Mahmoud Darwish In Jerusalem BY MAHMOUD DARWISH TRANSLATED BY FADY JOUDAH In Jerusalem, and I mean within the ancient walls, I walk from one epoch to another without a memory to guide me. The prophets over there are sharing the history of the holy … ascending to heaven and returning less discouraged and melancholy, because love and…
The Troubadour of Love
Translation: The troubadour of love has such a wonderful voice and song Every melody in his repertoire has a path to a place May the world never be empty of the cry of lovers Because it has a sweet and joyful voice Although our dreg-draining Pir has neither…
Rumi-Looking for a true human
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs1StI9E71M Translation: Show your face, for the orchard and rose garden is what I long for Open your lips, for heaps of sugar are what I long for O Sun of beauty, come out of the cloud for a moment For that shining, radiant face is what I long for From your air, I…
Between you and me…
al-Ḥallāj Translation: Is it you or me? In this there are two gods yet You forbid, You forbid affirming duality Your selfhood is in my negation eternally My all clothes the all in two respects So where is your self [hidden] from me when I see? For my self became clear where there’s no…
Mawlid 2020, Muḥammad Majdhūb’s Praise
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…
Lament for Nigeria
Lament for Nigeria In response to the Lekki massacre, inspired by the words of Ṣeun Kuti and Aisha Yesufu dear god I come from two countries one is thirsty the other is on fire both need water -warsan shire A new moon rose up in the ember months over Nigeria A new spring burst forth…
Hard times
Skip James’ haunting depression-era blues song seems to only get more relevant with each passing day… Lyrics: Hard times is here and everywhere you go Times are harder than ever been before You know that people, they are are driftin’ from door to door But you can’t find no heaven, I don’t care where they…
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…