Back to FIELDDevotion
The heartspring of Ali s lover reflects and is full
with the image of him - so is my heart his spring
and his knowledge my shield. O lovers, pluck his blossoms
but save the thorns for his enemies.
No one of the Community is worthy of greatness
but his lover, for the Shiite rests immune
from the wiles of Satan in his citadel.
He is the Prophet s kinsman, but no one
belongs to Ali s tribe but the lover of Truth.
A thousand years of praise will not exhaust
a thousandth of his qualities; I take pride
in his Four Virtues, his manliness, knowledge
piety and munificence, and my back is bent
with gratitude, the burden of Ali.
I imitate his way of dress, robed in faith and gnosis.
Nasibi, be silent - you have not learned
of his warp and weft, or you would
think more of him. Act not the snake with me
lest you think you can bear the sting
of the serpent of Ali. Why do you rank
every lowly weed with him?
He was a lion, the battlefield his veldt,
the unbelievers his prey, his sword,
his Zulfiqar like a dragon
in is claws, slayer of three armies,
his right hand, armour-piercer that
cast to the ground the severed heads
of great commanders. Gabriel called his spear
at the battle of Hunayn, and his heart
was steady as a mountain in the sin
of war. Lions shrink away like foxes
at the sight of his blade.
If you fear the devil will plunder you
hide yourself in his cavern
where no one enters but by the command
of his deputy, and which is made not of stone
but of knowledge (for how could the pride
of Ali descend to stone?), and where are stored
his house, his estate, his chattels.
On the trees and meadows of Ali the rain
falls as hermeneautic exegesis, for he
chose no silver and gold, but knowledge and faith.
How but by his sword-wielding hand
could the Divine Law find protection?
How should the unbelievers of Mecca
not feel him as an inward affliction?
Free from taint, his tongue, hands and loins -
where was the best woman of the world
but by his side? Hasan and Husayn, those
mirrors of the Prophet, were his mirrors.
Satan s hands and feet were amputated
in the uproar he caused, and no one
will be safe from fire but in his refuge.
His sword ruined the good name
of countless warriors in the battles
of Badr, Uhud and Khaybar, which were his work.
Send him my challenge, the boastful knight,
for I am the chevalier of Ali.
Even his enemies I shall convert
if they lend me their ears, and in spite
of all they do, I shall bind them fast
with the bridle of Ali; but if they
turn their heads away from this knowledge
sweet and boundless, they will come
on Resurrection Day, disgraced,
heads dragged in the dust before
ALI.
my back - by the grace of God and in devotion of Him -
is strong enough perhaps that I might attain
tot he Messenger and his intercession; I ask for no other
to plead for me with God but His Prophet, and to plead
for me with the Prophet none but his blessed Family,
with whom I shall go to him; no fear of taint
or contagion from hypocrites. The Religion of Allah
is the Prophet s kingdom and today all creatures
are his subjects, his Community. Your slave
does not owe you even half the obedience
that the Prophet s Community owes him.
He has ordered you not to kill your slave for disobedience
nor will he slay you for your rebellion;
do not sever yourself from his all-encompassing protection,
for he is the Guide of all creation, his message
has reached from one end of the world to the other.
After him, his Family are the Guides - reverence him
and turn not from his Family. If you know him not
then you must know his children - how else
in your bewilderment can you hope for his mercy?
Have you not heard to whom the Prophet entrusted
his dominion on the day of his Sermon by the ditch?
the one to whom allusion is made in the Book?
the one before whose courage the boldness of the unbelievers
faded like a lantern his up to the sun?
Who gave his ring to a beggar? to whom
all the descendants of the Prophet trace their family tree?
who slept in the Prophet s bed, while the Messenger
fled from his enemies in the Migration? to whom
the Prophet gave the banner in the battle of Badr
when all others quailed? the lion, the warrior
whom God has made all heroes to love?
On the field of battle our Prophet had no miracle
more potent than that man s might. It is he
who will distribute paradise and hell to the faithful
and unfaithful. He is the Gate of the City of Knowledge
which is the Prophet; no one but him
is worthy of that trust. If you seek the City
go to its gate, that felicity s light may brighten your heart.
Yes, he was the Prophet s miracle in battle
and Zulfiqar, his two-tongued sword, was his own miracle.
The Prophet was God s treasure, but he -
his mind and heart - were the Prophet s treasure.
The enemies of God s lion are beset with the disease of ill omen
and cannot be accused of anything but stupidity,
or the horror of an ass when it sees a lion.
Turn away, flee those infected with such prestige,
but if they show you honour, do not (for the sake
of dignity of Islam) refuse their reverence.
In disputation with them do not expect more
than dullness, for they have no other tool to use
but the gelid intellects, nothing to talk
but nonesense. When the chain of stupidity rusts shut
there s no escape. All their proof is simply abuse -
but who will listen to it on Resurrection Day?
Satan is powerful, yes, but his power lies
only in falsehood and cunning. God values
one above another for his faith - if you expect
succour from Him, give succour to His True Religion.
Put no stock in the moment s good luck
for fortune always hides destruction within it.
I find the world a faithless bawd -
do not mourn her loss. The only positive thing
one can say about her is that she s living proof
of the ephemerality of material good.
Her boon is bane - for no one shall escape death
who has drunk fro her cup - and therefore
do not cover her flawed and sickly benediction.
I ought not strive to gain her company
while she strives for nothing but y discomfort.
She gave me robe after rich robe of honour
then stole them all back, one by one.
Now that I lean for support on God and Islam
I grow weary o the world and of men
and by God s Grace I am freed of need
of anyone who does not need me. The blessed Quran
reposes in my heart, which is filled with peace.
Praise the Lord, that nothing burdens my back
but His favour and Grace, that thanks to the generosity
of the true Imam I have come to know his truth,
his certainty and the justice of his cause -
that matchless king whose domain, of all the earth,
is free of deviltry; who has robed Jupiter
in its constellation of Fortune of all auspiciousness
and joy. Lord, help me to spend my days and nights
in devotion to him, to string together from time to time
a few pious verses based on his knowledge and wisdom.
I choose
the Quran
and the Faith of Muhammad
for those
where the choices
of Muhammad himself;
I know
if I practise the two
my Certainty
will become
as the Certitude
of the Prophet.
My key
to Paradise - my guide
to Felicity
the fortified Citadel:
what are they but
the Religion of Muhammad:
For us
he is the Messenger
of God - such
was the carving
on the seal-ring
of the Prophet.
Rooted in my heart:
the Faith
and the Book
as firmly
as in the heart
of Muhammad.
By God s Grace
my hope, my prayer
is to be
the least
of servants in the Community
of Muhammad.
My brother,
in the sea-depths
of religion
the Quran
is the pearl beyond price
of the Prophet;
every king
owns a treasure
of Mohammad.
Now look
to these riches,
this pearl:
who now
is custodian
of Muhammad s legacy?
You yourself
would bequeath your wealth
to your children;
just so are his children
the guardians
the heirs of the Prophet.
Ponder well:
you Muslims
will not fine
the jewels
but in keeping
of Muhammad s progeny.
Surely he handed
all down to him
who was
worthiest
of all Companions
of the Prophet.
Who was he,
the Companion?
his Wife
was the delight
of the eye
of Muhammad
and from this delight
and this Companion
were born
Hasan
and Husayn, the darlings
of Muhammad.
I have seen
in both worlds
the reality
of Husayn
and Hasan: the rose
and jasmine of the Prophet;
where
in heavcn and earth
could such blossoms spring
but in the garden
from the soil
of Muhammad?
I dare not
I tremble
lest I prefer
any creature
above these beloved ones
of God s Prophet.
The Book,
and the Sword
of the Lion of God:
these are bulwarks
beneath the firm Faith
of Muhammad.
Who stood
sword drawn
in every battle
who stood
at the right hand
of the Prophet?
The Sword of Ali
lent its aid
to the Quran
and Ali no doubt
was the Help
of Muhammad.
Ali:
in Islam
as Aaron to Mosses:
partner
companion
of the Prophet;
on the Last Day
Aaron and Moses
shall kiss
the Mantle of Ali,
the sleeve
of Muhammad.
Seek knowledge
he bid us
even in China :
Ah! What praise are mine
in the China
of Muhammad.
I heard
from the heir
of the Prophet
the honeysweet
words, the Sayings
of Muhammad;
my heart beheld
a mystery revealed
from the Origin
to Ali s heart
through the Prophecy
of Muhammad
and learned
from the babes of Fatimah
and her husband
the true
nature
of the Prophet.
Surely
I could have gained
no more than I gained
from that
illustrious child
of the Rank of Muhammad
surely
I could have gained
no more
had I lived
myself in the time
of Muhammad.
The Creator
of the Universe Himself
praise me
for my love
of Ali, my blessings
on the Prophet
and with the Blessing
of the Lord
of the Worlds
I dwell
in the Stronghold
of Muhammad.