Imam Al-Shafi’i
Imam Al-Shafi’i was born in Gaza in the year 150 AH (204 CE). Following the death of his father, his mother relocated him to Mecca to preserve his lineage. He traveled extensively in pursuit of knowledge, becoming renowned for his eloquence, poetic talent, skill in archery, and his love for travel. He memorized the Holy Quran by the age of seven and the Muwatta by the age of ten. Imam Al-Shafi’i had four children: Muhammad (Abu Othman), Fatima, Zainab from one mother, and Muhammad (Abu Al-Hasan) from a concubine named Dinar.
Let the days do as they please
Among the sayings of Al-Shafi’i regarding patience:
Let the days do as they please,
And be at ease when fate decrees.
Do not despair at the trials of nights,
For worldly events will not last in sight.
Be a man of valor when challenges arise,
And let generosity and loyalty be your guise.
Though flaws may be numerous in your view,
Cover them with generosity, as much as you can do.
Do not allow your foes to see you downcast,
For the delight of enemies is indeed a heavy task.
Do not expect kindness from the miserly,
For nothing in the fire quenches thirst thoroughly.
Your sustenance will not diminish with patience,
Nor will hardship increase your chance of abundance.
No sorrow endures, nor joy remains,
No poverty or wealth cause your heart to strain.
If you possess a content heart,
You and your possessions will not drift apart.
When death comes to visit uninvited,
Neither land nor sky can keep you safety provided.
God’s earth is vast, yet behold,
When fate descends, the space feels cold.
Let the days betray us time and again,
For no remedy can hinder death’s reign.
To You, O Creator of Creation, I Raise My Desire
Imam Al-Shafi’i states:
To You, O Creator of Creation, I lift my desire,
Even if You are the Most Compassionate and a criminal.
When my heart hardened and my ways became narrow,
I made my hope in Your forgiveness my ladder.
My sins have grown vast, yet when measured
With Your forgiveness, O Lord, they seem lesser.
You are ever-merciful, forgiving from sin unceasing,
Granting kindness and forgiveness, a true blessing.
If it were not for You, no worshipper would stand against Iblis,
How would he, when he tempted Your beloved Adam in bliss?
So blessed is the one who knows how to cry,
With tears flowing from the depth of longing gone awry.
He stands vigil through the darkness of night,
In fear and grief, making his heart a shrine of light.
Fluent in speech when he mentions You,
But silent in the midst of others he pursues.
He recalls the youthful days of his foolish deeds,
Regretting the errors upon which he feeds.
He becomes a companion of worry throughout the day,
A confidant to sleepless nights, when night sways.
He says, “My beloved, You are my hope and desire,
You are sufficient for those yearning for something higher.”
Are You not the One who nurtures and guides me,
And ever so bounteous and kind surely?
Perhaps the One who grants grace will forgive my fault,
And conceal my burdens, as if they never revolved.
O Advisor of Humanity, Reflect on Your Actions
Imam Al-Shafi’i said:
O advisor of others, reflect on your own deeds,
You who counts each moment as a cost, indeed.
Preserve your dignity from the shame it bears,
For white hair is seldom forgiven of cares.
Like a person carrying someone else’s clothes to the wash,
While his own garment is drenched in dirt and slosh.
You seek safety yet lack the path that brings,
For a ship cannot sail without the seas’ offerings.
Riding in a coffin, you will soon forget your steed,
What once carried you, will fade, indeed.
On the Day of Judgment, neither wealth nor child,
Can shield you from the grave that feels wild.
If You Hear of a Blessed Person
Imam Al-Shafi’i remarks:
If you hear of a blessed person who possesses,
What they have cultivated yields fruits in their hands, no less.
And if a deprived comes forth to drink water,
Be certain, soon enough he will see what he sought after.
If riches could be acquired through mere will,
I would have climbed to the stars that shimmer until.
But those endowed with wisdom seldom find wealth,
For they exist in realms separate from material self.
Witness how the destiny of a wretched man unfolds,
While a fool enjoys a sweet life he holds.
Indeed, he who was granted affluence in vain,
Will earn neither praise nor reward without right gain.
To hard work, comes nearer every distant aim,
And diligence unlocks every door once it claims.
If a Person Values You Only with Pretense
Imam Al-Shafi’i spoke of friendship:
If a person values you only with pretension,
Then let them be, do not dwell on your apprehension.
For in people, there are replacements, and in detachment lies ease,
And a heart will endure, even when the beloved feels unease.
Not every soul you cherish returns that affection,
Nor does every friend willingly offer you protection.
If pure love cannot be maintained within,
Then there is no good in a friendship born of thin.
A disloyal friend betrays their companion,
Only to greet them with indifference when they respond in despair.
And to forget the life that once was shared,
Only to reveal secrets hidden and not bared.
Peace be upon the world, if in it there is no friend,
Who is true, honest, and fair ’til the very end.
Misery and Injustice
Al-Shafi’i reflected on greed and injustice:
I have examined the children of this world and found none,
Except for those whose hearts are heavy with greed overrun.
I drew my sword from the sheath of contentment’s ward,
Scattering my hopes like dust in the wind, ignored.
Neither of them would see me standing in their way,
Nor would they see me seated by their entryway.
Richness without wealth is sufficient for everyone,
For true wealth is found when one desires naught but fun.
If an oppressor sees merit in their malicious schemes,
Then they shall taste the bitterness of their dreamed themes.
Leave it to the passage of time, for it shall suffice,
To pay them back for wrongs ill-advised.
How many an arrogant oppressor, loud and proud,
Shall soon find that fate will bring him down unbowed.
And so he shall face what he previously contrived,
Exposed to the pain of his past whilst deprived.
Take Care of Yourself and Elevate Your Spirit
Among Al-Shafi’i’s profound reflections:
Take care of yourself and elevate it to what adorns,
Live in peace and speak well of others when the twilight dawns.
Don’t turn away from others but persevere to be kind,
Even if days grow harsh or friends unwind.
And if today’s sustenance is not enough for you,
Be patient until tomorrow when it may renew.
Don’t seek companionship from those who are deceitful,
For winds shall shift where they are agreeable.
And how many friends will gather when called upon,
Yet few will remain in times of trial or when burdens spawn.
No Rest for a Person of Mind and Culture
Imam Al-Shafi’i’s beautiful poetry includes:
No rest exists for a person of reason and genteel,
So leave your homeland and seek home afar, reveal.
Travel and you will find compensation more than you leave,
For hardship brings invaluable lessons to perceive.
I have seen stagnant water spoil and decay,
As it festers if it does not make its way.
Were it not for partings, the lion would not pounce,
And the arrow misses when it does not bounce.
If the sun stood still in its heavenly sphere,
People would tire of its light, both far and near.
The gold we seek in places fertile and rich,
Is lost among sellable goods the marketplace will ditch.
Whoever leaves this place finds rare treasures as they seek,
And whoever ventures forth finds joy pure and unique.
When My Heart Hardened and My Ways Became Narrow
Another of Al-Shafi’i’s poignant verses:
When my heart hardened and my paths grew constrained,
I made hope in your pardon, a means to refrain.
My sins seemed great but when brought near
With Your grace, O Lord, they disappeared.
For you remain forgiving without fail,
Bestowing Your mercy as a holy tale.
If it weren’t for you, no worshipper would persist against Satan,
How could one withstand when your favorite was to be taken?
To acknowledge the truth is deeper than despair,
Your forgiveness, Lord, is precious beyond compare.
When I Forgave and Held No Grudge Against Anyone
Al-Shafi’i on moral character states:
When I forgave and held no grudge against anyone,
I freed myself from the distress of animosity’s sun.
I greet my foes in their presence out of respect,
To eliminate harm with kindness perfect.
I show smiles to those I detest, not resentment,
As love and affection fill my heart’s contentment.
People can be both a source of illness and cure,
And keeping distance may lead to friendships more secure.
I have Associated with People Boundless in Number
Another gem from Al-Shafi’i’s verse:
I have associated with people boundless in count,
Yet I thought I had my world without a mount.
But when I tested my friends, it became clear,
Like the treacherous tide, they left me in fear.
If I disappear, the worst among them will scorn,
Yet if I fall ill, the best will not mourn.
And when they see my well-being, they grow so dour,
And take delight in my grief, should it sour.
Travel Away from Homes in Search of High Aspirations
In Al-Shafi’i’s lessons about knowledge, he says:
Travel far from your homeland in quest of elevation,
For within journeys lies profound contemplation.
Beneficial are the five in wandering wide:
Relief from burdens, and sustenance as your guide.
Knowledge and manners, and friendship with the noble,
Yet some may speak of travel as trials with trouble.
But death of the brave, may be better by far,
Than living in dishonor where envy leaves a scar.
In A Humble Position Beneath Your Grand Honor
Al-Shafi’i speaks of dignity:
In a humble position beneath Your grand regard,
I reveal secrets lost upon my heart’s card.
With my head bowed, I admit to my lowly station,
With hands extended, I seek mercy’s salvation.
Through Your blessed names, both beautiful and divine,
For their greatness transcends all rhythm or line.
With a pact from ages, “Am I not your Lord?”,
Among those once unknown, now praised by Your word.
Grant me the drink of a friendship so sweet,
A drink that risks no pain nor deceit.
I Rely on God, My Creator, for Provision
Al-Shafi’i’s words on reliance:
I rely on my sustenance from God, my Creator,
And I am certain that no doubt shall meet my greater.
What is destined for me shall come to be,
Even if it lies buried in depths of the sea.
God, in His majesty, will bring it to me,
And though I earn not a word to speak freely.
What cause for sorrow shall my soul reside,
When the Most Merciful has opened the tide?
The Fire of Desire Within Me Dimmed
Al-Shafi’i articulated:
The fire in my soul fizzled as trials took their weight,
The night turned dark as its moon threatened my fate.
O owl that has nested upon my weary brow,
Despite me, you linger while the raven draws near now.
I observed the destruction of my fleeting years,
As your dwelling is among ruins born of fears.
Can I still find any joy after trials have met?
For the dawn of white hair brings no solace yet.
The pride of a man before old age surely swells,
Yet time claims the youth and wanders as it dwells.
When the face grows pale and the hair turns to gray,
Life becomes misshapen and tortured in fray.
So let go of worldly entrapments and fallacies,
For they are sins no righteous heart should seize.
And give generously from your fame’s mighty hand,
For the noblest trade is that which truly stands.
And do not tread the land with arrogance high,
Soon in dust, within you shall lie.
He who tasted worldly pleasure, I’ve known enough,
Its sweetness and strife had sycophants so rough.
For I saw not but folly, a mirage on display,
As travelers wandered through life, led astray.
And what is it but carrion life untamed,
Surrounded by dogs whose pursuit is to claim.
To shun it brings peace to the heart and the soul,
Yet to grab it brings fights that heed not the goal.
So fortunate is the soul that finds peace in its den,
With doors closed tight and veils drawn dawned again.
My Heart Holds Waited Kindness O Lord
In Al-Shafi’i’s reflections of mercy:
My heart, O Lord, finds comfort in Your grace,
In secrecy, in openness, wherever I chase.
And throughout my sleep and awakening state,
Your remembrance lingers between breaths I take.
You’ve graced my heart with knowledge profound,
That You, O God, are the source where kindness is found.
I’ve come forth with sins, which You are aware,
Yet You did not shun me or display any care.
So bestow upon me, the remembrance of the righteous,
And keep me from judgments harsh, slice and vicious.
Be with me all through my life’s weary tread,
And on the day of resurrection, as my heart bled.