Qasida Burda

Chapter 1

 فِي ذِكْرِ عِشْقِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ

The Love for the Messenger of Allah

In this chapter Allamah Busiri R.A. speaks of his love for The Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He tries to conceal this love and who his beloved is. For this reason, he has not mentioned the name of The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, directly in the whole chapter. By mentioning places and things close to Madinah, he alludes to The Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Due to this excessive love and devotion for The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he has become completely restless, thus exposing this love to everyone.

ثُمَّ الصَّلَاةُ عَلَى الْمُخْتَارِ فِيْ الْقِدَمِاَلْحَمْدُ ِللهِ مُنْشِيْ الْخَلْقِ مِنْ عَدَمِ
Praise be to the one who was chosen by Allah since eternityAll praise be to Allah, the Creator of mankind from nothingness
عَلَى حَبِيْبِيكَ خَيْرٍ الْخَلْقِ كُلِّهِمِمَوْلاَىَ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ دَائِمًا اَبَدًا
Your most beloved, creation’s greatest entirelyMy master, bless and salute always and for evermore
مَزَجْتَ دَمْعًا جَرٰى مِن مُّقْلَةٍ بِدَمِأَمِنْ تَذَ  كُّرِ جِيْرَ انٍ بِذِي سَلَمٍ
That you have mixed blood in tears that flow from
eyes steadily?
Is it from thinking of neighbors’ past in Dhu Selemi
وَ أَوْمَضَ الْبَرْقُ في الظَّلْمَاءِ مِنْ إِضَمِأَمْ هَبَّتِ الرّ ِيْحُ مِنْ تِلْقَاءِ كَاظِمَةٍ
And lightning flashing from Idum in the dark that you see?Or blowing of wind from the direction of Kazimah,
وَمَا لِقَلْبِكَ إِنْ قُلْتَ اسْتَــفِقْ يَهِمِفَمَا لِعَيْنَيْكَ إِنْ قُلْتَ اكْفُفَا هَمَتَا
And with your heart: when you say, “Be sane!” it acts
crazily?
So what is wrong with your eyes: when you say
“Stop!” they just weep?
مَّا بَيْنَ مُنْسَجِمٍ مِّنْهُ وَمُضْطَرِمِأَيَحْسَبُ الصَّبُّ أَنَّ الْحُبَّ مُنْكَتِمٌ
Between a downpour from it and being so fiery?Does one so lovestruck imagine love is concealable,
وَلاَ أَرِقْتَ لِذِ كْرِ الْبَانِ وَالْعَلَمِلَوْ لاَ الْهَوٰى لَمْ تُرِقْ دَمْعًا عَلَى طَلَلٍ
At the remains, nor lost sleep over the mount or the tree.If not for passion, you would have never burst into tears
بِهِ عَلَيْكَ عَدُولُ الدَّمْعِ وَالسَّقَمِفَكَيْفَ تُنْكِرُ حُبًّا بَعْدَمَا شَهِدَتْ
Against you true witnesses of tears and infirmity.So how do you still deny a love to which testified
مِّثْلَ الْبَهَارِ عَلَى خَدَّيْكَ وَالْعَنَمِوَأَثْبَتَ الْوَجْدُ خَطَّي عَبْرَةٍ وَّضَنًى
Like branches of dogwood, red, and daffodils, yellowy?When grief has fixed on your cheeks canals of tears and
malaise
وَالْحُبُّ يَعْتَرِضُ اللَّذَّاتِ بِالأَلَمِنَعَمْ سَرٰى طَيْفُ مَنْ أَهْوٰى فَأَرَقَّنِي
How love repels all delights and comforts with agony!Yes, sights of my love have come at night and kept me
awake;
مِّنِّي إِلَيْكَ وَلَوْ أَنْصَفْتَ لَمْ تَلُمِيَا لاَئِمِي في الْهَوَى الْعُذْرِيِّ مَعْذِرَةً
From me to you—but if you were true, you’d not
censure me.
You critic of love so passionate, an apology
عَنِ الْوُشَّاةِ وَلاَ دَائِي بِمُنْحَسِمِعَدَتْكَ حَالِي و لاَ سِرِّي بِمُسْتَتِرٍ
From haters, nor is there any end to my malady.May you be spared what I bear—my secret isn’t
concealed
إِنَّ الْمُحِبَّ عَنِ الْعُذَّالِ في صَمَمِمَحَضْتَنِي النُّصْحَ لـٰكِن لَّسْتُ أَسْمَعُهُ
The lover is deaf to all of those who speak critically.You’ve offered me true advice, but simply, I hear it not;
وَالشَّيْبُ أَبْعَدُ في نُصْحٍ عَنِ التُّهَمِإِنِّي اتَّهَمْتُ نَصِيحَ الشَّيْبِ في عَذَلِي
Although gray hair with advice is less in dubiety.I’ve even doubted gray hair’s advice when it censures me;

Chapter 2

فِي مَنْعِ هَوَى النَّفْسِ

Restraining Lust and Carnal Desires

In this chapter, Allamah Busiri R.A. mentions two reasons for restraining of lust and carnal desires. Firstly, a person falls in love due to lust and carnal desires. After mentioning love in the first chapter, he now mentions restraining lust and carnal desires. He also mentions that his entire life has been spent in sin. He sincerely regrets what he has done and repents to Allah ﷻ. Secondly: Restraining lust and carnal desires is essential for gaining love for The Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The love which has for The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, is a pure love and can only be attained by purifying oneself of lust and carnal desires.

مِنْ جَهْلِهَا بِنَذِيرِ الشَّيبِ وَالْهَرِمِفَإِنَّ أَمَّارَتِي بِالسُّوءِ مَا اتَّعَظَتْ
To all the warning of graying hair and seniority.My evil ego, in its stupidity, paid no heed
ضَيْفٍ أَلَمَّ بِرَأْسِي غَيْرَ مُحْتَشَمِوَلاَ أَعَدْتُّ مِنَ الْفِعْلِ الْجَمِيلِ قِرٰى
A guest who showed at my head, bereft of timidity.And hasn’t set out a spread of pleasing actions to host
كَتَمْتُ سِرًّا بَدَا لِي مِنْهُ بِالْكَتَمِلَو كُنْتُ أَعْلَمُ أَنِّي مَا أُوَقِّرُهُ
-den using hair colorant his first appearance to me.And had I known that I’d fail to honor him, I’d have hid-
كَمَا يُرَدُّ جِمَاحُ الْخَيْلِ بِاللُّجُمِمَن لِّي بِرَدِّ جِمَاحٍ مِّنْ غَوَايَتِهَا
Just as a bit bridles horses in their obstinacy?Who’s there for me to control the fight of its wandering—
إِنَّ الطَّعَامَ يُقَوِّي شَهْوَةَ النَّهِمِفَلاَ تَرُمْ بِالْمَعَاصِي كَسْرَ شَهْوَتِهَا
Food only intensifies the craving of gluttony.So do not count on offenses to get rid of its lust;
حُبِّ الرِّضَاعِ وَإِنْ تَفْطِمْهُ يَنْفَطِمِوَالنَّفْسُ كَالطِّفْلِ إِنْ تُهْمِلْهُ شَبَّ عَلَى
In love with suckling; but wean it, and it’s weaned finally.The ego is like a baby: leave it and it grows up
إِنَّ الْهَوٰى مَا تَوَلَّى يُصْمِ أَوْ يَصِمِفَاصْرِفْ هَوَاهَا وَحَاذِرْ أَنْ تُوَلِّيَهُ
When whim’s empowered, it kills or damages markedly.So fight its whim, and beware of giving power to it;
وَّإِنْ هِيَ اسْتَحْلَتِ الْمَرْعٰى فَلا تُسِمِوَرَاعِهَا وَهِيَ في الأَعْمَالِ سَائِمَةٌ
And if the pasture you find it fancies, don’t let it be.And shepherd it carefully as it is grazing in deeds;
مِنْ حَيْثُ لَمْ يَدْرِ أَنَّ السَّمَّ في الدَّسَمِكَمْ حَسَّنَتْ لَذَّةً لِّلْمَرْءِ قَاتِلَةً
While blind to the poison in the gravy so savory!How many times it’s convinced a man of killer delights—
فَرُبَّ مَخْمَصَةٍ شَرٌّ مِّنَ التُّخَمِوَاخْشَ الدَّسَائِسَ مِنْ جُوْعٍ وَّمِنْ شِبَعٍ
Starvation at times is even worse than satiety.Beware the ambush of being hungry and being full;
مِنَ الْمَحَارِمِ وَالْزَمْ حِمْيَةَ النَّدَمَوَاسْتَفْرِغِ الدَّمْعَ مِنْ عَيْنٍ قَدِ امْتَلَأَتْ
Keep in the shelter of pure repentance unceasingly.And void of tears eyes that have been stuffed with forbidden things.
وَإِنْ هُمَا مَحَضَاكَ النُّصْحَ فَاتَّهِمِوَخَالِفِ النَّفْسَ وَالشَّيْطَانَ وَاعْصِهِمَا
And if they give true advice to you, still look skeptically.And contradict both the Self and Devil, and disobey!
فَأَنْتَ تَعْرِفُ كَيْدَ الْخَصْمِ وَالْحَكَمِوَلاَ تُطِعْ مِنْهُمَا خَصْمًا وَلاَ حَكَمًا
You’re well aware of a lawyer’s and a foe’s treachery.And do not settle with either as your lawyer or foe;
لَّقَدْ نَسَبْتُ ِبهِ نَسْلاً لِّذِي عُقُمِأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ مِنْ قَوْلٍ بِلاَ عَمَلٍ
I have ascribed by it to a sterile man progeny.I ask for pardon from God for empty word with no deed;
وَمَا اسْتَقَمْتُ فَمَا قَوْلِي لَكَ اسْتَقِمِأَمَرْتُكَ الْخَيْرَ لـٰكِن مَّا ائْتَمَرْتُ بِهِ
I’m not upstanding, so who am I to tell you to be?I’ve ordered you to do good, but have ignored it, myself;
وَلَمْ أُصَلِّ سِوٰى فَرْضٍ وَّلَمْ أَصُمِوَلاَ تَزَوَّدْتُّ قَبْلَ الْمَوْتِ نَافِلَةً
I haven’t prayed, haven’t fasted, but the compulsory.I haven’t packed extra deeds in preparation for death;

Chapter 3

فِي مَدْحِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ

The Praises of The Messenger

After claiming his love in the first chapter, and how to attain it, in the second Allamah Busairi R.A. begins the praises of The Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He openly declares his love and shows the great qualities and prefect character of The Messenger of Allah ﷺ. While showing his love he also shows the unrestricted and unlimited love which Allah ﷻ has ability Allamah Busairi R.A. has for The Messenger of Allah ﷺ. When Allah ﷻ has praised the beloved Prophet ﷺ, then why should he and all of us also not try to excel in our praises and love for The Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

أَنِ اشْتَكَتْ قَدَمَاهُ الضُّرَّ مِن وَّرَمِظَلَمْتُ سُنَّةَ مَنْ أَحْيَى الظَّلاَمَ إِلَى
Until his feet had complained of swelling up painfully;I’ve violated the way of him who livened the dark,
تَحْتَ الْحِجَارَةِ كَشْحًا مُّتْرَفَ الأَدَمِوَشَدَّ مِنْ سَغَبٍ أَحْشَاءَهُ وَطَوٰى
Beneath a hard stone a waist whose skin is so velvety.And out of hunger, would bind his abdomen and would wrap
عَن نَّفْسِهِ فَأَرَاهَا أَيَّمَا شَمَمِوَرَاوَدَتْهُ الْجِبَالُ الشُّمُّ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ
A way to bait him, so he true loftiness let them see.The lofty mountains made into gold for him tried to be
إِنَّ الضَّرُورَةَ لاَ تَعْدُوا عَلَى الْعِصَمِوَأَكَّدَتْ زُهْدَهُ فِيهَا ضَرُورَتُهُ
For never are protectees assaulted by poverty.His “poverty” only strengthened his disinterest in them;
لَوْلاهُ لَمْ تَخْرُجِ الدُّنْيَا مِنَ الْعَدَمِوَكَيْفَ تَدْعُوا إِلَى الدُّنْيَا ضَرُورَةَ مَنْ
If not for him, the whole world would not have been
made to be.
For verily need never prevails (overpowers) the infallible
حَسُنَتْ جَمِيْعُ خِصَالِهِ صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِبَلَغَ الْعُلَى بِكَمَالِهِ كَشَفَ الدُّجَى بِجَمَالِهِ
Beautified were all his characteristics, Blessings be upon him and his familyHe reached the highest place through his perfection, he drove out the darkness through his beauty
عَلَى حَبِيبِكَ خَيْرِ الْخَلْقِ كُلِّهِمِمَولايَ صَلِّ وسَلِّمْ دَائِمًا أَبَدًا
Your most beloved, creation’s greatest entirelyMy master, bless and salute always and for evermore
وَالْفَرِيْقَيْنِ مِنْ عَرَبٍ وَّمِنْ عَجَمِمُحَمَّدٌ سَيِّدُ الْكَوْنَيْنِ وَالثَّقَلَيْنِ
Both groups: the Arabs and the non-Arab community;Muhammad ﷺ the master of both worlds and both beings and
أَبَرَّ في قَوْلِ لاَ مِنْهُ وَلاَ نَعَمِنَبِيُّنَا الآمِرُ النَّاهِي فَلاَ أَحَدٌ
No one more true in his saying no or yes than is he.Our prophet, who is commander and forbidder—there is
لِكُلِّ هَوْلٍ مِّنَ الأهْوَالِ مُقْتَحِمِهُوَ الْحَبِيبُ الَّذِي تُرْجٰى شَفَاعَتُهُ
At every horror to hit— yes, every calamity.He is the loved one whose intercession we’re hopeful of,
مُسْتَمْسِكُونَ بِحَبْلٍ غَيْرِ مُنْفَصَمِدَعَا إِلَى اللهِ فَالْمُسْتَمْسِكُونَ بِهِ
Are gripping rope that will never fray for eternity.He has invited to God, so all who grip onto him
اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ وَزِدْ وَبَارِكْ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ
O Allah, bless and grant peace, increase and bestow blessings upon him and his family
وَّلَمْ يُدَانُوهُ في عِلْمٍ وَلاَ كَرَمِفَاقَ النَّبِيِّيْنَ فِي خَلْقٍ وَّفي خُلُقٍ
They don’t approach him in knowledge or in gen’rosity.He tops the prophets in both appearance and character;
غَرْفًا مِّنَ الْبَحْرِ أَوْ رَشْفًا مِّنَ الدِّيمِوَكُلُّهُمْ مِّن رَّسُولِ اللهِ مُلْتَمِسٌ
A sip from down-pouring rain or handful scooped from the sea.And all of them are receiving from Allah’s Messenger
مِن نُّقْطَةِ الْعِلْمِ أَوْ مِنْ شَكْلَةِ الْحِكَمِوَوَاقِفُونَ لَدَيهِ عَنْدَ حَدِّهِمِ
A dot of knowledge or mark from words of sagacity.And all are standing before him at their own limits fixed:
ثُمَّ اصْطَفَاهُ حَبِيبًا بَارِىءُ النَّسَمِفَهُوَ الَّذِي تَمَّ مَعْنَاهُ وَصُورَتُهُ
Picked as the love of the Maker of all humanity.He is the one with perfected essence and outward form;
فَجَوهَرُ الْحُسْنِ فِيهِ غَيرُ مُنْقَسَمِمُنَزَّهٌ عَنْ شَرِيكٍ في مَحَاسِنِهِ
Yes, undivided in him is beauty’s whole entity.Beyond a partner in his so beautiful qualities;
وَاحْكُمْ بِمَا شِئْتَ مَدْحًا فِيهِ وَاحْتَكَمِدَعْ مَا ادَّعَتْهُ النَّصَارٰى في نَبِيِّهِم
And give to him any praise you wish, and praise sensibly.Avoid what Christians have claimed about their own messenger;
وَّانْسُبْ إِلىَ قَدْرِهِ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ عِظَمِوَانْسُبْ إِلَى ذَاتِهِ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ شَرَفٍ
Ascribe to his stature what you wish of immensity.Ascribe to his person what you wish of nobility;
حَدٌّ فَيُعْرِبُ عَنْهُ نَاطِقٌ بِفَمِفَإِنَّ فَضْلَ رَسُولِ اللهِ لَيسَ لَهُ
That any speaker could ever verbalize orally.Indeed, Allah’s Messenger’s perfection has no frontier
أَحْيَى اسْمُهُ حِينَ يُدْعٰى دَارِسَ الرِّمَمِلَوْ نَاسَبَتْ قَدْرَهُ آيَاتُهُ عِظَمًا
When called, would give life to bones decayed to nihility.And were his marvels to match his worth in greatness, his name,
حِرْصًا عَلَينَا فَلَمْ نَرْتَبْ وَلَمْ نَهِمِلَمْ يَمْتَحِنَّا بِمَا تَعْيَ الْعُقُولُ بِهِ
And so, we haven’t faced any doubt or perplexity.He tried us not, from concern, with things that boggle the mind;
لِلْقُرْبِ وَالْبُعْدِ فِيهِ غَيرُ مُنْفَحِمِأَعْيَ الْوَرٰى فَهْمُ مَعْنَاهُ فَلَيْسَ يُرٰى
So near or far, one not dumbstruck by it you will not see.Conceiving his meaning has exhausted the universe;
صَغِيرَةً وَّتَكِلُّ الطَّرْفُ مِنْ أَمَمِكَالشَّمْسِ تَظْهَرُ لِلْعَينَينِ مِنْ بُعْدٍ
And would impair any vision when in proximity.Much like the sun: from afar it does appear small to eyes,
قَومٌ نِّيَامٌ تَسَلَّوا عَنْهُ بِالْحُلُمِوَكَيفَ يُدْرِكُ في الدُّنْيَا حَقِيقَتَهُ
Begin to grasp in the present world his reality!And how could people asleep, distracted from him by dreams,
وَأَنَّهُ خَيرُ خَلْقِ اللهِ كُلِّهِمِفَمَبْلَغُ الْعِلْمِ فِيهِ أَِنَّهُ بَشَرٌ
And is the best of Allah’s creation, entirely.The peak of knowledge about him is that he is a man
فَإِنَّمَا اتَّصَلَتْ مِن نُّوْرِهِ بِهِمِوَكُلُّ آيٍ أَتَى الرُّسُلُ الْكِرَامُ بِهَا
Have come to them from the NUR of Ahmad exclusively.And all the marvels the noble messengers have conveyed
يُظْهِرْنَ أَنْوَارَهَا لِلنَّاسِ في الظُّلَمِفَإِنَّهُ شَـمْسُ فَضْلٍ هُمْ كَوَاكِبُهَا
Reflecting its lights in darknesses to humanity.He is the Sun of esteem, to which they are as if moons:
هَا الْعَالَمِينَ وَأَحْيَتْ سَآئِرَ الأُمَمِحَتَّى إِذَا طَلَعَتْ في الْكَونِ عَمَّ هُدَا
And gave life to all the nations, universallyUntil when the sun rose his light spread
بِالْحُسْنِ مُشْتَمِلٍ بِالْبِشْرِ مُتَّسِمِأَكْرِمْ بِخَلْقِ نَبِيٍّ زَانَهُ خُلُقٌ
Enveloped by handsomeness, distinguished by jollity!How grand the form of a Prophet brightened by character,
وَالْبَحْرِ في كَرَمٍ وَّالدَّهْرِ في هِمَمِكَالزَّهْرِ في تَرَفٍ وَّالْبَدْرِ في شَرَفٍ
The ocean in giving, and all time in tenacity.Like flowers in fineness, the full moon in ascendancy,
في عَسْكَرٍ حِينَ تَلْقَاهُ وَفي حَشَمِكَأَنَّهُ وَهُوَ فَرْدٌ في جَلالَتِهِ
An army and entourage, because of his majesty.When he’s alone and you meet him, he is like one amid
مِن مَّعْدِنَى مَنْطِقٍ مِّنْهُ وَمُبْتَسَمِكَأَنَّمَا اللُّؤْلُؤُ الْمَكْنُونُ في صَدَفٍ
Do seem to be pearls preserved within their shells
preciously.
From treasure chests of his eloquence and his beaming
grin
طُوبَى لِمُنْتَشِقٍ مِّنْهُ وَمُلْتَثِمِلاَ طِيبَ يَعْدِلُ تُرْبًا ضَمَّ أَعْظُمَهُ
For him who sniffs it or kisses it what felicity!No scent compares to the earth embracing his blessed
form;