Poem: Generosity as the Trait of Glory
Mohamed Sami Al-Baroudi states:
Generosity is the hallmark of glory,
While the coldness of manners is the nature of the lifeless.
A young man will not prevail, even if he possesses wisdom,
Unless he arises from the noble ones.
Indeed, the elegance of character is preferable
To stubbornness that provokes the wars of corruption.
The patient may achieve, with gentleness, what the mighty cannot
On the day of combat.
So, couple patience with generosity to reach
All that you aspire to attain from your desires.
Place generosity where it cultivates, so you harvest
The fruits of gratitude from the planting of good deeds.
Beware people as much as you can, for they are
Crafty deceivers and adversaries.
Often, you see a friend with a smiling face,
Yet he harbors the burdens of hatred deep within.
Contemplate the glances, and you will learn
What the depths of hearts conceal.
Indeed, in the eye—though it be a small organ—
There is a guide to the secrets of the heart.
And among those I have accompanied are wolves,
Disguised in the garments of friendship and affection.
They wish for my downfall, yet greet me
With a face that feigns camaraderie.
They outpaced me, but then fell short of catching up,
For true precedence is a trait of the noble.
Here I stand, caught between blessing and envy,
With many a high status surrounded by maligners.
Let them perish in their jealousy, for the endurance of
Resentment is a death without a deadline.
How can a clean face shine among people
Whose shame is stained with gloom?
They show off the adornments of deception while hiding
A soul akin to embers beneath the ashes.
You see one among them laughing,
While his garments are soaked with the blood of the oppressed.
A group where neither their newborns are pure of cradle
Nor their elders are dignified in the beds of honor.
Such are their deeds, marking the harshness and hostility
That was among them.
Seeking prestige for pride’s sake is not
The same as pursuing excellence for sustenance.
Rarely is a man fit for seriousness
If he is of fallen ancestry.
So, hold fast to wisdom, and you will attain the delights of existence
Undiminished, for the mind is the finest equipment.
Indeed, in deep wisdom lies sustenance for the spirit,
Like medicine for bodies.
Poem: Generosity of Time
Ibrahim Ibn Abd al-Qadir al-Riyahi expresses:
Time has been generous, yet it lacked nobility,
And now its clarity makes me a companion of serenity.
And from abundant blessings bestowed upon me,
My mouth and essence owe their thanks to the Almighty.
Greatness overwhelmed eloquent poetry, and perhaps
Even praise falls short of honoring the sublime.
Most significant is my gaze upon Ibn Harazim,
Delighting in the bliss of his visage.
And I revel in his virtues
And inhale the charms of his character.
Through his fragrance, I discern
The gathering of knowledge, insights, and refined nuances.
I find strength in my humility before his beauty
And pride in being distinguished by his presence.
He who bears the treasures of his hidden truths,
Should he so appear, would astonish all wise men.
He is the one granted knowledge, rising
From secrecy to reveal the profound.
His countenance is a mirror of joy
And a cure for the ill.
He earns divine approval
And, in rewarding others, remains blameless.
He is the one the Messenger wishes to connect with
And from whom he receives knowledge.
He is the one whom the kindred confide secrets to
And his status is universally acknowledged.
He holds talents of which
All people aspire for, chasing after every virtue.
His love extends to their spirits,
Providing sustenance for travelers and residents alike.
O my master, how many times I invoked for my lord
Until I recognized you and understood my fate.
I learned that I had been charting in passion,
And trailing behind while misfortune was my companion.
O my refuge, your grace is my solace
In the heat of life’s adversities.
Will you unveil the turmoil of my heart? For it has seized me
And overwhelmed me with whispered doubts and worries.
Will you offer mercy for my plight and relieve me,
For the pious among God’s people are truly compassionate.
Is there a rescuer for one lost
In need of aid to alleviate his troubles?
Have mercy on the tears of those who have seen you
And thus have adorned themselves with the pearls of gratitude.
And the souls that have been consumed by mourning
Find solace in acknowledging your greatness.
And the limbs that hasten towards you, led by
A root profound in significance yet not burdensome.
And secrets whose shades darkened when they found
No refuge other than painful longing for you.
Longing, if not for memories, would not have been
Renewed in hopes that are not a mere illusion.
Do not cut off my hopes that I’ve directed
Towards you—for indeed, you are the granter of grace.
I have made you my means among mankind,
And my supplication through your guidance is unbroken.
I have made my love for you a secure bond,
By which I bond myself to you without reproach.
And I hoped from my Lord, through your grace, the benefits of which
I have come to know in abundance.
O my support, my goal, my master,
My savior and my closest friend.
You are the one whom my Lord selected for His secret
And bestowed upon with generous qualities.
May you dwell in bliss, for you are the sovereign of the people,
And I am blissful to call you my servant.
And His Messenger has heralded your recognition
Among those closest to the secrets of God.
May God’s peace be upon you whenever the breeze blows,
Wrapping you in its enchanting fragrance.
Poem: Ask the Generous King Where He Constructs
Badi’ al-Zaman al-Hamadhani writes:
Ask the gracious king, “To what end do you build”
And “Where?” for you have traveled beyond the heavens.
Do you seek nothing but
Exaltedness, generosity, or loyalty?
If you were to dissolve me, I would be no more
Than a devoted disciple or a supplicant.
I granted you a heartfelt welcome,
It nearly quenched my insatiable thirst.
Could relief not come through joy
For the sick when they find their cure?
I ran alongside kings to their heights,
Experiencing their light and ascension.
I preferred generosity and even wealth,
For those after acclaim often seek riches.
What good is accumulating coins,
Like gathering wisdom? They are not alike.
One might see a throne adorned in splendor,
And the instrument saturated with tenderness and joy.
When you step forward, your feet stride
Towards the branches, or the news of your arrival spreads.
Poem: The Generous One
Elia Abu Madi states:
They asked, “Can you describe the generous one for us?” I replied promptly:
He is like spring—the beauty in his presence is adored.
One is cheerful at his arrival, yet longs for him in his absence.
He never rests content if his companion does not please him,
And when nights smiled upon him, he neither misleads nor misguides.
You see him smiling, jocularly, amidst grave misfortunes,
Yet upon seeing the envious, he weeps, sympathetic towards his rivals.
Like roses that delicately fragrance the air,
To the noses of those who would seize the sweet.
Poem: O Good, Cloaked in Glory and Generosity
Ibn Hani al-Andalusi praises:
O you who are enveloped in glory and generosity,
And the best among people, whether Arab or foreign.
O son of kindness, charity, and together with
Wisdom, knowledge, ethics, and prudence.
If I could attain my desires in what I aspire,
I would bear for you the burden you carry of pain.
Consider me as you would a hand granted to lift you,
From the hands of many with utmost assistance.
That you might walk, whole of body, to safety,
Ascending toward nobility and generosity.
God knows that, since I have heard of what
You embody, I cannot sleep nor relent.
In those moments, I find myself compelled to restlessness,
Sometimes steadfast, and at other times lost amidst darkness.
How could my ailments dare to approach
The one in whose hands lies the cure for suffering?
The chosen one, whose gaze has only glimpsed
Great acts of valor and noble deeds.
May the generous be drawn to honorable goals—
So let them make haste with valorous intent.