. If one travels this, he is honoured like gold.

It is also of benefit to know that Imam al-Shafi'i also had many other accomplishments. In his youth he was an excellent archer hitting the bull's eye nine (or ten) out of ten according to the reports. He is said to have composed a treatise on archery (as-Sabk wa al-Ramyi). It is said one day demonstrating his talent for archery, one of the spectators, 'Amr bin Sawwad, told him that he was a better scholar than an archer!

Imam al-Shafi'i was brought up amongst the North Arabian Hudhayli tribe and considered a proof for the correct speaking of Arabic.

al-Rabi' bin Sulayman (d. 207 AH from the major students of al-Shafi'i and the main conveyor of his written works) said, "If you had seen al-Shafi'i, you would have said, 'What are these books?!' By Allah, his tongue was greater than his books and his speech was a proof in philology."

Scholars of usool like Ibn al-Hajib and others would cite the "language of al-Shafi'i" like the citation of regional or tribal dialects. Even al-Asma'i, from the greatest Arab philologists, took Hudhayli poetry from him.

Furthermore to his extensive virtues, the following conversation between Imam Ahmad and his son, Abdullah is recorded:

Abdullah bin Ahmad bin Hanbal said, "I asked my father what kind of man was al-Shafi'i as I hear you frequently pray for him?" He replied, "Dear son, al-Shafi'i was like the sun to the day and like well-being to the people. Look, is there anything after these two or any replacement for them?"

Ahmad used to say, "I do not know anyone a greater blessing to Islam in al-Shafi'i's era than al-Shafi'i. I pray for him at the end of all my prayers, 'O Allah forgive me and my parents, and Muhammad bin Idris al-Shafi'i!"

From this we get a glimpse at what was important to our Salaf, the pious predecessors, from travelling for wisdom and knowledge as well as continued respect and awe of those that taught them and benefitted them.

Imam al-Shafi'i is said to have said, "I love the pious even though I am not from them" in accordance to the hadeeth that we are resurrected with those whom we love.

O Allah we are not from the pious but we love Imam al-Shafi'i so resurrect us with him in the companion of the Prophets, truthful, matyrs and pious!

Biographical details and annecdotes from Dr. Muhammad Feidullah's al-Madhaahib al-Fiqhiyya publised by Dar al-Qalam.

[Fajr]

لمن نعطي رأينا

ولا تعطين الرأي من لايريده

فلا أنت محمود ولا الرأي نافعه

To the one we give our opinions

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

[Fajr]

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

___________


أبواب الملوك


إن الملوك بـلاء حيثما خـلـوا *** فلا يكن لك في ابوابهم ظــل

ماذا تؤمل من قوم إذا غضبـوا *** جاروا عليك وإن أرضيتهم ملوا

فاستعن بالله عن ابوابهم كرمـا *** إن الوقوف على أبوابهــم ذل







Doors of the Kings


Truly the Kings are a tribulation wherever they withdraw to
So don’t let there be a shade for you at their doors
What can be hoped from a people that if they are angry
they oppress you and if you please them they become bored?
So seek help with Allaah most kindly from their doors
Truly standing at their doors is a humiliation

[BlessedMuslimah]

Does anyone have my signature in arabic? Imam Ash_shaafi3i is the one who authored it.

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!"

[Umm `Abd al-Mu`izz]

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!"


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

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

[BlessedMuslimah]

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

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


Jazakillahu Khairan sis! Much appreciated :)

[Fajr]

المثل الأعلى


إن الفقيـه هو الفقيـه بفعلـه *** ليس الفقيه بنطقه ومقالـه
وكذا الرئيس هو الرئيس بخلقه *** ليس الرئيس بقومه ورجاله
وكذا الغني هو الغني بحالــه *** ليس الغني بملكه وبمالــه


The Highest Example


Truly the Faqih is a Faqih because of his actions
Not because of his articulated speech or saying
And likewise a leader is a leader because of his nature
Not because of his nation or his men
And likewise a rich man is a rich man due to his state
And not due to his possessions or wealth

[Editor]

من ذا الذي قد نال راحة سره * في عسره إن كان أو في يسره
فأخو التجارة خـائف مترقب * مما يلاقي من خسارة أمره
وأخو الوزارة حـائر متفـكر * مما يقاسي من نوائب دهره
وكذلك السلطـان في أحكامه * رهن الهموم على جلالة قدره
ولقد حسدت الطير في أوكاره * فوجدت أكثر ما يصاد بوكره
تالله لو عـاش الفتى من دهره * ألفا من الأعوام مالك أمره
متلـذذا فيهـا بكل مليـحة * متنعما فيها بنعمى عصره
لا يعتريـه السقـم فيها مرة * أبدا ولا تطرا الهموم بفكره
وصفت له الأيـام حتى إنـه * لا تنطق الأصوات عند مقره
ما كان ذلك كلـه ممـا يفي * بمبيت أول ليلة في قبره


Who has found true peace of mind
In better, or perhaps in worse?
The businessman is worn with fear
Of loss in his commerce
The statesman lives in fretful dread
Of times and tides adverse
The potentate, for all his power
In thrall to angst and fears
For after every glad report
Comes news that rocks his piers
I’d envy the birds, but the nest, I found
Is oft where the kill occurs
By Allah, if a man had to live, in control
Of his life, for a thousand years
Indulging in every beauty’s delight
In a bliss that for life endures
With never an illness obstructing his way
And he never a worry incurs
And tranquility reigns, and his days are serene
And no noise ever reaches his ears—
None of that would avail him the first night spent
In the grave, when he ends his years.

- (trans.) Abu Muhammad