This short poem by Ibn al-Farid is exquisite in sound and meaning, and a favorite amongst Sufi singers: Translation: I hide love, while my tears reveal it and I try to kill it, but my passion revives itMy torturer is sweet-natured and delicate and all beauties are gathered in himIt is as if he is,…
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…
Ibn al-Fāriḍ—My heart told me
Translation: 1) My heart told me that you are my destroyer my soul is your hostage/ransom whether you know it or not 2) I have not honored the right of your love if I do not die in it out of sorrow, and someone like me is one who honors (his promises) 3) What do…
One Love
Ibn al-Fāriḍ Translation: As for my way in love, I have no way If I neglect my love for a day, then I have left my sect And if the thought of other than you occurs to me Inadvertantly, I would consider it as my apostasy You govern my life as you will, so…
Fragments of Love
Some famous and beautiful fragments (single verses) of Arabic Love poetry, often cited by Sufis. Translation: If not for You, we would not know Love, If not for Love, we would not know You. Original: لو لاكم ما عرفنا الهوى ولو لا الهوى ما عرفناكم Translation:…
Keats and the Sufis
these poems by John Keats pair nicely with the following poems by Ibn al-Farid and Hafez John Keats “Fill for me a brimming bowl” What wondrous beauty! From this moment I efface from my mind all women. Terrence, Eunuch, II.3.296 Fill for me a brimming bowl And in it let me drown my soul: But put therein…
Pass round love’s remembrance
One of my favorite poems by one of my favorite poets, Ibn al-Fāriḍ: Translation: Pass round the remembrance the one I love, even in reproach for tales about the beloved are my wine Let my hearing witness the one I love, though she be far through specters…
Bright Night, Dark Day
Shabistari The Rose Garden of Mystery (verses 122-130) Reason’s light applied to the Essence of Lights is like the eye of the head looking at the brilliance of the Sun when the object seen is very close to the eye The eye is darkened so that it cannot see it This blackness, if you know it, is…
Water, Air, Fire, Earth
Ibn al-Fāriḍ Translation: Purity but not water, Subtlety but not air Light but not fire, spirit but not body Original: صفاءٌ، ولا ماءٌ، ولُطْفٌ، ولاهَواً، ونورٌ ولا نارٌ وروحٌ ولا جسمُ Dattatreya Translation: Neither space nor air is the Reality; Neither earth nor fire is the Reality. If there’s only the…
Those who believe are more intense in love…
Quran 2:165 وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَندَادًا يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ اللَّهِ ۖ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلَّهِ ۗ وَلَوْ يَرَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا إِذْ يَرَوْنَ الْعَذَابَ أَنَّ الْقُوَّةَ لِلَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعَذَابِ “Translation”: Among the people are some who take peers apart from God, loving them as if loving God….