Imam Ash-Shaafi`ee From "Three Forgotten Prayers" by `Adnaan Aali `Uroor
1997
Published By Call to Islam Da`wah Center, London E17 UK
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Al-Muzni who is Aboo lbraaheem Isma`eel ibn Yahya said: "I entered upon
ash-Shaafi'ee during his illness which resulted in his death, so I said to
him: 'What is your condition?' He replied: "I am journeying from this
world, and departing from my brothers, drinking from the cup of death, and
upon Allaah - Exalted is His remembrance - arriving. And no! By Allaah, I
do not know if my soul is traveling towards Paradise or the Fire!" Then he
started to weep, and he said:
'In You, the Creator, I raise my longing, And even if I am, O possessor of
kindness and generosity, an evildoer, a criminal,
When my heart became constricted and my paths became narrow,
I took my hope in Your pardon and forgiveness as an opening and an escape,
My sins seemed very great to me but when I compared them to Your
forgiveness,
I found Your forgiveness to be greater,
You are and still remain the only One who can forgive sins,
You grant and forgive out of Your benevolence and generosity,
Perhaps the One who is the source of all goodness will forgive and
overlook my mistakes,
And will hide the sins and burden that I accumulated,
My sins seemed very great to me, so I turned (to You) in humility,
Were it not for my contentment in you, I wouldn't, O my Lord, have seen
any comfort at all,
So if You forgive me, You would have forgiven a sinner, A rebellious,
oppressive tyrant still sinning,
So my crime is very great, past and present, But Your forgiveness that
embraces Your servant is greater and higher,
So whomsoever holds fast to Allaah is truly saved from mankind, And
whosever's hopes are in Him, will be far removed from any regrets.'
Taken from www.sunnahonline.com
In translating these lines of poetry I have exercised a certain degree of
freedom in order to preserve the emotive content as well as making it
readable in the English language. [Translator Note]
