Tag: poetry
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Moonlight over Granada
In 1492, the fall of Granada marked the end of Muslim rule. Nuhu Osman Attah explores the sentiments of various characters, including a soldier, philosopher, lady, and poet, lamenting their loss.
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The Crucified Lover of God: Martyrdom in Al-Ḥallāj’s Poetry
The crucified lover of God stands in front of the court of Baghdad unfazed, crying, “Kill me, O my faithful friends….” He goes silent and Abu al-Ḥārith, his executioner, strikes him in the face, breaking his nose, blood running down his clothing.1 This moment of unspeakable cruelty for al-Ḥallāj was transformed into an act of…
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Between the Beloved and the Listener: Unraveling Khusrow’s Ghazal Nami Danaam
The ghazal begins with the lyric: “I wonder what was the place where I was last night.” There is a skillful use of epistrophe as well as apostrophe here, as the poet repeats the phrase “I wonder where I was last night” — with “man boodham” repeated multiple times — to lay emphasis. It is…
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The Most Beautiful
In the name of Allah, the Most Beautiful, whose creations are the ascending sun and the luminous moon, the ethereal clouds of hope and the radiant celestial stars— all decorating the skies above the Earth.
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When I Die
When I die, I apologize to you for my cowardice That I turned my head away From you and myself That I could convey to you properly The Truth.
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Revelation’s Keeper
He lost his father before he spoke, Then lost his grandfather — another stroke. An orphan, a child, with no gold, no throne— But the Lord of the Throne called him His own.
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Umar Qazi of Veliyankode: The Poet, Scholar, and Revolutionary of Malabar
Umar Qazi of Veliyankode is a distinguished figure in 19th-century Kerala, revered for his profound contributions to Arabic poetry and Prophetic praise. Renowned for his works, he was also a symbol of resistance during British colonization. Qazi’s poetry blends spiritual devotion with cultural exchange, stylistic elements of both the Arabic and Malayalam tradition, leaving a…
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The Evolution of Prophetic Praise Poetry in Kerala
The golden age of Prophetic poetry, marked by Al-Būṣīrī, greatly influenced the literary landscape in South India, especially through the works of Umar Qazi. Eulogies, rooted in Arabic tradition, served as historical documents and expressed profound devotion to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). This genre transcended boundaries, inspiring both Muslim and Christian poets.
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On Love, Duty, and Suffering
The phenomenal world is a theater of manifestation of the Divine Names, with all things manifesting some Divine Attribute or aspect. A man and a woman thus bring forth their own symbolisms, thereby manifesting, through nature and action, might, nobility, and beauty. Such is where union and unification present themselves in the image. It is…
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A Tear Descending from a Soul Ascending
On and on time flows while we remain resigned to what each moment brings, Tis but by virtue that our souls ascend towards life’s heavenly springs, For through life’s journey the hearts of men amend As phase by phase the patient, begin to apprehend That vision by which souls may rest restored Through earnest seeking…