One of my favorite poems in praise of the Prophet is this gem from the Sudanese Sufi Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Qamar al-dīn al-Majdhūb (d. 1831) a friend and student of Aḥmad ibn Idrīs (d. 1837). Translation: Upon you be God’s blessing, and then His peace too O Messenger of God, I am so enamored…
The Iwan of Chosroes
The Iwan of Chosroes in Iraq is the only visible structure remaining of the Sassanid capital of Ctesphion (Madā’in in Arabic), about 35 km south of present-day Baghdad. Its Iwan, or arch, the largest vault of unreinforced brickwork in the world, is considered an architectural marvel. Possibly constructed during the reign of Anushirwan (Chosroes I)…
Words of Bewilderment…
Say: My Lord increase me in knowledge! قل ربّي زدني علماً Quran 20:114 My Lord increase me in bewilderment in Thee! ربّي زدني فيك تحيراً -Saying of the Prophet Muḥammad Rumi Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment for cleverness is mere opinion and bewilderment is vision. زیرکی بفروش و حیرانی بخر زیرکی ظنست و…
Madīḥ for the Mawlid
For the Mawlid 1441/2019 Chorus: صلاة ربّي مع السلام على الحبيب سيّد الكيان Ṣalaatu rabbi ma‘ as-salaami ‘alā’l-ḥabeebi seyyidil-Kiyaani حمداً لربّي لمن يربّ كلّ الانام و قد كافان ḥamdan li rabbi li man yurabbi kullal-anaami wa qad kafaani Praise be to my Lord for the one who cares for All creatures, and has sufficed…
al-Tilimsānī: Loving you is a gilded religion
Some beautiful poems of Ibn ‘Arabi’s Maghrebi student, ‘Afīf al-Dīn al-Tilimsānī: Translation: I have, in loving you, a golden religion and a quest like it as a goal I became a slave well-pleased with what pleases you, having neither hope nor fear When the cup of your saki appears I am the first to drink…
When I die—Rumi and al-Ghazali
Two of the most beautiful death-bed poems from two great Sufis. I pray to live in such a way that someone will recite these at my burial. Rumi Translation: When my bier moveth on the day of death Think not my heart is in this world. Do not weep for me and cry “woe, woe!”…
Loving TaHa is Delightful
One of my favorite poems in praise of the Prophet, from Mauritania: Translation (a bit of liberty taken to approximate the metre of the original poem): Loving TaHa is delightful…How lovely is that Great Noble! He’s the treasure of creation, and to all goodness, a doorway And he’s peace and our protection, and he’s food…
She walks in beauty like the night…
One of my favorite English poems of all time is reminiscent of Sufi poetry about Layla, whose name means “night,” and who symbolizes the beloved Divine Essence/Essence of the Self. Lord Byron https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_zCOJOgd4U She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that’s best of dark and bright Meet…
You are Light
One of my favorite poems in praise of the Prophetic Light: Translation: Prayers of God upon You, Light Light of all the dwelling places O you, best of all in spaces Messenger of God, You are You are light in form and shape As “light upon light” you came The Qur’an…
Khaqani on Love
Khaqani Translation: The bird that sings the song of pain is love The courier who knows the tongue of the Unseen is love The existence that calls you to nonexistence is love And that which redeems you from you is love Original: مرغی که نوای درد راند عشق است پيکی که زبان غيب داند…