Bismillah

I came across some beautiful poems from the classical book, “Knowledge Mandates Action” (which can also be found online). I’ve posted a few below:

Ishaq ibn Ibrahim ibn Sunayn narrated, Umar ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad recited to me the following poetic verses:

أنت في غفلة الأمل ٭ لست تدري متى الأجل

لا تغفنك صحة ٭ فهي من أوجع العلل

كل نفس ليومها ٭ صبحة تقطع الأمل

“You are immersed in reckless hopes, You don’t know when your time (i.e., death) will come

Do not let good health deceive you, for it is from the most painful of illnesses

Every soul is dependent upon its (present) day, for in the morning (i.e., tomorrow), his hopes are cut off

Therefore, do good and strive hard in that, before you are prevented from deeds.”

Al-Junayd said, I heard As-Sarree As-Saqatee say:

كل يوم قد مضى لا تجده ٭ فإذا كنت به فامتجد

“Every day that has passed by, you will not find anymore

So if you are upon one (now, i.e., another day), then treat it greatly.”

Abu Abdillah Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Abdillah as-Soori recited the following verses:

كم إلى كم أغدو إلى طلب العلم ٭ مجدا في جمع ذاك حفيا

طالبا منه كل نوع وفن ٭ و غريب و لست أعمل شيئا

و إذا كان طالب العلم ٭ لا يعمل بالعلم كان عبدا شقيا

إنما تنفع العلوم لمن كان ٭ بها عاملا و كان تقيا

“For how long  will I strive in seeking knowledge, working hard to gather it and welcoming it warmly

Seeking to study from it all of its forms and subjects, and difficult topics, while not producing any deeds at all

If the one seeking knowledge doesn’t produce good deeds, based on his knowledge, he becomes a wretched servant

Verily, grasping the forms of knowledge only benefits, those who act upon them whilst being a pious person”

Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn Abdillah ibn Abaan Al-Haythi wrote in his book,

إذا العلم لم تعمل به كان حجة ٭ عليك و لم تعذر بما أنت حامل

فإن كنت قد أبصرت هذا فإنما ٭ يصدق قول المرء ما هو فاعل

“If knowledge is not acted upon, it becomes a proof against you, and you will not be excused for what you carry (i.e., knowledge)

So if yo ucome to realize this fact, then you will also realize, that the proof of a man’s speech lies in his actions.”