The Most Beautiful Verses of Imam Al-Shafi’i on Wisdom
Imam Al-Shafi’i once said:
Let the days do as they please,
And be at peace when fate has decreed.
Do not despair at the events of the nights,
For the calamities of the world do not endure.
Be a man of courage in the face of fears,
With generosity and loyalty as your cheer.
If your flaws in the eyes of others are many,
And it pleases you to have them well-hidden,
Cover them with generosity, for every fault,
Can be concealed as the wise have told.
And never show weakness to your foes,
For the gloating of enemies is a real woe.
Do not expect kindness from a miser,
For what quenches the thirsty man is impossible in the fire.
Your livelihood is not diminished by patience,
And labor does not increase your sustenance.
Neither sorrow lasts forever, nor joy’s parade,
Neither hardship nor ease should lead you astray.
If you possess a heart that is content,
You and the possessor of the world are equivalent.
And he who has death at his doorstep,
Finds no refuge in earth or skies.
The land of Allah is vast indeed,
But when fate descends, space constrains.
Let the days deceive at every turn,
For no remedy prevents death’s return.
He also stated:
Wisdom is not grasped by those who toil,
In the affairs of their kin,” he did unveil.
Knowledge eludes only those who free,
From distractions and their minds’ debris.
If Luqman the Wise, who was favored by all,
Had faced poverty and dependent’s call,
He would not discern between chaff and green,
So much depends on what we have seen.
Beautiful Poems by Abu Al-Atahiya on Wisdom
Abu Al-Atahiya expressed:
We have heard the sermon, but has it helped us?
And read most of the verses in the scriptures.
Each soul shall receive its due reward,
And has a determined time every day afforded.
The pens have dried out, as it was decreed,
What Allah has written, none can impede.
How many kings and lords have we seen,
Fate turned against them, a shifting scene.
And those who served their masters’ commands,
Found the kingdom forever in their hands.
Do not lament what has passed away,
If only it had not belonged to yesterday.
Invest in today and let tomorrow be,
For each day brings its own uncertainty.
Man flees from death, but does it truly matter?
For evading death will only make it batter.
Each soul must face its trials unmet,
For death is a test none can forget.
O people, what has bewildered you so?
It is astonishing, the stupor you show!
Illness, death, graves, and then the judgment,
A record preserved, and scales of adjustment.
Beware the path, those who deviate shall find,
Only a long term of disgrace and bind.
Allah is enough, one deity alone,
What is meant in life? What folly have you done?
O Seeker of Wisdom from the Wise
The poet said:
O seeker of wisdom from the knowledgeable,
Light illuminates the shades of the darkest trouble.
And a solid root forever nourishes its branch,
As the buds bloom from waters they quench.
He who envies others for their wealth,
Carries the burdens of his own by stealth.
And destiny is deceptive with its lure,
Enticing progeny with promises that are sure.
Fathers are linked with their progeny,
As children trace back to their ancestry.
The action is attributed to its dues,
Like everything that is named it pursues.
A Poem by Al-Mutanabbi: Each Has What They Are Accustomed To
Al-Mutanabbi wrote:
Each person has what they are accustomed to,
And the state’s sword is used to strike the foe.
And it deceives rumors with truths opposing,
And at the end remains blissful, foreboding.
Oftentimes, one wishes harm upon their own,
And leads their army toward the unknown.
And the arrogant have never known God,
When they grasp the sword and claim their laud.
The sea, in calm, may seem inviting,
But beware when it roars, the tides igniting.
For I have seen the sea stumble sailors bold,
Who sought adventures too brazenly told.
Royalty remains humbly bowed before him,
Falling defeated, their majesty grim.
Money rallies with weapons and blades,
Bringing life where smiles and valor cascades.
Wise and discerning is the heart in its gaze,
For it sees today what tomorrow conveys.
With horses to conquer the hardest terrain,
And if the sun were water, it would have rained.
For this reason, Ibn Al-Dumustuq calls his day,
A death, and he called it his rebirth too, hey!
Traveling to Jaihyan from the land of Amad,
Three times you’ve made me near, then far away.
He fled but gifted you his armies, gathered round,
Yet he left no blessings, only chaos abound.
You came to him at the edge of life, so bold,
And his swords now eventually unfold.
What more does the blue lance seek but gold?
But Constantine stood ready to keep watch untold.
So in fear, he dons a fear-stricken garb,
While in humility, he walks the land, often disbarred.
He limps with a cane in the monastery, repentant,
Not accepting the stride of the nobleman, resplendent.
Nor repents till he leaves the face of the clash,
Wounded and faint while the dust bashes.
If it were saving from Ali a fright,
The heavens would tremble and fear the light.
Every person in the east and west after her,
Will prepare for death, their tribes do defer.
Congratulations to you, the day that is your feast,
And feasting for those who named and honored the beast.
And the holidays continue to grant you delight,
In blessings and renewals of spirit through night.
Today, in the realm, resemble your every day,
As you were among them, a unique display.
He is the grandfather until the eye shines,
And until today becomes yesterday—divine.
What an odd fate that you wield the sword,
Will you not guard against strikes the blade has stored?
And he who can turn if entered the lion’s den,
Sees himself caught where the huntsman has been.
I have seen you as pure wisdom, the heart is light,
And if you wished, wisdom would shine even bright.
And not being freed was the fate of the free,
For where can be found the one holding the key?
If you honored the noble, you’d have power untold,
But if you honored the base, they would be bold.
And placing dew where swords belong up high,
Is detrimental, like placing swords where dew shall lie.
But by far, you surpass others in thought and in sight,
As you have surpassed them in health and in might.
Knocking ideas with every deed you partake,
Leaving hidden what is veiled for others’ sake.
Remove the envy of the envious, with their suppression,
For you are the one who has turned them into aggression.
If my resolve strengthens in their regard,
I strike with a sword that cuts deep with regard.
And I am just a due of faithful service I’ve shown,
That has adorned the offering and mislead the prone.
The world is nothing but a chronicler of what I choose,
When I write, the world becomes a singer of my muse.
Thus, those who do not march will find themselves behind,
And those who sing have been traced by what I defined.
Excuse me if you recite, for truly,
With my verses, the praises echo drearily.
And let all voices but mine not sing,
For I am the cry, and the others are but a ring.
I’ve left the fortune of others behind whenever lost,
With your grace, my horses wear the armor embossed.
And I have bound myself to your love for my sake,
For whoever finds kindness will remain awake.
If man asks the days for wealth in his plight,
Your absence gives me a promise of delight.