Sadness Disturbs, While Composure Restraints
The poet Al-Mutanabbi states:
- Sadness disturbs, while composure restrains.
And the tears between them, a stubborn servitor.
They contend for the tears of a sleepless eye,
This one brings them forth, and that one returns them.
Sleep after Abi Shuja is elusive,
And the night is oppressive, and the stars are dim.
Indeed, I shrink from the separation from my loved ones,
And I feel comprehension of the impending fate yet I gain courage.
Moreover, the wrath of adversaries intensifies my hardship.
The reproach of friends overwhelms me, leading to despair.
Life may appear tranquil to the ignorant or the distracted,
Regarding what has transpired and what is anticipated.
And for one who deceives themselves about truths,
Seeking what is unattainable, they become complacent.
Where is the disheveled structure of what once was?
Never shall his stature, his day, or his fall remain.
Remnants are left behind by their owners,
For a time, only to be claimed by obliteration.
The heart of Abi Shuja found no solace,
Before death approached, and he found no place to rest.
We once believed his abode to be filled with riches,
Yet he died, leaving every household in desolation.
Sadness Refuses to Let Me Forget the Pain
From the poet Al-Farazdaq:
- Sadness refuses to let me forget the pains inflicted
Deep in the heart, once held dearly.
And I am but like those who have faced
A destiny of calamities in this life.
If happenstance could be warded off by strength,
My hands would never encounter such sorrow or humiliation.
He is Sadness, Beyond Comparison
By poet Al-Lawah:
- He is sadness, unmatched by any grief
For the loss of a mind that has betrayed its sanity.
What a marvel to feel alive yet mourn him as deceased,
Interred deep, though never to be confined.
He is the sword, the headpiece, and the heart’s view.
When the blade breaks, the eye finds no relief.
If the mind departs, the body remains but a shell,
Devoid of restraint, hearing, speech, or thought.
They say you are a man of wisdom and reason,
Contrary to what they proclaim regarding the one who bows.
Is there any sane one who seeks sin as this?
Follow the guide of the living since the rain has fallen.
If the mind does not lead you to knowledge or holiness,
Then it becomes the foremost evidence in your misdeeds.
I am the beholder, indulging in sin knowingly,
And alas, there is no comparison, neither from humans nor spirits.
Sadness Has Seen My Grief and Woes
From poet Ibn Jubayr Al-Shatibi:
- Sadness has witnessed my grief and sorrow,
And it became horrified by my state, unable to approach me.
It revealed an inability to resist the anguish,
And understood that my plight surpasses its own.
And it said, “Seek companionship elsewhere for yourself,”
And to demise, I stated, “I have reached the limit.”
I asked, “Can the longing suffice as a companion to me?”
And how could it, when my grief extends even to my friends?
When my struggles reached their height amidst my calamity,
Despair overwhelmed me, I returned to my Lord.
Thus, I inhaled the spirit of contentment through His decree,
I called out, “O, gentle breeze, upon my heart!”
To God, I lament about the disasters and their deeds,
They have disturbed my drink and frightened my flock.
Ask the night about me; did I rest in slumber?
How could that be, and my eyelids are at war with sleep?
Your Meeting Removed the Weight of Sadness
From poet Ibn Daninair:
- Your meeting has lifted the burden of grief from me,
So today, I do not complain of life’s misfortunes.
And I see no malice in the nights’ fluctuations,
After being near you, only kindness and grace remain.
You departed me after I had enjoyed moments of ease,
In my life, navigating the rough seas.
When you were in Aleppo, how could one perceive
Life after the spirit has left the body?
O son of the Prophet, and the blessings of time upon you,
Your actions teach kindness through their goodness.
O exalted position of virtue, if others arrived,
They would only stay temporarily upon the exalted hills.
I sought refuge beneath the shade of your wing,
Thus, I observed the states of affairs; they did not notice me.
Is There Not One Who Returns from Grief?
From poet Al-Farazdaq:
- Is there not one who returns to their sorrows?
And a worry that has approached me from below the eaves.
How many of my brothers, sleepless through the night,
Have remained awake, while the slumbering ones dwell easily.
The sun shines light for the rising dawn,
But the light of dawn fades in the presence of Khalid.
You shall hear what praises are sung about you when we gather
In Hadhramout amidst the spirited poetry.
Have you not seen Khalid’s hand distributing
To the people plentiful blessings from the many tributaries?
He has been blessed with streams, so he threw
With the likeness of your shade, large and mighty.
So there is none amongst Khalid’s hands like that,
In every aspect, full of praise and lineage.
So increase Khalid with what you hold in your right hand,
For in him lies the protection of Islam’s greatest knights.
Sadness Unites, Patience Divides
From poet Abu Firas Al-Hamdani:
- Sadness unites, while patience divides,
And love presents itself differently for me, while still being, consistent.
When every eye rests in slumber,
There is an eye where tears and insomnia partner.
Were it not for you, O gazelle of humankind,
I would not have reached the discomfort of the gaze.
But alas, I gazed as my companions proceeded to dawn,
With watchers of beauty, every grace flowing from them.
The Heart is Mixed with Concerns and Grief
From poet Al-A’sha:
- The heart is mingled with concerns and grief.
And recollection after a period of tranquility.
He is enthralled by the beauty of Hind, wandering,
At times calm and at other times yearning.
Her playful charm sets her apart,
Her soft limbs as delicate as a fawn’s.
If she sits, her essence flows like luscious wine,
And when she stands tall, she resembles a proud stallion.
Created to bring my heart to turmoil,
In this manner, temptation unfolds before people.
I have never seen her in solitude,
Yet among them, she is shy, unweighed.
Then I sent her a message, claiming
“To you I lend my heartfelt excuse; return to me.”
Do Not Grieve, You Have Avoided Sadness and Pain
From poet Ibn Al-Mu’tazz:
- Do not grieve, you have avoided sadness and pain,
And you have not lacked for any lasting companionship.
Is it not said regarding that which you cannot deny,
“In the honor of the noble youth, their generosity precedes their shame.”
O you who mock the descendants of Wahb, who have suffered loss,
Do not rejoice in their decrease of virtue.
My Heart is Burned by Pain and Sadness
From poet Al-Lawah:
- My heart is burned by regret and sadness.
Tears flow from my eyes continuously,
And the burden reveals my sorry state,
As I search my tears for hidden sorrow.
Who shall blame me if I live weeping
For you, Muhammad, as long as I live?
You have compelled me to weep with my own eyes,
Though I was once the wealthy who lacked nothing.
O Muhammad, since you departed from me,
Patience departed with you, my brother.
I find myself watching the Pleiades in sleeplessness,
As my tears remain as heavy as the sting of a scorpion.
Like the weeping of a nightingale, I respond to despair,
If the doves weep over their cooing,
Then I lament for a youth devoted and remorseful.
O, my sadness over him; what sorrow can outweigh
The lament for the past beyond reach?