1)
The stranger is not the stranger to Yemen or Shaam
But the stranger is the stranger to the grave and the coffin
2)
Verily the stranger has rights for his absence
Over the residents of the dwellings & homelands.
3)
Don't chase away the outlander in his state of unfamiliarity
For time is also chasing him with hardship & distress
4)
My travels are far and my provisions will not suffice me
My strength has weakened and death is calling unto me.
5)
I still have sins which I know not of
Allah knows of them; those made in secret & in manifest
6)
How merciful has Allah been to me by giving me respite
And I have increased in sins but Allah has always shielded me
7)
The hours of my days pass by without regret
No crying, no fear, no sadness
I am the one who closes the doors with fatigue
on disobedience, & The Eye of Allah watches over me..
9)
O' that which was written in a moment of heedlessness
O' the sorrow which remains in my heart is burning me.
10)
Leave me to bewail myself and weep
and pass the time in sadness and remembrance.
11)
Leave off your Blaming of me O' Ye who do so..
If you were but to know my situation you would have excused me..
12)
Let me cry out tears that have no ending to them
for there will be no lesson that will set me free
13)
It is As though I am with that family, laying..
Upon the mattress with their hands turning me over.
14)
And they came to me with a doctor that he may cure me..
But of today I think not that medicine will benefit me..
15)
My sufferings increased and death began to pull at me ..
From every vein, without ease or comfort..
16)
My soul was then removed from me with a gurgle..
And my saliva became bitter at that point..
17)
They then shut my eyes and left me…
after a long moment of despair,…. they hurried to the purchase of the shroud
18)
And he who was dearest to me got up in a hurry..
To summon the person who was to wash me..
19)
He said: O' my people we have attained a Washer who is skillful, clever, bright & intelligent..
20)
So then one of the men came and removed my clothing..
He undressed me and denuded me...
21)
They then placed me on top of a board
And the sound of water above me began to clean me
22)
He poured the water on top of me and washed me..
Three times, before calling out to the people for the Shroud..
23)
They shrouded me in a sleeveless garment..
And my provisions became the embalmment in which they embalmed me
24.
They Bore me towards my journey Out of this World, Oh How Sorrowful!!
Will be this journey for which I have no provisions to take along with me.
25.
Upon their shoulders, they carried me, Four….
Men, and behind me are those who come to bid me farewell
26.
They set me before the mihraab then turned away from me
Behind the Imaam they went and he prayed on me then bade me farewell
27.
They prayed over me a prayer consisting of neither Rukoo’ nor Sujood
Asking that Allah may have Mercy upon me.
28.
They lowered me into my grave slowly
And one of them came forward to place me in the Lahd
29
He raised the garment from my face to gaze upon me
And the tears spilt from his eyes awashing me
30
Then he stood, honoring me, firm and resolute
And lined the bricks on my body then left me
31.
And he said “Throw the dirt upon him and reap
The great rewards from Ar-Rahmaan, The Most Gracious”
32.
In the darkness of the grave, no mother is there nor,
Is there an affectionate father, or a brother to comfort me
33.
Alone….The only inhabitant of the Grave Oh how Sorrowful!!
Am I on parting the world bearing no Deeds to provision me.
34.
And a sight which beheld my eye struck terror into me.
From a place of terror it came and startled me.."
35.
Munkar and Nakeer, what shall I say to them?
The thought of them strikes terror into me, it causes me fear
36.
And they made me to sit and put forth their questions
I have none other Than You now O Lord to deliver me!!.
37.
So bestow upon me from your Mercy O Lord, How I hope in You!!
For verily I am fettered in my sins, I am confined by them
38.
The relatives have divided my wealth amongst them after leaving me.
And my sins are now upon my back, burdening me
39
. My wife has taken another husband in my place
And she has appointed him as overseer over my wealth and my home
40
. She has made my children into servants to bid unto her needs
And my wealth has become to them a worthless means of enjoyment
41.
So let not this World and its adornments deceive you.
And look at its (evil) effects in your family and homeland
42.
And look at the one who collects the wealth of this Dunya in abundance
Will he depart from this world bearing other than the death shroud and embalmment?
43.
Take from the dunya that which suffices you and be contented with that
Even if you were to have naught but good health
44.
O ye who sow good, you will reap the fruit of your efforts.
ye who sow evil you will find yourselves overcome with grief
45
. O soul of mine, abstain from sinning and attain instead
Deeds which are Beautiful, for which Allah may be merciful towards me
46.
O soul of mine, Woe upon you! Turn towards your lord in Repentance, and do that which is good
So that you will be recompensed after your death with that which is delightful
47.
Lastly sending prayers upon the Chosen one, Our Sayyid (leader)
48.
All praise is unto Allah, May he fill our days and nights with that which is Good, with forgiveness
With Ihsaan and Grace
A beautiful poem by Zaynul 'Aabideen 'Alee bin Husayn bin 'Alee bin Abee Taalib, radhiyallaahu 'anhum ajma'een, called "Laysal Ghareeb"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
لَيْسَ الغَريبُ غَريبَ الشَّامِ واليمنِ
إِنَّ الغَريبَ غَريبُ اللَّحدِ والكَفَنِ
إِنَّ الغَريِبَ لَهُ حَقٌّ لِغُرْبَتهِ
على الْمُقيمينَ في الأَوطانِ والسَّكَنِ
لا تَنْهَرَنَّ غَريباً حَالَ غُربتهِ
الدَّهْرُ يَنْهَرَهُ بالذُّلِ و المِحَنِ
سَفْرِي بَعيدٌ وَزادي لَنْ يُبَلِّغَني
وَقُوَتي ضَعُفَتْ والموتُ يَطلُبُني
وَلي بَقايا ذُنوبٍ لَسْتُ أَعْلَمُها
الله يَعْلَمُها في السِّرِ والعَلَنِ
ما أَحْلَمَ اللهَ عَني حَيْثُ أَمْهَلَني
وقَدْ تَمادَيْتُ في ذَنْبي ويَسْتُرُنِي
تَمُرُّ ساعاتُ أَيّامي بِلا نَدَمٍ
ولا بُكاءٍ وَلاخَوْفٍ ولا حزَنِ
أَنَا الَّذِي أُغْلِقُ الأَبْوابَ مُجْتَهِداً
عَلى المعاصِي وَعَيْنُ اللهِ تَنْظُرُني
يَا زَلَّةً كُتِبَتْ في غَفْلَةٍ ذَهَبَـتْ
يا حَسْرَةً بَقِيَتْ في القَلبِ تُحْرِقُني
دَعْني أَنُوحُ عَلى نَفْسي وَأَنْدُبُها
وَأَقْطَعُ الدَّهْرَ بِالتَّذْكِيرِ وَالحَزَنِ
دَعْ عَنْكَ عَذْلِيَ يَا مَنْ كانَ يَعْذُلُني
لَوْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ ما بِي كُنْتَ تَعْذِرُنِي
دَعْنِي أَسُحُّ دُموعًا لا انْقِطاعَ لَها
فَهَلْ عَسَى عَبْرَةٌ مِنْهَا تُخَلِّصُني
كَأَنَّنِي بَينَ جل الأَهلِ مُنطَرِحاً
عَلى الفِراشِ وَأَيْديهِمْ تُقَلِّبُني
وَ قَدْ تَجَمَّعَ حَوْلي مَنْ يَنوحُ و مَنْ
يَبْكي عَلَيَّ و يَنْعاني و يَنْدُبُني
وَ قَدْ أَتَوْا بِطَبيبٍ كَيْ يُعالِجَني
وَلَمْ أَرَ الطِّبَّ هذا اليومَ يَنْفَعُني
واشَتد نَزْعِي وَصَار المَوتُ يَجْذِبُها
مِن كُلِّ عِرْقٍ بِلا رِفقٍ ولا هَوَنِ
واستَخْرَجَ الرُّوحَ مِني في تَغَرْغُرِها
وصارَ رِيقي مَريراً حِينَ غَرْغَرَني
وَغَمَّضُوني وَراحَ الكُلُّ وانْصَرَفوا
بَعْدَ الإِياسِ وَجَدُّوا في شِرَا الكَفَنِ
وَقامَ مَنْ كانَ حِبُّ النّاسِ في عَجَلٍ
نَحْوَ المُغَسِّلِ يَأْتيني يُغَسِّلُني
وَقالَ يا قَوْمِ نَبْغِي غاسِلاً حَذِقاً
حُراً أَديبًا أَريباً عَارِفاً فَطِنِ
فَجاءَني رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ فَجَرَّدَني
مِنَ الثِّيابِ وَأَعْرَاني وأَفْرَدَني
وَأَوْدَعوني عَلى الأَلْواحِ مُنْطَرِحاً
وَصارَ فَوْقي خَرِيرُ الماءِ يُنْظِفُني
وَأَسْكَبَ الماءَ مِنْ فَوقي وَغَسَّلَني
غُسْلاً ثَلاثاً وَنَادَى القَوْمَ بِالكَفَنِ
وَأَلْبَسُوني ثِياباً لا كِمامَ لها
وَصارَ زَادي حَنُوطِي حينَ حَنَّطَني
وأَخْرَجوني مِنَ الدُّنيا فَوا أَسَفاً
عَلى رَحِيلٍ بِلا زادٍ يُبَلِّغُني
وَحَمَّلوني على الأْكتافِ أَربَعَةٌ
مِنَ الرِّجالِ وَخَلْفِي مَنْ يُشَيِّعُني
وَقَدَّموني إِلى المحرابِ وانصَرَفوا
خَلْفَ الإِمامِ فَصَلَّى ثُمَّ وَدَّعَني
صَلَّوْا عَلَيَّ صَلاةً لا رُكوعَ لها
ولا سُجودَ لَعَلَّ اللهَ يَرْحَمُني
وَأَنْزَلوني إلى قَبري على مَهَلٍ
وَقَدَّمُوا واحِداً مِنهم يُلَحِّدُني
وَكَشَّفَ الثّوْبَ عَن وَجْهي لِيَنْظُرَني
وَأَسْكب الدَّمْعَ مِنْ عَيْنيهِ أَغْرَقَني
فَقامَ مُحتَرِماً بِالعَزْمِ مُشْتَمِلاً
وَصَفَّفَ اللَّبْنَ مِنْ فَوْقِي وفارَقَني
وقَالَ هُلُّوا عليه التُّرْبَ واغْتَنِموا
حُسْنَ الثَّوابِ مِنَ الرَّحمنِ ذِي المِنَنِ
في ظُلْمَةِ القبرِ لا أُمٌّ هناك ولا
أَبٌ شَفيقٌ ولا أَخٌ يُؤَنِّسُني
فَرِيدٌ وَحِيدُ القبرِ، يا أَسَفاً
عَلى الفِراقِ بِلا عَمَلٍ يُزَوِّدُني
وَهالَني صُورَةً في العينِ إِذْ نَظَرَتْ
مِنْ هَوْلِ مَطْلَعِ ما قَدْ كان أَدهَشَني
مِنْ مُنكَرٍ ونكيرٍ ما أَقولُ لهم
قَدْ هالَني أَمْرُهُمْ جِداً فَأَفْزَعَني
وَأَقْعَدوني وَجَدُّوا في سُؤالِهمُ
مَالِي سِوَاكَ إِلهي مَنْ يُخَلِّصُنِي
فَامْنُنْ عَلَيَّ بِعَفْوٍ مِنك يا أَمَلي
فَإِنَّني مُوثَقٌ بِالذَّنْبِ مُرْتَهنِ
تَقاسمَ الأهْلُ مالي بعدما انْصَرَفُوا
وَصَارَ وِزْرِي عَلى ظَهْرِي فَأَثْقَلَني
واستَبْدَلَتْ زَوجَتي بَعْلاً لها بَدَلي
وَحَكَّمَتْهُ على الأَمْوَالِ والسَّكَنِ
وَصَيَّرَتْ وَلَدي عَبْداً لِيَخْدُمَه
وَصَارَ مَالي لهم حلاً بِلا ثَمَنِ
فَلا تَغُرَّنَّكَ الدُّنْيا وَزِينَتُها
وانْظُرْ إلى فِعْلِها بالأَهْلِ والوَطَنِ
وانْظُرْ إِلى مَنْ حَوَى الدُّنْيا بِأَجْمَعِها
هَلْ رَاحَ مِنْها بِغَيْرِ الحَنْطِ والكَفَنِ
خُذِ القَناعَةَ مِنْ دُنْيَاك وارْضَ بِها
لَوْ لم يَكُنْ لَكَ إِلا رَاحَةُ البَدَنِ
يَا زَارِعَ الخَيْرِ تحصُدْ بَعْدَهُ ثَمَراً
يَا زَارِعَ الشَّرِّ مَوْقُوفٌ عَلَى الوَهَنِ
يا نَفْسُ كُفِّي عَنِ العِصْيانِ واكْتَسِبِي
فِعْلاً جميلاً لَعَلَّ اللهَ يَرحَمُني
يَا نَفْسُ وَيْحَكِ تُوبي واعمَلِي حَسَناً
عَسى تُجازَيْنَ بَعْدَ الموتِ بِالحَسَنِ
والحمدُ لله مُمسينَـا وَمُصْبِحِنَ
مَا وَضَّأ البَرْقُ في شَّامٍ وفي يَمَنِ
ثمَّ الصلاةُ على الْمُختارِ سَيِّدِنا
بِالخَيْرِ والعَفْوْ والإِحْســانِ وَالمِنَنِ