Monday, September 10, 2012

al-Burda The al-Burda, also called Qasida (hymn) Burda, is an Arabic poem honouring the Prophet Muhammad . The name means 'poem of the mantle' or 'of the cloak'. It was written in the 11th century by Imam al-Busiri and forms part of a vast body of li

The famous Mamluke minister Ibn Hinna, who served under the
legendrysultan Barbys, took Imam al-Busiri under his patronage and
freed him to write his poems in material security.
However, art often sufferswhen the artist is freed from suffering, and
comesto life when calamities call. His greatest poem would result from
a powerful tribulation: he woke up to find he was paralysed; half his
body without movement. Suddenly, this man, whose erudition and art had
elevated him to the status of prince of poets of his time, was reduced
to an invalid unable to rise from his bed. This state of affliction
stirred him to write the Burda.
...I began to contemplate writing a poem in the qasida form, and soon
after, I did so as a way of interceding by it with the Messenger of
God to God, the Exalted, hoping that he might heal me.
I was repeating it often, singing it, calling upon God through it, and
seeking intercession with it. During that time, while sleeping, I saw
the Prophet, upon him and his family be prayers and peace. He wiped
over my face with his blessed handand thrust upon me his cloak. I
immediately got up and left my house. I had told no one of my poem nor
of anything I had been doing prior to that.
On the road, I met a fellow spiritual wayfarer, who said to me, "I
want you to give me a copy of the poem you wrote in praise of the
Prophet, upon him be prayers and peace."
I responded, "which one?"
He said, "The one you wrote during your illness."
He then recited its opening lines saying, "By God, I heard it in a
vision last night recited in the presence of God's messenger, upon him
andhis family blessing and peace. It greatly pleased the prophet, and
I saw him thrust his cloak on the one who wrote it!"
I provided him with a copy, and he began tellingothers of his vision.
Thus its news spread far and wide.
Imam al-Busiri
Imam al-Busiri died in Alexandria, Egypt in the year 1295 CE. His
grave is well known and is connected to a large mosque. His poem
embellishes its walls.
The Burda was also engraved on the Prophet's mosque in Madina. There
it adorned its walls and reminded believers for centuries before being
erased by people who could not comprehend it. There is still one line
left that has not been removed:
He is the beloved whose intercession is hoped for
As arms against a host of relentless calamities.
al-Burda

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And Allah knows the best!
~
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