Emperor Hong-Wu wrote a 100 word eulogy praising Islam, Allah and the Prophet Muhammad which he had placed in the mosques which he ordered to be built.
The eulogy is in the form of a poem, each verse containing 4 words (characters) and 4 syllables.
A jackal strayed into the dyeing vat, became multi-coloured, and claimed to the other jackals that it was a peacock
by Nader Khan As a blinding light you came to us, And just as suddenly you went away. The universe still resonates, With echoes of “Sall Allah ‘alaih”. O flash of light, in the flow of time, O sweet Medinan beloved of mine, I speak with you in broken words, With a broken heart, and…
In Morocco, they often turn their duas into poems. I remember asking a brother for dua before iftar and he and all around him broke out into a song. The song, as powerful as it is beautiful, becomes widespread amongst the people just as music does today. The result: thousands upon thousands of people across…
I was given a gift; dates from the city of light. Instantly, the memories come flooding back: The blessed greeting The dazzling green dome The serenity of the court yard The echoes of the adhan The boundless generosity The sages at every corner The cries of every lover The play of innocent children The silent…
A man once came to Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal and asked him; “O Imam, what is your opinion on poetry?” He replied; “Which poetry is this?” to which the man responded by reciting the following couplets: إذا ما قال لي ربي اما استحييت تعصيني If my Lord asks me, “Have you (any) shyness in disobeying…
والنفس كالطفل إن تهملهُ شبَّ علــــى حب الرضاعِ وإن تفطمهُ ينفطــــم The self is like an infant; if you neglect its proper care, it will grow up still loving to suckle; But once you wean it, it will be weaned فاصرف هواها وحاذر أن توليــــــــــه إن الهوى ما تولى يصم أو يصـــــم So dismiss its…
A response from those who love to those who mock by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf I envy the sand that met his feet I’m jealous of honey he tasted sweet Of birds that hovered above his head Of spiders who spun their sacred web To save him from his enemies I envy clouds formed from the…
By Rahat Siddique It’s my favourite time of year again! As per tradition, I will be posting a daily reflection related to the Prophet Muhamamad ﷺ to honour Rabi al-Awwal, the month of his blessed birth. The intention behind this is two-fold; firstly it allows me to learn more about the Beloved ﷺ with respect to…
“What is the moon except a reflection of the sun. The beauty you see in me is just a reflection of your own light; its splendour dazzling only from the darkness of the world which surrounds it. My reality is just a rock which disappears when those of true reality emerge” – Anonymous
On the Path of Knowledge 