Sharh al-Burda-Traditional Arabic Published

The EliteCommentary of Qasīdah al-Burda‫الزبدة في شرح البردة للشيخ زين الدين خالد بن عبد الله الازهري‬ By Shaykh Khalid al-Azhari



The Elite Commentary of ‫الزبدةفيشرحالبردة‬By Shaykh Khalid al-Azhari Translated by Abu Tuhr



rh al-BurdaAbout the commentatorZayn al-Dīn Khālid b. ʿAbdAllāh b. Abī Bakr al-Jirjī (or al-Jirjāwī) al-Waqqād al-Azharī was aprolific ninth/fifteenth-century Egyptian scholar and the author of widely used textbooksand commentaries, especially in the field of grammar.He was born in Jirjā (Upper Egypt) around 838/1434–5. While he was still an infant, hisparents brought him with them to Cairo. Later he worked as a lamplighter (waqqād) in amosque, where he began to develop an interest in learning and scholarship. He continuedhis studies at al-Azhar, focusing on the propaedeutic (introductory) disciplines, especiallygrammar, until he obtained teaching positions himself in various places. He died on hisreturn from the pilgrimage to Mecca, just before he would have arrived in Cairo, on 14Muharram 905/21 August 1499.With the exception of a few works on the Qurʾān and Qurʾān recitation, al-Azharī dedicatedall his writings to the field of grammar. Even this popular, concise, and well-organisedcommentary on the mīm-rhyming poem by al-Būsīrī (694/1294) in praise of the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬known as al-Burda, focuses on the lexicographical and grammatical problems of the text andcould well have been designed for classroom use. Nearly all of al-Azharī’s works display asimilar didactic (instructive) impulse and were much sought after because of their clarityand comprehensibility. The summary syntax al-Muqaddima al-Azhariyya was designed to belearned by heart. The author supplied it with a commentary to assist students in betterunderstanding it. Al-Azharī also wrote commentaries on popular textbooks by otherauthors, such as the Ājurrūmiyya by Ibn Ājurrūm (723/1323), the Qawāʿid al-iʿrāb by IbnHishām (d. 761/1360), al-ʿAwāmil al-miʾa by ʿAbd al-Qāhir al-Jurjānī (471/1078), and theAlfiyya by Ibn Mālik (672/1274), which al-Azharī commented upon in his Tamrīn al-tullāb fīsināʿat al-iʿrāb. While these works were directed mainly towards students, others addressedthe specialised expert in the field. Al-Azharī’s most ambitious work of this kind, finished in896/1491, is entitled al-Tasrīh bi-madmūn al-tawdīh. It is a supercommentary on IbnHishām’s commentary Awdah al-masālik on Ibn Mālik’s Alfiyya. But this time the voice of IbnMālik is only secondary and given no special prominence. Instead, by citing about twohundred sources, from all periods, critically discussing Ibn Hishām’s views, and engaging ahuge number of controversial issues, the Tasrīh becomes an exhaustive compendium ofmorphology and syntax, one that greatly influenced grammatical theory in the followingcenturies.11 Extracted from: Bauer, Thomas. \" al-Azharī, Khālid b. ʿAbdAllāh .\" Encyclopaedia of Islam, THREE. 09 August2012. 1

ut the authorSharaf al-Din Abu ‘Abd Allāh Muhammad b. Sa’īd b. Hammād al-Sanhādjī al- Būsīrī was acelebrated Egyptian poet of the Mamlūk period. He was of Berber origin and born on 1Shawwāl 608/7 March 1212 at Būsīr or near Dalās in Upper Egypt. He was in fact also knownby the nisba of Dalāsī, it is said that one of his parents originated from Dalās and the otherfrom Būsīr; he also had a composite nisba, al-Dalāsīrī, but this was never very current. It issaid that al-Būsīrī passed away at a date which varies in the sources between 694 to696/1294-7 either in Cairo and buried near the tomb of al-Shāfiʿī (204/820) in the Qarāfacemetery or in Alexandria, opposite the mosque-complex of his spiritual guide Abū al-ʿAbbās al-Mursī.As a young man, Al-Būsīrī appears to have studied Arabic and the religious sciences in Cairo.He also followed the teachings of the Sūfī Abū l-ʿAbbās Ahmad al-Mursī (686 /1287) and theShādhiliyya order. One of his contemporaries described him as ‘short in stature, but of greatnobility.’Al-Būsīrī was esteemed as a fine poet by many of his contemporaries, and his poems werecollected in his dīwān, which has been edited and published. This work contains over fiftypoems employing a range of rhymes and metres, as well as using various literary devices(badīʿ) in skilful wordplay. He also extolled the virtues of the spiritual elite, including thesaint al-Sayyida Nafīsa (d. 208/824) and the Sūfī masters Abū al-Hasan al-Shādhilī(656/1258) and Abū l-ʿAbbās Ahmad al-Mursī.Al-Būsīrī's highest praise, however, was reserved for the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬One poem is inimitation of the famous ode Bānat Suʿād, composed for the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬by Kaʿb b. Zuhayr(first/seventh century) in exchange for the Prophet's forgiving him for his previous poeticattacks on him, nonetheless the most celebrated of al-Būsīrī's odes to the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬arehis al-Hamziyya and al-Burda. In al-Hamziyya, al-Būsīrī recounts events in the Prophet's life,including his birth, the washing of his heart by angels, his receiving revelation from Allāh‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬his ascension to heaven on the mythical creature al-Burāq, and his struggleswith the infidel Makkans, as well as many of the Prophet's miracles and blessed virtues.After denouncing the Christians and Jews for their obstinate errors in belief, al-Būsīrīrecounts his own pilgrimage to Makkah al-Mukarramah stage by stage, and then ends thepoem by praising the Prophet’s family and companions and praying for his intercession onJudgement Day. Al-Būsīrī's al-Burda covers much of the same ground—the Prophet's life andmiracles, the triumph of Islam over unbelief, and the prayer for intercession—though itslength (160 verses) is about half that of al-Hamziyya. Al-Burda has enjoyed greaterpopularity than al-Hamziyya, undoubtedly on account of its frame story. Al-Būsīrī, oncesuffered a debilitating stroke. He prayed and cried out to Allāh ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬for help, andcomposed an ode praising the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬Then he fell asleep and dreamed of the Prophet 2

ﷺ‬who touched his face and wrapped him in his cloak (burda). Upon waking, Al-Būsīrīfound that the effects of the stroke had vanished and he had been restored to health. Al-Būsīrī' recounts this as follows: ‫سبب نظمي اياها انني اصابني خلط فالج عجز عن علاجه كل معالج اذ ابطل نصفي وتحير فيه‬ ‫وصفي فلما ايست من نفسي وقاربت حلول رمسي تذكرت في ساعة سعيده ان اصنع‬ ‫قصيده في مدح خير البريه فصح العزم والنيه وشرعت في امتداح المصطفي ورجوت به البرء‬ ‫والشفا فاعانني ربي ويسر علي طلبي فلما ختمتها رأيت في منامي المصطفي التهامي قد‬ ‫اتي الي ومر بيده المباركة علي فعوفيت لوقتي وعدت لما كان من نعتي انتهي بمعناه فدونك‬ ‫بردة قد غزلت من نعوت المصطفي ونسجت علي نيري الخلاص والصفا‬News of this miracle spread, and others found that recitation and copies of al-Būsīrī's ode,now named al-Burda, had miraculous healing powers. As a result, this poem has beencopied many times, and its verses have been used in amulets and inscribed on walls to wardoff misfortune. Al-Būsīrī's al-Burda has been the focus of many commentaries, imitations,and translations, and to this day it is arguably the most famous poem in the Arabiclanguage.2Al-Burda, formally named ‫( الكواكب الدرية في مدح خير البرية‬glittering stars in the praise of thebest of creation) takes a strongly classical form, beginning with the ancient Arabian themeof the lover soliloquizing amid the remains of his lost beloved’s encampment. Even here,however, we soon realise that the loved one is not a Bedouin maiden, but is none otherthan the beloved of Allāh ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬The blessed messenger ‫ ﷺ‬has veiled himself fromthis world, and the world is bereft in his absence; but there is still hope. We are exiled frombeauty only by our own ugliness, and therefore the poet must bewail the waywardness ofhis ego’s desires. This leads to a realisation of the perfection of the messenger ‫ ﷺ‬whosemoral and spiritual qualities were in precisely that state of harmony which the poet craves.By considering the miracles which accompanied the Prophet’s birth, he feels hope andgratitude to Allāh ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬by considering his many miracles his faith is strengthened,and by pondering the deep wisdom of the Qur’an, the mysterious ‘bride’ which the believermust slowly and courteously unveil, he is reminded of the meaning of history. The poemthen turns to consider the Ascension (‫)معراج‬, the climax of the Prophet’s career, in which hewas carried from the Mosque of Jerusalem up through the seven heavens into the divine2 Extracted from Homerin, Th. Emil. \" al-Būsīrī .\" Encyclopaedia of Islam, THREE. 29 August 2012 and Ed.. \" al-Būsīrī.\" Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. 29 August 2012 3

sence. Returning, he risks his life and limb by heroically defending his people againstpagans who have attacked their refuge in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah. Būsīrī then lamentshis own sinfulness and his declining years, and yearns for the blessing of the Prophet’sintercession on the day of Judgement. He knows that given his ruinous and repeated sins,only Allāh ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬can save him; and so he addresses the messenger ‫ ﷺ‬whoseintercessions are, as the hadīth assure us, to be the surest mediator with Allāh ‫سبحانه وتعالى‬Finally, he prays for gentleness in this world and the next, ending with a brief allusion to theArabian scenery with which he began. 4

mentary of al-BurdaAl-Zubda fī Sharh al-Burda is a concise commentary on al-Burda by Shaykh Khālid al-Azharīwhich focuses upon the exposition of its language, the grammar of the verses and theclarification of its meanings with utmost clarity, sufficing on the most authentic position.Shaykh Khālid al-Azharī says:When the poet intended to commence the Qasīda (ode) he withheld from himself anindividual whose tears inter-mingled with blood, and so he asked him the cause of this byaddressing himself: ‫امن تذكر جيران بذي سلم مزجت دمعا جرى من مقلة بدم‬Is it from remembering past neighbours at Dhu Salam that you mingle with blood tears shed from your eyes?3 ‫أم هبت الريح من تلقاء كاظمة و أومض البرق في الظلماء من اضم‬ Or has the wind blown from before Kāzima and the lightning flashed from Idam’s dark.  ‫( التذكر‬remembering) is the ‫( مصدر‬infinitive) of the verb ‘to remember’ (‫)َتذَ َكّ َر‬  ‫ جيران‬is the plural of ‫( جار‬neighbour) with the meaning of ‫( مجاور‬one who lives in the neighbourhood) from ‫( الجوار‬neighbourhood), which is the vicinity of one’s house  ‫ ذي سلم‬is a place between Makkah al-Mukarramah and Madīna al-Munawwarah  ‫( المزج‬inter-mingling) means ‫( الخلط‬mixing)  ‫( الدمع‬tears) is ‫( اسم جنس جمعي‬a generic noun indicating plurality) its singular is ‫دمعة‬ (teardrop) and it is that which flows from the eye  ‫ جرى‬is similar to ‫( سال‬to flow)  ‫ المقلة‬is the eyeball (‫ )شحمة العين‬which comprises the sclera (white of the eye) and the pupil  ‫ هبت الريح‬the wind blew, i.e ‫( هاجت‬it became in a state commotion)  ‫( تلقاء‬in the direction of...) has the meaning of ‫( حذاء‬in front of)  ‫ كاظمة‬is the name of a path towards Makkah al-Mukarramah3 Translations taken from ‘The Mantle Adorned’ by Abdal Hakim Murad 5

 ‫( أومض‬to illuminate) i.e. ‫( لمع‬to flash)  ‫ اضم‬is a valley on the outskirts of al-Madīna al-MunawwarahGrammar  ‫ – امن‬The hamza ‫ أ‬is for ‫( استفهام‬interrogation), the ‫ م‬in ‫ من‬has a kasra and it is ‫حرف‬ ‫( تعليل‬a causative particle) and it is a preposition connected (‫ )متعلق‬to ‫مزجت‬  ‫ تذكر‬is in the genitive case (‫ )مجرور‬due to ‫من‬  ‫ جيران‬has a kasra (ِ) on the ‫ ج‬and it is ‫( مضاف اليه‬complement of a prefixed noun) by annexing the infinitive (‫ )تذكر‬to its object (‫ )مفعول‬after the removal of its subject (‫ )فاعل‬as it was originally ‫تذكرك جيرانا‬  ‫ بذي‬consists of ‫( جار مجرور‬the preposition and the genitive) and this is the ‫نعت‬ (qualification) of ‫جيران‬  ‫ سلم‬has a fatha (َ) on the ‫ س‬and the ‫ ل‬and it is ‫مضاف اليه‬  ‫ مزجت‬has a fatha on the ‫ ت‬and it is a verb with its subject  ‫ دمعا‬is its object  ‫ جرى‬is a verb of the perfect tense and its subject is hidden within it, which returns to ‫ دمعا‬and this clause is the qualification of ‫دمعا‬  ‫ من مقلة‬is connected to ‫ جرى‬for the benefit of ‫( توكيد‬emphasis) in corroboration of its meaning due to the fact that tears do not flow from anywhere other than from the eye (i.e. pleonasm)4; this usage is similar to the verse of the Qur’ān; ِ‫( َولَا طَائِرٍ يَطِيُر ِبجَنَاحَيْه‬nor a bird flying on its wings) Or this could be for ‫تأسيس‬ (commencing and establishing an idea) in view of the inter-mingling of blood with tears  ‫ بدم‬is also connected to ‫ مزجت‬as it was originally ‫مزجت دمعا بدم‬  ‫ أم‬is a conjunctive (‫ )حرف عطف‬and it acts equally with the hamza ‫ أ‬of ‫ استفهام‬in determining the cause for the inter-mingling of tears with blood4 Other examples in english may include black darkness or burning fire 6

 ‫ هبت الريح‬is a verb with its subject, and this is the explication (‫ )تأويل‬of ‫( مفرد‬a singular word) conjuncted to ‫تذكر‬  ‫ من تلقاء‬has ‫( مد‬elongation) and it is connected to the verb ‫هبت‬  ‫ كاظمة‬is ‫ مضاف اليه‬due to ‫من تلقاء‬  ‫ و أومض البرق‬is a verb of the perfect tense with its subject, and it is conjuncted to ‫هبت‬ ‫الريح‬  ‫ في الظلماء‬has ‫( مد‬elongation) and it is connected to ‫ أومض‬by implication (‫)التقدير‬5 of a qualified noun (‫)موصوف‬6 between the preposition ‫ في‬and the genitive (‫ )الظلماء‬The implication is ‫( في الليلة الظلماء‬in the dark night)  ‫ من اضم‬has a kasra on the hamza ‫ إ‬a fatha on the ‫ ض‬and it is the ‫( حال‬denotative of state) of ‫الظلماء‬7MeaningThe essence of the two verses is that when the poet mentions neighbours (‫ )جيران‬he intendsthe beloved ones (‫)أحبة‬, and with ‫ ذي سلم‬- ‫ اضم – كاظمة‬their places (rendezvous) areindicated. By inter-mingling tears with blood he is signifying the severity of his lamentation,he then inquires the cause by saying, ‘is it remembrance of the absent beloveds? Or theblowing of the wind and the flash of the lightning from their direction?’The poet began the first part of one verse with hamza ‫ أ‬and the second with ‫ أم‬, in betweenhowever he placed that which he did not inquire about, similar to the following verse of theQur’ān:8‫َأَأنُتمْ أَشَ ُّد َخْلًقا أَمِ ال َّس َماء بََنا َها‬Do you think that it is harder to create you or the heavens? Allāh has created it.Take note that the poet made one of the verses into a sentence, with a structure similar tothe verse of the Qur’ān, where it can be seen that the two clauses, one beginning with5 Implication of a missing syntactical part6 The described7 It is apparent however through the authors analysis of the meaning (‫ )معني‬that ‫ من اضم‬is connected with ‫أومض‬(Verifier’s note)8 Surah 79:27 7

za ‫ أ‬and the second with ‫ أم‬are separated by another clause (‫ )بََنا َها‬which does not havethe action of ‫ استفهام‬upon it, just like the following verse of the Qur’ān:9‫قُلْ ِإنْ أَدْرِي أَقَ ِريبٌ َّما تُوعَدُونَ أَمْ َي ْجعَلُ َلُه رَِبّي َأمَدًا‬Say (O dear messenger ‫)ﷺ‬, “I do not know whether what you are promised is close or if myLord will postpone it for a while.” ‫فما لعينيك إن قلت أكففا همتا و ما لقلبك إن قلت استفق يهم‬ What ails your eyes, that when you bid them cease they weep still more? What ails your heart that when you bid it wake it wanders?  ‫ أكففا‬means ‫( احبسا دمعكما‬hold back your tears)  ‫ همتا‬is from the word ‫ الهمي‬which is the descent (‫ )انحدار‬and flowing (‫ )سيلان‬of tears  ‫ قلب‬is the ‫( الفؤاد‬heart) which is shaped like a pine cone (‫ )صنوبري‬and located in the middle of the chest. It is the source of life and cognition. It is a subtle secret with which one gains ‫( ادراك‬perception) and ‫( يعبر عنه بهذه الجارحة تقريبا للاذهان‬one that gives expression to the intellect)  ‫ استفق‬is a synonym of ‫ افق‬which means to awaken  ‫ يهم‬is the imperfect tense of ‫( هام علي وجهه‬to wander aimlessly about) when he does not know where he is (‫)اذا لم يدري اين هو‬Grammar  ‫ – فما‬The ‫ ف‬is a connective (‫ )عاطفة‬the ‫ ما‬is for ‫ استفهام‬and it is in the nominative position (‫ )في موضع رفع‬due to ‫( الإبتداء‬becoming the inceptive)  ‫ لعينيك‬is dual (‫ )التثنية‬and it is the predicate (‫ )خبر‬of the inceptive (‫)مبتدأ‬  ‫ إن‬has a kasra on the hamza ‫ إ‬a sākin on the ‫ ن‬and it is ‫( حرف شرط‬a conditional particle)  ‫ قلت‬has a fatha on the ‫ ت‬and it is the conditional verb (‫ )فعل الشرط‬in the jussive position (‫)في موضع جزم‬9 Surah 72:25 8

 ‫ أكففا‬has a dhamma (ُ) on the first ‫ ف‬a fatha on the second and it is an imperative (‫ )فعل امر‬with its subject, this clause is in the accusative position (‫ )في موضع نصب‬due to ‫قلت‬  ‫ همتا‬is a verb of the perfect tense with its subject. Originally it was ‫ هميتا‬the ‫ي‬ changed into ‫ ا‬so it became ‫ هماتا‬then the ‫ ا‬was omitted due to the meeting of two sākin, one on the (first) ‫ ا‬and the other on the feminine ‫ )تاء تأنيث( ت‬since the movement (‫ )تحريك‬on the ‫ ا‬is temporary (‫)عارض‬. This clause is the complement (‫ )جواب‬of the condition (‫)شرط‬  ‫ ما‬is for ‫ استفهام‬and the inceptive  ‫ لقلبك‬is its predicate  ‫ إن قلت‬has a fatha on the ‫ ت‬and it is a condition  ‫ استفق‬is the utterance (‫ )مقول‬of ‫( قلت‬you say…)  ‫ يهم‬is the complement of the condition, originally it was ‫ يهيم‬the ‫ ي‬was removed due to the meeting of the two sākin, one on the (second) ‫ ي‬and one on the ‫( م‬in the jussive state) since its movement with kasra is temporary, as it is ‫( حرف الروي‬a rhyming letter)10Meaning‘O denier of love what has happened to your eyes that if you say to them, hold back yourtears, the tears continue to flow and descend; what has happened to your heart that if yousay to it, awaken from the inundation of love, it wanders still more. Is the flowing of tearsand the wandering of the heart not from the signs of love?’Now, the poet shifts his address from second person (‫ )خطاب‬to third person (‫ )غيبة‬so hesays: ‫ايحسب الصب أن الحب منكتم ما بين منسجم منه و مضطرم‬ Reckons the lovelorn man that his love may be concealed, when a torrent’s in one part of him, and in the other, a conflagration?10 The ‫ م‬has a kasra due to poetic licence, in order to maintain the rhyme 9

 ‫ يحسب‬means ‫( يظن‬to think or to reckon)  ‫ الصب‬is the lover (‫ )عاشق‬because when his love intensifies he weeps and his tears are exhausted.  ‫ الحب‬means ‫( محبة‬love)  ‫ منكتم‬means ‫( مستور‬concealed or hidden)  ‫ منسجم‬is a flowing torrent (‫)هاطل منحدر‬11  ‫ مضطرم‬means burning (‫ )ملتهب‬and ablaze (‫)مشتعل‬Grammar  ‫ ايحسب‬The hamza ‫ أ‬is ‫( استفهام توبيخي‬interrogation for censure)  ‫ يحسب‬is the imperfect tense of ‫ حسب‬and it is a transitive verb (‫ )المتعدي‬having two objects  ‫ الصب‬is its subject  ‫ أن‬has a fatha on the hamza ‫ أ‬tashdīd (gemination)12 on the ‫ ن‬and it is ‫( حرف توكيد‬a particle of emphasis) which makes its subject-noun (‫ )اسم‬accusative and its predicate (‫ )خبر‬nominative  ‫ الحب‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ح‬and it is the subject-noun of ‫أن‬  ‫ منكتم‬is the predicate of ‫أن‬  ‫ أن الحب منكتم‬The subject-noun and the predicate of ‫ أن‬are the explication (‫ )تأويل‬of an infinitive and fill the place (‫ )ساد مسد‬of two objects of ‫يحسب‬  ‫ ما‬is ‫( زائدة‬extra)  ‫ بين‬is ‫( منصوب‬accusative) as it is ‫( ظرف المكان‬an adverbial noun of place)  ‫ منسجم‬is ‫ مضاف اليه‬by implicating ‫( موصوف‬a qualified noun) between ‫ بين‬and ‫منسجم‬ (see the grammar of ‫)في الظلماء‬  ‫ منه‬is connected with ‫ منسجم‬the pronoun (‫ ه )ضمير‬is referring to the lover (‫)الصب‬11 From torrential rain12 Doubling the consonant 10

 ‫ مضطرم‬has a sākin on the ‫ ض‬a fatha on the ‫ ط‬and it is conjucted to ‫ منسجم‬by implicating a ‫( موصوف‬a qualified noun) between the connective ‫ )عاطف( و‬and the conjuncted ‫)معطوف( مضطرم‬MeaningDoes the lover think that his love will be concealed from the people amidst overflowingtears and a burning heart.Then the poet shifts his address from third person to second person, by saying: ‫لو لا الهوي لم ترق دمعا علي طلل و لا أرقت لذكر البان و العلم‬ But for passion, you wouldn’t weep at an abandoned camp, nor lie awake at night recalling the willow and the mount.  ‫ الهوي‬has ‫( قصر‬shortened ‫)ا‬13 and it is the infinitive of ‫ هوي‬with a kasra on the ‫( و‬in the pattern of ‫ )سمع‬which means to love  ‫ ترق‬means ‫ تصب‬which means to shed or pour forth  ‫ الدمع‬is that which flows from the eyes (i.e tears)  ‫ طلل‬is the corporeal form of a portion still standing from the remains of a dwelling (‫)ما شخص من آثار الديار‬  ‫ أرقت‬means ‫ سهرت‬which means to be sleepless  ‫ البان‬is the Egyptian Willow tree14 (‫ )شجر الخلاف‬its singular is ‫بانة‬  ‫ العلم‬is the name of a mountain and this is mentioned along with the tree as they are both in HijāzGrammar  ‫ لو لا‬is a particle which indicates the abstention of something due to the presence of other than it (‫)حرف يدل علي امتناع الشئ لوجود غيره‬13 This is when the final ‫ ي‬is pronounced -ā without a following hamza14 Salix aegyptiaca of Linnæus 11

 ‫ الهوي‬is the inceptive (‫)مبتدأ‬, its predicate has been omitted out of necessity, due to obstruction, therefore ‫ لو لا‬fills the place of the complement (‫ )جواب‬as it is ‫مطلق‬ (unrestricted). The implication being ‫لو لا الهوي موجود‬  ‫ لم ترق‬has dhamma on the ‫ ت‬a kasra on the ‫ ر‬and a sākin on the ‫ ق‬The ‫ لم‬is ‫جازم‬ which governs the vowelless (apocopate) form and ‫ ترق‬is ‫( مجزوم‬in the apocopate form) i.e the final consonant is vowelless  ‫ دمعا‬is its object  ‫ علي طلل‬has fatha on the ‫ ط‬and the ‫ ل‬and this is connected to ‫ ترق‬The clause ‫لم ترق‬ with both of its ‫( معمول‬governed components – ‫ دمعا‬and ‫ )علي طلل‬is the complement (‫ )جواب‬of the condition ‫ لو لا‬Since this condition is ‫( غير جازم‬doesn’t govern the vowelless form) there is no position for it, grammatically (‫)لا محل لها من الاعراب‬  ‫ و لا أرقت‬has a fatha on the hamza ‫ أ‬a kasra on the ‫ ر‬a fatha on the ‫ ت‬and this is conjucted with the complement of ‫ لو لا‬The ‫ لا‬in ‫ لا أرقت‬is additional (‫ )زائدة‬to emphasise (‫ )تأكيد‬the negation  ‫ لذكر‬is connected to ‫أرقت‬  ‫ البان‬is ‫مضاف اليه‬  ‫ العلم‬has a fatha on the ‫ ع‬and the ‫ ل‬and this is conjuncted to ‫البان‬MeaningIf it were not for your love and passion you would not weep at the traces of the dwellingsbelonging to the lovers; nor would you lose your sleep in remembering the trees of thebygone (Arabs) and the mountains of their dwellings.In terms of rhetoric (‫ )بديع‬the verse uses paronomasia15 (‫ )الجناس الشبيه بالمشتق‬where the twowords resemble each other due to the similarity of their derivation i.e. ‫ لم ترق‬and ‫ أرقت‬Anexample from the Qur’ān is:15 ‫ الجناس‬is a rhetorical device known as paronomasia, this is a play on words that have similar sounds but mayor may not have the same meanings (N.B. there are many types of ‫ – الجناس‬see footnote 88) 12

+ َقا َل إِِنّي لِ َع َملِكُم ِّم َن الْقَالِين‬where ‫ قال‬and ‫ القالين‬are similar.16 ‫فكيف تنكر حبا بعد ما شهدت به عليك عدول الدمع والسقم‬ So how can you deny your love, when witnesses of tears and sickness have testified to it against you? ‫و أثبت الوجد خطي عبرة وضني مثل البهار علي خديك و العنم‬Lovesick passion has written upon your cheeks two tear-lines like yellow spice and red anam fruit.  ‫( الانكار‬denial) is the opposite of ‫( الاعتراف‬admission)  ‫( الحب‬love) is the opposite of ‫( البغض‬hate)  ‫ شهدت‬means ‫( أخبرت‬to inform)  ‫ العدول‬is the plural of ‫( عدل‬justice) with the meaning of ‫( عادل‬a just person). The purpose of the plural is only two, as indicated by that which follows- ‫ الدمع‬and ‫السقم‬ unless the poet intended ‫( الدموع‬tears) with ‫ الدمع‬and ‫( الأسقام‬sicknesses) with ‫السقم‬ (sickness) hence the plural is according to its purpose  ‫ السقم‬is ‫( اطالة المرض‬the prolongation of an illness)  ‫ الوجد‬means ‫( الحزن‬emotional upset)  ‫ خطي‬is the dual form of ‫( خط‬a streak)  ‫ عبرة‬means ‫( البكا‬weeping)  ‫ ضني‬means ‫( الضعف والهزال‬feebleness and emaciation)  ‫ البهار‬is a yellow flower with a fragrant smell  ‫ العنم‬is a tree which has red fruit16 This type of paronomasia is due to words derived from similar root letters, for instance, the root letters of‫ ترق‬are ‫ ر ي ق‬and those of ‫ أرقت‬are ‫ أ ر ق‬Likewise the root letters of ‫ قال‬are ‫ ق و ل‬and those of ‫ القالين‬are ‫ق ي ل‬The meaning of the two words are also different since the translation of the verse is ‘he said, “I am disgustedwith your works.” (Surah 26:168) 13

mmar  ‫ فكيف‬is for ‫( استفهام‬interrogation), here, the meaning is for ‫( التعجب‬astonishment) and it is connected to ‫تنكر‬  ‫ تنكر‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ت‬and it is a verb of the imperfect tense (‫ )فعل مضارع‬with its subject hidden within it, out of necessity. Its implication is ‫انت‬  ‫ حبا‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ح‬and it is the object of ‫تنكر‬  ‫ بعد‬is ‫ منصوب‬due to ‫تنكر‬  ‫ ما‬is ‫( موصول حرفي‬a conjunct particle)  ‫ شهدت‬is the verb of the perfect tense and the ‫ ت‬is for the feminine form  ‫ به عليك‬they are both connected to ‫شهدت‬  ‫ عدول‬is the subject of ‫شهدت‬  ‫ الدمع‬is ‫مضاف اليه‬  ‫ السقم‬has fatha on the ‫ س‬and the ‫ ق‬and it is conjuncted to ‫ الدمع‬The clause ‫شهدت‬ and that which is after it, is ‫( صلة‬the complement) of ‫ ما‬therefore ‫ ما‬and its ‫ صلة‬is the explication (‫ )تأويل‬of ‫( مصدر مجرور‬an infinitive in the genitive state) which has been annexed to ‫ بعد‬Hence, the implication is ‫…( بعد شهادة عدلي الدمع و السقم‬after the testimony of the two witnesses, the tears and the prolonged illness)  ‫ و أثبت‬is the verb of the perfect tense and it is conjuncted to ‫شهدت‬  ‫ الوجد‬is the subject of ‫أثبت‬  ‫ خطي‬has a fatha on the ‫ خ‬and the ‫ ط‬with tashdīd, a sākin on the ‫ ي‬and this is the object of ‫ أثبت‬The ‫ ن‬has been removed as it is ‫( مضاف‬originally it was ‫)خطين‬  ‫ عبرة‬has fatha on the ‫ ع‬a sākin on the ‫ ب‬and it is ‫مضاف اليه‬  ‫ وضني‬has a fatha on the ‫ ض‬and has ‫( قصر‬see footnote 13), it is conjuncted to ‫خطي‬  ‫ مثل‬is in the accusative case and it is the qualification (‫ )نعت‬of ‫ خطي‬and ‫ضني‬  ‫ البهار‬has a fatha on the ‫ ب‬and is ‫مضاف اليه‬ 14

‫ علي خديك‬is in the position of the denotative of state (‫ )في موضع الحال‬for ‫ خطي‬and ‫ضني‬ ‫ و العنم‬has a fatha on the ‫ ع‬and the ‫ ن‬and it is conjuncted to ‫البهار‬MeaningO the one addressed, how can you deny (your) love after torrents of tears and a variety ofillnesses have testified against you; especially after (your) passion has affirmed it upon yourcheeks. Firstly, the yellowness of the cheeks and then the prominence of the cheekbones asa result of emaciation. Secondly, the redness of the overflowing tears due to excessiveweeping; whereby the judge of love has ruled in accordance to it.In this verse the poet has used rhetoric ‫( لف و نشر مشوش‬disordered complication andexplication)17 as he likens ‫ خطي عبرة‬to ‫ العنم‬due to redness18; and he likens ‫ ضني‬to ‫ البهار‬dueto yellowness.Once the addressed (‫ )مخاطب‬is proven to be the lover, although in effect he (the poet) is theaddressed, he leaves his separation and confesses his love by saying: ‫و الحب يعترض اللذات بالالم‬ ‫نعم سري طيف من اهوي فارقني‬ Yes! My loved one’s spirit haunted me, and denied me sleep. For love ever obstructs pleasures with pain. ‫ نعم‬is ‫( حرف تصديق‬a particle of confirmation) ‫ سري‬means ‫( سار ليلا‬to travel at night) ‫ الطيف‬is a vision (or apparition) seen whilst sleeping (‫)الخيال في النوم‬ ‫ الهوي‬means love and passion ‫ ارقني‬means ‫( اسهرني‬to keep awake) ‫ الحب‬means love17 A construction in which two or more words are mentioned, and, after them, two or more other words, asepithets referring to the former, however here they are disordered ( ‫ )مشوش‬whereby the order of the latterwords is contrary to that of those to which they refer.18 It is disordered as ‫ خطي عبرة‬is mentioned first in the first hemistitch but its epithet, ‫ العنم‬is mentioned last inthe second hemistitch, and vice versa ‫ ضني‬and ‫البهار‬ 15

 ‫ يعترض‬means ‫( يحول بينه وبين مراده‬it forms an obstruction between him and his intention)  ‫ اللذات‬is the plural of ‫ لذة‬and it is that with which enjoyment is gained  ‫ الالم‬means ‫( وجع‬pain)Grammar  ‫ نعم‬is ‫( حرف جواب‬an affirmative particle)  ‫ سري‬is a verb of the perfect tense  ‫ طيف‬has a fatha on the ‫ ط‬a sākin on the ‫ ي‬and it is the subject of ‫سري‬  ‫ من‬has a fatha on the ‫ م‬and it is ‫( اسم موصول‬a conjunct) in the genitive position due to annexation (‫ )اضافة‬with ‫طيف‬  ‫ اهوي‬is a verb of the imperfect tense and it is ‫( مسند الي المتكلم‬an attributive of the speaker) This is the ‫( صلة‬complement) of ‫ من‬and the returning pronoun has been omitted i.e. ‫ من أهواه‬who I love (him)  ‫ فارقني‬is conjuncted to ‫ سري‬and its subject is hidden within it (‫ )هو‬and returns back to ‫طيف‬  ‫ الحب‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ح‬and it is the inceptive (‫)مبتدأ‬  ‫ يعترض‬has a fatha on the ‫ ي‬a kasrah on the ‫ ر‬and it is a verb of the imperfect tense with its subject hidden within it, returning back to ‫الحب‬  ‫ اللذات‬is the object  ‫ بالالم‬is connected to ‫يعترض‬MeaningI told the truth, however due to the severity of my love for my beloved, whenever I see hisvision whilst sleeping, I wake up and become sleepless as a result of separation. This is thestate of love which acts as an obstruction between the lover and his pleasures, in the formof pain arising within him due to his inability to reach his beloved.Then he excuses himself by saying: 16

مني إليك ولو انصفت لم تلم‬ ‫يا لائمي في الهوي العذري معذرة‬You who blame me for this chaste love: I seek your pardon! Yet had you judged fairly, you would not have blamed me at all.‫عن الوشاة و لا دائي بمنحسم‬ ‫عدتك حالي لا سري بمستتر‬ May you be spared my state! I cannot hide my secret from my detractors; my sickness will not leave me.  ‫ اللائم‬means ‫( العاذل‬the reproacher)  ‫ العذري‬is in reference to ‫ بني عذرة‬a tribe renowned for their passionate men and chaste women  ‫ معذرة‬is the infinitive of ‫ عذرته‬this is ‫( اذا اصفحت عنه ومحوت اسائته‬when you excuse him and erase his offenses) ‫ المعذرة‬is also a means for the human being to drive away any faults that affect him  ‫ انصفت‬means ‫( عدلت‬to act justly)  ‫( لوم‬infinitive of ‫ )تلم‬means ‫( العذل‬blame)  ‫ عدتك‬means ‫( بلغتك‬it has reached you)  ‫ حالي‬means my state  ‫ السر‬is something that is concealed (a secret)  ‫ الوشاة‬is the plural of ‫( واش‬a critic)  ‫ داء‬means an illness  ‫ منحسم‬means ‫( المنقطع‬terminated)Grammar  ‫ يا‬is ‫( حرف نداء‬a vocative particle)  ‫ لائمي‬is ‫( منادي‬the object of the vocative particle) annexed to the ‫ مضاف‬i.e. the ‫ياء‬ ‫ ياء( متكلم‬of the first person used to denote something belonging to the speaker, in this case it would mean ‘my reproacher’). ‫ لائم‬is ‫( منصوب‬accusative) with an implicated fatha on the ‫( م‬as it is ‫ مضاف‬and the object of ‫)حرف نداء‬ 17

 ‫ في الهوي‬is connected to ‫لائمي‬  ‫ العذري‬is the ‫( نعت‬qualification) of ‫الهوي‬  ‫ معذرة‬is ‫( منصوب‬accusative) due to an omitted verb; its implication is ‫ اعتذر‬if the intention is of a ‫( مصدر‬infinitive), otherwise if the intention is of ‫( الكلام‬speech) with which he is excusing himself then the ‫( معنى‬import) is of a ‫( جملة‬clause)  ‫ مني اليك‬are both connected to ‫معذرة‬  ‫ لو‬is ‫( حرف شرط‬a conditional particle)  ‫ انصفت‬has fatha on the ‫ ت‬and it is the conditional verb (‫)فعل الشرط‬  ‫ لم تلم‬has a fatha on the ‫ ت‬a dhamma on the ‫ ل‬and it is the complement of the condition  ‫ عدتك‬comprises the verb and ‫( مفعول مقدم‬the prefaced object)  ‫ حالي‬is ‫( فاعل مؤخر‬the deferred subject)  ‫ لا‬is ‫( حرف نفي‬a particle of negation)  ‫ سري‬has a kasrah on the ‫ س‬and it is the subject-noun of the ‫ لا‬which acts like ‫ليس‬ The word ‫ سر‬is annexed to the ‫ مضاف اليه‬i.e. the ‫ياء متكلم‬  ‫ بمستتر‬is its predicate and it is in the accusative position19  ‫ عن الوشاة‬has a dhamma on the ‫ و‬and it is connected to ‫بمستتر‬  ‫ لا‬is ‫( نافية‬negative)  ‫ دائي‬is its subject-noun  ‫ بمنحسم‬is its predicateMeaningO the one who censures and reproaches me in such a (chaste) love as was attributed to thetribe of ‫ بني عذرة‬If you were just, then there would be no reproachment from you. My statehas reached you and my lovesick passion has turned out to be true, hence neither is mysecret concealed from my critics nor has my illness ceased.19 As the action of ‫ لا‬is similar to ‫ ليس‬the predicate is ‫( منصوب‬accusative) 18

terms of rhetoric (‫ )بديع‬the first verse uses ‫( رد العجز علي الصدر‬Antistrophe)20 by saying‫ لائمي‬and then ‫ تلم‬The verse also uses ‫( الجناس الشبيه بالمشتق‬paronomasia) where the twowords resemble each other due to the similarity of their derivation i.e. ‫ العذري‬and ‫معذرة‬Then he acknowledges the counsel by saying: ‫محضتني النصح لكن لست اسمعه‬ ‫إن المحب عن العذال في صمم‬You offer me sincere advice, but I hear it not. A lover is deaf to all his reproachers.‫و الشيب ابعد في نصح من التهم‬ ‫اني اتهمت نصيح الشيب في عذل‬I suspect the counsel even of my own grey hairs; although their advice is far indeed from deception.  ‫ المحض‬means ‫( الخالص‬sincere)  ‫ النصح‬is the opposite of ‫( غش‬deception)  ‫ العذال‬is the plural of ‫ عاذل‬and means ‫( اللوام‬reproachers)  ‫( صمم‬deafness) is the opposite of ‫( السمع‬hearing)  ‫ اتهمت‬is from the word ‫( التهمة‬suspicion) which is to accuse someone without reason  ‫ الشيب‬is whitened hair  ‫ التهم‬is the plural of ‫( التهمة‬suspicion)Grammar  ‫ محضتني‬comprises the verb, subject and the first object  ‫ النصح‬is the second subject  ‫ لكن‬is ‫( حرف ابتداء‬a particle of inception)21 and ‫( حرف استدراك‬particle of emendation)  ‫ لست‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ت‬comprising ‫ ليس‬and its subject-noun20 This to repeat at the end of the verse the same word with which it begins (literally: to reflect the last part tothe front)21 To introduce a new subject matter 19

 ‫ اسمعه‬comprises the verb, subject and the object, this clause is in the accusative case as it is the predicate of ‫ليس‬  ‫ إن المحب‬comprises ‫ إن‬and its subject-noun  ‫ عن العذال‬is connected to ‫ صمم‬if you said that the clause (‫)عن العذال‬, which is governed by the infinitive (‫ )صمم‬cannot precede it, then I say that this does not include ‫( الظروف‬adverbial nouns) and ‫( المجرورات‬prepositions) according to the most authentic position  ‫ في صمم‬is the predicate of ‫إن‬  ‫ اني‬comprises ‫ إن‬and its subject-noun  ‫ اتهمت‬is its predicate  ‫ نصيح‬is the object of ‫اتهمت‬  ‫ الشيب‬is the inceptive (‫)مبتدأ‬  ‫ ابعد‬is the predicate of ‫ الشيب‬whilst ‫ في نصح‬and ‫ من التهم‬are both connected (‫)متعلقان‬ to ‫ ابعد‬which is ‫( اسم تفضيل‬the elative noun). He separates the ‫ )ابعد( اسم تفضيل‬and the ‫)التهم( مفضول‬22 by placing ‫ )في نصح( جار مجرور‬between them  This clause is ‫( حال‬denotative of state) and is linked by ‫و‬MeaningO adviser you have counselled me with sincere advice, however due to the magnitude of mylove I do not hear the counsel of the adviser as the lover is deaf in listening to the counsel ofhis reproachers, as it is said ‫‘ حبك الشيء يعمي ويصم‬your love for a thing blinds and deafens.’Thus, I suspect every adviser, to the extent that I even suspect my whitened hair in itsadvice to me. Nonetheless, from amongst the advisers the whitened hair is least prone tosuspicion, this is because the reproacher can be suspected with envy, greed and jealousy,whereas this cannot be conceived for the whitened hair.In terms of rhetoric (‫ )بديع‬the second verse uses ‫( رد العجز علي الصدر‬Antistrophe) of the typein which one of the two similar words are in that portion of the first hemistitch that is22 ‫ مفضول‬is that which is exceeded (by something else) 20

prised between the first and last foot (‫)جعل فيه احد اللفظين المتجانسين في حشو المصراع الاول‬The poet also utilises ‫( جناس الاشتقاق‬paronomasia) by using these these two words, ‫اني اتهمت‬and ‫ التهم‬There is also repetition (‫ )التكرار‬of the word ‫الشيب‬‫من جهلها بنذير الشيب و الهرم‬ ‫فإن امارتي بالسوء ما اتعظت‬Thanks to its foolishness, my ill-urging ego has paid no heed to the warner: white hair and decrepitude. ‫و لا اعدت من الفعل الجميل قري ضيف الم برأسي غير محتشم‬Neither has it prepared fair deeds in hospitable welcome for a guest who has taken up residence on my head.‫كتمت سرا بدا لي منه بالكتم‬ ‫لو كنت اعلم اني ما أوقره‬Had I understood, I would not have honoured it: I would have used katam-dye to hide what it disclosed.  ‫ امارتي‬is for ‫( مبالغة‬intensification) i.e. my commanding self  ‫ بالسوء‬is a comprehensive noun (‫ )اسم جامع‬for all shameful deeds (‫)القبائح‬  ‫ اتعظت‬is ‫( مطاوع‬a reflexive verb) of ‫ وعظ‬hence it is said (linguistically) ‫‘ وعظته فاتعظ‬I counselled him so he was counselled’ i.e. I advised him and reminded him of the consequences  ‫ نذير‬is an informer (‫)مبلغ‬, usually used for inciting fear (‫)تخويف‬  ‫ الهرم‬means old age (‫)كبر السن‬  ‫ اعدت‬means I accumulated (‫)ادخرت‬  ‫ الجميل‬means ‫( الحسن‬good)  ‫ القري‬has a kasrah on the ‫ ق‬and has ‫( قصر‬see footnote 13). It is the infinitive of ‫( قريت الضيف‬I received the guest hospitably)  ‫ الم‬means to take up residence (‫ )حل‬or inhabit (‫)نزل‬  ‫ محتشم‬means reverence 21

 ‫ أوقره‬means I honoured it (‫ )اعظمه‬and revered it (‫)احترمه‬  ‫ كتمت‬means ‫( اخفيت‬I concealed)  ‫ الكتم‬has fatha on the ‫ ت‬and it is a plant used as a dye like ‫( حناء‬henna)Grammar  ‫ فإن‬The ‫ ف‬is ‫( تعليلية‬causative) and the explicative for not accepting the counsel (‫)النصح‬. ‫ إن‬is ‫( حرف توكيد‬particle of emphasis)  ‫ امارتي‬is the subject-noun of ‫إن‬  ‫ بالسوء‬has a dhamma on the ‫ س‬and it is connected to ‫امارتي‬  ‫ ما‬is ‫( حرف نفي‬a particle of negation)  ‫ اتعظت‬is a verb of the perfect tense and its subject is hidden within it, which returns back to ‫ امارتي‬This clause is the predicate of ‫إن‬  ‫ من جهلها‬is connected to ‫ اتعظت‬as it is the cause for it (not to be counselled)  ‫ بنذير‬is also connected to ‫اتعظت‬  ‫ الشيب‬is ‫ مضاف اليه‬in the meaning of ‫( من‬i.e. a warner from whitened hair…)  ‫ و الهرم‬has a fatha on the ‫ ه‬and the ‫ ر‬and it is conjuncted to ‫الشيب‬  ‫ و لا اعدت‬has a sākin on the ‫ ت‬and it is conjuncted to ‫اتعظت‬  ‫ من الفعل‬is connected to ‫اعدت‬  ‫ الجميل‬is the qualification (‫ )نعت‬of ‫الفعل‬  ‫ قري‬has a kasrah on the ‫ ق‬a fatha on the ‫ ر‬and it is without tanwīn (nunation) as it is ‫( مضاف‬of ‫ )ضيف‬and it is in the accusative case as the ‫( مفعول‬object) of ‫اعدت‬  ‫ ضيف‬is in the genitive case due to the annexation of ‫ قري‬towards it  ‫ الم‬has a fatha on the ‫ م‬which is ‫( مشدد‬i.e. it has a tanwīn). It is a verb of the perfect tense with its subject and this clause is the qualification (‫ )نعت‬of ‫ضيف‬  ‫ برأسي‬is connected to ‫الم‬  ‫ غير‬is in the accusative state due to the hidden subject of ‫الم‬ 22

 ‫ محتشم‬is ‫مضاف اليه‬  ‫ لو‬is ‫( حرف شرط‬conditional particle)  ‫ كنت‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ت‬and is a defective (‫)ناقص‬23 verb of the perfect tense with ‫ ت‬as its subject-noun  ‫ اعلم‬this clause is its predicate  ‫ أني‬has a fatha on the hamza and it comprises ‫ أن‬which is ‫( حرف توكيد‬particle of emphasis) and the ‫ ياء‬of the ‫( متكلم‬first person) which is the subject-noun of ‫أن‬  ‫ ما‬is ‫( نافية‬negative)  ‫ ما أوقره‬This clause comprises the verb, its subject and its object, which becomes the predicate of ‫ أن‬This along with both of its ‫( معمول‬governed components – ‫ أني‬and ‫ما‬ ‫ )أوقره‬fill the space of two objects of ‫اعلم‬  The ‫ ه‬in ‫ ما أوقره‬is in reference to ‫الشيب‬  ‫ كتمت‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ت‬and comprises the verb and its subject and is the complement of ‫لو‬  ‫ سرا‬is the object of ‫كتمت‬  ‫ بدا‬is a verb of the perfect tense and its subject is hidden within it returning back to ‫ سرا‬This clause is the qualification (‫ )نعت‬of ‫سرا‬  ‫ لي منه‬are both connected to ‫ بدا‬the ‫ ه‬is in reference to ‫سرا‬  ‫ بالكتم‬has a fatha on the ‫ ك‬and the ‫ ت‬and it is connected to ‫كتمت‬MeaningIndeed, my soul which commands towards evil has not taken advice, due to its ignorance,from the warners, whitened hair and old age. They are far from suspicion since ‫( الشيب‬thewhitening hair) is the warner of death and ‫( الهرم‬decrepitude) is an indication of fading away.Also, from amongst the fruit of pious actions and beautiful traits I haven’t preparedhospitality for the arrival of the distinguished guest who has taken up residence on my head23 Since it contains the weak letter ‫ و‬which has been dropped 23

the light of my old age. Neither was I hospitable during its visit nor did I honour itprecisely how it should be honoured. If I were to know before its visit however, that I wouldnot be able to respect its honour then I would have used katam-dye the first instance thewhitened hair appeared to me which would have concealed the whiteness underneath it;whereby greater resistance and reproach would not approach me.Then the poet retracts that which escaped him by saying:‫كما يرد جماح الخيل باللجم‬ ‫من لي برد جماح من غوايتها‬Who will help me curb a bolting rebel’s wilfulness in the way that a rebel stallion may be curbed with reins?‫ان الطعام يقوي شهوة النهم‬ ‫فلا ترم بالمعاصي كسر شهوتها‬Think not to break unlawful whims by satisfying them. Food only increases a glutton’s desires. ‫و النفس كالطفل إن تهمله شب علي حب الرضاع و إن تفطمه ينفطم‬The ego’s like a child: neglect it, and it will grow still suckling; only if you wean it will it be weaned.  ‫ الجماح‬is the infinitive of ‫( جمح الفرس‬the horse bolted) and ‫( جمح الرجل‬meaning – ‫اذا‬ ‫ )ركب هواه وعصر رده فهو جموح‬when the man follows his whim and it is difficult to restrain him, so he is defiant  ‫ الغواية‬means ‫( الضلالة‬deviance) and refusal of returning  ‫ الخيل‬is ‫( اسم جمع‬a collective noun)and its singular is a horse, in import (‫)في المعني‬  ‫ اللجم‬is the plural of ‫( لجام‬rein) which is a persian word which has been arabicised, it is that which is placed in the mouth of the horse  ‫ الروم‬means to desire  ‫ المعاصي‬is the plural of ‫ معصية‬which is the opposite of ‫( طاعة‬obedience)  ‫( كسر‬breaking) means ‫( الصرف‬averting)  ‫ النهم‬one with a ravenous appetite  ‫ النفس‬means ‫( الروح‬the soul) 24

 ‫ الطفل‬is the newborn child  ‫ الاهمال‬means ‫( الترك‬leaving)  ‫ شب‬when the child grows up  ‫ الرضاع‬is the suckling of milk before the first two years  ‫ فطمت المرأة ولدها‬The woman weaned her childGrammar  ‫ من‬has a fatha on the ‫ م‬and it is ‫( اسم استفهام‬interrogative particle) and the inceptive  ‫ لي‬is its predicate  ‫ برد‬is connected to that which the ‫( مجرور‬genitive) before it is connected to24  ‫ جماح‬has a kasra on the ‫ ج‬and it is ‫مضاف اليه‬  ‫ من غوايتها‬has a fatha on the ‫ غ‬and it is connected to ‫برد‬  ‫ كما‬the ‫ ك‬is a preposition and the ‫ ما‬is ‫( مصدرية‬gives the following verb the meaning of its infinitive)  ‫ يرد‬is a verb of the imperfect tense and it is indeclinable as it is in the passive voice (‫)مبني للمفعول‬  ‫ جماح‬is ‫( نائب الفاعل‬a representative subject)  ‫ الخيل‬is ‫مضاف اليه‬  ‫ باللجم‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ل‬and ‫ ج‬this is connected to ‫يرد‬  ‫ فلا‬is ‫( حرف نهي‬a prohibitive particle)  ‫ ترم‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ر‬and it is in the apocopate (vowelless) form due to ‫لا ناهية‬ (the prohibitive particle)  ‫ بالمعاصي‬is connected to ‫ترم‬  ‫ كسر‬is the object of ‫ترم‬  ‫ شهوتها‬is ‫مضاف اليه‬24 The ‫ ي‬in ‫لي‬ 25

 ‫ ان الطعام‬comprises ‫ ان‬and its subject-noun  ‫ يقوي‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ي‬a fatha on the ‫ ق‬and a kasra on the ‫ و‬with tashdīd and this is a verb of the imperfect tense with its subject hidden within it returning back to ‫الطعام‬  ‫ شهوة‬is its object  ‫ النهم‬has a fatha on the ‫ ن‬and kasra on the ‫ ه‬and this is ‫ مضاف اليه‬The clause beginning with ‫ يقوي‬is the predicate of ‫ان‬  ‫ و النفس‬has a sākin on the ‫ ف‬and it is the inceptive  ‫ كالطفل‬is its predicate  ‫ إن تهمله‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ت‬and it is ‫( شرط‬a condition)  ‫ شب‬has a fatha on the ‫ ش‬and the ‫ ب‬with tashdīd. This is the complement of the condition  ‫ علي حب‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ح‬connected to ‫شب‬  ‫ الرضاع‬can be read with either a fatha or a kasra on the ‫ ر‬and it is ‫مضاف اليه‬  ‫ إن تفطمه ينفطم‬has a fatha on the ‫ ت‬and the ‫ ي‬this comprises the ‫( شرط‬condition) and its complementMeaningWho will restrain my soul which commands me towards evil, averting me away from thatwhich it is currently upon of deviance and defiance, through sublime counsel and divinesecrets, just as how a bolting horse is restrained with reins. O the one addressed do notdesire to break your passions through sin, as eating delicious food only strengthens thepassions of the glutton. However, if he were to restrain his soul from sins then it would berestrained, this is because the soul is just like a suckling infant, in that if you leave himsuckling then he will reach childhood whilst he is still suckling. If you wean him however, hewill desist suckling and will not be harmed.Then the poet completes this by saying: ‫فاصرف هواها و حاذر ان توليه ان الهوي ما تولي يصم او يصم‬ Frustrate its whim; be wary of giving it power, for whims pollute or pervert whatever they control. 26

و ان هي استحلت المرعي فلا تسم‬ ‫و راعها و هي في الأعمال سائمة‬Guard it as it grazes in the pasture of deeds. And should it find the grazing sweet, let it not roam.‫من حيث لم يدر أن السم في الدسم‬ ‫كم حسنت لذة للمرء قاتلة‬ Many a delight has it approved which proves murderous, for some do not know that the fat contains a poison.  ‫ الحذر‬means ‫( التحذير‬vigilance)  ‫ التولية‬means ‫( الولاية‬empowerment)  ‫ تولي‬means ‫( تأمر‬to seize power)  ‫ يصم‬with a dhamma on the ‫ ي‬means ‫( يقتل‬to kill) and with a fatha on the ‫ ي‬it means ‫( يعيب‬to defect)  ‫ راعها‬means ‫( لاحظها‬supervise it)  ‫ السوم‬means to graze freely  ‫ استحلت‬means to perceive sweetness  ‫ المرعي‬means ‫( الكلأ‬pasture)  ‫ السم‬means a lethal poison  ‫ الدسم‬means ‫( الودك‬fat)Grammar  ‫ فاصرف‬is an imperative with its subject  ‫ هواها‬is its object  ‫ حاذر‬is an imperative with the meaning of ‫( احذر‬be wary!)  ‫ ان‬has a fatha on the ‫ أ‬a sākin on the ‫ ن‬and it is ‫( حرف مصدرية‬gives the following verb the meaning of its infinitive and makes it accusative)  ‫ توليه‬is a verb of the imperfect tense and it is ‫( منصوب‬accusative) due to ‫ان‬  ‫ ان‬has a kasrah on the ‫ إ‬a tashdīd on the ‫ ن‬and it is ‫( حرف توكيد‬particle of emphasis) 27

 ‫ الهوي‬is its subject-noun  ‫ ما‬is ‫( اسم شرط‬conditional noun) in the meaning of ‫ان‬  ‫ تولي‬is a verb of the perfect tense in the apocopate (vowelless) position (‫)في موضع جزم‬ due to ‫ما‬  ‫( يصم‬1) has a dhamma on the ‫ ي‬a sākin on the ‫ ص‬a kasra on the ‫ م‬and it is the complement of the condition  ‫ او‬is ‫( حرف عطف‬a conjunctive) in favour of one of the two (‫)لاحد الشيئين‬  ‫( يصم‬2) has a fatha on the ‫ ي‬a kasra on the ‫ ص‬and it is conjuncted to ‫( يصم‬1) The condition and its complement is the predicate of ‫إن‬  ‫ و راعها‬has a fatha on the ‫ ر‬a kasra on the ‫ ع‬and comprises an imperative its subject and object, this is conjuncted to ‫فاصرف‬  ‫ و هي‬is ‫( مبتدأ‬the inceptive)  ‫ في الأعمال‬has a fatha on the ‫ أ‬and it is connected to ‫سائمة‬  ‫ سائمة‬is the predicate and along with the inceptive it makes ‫( جملة حالية‬a clause that is denotative of state), linked by ‫ و‬and the pronoun ‫هي‬  ‫ ان‬is ‫( حرف شرط‬a conditional particle)  ‫ هي‬is the subject of an omitted verb which is explicated by ‫ استحلت‬according to the majority of the Basran school of thought. Akhmash and the Kufans however are of the opinion that ‫ هي‬is ‫( مبتدأ‬the inceptive)25  ‫ استحلت المرعي‬This clause comprises the verb, its subject and its object, together this is the predicate of ‫هي‬  ‫ لا‬is ‫( حرف نهي‬a prohibitive particle)  ‫ تسم‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ت‬kasra on the ‫ س‬and it is in the apocopate (vowelless) form due to ‫( لا ناهية‬the prohibitive particle) but it can also be read with a kasra on the ‫ م‬due to ‫( القافية‬rhyme). Its object has been omitted and this clause is the25 The commentator takes this view into consideration 28

complement of the condition which has been linked together by ‫ ف( فاء طلبية‬which is the complement of the conditional clause)26  ‫ كم‬is ‫( خبرية‬predicative) in the meaning of ‫( كثير‬abundant) and it is in the accusative case as it is ‫( مصدرية‬gives the following verb the meaning of its infinitive) i.e ‫كم تحسين‬ (much beautification)  ‫ حسنت‬has a tashdīd on the ‫ س‬and it is a verb of the perfect tense. Its subject is hidden within it which returns back to ‫النفس‬  ‫ لذة‬has a fatha on the ‫ ل‬and ‫ ذ‬with tashdīd and this is the object of ‫حسنت‬  ‫ للمرء‬is connected to ‫حسنت‬  ‫ قاتلة‬is the ‫( نعت‬qualification) of ‫لذة‬  ‫ من حيث‬is connected to ‫قاتلة‬  ‫ لم يدر‬comprises ‫ لم‬which governs the apocopate (vowelless) form and ‫ يدر‬which is in the apocopate form  ‫ أن‬has a fatha on the ‫ أ‬and it is ‫( حرف توكيد‬particle of emphasis)  ‫ السم‬is the subject-noun of ‫أن‬  ‫ في الدسم‬has a fatha on the ‫ د‬and the ‫ س‬and is its predicate. ‫ أن‬and both of its governed components (‫ السم‬and ‫ )في الدسم‬become the object of ‫ يدر‬Then ‫ يدر‬and its governed component is in the genitive position (‫ )في موضع خفض‬due to its annexation with ‫من حيث‬MeaningSeize hold of the reins of the soul and divert its passion away from that which it is currentlyupon from its need of pleasure and its preoccupation with its desires. Strive hard to preventthe sovereignty of passion and its power, because as long as the passion is in control of aperson it will either kill him by wrestling or it will defect him. Secure the protection of thesoul whilst it is grazing in the pasture of deeds so that it does not become too distant whilstgrazing and seeks the sweetness of the pasture. But if it finds the pasture pleasant then donot graze it there, lest it may rebel against you and become disobedient to you afterwards.Beware the deception of the soul; how many a delight has it embellished for the people and26 Another example may be ‫( إن يكرمك زيد فلا تهنه‬If Zayd treats you with honour do not treat him with contempt) 29

ved fatal, whilst he does not know that the fatty food he is taking delight in eatingcontains a lethal poison.In terms of rhetoric (‫ )بديع‬the first verse uses paronomasia (‫ – الجناس المحرف‬see footnote 88)where the two words differ in the vowelisation of the letters but agree in the type, numberand the sequence of the letters by saying ‫ يصم أو يصم‬27The second verse uses ‫( رد العجز علي الصدر‬Antistrophe) of the type where one of the twosimilar words is at the the end of the first hemistitch and the other at the end of the secondhemistitch. This verse also utilise ‫( جناس الاشتقاق‬paronomasia which uses derivatives of thesame root) by using ‫ سائمة‬and ‫تسم‬‫فرب مخمصة شر من التخم‬ ‫و اخش الدسائس من جوع و من شبع‬Fear the insidious snares of hunger and of satiety, for being hungry is sometimes worse than having gorged.‫من المحارم و الزم حمية الندم‬ ‫و استفرغ الدمع من عين قد امتلأت‬Empty out the tears from an eye that has stuffed itself with forbidden delights; hold hard to a diet of penitence.  ‫ الخشية‬means ‫( الخوف‬fear)  ‫ الدسائس‬is the plural of ‫ دسيسة‬which means ‫( الفتنة الخفية‬hidden machination), from the word ‫( الدساسة‬a covert plot)  ‫ مخمصة‬means to become hungry  ‫ التخم‬is the plural of ‫ تخمة‬which is indigestion of the food in the stomach due to over- eating  ‫ استفرغ‬is from the word ‫ التفريغ‬which means ‫( التخلية‬emptying)27 The idea being that although they look identical, the root letters of ‫( يصم‬1) are ‫ ص م ي‬and those of ‫( يصم‬2) are‫ و ص م‬They also differ in terms of vowelisation, ‫( يصم‬1) has a dhamma on the ‫ ي‬a sākin on the ‫ ص‬and kasra onthe ‫ م‬whereas ‫( يصم‬2) has a fatha on the ‫ ي‬kasra on the ‫ص‬ 30

 ‫ المحارم‬is the plural of ‫ محرم‬which means ‫( الحرام‬forbidden)  ‫ حمية‬means abstaining from that which is harmful28  ‫ الندم‬means ‫( اسف‬regret)Grammar  ‫ و اخش الدسائس‬is an imperative with its subject and object  ‫ من جوع و من شبع‬are both in the position of a denotative of state (‫ )في موضع الحال‬for ‫ الدسائس‬The ‫ من‬is for the explication (‫)بيان‬29 of ‫الدسائس‬  ‫ فرب‬is ‫( حرف جر‬a preposition)  ‫ مخمصة‬is ‫( مجرور‬genitive) due to ‫ رب‬and this compound is in the nominative case because of ‫( الإبتداء‬becoming the inceptive)  ‫ شر‬is its predicate, like the saying: ‫( رب قتل عار‬many a murder is manifest)  ‫ من التخم‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ت‬and a fatha on the ‫ خ‬which is connected to ‫شر‬  ‫ و استفرغ الدمع‬is an imperative with its subject and object  ‫ من عين‬is placed as the ‫ حال‬of ‫الدمع‬  ‫ قد‬is ‫ حرف تحقيق‬the particle which denotes the affirmation of truth or certainty  ‫ امتلأت‬is a verb of the perfect tense and its subject is hidden within it returning back to ‫عين‬  ‫ من المحارم‬is connected to ‫امتلأت‬  ‫ و الزم‬has a fatha on the ‫ ز‬and it is an imperative conjuncted to ‫استفرغ‬  ‫ حمية‬has a kasra on the ‫ ح‬and it is object  ‫ الندم‬is ‫مضاف اليه‬28 This usually applies to abstaining from food which may prove injurious in case of sickness29 When ‫ من‬is used for (‫ )بيان‬it indicates, or gives evidence of, a circumstance, or state, that is a result, or aneffect, of a quality or an attribute 31

ningFear the hidden dangers, some of which are a result of hunger, like bad character,irascibility, becoming lethargic and feebleness whereas others are a result of satiety, likelaziness, dominance of the desires and the darkness of the heart etc. All of these factorscreate disturbance in worship but whereas worship can be achieved with satiety, it cannotbe achieved with hunger, thus hunger is worse than satiety. Consider that which is good foryou and weep excessively over your sins and empty the tears from your eyes which havebeen filled with taking pleasure in forbidden sights. And hold fast to piety and abstain fromthat which it is necessary for the sorrowful repentant to shun and evade, so that perhapsAllāh ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬may accept your repentance and make your weeping an atonement foryour sins. ‫و خالف النفس و الشيطان و اعصهما و ان هما محضاك النصح فاتهم‬ Disobey the ego and the devil; dispute with them; suspect them both even when they offer you true counsel.‫فانت تعرف كيد الخصم و الحكم‬ ‫و لا تطع منهما خصما و لا حكم‬Of the twain, obey neither as a plaintiff or an arbiter. Well you know the plaintiff’s and the arbiter’s ploy.  ‫ النفس‬is the soul but it has also been said that it is the blood or the whole of the body  ‫ الشيطان‬means ‫( مبعد‬exiled) if it is said to be a derivative of ‫ شطن‬and if it is said to be a derivative of ‫ شاط‬then it means ‫( هالك‬destroyed) and ‫( محترق‬ablaze). It is on the pattern of ‫ فيعال‬according to the first, and on the pattern of ‫ فعلان‬for the second.  ‫ محضاك‬means ‫( أخلصاك‬they manifest sincerity to you)  ‫ الخصم‬means the ‫( منازع‬adversary)30  ‫ الحكم‬means the ‫( محكم‬arbitrator)31Grammar  ‫ و خالف النفس‬comprises an imperative, its subject, and its object30 Somebody who brings a claim against a person, i.e. the satan31 Somebody designated to hear both sides of a dispute and make a judgment, in this case the soul 32

‫ و الشيطان‬is conjucted to ‫النفس‬ ‫ و اعصهما‬comprises an imperative, its subject, and its object and it is conjucted to ‫ خالف النفس‬The coupling of ‫( المخالفة‬oppposition) and ‫( العصيان‬disobedience) is for emphasis (‫ )تأكيد‬through the use of the synonym (‫)المرادف‬. When the particle ‫ و‬is used to conjunct the clauses with emphasis then it is charactistic of ‫( ثم‬then), as clarified by Shaykh Abu Hayyān in ‫الارتشاف‬ ‫ ان‬is ‫( حرف شرط‬conditional particle) ‫ هما‬is the subject of an omitted verb which is understood by that which follows it, the implication being ‫ ان محدك هما‬It is also permissible according to the Kufans and Akhmash that ‫ هما‬becomes the ‫( مبتدأ‬inceptive) ‫ محضاك‬comprises the verb, subject and the first object and ‫ النصح‬is the second object. This clause according to the first opinion does not have a specific case (or mood) as it is explicative. According to the second view however, the clause is in the nominative case (‫ )الرفع‬as it is the predicate of the ‫( مبتدأ‬inceptive) ‫ فاتهم‬is the complement of the condition and the ‫ ف‬is the complement of the conditional clause and used as a conjunctive since the verb is an imperative, whereby the ‫ م‬has a kasrah in accordance with the rhyming letter (‫)حرف الروي‬, i.e. the ‫م‬ ‫ لا‬is ‫( حرف نهي‬a prohibitive particle) ‫ تطع‬is in the apocopate form due to the prohibitive particle ‫ منهما‬is connected to ‫ تطع‬and the dual pronoun is in reference to ‫ النفس‬and ‫الشيطان‬ ‫ خصما‬is the object of ‫تطع‬ ‫ و لا حكما‬has a fatha on the ‫ ح‬and the ‫ ك‬and it is conjuncted to ‫ خصما‬The ‫ لا‬has been added after the conjunctive (‫ )و‬for the benefit of emphasising the negation. ‫ فانت‬is subject ‫ تعرف‬is its predicate 33

 ‫ كيد‬is the object of ‫تعرف‬  ‫ الخصم‬is ‫مضاف اليه‬  ‫ و الحكم‬has a fatha on the ‫ ح‬and the ‫ ك‬and it is conjuncted to ‫الخصم‬MeaningIndeed the soul and the satan are both clear enemies for you, so oppose them in whateverthey command you to do or whatever they prohibit you from, disobey them in this. Even ifthey were to give you sincere advice, suspect them, and do not firmly believe in their advice.As indeed one of them is your adversary and the other is ruling over you and the deceptionof the adversary and the oppression of the colluding ruler is manifest.In terms of rhetoric (‫ )بديع‬the first verse uses ‫( رد العجز علي الصدر‬Antistrophe) by repeating‫ الخصم‬and ‫الحكم‬When he completed giving sincere advice to the addressed through the purification of thosethings he was acquainted with, he admits to himself that he did not act as he has said, thushe asks for forgiveness from such statements by saying:‫لقد نسبت به نسلا لذي عقم‬ ‫استغفر الله من قول بلا عمل‬I ask God’s pardon for words not followed by deeds, for by them did I attribute progeny to a sterile man.‫و ما استقمت فما قولي لك استقم‬ ‫امرتك الخير لكن ما ائتمرت به‬I commend goodness to you while not conforming myself. Being crooked, of what use is my command to be straight?‫و لم أصل سوي فرض و لم اصم‬ ‫و لا تزودت قبل الموت نافلة‬No optional devotions have I accumulated, ready for my demise; nor have I fasted, nor prayed, more than the minimum required. ‫ الاستغفار‬is the request for forgiveness ‫ نسبت‬means ‫( عزوت‬I attributed) 34

 ‫ النسل‬means ‫( الولد‬offspring)  ‫ عقم‬is the infinitive of ‫( عقمت الرحم‬the womb became barren)  ‫ الامر‬means ‫( الطلب‬desire)  ‫ الخير‬is the opposite of ‫( الشر‬evil)  ‫ ائتمرت‬means ‫( امتثلت‬I obeyed)  ‫ استقمت‬means ‫( اعتدلت‬I became upright)  ‫ الزاد‬originally meant a stock of provisions taken for travelling, the meaning here however, is of actions which are beneficial in the hereafter  ‫ الموت‬is the separation of the soul from the body  ‫ النافلة‬are those things increased upon the ‫( واجبات‬necessary actions)  ‫ سوي‬has the import of ‫( غير‬other than)Grammar  ‫ استغفر‬has a fatha on the ‫ أ‬and it is the verb of the imperfect tense with its subject hidden within it due to necessity  ‫ الله‬is in the accusative case due to ‫استغفر‬  ‫ من قول‬is connected to ‫استغفر‬  ‫ بلا عمل‬is the qualification (‫ )نعت‬of ‫قول‬  ‫ لقد‬the ‫ ل‬is used in order to emphasise the complement of an omitted oath and ‫ قد‬is ‫ حرف تحقيق‬the particle which denotes the affirmation of truth or certainty, the implication being ‫و الله لقد‬  ‫ نسبت‬has a fatha on the ‫ س‬a sākin on the ‫ ب‬and a dhamma on the ‫ ت‬and consists of the verb and its subject  ‫ به‬is connected to ‫ نسبت‬and the ‫ ه‬is in reference to ‫قول‬  ‫ نسلا‬is the object of ‫نسبت‬  ‫ لذي‬has a kasrah on the ‫ ل‬and the ‫ ذ‬comprising ‫( جار مجرور‬the preposition and the genitive) which is connected to ‫نسبت‬ 35

 ‫ عقم‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ع‬and the ‫ ق‬and it is ‫ مضاف اليه‬The ‫ ق‬originally had a sākin, but due to dialect it is observed that those triliteral nouns which have a dhamma on the first letter and a quiescent (vowelless) second letter, the latter is pronounced with the second movent like the first (i.e. dhamma). This is also the case with ‫ عسر‬and ‫ يسر‬32  ‫ امرتك الخير‬comprises the verb of the perfect tense, subject and two objects  ‫ لكن‬is ‫( حرف ابتداء‬a particle of inception) and ‫( حرف إستدراك‬particle of emendation)  ‫ ما‬is negative  ‫ ائتمرت‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ت‬indicating the first person and it comprises the verb of the perfect tense and its subject. Originally, ‫ ائتمرت‬had two hamza (‫)ءئتمرت‬, the first with a kasra, and the second with a sākin. The second hamza can then change into ‫ ي‬due to the kasra before  ‫ به‬is connected to ‫ ائتمرت‬and the ‫ ه‬is in reference to ‫الخير‬  ‫ ما‬is negative  ‫ استقمت‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ت‬and comprises the verb and its subject  ‫ فما‬is ‫( اسم إستفهام‬an interrogative particle) and the inceptive  ‫ قولي‬has a fatha on the ‫ ق‬and its predicate  ‫ لك‬is connected to ‫قولي‬  ‫ استقم‬is an imperative and it is in the accusative case due to being the object of ‫قولي‬  ‫ لا‬is ‫( نافية‬negative)  ‫ تزودت‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ت‬and contains the verb and its subject  ‫ قبل‬is ‫( ظرف زمان‬an adverbial noun of time) in the accusative case due to ‫تزودت‬  ‫ الموت‬is ‫مضاف اليه‬  ‫ نافلة‬is the object of ‫تزودت‬  ‫ لم‬is ‫( حرف نفي‬a particle of negation)32 This is also the case with the word ‫ بعد‬which shall be mentioned later 36

 ‫ أصل‬is the verb of the imperfect tense and in the apocopate (vowelless) form due to ‫ لم‬this is indicated by the omission of ‫( ي‬from the end of the verb)  ‫ سوي‬is the object of ‫ أصل‬and it is not ‫( ظرف زمان‬an adverbial noun of time)  ‫ فرض‬is ‫مضاف اليه‬  ‫ و لم اصم‬is conjuncted to ‫ لم أصل‬its object is omitted and it is similar to that which precedes it, the implication being ‫ و لم اصم سوي فرض‬It was omitted from the second (‫ )لم اصم‬so that the first may indicate the omitted portion (‫)سوي فرض‬MeaningI seek forgiveness from Allāh ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬regarding my statements as I am sterile inproducing actions suitable for such statements. As indeed the result of speech is action, sowhen my speech does not result in action it is like a barren womb which does not yieldoffspring. By Allāh ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬through such speech, devoid of action, it is as though Iattributed offspring to a sterile man. Verily, I commanded you to perform pious actions, yetI failed to act upon it myself, neither did I become upright by adopting ‫استقامة‬(steadfastness) so what is the benefit of saying to you ‘become upright’ when I am notupright initially and Allāh ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬has mentioned in the Qur’ān:33َ‫كَبُ َر َمقًْتا عِن َد الَّلهِ أَن َتقُولُوا مَا لَا تَ ْفَعلُون‬٢‫َيا أَُيّ َها اَّل ِذي َن َآمَنُوا لِ َم َتقُولُونَ مَا َلا َت ْفعَُلو َن‬Nor have I accumulated provisions of optional worship in preparation for the arrival ofdeath, rather I limited my prayer (‫ )الصلاة‬and fasting (‫ )الصوم‬to only that which wasobligatory.‫ان اشتكت قدماه الضر من ورم‬ ‫ظلمت سنة من احي الظلام الي‬I’ve wronged the example of him who revived the black nights, praying until his feet complained of painful swelling.‫تحت الحجارة كشحا مترف الادم‬ ‫و شد من سغب احشائه و طوي‬33 O People who Believe! Why do you preach what you do not practice? How despicable it is in the sight ofAllāh that you preach what you do not practice (Surah 61:2-3). 37

r his belly and soft skin he placed a stone, tightening a belt over it to lessen the hunger pangs.‫عن نفسه فاراها ايما شمم‬ ‫و راودته الجبال الشم من ذهب‬High mountains sought to tempt him by turning to gold, but he showed them lofty height upon height!‫ان الضرورة لا تعدو علي العصم‬ ‫و اكدت زهده فيها ضرورته‬His constraint through poverty only confirmed his detachment from them. A need such as his shall not lead to transgression.  ‫ ظلمت‬means ‫( تركت‬I left)  ‫ سنة‬means ‫( السيرة‬the way of life) and ‫( الطريقة‬the manner)  ‫ احي الظلام‬he stood during the night on his feet  ‫( اشتكت‬the feet) revealed (signs of) suffering  ‫ القدم‬means that part of the sole which is adjacent to the toes  ‫ الضر‬means ‫( الالم‬pain) and ‫( الهزال‬emaciation)  ‫ ورم‬means ‫( الانتفاخ‬swelling)  ‫ سغب‬means ‫( الجوع‬hunger)  ‫ الاحشاء‬is the plural of ‫ حشا‬which is that (cavity) ‫( ما انضمت عليه الضلوع‬enclosed by the ribs)  ‫ الطي‬means ‫( الثني‬tying)  ‫ الكشح‬is the area between the hip and the false ribs (the flank)  ‫ المترف‬means ‫( المنعم‬soft or supple)  ‫ الادم‬is the plural of ‫( أدمة‬inner skin, cutis or derma) which is the interior of the skin next to the flesh, whereas ‫ البشرة‬is the exterior  ‫ راودته‬means ‫( دعته‬enticed him towards itself)  ‫ الشم‬is the plural of ‫ اشم‬which means ‫( العالي‬lofty) 38

 ‫ فاراها ايما شمم‬he turned away from them and ascended above them the extremity of elevation34  ‫ اكدت‬means ‫( قوت‬it confirmed)  ‫ الزهد‬is the opposite of ‫( الرغبة‬desire)  ‫ ضرورة‬means ‫( الحاجة‬requirement)  ‫ لا تعدو‬means ‫ لا تظلم‬it does not transgress  ‫ العصم‬is the plural of ‫( عصمة‬preservation)35Grammar  ‫ ظلمت‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ت‬and contains the verb and its subject  ‫ سنة‬has a dhamma on the ‫ س‬and is object  ‫ من‬has a fatha on the ‫ م‬and it is ‫( موصول اسمي‬a conjunct noun) and ‫مضاف اليه‬  ‫ احي الظلام‬comprises the verb, subject and the object. This clause is the ‫صلة‬ (complement) of ‫ من‬and the subject of ‫ احي‬is hidden within it and returns back to ‫من‬  ‫ الي‬is ‫( حرف جر‬a preposition) denoting the end (‫)غاية‬  ‫ أن‬has a fatha on the ‫ أ‬and a sākin on the ‫ ن‬although kasra is possible due to the meeting of two sākin (‫ أن )التقاء الساكنين‬is ‫( موصول حرفي‬conjunct particle)  ‫ اشتكت قدماه‬comprises the verb and its subject, which is the ‫( صلة‬complement) of ‫أن‬  ‫ الضر‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ض‬and it is the object of ‫اشتكت‬  ‫ من ورم‬is ‫( جار مجرور‬the preposition and the genitive) is placed as a denotative of state due to ‫ الضر‬or it is connected to ‫ اشتكت‬through ‫ أن‬The ‫ من‬is for ‫( تعليل‬causation)34 Literally, he showed them loftiness, what loftiness!35 ‫ عصمة الانبياء‬signifies God's preservation of the prophets, first, by the endowment of them with essentialpurity of constitution; then, by the conferring of large and highly-esteemed excellencies; then, by aid againstopponents, and rendering their feet firm; then, by sending down upon them tranquility (‫ )سكينة‬and thepreservation of their hearts, and minds, and adaptation to that which is right. And a faculty of avoiding, orshunning, acts of disobedience, (or of self-preservation therefrom), with possession of power to commit them;explained as an inability to disobey, or a disposition that prevents disobedience, not such as constrains (to act).(Lane’s Lexicon) 39

‫ شد‬has a fatha on the ‫ ش‬and it is a verb with its subject hidden within it ‫ سغب‬has a fatha on the ‫ س‬and the ‫ غ‬and it is connected to ‫شد‬ ‫ من‬is for ‫( تعليل‬causation) ‫ احشائه‬is the object of ‫شد‬ ‫ و طوي‬has a fatha on the ‫ ط‬and the ‫ و‬this conjuncted to ‫شد‬ ‫ تحت‬is ‫( ظرف المكان‬an adverbial noun of place) and it is accusative due to ‫طوي‬ ‫ الحجارة‬is ‫مضاف اليه‬ ‫ كشحا‬has a fatha on the ‫ ك‬and a sākin on the ‫ ش‬and it is the object of ‫طوي‬ ‫ مترف‬has a sākin on the ‫ ت‬and a fatha on the ‫ ر‬this is the qualification (‫ )نعت‬of ‫كشحا‬ ‫ الأدم‬has a fatha on the ‫ أ‬and the ‫ د‬and this is ‫ مضاف اليه‬by annexing the passive particle (‫)اسم المفعول‬36 towards the ‫( نائب الفاعل‬representative subject). Originally it was ‫ مترفا أدمه‬i.e. ‫( منعما جلده‬one with soft skin) ‫ راودته الجبال‬comprises the verb, subject and its object ‫ الشم‬has dhamma on the ‫ ش‬and it is the ‫( نعت‬qualification) of ‫الجبال‬ ‫ من ذهب‬is placed as a denotative of state due to ‫الجبال‬ ‫ عن نفسه‬is connected to ‫راودته‬ ‫ فأراها‬has a fatha on the ‫ أ‬and the ‫ ر‬This contains the verb with its subject hidden within it and the object ‫ ايما‬has a fatha on the ‫ ي‬with tashdīd. This is the ‫( نعت‬qualification) of an omitted infinitive (of ‫ ما )أري‬is ‫( زائدة‬extra) ‫ شمم‬has a fatha on the ‫ ش‬and the ‫ م‬and this is ‫ مضاف اليه‬The implication being ‫( فأراها شمما أي شمم‬he showed them loftiness, what loftiness!) ‫ اكدت‬is the verb of the perfect tense in the feminine form due to the feminine ‫ت‬ ‫ زهده‬is the object of ‫( اكدت‬and has a fatha on the ‫ )د‬The ‫ ه‬is ‫مضاف اليه‬36 i.e. ‫ مترف‬which is on the pattern of ‫مكرم‬ 40

 ‫ فيها‬is connected to ‫زهده‬  ‫ ضرورته‬is in the nominative case (and has a dhamma on the ‫ )ت‬as it is the subject of ‫اكدت‬  ‫ إن الضرورة‬comprises ‫ إن‬and its subject-noun  ‫ لا‬is ‫( نافية‬negative)  ‫ تعدو‬is a verb with its subject hidden within it, and this the predicate of ‫إن‬  ‫ علي العصم‬has a kasra on the ‫ ع‬of ‫ العصم‬and a fatha on the ‫ ص‬This is connected to ‫تعدو‬MeaningI have left the manner of the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬who in spite of his sublime rank and elevatedposition, spent the dark nights by performing worship on his noble feet, to the extent thatthey would become overcome with pain and swelling. He ‫ ﷺ‬would also compress hisblessed middle with a stone and tie his soft and distinguished waist beneath the stone asalleviation for the pain of hunger, but this is not borne out of incapacity nor an inability totrain in the disciplines necessary for livelihood. This is because lofty mountains made frompure gold would entice him towards them, but he ‫ ﷺ‬would turn away from them andshow them the greatest ascendency and renunciation. And from that which confirms hisabstinence from the vanities of this world is his need for only necessities and his excesspoverty. Necessity makes the forbidden permissible (‫)الضرورات تبيح المحظورات‬, so what couldbe said about permissible actions when his need does not hinder his preservation (‫)العصمة‬.As for spending the night in worship, it is from the verse of the Qur’ān:‫إِ َّن رََبّ َك َي ْعلَ ُم أََنّ َك َتقُومُ أَدْنَى مِن ُثلُثَ ِي الَلّيْلِ الآَية‬ 41

eed your Lord knows that you stand up in prayer, sometimes two-thirds of the night… (tothe end of the verse).37As for the swelling of his feet, it is from the hadīth of the messenger ‫ﷺ‬‫و قد قيل له اتتكلف هذا و قد غفر الله لك ما تقدم من ذنبك و ما تأخر فقال افلا أكون عبدا شكورا (رواه‬ )‫الشيخان‬It was said to him ‫ ﷺ‬why do you burden yourself with this whilst Allāh ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬hasforgiven, for your sake, the sins of those before you and those after you, so he ‫ ﷺ‬said,“should I not be a thankful servant.” (Narrated by Bukhārī and Muslim)As for tying a stone on his stomach due to hunger, )‫فقد وقع له في حفر الخندق (رواه البخاري‬This situation arose whilst digging the trench (at the battle of Khandaq), narrated byBukhārī.38As for the enticement of the mountains, this is taken from the hadīth of the messenger ‫ﷺ‬‫ان جبريل قال له ان الله تعالي يقول لك اتحب ان اجعل لك هذه الجبال ذهبا و تكون معك حيث ما كنت‬ )‫فاطرق ساعة ثم قال يا جبريل ان الدنيا دار من لا دار له (الحديث بطوله في الشفاء‬Jibrīl said to him ‫ ﷺ‬that Allāh ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬asks you, ‘would you like me to turn thismountain into gold, whereby it would accompany you wherever you go,’ so he ‫ ﷺ‬bowedhis head for while and then said, ‘O Jibrīl this world is the abode of the one who has noabode… (the rest of the hadīth is in the Shifā of Qādī Iyād)3937 73:2038 Sahīh Bukharī Book 59, Hadīth 42739 ‫…( ومال من لا مال له قد يجمعها من لا عقل له فقال له جبريل ثبتك الله يا محمد بالقول الثابت‬and the property of he who has noproperty, and it is accumulated by the one who has no intellect.’ So Jibril said to him ‫ ﷺ‬that Allāh ‫سبحانه وتعالى‬has made you firm upon the truth 42

‫وكيف تدعو الي الدنيا ضرورة من لو لاه لم تخرج الدنيا من العدم‬ How could poverty tempt him to worldliness when but for him the would not have been brought from the void? ‫محمد سيد الكونين و الثقلين و الفريقين من عرب و من عجم‬ Muhammad is the master of both worlds, both kinds, and both companies: Arabs and non- Arabs.  ‫ العدم‬is that which precedes all things, before even their existence  ‫ سيد‬means ‫( الجليل‬revered) ‫( العظيم‬honourable)40  ‫ الكونان‬is in reference to ‫( الدنيا‬the world) and ‫( الآخرة‬the hereafter)  ‫ الثقلان‬is in reference to the humans and the jinn. ‫( الثقل‬with fatha) is a precious thing, and the most precious from amongst that on the face of the earth are the humans and the jinn. For this reason they are named ‫الثقلان‬  ‫ الفريقين‬is in reference to the Arabs and the non-Arabs. ‫ الفريق‬is a great congregation, ‫( العربي‬Arab) one eloquent in Arabic language and ‫( العجمي‬non-Arab) is the oppositeGrammar  ‫ وكيف‬is connected to ‫ تدعو‬with the import of ‫( ما نافية‬a particle of negation)  ‫ تدعو‬is a verb of the imperfect tense  ‫ الي الدنيا‬is connected to ‫تدعو‬  ‫ ضرورة‬is the subject of ‫تدعو‬  ‫ من‬is ‫( موصول اسمي‬a conjunct noun) and ‫مضاف اليه‬40A ‫ سيد‬is superior in rank or station or condition; one possessing pre-eminence or excellence; a man of rank orquality; a personage; a man of distinction: one who surpasses others in intelligence and property, and inrepelling injury, and in beneficence, or usefulness who makes a just use of his property, and aids others byhimself: one possessed of glory, honour, dignity, eminence, exalted or elevated state, or nobility; generous,noble, or high-born: the most generous, noble, or high-born, of a people: a liberal, bountiful, or munificent,person: clement; forbearing; one who endures injurious treatment from his people. Devout, abstaining fromunlawful thing, and clement, or forbearing: one who is not overcome by his anger: As, the Arabs say that itsignifies anyone who is subdued, or repressed, by his principle of clemency, or forbearance. (Lane’s Lexicon) 43

 ‫ لولاه‬comprises the ‫ جار‬and ‫( مجرور‬the preposition and the genitive) according to Sibawayh  ‫لم تخرج‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ت‬and fatha on the ‫ ر‬This consists of the ‫ جازم‬and the ‫مجزوم‬  ‫ الدنيا‬is the ‫( نائب الفاعل‬a representative subject) of ‫تخرج‬  ‫ من العدم‬is connected to ‫ تخرج‬The clause ‫ لم تخرج‬until its end is the ‫ جواب‬of ‫ لولاه‬Thus ‫ لولاه‬and its ‫ جواب‬is the ‫( صلة‬complement) of ‫ من‬and the ‫ ه‬in ‫ لولاه‬returns back to it.  ‫ محمد‬is in the nominative case and it is the ‫( بدل‬substitute)41 of ‫ من‬which is the subject of ‫ احي‬in one of the previous verses; either this or that ‫ محمد‬is the inceptive  ‫ سيد‬is its qualification or predicate  ‫ الكونين‬is ‫مضاف اليه‬  ‫ و الثقلين و الفريقين‬are both conjunted to ‫الكونين‬  ‫ من عرب‬has a dhamma on the ‫ ع‬and a sākin on the ‫ ر‬and this is ‫( حال‬the denotative of state) of ‫الفريقين‬  ‫ عجم‬has a fatha on the ‫ ع‬and the ‫ ج‬and this is conjuncted to ‫ من عرب‬The ‫ من‬in both examples is for ‫( بيان‬see footnote 29)MeaningIndeed, the need of the messenger ‫ ﷺ‬does not call him towards the vanities of theephemeral world, rather, had it not been for him ‫ ﷺ‬the world wouldn’t have been broughtinto existence. And how is this not possible when he ‫ ﷺ‬is the master of the people of thisworld and the hereafter, the master of the humans and the jinn and the master of theArabs and the non-Arabs.41 An appositional substantive standing in for another substantive 44

نبينا الآمر الناهي فلا احد ابر في قول لا منه و نعم‬Our prophet, who commands and forbids – there is none more faithful to his word, whether Yes or No.‫لكل هول من الاهوال مقتحم‬ ‫هو الحبيب الذي ترجي شفاعته‬ He is the loved one whose intercession is hoped for, victor against every terror and calamity.  ‫ النبي‬without hamza is from the word ‫ النبوة‬which means ‫( الارتفاع‬elevation), and with hamza it is from the word ‫ النبأ‬which means ‫( الخبر‬news). According to the first opinion, (it would mean) one who is elevated in the sight of Allāh ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬and in the opinion of the people. As for the second opinion it means an informant from Allāh ‫سبحانه وتعالى‬  ‫ الآمر‬is ‫( اسم فاعل‬the active particle) from the word ‫( الامر‬command) which means to seek an implementation of an action. ‫ الناهي‬is from the word ‫( النهي‬prohibition) which is to seek the abandonment of an action  ‫ ابر‬means ‫( أصدق‬the most truthful) and this is ‫( اسم تفضيل‬the elative noun)  ‫ الرجاء‬means ‫( الامل‬hope)  ‫ الشفاعة‬is to beseech someone else for liberation in a terrible matter  ‫ الهول‬means ‫( المخافة‬fear)  ‫ الاقتحام‬is to fall suddenly into adversityGrammar  ‫ نبينا الآمر الناهي‬are qualifications (‫ )نعوت‬of ‫ محمد‬or predicates (‫)اخبار‬  ‫ فلا‬is ‫( حرف نفي‬a particle of negation) and acts like ‫ليس‬  ‫ احد‬is nominative and the subject-noun of ‫ليس‬  ‫ ابر‬is in the accusative case and it is the predicate of ‫ ليس‬It is also permissible to make them both in the nominative case whereby the ‫ لا‬has no grammatical government (i.e. ‫ )اهمال‬and that which comes after it is in the nominative case as either the 45

inceptive (‫ )مبتدأ‬or the predicate (‫)خبر‬. In both cases however, ‫ ابر‬is not given tanwīn as it is ‫( غير منصرف‬a diptote) due to two reasons; firstly its use as ‫( وصف‬an adjective) and the second reason, that since ‫ ابر‬is ‫ اسم تفضيل‬its ‫( وزن‬form) matches that of verbs  ‫ في قول‬is without tanwīn and it is connected to ‫ ابر‬It is also ‫ مضاف‬and ‫ لا‬is ‫مضاف اليه‬ by the annexation of the infinitive (‫ )قول‬to the the object (‫ )لا‬after the omission of the subject.42 If you were to say that annexation cannot take place with ‫الحروف‬ (particles), we would say that the intention is verbal and just in consideration of the ‫( لفظ‬word)43  ‫ منه‬is connected to ‫ ابر‬and the pronoun is in reference to the messenger ‫ﷺ‬  ‫ لا‬is ‫( حرف نفي‬a particle of negation)  ‫ نعم‬has a fatha on the ‫ ن‬and the ‫ ع‬and it is in the place of ‫( جر‬genitive particle) due to an omitted ‫ مضاف‬analogous to that mentioned before (i.e. ‫)قول‬, hence the implication is ‫…( و لا بقول نعم‬neither in saying Yes)  ‫ لا‬and ‫ نعم‬are from the ‫( احرف الجواب‬responsive particles), thus the implication (‫)تقدير‬ is ‫( لا احد ابر منه في قوله لا و لا في قوله نعم‬there is neither anyone more truthful than him in (his) saying No, nor in (his) saying Yes)  ‫ هو الحبيب‬is the inceptive (‫ )مبتدأ‬and predicate (‫)خبر‬  ‫ الذي‬is the qualification (‫ )نعت‬of ‫الحبيب‬  ‫ ترجي‬is a verb of the imperfect tense and it is indeclinable as it is in the passive voice (‫)مبني للمفعول‬  ‫ شفاعته‬is ‫( نائب الفاعل‬a representative subject) and this clause is the ‫صلة‬ (complement) of ‫ الذي‬The pronoun in ‫ شفاعته‬is in the genitive case due to annexation  ‫ لكل‬is connected to ‫ترجي‬  ‫ هول‬is ‫مضاف اليه‬42 Without the omission it is ‫( في قوله لا‬lit: in his saying no)43 As opposed to the ‫( معني‬import) 46