as sung by the remarkable Saad Temsamani تهْ دلالاً فأنتَ أهلٌ لذاكا وتَحكّمْ، فالحُسْنُ قد أعطاكَا ولكَ الأمرُ فاقضِ ما أنتَ قاضٍ فعلّي الجمالُ قدْ ولاّكا Translation: Be haughty, because you’re worth it, and have your way Because of what beauty has given you The command is yours, so judge what you’re the judge of Because…
Ibn al-Fāriḍ: My heart told me… -ابن الفارض : قلبي يحدّثني
A portion of one of my all-time favorite poems, beautifully recited قلْبي يُحدّثُني بأنّكَ مُتلِفي روحي فداكَ عرفتَ أمْ لمْ تعرفِ لم أقضِ حقَّ هَوَاكَ إن كُنتُ الذي لم أقضِ فيهِ أسى…
Songs from Andalus
Fado: Casa de Fados (from Carlos Saura’s film Fados) Lyrics (from the film’s subtitles): First singer: A lost friendship can never return It’s a forged firendship That jokingly comes and goes It’s a forged friendship that jokingly comes and goes No one gives a thing If behind that gesture there is no value Only a…
Rabi’a al ‘Adawiyyah-Two loves
عـرفت الهـوى مذ عرفت هـواك واغـلـقـت قلـبـي عـمـن سـواك I’ve known love since I’ve known your love I’ve closed my heart to all but you وقمت اناجيـــك يـــا من تــرى …
Thuluthiyat (Hallaj)
الحلاج Al-Hallaj ثلاثيات Thulathiyat, the Trinities سكوت ثم صمت ثم خرس Quiet then muteness then silence وعلم ثم وجد ثم رمس Knowledge then ecstasy then grave وطين ثم نار ثم نور Clay then fire then light و برد ثم ظل ثم شمس Cold then shadow then sun وحزن…
Ibn al-Farid’s Khamriyyah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwOZvUch2pE Translation: Rememb’ring the belovèd, wine we drink Which drunk had made us ere the vine’s creation. A sun it is; the full moon is its cup; A crescent hands it round; how many stars Shine forth from it the moment it be mixed! But for its fragrance ne’er had I been guided Unto…
Layla
(English adaptation by Martin Lings) Full near I came unto where dwelleth Layla, when I heard her call. That voice, would I might ever hear it! She favored me, and drew me to her, Took me in, into her precinct, With discourse intimate addressed me. She sat me by her, then came closer, Raised the…