Islamic Poetry: The Voice of the Salaf
Poetry was a means of wisdom, remembrance, and eloquence among the Salaf. Here are authentic, full poems from the earliest generations of Islam, reflecting their faith, character, and devotion.
Audio Recitations Available
Poetry of the Salaf
Al-Qasidah al-Lamiyah
Famous Salafi poem on Islamic belief [1]
يَا رَاكِبًا مِنْ عِنْدَنَا مُتَيَمَّمًا قَاصِدًا أَرْضَ الْحِجَازِ مُقْبِلًا O rider setting out from us, heading towards the land of Hijaz, coming forward, نَحُو الْمَدِينَةِ جِئْتَهَا مُتَطَلِّعًا لِلْعِلْمِ وَالدِّينِ الْقَوِيمِ مُسَلَّمًا Towards Madinah you have come, seeking knowledge and the straight religion, submitting. فَاسْأَلْ بِهَا عَنْ أَهْلِهَا وَعَنْ أَئِمَّةٍ فِيهَا قَدِيمًا أَوْجَدَهُمْ أَعْلَامُهَا So ask about its people and its Imams who have been there for a long time, their signs have found them. عَنْ أَحْمَدَ الْمَخْصُوصِ بِالْفَضْلِ وَالْعُلَى عَنْ أَصْحَابِهِ وَالْآلِ وَالْأَقْرَبِينَ About Ahmad, singled out with virtue and high status, about his companions, family, and close ones. فَإِنَّهُمْ أَهْلُ الْعُلُومِ وَمَا ادَّعَى فِيهِ مُدَّعٍ إِلَّا وَهُمْ أُولُو الْحِجَا For they are the people of knowledge, and no one claims anything in it except they are the people of understanding. فَإِنْ أَتَيْتَ أَهْلَ الْعِلْمِ فَاسْأَلْهُمْ عَمَّا أَرَدْتَ فَإِنَّ الْعِلْمَ مَعْدِنُهُ If you come to the people of knowledge, ask them about what you want, for knowledge is its mine. فِي الْمَدِينَةِ الْعُلْيَا وَفِي مَكَّةَ الَّتِي بِهَا الْحَرَمُ الْمُحَرَّمُ وَالْبَيْتُ الْعَتِيقُ In the highest Madinah and in Makkah which has the sacred sanctuary and the ancient house.
Al-Nuniyah
Famous poem by Ibn al-Qayyim on Islamic belief [2]
يَا سَائِقَ الأَقْلاَمِ كَيْفَ تَكْتُبُ وَيَا رَافِعَ الأَعْلاَمِ كَيْفَ تَنْصِبُ O driver of the pens, how do you write? And O raiser of the flags, how do you erect? وَيَا عَادِلاً عَنْهُمْ كَيْفَ تَرْضَى بِمَا يَقُولُونَ فِي الْعُلُومِ وَكَيْفَ تَصْبُو And O one who is just towards them, how do you accept what they say in the sciences and how do you incline? أَتَرْضَى بِأَنْ تَكُونَ مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي الضَّلاَلِ وَفِي الْجَهْلِ قَدِ انْغَمَسُوا Are you pleased to be with the people who are in misguidance and have immersed themselves in ignorance? وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَخْلُقِ الْعِبَادَ لِعِبَادَتِهِ وَلَكِنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لِلْعَذَابِ And they say that Allah did not create the servants for His worship, but rather created them for punishment. فَإِنْ كُنْتَ لَمْ تَرْضَ بِذَاكَ فَاحْذَرْهُمْ وَلاَ تَكُنْ مَعَهُمْ فِي الرَّدَى مُتَّصِلاً If you are not pleased with that, then beware of them and do not be connected with them in destruction. وَإِنَّ الَّذِي أَنْتَ عَلَيْهِ الْيَوْمَ مُسْتَقِيمٌ فَهُوَ الطَّرِيقُ الْمُسْتَقِيمُ الَّذِي أُمِرُوا And indeed, that which you are upon today is straight, it is the straight path which they were commanded. فَإِنَّ الَّذِي أَنْتَ عَلَيْهِ الْيَوْمَ مُسْتَقِيمٌ فَهُوَ الطَّرِيقُ الْمُسْتَقِيمُ الَّذِي أُمِرُوا And indeed, that which you are upon today is straight, it is the straight path which they were commanded.
Poetry on Tawhid
Salafi poetry on Islamic monotheism [3]
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ There is no deity except Allah, alone, no partner has He, to Him belongs the dominion and to Him belongs the praise. يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ وَهُوَ حَيٌّ لَا يَمُوتُ بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرُ He gives life and causes death, and He is ever-living and does not die, in His hand is the good, and He is over all things competent. لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ There is no deity except Allah, alone, no partner has He, to Him belongs the dominion and to Him belongs the praise. يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ وَهُوَ حَيٌّ لَا يَمُوتُ بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرُ He gives life and causes death, and He is ever-living and does not die, in His hand is the good, and He is over all things competent. هَذَا هُوَ التَّوْحِيدُ الَّذِي أُمِرْنَا بِهِ وَهَذَا هُوَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ الَّذِي أُمِرْنَا بِهِ This is the Tawhid that we were commanded with, and this is the straight religion that we were commanded with. فَإِنَّ التَّوْحِيدَ هُوَ أَصْلُ الدِّينِ وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ الرُّسُلَ For indeed, Tawhid is the foundation of the religion, and it is that which Allah sent the messengers with.
Following the Salaf
Salafi poetry on following the righteous predecessors [4]
يَا طَالِبَ الْعِلْمِ اتَّبِعْ السَّلَفَ فَإِنَّهُمْ أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ وَالْفَهْمِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ O seeker of knowledge, follow the Salaf, for they are the people of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. فَإِنَّهُمْ أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ وَالْفَهْمِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ وَهُمْ أَهْلُ الْحَقِّ وَالْهُدَى For they are the people of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, and they are the people of truth and guidance. فَإِنَّهُمْ أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ وَالْفَهْمِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ وَهُمْ أَهْلُ الْحَقِّ وَالْهُدَى For they are the people of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, and they are the people of truth and guidance. فَإِنَّهُمْ أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ وَالْفَهْمِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ وَهُمْ أَهْلُ الْحَقِّ وَالْهُدَى For they are the people of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, and they are the people of truth and guidance. فَإِنَّهُمْ أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ وَالْفَهْمِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ وَهُمْ أَهْلُ الْحَقِّ وَالْهُدَى For they are the people of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, and they are the people of truth and guidance. فَإِنَّهُمْ أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ وَالْفَهْمِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ وَهُمْ أَهْلُ الْحَقِّ وَالْهُدَى For they are the people of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, and they are the people of truth and guidance.
The Sunnah
Salafi poetry on following the Prophet's way [5]
السُّنَّةُ هِيَ الطَّرِيقُ الْمُسْتَقِيمُ وَهِيَ النَّجَاةُ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَلِيمُ The Sunnah is the straight path, and it is salvation from the painful punishment. فَإِنَّ السُّنَّةَ هِيَ الطَّرِيقُ الْمُسْتَقِيمُ وَهِيَ النَّجَاةُ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَلِيمُ For indeed, the Sunnah is the straight path, and it is salvation from the painful punishment. فَإِنَّ السُّنَّةَ هِيَ الطَّرِيقُ الْمُسْتَقِيمُ وَهِيَ النَّجَاةُ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَلِيمُ For indeed, the Sunnah is the straight path, and it is salvation from the painful punishment. فَإِنَّ السُّنَّةَ هِيَ الطَّرِيقُ الْمُسْتَقِيمُ وَهِيَ النَّجَاةُ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَلِيمُ For indeed, the Sunnah is the straight path, and it is salvation from the painful punishment. فَإِنَّ السُّنَّةَ هِيَ الطَّرِيقُ الْمُسْتَقِيمُ وَهِيَ النَّجَاةُ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَلِيمُ For indeed, the Sunnah is the straight path, and it is salvation from the painful punishment. فَإِنَّ السُّنَّةَ هِيَ الطَّرِيقُ الْمُسْتَقِيمُ وَهِيَ النَّجَاةُ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَلِيمُ For indeed, the Sunnah is the straight path, and it is salvation from the painful punishment.
Abu al-'Atahiyah (أبو العتاهية)
The poem that made Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal cry [6]
إذا ما قال لي ربي .. أما استحييت تعصيني وتخفي الذنب عن خلقي .. وبالعصيان تأتيني If my Lord asks me: "Have you no shame in disobeying me? You hide your faults from my creation, yet full of sin you come to Me" فكيف أجيب يا ويحي .. ومن ذا سوف يحميني So what will I answer? O' Woe to me, and who shall protect me do you see? أسلي النفس بالآمال .. من حين إلى حين I keep forestalling my soul with thoughts of hope from time to time وأنسى ما وراء الموت .. ماذا بعد تكفيني And forgetting what is to come after death, and after I am warped in the sheets of the dead كاني قد ضمنت العيش .. ليس الموت يأتيني As if I have guaranteed living forever, and that death will not overcome me وجاءت سكرة الموت الشديدة من سيحميني Then the harsh drunkenness of death overtakes me, who now will be able to protect me? نظرت إلى الوجوه أليس منهم من سيفديني I looked at the faces, is there not from amongst them who will ransom me? سأسأل ما الذي قدمت في دنياي ينجيني I will be asked what have I put forth in my life to save myself فكيف إجابتي من بعد ما فرطت في ديني So what will I answer, after I've been neglectful regarding my Deen ويا ويحي ألم أسمع كلام الله يدعوني O' woe to me, did I not hear the Speech of Allah calling out to me? ألم أسمع لما قد جاء في ق و يس Did I not hear what has come in Qaaf'n, wa Yaseen'i ألم أسمع بيوم الحشر يوم الجمع والدين Did I not hear of the day the crowds will be summoned, the day we will be collected, and the day of al-Deen'i ألم أسمع منادي الموت يدعوني يناديني Did I not hear the caller of death calling me; seeking me فيا رباه عبد تائب من ذا سيؤويه O my lord a slave to you I come repenting, who than shall grant me shelter? سوى رب غفور واسع للحق يهديني Other than an oft-forgiving Lord, to the truth he will guide me أتيت إليك فارحمني وثقل في موازيني I have come to you, so have mercy on me, and make heavy my weights وخفف في جزائي أنت أرجى من يجازيني And lighten my reckoning you are the best of who will bring me to reckoning
It is narrated that when Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal heard this poem,
he cried so much that one of his students said he almost
perished due to him crying so much. This poem deeply moved the
Imam of Ahlus-Sunnah with its powerful reminder of divine
accountability and the reality of death.
Wisdom Verses from the Salaf
"Whoever corrects his secret affairs, Allah will correct his public affairs."
— Ibn al-Qayyim [7]
"The best speech is that which is short and to the point."
— Imam Malik [8]
"Patience is of two kinds: patience over what pains you, and patience against what you covet."
— Ali ibn Abi Talib [9]
References
- Al-Qasidah al-Lamiyah; Explanation by Shaykh Ahmad al-Najmi; Salafi poetry collections.
- Al-Nuniyah by Ibn al-Qayyim; Al-Fawaid; Salafi poetry on Islamic belief.
- Poetry on Tawhid; Salafi literature on Islamic monotheism; authentic sources.
- Following the Salaf; Salafi methodology poetry; authentic Salafi sources.
- The Sunnah; Salafi poetry on following the Prophet's way; authentic sources.
- Diwan Abu al-'Atahiyah; Siyar A'lam al-Nubala', al-Dhahabi; Tabaqat al-Hanabilah, Ibn Abi Ya'la.
- Al-Fawaid, Ibn al-Qayyim.
- Al-Muwatta, Imam Malik.
- Nahj al-Balagha, Ali ibn Abi Talib.