A Life of Honor Through Modesty
- Selected verses from the poem “A Life of Honor Through Modesty” by Ali ibn Abi Talib:
A person lives honorably as long as he is modest,
And the tree remains green as long as the bark is intact.
If you do not fear the consequences of life’s nights,
Then act as you please without regard.
Severed Ties After Connection with Zaynab
- Selected verses from the poem “Severed Ties After Connection with Zaynab” by Ali ibn Abi Talib:
Abandon youthful days, for time has passed them by,
And your best years have flown away.
Gone is youth, and there is no return,
Old age has arrived—where is the escape?
A guest has come to you who you did not honor,
And you see him shedding tears of sorrow.
Forget not what has been lost in youth,
Remember your sins and weep over them, oh sinner.
Beware of the reckoning, for surely it
Will account for what you have collected and written.
The two angels did not forget what you forgot,
But they recorded it while you were lost in play.
Your soul is a trust you have been given,
We will return it, irrespective of your will.
And your worldly delusions that you strive for
Are nothing but a transient enjoyment.
Know that both night and day
Count and calculate every breath we take.
All that you have amassed and collected
Will surely be plundered after your demise.
Cursed be a dwelling whose comforts do not last,
For its builder will soon see it in ruin.
Do not trust the whimsical twists of fate, for
It continually shapes the paths through the ages.
So, adhere to the fear of God; holding onto it will result in success,
For the pious are truly the luminous ones.
Work for His obedience, and you will find His pleasure,
Indeed, the obedient is brought closer to God.
Find contentment, for some satisfaction brings comfort,
And despair over what has passed is the true goal.
There is no benefit in the friendship of a flatterer,
Sweet of tongue but with a heart on fire.
He meets you swearing he is confident in you,
But when he is away, he stings like a scorpion.
He offers you sweet words with the tip of his tongue,
And he backtracks from you like a cunning fox.
Choose your companion wisely and boast of him,
For the companion is linked to their associate.
The wealthy among men is honored,
While he is both feared and admired for what he possesses.
He is welcomed with open arms upon arrival,
And is cherished when he greets others.
Lower your wings to all family members,
With humility, and forgive them their transgressions.
Abandon deceit; let it not be your companion,
For indeed, the liar is the worst friend to keep.
And shun the envious, even if they seem agreeable,
Keep them far from your sight; they bring no good.
Weigh your words when you speak, and do not be
Loquacious in every gathering you address.
Guard your tongue and be careful with your speech,
For the man is safe through his words and can be harmed.
Keep your secrets hidden; do not voice them,
For secrets are captive unless divulged.
Strive to protect hearts from harm,
As reconciling them after differences is arduous.
Hearts resemble glass; if enmity arises,
A fracture cannot be repaired easily.
In the same manner, if one does not guard their secrets,
They become the subject of gossip, growing and deceiving.
Be not overly greedy for wealth,
For greed does not yield abundance but brings sorrow.
It leaves one in a state of anxiety, striving
And sustenance cannot be drawn through cunning.
Fulfill your trusts and avoid betrayal,
For justice will lead you to prosperity.
If you are afflicted by calamity, be patient,
Who among the faithful has not encountered trials?
If hardship falls upon you in life’s journey,
And calamities arise that are hard to bear,
Call upon your Lord; He is closer to you than
The jugular vein—He hears your call.
Stay distant from the crowds as much as you can,
For many from among people are not to be trusted.
Choose your companions wisely, favoring those
Who are wise, knowledgeable, and dignified.
Beware the oppressed; their arrow is precise,
For know that their supplication is not dismissed.
And if you find sustenance scarce in a land,
And fear that your profits may dwindle,
Then travel, for the land of God is expansive,
Both in length and width—its east and west.
I have advised you; if you heed my counsel,
For surely, the best advice is what is both given and received.
Perseverance Through Difficulties
- Selected verses from the poem “Perseverance Through Difficulties” by Imam Al-Shafi’i:
Be patient with the hardships from a teacher,
For failure in learning is found in his reluctance.
He who has not tasted the bitterness of learning for a moment,
Will drink the poison of ignorance throughout life.
And he who missed education in his youth,
Let him mourn for his loss as if counting four for his death.
For the essence of a person bears no significance
If knowledge and piety are not at his core.
Friendship’s Transition
- Selected verses from the poem “Friendship’s Transition” by Ali ibn Abi Talib:
The bonds of friendship have faltered,
Honesty has diminished, and hope has ceased.
Time has betrayed me, leading me to a friend,
His betrayal leaves no care in my soul.
There were brothers with whom I was faithful,
Yet loyalty has proven to be fleeting.
Friends abound only when I am in need of them,
But they become enemies when hardship comes.
They sustain ties as long as they see me,
And affection remains while encounters last.
If I am self-sufficient, then they abandon me,
Retracting their fondness in the name of self-reliance.
He will suffice me who has been sufficient for me,
For poverty is not everlasting, nor is wealth.
Every bond done for the sake of God remains intact,
While no friendship can endure alongside vice.
For every wound has its cure,
Yet bad character has no remedy.
Indeed, no blessing lasts forever,
Just as suffering, too, cannot persist endlessly.