Poem: O Father of Zahra, You Have Surpassed My Worth
In this poem, Ahmad Shawqi pays tribute to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):
Ask my heart at dawn, as it awoke,
It seems my soul has some rebuke for beauty.
In times of adversity, the wise are questioned,
Is there any correctness left after such beauty?
Whenever I asked my heart for answers,
Tears turned away from my heart’s reply.
Between my ribs, flesh and blood reside,
A weak part that mourned my lost youth.
As tears seeped forth, I exclaimed, “Gone!”
The rhythm of my heart resounded, “Returned!”
If hearts had been forged from iron,
They wouldn’t have borne the burdens of suffering.
With loved ones, I drank from the cup of joy,
And our connections were fleeting like foam on the sea.
We lamented youth on a mat,
With diverse pleasures that only brought transient satisfaction.
Each moment of life will eventually fold,
Even if time prolongs with sweetness.
It seems the heart, after them, feels like a stranger,
When the memories of loved ones return, it melts away.
And nothing can inform you of the character of nights,
Like one who has lost their beloved friends.
O worldly life, I see your nature like a serpent,
Changing its skin at every moment.
And the speckled ones are the most alert and aware,
The shadows of peace are now filled with strife.
It is a wonder that those who love can turn gray,
And yet consume their beloved without sparing a moment.
Whoever is deceived by this world, I say,
I have donned it and yet it has worn me thin.
It offers laughter to the foolish and the ignorant,
While I have laughter only when the wise appears foolish.
I harvested from its garden both roses and thorns,
And tasted from its cup both honey and bitterness.
For I have seen no judgment but God’s decree,
And I have found no door but that of God’s mercy.
I’ve only revered true knowledge and deep learning,
And I’ve honored no face but that of the free man,
Who simulates his people with significant treasures.
And I have not seen accumulating wealth as a disease,
Nor have I seen a miser afflicted by it.
Do not let desire kill you; weigh it,
As you would weigh food or drink.
Provide for your children and save for the times to come,
And give to God His due, sincerely.
If you had observed the turns of the night,
You would find necessity closer than you think.
And righteousness is better in life,
And it remains after its possessor has departed.
Evil disintegrates its doers,
And I have seen no good that is based on evil.
So treat children kindly when the nights,
Catch up to them with severity.
And they did not take upon themselves the gratitude owed to orphans,
Nor did they engage in heartfelt prayers.
I am astonished at a people who prayed and fasted,
Fearing for their own souls yet willfully deceiving others.
When the call for zakat approaches them, they are deaf,
As if God had not determined their share.
And anyone who equates love for God with something,
Like love for wealth, has indeed strayed in their desire.
God willed kindness for the poor,
And love and care for the orphans.
For perhaps among a humble folk, they taught him,
It rose and shielded the marked by due regard.
He was a source of benefit and pride for his people,
And leaving him would only cause harm and disdain.
Teach to the best of your abilities; perhaps a generation,
Will come forth to create wondrous curiosities.
And do not weigh down the youth of the community with despair,
For surely, despair destroys youth.
The Creator desires sustenance to be shared,
And though He may favor certain people.
No diligent person will suffer,
And the wretched will not be ignored.
Were it not for miserliness, a group would not perish,
Faced with destiny, they would greet it with scorn.
I have grown weary with its people and their blame,
Those calling for charity have grown tired of addressing them.
And if I were to preach to inanimate objects,
Suffering would flow forth from its springs.
Have you not seen how the air circulates and flows,
To the tents and penetrates the domes?
And the sun casts its rays over the landscapes,
As it covers the barren land.
And the water quenches the lion’s thirst,
And heals the barking dogs from their howls.
And God equalizes you in death,
And lays you with the prophets in the earth.
He has sent among you a child, an orphan,
Who drew near to Him and was considered noble.
The Prophet of righteousness has delineated the way,
And through his teachings, he has guided the paths.
After Jesus, the people scattered in confusion,
But when he came, there was a return for them.
And he healed the soul from the urges of evil,
A remedy from the nature of the wolves.
His message clarified the guidance,
And his cavalry was for the truth, evading the falsehood.
He taught us how to build glory until,
We attained dominion over the land by rightful means.
Gaining one’s aspirations is not achieved by mere desire,
Rather, it is won through effort and struggle.
Naught ever eluded a people seeking their goals,
If courage was their steed.
The birth of the guide was a revelation,
Its tidings spread through the desert and even in cities.
And the daughter of Wahb conferred to humanity,
A beneficent hand that enveloped the necks.
Indeed, she brought forth a blazing light,
As the heavens give birth to that which shines.
He stood in the sky of the Kaaba as a beacon,
Illuminating the mountains of Mecca and the surroundings.
The oasis of Yathrib spread musky scents,
And the landscape flourished with fragrance and beauty.
O Father of Zahra, I have surpassed my worth,
In praising you, while I have a connection to thee.
For no one has grasped eloquence,
If they do not take you as their instructions.
I praised the rulers and gained worth,
So when I extolled you, I followed the clouds.
I asked Allah to bless the progeny of my faith,
If you are to be my intermediary, may He answer me.
And for the Muslims, there is no refuge but You,
When anguish befalls them and threatens their peace.
As if calamity, when it struck them,
Has scattered a raven across every realm.
Had they preserved the path you laid, it would have been light,
And it would have been shield for them against misfortunes.
You built them a pillar of morals,
But they betrayed the core, leading to collapse.
And their character was majestic in this,
And for morals were deservedly respected.
Were it not for them, a lion would be akin to a wolf,
And a sharp blade would resemble a dull one.
When the merits of their ethics are paired with knowledge,
The heights bend down in humble submission.
And in this age, there exists a Christ of knowledge,
Who restores the vigor of youth to the nations.