O Father of Zahra, Your Praise Exceeds My Worth
Numerous poems have been composed in honor of the finest of creation, our trustworthy Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him). Among these, the poem “Praise of the Kings” by Ahmed Shawqi stands out as one of the most exquisite works dedicated to the Prophet (peace be upon him). The following verses are part of this celebrated poem that pays tribute to the greatest among humans:
Ask my heart, that morning when it awakened and returned,
Perhaps, it has a reproach regarding beauty.
And in times of calamity, a wise one will be questioned,
Does beauty leave him with reason?
Whenever I asked my heart for an answer one day,
My tears turned away from giving a reply.
Within my chest lies blood and flesh,
Both are worn-out from grief at the loss of youth.
It seeped through the tears, so I said, “It has gone,”
And it pounded in my ribs, so I said, “It has returned.”
If hearts were made of iron,
They would not bear the agony as I have borne this pain.
And beloved friends with whom I shared intoxication,
And connection was short-lived, like foam on water.
We reminisced about youth on a rug
With pleasures, each one a different drink.
Every moment of this life will be folded,
Even if time stretches and it remains delightful.
As if my heart, after them, feels estranged,
When the memories of kin return, it melts.
No one can inform you about the nature of nights,
Like one who has lost loved ones and companions.
In this world, I see that your world is a serpent,
That changes its skin with every moment.
And that the striped ones awaken the slumbering,
And quench their thirst in the shade of peace.
Strangely enough, it grays those who love it,
And annihilates them, yet the charms remain.
So, he who is deceived by this world, indeed,
I have donned it and it has worn me out.
It has the laughter of the musicians for the foolish,
And I have the laughter of the wise, when they fake ignorance.
I have harvested from its garden both roses and thorns,
And tasted from its cup both honey and poison.
I have seen no other rule but the rule of Allah,
And I have seen no door but that of Allah’s door.
I have not revered anything but
True knowledge and the essence of literature.
And I have not honored anyone but a free face,
Mirroring the blessings of his people.
I have seen nothing as infectious as a hoard of wealth,
Nor a sickening condition like that of a miser.
So do not let your desires kill you, weigh them,
As you weigh food or drink.
Provide for your offspring and the days as reserves,
And give Allah His share, with expectation.
If you ponder upon the occurrences of nights,
You will find poverty the closest of them.
And that righteousness is better in life,
And remains after the companion’s reward.
And that evil cracks the spirits of its doers,
And I have not seen a better parent to evil.
So, be gentle with the children when nights,
Drop the consequences upon their backs.
And they did not merit gratitude toward the orphans,
Nor did they grant the accepted supplication.
I am astonished at a group that prayed and fasted,
Out of fear and pretended piety.
You would find them, facing wealth, deaf,
When the call for zakat (charity) comes to them.
They concealed a portion of Allah’s share from it,
As if Allah did not prescribe an amount.
And he who equates anything with the love of Allah,
Like the love for wealth, has lost and failed.
Allah intended goodness for the poor,
And love for orphans in His presence.
Perhaps a small member of a community he taught,
Will rise and protect the identified bunch.
And he was a benefit and pride for his people,
And had they abandoned him, he would have caused them harm.
So teach as much as you can; perhaps a generation,
Will come to create astonishing wonders.
And do not burden the young community with despair,
For indeed, despair devastates youth.
The Creator intends provision to be shared,
Even if He favors certain people.
So the industrious do not meet ruin,
And the unfortunate is not forgotten.
Had it not been for miserliness, a group would not perish,
When confronted by destiny, they meet fury.
I have exhausted my efforts with his family, warning and rebuking,
Of those called to goodness tired of addressing others.
And if I had spoken to an inanimate object,
It would have stirred the springs of good tidings.
Have you not seen how the air flows and penetrates,
To the huts and pierces the domes?
And that the sun spreads in the horizons,
Covering the domain of Khosrow as she grants warmth.
And that water nourishes the lions from it,
And heals from their tremors the dogs.
Allah has equalized among you in death,
And has placed you alongside the Prophets in the earth.
And He sent a family from among you, an orphan,
Approaching Him in majesty, making him close.
The Prophet of righteousness has shown the way,
And has established its principles and guided its paths.
The people dispersed after Jesus,
But when he came, they had refuge.
And the healer of the soul from the temptations of evil,
As a healer from the instincts of wolves.
His declaration was a guide to righteous paths,
And his horses served the truth as they galloped.
He taught us how to build glory until
We took command of the earth by force.
And the attainment of desires is not through mere wishing,
But the world is attained by struggle.
And nothing is beyond the reach of a determined people,
When boldness serves as their steed.
The birth of the guiding light was manifest,
And his glad tidings spread through plains and valleys.
And the daughter of Wahb has extended her hand,
With a white hand that embraced the necks.
She has laid him down luminous and radiant,
As the heavens give birth to celestial bodies.
He stood on the sky of the Kaaba, a light,
Illuminating the mountains of Mecca and the horizons.
And Yathrib the generous became aromatic,
And its land blossomed with fragrance.
O Father of Zahra, I have surpassed my worth,
In praising you, though I hold a connection.