Let Time Take Its Course
Imam Al-Shafi’i stated:
Let time do as it wills,
And be at peace when fate takes its course.
Do not despair at the events of the nights,
For the troubles of this world are transient.
Be a man of steadfastness in adversity,
Your qualities should be generosity and loyalty.
Even if faults abound in your character,
And you wish for them to remain hidden,
Cover yourself with generosity, for every flaw
Can be concealed, as the saying goes, by generosity.
Do not fall into humiliation before your enemies,
For the ridicule of foes is a misfortune.
Do not expect generosity from the miser,
For there is no water in the fire for the thirsty.
Your sustenance is not diminished by patience,
Nor is hard work a guarantee for more wealth.
Neither sorrow nor joy lasts forever,
There is neither hardship nor comfort for you,
If you possess a content heart,
You and your wealth are equal in this world.
And if death descends upon you,
No land can provide protection, nor sky shelter.
The earth of God is vast, yet,
When fate befalls, space seems confined.
Let time deceive whenever it wills,
For no medicine can ward off death.
To You, O Creator, I Raise My Desires
To You, O Creator, I raise my desires,
Even if I am a sinner in Your presence.
When my heart hardened and my pathways narrowed,
I made hope in Your forgiveness my ladder.
My sins overwhelmed me, and when I equated them
With Your forgiveness, O Lord, Your mercy was greater.
For You have always been forgiving of sins without cease,
Generous, extending kindness and magnanimity.
Had it not been for You, no worshiper would stand against Satan,
How could one, then, when your chosen one, Adam, was led astray?
Glory be to You, the knowledgeable, whose tears
Flow from excessive yearning.
He stands vigil when night casts its darkness,
Turning inward in profound fear.
Expressing his needs when engaged in Your remembrance,
In all else, he is silent in the company of people.
He recalls days past from his youth,
And the mischief he committed during that time.
He becomes a companion of worry all day long,
A brother to sleeplessness and whispering when night falls.
He says: “My beloved, You are my wish and longing,”
Indeed, You are sufficient for those who seek You.
Are You not the one who nourished and guided me?
And you continue to be gracious and generous towards me.
May He, who is gracious, forgive my mistakes,
And conceal my flaws, both past and present.
O Counselor of the People, Practise What You Preach
O counselor of the people, act upon your advice,
O one who counts the years with every breath.
Preserve the dignity of your gray hair from blemishes,
For white hair carries little burden of disgrace.
Like one who carries other people’s washed clothes,
While his own garments are steeped in impurity.
You seek salvation, yet you lack the means to achieve it,
For a vessel cannot sail upon dry land.
Riding the funeral bier will make you forget riding
What you once rode—mules and horses.
On the Day of Judgment, there will be neither wealth nor offspring,
And the embrace of the grave will overshadow the wedding night.
When You Hear of Someone Who Has Gained
When you hear of someone who has gained fortune,
Be wary, for it has brought forth fruit from their hands.
And when you hear of someone deprived of water,
Only to find it diminished, know it is true.
If wealth could be attained through maneuvering,
You would find me hanging from the stars in the sky.
But he who possesses intelligence is not granted wealth,
Two opposites diverging from one another.
And the most deserving of worry are those
Of high aspirations who suffer from scarcity.
Evidence of fate’s decree is evident:
The wise endure hardship, while the fool enjoys comfort.
Indeed, he who is granted wealth without merit,
Receives neither praise nor gratitude unless he is fortunate.
Determination brings all distant matters near,
And effort opens every locked door.
On Greed and Oppression
I have tested the children of this world and found in them,
Nothing but greed filling their essence.
I drew my sword from the sheath of contentment,
Cutting my hopes from their mere illusions.
Neither does one see me standing in their path,
Nor do they see me waiting at their door.
Wealth without money is true richness to all,
For true wealth lies in the absence of need.
When an oppressor praises injustice as a principle,
He indulges boldly in vile earnings.
Leave everything to the passage of time, for it will,
Call the one who did not account for its reckoning.
How many rebellious oppressors have we seen,
Who regard the stars beneath their feet?
But shortly, while he is heedless,
The tides of fate will arrive at his doorstep.
And he will be repaid according to his deeds,
As God unleashes His whip of retribution upon him.
If a Person Only Values You Out of Effort
If a person only values you out of obligation,
Let them be; do not lament excessively.
There are substitutes among people, and in departure, there is ease,
And the heart finds patience for the beloved, even if neglected.
Not every one you love will reciprocate your feelings,
Nor will every one you befriend remain steadfast.
If sincere affection is not ingrained in one’s nature,
Then there is no good in friendship built on pretense.
And no good in a friend who betrays his companion,
Only to meet him with coldness after camaraderie.
One who forgets a life once shared,
And unveils a secret that lingered in shadows.
Greetings to the world if it offers no sincere friends,
A trustworthy companion, honest with promises, just in deeds.
Care for the Soul and Refine Its Qualities
Care for the soul and cultivate its virtues,
Live safely and with a good name.
Disregard people only when you manifest grace,
Fate may turn harsh or friends may turn cold.
If today’s sustenance is limited, wait for tomorrow;
Perhaps the hardships of time will ease.
There is no good in the companionship of the fickle,
As the wind sways in the direction it desires.
And although the number of friends appears numerous,
In times of trial, they are exceedingly few.
There is No Peace for the Wise and Cultured in Rest
There is no peace for the wise and cultured in rest;
So leave your homeland and embrace exile.
Travel, and you’ll find compensation for those you part from,
For the sweetness of life lies in striving.
I have observed that stagnant water breeds spoliation;
Flowing is blissful, while standing is awful.
The lion would not prey without departing the land,
Nor would the arrow hit without leaving the bow.
Fabricated permanence eventually tires out people,
While the soil holds selfsame assets like fuel.
Indeed, if this one retreats, his pursuit becomes esteemed,
And if that one progresses, he is welcomed most like gold.