That maturity of communal life derives from following the divine law
Seek thou no other meaning in the Law, Nor look save light to find within the gem;
God was the jeweller who fashioned forth This jewel, diamantine through and through.
Law is the only knowledge of the Truth, Love the sole basis of the Prophet’s code;
The individual through Law attains A faith maturer, and more fair adorned.
The rule of Law secures an ordered life To all the nation, which established rule Condition is of its continuance.
Power is patent in its knowledge, this The sign of Moses’ staff and potent hand;
So I declare the secret of Islam Is Law, in which all things begin and end.
Since thou art called to be a guardian Of the Faith’s wisdom, I will tell to thee A subtle truth of the perspicuous Law.
If any Muslim be engaged upon A meritorious act, and causelessly Therein be challenged
forthwith it becomes His sacred duty to discharge the same; Power is deemed the very spring of Life.
Upon the day of battle, if the foe Supposing truce is imminent neglects His army’s marshalling,
and casually Confronts his fortune, breaking down the wall And citadel of his defence;
until His order is restored, to march against His unarmed country is prohibited.
Knowest thou then the mystery of this Divine commandment? Life not living is Except we live in danger.
Law requires That when to war thou comest, thou shalt blaze A fiery torch, and split the throat of rock.
Law tries the power of the strong right arm; Confronting thee with Alond’s massive height
It bids thee pound into collyrium That craggy mount, and with the ardent breath Drawn from thy throat its flint to liquefy.
The lean and feeble sheep is scarce a prey Worthy the tiger’s claw;
or if the hawk Consorts with sparrows, meaner-spirited Than its poor victims it shall soon become.
The Lawgiver, to whom all fair and foul Was fully known, this recipe of power For thee prescribed.
By toil the nerves are steeled, And thou art raised to eminence in the world;
Or be thou wounded, this will make thee strong, Yea, and mature as a firm mountain-chain.
Full life’s religion is Muhammad’s faith, His code the commentary on life’s law;
Be though earth-lowly, it shall lift thee up High as the heavens, and will fashion thee Harmonious to God’s summons.
The rough rock Is polished to a mirror by this faith, And this unrests the steel’s corroding heart.
Now when the Prophet’s watchword passed from ken His people held no more the secret key To their continuance.
That lusty sprout Tall and firm-rooted Muslim of the wastes Mounted on camel,
who in Batha’s vale Took his first steps that by the desert warmth Was nourished up, now fanned by Persia’s breeze
now fanned by Persia’s breeze Is so diminished, that it hath become Thin as a reed.
He who was wont to slay Tigers like sheep now winces at the ant Trampled unwittingly;
he who in joy, Allahu Akbar crying, turned the rock To running water, trembles at the note Of amorous nightingales;
he whose high will Reckoned the mountain trifling as a straw Commits himself entire to abject trust;
He whose firm blow once broke his foemen’s neck, His heart is wounded by his own breast’s beat;
He whose bold tread a hundred tumults limned Now cowers in retirement from the world;
He whose command none dared to disobey, Before whose door great Alexander stood A suppliant, and Darius begged his bread,
His ardour is attuned to mean content, His boast the proffered bowl of mendicants.
Shaykh Ahmad, Sayyid lofty as the spheres, From whose keen brain the sun’s self borrowed light
The roses that bedeck his holy grave No other god but God breathe from his dust
Thus spoke to a disciple: “O though life Of thy dear father, it behoves us all That we beware of non arab fantasies;
Though non arab thoughts the heavens have surpassed They equally transgress the boundaries Set by the Prophet’s Faith.”
Brother, give ear To his sage counsel, and attentively Receive the rede of a protagonist Of our community;
take these wise words To fortify thy heart; conform thyself With Arab ways, to be a Muslim true.