قال القاضي عبد الوهاب المالكي
Qādhi ‘Abd’l-Wahhāb al-Māliki said:
ونائمةٍ قبَّلتها فتنبَّهَتْ … وقالَتْ تعالَوْا فاطلُبُوا اللِّصَّ بالحدِّ
She was asleep. I kissed her. She awoke.
She shouted, “Help! Establish the law against this thief!”
فقلتُ لها إنِّي فَدَيتكِ غاصبٌ … وما حكمُوا في غاصبٍ بسوَى الرَّدِّ
So I said to her, “But I sacrificed myself for you! I took it by force I admit!
But they didn’t rule on the Usurper other than it is to be given back!
خُذيها وكُفِّي عنْ أَثيمٍ ظلامة … وإن أَنتِ لم ترضَيْ فأَلف على عدِّ
Take it and stop punishing this oppressive soul!
If that doesn’t satisfy you, then take a thousand instead!
فقالتْ قصاصٌ يشهدُ العقلُ أَنَّه … على كبدِ الجاني أَلذُّ من الشَّهْدِ
She said, “This kind of punishment, everyone bears witness no doubt
That it is sweeter for the Criminal than honey itself!
فباتَتْ يَميني وهي هميانُ خصرها … وباتَتْ يَساري وهي واسطَةُ العقدِ
So my right hand spent the night and it was her belt.
And my left hand spent the night and it was her necklace.
فقالتْ أَلم أخْبَرْ بأَنَّكَ زاهدٌ … فقلتُ بلَى ما زلتُ أَزهدُ في الزُّهْدِ
She said, “Was I not told that you were a pious man?!”
So I said, “Indeed! I am still a pious man when it comes to piety!”
Easy tiger.
This wonderful little poem needs a little bit of explanation so here goes:
She was asleep. I kissed her. She awoke.
She shouted, “Help! Establish the law against this thief!”
He goes up to a sleeping girl (who could be anyone – of course someone lawful – that doesn’t really matter here) and kisses her. It wakes her up and in anger she calls for someone to grab this criminal and give him the hadd (a prescribed punishment). She’s clearly angry and decides to call him a thief for what he’s done, probably because she can’t think at that moment which kind of crime he’s really perpetrated.
So I said to her, “But I sacrificed myself for you! I took it by force I admit!
But they didn’t rule on the Usurper other than it is to be given back.
He then responds and says, “Look, be fair. I did all this for you! I haven’t stolen anything so I can’t be a thief and therefore you can’t ask for a hadd against me can you?”
He wants to convince her that if he has done a crime, then it’s ghasb. Ghasb is “to usurp” and even that isn’t a very accurate translation. Ghasb is to forcefully and oppressively take something without “stealing” (sariqah) it as such, robbing it (tashlīh), pick-pocketing it (nashl) or harming the other party physically (qat‘ al-tarīq etc). All of these four categories have different punishments and likewise ghasb is a fifth category of many possible further categories. Now I know you’re thinking, “but they’re all the same thing aren’t they?!” but in the Sharī‘ah, the scholars differed much over these separate categories and the punishments associated to each type. For example, a pick-pocket takes something which isn’t guarded as such, whereas a thief who gets his hand cut must have stolen something which is properly guarded or closed off to the public according to the majority of the scholars such as breaking and entering into your home at night. The other categories have some force and violence attached to the crime.
As for ghasb: sometimes it can be fraudulent i.e. you ‘blag’ your boundary post and take someone else’s land or more practically another example is if I’m in the street and I shout you down and just snatch something off you whilst you’re holding it, but I don’t run off or anything, then you’ve got a better idea now of what ghasb is and how it’s different to the other categories of “stealing”.
The main thing to understand is that the mass majority of scholars have agreed that the Usurper has no punishment other than that he must return the item he usurped and then make tawbah. Others said he must ask for pardon from the aggrieved party as well, but other than that, the State does not get involved.
So, what our cheeky but clever Faqih romantic has decided to do is to ‘play’ this woman he’s just kissed. And he tells her, “Look, what I’ve done is only ghasb! Okay, I took a kiss from you by force – but I don’t know why you’re asking for the sword! All the scholars have agreed that the only punishment for the Usurper is that he gives back that what he’s taken!”
Take it and stop punishing this oppressive soul!
If that doesn’t satisfy you, then take a thousand instead!
He’s clearly got so far using his wits and now his real cheekiness comes out. Appealing to her sense of humour and excitement, he’s actually asking her to kiss him just once to take back what he has taken from her in usurpation. And like every artful dodger, he’s now turned the tables and assumed the role of the aggrieved party, the underdog, the miskeen, the oppressed one!
He then goes further and says, “If you’re not happy with what the scholars demand (i.e. like for like is given back in ghasb), then I tell you what, take extra from me as my punishment, no problem! In fact, kiss me a thousand times as my punishment!”
She said, “This kind of punishment, everyone bears witness no doubt
That it is sweeter for the Criminal than honey itself!
She’s clearly warming to this cheeky scholar now, and is only stating the obvious here that, “There is no way I’m going to give you exactly what you wanted all along! You call that a punishment?!”
But it’s far too late now, and she’s fallen for his charm; if you’re sixteen or under, please close this page now. Thanks.
So my right hand spent the night and it was her belt.
And my left hand spent the night and it was her necklace.
Is my central heating on too high or what?
Here is Arab poetry at its most daring: our romantic has completed his seduction of his prey and has now spent the night with her. Not just that, but what is being described (poorly in English of course and much more sensitively in the Arabic) is how he’s lying next to her and holding her very close, around her waist and very gently across her neck and what on Earth am I doing still talking about this line…
She said, “Was I not told that you were a pious man!”
So I said, “Indeed! I am still a pious man when it comes to piety!”
Perhaps the cleverest line of the poem, which could mean something else but I’ve translated it this way: as we said before, the woman has completely fallen for this chap and is now teasing him, “I thought I was told that you were an ascetic/pious man (Zāhid).” Normally, zuhd or ascetism as practiced by the masters of Tasawwuf is to completely renounce the dunya, almost like a form of monasticism but without that kind of extremism. But clearly she is claiming that enjoying oneself with women in such a way would be against the way of zuhd as such.
So our star of the show dead-pans a response playing on the fact that zuhd doesn’t have any agreed upon Shar‘i definition, decides to give the word his own definition i.e. piety and thus being good, praying, fasting and all those things that one would expect day to day from an ‘Alim – but don’t try and put the fun that I’m having with women in that category!
So there we are.
This poem was written by the inimitable Qādhi ‘Abd’l-Wahhāb al-Māliki al-Baghdādi (rahimullāh); he was one of the famous Imams of Iraq and from the leaders of Ahl’l-Sunnah. He was the student of the scholar Imām al-Bāqillāni and the Shaykh of the Māliki madhab. Al-Khatīb al-Baghdādi took from him and considered him to be the most knowledgeable of the Mālikis of his time.
He is most famous for his commentary to Ibn Abi Zayd’s masterpiece al-Risālah. Amongst many other books, he also has a commentary to the Mudawwana. Many quoted from Qādhi ‘Abd’l-Wahhāb especially Ibn Hajr, Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim, who uses him extensively as a reference in his Ijtimā‘ al-Juyūsh’l-Islāmiyyah.
He was not only a master of fiqh but a great poet, with over 165 books attributed to him. His intellect, eloquence and clear skill in the Arabic language and poetry was much admired in his time and until this day.
Ibn Khallikān reported in his Wafāyat’l-A‘yān the circumstances of the death of Qādhi ‘Abd’l-Wahhāb. He had suffered for many years in Baghdad, experiencing very difficult circumstances. Then he moved to Egypt where he was warmly welcomed and lavishly supported by the wealthy and good people. All new to him, he wrote of his happiness in various poems. Not too long after, he had an opportunity to eat some quality food that he had desired for a long time but he became deathly ill from it straight away. It was reported that as he was in his last moments, he said,
“Lā ilāha illallāh! Now that we are finally starting to live, we have died!”
Miskeen.
May Allah have mercy upon this great Imam’s soul and grant him the highest part of Paradise! He was born 362h in Baghdad and he left us in Cairo, 422h (see al-Bidāyah w’l-Nihāyah and Siyar al-A‘lām for more detailed information).
And the point of all this?
Well, just imagine that someone like Shaykh Shu‘ayb al-Arna‘ūt said something like the above poem, or Shaykh Muhammad Hasan al-Dadu, or Shaykh Muhammad al-‘Awwāmah, or Shaykh Taqi al-Usmani, or Shaykh Muhammad Mukhtār al-Shinqītī, or Shaykh Ibn Bāz. Or anyone for that matter.
My goodness. There’d be uproar. From the ignorant that is.
Firstly, have no doubt that these great and noble scholars of today wouldn’t reach half the standard of someone like Qādhi ‘Abd’l-Wahhāb al-Māliki, neither in ‘ilm or ‘amal.
So therefore secondly, let it just be a little reminder to everyone showing the vastness of our heritage and a reminder to the extremists to just take it easy a little bit, and a reminder to the modernists and “progressives” that we have no need for you to bring into our pure Islam all the new dreams you have in your inferiority-complex induced sleep in the houses of your Masters of disbelief and heresy.
Alhamdulillāh ‘alā ni‘mat’l-Islām, wa kafā bihā ni‘mah.
And Allah knows best.
October 18, 2008 at 2:17 am
I. Loved. This!
Thank you!
October 18, 2008 at 2:23 am
[...] AE: She Was Asleep. I Kissed Her. She Awoke. [...]
October 18, 2008 at 3:00 am
That was very intriguing especially when explaining the stature of the qadi. Yes there would be uproar – and I have to admit my eyebrows were raised in shock throughout rading the post! – but this reflects the situation of the general Muslims in this day and age; if we’r not intellectually mature enough to understand this kind of thing and have perpective on it like our predecessors did, and may fall into the fitnah of thinking bad of our scholars perhaps we should be shrewd and smart about our priorities?
BTW, I’m sure the qadi can’t be condoning zina, right? Can you explain the light-hearted way he portrayed the loose relationship between the man (a faqih at that) and woman?
October 18, 2008 at 3:14 am
Nice one. I like the conclusion. More often than not, in this day, art in Islam is forgotten.
October 18, 2008 at 3:33 am
Salam
Condoning Zina? Perhaps the protagonists are married and this is just artful banter? Playfulness between husband and wife is sunnah.
Wassalam
October 18, 2008 at 3:59 am
*Restrains self from swooning on the spot*
Masha’Allah, the qadhi’s wife/ right-hand-possession had it going for her
October 18, 2008 at 1:20 pm
I hope this was actually his wife, otherwise it promotes zina.
October 18, 2008 at 1:41 pm
thewahhabimisanthrope… It doesn’t promote zina, your reading it in the literal sense, but hey! different people take away different things.
October 18, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Here’s a bit about what I wanted to say … can’t say very much as I’m kind of in a rush to head out.
The guy did still something. He stole a kiss … .
He suggested she take reprisal … eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, and in this case, kiss for a kiss. Hence his statement if it doesn’t satisfy you, take a thousand.
October 18, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Jazakallah AE, a beautiful poetic article. Islam is the best and most pure religion for every aspect and interest that life brings.
To draw on the point you made earlier:
(AE) “…..and a reminder to the modernists and “progressives” that we have no need for you to bring into our pure Islam all the new dreams you have in your inferiority-complex induced sleep in the houses of your Masters of disbelief and heresy.”
Excellent and well said AE. There is no need for Muslims to feel this way. To all bothers and sisters, do not practice Islam in a dithering, wish-wash manner. You’ll get questioned a lot by non-Muslims about Islamic practices as I do; and culturally, you will be seen as a stranger. However, over-time they will respect you for your adherence to your religion – Islam.
October 18, 2008 at 3:52 pm
JazākAllāhu khayran for sharing that, AE.
It just goes to show the richness of our Islamic heritage in terms of language, art and leisure.
October 18, 2008 at 4:16 pm
looks like one for the maaliki’s again.
October 18, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Hahahaha, Qadhi must hav been a stud muffin. Big yourself up Qadhi!
October 19, 2008 at 2:04 am
Assalamualaikum sheikh for the wonderful poem and its commentary. I just wanted to ask you a question but i don’t have your email address. Please forgive my bad adab if this place is not the right place to be asking the question. You can delete my comment after you,ve read. I’m doing some research on child abuse in Islamic law. I was wondering if you have come across anything on this in your readings. I know Ibn Hazm has written something on it? have you come across anything?
Jazakallah wassalam.
Mansur
p.s we met at the markaz al-Bukhari in June, in the maqra of sunan al-Tirmidhi
October 19, 2008 at 5:12 am
Amazing, I like the wit that pervades the entire poem.
October 19, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Assalamu ‘alaykum
Perhaps it would be better if you could add some sort of follow-up commentary to further clarify your intention by posting this poem on your blog which is an english one and is read by (probably western-born) english-speakers.
We will not understand the eloquence of the poem nor the deep, hidden meanings. Nor can we really appreciate the Arabic.
Your (main) point did reach me, though. The super-conservatives need to lighten up a bit and the modernists need to throw their modernism in the trash bin.
But as you can probably imagine, your posting of an Arabic ‘porno-poem’ on your english blog might have caused some confusion amongst your readers. I know I’m confused.
I understand that some things like this can be found in our history and heritage, alhamdulillah I have no problem accepting that. It’s not something that I have trouble understanding.
But are you suggesting that scholars and their students used to often kick back and relax and listen to a recitation of porn in the form of words? Or is this a ‘once-in-a-while’ or even ‘strictly-for-studying-the-language’ type of thing?
Please clarify, in detail if possible. As you can probably tell, I am no scholar nor am I am student of knowledge. So I do not have much knowledge about the history of the Muslims (except for in general) and what the scholars used to study in-depth.
And for anyone who is reading and is thinking that this is some sort of challenge or an attempt to show my superior knowledge and/or manners, please do not think so. I am genuinely asking a question and inshaAllah I am awaiting a response from the brother, which I intend to read b’ithnillah.
Wassalamu ‘alaykum
May 17, 2013 at 7:34 am
Kayla really enojeyd hearing Sierra’s talk about her book.She has a favorite Poetry author Shel Silverstein and would like to tell you about her favorite author and read to you one of his poems. Let her know what a good week would be. Thank You, Deanna and Kayla
October 19, 2008 at 1:25 pm
amusing poem, explanation was annoyingly isocy. i think you sound familiar.
October 19, 2008 at 2:35 pm
To call the poem a “porno-poem” is nothing short of exaggeration.
October 19, 2008 at 3:38 pm
As salaam ‘alaikum
Jazaak Allaahu khairan for the poem
Please can you tell me, is this the whole poem or an extract of a poem and if its an extract then is this how the poem actully begins
baarak Allaahu feek
October 19, 2008 at 4:16 pm
First you say :
“But are you suggesting that scholars and their students used to often kick back and relax and listen to a recitation of porn in the form of words?”
And then u got the nerve to say :
“Please clarify, in detail if possible. As you can probably tell, I am no scholar nor am I am student of knowledge. So I do not have much knowledge about the history of the Muslims (except for in general) and what the scholars used to study in-depth.”
Looks to me like ur trying to cover up your sarcasm here bro. I dont know where u managed to see this as a porno, maybe its not the poem, maybe you need to get your head checked out for seeing whatever it was u saw in ur head!
October 19, 2008 at 5:41 pm
You know mashallaah it was a master piece’ really it was beautiful explained’ I could hardly imagine anything illegal at all’ two very clever and learned people with amazing humour!
amusing poem, explanation was annoyingly isocy….. really maybe I should sit with Isocy ?
She fears Democratic candidate Barack Obama because “he’s an Arab.” McCain replied that, no, Obama’s no Arab at all, but a “decent family man” …….. Now that’s annoying!
October 19, 2008 at 5:45 pm
sorry that was me didnt want to be Anonymous!
October 19, 2008 at 6:08 pm
To refer to this poem as a ‘porno poem’ is more than an exaggeration, it is a statement of complete ignorance.
I am not trying to defend anybody or speak on behalf of the author of this post.
Believe me he can speak enough for all of us put together.
However I’m amazed at why people take it upon themselves to regulate anybody and everybody.
This blog has never professed to be a source of Islamic knowledge, so why people treat it as such is beyond me.
I do not normally post on this blog although I am an avid reader.
I do not always agree with everything that is on this blog, however I never take it upon myself to question anything I disagree with, in a leading and malicious way such as this.
If the post confuses you ‘Muslim’ then ignore it and if you feel it is porn, then never return to the blog.
This will end your confusion once and for all.
I am sorry if this sounds harsh your comment is ludicrous.
I enjoyed the poem immensely and your translation for me was good enough.
Your commentary was………..
I’ll say no more.
October 19, 2008 at 7:20 pm
It seems a major point from the poem has been lost on some readers…
“He wants to convince her that if he has done a crime, then it’s ghasb.
The main thing to understand is that the mass majority of scholars have agreed that the Usurper has no punishment other than that he must return the item he usurped and then make tawbah. Others said he must ask for pardon from the aggrieved party as well, but other than that, the State does not get involved.”
May 17, 2013 at 8:57 am
I may not have self-confidence problems but it still warms my heart to see voeids like this and it is from these that I found my own inspirational quote Never Give Up, Never Give In, Never Surrender to anyone especially yourself -Me
October 19, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Assalamu ‘alaykum
It seems my comment has aggravated some fans.
Relax, the comment was not directed at you, rather I wish that the blog author would respond, inshaAllah. You need not reply, as your words are about as useful as mine.
I added like 2 different disclaimers at the end to clarify that I am not trying to be secretly witty and discreetly reveal my knowledge on the subject. I was asking the author a question about a post which he posted. If it bothers you then you are the one who needs to ignore my comment. As for me ignoring the blog, I don’t see any reason to do so. I want to have something clarified, so I asked the one who posted it. What bugs ye?
October 19, 2008 at 7:53 pm
It suffices to say that, in his explanation, he added a disclaimer: [b]“if you’re sixteen or under, please close this page now.”[/b]
And let’s not forget: [b]“Is my central heating on too high or what?”[/b]
Easy on me, brothers.
October 19, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Dear Muslim,
Did you not get AE’s final comments:
AE Said: “So therefore secondly, let it just be a little reminder to everyone showing the vastness of our heritage and a reminder to the extremists to just take it easy a little bit, and a reminder to the modernists and “progressives” that we have no need for you to bring into our pure Islam all the new dreams you have in your inferiority-complex induced sleep in the houses of your Masters of disbelief and heresy.”
Please pay attention to the ‘former’.
October 19, 2008 at 10:16 pm
When reading one of the books of Ibn Qayyim (rahimahullah), I found many poems like this, by many of our scholars and it actually brought me to the same conclusion that u also wanted to show with this (wonderful, btw) poem.
They new what a life is, what a religion is, what a love is. May Allah have mercy on the ppl of today….
October 19, 2008 at 10:16 pm
knew***
October 20, 2008 at 12:22 am
Assalamu ‘alaykum brothers and sisters,
1. Those who criticized my referring to the poem as a ‘porno-poem’ and ‘porn in words,’ you are right. It is an exaggeration, if not an outright lie. Jazaakumullahu khairun for the correction. I appreciate it.
2) I understand that my manner of writing may come off sounding pretentious/arrogant/condesceding/rude. My apologies. I hope to change that, inshaAllah.
3) It turns out, after all, that your words were in fact NOT as useless as mine. Lol.
4) Though I said it before, I would like to repeat it just to be absolutely clear: My original comment/question wasn’t an attempt at thinly-veiled sarcasm and an annoying show of how knowledgeable I think I am. I was (and still am) honestly asking the blog author a question.
5) I would still like the blog author to respond and tell us a bit more about our heritage, if he is willing to do so.
6) My apologies brothers and sisters, baarak Allahu feekum.
Wassalamu ‘alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh
October 20, 2008 at 1:04 am
jzk for this amazing post.
this is poetry at its best! Its such a shame that there isnt any of this quality around anymore and I so wish I could understand the arabic as it has such a far richer meaning.
poetry is very much misunderstood and cannot be taken literally word for word. It has layers and with each layer a new meaning and understanding and it will be different to each reader.
and like the sister said Arts in Islam and Islamic History have been forgotten.
October 20, 2008 at 1:29 am
i absolutely loved it! arab poetry is known for this… i hope english speakers see how rich its poetry is! thnx for translating!
October 20, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Wa ‘alaykum salam wa rahmatullah wa iyyakum’l-jamee’.
I apologise for the fractured nature of this reply because going back and forth to the above too many comments hurt my eyes and I’m writing this directly in the box as opposed to Word. So let me sum up what I want to say in response:
What made this little post more interesting is that just a week odd ago on a previous post, some brothers and sisters were struggling with the idea how I might call a woman beautiful or a man handsome and other such nonsense. Referring to things like beauty, skin-tone, eye-colour, sex-appeal, dress-sense are all things to do with women that can fall into permissible, dodgy, disliked and haram categories, just like sleep, food, and money and virtually every other delight that we have in this dunya. The skill is to have control and know the limits and play the game within the rules.
Alternatively we could just uber-Hanbalize the show and Sadd’l-Dhara’i the world and that would be that. No risk, no temptation, no problem. Close all the doors to fitnah and just live life like a monk. Hey, don’t get me wrong – I’m down with the “Ahl’l-Sadd” – but sometimes the Sunnah and the ease and beauty of Shari’ah and it’s heritage just can’t be suppressed.
The reality of these people like our poet is that they are the ‘Ulema, and I completely and utterly place my trust in their hands to handle the texts, their meanings and their application to life in a vivid, alive, dynamic and wonderful way. When it’s time to play, we play. When it’s time to get down to things, the fatawa will be there.
Just as a side point as related Imam al-Hattab in Mawahib’l-Jalil that it was the position of Qadhi ‘Abd’l-Wahhab al-Maliki that if a women is very beautiful and one fears fitnah, it is an obligation to cover the face. Ahmad al-Zarruq took this position from Qadhi ‘Abd’l-Wahhab and quotes it in his Sharh to the Risalah.
So, the point is that the early pious Muslims really knew what piety meant, what taqwa meant, what ‘ibadah meant, and what life was about and how it could be enjoyed and how culture could be celebrated without not even for one second finding things contradictory.
This has always been the way we have seen from our senior scholars even today, knowing when to mix it and how to mix it. It’s a skill and the real point other than the wonderful fiqhi and arabic benefits of the poem was to show that this Deen really does have a lot of musamahah (ease and tolerance) in the right time and right place, something which clearly I have been proved 100% correct that still needs to be taught to the people.
And in any case, this poem is honestly tame as some of these works go, but I think I’m wasting my time on that point I can see. Porn? Hardly brother.
My goodness, what if you were to read the poetry of Imri-l’Qays from the Mu’allaqat that was hung up in the Ka’bah? When Ibn Abi Rabi’ah became Muslim, he said about him, “He is the best poet we know.”
What if you were to read Rawdhat’l-Muhibbin of Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah?!
Forget all the above: what if you were to read Tawq’l-Hamama of Ibn Hazm!? You’d all have a heart-attack!
Ibn Hazm? The Literalist? The Angry One? The Sword of Allah With His Tongue?!
Yeah, him.
For the more purist of you, what then of the Prophet’s (s) appreciation of Ka’b b. Zuhayr (r)? Did he (s) not give his burdah (cloak) to him upon the recital of his amazing poem Baanat Su’ad, of which most of it is in the praise and love of the beautiful Su’ad?
Agreed, it seems that all the narrations of this hadith are weak as opined by al-Iraqi (and al-Albani from the later scholars) yet that certainly didn’t stop the poem being used in an uncountable number of works of fiqh, hadith, adab and language all to benefit from the poem.
When you see an Arabic poem, you have to always remember that this language was made for such deep and expressive poetry; that the meanings are sometimes obvious, dual by nature and sometimes obscure by nature; that love, beauty, women, battle, bravery and generosity were the soul of every single poem regardless of the intended subject; that many poems on any subject i.e. like the above and like Baanat Su’ad would usually start by praising a beautiful woman (!) and then get to an eventual point; that the poet’s frame of mind at the time plays a major part behind the intentions of the poem and indeed the permissibility of listening to it and/or narrating it.
Thus, the above is just not an issue. Rather it is beautiful, romantic and a point well made. Oh, exactly what I said in the post itself then? Woops you guys must have missed that part then?
Perhaps the anger and stress from some of you (I’m not singling anyone for being confused, rather my wrath is upon the extremists who just write Ahl’l-Sunnah off in ignorance and upon those who wish to innovate in the religion as I mentioned above) is actually sincere. To that effect, I might post what Ibn Hazm says at the end of his wonderful, wonderful book where he also clarifies his personal involvement and feelings in relation to all that which he has espoused in ink. We shall see.
I normally only post on this blog those things which are entertaining to myself and my students and others peers. This poem’s translation was requested by a few brothers when I showed it as a proof to our Shaykh Kehlan (hafidhahullah) during a lesson on the differences between sariqah and ghasb. I did it as a favour, as some entertainment (you know me folks!), I added a commentary so as to not completely confuse everyone (obviously failed there! Should have just left it raw and let everyone dream about it for the next 12 months) and finally because I have to say that I’m a big-time romantic at heart. Just ask my slave-girls…
For those asking for a reference: this poem can be found in many different biographical books, under the biography of the great Qadhi. Ibn Khallikan quotes it the Wafayah (3/219) and called it “beautiful”. Imam al-Dhahabi says the same quoting it in Siyar (17/431). You’ll find it in al-Dhahirah, in Fawat’l-Wafayat (2/420), in the Tarikh’l-Islam of Imam al-Dhahabi and many other places. Ibn Katheer quotes this poem in Bidayah w’l-Nihayah (12/41) and calls it “wonderful”. And finally and most importantly, AE quotes it on his blog AE and called it, “Phat!”
For those of you who are really desperately trying to understand what’s going on and are having major doubts etc, then just think of it that this is the Qadhi’s wife or his slave-girl. And as the brother above said, he just stole a little kiss man. And the rest is all dreaming to be honest on my man’s behalf but it’s all good. And by the way, the Prophet (s) knew that some people might try and steal a little kiss here and there which is why he said if you ever did such a thing, go and make wudhu and pray because each prayer expiates the minor sins in-between them. Yes folks, minor. Shock horror!
Take it easy everyone, I’m not spreading disease and corruption. Don’t shoot the messenger!
Perhaps the statement of the other great Maliki Faqih and the more famous Qadhi himself, Ibn al-Arabi, will help. He was asked about the permissibility of reciting poetry in the Masjid (which many scholars deem impermissible) and he said,
I hope that relaxes a few people just a little insha’Allah.
I think clearly everyone needs more of this stuff and there’s no point being an entertainment site without a little bit more poetry, so I’ll post some more but perhaps less erotic stuff next time insha’Allah!
@ Please can you tell me, is this the whole poem or an extract of a poem and if its an extract then is this how the poem actully begin
This is the poem, the whole poem and nothing but the poem.
@looks like one for the maaliki’s again.
Tell me about it! What a people masha’Allah…
@It seems my comment has aggravated some fans.
That’s naughty brother. Show some respect.
@amusing poem, explanation was annoyingly isocy. i think you sound familiar.
This comment made me laugh!
Unfortunately, you’re absolutely right. It was very isoc-y wasn’t it?
But then, looking at the comments, clearly I called that one right then?
@Assalamualaikum sheikh for the wonderful poem and its commentary. I just wanted to ask you a question but i don’t have your email address…
Good to see you here brother Mansur. Yes I do remember and you did right to post your question here because my email is not happening. Let me have a think about your request.
PS Mansur: We’ll be doing a Maqra’ah of the Sunan of al-Nasa’i on Dec 25-29 at Markaz’l-Bukhary so write that down now as this site will probably be down when it comes round.
Hope that answers everyone’s questions. I think this thread should continue with “Yay!” if you support this kind of poetry and “Nay!” if you don’t ever want to see anything like it ever again on God’s green Earth!
Thanks for the kind comments. And Q, what kind of defence was that?!
AE
October 20, 2008 at 7:20 pm
I say “Yay!”
October 20, 2008 at 7:38 pm
flip man. you guys all need to watch desperate housewives.
October 20, 2008 at 8:34 pm
AE: “…but sometimes the Sunnah and the ease and beauty of Shari’ah and it’s heritage just can’t be suppressed.”
My brother, to show everybody what answers Islam has to the world problems is a wise, and certainly a much better way to convey the beauty of the Allah’s Deen- the Shari’ah.
And that is the way of Prophet Mohammad (s).
Wassalaamu ‘alaikum warahmatullah
October 20, 2008 at 8:35 pm
*the beauty of Allah’s Deen.
October 20, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Who said anything about defence?
You know me better than that.
Now you’re a deluded romantic.
October 20, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Im looking to get married soon. Im struggling to get my head round being romantic. I suppose its the way Ive been conditioned: it all feels so lewd and disgusting to me even though its not when its with the wife.
Can the sheikh give any guidance on this?
October 20, 2008 at 11:19 pm
Nah, it makes me feel slightly uncomfortable to be honest. JazakAllah khair for explaining though. Perhaps ease us backwards thinkers into the “romantic” stuff rather than shocking us!
October 20, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!
October 21, 2008 at 12:12 am
cotton eye joe,
If you get a chance, listen to Ustadh Waleed Basouni’s lecture “Was the Prophet Romantic?”
You can download it here: http://www.kalamullah.com/lectures.html
or purchase it here: http://qadimoon.com/detail.php?pid=15
May 17, 2013 at 7:27 am
I’m realled plesaed that Roberta’s wonderful poem has been appreciated. It made me feel very good when I read it. I’ll be keeping an eye on what she does in the future, for sure.Minx, you’re right: I am an old poop and I have been since I was 13! I’ve always been too serious just seems to be part of me. Life does get better, I have to agree, and looking at it with the right frame of mind makes a big difference.
October 21, 2008 at 3:41 am
Assalamu ‘alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,
I appreciate the detailed response.
You helped put my heart at ease,
may Allah reward you.
October 21, 2008 at 6:01 am
yay!
October 21, 2008 at 12:32 pm
*sigh*
Now who doesn’t like a romantic at heart who’s clever with words and the fiqh?
Subhanallah.
Jazakallah for shating this with us.
October 21, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Yay Yay Yay… its a beautiful poem and play on words… although i did have to get used to its tone i admit.
I really enjoyed the fiqhi explanation bit about ghasb etc…wonderfully done.
Maybe the scholars of those days knew how to grab the attention of the students and keep things in memory…humans are naturally inclined to beauty and romance..i for one will now hopefully (!) never forget the fiqh info you alluded to.
BarakAllahu feekum
(really really why do muslims need to look elsewhere when our wonderful deen and its scholars cover every aspect of life shared)
October 21, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Typical. You get the girlies squealing yay.
October 21, 2008 at 5:38 pm
I resent the last comment!
…Unless you ‘aint married.. Then all is well.
October 21, 2008 at 5:39 pm
And i forgot… YAAAAAY!!
October 21, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Yay.
Excellent post.
Reminds me of some Persian verses and Urdu classical poetry. Suggestive, Articulate, Witty, Profound, Sufis-ticated, Daring, Insightful all in a single couplet.
What inane, dithering slobs we would have turned out to be if it weren’t for poetry.
Wa Salam Alaykum
October 21, 2008 at 9:39 pm
…MashaaAllah, when you’re Charming you’re Charming and the Qadhi (r) is defo. Charming!
…So when do we get to get the translation of Ibn Hazm’s poem
…or should I get married first?
October 22, 2008 at 9:22 am
[...] post info By souvenirsandscars Categories: Cultural Observations, Humor, Personal, Reflections, Syria and islam I strongly suggest people hazard a gander at this. [...]
October 22, 2008 at 9:28 am
Salaams,
My comment eventually ended up as a post on my blog. So it’s a definite hiphiphoorYAAY for me (corny much?)
Thanks for sharing!
S&S
October 22, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Masha’Allah very good!! I thoroughly enjoyed the poem. I especially liked the clear and concise explanantion that AE provided so jezakallahu khayran.
October 22, 2008 at 8:47 pm
[...] Posted by sugarNspice Muh_4 what is this referring to???? Explain please She Was Asleep. I Kissed Her. She Awoke. AE Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, who, like me, his praise should [...]
October 24, 2008 at 12:26 pm
ALHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMDULILAH… THE blog is back… may Allah bless and love you Abu Eesa. Please STOP depriving us of your work. Some of us actually benefit from it. alhamdulilah.
Jazk.
wasalam.
October 24, 2008 at 10:16 pm
S: jealous much?
:p
October 25, 2008 at 3:36 am
The power of the Arabic language.. and the creativity of the thief!
I wonder.. if one does the same these days, what would the hadd be? An all-expense-paid trip to – and extended stay – Guantanamo? 
Beautiful poetry!
ATW
May 17, 2013 at 6:24 am
It’s been in my head since the reading, too. I aclutlay put it on my vision board on Friday with a small addition: What happened to me was not my fault. But I chose to pick up the pen.
October 25, 2008 at 10:56 am
I actually don’t get what the fuss is about.
The poem was rude.
I don’t care if a Qadi wrote it – it doesn’t make it halaal to celebrate it like it is a sacred text.
October 25, 2008 at 4:00 pm
“The power of the Arabic language.. and the creativity of the thief! I wonder.. if one does the same these days, what would the hadd be? An all-expense-paid trip to – and extended stay – Guantanamo?”
Not funny.
October 26, 2008 at 1:20 am
What has Guantanamo got to do with it?
October 26, 2008 at 12:57 pm
as salamu alaikum,
have to fully disagree with posting of this poem on the internet… as much as tullab al-ilm can reap benefit from it, so can the laymen of today’s world can reap harm from it.
My point is this: this poem was not written for this day or age (or for the English language speakers). Even the well intentioned brothers (and sisters) who do not understand Arabic balagha have to wade through so much (touching on eroticism) and then go through your translation to reach the deeper intended meaning! Is it worth it to stir up the caged shahwa for this? Also, did I mention: not all your blog readers are married!!
This poem better stays in the books where it belongs; where only tullab al-ilm go to read and reap benefit. It was intended as such; I am pretty sure the qadi rahimahu Allah did not brag with this poem on the streets or markets for this reason.
All I hope is that you see my point.
wa asalam
October 27, 2008 at 4:31 am
I think i prefer to agree with the ahlus-sadd in this matter. Don’t get me wrong the poem was beuatiful and captivating. Anyway i was thinking perhaps the whole poem was a drama qadi and his wife were acting out for fun…
October 27, 2008 at 6:26 pm
umm said…
“…perhaps the whole poem was a drama qadi and his wife were acting out for fun…”
astagfirullah… lol…
October 27, 2008 at 11:28 pm
I wasn’t joking you know – I’m sure that would be most ‘halal’ compared to anything else we were thinking about the poem?
October 29, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Mashallah, very interesting, i certainly learnt a point or two from the romantics
I have one question pertaining to ghasb, can it be applied in the case of husband-beating? An eye for an eye? If he hits you, you hit him back? Perhaps i’ve misunderstood it? Would be nice if you could write a few words on the wife beating issue,please!
Just a thought, no offence intended!
October 30, 2008 at 7:34 am
Man,
I. Love. This. Blog. Mashallah.
And yes, as a ‘yankee’ [the term seems rather popular here =)] I do reluctantly admit you guys in the UK have a superior command of our shared language.
October 31, 2008 at 1:52 am
salaams
I feel too embarrassed to even comment on this in such a public domain even being a lover of poetry especially Arabic, but the point I would like to make is then are you promoting these kids (unmarried ones among the readers) to run around stealing kisses and that is ok….. I wonder Im sure the element of stealing and taking it back only is meant for objects not kisses…
October 31, 2008 at 5:39 pm
[...] blog, run by a brother in the UK by the nickname of Abu Eesa. He recently wrote a post titled She Was Asleep. I Kissed Her. She Awoke in which he presented a poem written by an Iraqi imam and judge from the early generations of Islam [...]
November 1, 2008 at 12:44 am
The fact is that the human nafs is weak and minds can wander. But it is not the sign of a Muttaqi, to dwell on and fantasize, let alone write about such thoughts…that is why it is wrong to imply that the writer of the poem was fantasizing about haram. A’oodhu billah. That would not be acceptable at all. If we think about something haram, that is another thing, but then to write and indulge in thinking about it is quite another.
1. It is wrong to imply that a Muslim scholar did that. If he did…we would surely doubt his uprightness and other scholars would too….one of the purposes of seeking knowledge is to purify our hearts of diseases and haram thoughts. That is just basic.
2. To then go on and use that poem as a proof for you to do something similar is totally wrong!! Even if the scholar had been fantasizing (wal ‘iyaadhu billah) that is not a proof for us that it is OK to do the same. One of the rules Sheikh Waleed al-Basyouni gave us in a recent course (about some of the greatest scholars of Islam) was that we do not derive rulings from the lives of the scholars!! They are fallible.
So please, Brothers and Sisters…let’s use our intellects and we’ll get far. Islam is pure and loves that which is pure. Romance and love and sexual desire are things that can flourish within marriage. Fantasizing about ones own spouse is another thing. But outside of marriage…it is a trial and disease of the heart and will lead to a sense of sexual depravity.
By the way. I have written a poem called Wedding Night. It is not a work of genius, but you can read it here:
http://muslimmotherhood.blogspot.com/2008/02/poem-wedding-night.html
November 2, 2008 at 5:30 am
The poem sounds nice…but the commentary I’m afraid is somewhat misleading. Is it being implied that the scholar who wrote the poem was fantasizing and indulging in fantasizing about a haram relationship?
Why is that being implied? It should go without saying that he is referring to a halal relationship. These sort of exchange of words is common in any good marriage during intimate moments.
The fact is that the human nafs is weak and minds can wander. But it is not the sign of a Muttaqi, to dwell on and fantasize, let alone write about such thoughts…that is why it is wrong to imply that the writer of the poem was fantasizing about haram. A’oodhu billah. That would not be acceptable at all. If we think about something haram, that is another thing, but then to write and indulge in thinking about it is quite another.
1. It is wrong to imply that a Muslim scholar did that. If he did…we would surely doubt his uprightness and other scholars would too….one of the purposes of seeking knowledge is to purify our hearts of diseases and haram thoughts. That is just basic.
2. To then go on and use that poem as a proof for you to do something similar is totally wrong!! Even if the scholar had been fantasizing (wal ‘iyaadhu billah) that is not a proof for us that it is OK to do the same. One of the rules Sheikh Waleed al-Basyouni gave us in the Torch Bearers course (about some of the greatest scholars of Islam) was that we do not derive rulings from the lives of the scholars!! They are fallible.
So please, Brothers and Sisters…let’s use our intellects. Islam is pure and loves that which is pure. Romance and love and sexual desire are things that can flourish within marriage. Fantasizing about ones own spouse is another thing. But outside of marriage…it is a trial and disease of the heart and will lead to a sense of sexual depravity.
It feels like you are trivialising ‘minor sins’ and trivialising kissing a woman who is haram for you…isn’t that really irresponsible? What if a young brother is reading this who is facing this fitnah and then feels like you’ve given him the green light to go kiss a woman because it is only a minor sin and he can easily repent afterwards.
Here is a poem I wrote which isn’t as clever as the one above but means a lor to me…and it’s about a fully halal relationship!:
Wedding Night of a Muslim Woman:
http://muslimmotherhood.blogspot.com/2008/02/poem-wedding-night.html
November 5, 2008 at 11:10 pm
I am actually appalled that a person of knowledge, Abu Eesa, is trivialising kissing of non-mahram women by implying these are minor sins! I have never come across anyone except transgressors of Allah’s deen making excuses for sin so this is totally irresponsible of you, Niamatullah.
It is very clear that the Qadhi (rahimahullah) is talking about someone halal for him (i.e. his wife or slave girl) as he would be totally aware that it is not allowed to express forbidden fantasies in Islam as the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said that we are not accountable for evil thoughts as long as they are not expressed or acted upon. The Qadhi would also have known that it is not from purification of the soul to have expressed such desires if they were forbidden.
The poem is both beautiful and clever and it is slanderous to think the Qadhi had any other intention but to play with the reader.
Back to the trivialisation of sins, where is this going to stop? Major sins can also be repented for (kissing a non-mahram woman may be in this category according to some scholars such as Al Haythami) so are we now going to trivialise major sins as these can be repented from as well?
Scholars praised classical Arabic poetry for the language and NOT for the forbidden themes so the logic applied in your reply to the above comments was also flawed.
As we know a person may share in the sin if someone encourages an evil and let us imagine that a person reads your musings and then commits some sin then you will share in that so I advise you to repent to Allah for this..you really should know better.
October 11, 2010 at 11:22 am
Assalamu alaykum Couldn’t agree more with you teacher Chagtai !!
If one person follows the advice that we give them then we’ll get the same reward as the one who takes our advice gets without reducin their reward.
Similarly, if we do a sin and someone follows it then we get the same punishment as the one who follows us gets !!
May Allah guide us to the guided ones and help us remain upon the truth till our last brearth !!
November 5, 2008 at 11:20 pm
br.salaeem, don’t you think it would of had been better to advise him in private?
October 11, 2010 at 11:19 am
Don’t you think it would have been better for Abu Essa not to share such poem in a public area ??
May 17, 2013 at 7:46 am
I agree with the message you’re seindng with this comment, but you’re going about it in the wrong way I think. Sure, it’d be great if negativity wasn’t so prevalent in the world. But there’s something else that’s all too prevalent in the world. People being silenced. Too often is it in this world that certain groups or people are not allowed to speak their mind out because the authority keeps them pinned down.
November 6, 2008 at 1:00 am
Dear brother Saleem:
Assalaamo alaikum wr wb
1stly, I think you shuld have started your naseehah with salaam, especially when addressing your elder and a respected teacher.
2ndly, I have re read the thread and find it strange that only yourself and the sister above you called Fatima seem to find the promotion of sins whether minor or major by Sh Abu Eesa. In fact, this accusation itself is what is appalling. Everyone else and many many people over the net took lessons and enjoyment from this piece of art and the wisdom in the commentary but it seems that you have seen something else. That either makes you a very deep scholar seeing things that others can’t or havent (or maybe don’t even want to) focus on or maybe you need to actually ask Sh Abu Eesa privately to explain what he has written in detail and then you can maybe come back with some benefit.
I dont mean to come across rude but your words are very unbefitting to a teacher. “Repent to Allah?” You really are appalled aren’t you? Alhamdulillaah that it is only a few of you that are appalled. I just hope that you are qualified to make such a judgement and claim that AE is “like those transgressor promoting excuses for sin”, after he has sacrificed his time to learn and teach, and has also mentioned that he has been to his own Sheik with this piece. I hope you also did the same and I also hope that you have the same knowledge to feel comfortable about what you have claimed.
Allaahu alam.
October 11, 2010 at 11:17 am
Mr. ‘hakim’ who actually lacks hikmah is hakim by name only :
I am against what Abu Essa has said, too !!!!!!!!!!
Teacher Chagtai’s way of explainin it is in a positive way !!!!!!!!!!!!
Why should he have told him privately when Abu Essa has posted this post publicly ???!!??!?!!!
That’s excellent to see teacher of Islam participatin on the blog and attemptin to correct other teacher of Islam so we may not be mislead and use our HIKMAH. Yes ?
November 6, 2008 at 8:30 am
I think hte brother above and sister Fatima are husband and wife so I guess they share the same view. At least they have the sincerity to come online with their real names and say what they feel,, like Ustadh AE, even though the manners of the broter Saleem are very strange in giving advice..I must say that I don’t have the guts to give my real name when I comment!!!
November 6, 2008 at 8:31 am
I think hte brother above and sister Fatima are husband and wife so I guess they share the same view. At least they have the sincerity to come online with their real names and say what they feel,, like Ustadh AE, even though the manners of the broter Saleem are very strange in giving advice..I must say that I don’t have the guts to give my real name when I comment!!!
November 6, 2008 at 9:37 am
Assalaam alaikum
What upsets me is that as an avid reader of both this site and the previous Islaamiblog, Saleem Chagtai (and in fairness he has always used his name as mentioned above and it sitcks in my mind), has never commented except to criticise AE. No one is above criticism of course but it is wierd that a person only speaks to bring another person down……is there some personal hate/envy/problem here, especially by the very direct way you address the author??
Didn’t Rasulullaah say “Let a person say good or be quiet?”
By the way I’m not necessarily defending anyone but I find this type of actions incorrect. ALso, when assuming something about someone you should look at their history. To suggest that someone respected in teaching this deen is triviliasing sin is amazing. Had you ran out of excuses / other possibile explanations???
May Allaah guide us all.
November 6, 2008 at 11:02 am
so what if they use their real names, isn’t better to advise in private especially when br.saleem knows Abu Eesa?
typical salafis, they like to air thier disagreements with each other in public.
November 6, 2008 at 11:12 am
Dear Everyone
Asalam alikum
Firstly brother Saleem, thank you for making me go back and read the entire article and comments again It was nice to appreciate the arts again.
I have to say that I am grateful for your concern for protecting Muslims from the desire to sin or seeing sin as something insignificant as this is a noble thing no doubt what so ever. I just believe that you have been wrong in what you have seen. I am also a student of AE but more importantly a student of Shk Kehlan who has repeatedly made the point of the differentiation of sins into minor and major and who has nearly always given the example of kissing a woman as an example of a minor sin due to the Bukhari hadith alluded to by AE in his comment. Yet no-one has ever suggested or even dreamnt that sin was being promoted or that our teachers are doing what transgressors do in making excuses for sin. This is a massive jump for you to make and I hope there are no ulterior motives but we think the best inshallaah.
The emphasis by AE in his comment on it being minor was because maybe due to people like yourself we have always seen kissing as a major huge sin or something which was certainly the case for me and many others i know before we started to study islam properly. Thats not to say that we trivilize the sin but just get the facts right. That’s what has happened above.
You said: **I am actually appalled that a person of knowledge, Abu Eesa, is trivialising kissing of non-mahram women by implying these are minor sins!**
Maybe you should leave these things to the people of knowledge then, because you equally are implying that the kissing of non-mahram women are not minor sins and therefore major sins. WHat’s your evidence brother Saleem??
On the other hand, it is the opinion of the mass majority of the scholars we follow in tafseer of the verse where Allah (S.W.T.) says in surat Hood, (Verse 114), what can be translated as, “And perform Salat, at the two ends of the day and in some hours of the night (i.e. the five compulsory Daly prayers). Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds. That is a reminder (an advice) for the mindful (those who accept advice).”
In the tafseer of this verse, Bukhari narrated the hadith above. Imam Muslim narrated the following hadith:
6655
‘Abdullah b. Mas’ud reported that a person kissed a woman and he came to Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) and made a mention of that to him. It was (on this occasion) that this verse was revealed:” And observe prayer at the (two) ends of the day and in the first hours of the night. Surely, good deeds take away evil deeds. That is a reminder for the mindful” (xi. 115). That person said: Allah’s Messenger, does it concern me only? He (the Holy Prophet) said: It concerns every one of my Unimah, who acts according to it.
6656
Ibn Mas’ud reported that a person came to Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) and told him that he had kissed a woman or touched her with his hand or did something like this. He inquired of him about its expiation. It was (on this occasion) that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, revealed this verse (as mentioned above).
6657
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Sulaiman Taimi with the same chain of transmitters that a person had taken liberty with a woman less than fomication. He came to ‘Umar b. Khattab and he took it to be a serious offence. Then he came to Abu Bakr and he also took it to be a serious offence. Then he came the Allahs Apostle (may peace be upon him) and he made a mention of this to him. The rest of the hadith is the same.
6658
‘Abdullah reported that a person came to Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) and said: Allah’s Messenger, I sported with a woman in the outskirts of Medina, and I have committed an offence short of fornication. Here I am (before you), kindly deliver verdict about me which you deem fit. Unar said: Allah concealed your fault. You had better conceal it yourself also. Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him), however, gave no reply to him. The man stood up and went away and Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him) sent a person after him to call him and be recited this verse:” And observe prayer at the ends of the day and in the first hours of the night. Surely, good deeds take away evil deeds. That is a reminder for the mindful” (xi. 115). A person amongst the people said: Allah’s Apostle, does it concern this marn only? Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: No, but the people at large.
6659
This hadith has been transmitted by Abu al-Ahwas and in this (these words are) also found: Mu’adh said: Allah’s Messenger, does it concern this particular case or to all of us? And he (the Holy Prophet) said: Of course, to all of you.
We all know that only the minor sins (saghair) can be expiated by good deeds because the major sins require complete tawbah (kabair).
Therefore to kiss a non-mahram woman IS from the minor sins whether you like it or not and perhaps we might now understand why our scholars sometimes might wish to emphasise this fact so that voices such as yours are corrected.
Please be careful next time you make accusations.
November 6, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Assalamu ‘alaykum
I don’t know brother Saleem but my thanks to him anyway for his time. I am sure it was sincere. I hope he benefits elsewhere on the site insha’Allah.
Sister Fatima is the daughter of an associate of mine, the good Mufti Barakatulla about whom I only know good. I spent some beneficial time with him on a course a few years ago on AAOIFI standards and found him to be very enjoyable company. I am sure that his daughter is imbued with the same good qualities and her advice is also no doubt sincere. Jazahallahu khayr to her.
My best wishes to all those who have comments. Please continue to benefit yourself and others through thoughtful and considered statements.
AE
October 13, 2010 at 10:35 pm
“I don’t know brother Saleem…” what a big fat liar !!
It’s impossible to think you would not have search teacher Saleem’s name over the internet !!
I believe you do know him and are lyin that you don’t know him. How do I know this ? Before, I read this comment of yours Allah had caused me to go through your previous blog on blogspot where you’d the conversation with him over Mawlid. You’re okay with celebratin Mawlid ? You’re okay with leavin the Sunnah ? You’re okay with lying ?
Let me assume you really don’t know him and he is the stranger. Yes, the stranger ! Do you know : Islam began as somethin strange and will end as somethin stranger ? When it was asked who the strangers are.
RasulAllah responded,
“Those that correct the people when they become corrupt.” [Reported by Abu Amr al-Dani, from the hadith of ibn Masoud. It is authentic according to al-Albani.
In another narration he said in response to the same question, "They are a small group of people among a large evil population. Those who oppose them are more than those who follow them." [Reported by ibn Asaakir. It is authentic according to al-Albani].
More on the strangers : http://www.islaam.com/article.aspx?id=218
I hope, that benefits you, In sha ‘Allah !!
wassalamu alaykum
October 26, 2010 at 4:33 pm
Assalaamu ‘alaikum,
I have emailed kakar about the above comment. Brother Abu Eesa did not lie about not knowing me as when this discussion first took place, we had met only once. Since then we have got to know each other better alHamdulillah. I regretted approaching this discussion with a harsh and attacking tone which is really not conducive for sincere and fruitful debate. I have apologised to Abu Eesa for this. I do not condone false accusations as they are major sins in Islam. Kakar contacted me and told me that she saw the error of her ways. I did ask her to apologise (I expected her to do that on this thread) and I hope she does do this as soon as possible. May Allah solve all the problems between us.
November 6, 2008 at 3:22 pm
some people possess knowledge and no wisdom in passing it on
others possess knowledge and the wisdom in sharing it
but you have those who have the knowledge, the wisdom to share it and the etiquettes of disagreeing with fellow humans….. they are truly rare…
which one are you?
November 11, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Let me clarify, if you read my post again I did not categorically say that touching non-mahram women is agreed upon as a major sin. There is some difference of opinion which of course I accept. What I took exception to is the whole tone of “it’s only a minor sin”. I have not found this attitude from any person of knowledge I have had the privilege to meet.
This is because if one was to tell the general masses which are major sins and which aren’t, you will destroy people. At the same time it is important to differentiate between major and minor sins but the manner done in the original post is not one that actually promotes taqwa in a person, does it? All I ask for is some wisdom to be applied as the more knowledge we obtain the more responsible we are with regards to Allah.
I say this in particular at a time where there are more and more cases of various levels of forbidden sexual encounters between practising Muslims even within dawah organisations. I know this as I am in contact with a shariah council judge. This is becoming a problem within our community which has happened perhaps due to people not taking care of avoiding paths of evil.
At this time we need more scrupulousness in our actions and not trivialising the minor sins. One of the scholars of the past said “it is agreed that no sin of the eye is major however these can destroy the heart”.
In addition we know that Allah will not take us to account for the minor sins if we take care of the major ones. How confident are we that we do not have any major sins that havent been repented from?
Having said all this I must say thatI do enjoy Abu Eesa’s writing and I really did enjoy the poem.
May Allah guide and forgive us all.
November 13, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Assalamu Alaikum Abu Easa
Jazakallahu Khairan for taking what I wrote in the spirit in which it was meant.
I hope you understood what I was trying to say: when you work in da’wah or give talks or are a person of knowledge, you automatically become a role model – whether you like it or not. It usually means you can’t relax as much as you’d want to in action or words and that everything you write, people are affected by. So with it comes that extra responsibility. I’m sure you know that…
I admit that it is rather unjust of me to only write a comment when I am trying to give naseehah/correct and not when I enjoy or appreciate something you’ve written. It’s just that I don’t regularly check on blogs, and this article happened to be brought to my attention.
Your command of English language and your eloquence is admirable as is your writing.
May Allah increase you in knowledge, wisdom and action. Aameen
November 15, 2008 at 3:12 am
Assalaamu ‘alaikum,
I would like to apologise to you Abu Eesa for my harshness towards you in my comments.
After having thought about it and taking the advice offered into account my wording was not appropriate.
Please forgive me if I have wronged you.
November 24, 2008 at 6:05 pm
[...] Was Asleep. I Kissed Her. She Awoke. Shaykh Abu Eesa Niamatullah: She Was Asleep. I Kissed Her. She Awoke. AE __________________ "I fear God and next to God I mostly fear them that fear Him not." [...]
November 24, 2008 at 6:28 pm
may Allah bless you for posting awesome poetry.
November 24, 2008 at 7:38 pm
[...] Eesa Says: October 20, 2008 at 5:56 pm Wa alaykum salam wa rahmatullah wa iyyakuml-jamee. I apologise for the fractured nature of this [...]
November 25, 2008 at 7:23 am
[...] And finally and most importantly, AE quotes it on his blog AE and called it, "Phat!" She Was Asleep. I Kissed Her. She Awoke. AE __________________ "I fear God and next to God I mostly fear them that fear Him not." [...]
November 26, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Brother O, jazakAllah khayr for posting all the ahadith.
Needless to say, minor sins can, via repition and heedlessness, turn into major sins.
leave the correcting to the scholars, and let them decide which voices need to be silenced.
December 14, 2008 at 9:09 pm
As an avid debater, I see nothing wrong in good, healthy argument. Especially when it comes to stances on religion. As a Muslim woman, I am choosing not to relay my stance on this poem, but rather on the discussion it has brought about (which has been far more time consuming to read might I add…)
I must truthfully say I am disappointed in every aspect of this “discussion.” every person here has repeated their opinions numerous times, and each time it will have fallen on deaf ears. Stand strong by your beliefs, that is a given, but open your minds to others interpertations. When it comes down to the way of pleasing Allah, we must recognize that everyone holds their plan to make it into his graces at very different levels. Who are we to say what is right or wrong, major or minor? Our sins are ours to choose, and ours to bear. It is NOT our god given right to outwardly flame anothers voice on a public forum, it is a priveledge to communicate with one another yet you are all abusing it by naming who is just and unjust, who is right and who is wrong, who is following a religion correctly or who is not.
Ladies and Gentleman, my point is this: Do not once in your life feel self righteous for the beliefs you have adopted and do not take the power of words into negative usage. If you do not like the poem-navigate yourself away from this blog…your opposable thumbs and the usage of them ARE your god given right…
Thank You
June 26, 2009 at 8:16 pm
[...] good things and experiences via a deep study and appreciation of Ahmed Shawki, or Iqbal, or even Qadhi ‘Abdul Wahhab al-Maliki [...]
June 27, 2009 at 7:45 am
[...] Source: http://alternativeentertainment.wordpress.com/2008/10/18/she-was-asleep-i-kissed-her-she-awoke/ [...]
June 28, 2009 at 12:22 pm
I’m pretty sure some kid out there ‘jizzed in his pants’ after reading this…..
June 28, 2009 at 6:35 pm
[...] good things and experiences via a deep study and appreciation of Ahmed Shawki, or Iqbal, or even Qadhi ‘Abdul Wahhab al-Maliki [...]
June 29, 2009 at 10:28 pm
[...] good things and experiences via a deep study and appreciation of Ahmed Shawki, or Iqbal, or even Qadhi ‘Abdul Wahhab al-Maliki [...]
July 22, 2009 at 8:48 pm
That poem is beautiful
Have you got any more?
May 28, 2011 at 4:40 pm
As-salaamu ‘alaikum, Abu Essa,
This comes to request you to please remove my comments from this post of yours and the Aid alQarni one, please!!
Accept my humble apologies for transgressing, please!!
The only way for me to know that you have forgiven me is if and only if you delete all of my comments from this post and the other one!!
I shall end with what one of my elders in Islam once advised:
“Those who do not forgive think that they are gaining something by not forgiving. In reality, they would gain so much more if they did”
Jazakillahu khair for being patient!!
Was-salaamu ‘alaikum waRahmatullahi waBarakatuhu
May 29, 2011 at 10:49 am
to be honest, i can’t express how disappointed i am that this post was written by Abu Eesa Niamatullah. i was hoping that it wouldn’t be him, but it is indeed him. very confusing.
on the other hand, at least now i have a good valid proof to go around kissing boys. hey it’s just a minor sin, can repent from it anytime.
July 13, 2011 at 11:14 pm
Yay!
October 23, 2011 at 2:49 am
insomnia…
[...]She Was Asleep. I Kissed Her. She Awoke. « AE[...]…
January 13, 2012 at 8:30 am
Puritanism: The fear that someone, somewhere, is having fun
January 14, 2012 at 1:37 pm
hahahahahaha… a quote from H.L. Mencken an agnostic atheist as a contribution to a religious discussion! Omair mian you are becoming a satirist yourself
January 16, 2012 at 2:59 am
Sometimes even atheists tell the truth!
January 16, 2012 at 3:11 am
Not sure about this one…he probably thought that even feeling the obligation of prayer was a puritanical act!
August 31, 2012 at 8:23 pm
I didn’t take it as “bad” but then again sensuality (read:love between a couple) isn’t “bad”. I think life exprience plus “stay away from the relations” upbringing makes us see things like this in that light when it could be she was his wife who was mad at him, she could have been his right hand possesion Allah u Alim but it was a nice “awakening” poem.
People, we, muslims forget the Scholars are humans, the Sahaba were humans, the Prophet (Saws) was a human.