Message #16642

[Zainab_M]

Thank you for the explanatory input Sister Heba.  You certainly have much more info than me. 

In regard to the English translation, Wikipedia says qasida-al-burda has several chapters but hasn't posted any.  Wiki also says that Timothy Winter, who is a British revert, has translated this qasida.  But I haven't found nor read that either.  Some time ago I found the translation at Siasat Forum (I suppose a Pakistani forum).  Author of this translation is some writer attached to the South African Islamic center named Khanqah-e-Sheikh-Zakarya.

At Siasat forum they posted the English translation under headings of two chapters and referred to it as the translation of the entire qasida.  The translation is as follows:

Chapter 1

1. Is it because of your remembrance of the neighbours of Dhi-salam.
2. That tears mixed with blood are flowing (from your eyes).
3. Or is it because of the breeze blowing from Kaazimah.
4. Or it is the lightning struck in the darkness of the night Idam
5. What has happened to your eyes, (the more) you tell them to stop, the more they continue flowing.
6. What is the matter with your heart, (the more) you tell it to come to its senses, (the more it is distracted).
7. Does the lover think that his love can be concealed.
8. While his eyes are shedding tears and his heart is glowing.
9. Had it not been for the love, you would not have shed tears at the ruins (of your beloved).
10. Nor would you become restless at the remembrance of the cypress (tree) the high mountain.
11. How do you deny love after the testimony?
12. Borne against you by (such) reliable witnesses as yours and your illness.
13. Love has ingrained two lines of fear, and withered your face.
14. On your cheeks like yellow rose and the reddish tree.
15. Yes! Thoughts of the beloved came to me at night and kept me awake.
16. And love transforms pleasure into pain.
17. O you who reproach me, regarding my love, excuse me.
18. From me to you if you do justice, you would not reproach me.
19. My state (of love) has been expressed to you, (now) my secret is no longer concealed.
20. From those who malign (me), nor is there (something to) check my agony.
21. You have sincerely advised me , I did not heed it.
22. For verily a lover is deaf to those who advise him.
23. I regarded with suspicion the advice of the elders in reproaching me.
24. (Wisdom) in the advice of the elders is above suspicion.


Chapter 2

1. Verily my soul which is laden evil did not heed the advice.
2. Due to its ignorance, from the warning by grey hair and old age.
3. And I have not prepared, for good deeds, a feast,
4. For a guest (that) has lodged on (my) head nor did I honour (him).
5. Had I known that I would not be able to honour him (it).
6. I would have concealed my secret, which is exposed, by dyeing.
7. Who is there that can restrain my wayward-self from its waywardness.
8. Just as unmanageable horses are restrained by resins.
9. Do not try, through sinning, to subdue sensual desires.
10. For verily food, only increases sensual desires.
11. Your self (desires) is like when breastfed.
12. Loves suckling but when you wean it, will stop.
13. Then stop its inclinations and beware that it does not overpower you.
14. Verily lust whenever it overpowers (it will) kill or maim (your character).
15. And guard it while it is grazing in (the field of ) actions
16. If it enjoys pasture, do not let it roam (graze) freely.
17. How often has pleasure been considered good, whereas it turned out to be deadly.
18. Because he does not know that there is poison in the fat.
19. And fear the evil of (both) hunger and satiation.
20. For most times hunger (poverty) is more evil that overeating.
21. And shed tears from those eyes which have become full.
22. Of forbidden sights and regard it as obligatory (upon yourself) to guard your eyes from forbidden things.
23. And oppose (your) self (nafs) and shaytaan and disobey them both.
24. And if both of them give you sincere advice regard it as lies.
25. And do not obey them both (nafs and shaytaan) as an enemy or as a wise (person).
26. For you know well the deception of (such) an enemy or a wise (person).
27. I seek forgiveness from Allah from such sayings (preachings) which I do practice upon.
28. For verily I have attributed (claimed), through this, offspring from a barren woman.
29. I command you to do good but I do not command myself to do the same.
30. And I was not steadfast (on deen) so then of what use (value) is my saying to you: "Be steadfast!" (on deen).
31. And I made no provisions before death of voluntary (nafl) worship.
And I did not perform salaat nor did I fast except what was obligatory.


To be honest, I'm not overly impressed.  Too much hyperbole  .... unless it's a very poor translation which hasn't been able to convey the theme articulately.