ثمانية أمور

From the poetry of Imam al- shafi (may Allah be pleased with him), when he was asked about eight matters:

What is obligatory and more obligatory,
Amazing and more amazing,
Difficult and more difficult,
and Near and nearer?

He replied:

It is obligatory upon people to repent,
but abandoning sins is more obligatory.

Time, in its turning, is wondrous,
yet people’s heedlessness of it is more wondrous still.

Patience in times of hardship is difficult,
but losing the reward is even more difficult.

Everything you hope for is near,

but death is nearer than all of that. 

 

من أشعار الإمام الشافعي – رضي الله عنه – عندما سُئل عن ثمانية أمور

ما واجب وأوجب ، وعجيب وأعجب ، وصعب وأصعب ، وقريب وأقرب ؟

فأجاب بقوله

مِنْ وَاجِبِ النَّاسِ أَنْ يَتُوبُواْ

لَكِنَّ تَرْكَ الذُّنُوبِ أَوْجَبْ

وَالدَّهْرُ في صَرْفِهِ عَجِيبٌ

وَغَفلَةُ النَّاسِ عَنهُ أَعْجَبْ

وَالصَّبْرُ في النَّائِبَاتِ صَعْبٌ

لَكِنْ فَوَاتُ الثَّوَابِ أَصْعَبْ

وَكُلُّ مَا تَرْتجِي قَرِيبٌ

وَالمَوْتُ مِنْ دُونِ ذَاكَ أَقرَبْ