Mir Ali of Tabriz

He was born in Herat, in the year 881 Hijri or 1476 AD. He is nicknamed the Qibla of the calligraphers. He was an Imam in a class of calligraphers, a skilled, highly important artist, he defined the rules of Taaliq (Farisi). Sultan Ali al Katib al-Mashady said in his poem in Farsi:

نسخ تعليق اكر خفي وجليست واضع الأصل خواجه مير عليست

Taaliq is also called “Nastaaliq” which means that at Mir Ali’s time, they were using Taaliq to copy most writings and letters, so it became known as Naskh Taaliq, and then many started calling it Nastaaliq, lightening it by omitting the foreign letter khaa.

It is said that the reason behind his invention of the new script was that he asked the Most High one day to favor him with the gift to create a new script. That night Ali bin Abi Talib (may God be pleased with him) visited him in his sleep, and told him to look carefully at a flock of a particular type of fowl, a duck in fact. And he took from their forms the rules of the new script he is known for.

Mir Ali derived Taaliq script from all the parts of the duck, making each letter a suitable shape: turning, hollowing out, curving, and extending the length, width, and breadth, the thick and the thin, the close and the near, where to grow, where to shrink etc… He was in fact unique in his time, alone in his era in this fine art. He has a lofty position and a deserved fame. Of course, he also introducted to this style many of the calligraphic geniuses that would come after him.

Mir Ali of Herat was a writer of poetry and prose, attracting attention. He stopped writing poetry under the name Katib because he was of Turkish origin and had some Turkish verse. He prepared the most calligraphers in Nastaliq before artistic support came, and he used to sign his writings or his calligraphy scattered here and there in the museums of the world as “Ali,” “poor Ali,” “Mir Ali,” “Ali al-Katib,” “Ali Sultani,” “Ali Husseini,” “Mir Ali al-Katib,” “Mir Ali Sultani,” “Ali Harwi (Herati),” “Ali Husseini Harwi,” “Ali al-Katib al-Sultani,” and that of course paved the way for a mix-up with him and other calligraphers.

He had many students that were raised by his hand. Among the names worth mentioning are Mir Mahmoud Baqir, Sir Mahmoud Shahabi, Mir Said Ahmed, Mir Hussein Bukhari, and Mir Jumla.

He died 951 Hijri, 1544 AD and was buried in Bukhara.

Taken from the book “Tarikh al-Khat al-Arabi wa Ialaam al-Khatateen” History of Arabic Calligraphy and Information About Calligraphers, by Ahmed Sabry. Translated by Josh Berer.

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Men in the Sun Intro

This is the beginning of Ghassan Kanafani’s Men in the Sun. It follows Abu Qays, a Palestinian refugee from Yafa as he tries to make it to the oil fields of Kuwait for work. This excerpt from the beginning of the book was taken from Bassam K. Frangieh’s An Anthology of Arabic Literature, Culture, and Thought, From Pre-Islamic Times to the Present.

Men in the Sun 1

Abu Qays rested his chest on the damp ground, and the earth started to beat underneath him: the beats of a tired heart moving through the grains of shaking sand, then crossing into his cells. Every time he layed his body on the dirt, he felt that heartbeat, as though the heart of the Earth was still, since he layed there the first time, blazing a difficult path to light, from the deepest depths of hell. When he said that, once, to his neighbor with whom he shared a field, there in the land he left ten years ago, he answered him sarcastically:
“That’s the sound of your heart you hear when you stick your body to the ground.” What nonsense. And the smell, then? The smell that, if he inhaled, would swell in his brow and then disappate into his veins? Anyone who smelled the smell of the earth as he layed upon it would imagine he was smelling the hair of his wife, after she had come out of the shower, and washed her hair with cold water. That smell, the smell of a woman washed with cold water who has then spread her hair out over his face, no longer wet.
The heartbeat itself, it’s as though you’re holding a small bird between your two curving hands.
The damp earth, he thought, is no doubt whats left of yesterday’s rains. No, it didn’t rain yesterday. These days, the sky can’t rain anything but heat and dust. Have you forgotten where you are? Have you forgotten?

Men in the Sun 2

He turned his body around and laid on his back, cradling his head in his hands, and looked to the sky. It was white, and shining. There was a lone black bird soaring high in the sky, aimlessly. He didnt know why he was filled, suddenly with the stagnant feelings of the solitude of exile. It seemed, for a moment, that he was about to cry. No, it didn’t rain yesterday. We’re in Aab now. Have you forgotten? This flowing empty road, like a black eternity. Did you forget it? The bird was still sailing alone in the sky, a black dot on the glowing expanse above him. We’re in Aab! So, then, why is this moisture in the ground? It must be the coast! Did you not see it extended out as far as you can see in front of you?
“And where the two great rivers meet to form one great river that is the Shatt al-Arab, starting a little before Basra and extending to…”
Professor Saleem, the wizened, gaunt, and grey, said that ten times in his loud voice to a small child standing at the blackboard. He was a passerby, then, in front of the school in his village. He climbed a rock and started listening in at the window. Professor Saleem stood facing the small pupil and shouting at the top of his voice while shaking a long stick in his outstreched arm. “And when the two great rivers meet, the Tigris and Euprates…” The child was shaking with fright, which amused the rest of the students, who were laughing. He put out his hand and tapped a student on his head, who turned to see where he had been eavesdropping at the window. “What happened?”
The student laughed and answered him whispering, “Goat!”
He turned around and got down off the rock, finished his trip, the words of Professor Saleem still ringing in his ears, over and over: “and when the two great rivers meet…”

Men in the Sun 3

That night he saw Professor Saleem sitting in the hall of the headman, smoking a hookah. He had been sent to their village in Yaffo to teach the children. He had spent so much of his life teaching that the word ‘professor’ had become an inseperable part of his name. One of the men there that evening asked him, “You’re going to lead prayers this Friday, right?”
Professor Saleem answered him simply, “No, I am a teacher, not an Imam.”
The headman said to him, “What’s the difference? Our Teacher was an Imam.”
“He was a teacher of writers, I am a school teacher”
The headman replied, “What’s the difference?”

Professor Saleem didn’t answer, but glanced around the room as if calling for the help of someone present, despite the fact that all seated seemed confused by this, like the headman. After a long silent period, Professor Saleem cleared his throat and said in a clear voice, “Fine, I don’t know how to pray.”
“Don’t know how?”
The group gasped and Professor Saleem reiterated himself: “I dont know how!”

Men in the Sun 4

The people seated exchanged glances and then settled their gazes on the headman, who felt he must say something, so he pressed out without thinking, “So what do you know then?
It seemed as though Professor Saleem had been expecting a question such as this, but he replied quickly while getting up, “Many things. How to shoot, for example.” He got to the door and turned around. His gaunt face was shaking. “If you are attacked, wake me up. You may find me useful.”

*

Here was the coast Professor Saleem had spoken of 10 years ago!
May you rest in peace, Professor Saleem, may you rest in peace. No doubt it was God favoring you when he took you one night before the fall of the poor city at the hands of the Jews. One night only, my God.

Is there divine comfort greater than this? It’s true that men were working at burying you, and welcoming your death, but you stayed there, stayed there, you saved yourself humiliation and debasement, and saved your years from shame. May you rest in peace, Professor Saleem. You see that if you lived poverty would sink you like it sunk me. Would you do what I’m doing now? Would you be carrying all your years over your back and escaping across the desert to Kuwait just to find a morsel of bread?

-Ghassan Kanafani

from the book An Anthology of Arabic Literature, Culture, and Thought, From Pre-Islamic Times to the Present, by Bassam K. Frangieh

Translated by Josh Berer

The Girl and the Lion Intro

This is a story from a stack of childrens books I found. It’s very easy reading and it’s handwritten in a nice easy way. Its from the “Green Library,” a set of childrens books that range from very easy to more advanced.

The Girl and the Lion 1-5

The Girl and the Lion

One day, a merchant wanted to travel to buy merchandise he needed for his business. He brought together his three daughters before his trip to ask each one what gift she would like him to bring her when he returns from his trip.

The oldest said, “Father, please bring me a necklace of precious pearls.” The middle one said, “Father please buy me a gold watch with a beautiful band.” The youngest said, “dear father, please

—

bring me a while rose.”
She wanted it not to cost her father a thing, and not to burden him with her request, like those of her two older sisters.

She had, at all times, great taste, and was a lover of flowers of all types. She didn’t notice that it was winter time, and the weather was intensely cold, and there was snow everywhere, layers of snow on the trees, and the lakes were frozen. It wasn’t easy to get a white rose at that time of the year. There were no planes at that time to take flowers from warm areas to cold ones, as happens now.

There also no greenhouses, warmed with generated heat in which to grow flowers and trees in cold countries, as happens

—

today. She didn’t know that the flower she asked for would be the cause of much sadness for her and her father in the future.

The youngest daughter was the most beautiful of the three, and the most emotionally sensitive. Her father had already firmly decided to take pains in order to get the flower his daughter had asked for.

The merchant kissed his wife and three daughters, they kissed him and then they bid each other farewell. He took a personal servant with him on his trip. The merchant then went on his journey

—

to buy merchandise from another country.

After he had purchased the merchandise he needed, he thought of returning to his country and his house, and so he bought the oldest daughter the gift she had wanted, and he got the middle daughter the watch she liked, and started looking in every garden for a rose for
his beloved daughter, but didn’t find one.

He continued to repeat the question and kept looking while he was returning from his trip, whenever he would see a garden, hoping he would find the flower his daughter had wanted. People were surprised by his strange question, and answered him saying, “do you think the flower will appear in snow, with intensely cold weather, when the temperature has dropped below zero?” The merchant was hurt whenever he heard this rational answer, and rational assumption. His sadness increased

—

because he couldn’t realize the desire of his youngest daughter, for it was a simple desire, with no cost during warm seasons when there were many flowers.

Her father continued traveling on his path, his mind troubled, worrying because of the rose he had wished to find to bring to his daughter, until he saw a big castle, surrounded by a strange garden. It was vast, and split into two parts. In the first section, one would find the weather warm, like the summer, with green leafy trees and see many beautiful flowers, of many different types. In the second section, one would find white trees, covered in a layer of snow and without leaves, and see no trace of flowers. The weather there was winter weather, where water freezes and snow falls.

The merchant was surprised by this strange view, and to find two different climates

The Girl and the Lion 6-10

at one time, and to find two gardens, one summer and one winter in the same castle. Then he looked at his servant and said to him, “What good luck, to find this summer garden in this castle! It appears this garden is heated artificially at this time of year, for I see many pretty trees and flowers. I’m going to ask permission from the gardener and pick one white rose.

—

The servant went, and they shouted [for the gardener] in the garden, and didn’t meet anyone, so the servant picked a white rose from a rose bush, gave it to his master, and the merchant was very happy. So the two rose off on the road, happy with their rare gift.

After a little while, they saw a wild lion running behind them and roaring a terrifying roar, and gaining upon them. The lion said to the merchant, “how dare you steal that rose without permission?”

The merchant answered him by saying, “we called and tried to get permission from the gardener, but we didn’t find anyone to ask! I am so, so sorry, I didn’t know it was your garden!”

The lion said, “you’ve already taken the flower, and stolen from my garden, so I am determined to kill you.”

The merchant said, “I beg you to forgive me for this offense, and not kill me,

—

I’m prepared to give you whatever you want, no matter the cost.”

The lion said, “I do not want money. I’m not going to let you go alive unless you promise me a firm promise: that you’ll give me the first thing that greets you when you return home”

The merchant didn’t know what to do. He began to think before he agreed to the conditions imposed upon him by the lion, so he said to himself, “My little girl might remember to run out to welcome me when I return home, because she loves me so much. What do I do if she greets me, for she is the dearest thing I have in this life.

The servant made the issue easier for his master. Fearing for his life, he said “maybe the dog or the cat will be the first thing to greet you when you get home.”

The merchant was forced to agree to this condition, and promised to give the lion

—

whatever greeted him first when he arrived home. The lion agreed, his heart untame.

The merchant took the flower with him and the lion returned to his garden and the merchant went on his way until he returned to his house.

Then the youngest daughter heard the sound of her father’s voice she quickly ran to greet him, delighted by his safe return. She kissed him and welcomed him. She was the first to greet him, unluckily.

—

When she saw that he had brought her the flower she wanted, her joy and happiness in seeing her father increased, delighted with the rare and beautiful gift her father brought her. She didn’t know what was waiting for her as a result of this flower.

While her joy was increasing, so was her father’s sadness and grief. He started to say, “I am so sorry my dear daughter, for I bought this flower with something that isn’t worth money or jewels, the price is extremely expensive,

The Girl and the Lion 11-15

and I cannot pay it. You don’t know what it is.”

She asked him, “why do I see you sad, Father? What is the price you want?”

He answered her, “I’m sad for you, scared for your life. I promised a ferocious lion that I would give him the first thing that greeted me when I got home. That is the price of this flower. I fear he will eat you if he sees you.” He then told her everything that had happened, and he was determined that she not go, to [not] let happen what would happen.

She made the issue easier for him, saying, “calm down, Father, don’t be sad at all, and don’t fear for me. I’m calm, and good sense and good thinking will overcome this. Harm won’t touch me. You can keep your promise and let me go. Don’t worry about me, I’ll get the better of this, and make him let me come home safe to you, God Willing.

—

Her father was surprised by her thinking, cleverness, and agreement to fulfill his promise. He let her go, and put the matter in God’s hands.

The next morning, she said goodbye to her father and asked him the way to go, and got ready. She left her family and went out, her heart full of bravery and courage.

The lion was a sorcerer prince and would change himself and the men and servants around him into lions during the day, and in the evening they would become men and return to their original shapes before they were enchanted. When the girl arrived at the castle, it was late afternoon, and the sorcerer prince greeted her in the form of a lion, and greeted her with politeness and respect. He started talking like a human would, and told her his life story. He then informed her that she was to be married, and she was pleased. At the very moment she agreed, the effects of the magic ended,

—

and the prince returned to his natural human form. After a few days, there was a marriage party at the enchanted castle, and the newlyweds lived a happy life.

The prince continued to leave his spouse every morning, and be absent during the day, then return in the evening with his men, and his wife would greet him with all kindness.

One night he said to her, “Tomorrow your big sister is getting married,

—

and they’ll celebrate the wedding with a great celebration at your father’s house. So if you want to go see your family and partake in the joy, it’s alright by me.”

The prince’s wife thanked him for his noble feelings, and then became very happy with this joyous news, and saw this as a chance to see her father and her family. She had been cut off from news of her family since she left, and everyone thought she was dead and the lion had torn her apart the day he saw her.

The sorcerer prince’s wife left for her trip, and her family relatives and friends welcomed her arrival with great joy. She reassured them, saying, “Don’t be afraid.”

She then told them her story and the story of her husband, and that she was extremely happy, and that her joy was now doubled: her joy, and the joy for her sister. She stayed until the end of the wedding party, then

—

asked permission from her father to return to her husband, and bid her family farewell for her journey. Her father gave her permission, everyone bid her farewell, and she returned to the castle.

The sorcerer prince was very happy when happy upon his wife’s return, and gave her a hearty welcome. After a short time, they had a beautiful baby, and he was the joy of their lives.

One day, the prince and his wife received an invitation to the wedding of the second sister. She said to her husband, “This time I’m not going alone. Please come with me to see my whole family and participate in the joy together.”

He said to her, “I would love to go with you, and not be away from you, but my going there would be very dangerous. If any rays of light touch me during the party, my situation will turn bad, and my form will change, and I will become a white bird, like a dove. I will be forced

The Girl and the Lion 16-20

to wander the Earth aimlessly for seven years, moving from place to place.

She said to him, “We’ll use every means so that no rays of light hit you during the party.

The sorcerer prince was reassured, and traveled with his wife to see her family and so that they may see him, and to partake in the joy, and they took their small beloved child with them.

—

His wife chose a large hall with thick walls for the unfortunate prince to sit in alone, after his wife closed him him, fearing that the a ray of light might touch him. She didn’t notice a small opening in the door, from which light may enter.

When the marriage party started, women and children who were guests of the party walked with candles and lamps outside the door where the sorcerer prince was confined, and a few rays of light fell upon the poor prince, and he turned into a white bird. His soul was in pain, but he persevered. When his wife came in to find him after the party finished, she found only a while bird. She screamed and began to cry and asked, “Why did this happen? I closed the door and windows, how did the light get through stone?”

—

She didn’t know the door had a small opening in it through which the light came in upon the poor prince.

The prince consoled her, saying “There’s no benefit in crying, you need to be patient. Don’t be sad, know that it was ruled that I

—

would fly seven years on the face of the Earth, roaming the world. But I will, from time to time, leave you a white feather, you’ll know from it the places I’ll head for, and the regions I’ll travel to, and you can follow me and travel to the places I do. You may find me in the end. My salvation will be by your hand if you carry this burden seven years. I advise you to leave our child with his grandmother for education, and because it will not be easy to take him with you. This sentence is upon him,

—

because of this punishment upon us.”

She promised him she would do as he advised and wouldn’t leave him wherever he went, and would travel wherever he did.

The unfortunate bird left the house and his wife left after him, after leaving their child with her mother. The family was extremely sad for what happened. The wife followed the bird everywhere he went, and started to roam with him. Every time he went somewhere, he’d leave her a white feather so she could know where he went. She followed him in his journeys and travels seven long years and she didn’t feel any comfort during this time, nor did she leave him for a moment, so that he wouldn’t be separated from her. She was a faithful and loyal wife.

The days passed, and the seven years came close to their end, and happiness started to come into the heart of the poor wife, and she started to forget the

The Girl and the Lion 21-25

wretched times, now coming to an end. However this thought did not materialize, as there was a long distance between her and comfort. She did not see the comfort as soon as she had thought. It happened when she was traveling: she lost the white feather. This white feather was like a magical mirror, she saw in it the place in which the the tortured bird would land, and know from it where to go. With extreme misfortune she lost that precious enchanted feather, and that was bad luck. She looked around to see her white bird, but couldn’t see him. She started to look everywhere, but couldn’t see her poor husband, like when she had the white feather, and could look at it and see her husband immediately

—

and know where he was.

Her soul hurt terribly, and her husband the bird left her and she didn’t know where he went. She didn’t know what to do about it, so she started thinking about a solution to the problem. She made up her mind to go to the sun for help. She waited until mid-noon, when the sun was in the middle of the sky, looked up at it and said, “O Shining Sun! You light the world and everything in it! Your light is radiant everywhere! From the peak of the mountain to the bottom of the earth one sees your light! In seas and rivers one sees your effects. Have you seen anywhere in the world a white bird, he’s lost me and I’ve lost him, so now I don’t know where he is.

The Sun answered, “O loyal and patient lady! I am so sorry, but I have not seen your white bird, but I

—

will give you a precious gift, in admiration of your loyalty to your husband, and appreciation of your patience in your pursuit. I will give you a precious box, inside it a rare gift. But don’t open it until you’re at the end of your strength, and you feel your strength is scarce.”

The wife thanked the Sun for its gift and advice, and took the present, and went on her way until the Sun went down. The full moon appeared in the sky, and she thought to ask the Moon, and seek help

—

from it. She called out to it, and said, “O Moon! You light the world by night! You light fields and forests, you light the mountains and the seas and the rivers, villages, cities, and countries! Have you seen, anywhere in the world, during your rise, an enchanted white bird? He lost me and I don’t know where he is now.”

The Moon answered, “I am so sorry, I haven’t seen him anywhere I’ve been, but out of love for you, I’ll give you a precious golden egg as a present. You have gotten very tired these past seven years, and you have been faithful and true to your husband during his hardship and absence. My advice to you is not to break this egg unless you are in dire straits.”

The wife thanked the Moon, and cherished her knowledge and gift, and left her. Then she went on her way until the Northern Winds started to roll in,

—

and the gentle morning wind appeared, and so she appealed to them for help, saying, “O beautiful winds! You roll across every place on Earth, you blow through every tree, you go under every leaf of every tree. Have you seen anywhere, in any tree or nest, a white bird?”

The Wind answered, “My lady, I have not seen him and I am very sorry. But I will look for him, and I’ll ask the other three winds, perhaps they’ve seen him.”

While she was speaking, the Eastern Wind came up, and she asked her about it, and she replied that she had not seen him

The Girl and the Lion 26-30

Then the Western Wind came, and she asked her about it, and she replied that she had not seen him on any tree. Then the Southern Wind came and the wife asked the question and she replied, “Yes, I saw the enchanted white dove, he was flying to the Red Sea, and he changed from a white bird to a lion, as he was before.” For the seven years had ended. “He is now fighting with a giant enchanted snake, who originally was an enchanted princess. She is trying to take him from you, and come between you and him in order to marry him and control him with her magic.” The poor wife was hurt, and said, “What can I do to get him away from this tyrannical princess?”

The Northern Wind answered and explained the way she could break the spell, and return him to his natural state, and take him from the tyrannical princess. She said to her, “Go to the coast

—

of the Red Sea, he is near there. You’ll find lots of wooden sticks. Count ten sticks, but leave them as they are, and when you arrive at the eleventh stick, cut it and take it with you. Then, hit the snake and the lion with this magic stick. The snake will be defeated and the lion will vanquish her. Then hit them both with the magic stick again and both will then return to their natural human states. The snake will return to a princess as she was, and the lion to a prince as he

—

was. At that moment take your husband from the princess and then go far away immediately. Go back to your country and your home. Be brave and guard against indecision, and listen to my advice and remember it.”

The poor wife thanked the Northern Wind for her advice and went to the Red Seat coast, and found everything as the wind described it. She saw wooden sticks and counted ten, then cut the eleventh. She then looked and found the the snake battling the lion between the wood. She hit both of them with the stick, and the snake was vanquished by the lion. She then hit them both a second time with the magic stick, and the snake turned back into a princess as she had been before she was enchanted, and the lion back to a prince as he had been before he was enchanted. After that the poor wife stood there at a loss, not knowing what to do. She forgot the rest of the advice that

—

the Northern Wind had given her.

She forgot to take her husband immediately and return to her home and country.

The princess seized this opportunity and took the prince by his arm and snatched him away. He surrendered to her and she travelled to her castle, leaving his wife alone, without thinking about her. The traitorous princess and the prince went far away, without a trace.

The unlucky wife stood there confused, not knowing what to do. She started to criticise herself for forgetting the last peice of advice, then decided to go and travel, and try to find her husband again, and get him away from the hand of the princess that kidnapped him. She became patient, and said: “Oh God, you know my situation, you have no need for my question.” She started to say, “As long as the world turns like it does, as long as the sun rises from

—

the East and sets in the West, despair shall not touch my heart. I shall look for my husband until I find him again, and get him away from the princess who kidnapped him, even though I took her and rescued her from magic and turned her from an ugly snake to a girl as she was before. I was waiting for her to thank me for rescuing her and returning her to beauty. She knew perfectly well I was his wife, I can’t imagine how she kidnapped him from me, taking his arm and leaving with him. He was in a state of bewilderment, and didn’t feel I was his wife, and had suffered for him for seven years, even rescuing from the magic and making him human again.

The poor wife resumed her life of travel and went from one country to another, until finally she arrived at the princess who had kidnapped her husband’s castle. The wife noticed, in front of the castle, a movement which was not

The Girl and the Lion Epilogue

I’m gonna stop it here because this story is boring and I dont care what happens to her.

-Josh

Eishet Chayil, A Woman of Valor

Introduction

This is a psalm originally written by King Solomon. It sings the praises of a righteous woman, and in Jewish families is sung on Friday nights by the husband to his wife, thanking her for another week of work. It is found in the book of Proverbs, chapter 31, verses 10-31. This Arabic version came from http://www.biblegateway.com. I was working from that translation closely and directly, and I’ve posted the original Hebrew and the traditional English translation after mine, to compare.

The Arabic:

مَنْ يَعْثُرُ عَلَى الْمَرْأَةِ الْفَاضِلَةِ؟ إِنَّ قِيمَتَهَا تَفُوقُ اللَّآلِيءَ.
بِهَا يَثِقُ قَلْبُ زَوْجِهَا فَلاَ يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى مَا هُوَ نَفِيسٌ
تُسْبِغُ عَلَيْهِ الْخَيْرَ دُونَ الشَّرِّ كُلَّ أَيَّامِ حَيَاتِهَا
تَلْتَمِسُ صُوفاً وَكَتَّاناً وَتَشْتَغِلُ بِيَدَيْنِ رَاضِيَتَيْنِ،
فَتَكُونُ كَسُفُنِ التَّاجِرِ الَّتِي تَجْلِبُ طَعَامَهَا مِنْ بِلاَدٍ نَائِيَةٍ
تَنْهَضُ وَاللَّيْلُ مَا بَرِحَ مُخَيِّماً، لِتُعِدَّ طَعَاماً لأَهْلِ بَيْتِهَا، وَتُدَبِّرَ أَعْمَالَ جَوَارِيهَا
تَتَفَحَّصُ حَقْلاً وَتَشْتَرِيهِ، وَمِنْ مَكْسَبِ يَدَيْهَا تَغْرِسُ كَرْماً
تُنَطِّقُ حَقَوَيْهَا بِالْقُوَّةِ وَتُشَدِّدُ ذِرَاعَيْهَا
وَتُدْرِكُ أَنَّ تِجَارَتَهَا رَابِحَةٌ، وَلاَ يَنْطَفِيءُ سِرَاجُهَا فِي اللَّيْلِ
تَقْبِضُ بِيَدَيْهَا عَلَى الْمِغْزَلِ وَتُمْسِكُ كَفَّاهَا بِالْفَلَكَةِ
تَبْسُطُ كَفَّيْهَا لِلْفَقِيرِ وَتَمُدُّ يَدَيْهَا لإِغَاثَةِ الْبَائِسِ
لاَ تَخْشَى عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتِهَا مِنَ الثَّلْجِ، لأَنَّ جَمِيعَهُمْ يَرْتَدُونَ الْحُلَلَ الْقِرْمِزِيَّةَ
تَصْنَعُ لِنَفْسِهَا أَغْطِيَةً مُوَشَّاةً، وَثِيَابُهَا مُحَاكَةٌ مِنْ كَتَّانٍ وَأُرْجُوَانٍ
زَوْجُهَا مَعْرُوفٌ فِي مَجَالِسِ بَوَّابَاتِ الْمَدِينَةِ، حَيْثُ يَجْلِسُ بَيْنَ وُجَهَاءِ الْبِلاَدِ
تَصْنَعُ أَقْمِصَةً كَتَّانِيَّةً وَتَبِيعُهَا، وَتُزَوِّدُ التَّاجِرَ الْكَنْعَانِيَّ بِمَنَاطِقَ
كِسَاؤُهَا الْعِزَّةُ وَالشَّرَفُ، وَتَبْتَهِجُ بِالأَيَّامِ الْمُقْبِلَةِ
يَنْطِقُ فَمُهَا بِالْحِكْمَةِ، وَفِي لِسَانِهَا سُنَّةُ الْمَعْرُوفِ
تَرْعَى بِعِنَايَةٍ شُؤُونَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهَا، وَلاَ تَأْكُلُ خُبْزَ الْكَسَلِ
يَقُومُ أَبْنَاؤُهَا وَيَغْبِطُونَهَا، وَيُطْرِيهَا زَوْجُهَا أَيْضاً قَائِلاً
«نِسَاءٌ كَثِيرَاتٌ قُمْنَ بِأَعْمَالٍ جَلِيلَةٍ، وَلَكِنَّكِ تَفَوَّقْتِ عَلَيْهِنَّ جَمِيعاً»
الْحُسْنُ غِشٌّ وَالْجَمَالُ بَاطِلٌ، أَمَّا الْمَرْأَةُ الْمُتَّقِيَّةُ الرَّبَّ فَهِيَ الَّتِي تُمْدَحُ
أَعْطُوهَا مِنْ ثَمَرِ يَدَيْهَا، وَلْتَكُنْ أَعْمَالُهَا مَصْدَرَ الثَّنَاءِ عَلَيْهَا

Translation

Who can find a righteous woman? Her value is beyond pearls.
Her husband’s heart trusts her and he needs nothing expensive,
She bestows goodness and not evil upon him all the days of her life,
She searches for wool and linen, then works with her willing hands,
She is like ships bringing food from distant countries,
She wakes while it is still night to prepare food for her family, and supervises the work of her servants,
She inspects a field and buys it, and with the gains of her hands she plants a vineyard
Her loins are girlded with strength, and her arms are tough,
She knows her work has worth, and her lamp doesn’t go out at night,
She grips the spinning wheel in her hands, and her palms grasp its spin,
She opens her palms to the poor, and extends her arm to help the suffering,
She doesn’t fear the cold for her family, for they all wear scarlet garments,
She makes embroidered tableclothes, and her clothing is sewn from purple linens,
Her husband is known at the meeting-places at the gates of the city, for he sits among the country’s notables,
She makes linen shirts and sells them, giving the Caananite merchants belts,

Her garments are esteemed and honorable, and she rejoices for the coming days
Her mouth speaks wisdom, and on her tounge are the traditions of the day
She takes care of her family with concern, and never eats the bread of laziness
Her sons are happy with her, and her husband praises her, saying:
“Many women have done great works, but you have outshined them all”
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is vain, a woman who fears God, she shall be praised.
Give her the fruits of her hands, and let her actions be the source of her praise.

Original Hebrew Version

 

אשת חיל מי ימצא, ורחוק מפנינים מכרה.
בטח בה לב בעלה, ושלל לא יחסר.
גמלתהו טוב ולא רע, כל ימי חייה.
דרשה צמר ופשתים, ותעש בחפץ כפיה.
היתה כאניות סוחר, ממרחק תביא לחמה.
ותקם בעוד לילה, ותתן טרף לביתה, וחוק לנערותיה.
זממה שדה ותקחהו, מפרי כפיה נטעה כרם.
חגרה בעוז מתניה, ותאמץ זרועותיה.
טעמה כי טוב סחרה, לא יכבה בלילה נרה.
ידיה שלחה בכישור, וכפיה תמכה פלך.
כפה פרשה לעני, וידיה שלחה לאביון.
לא תירא לביתה משלג, כי כל ביתה לבוש שנים.
מרבדים עשתה לה, שש וארגמן לבושה.
נודע בשערים בעלה, בשבתו עם זקני ארץ.
סדין עשתה ותמכור, וחגור נתנה לכנעני.
עוז והדר לבושה, ותשחק ליום אחרון.
פיה פתחה בחכמה, ותורת חסד על לשונה.
צופיה הליכות ביתה, ולחם עצלות לא תאכל.
קמו בניה ויאשרוה, בעלה ויהללה.
רבות בנות עשו חיל, ואת עלית על כולנה.
שקר החן והבל היופי, אשה יראת ה’ היא תתהלל.
תנו לה מפרי ידיה, ויהללוה בשערים מעשיה.

Translation from English Standard Book of Proverbs

An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar.
She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the God is to be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.

First Obligation for Servants [of God]

Q: What is the first obligation for creation?

A: The first obligation for creation is the first thing creation was called to do, and which the Prophet (PBUH) explained to Muadh bin Jabal, when he sent him to Yemen, and said, “You’re going to the People of the Book, so the first thing you should call them to do is testify that there’s no God but Allah and Muhammad is his Messenger.” This is the first obligation for servants [of God], to believe in the unity of God, Praised and Exalted, and to attest to his Messenger and his Message.

Professing to the unity of God (SWT) and the testament to the Messenger and his Message confirm our devotion and loyalty, and those two are the prerequisites for accessing the rest of devotion.

This is the first obligation for servants [of God], to profess to God’s unity, and testify to his Prophets, peace and blessings upon them. The attestation that there is no God but Allah covers God’s unity in its entirety.

Taken from Fiqh al-Ebadaat “Jurisprudence of Belief” by Sheikh Muhammad bin Saalih Al-Authaymin, Dar al-Baseera, Alexandria. Translated by Josh Berer

Vocabulary

دعي – To call to

بيّن – To explain, to elucidate, to clarify

وحّد – To profess to the Oneness of God

إخلاص – Devotion, faithfulness

شرط – Condition, prerequisite

تضمن – To comprise, to include, to cover

Shyness in Denouncing Those Who Gossip

Q: I’m a girl and I hate gossip and trashtalk. Sometimes I’m with a group of people talking about others and they start gossiping and trashtalking them. I personally hate and despise this, but I am extremely shy, and I can’t stop them from doing it, and also theres nowhere I can go to get away from them. God knows I wish they would talk about something else. It there any sin upon me for sitting with them? What should I do? May God give you success in that which benefits Islam and Muslims.

A: It is a sin upon you unless you denounce that which is wrong, and if they accept [what you say] then praise God, otherwise stop hanging out with them. As God said, “If you see those who mock our revelations, you shall avoid them until they delve into another subject.” [Al-Ana3m 68]. And the Prophet (PBUH) said, “Whoever among you sees reprehensible acts should change it by his own hand, and if he can’t then by his tongue, and if he can’t then by his heart, and that is the weakest faith.” Taken from Muslim’s Sahih and there are many verses with this meaning. God is the Arbitrating Authority.

Sheikh Ibn Baz

Taken from Fataawa al-Maraa “Fatwas on Women” by Sheikh Ibn Baz, Sheikh Authimein, and Sheikh Jabreen. Riyadh, Dar al-Watan lil-Nashr, 1993/1414. Translated by Josh Berer

They Say I’m Complicated

Q: I’m a girl living in a girls dorm. God had guided me with the truth and I’ve become embraced by it, thank God. But I’ve gotten very annoyed with some of the disobedient and reprehensible behavior among my fellow students, such as listening to songs, gossip, and trashtalking. I’ve told them many times but some of them just laugh at me and mock me. They say I’m complicated. Your excellence, please help me, what do I do, and may God bless you.

A: What you need to do is denounce these reprehensible acts to the best of your energy, in friendly and nice words, according to the way mentioned in the verses and sayings of the Prophet (PBUH) you’re aware of. Don’t participate in the music or other prohibited words or deeds, stand aloof from it as best you can, until they change subjects, as God said: “If you see those who mock our revelations, you shall avoid them until they delve into another subject.” [Al-Ana3m 68] When you’ve verbally denounced them as best you can, and remained aloof from their actions, their actions won’t hurt you, and their shame is not on you. As God Almighty said, “O you who believe! take care of your souls; he who errs cannot hurt you when you are on the right way; to Allah is your return, of all (of you), so He will inform you of what you did.” [Al-Maeda 105] So He, the Almighty, has explained that a believer is not harmed by those who err, if he sticks to the truth and follows the right guidance. This is done through denouncing that which is reprehensible, establishing the truth, and inviting them to it nicely and politely. God will give you a release from grief and a way out [of this situation], and will have them benefit from your righteousness if you’re patient and resolved [with God’s favor of you]. God willing, you’ll be extremely happy with a praiseworthy result as long as you’re firm with the truth and denounce that which conflicts with it. As God said, “Good things come to those with faith” [Al-Qasas 83] and, “And those who strive in Our (cause),- We will certainly guide them to our Paths: For verily Allah is with those who do right.” [Al-Ankaboot, 69] . God will give you success when he is pleased, and reward your patience and resolve, and reward your sisters and family, and colleagues when they please him, for he is always listening and he is the guide to a straight path.

Sheikh Ibn Baz

Taken from Fataawa al-Maraa “Fatwas on Women” by Sheikh Ibn Baz, Sheikh Authimein, and Sheikh Jabreen. Riyadh, Dar al-Watan lil-Nashr, 1993/1414. Translated by Josh Berer

Staying with a Drunkard Husband

Q: I have three boys and a girl, and my husband is a drunk, God save me, and had been imprisoned previously. He’s addicted to drinking, and it tortures me and my children. I left him, and my children and I are now staying with my family. He doesn’t pay for a single thing and I have no desire to go back to him, and he’s threatening to take the children away from me. I can’t bear that, as I am a mother before everything else. Please help me.

A: There is no doubt the Islamic courts have jurisdiction over this, and one should not stay with those who are addicted to alcohol, as he harms his wife and children. You should distance yourself from him until God guides him back to the right way. If the court separated [the parents], in most cases it will side with the mother and give her custody, as she is qualified for that and he is not. As long as the problem is alcohol addiction he is not worthy of children because he will ruin them and corrupt them, whereas she is more suited for them than he is, regardless of the children’s gender. This is what the court will rule. This is what is necessary. The kids will be with her because she is better than he is, as he is immoral. If she refuses to return to him she’s better off, because he is a danger to her. If he doesn’t pray, it’s necessary to never go back to him, because whoever leaves prayer has disbelieved, God forbid. The Prophet (PBUH) said, “The difference between us and them is prayer, and so whoever leaves it has disbelieved.” So you don’t have to stay with someone who doesn’t pray. “They are not lawful (wives) for the Unbelievers, nor are the (Unbelievers) lawful (husbands) for them” [al-Mumtahina 60] Until God guides him and he repents, she’ll go to her family or her children and refuse to have anything to do with him, until God forgives him and he returns to what is right. If he prays but drinks alcohol, that is a huge sin and a huge crime, but he’s not an unbeliever, just immoral. She needs to break off contact with him and get away from him. She’s not responsible, and if she’s patient with him and can be patient, that’s ok.

Sheikh Ibn Baz

Taken from Fataawa al-Maraa “Fatwas on Women” by Sheikh Ibn Baz, Sheikh Authimein, and Sheikh Jabreen. Riyadh, Dar al-Watan lil-Nashr, 1993/1414. Translated by Josh Berer

Vocabulary 

 

سكير – Drunkard

والعياذ الله – God Forbid!

مدمن – Addict

إدمان – Addiction

رغبة – Desire

هدّد – Threat

ينبغي – One should, it is recommended that, it behooves one to

الصواب – The correct [path]

أهل – To be qualified to

أولى – More suited

فاسق – Immoral, someone with lousy integrity

أبت – To refuse, turn down

ذنب – To be guilty of

معذور –  Excused from

I’ve Been Presented With A Relgious Guy and My Mother Refused

Q: I’d like a solution to my problem, which is that I’ve reached age 24, and have been presented with a young man for engagement. He’s finished his university studies, and is from a religious family. My father agreed, and asked me to come and meet him, so I could see him. I saw him, and he saw me, and I was pleasantly surprised by him, and he by me, knowing that our True Religion stipulates that we may see each other. When my mother found out that he was from a religious family, she went nuts, at him and at my father. She swore not to go through with this, by any means possible. My father tried everything with her, but to no avail.

So may I ask the law to get involved in this subject?

A: If it really is how she put it, her mother may not object in this matter, in fact it is prohibited for her to do so. And you, O engaged one, do not have to obey your mother in this. As the Prophet (PBUH) said, “Obey that which is good.” And it’s not good to refuse a decent suitor, in fact it is said that the Prophet (PBUH) said, “If you are courted by someone of good faith and morals, marry him, for if you don’t it may cause strife and great controversy.” If the need arises to take the matter to court, there’s no prohibition of that.

Sheikh Ibn Baz

Taken from Fataawa al-Maraa “Fatwas on Women” by Sheikh Ibn Baz, Sheikh Authimein, and Sheikh Jabreen. Riyadh, Dar al-Watan lil-Nashr, 1993/1414. Translated by Josh Berer

General Meaning and Private Meaning

Q: But is it possible to know the meaning of worship? And does it have a general meaning and a private meaning?

A: Yes.

General Meaning: As I stated above, humility before God, praised and exalted, affection and glorification in doing the things he commanded, and avoiding the things he prohibited in a manner that follows his laws, is the general meaning.

Private Meaning: I’d like to elaborate this. The Sheikh of Islam, Ibn Taymiyya, God’s mercy upon him, said “It [private meaning] is a general name for everything God likes and that pleases him. This includes words and deeds, both internal and external, such as fear [of God], trust [in God], prayer, charity, and other Islamic practices.

So, if you were to try and define general and private meanings by what some of the learned scholars have mentioned on the subject of devotion, both universal and Islamic, in that [devotion] means that a person may be humble before God (SWT) through universal humility and through Islamic humility. Universal humility is general and includes Believers and Non-believers, the pious and the debaucherous. In the words of the Most High: “There is none in the heavens and the earth but cometh unto the Beneficent as a slave.” [Maryam 93] So everything in the skies and on land is subservient to God (SWT), [simply through their] existence. It is never possible to contradict God or oppose what His (SWT) cosmic will intends.

Regarding Private Devotion: It is Islamically prescribed devotion and humility before God (SWT). This is special to Believers in God (SWT) and those who follow his commands, and there is a more special devotion than that, and an even more special one still.

The more exclusive private devotion is that of the Prophets, may God’s peace and blessings be upon them. In the words of the Most High, “Blessed is He Who hath revealed unto His slave the Criterion (of right and wrong)” [Al-Furqan 1] and “And if you are in doubt as to that which We have revealed to Our servant” [Al-Baqara 23] and “And remember Our servants Abraham and Isaac and Jacob” [Saad 45] and other descriptions of the devotion of the Prophets, peace and blessing be upon them.

Taken from Fiqh al-Ebadaat “Jurisprudence of Belief” by Sheikh Muhammad bin Saalih Al-Authaymin, Dar al-Baseera, Alexandria. Translated by Josh Berer

Vocabulary

مفهوم – Meaning

آنفاً – Previously, stated above

الباطنة والظاهرة – Internal and external, hidden and clear etc

بر – Pious

فاجر – Non-pious, debaucherous

خاضع – Submissive, under the will of

Translation Notes


ثم إن منها ما هو خاص أخص, وخاص فوق ذلك – “There is a more special devotion than that, and an even more special one still.” This gave me no small amount of problems translating.

الخوف والخشية – Two words for fear, I only translated one to avoid redundancy

A Very Important Announcement

Very Important Announcement!

O Good Father, O Loving Mother! May God protect you and look after you and crown you with a safe life.

Be careful of getting separated from your children, especially when you go in any of the markets of our city of security and faith. Be careful, be careful, for this issue is seriously dangerous.

Yesterday shortly after ‘Asr prayers on 23 Shawal 1428 H, I went with my wife and daughter to to Zahrawi Market to do do some shopping. While we were preoccupied our only daughter, a month away from her second birthday, was kidnapped from us. A few minutes later God sent me a child, one of the kids wandering around selling things in the
market, who said to me he saw a girl outside the market screaming in the hands of a woman who wore signs of uneasiness. I ran without feelings of panic outside the market, and there I found my daughter. There I found my soul, and there I returned to life again. My major concern in this unfair world was my daughter. I didn’t bother with the veiled woman, as she escaped and infiltrated a large group of women. I beg all my brother fathers and my sister mothers to not find themselves in that situation, lethal and suffocating for any happy soul, for death is easier than having one’s child taken from your hands. This is what I want to say: the Prophet, (PBUH) said, “None of you believe, until you love your brother as you love yourself.” Praise God who, in his kindness, completes good deeds, and I urge those in authority to be on the lookout for dangerous occurrences such as this. The responsibility of safety is upon the shepherd and the sheep alike.

Finally, watch out for your children, for we live in bad times, but good things come to those with faith, and by God I ask that you be safe from hunger and fear, and all distress and tribulations, and peace be upon you, with the mercy and blessings of God.

By Dirham al-Ahmadi, Translated by Josh Berer

Vocabulary and Translation Notes

الموافق – Falling on [date]

المبايعة – ٍShopping, buying

تجول – Walking around, wandering

صرخ – To scream, shriek

ارتباك – Uneasiness, distress, discomfort

مذعور – Panic

ملثمة – Veiled

مندسّة – Infiltrator

غفير – Large, numerous

خانق – Strangling, suffocating

أهون – Easier, easiest

صالحات – Good deeds, great things

مآسي – Drama, tragedy

محنة / محن – Ordeal, calamity

Translation Notes

تبلغ العمر سنتان إلا شهراً – A month away from her second birthday, Lit: she reached the age of two, except for a month.

من بين كل هذا العالم الظالم – In this unfair/oppressive world, Lit: from between all this oppressive world.

جهات الاختصاص – The government, those with power or authority

عنق الراعي و الراعية – Upon the shepherd and the sheep Lit: The neck of the Shepard and the sheep. I.e. everyone’s responsibility

على حد سواء –Alike, both,

وقت غير الوفق وزمن غير الزمن – Untimely, bad times

عاقبة للمتقين –Good things come to those with faith, Lit: the result for a God-fearer

The Purpose of the Creation of Humanity

Q: What Is the Purpose of the Creation of Humanity?

A: Before I answer that question, I’d like to call attention to a general foundation, upon which God, praised and exalted, created [all things] and defined his laws. This foundation is taken from his word, blessed and most high: “For He is wise and all-knowing” [Yusuf, 83] and also, “For Allah was knowledgeable and wise.” [Al-Ahzab 1] and many other significant verses that are proof of the God’s wisdom, praised and exalted, with which he created all things, and defined his laws, namely universal laws, and Islamic laws. There is nothing God, praised and exalted, created without wisdom, whether that is through its presence or its absence, and there is no law God, praised and exalted, defined without wisdom, be it through its obligation, prohibition, or permissibility.

However, this wisdom, which includes both universal and Islamic laws, may be known to us, or it may be unknown. And, it may be known to some but not others, depending on the knowledge and understanding God, praised and exalted, gave them. If this is established, then we can say: For God, praised and exalted, created the Jinn and the human with great wisdom, and praiseworthy intentions. Worshiping Him is blessed and most high, as God, praised and exalted, said: “I have only created Jinns and men, that they may serve Me.” [Al-Dhiriyat, 56], and “Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us?” [Al muminun – 115] and “Does man think that he is to be left to wander without an aim?” [Al-Qiyama 36] and other significant verses that [show] God Almighty’s far-reaching wisdom in the creation of Jinns and people, and that is his worship.

Taken from Fiqh al-Ebadaat “Jurisprudence of Belief” by Sheikh Muhammad bin Saalih Al-Authaymin, Dar al-Baseera, Alexandria. Translated by Josh Berer

 Vocabularly

غاية – Purpose

شرع – To make lawful, to establish as law

مأخوذ – Taken, obtained

دّالة – Proof, indication

كونية – Universal

إعدام – Lack of, non-existence

تحريم – Prohibition, making something Haram

إباحة – Permission, permissibility

تضمن – To include

بالغة – Far-reaching, substantial, enormous

تذلل – Servility, humility

The Purpose of the Creation of Humanity 2

Worship is servility to God, praised and exalted, and love and veneration in doing his commands, and avoiding that which he has prohibited, and thus following the laws he defined. God, Most High, said: “And they have been commanded no more than this: To worship Allah” [Al-Bayina, 5], and this is the wisdom with which he created the Jinn and the human. Therefore anyone who disobeys his Lord, and considers himself above His worship has parted with this wisdom for which the worshiper was created, and his action testifies to the fact that God Almighty created his creation unknowing and in suda [neglected without being punished or rewarded for the obligatory duties enjoined by God on him]. He may not have stated that [he has disobeyed], but this is a result of his disobedience and arrogance in regard to God’s commandments.

Taken from Fiqh al-Aqeeda “Jurisprudence of Belief” by Sheikh Muhammad bin Saalih Al-Authaymin, Dar al-Baseera, Alexandria. Translated by Josh Berer

Vocabularly 

تعظيم – Glorification, exaltation

تمرد – To rebel against, to disobey

استكبر – To be arrogant

نابذ – To part with, to separate from

عبث – Without benefit, without knowing

سدى – A state in which one has neglected the obligatory duties enjoined by God on him but is not punished or rewarded, for he was never told about them.

 

al-Hajj Ahmed al-Aaraf al-Felbawi

Ahmed al-Aaraf Efendi was born in the year 1246H, 1830G, in the city of Felba, today located on the Bulgarian border. During his education he was the top student of calligraphy, and learned Naskh and Thuluth from a calligrapher from Felba by the name of Ismail Saabur. He received his Ijaza from him and in the year 1293/1876 Aaraf Efendi left Felba and headed first for the Hijaz lands to fulfill the duty of Hajj, then returned to Istanbul and there he opened a corner grocery to bring in enough of an income to live on. During that time he met Showqi Efendi, and he showed him his calligraphy he had done before that, and [Showqi] encouraged him to continue. Aaraf then started up learning in the unique method of that teacher, and started writing in that method. He then left the grocery business and started teaching students at the School of Ottoman Light and at his home, until hundreds of calligraphers had graduated under his tutelage, most prominent among them Sheikh Muhammad Abd al-Aziz Rifa’i.

Al-Hajj Aaraf Efendi was stricken in the last years of his life with paralysis, and died in the year 1327H 1909G, and was buried in the cemetery of Edirne Qabi, next to the famous calligrapher Ismail al-Zahadi.

To al-Hajj Aarif Efendi many works in Naskh and Thuluth are attributed, among them patterns [to be copied], sections [of larger pieces], and ornamentations, [as well as] the Bismillah he wrote in Jali Thuluth in 1314H, 1896G outside the door of the Şehzade mosque in Istanbul, which is worthy of great praise.

He wrote a piece with the characteristics of the Prophet (PBUH) in the Turkish language and in Naskh, and the names of the ten messengers of Paradise in Thuluth, and it was printed in the Ottoman printing houses in Istanbul in the year 1304H.

He also wrote a copy of the five-part Qasida written by Abas Fauzi Ibn Muhammad Efendi Al-Dagestani in the year 1310H. It’s divided into five parts over 14 pages, each page with 12 lines. Its length is 30 centimeters, and its width 20. He wrote this copy in the year 1319H in Naskh, with the exception of the Bismillah which is in Thuluth which he engraved and gilded. This copy is a rare achievement, for the beauty of its calligraphy and the superiority of its gold-work.

He wrote a piece with Surah Ya-Sin on it, with blessings on the the Prophet (PBUH), and his honorable names, and the names of some of the Companions, and many of the supplications of God. He wrote it in 1323H and is engraved, gilded, and illuminated with unprecedented illumination.

Taken from the book “Tarikh al-Khat al-Arabi wa Ialaam al-Khatateen” History of Arabic Calligraphy and Information About Calligraphers, by Ahmed Sabry. Translated by Josh Berer.

Vocabulary

أفندي – Efendi, honorific in Ottoman

أثناء – During

الثلث – Thuluth/Sulus, a style of calligraphy, often considered the most elegant

النسخ – Naskh/Nesih, the most basic form of calligraphy

إجازة – Icazet, the degree awarded to aspiring calligraphers

أداء – Performance, execution, completion

مورد – Income

رزق – Ones daily needs, basic requirments

أطلع – Show, present to

شرع + مضارع – Start to, begin to

حرفة – Job, work, business

ابرز – بارز Most prominent, superlative of

أصيب – To be stricken with

شلل – Paralysis

مقبرة – Cemetary

أمشاق – Patterns, forms to be copied

لاقت – To be worthy of

لوحة – Lit. Board, often used for artistic pieces

الآستانة – Constantinople

مبشرين – Bearers of glad tidings

ألف – To write a book

نسخة – A copy, a version

ما عدا – With the exception of

منال – Achievement, accomplishment

منقوشة – Engraving

زخرفة – Embellishment, ornamentation

The Multicolored Lizard

This is a children’s book that was left in my flat in Amman when I got there. Two years later I got around to dealing with it.

– Josh

The Multicolored Lizard 1

A long time ago, the animals in the forest got together to choose a king to sit on his throne, and rule fairly. After some discussion, they chose the lion and put the crown on his head, and that was because he was brave and strong and pure. But the pig had wanted to be king, and did not agree, so got upset and angry.

Vocabulary and Translation Notes

غابة – Forest

عرش – Throne

عدل – Fair

مشاورة – Discussion

تاج – Crown

صريح – Pure, honest

خنزير – Pig

طمع – To covet, to wish, to desire

ثار – Stir up, excite

Translation Notes

يجلس على عرشها – In this case, since “king” is masculine, the –ha at the end of 3arsh must refer to the animals, since they are not human they take the feminine singular.

The Multicolored Lizard 2

The next day the lion was wearing his crown and sitting on his throne, and had appointed the fox as his employee as a gatekeeper, standing in front of the door. The fox was protecting him and serving him. After a little while the pig came and entered the lion’s area without permission. The lion and the fox became furious.

Vocabulary

عيّن – To appoint

ثعلب – Fox

حاجب – Gatekeeper, doorman

إذن – Permission

اغتاظ – To become furious

The Multicolored Lizard 3

The lion endured the pig until he left his throne-room. He called the fox and said to him, “That conceited pig made me furious, so now I intend to kill him. If he does that again let’s kill him” The fox said “No, make it so he lives submissively and miserably.”

Vocabulary

صبر على – To endure, to suffer s.o. or s.t

نادي – Call, bring together

مغرور – Arrogant, conceited

ذليل – Lowly, humble

حقير – Wretched, inferior, contemptible

The Multicolored Lizard 4

The lion said “You’re right. A wretched life is worse than death. But how do we humiliate him?” The fox answered, “Order that a running competition be held among the animals. The lion was surprised and said, “But any animal can beat the pig.” The fox smiled and said, “Leave that to me, you’ll see the lizard beat him.”

Vocabulary

عقد – To hold, convene

مسابقة – Competition

الجري – Running

تعجّب – To get surprised

ابتسم – To smile

حرباء – Lizard

The Multicolored Lizard 5

The lion held a celebration for the competition. The gazelle and the wild donkey competed, and the donkey ran further faster, but the gazelle beat him in speed and agility. All the animals applauded the gazelle, and the wild donkey congratulated the gazelle for his victory over him.

Vocabulary 

وحشي – Wild, untamed

أقصى – The furthest. As in Masjid al-

خفّة – Agility

صفق – Cheer, applaud

هنّأ – To congratulate

فوز – Victory

The Multicolored Lizard 6

The elephant stood up and strode forward swinging and swaying between the animals and said, “Who will compete with me?” and the rhino said, “Me! I’ll compete with you!” So the rhino and the elephant ran together, and after a lot of toil, the elephant won. The lion presented him with a bundle of sugar cane and congratulated the Rhino.

Vocabulary

تهادي – To swing, sway, walk with a swagger

تمايل – To swing, sway, walk with a swagger

وحيد القرن – Rhinoceros, literally “One Horn”

مشقّة – Toil, effort, work

حزمة – Bundle

قصب – Sugar cane, reeds

The Multicolored Lizard 7

Then the pig sat down amongst the animals and said with pride, “Woe unto he who races me! You’ll only end up with sweat and fatigue.” All the other animals were afraid of him! Not one of them ran against him in the competition, but they heard a weak voice say, “I will. I’ll race you, you snob.” They looked and found the lizard challenging him!

Vocabulary 

غرور – Arrogance

الويل ل… – Woe unto…

ربح – To profit from, to end up with

عرق – Sweat

تهيب – To fear, to dread

تحدّ – To challenge

The Multicolored Lizard 8

The pig said, surprised, ‘You, lizard?” The lizard replied mockingly, “yes, me.” The pig got wildly excited and he started to run and run, and he didn’t see the lizard next to him, but he didn’t feel him on his back, and he was extremely happy. But, at the very end of the race he saw the lizard in front of him!

Vocabulary 

سخرية – Mockery, sarcasm

طار – To hasten to, hurry

صواب – get wildly excited

صار – and her sisters)  كان Start to, become  (one of

ظهر – Back

فرح – Joy

The Multicolored Lizard 9

The lizard had performed the plan he learned from the fox. The pig didn’t know how he had beaten him. His rage grew and he fell on the ground. The fox ran over to him saying, “don’t be sad big brother! You’re not the first strong one to get beaten by a weak one. Come on, get up and get ready for another race!

Vocabulary 

نفذ – To perform, carry out

حيلة – Plan, scheme

اشتدّ – Get more intense, increase

أسرع الى – Hurry over to

 هزم – Defeat

انهض – Get up

استعدّ – Prepare, get ready

The Multicolored Lizard 10

Then, the tiger and the elephant came up to the lion. The tiger said, “the pig has disgraced animals who eat meat, he needs to be forbidden from eating meat.” The elephant said, “the pig has disgraced animals who eat grass and plants. He needs to be forbidden from eating grass and plants.”

Vocabulary 

عندئذ – At that time

نمر – Tiger or leopard, depending on context

فضح – To disgrace

لحوم – Meats

منع – Prohibit

عشب – Grass

نبات – Vegetables

The Multicolored Lizard 11

The lion knew that all of that completed the fox’s planning, so he thanked him. He looked at the pig and said to him, “this is the punishment for arrogance, pig. You’ve given power to one of the reptiles we pride ourselves on, and you can’t live among us anymore, because you eat the food we eat. Its enough for you to eat garbage and small morsels.”

Vocabulary 

تمّ – To complete

تدبير – Scheming, planning

عاقبة – Punishment

زواحف – Reptiles

قمامات – Trash, garbage

فضلات – Morsels, small pieces

The Multicolored Lizard 12

The pig cried and left the king’s presence. The fox said, “King, sir, the pig won’t forget what the lizard did to him, so how will you protect him from and the pig’s evil and treachery?” The lion said, “the lizard can change his color, with that he can hide himself from the pig.

Vocabulary 

بكى – To cry

انصرف – To leave

حمي – To protect

شرّ – Evil

غدر – Treachery

تغيّر – To change

اختفى – Hide from, conceal oneself from

There’s No Forcing a Daughter On a Husband She Doesn’t Want

There’s No Forcing a Daughter On a Husband She Doesn’t Want
Q: Is it acceptable for the father to force his daughter on a husband she doesn’t like?
A: It’s not for the father, or anyone else, to force his daughter [lit charge] on a husband she doesn’t like. Rather, you need her her permission, as the Messenger (PBUH) said: “Do not marry a young woman without her counsel, and do not marry a virgin without her permission.” They said [the people of Medina] “O Messenger of Allah, how does she give her permission?” and he said “She stays silent.” In another phrasing he said, “Her permission is her silence.” and in a third phrasing: “The virgin gives her consent to her father, and that consent is her silence.” So it is necessary for the father to seek her permission if she has reached nine and above. Similarly, those responsible for finding her a husband can not marry her off without her consent. This is obligatory for everyone. If one marries without consent, the marriage is invalid. This is because the condition of marriage is the pleasure of both bride and groom. So if she married without permission and was coerced under severe threats or by beatings, then the marriage is invalid, except for the father of a girl under nine. If you marry her off and she is younger than nine, there’s no objection to the validity [of the marriage], because the Messenger (PBUH) married Aisha without her permission and she was under nine. We have in a Sahih Hadith, As for when she has reached nine and above, there’s no marrying her except with her permission, and that goes for the father. As for the husband, if he knew she didn’t like him, he needs to not continue with it, even if the father is on his side [lit: tolerant towards him], its necessary to fear God and not pursue the woman who doesn’t like him. If the father claims he wasn’t forcing her, he needs to be wary of what God has forbidden him to do, because the Messenger (PBUH), ordered the seeking of consent and that we recommend the engaged girl to fear God and consent, if the father saw it fit for his daughter to marry, and if the suitor was of good faith and morals. [This is also true] if the person who arranged the marriage was someone other than the father. Marriage is very good and very beneficial, and there’s danger in bachelorhood. For that we recommend generally that young women agree when they are presented with a decent man, and not give excuses of studying or teaching or some such thing.
God is the Arbitrating Authority.

Sheikh Ibn Baz

Taken from Fataawa al-Maraa “Fatwas on Women” by Sheikh Ibn Baz, Sheikh Authimein, and Sheikh Jabreen. Riyadh, Dar al-Watan lil-Nashr, 1993/1414. Translated by Josh Berer

Vocabulary and Translation Notes

مولية – Protector, charge

نكح – Marry

أيم – Unmarried young woman

بكر – Virgin

لفظ – Phrasing, wording

ولي / أولياء – Relative, friend, legal guardian

قهر – Coerce, force

وعيد – Threats

حرج – Prohibition, confinement, restriction

زعم – To claim

وصّى – To recommend, to entrust

مصلحة / مصالح –Matter, requirement, that which is beneficial

عزوبة – Bachelorhood, single-ness

كفء – Capable, competent, suitable

Translation Notes

فلا يزوّجها إلا بإذنها ولو أبه أبوها – “So don’t marry her off except with her permission, and that goes for the father.” That last clause confused me a bit.

لما في النكاح من الخير…-“Marriage is good…” Also a confusing wording, as literally it reads “Whereas in marriage is from good…”

The Use of Unbelievers in Cooking and Cleaning

Q: We have a non-Muslim servant, is it alright to leave her to wash the clothes I pray in, and is it alright to eat what she cooks? And should I denounce her religion and explain to her the futility of it?

A: It’s alright to use unbelieving servants in cooking and cleaning, and similarly to eat what they cook and wear the clothes they sew and wash, if the main part [lit. body] appears to be clean. Her impurity is spiritual, and the Companions used non-Muslim servant women and slaves, and ate what they brought from their native non-believing countries, so as to learn from them, for their bodies seemed to be in good shape [lit pure feeling]. However, there is a Hadith that mentions washing their cooking utensils before cooking with them, if they have been used to drink alcohol or cook non-Halal meat or pork, and washing the clothing which touched their private areas. As for denouncing their religions and showing them the futility of them, that is allowed and desired of those following the current religion [ie Islam], be it heresy like paganism, or the abrogated and updated religions, like Christianity. The shame falls on those abrogated and updated religions [not the servant herself], but you need to invite her to Islam and explain its teachings and merits and what it contains, while showing the differences between it and the other religions.
Sheik Ibn Jabreen.

Taken from Fataawa al-Maraa “Fatwas on Women” by Sheikh Ibn Baz, Sheikh Authimein, and Sheikh Jabreen. Riyadh, Dar al-Watan lil-Nashr, 1993/1414. Translated by Josh Berer

Vocabulary and Translation Notes

 

غسّل – To wash

عاب /  يعيب – To denounce – from ‘shame’

بطلان – Futility

خاط / يخيط – To sew

نجاسة – That which impurifies and necessitates wudu’

معنوية – Spiritual, based on meaning, rather than substance

طاهر – clean, pure

ميتة – Non-Halal meat.

عورة – Private area, part of the body not shown in public

منسوخ – Abrogated

 

How Do We Deal With a Relative Who Does Not Pray?

How do we deal with a relative who does not pray?
Q: My husband has a brother who doesn’t pray, except very rarely. I live with my husband’s family, and they sit by him, even while the Imam is praying, so what must I do, for I am not among his close relatives, so is there a sin upon me if I can’t correct him?

A: If he doesn’t pray, he needs to be abandoned. Don’t say hello to him, and don’t respond to his greetings, until he repents, because leaving prayer is the greatest blasphemy. Even if he has not denied its obligation, according to the most scholarly opinion, the Prophet (PBUH) said, “The difference between us and them is prayer, and whoever leaves it is a disbeliever.” This was taken from Imam Ahmed and the authors of the Sunans, and has a solid chain of transmission. The Prophet (PBUH) said, “[The difference] between men and unbelievers and polytheists is the leaving of prayer.” This was taken from Imam Muslim in his book of Hadiths. And if he renounced the necessity [of prayer], then he is a disbeliever according to the consensus of the learned scholars. It is incumbent upon his family to admonish him and abandon him if he does not return to the fold, [lit repent, do penitence], and it is necessary to bring the issue to a religious authority in order that he may call him to repent. If he does not repent he will be killed, for God Almighty said “If they repent and stand in prayer, and give charity, leave him be.” And the Prophet (PBUH) said “Killing those who pray is forbidden.” So this indicates that if he does not pray, do not leave him be, and there is no prohibition on killing him, if you bring the issue to a religious authority and he still doesn’t repent.
God is the Arbitrating Authority.
Sheikh Ibn Baz

Taken from Fataawa al-Maraa “Fatwas on Women” by Sheikh Ibn Baz, Sheikh Authimein, and Sheikh Jabreen. Riyadh, Dar al-Watan lil-Nashr, 1993/1414. Translated by Josh Berer

Vocabulary and Translation Notes

إثم- Sin

استحق- Need to, become necessary to

تاب / يتوب- Repent, offer penitence

استتاب- To make one repent

Translation Notes

حتى ولو كان- Even during…This was a very confusing phrase to deal with.

العهد- In this context it means “difference” as opposed to contract, agreement, or era.

إن لم يجحد وجوبها- “If he did not deny its obligation”

إجماع –Consensus, one of the four major sources of jurisprudence.

لم يتب- “He did not repent” The verb is hollow, so in the Jussive (majzoom) case, the weak root is dropped.

خلو السبيل- Let him free, leave him be.

My Country

Introduction

This poem was written by the Lebanese poet Elia Abu Maadi in the 1920s. Abu Maadi came to America in 1911 and along with Khalil Gibran, Ameen Rihani, and Mikhail Naimy formed the “al-Mahjar” “The Emigrants” group of Arab-American poets. Translated by Josh Berer.

Translation:

 

I was strolling in a beautiful garden,
And I heard the songs of singing birds
I was delighted, yet my heart did not love it
Like the birds of my land, or the flowers of my country

I drank the water of the Nile, the Sheikh of rivers,
It was as though I had tasted the water of the Kouthar,
A river blessed since ancient times,
Sweet, but not like the water of my country.

I drew a picture in my head,
Of beauty, for it is the master of the poet
I went to recite it, but my mind didn’t know how,
Until I saw the women of my country.

-Elia Abu Maadi

Vocabulary

شادي Singing

طرب To be delighted

فؤاد Heart

الكوثر The river that runs through Paradise

عذب Sweet, said of non-salty water

خاطرMind

انشدTo look for, to recite (poetry)

أعيا To be at a loss, to be weak, to be unable to express

Shams Saghira Intro

This story, entitled “Shams Saghira,” “Little Sun” was written by the Syrian author Zakariya Tamir in 1963. It follows the hero, Abu Fahd, as he makes his way home near midnight, slightly tipsy after a few glasses of Arak. He has a surreal encounter with a jinn under a stone bridge, and ultimately meets his downfall while trying to reap the benefits of what the jinn promised him. This story was included in Sabry Hafez and Catherine Cobham’s A Reader of Modern Arabic Short Stories (1988, Saqi), and includes their textual notes at the end. Translated by Josh Berer.

Shams Saghira 1

Abu Fahd was returning home, walking in slow, slightly dizzy steps down the narrow, twisting corridors, lit by yellow lamps spaced in wide intervals. He soon got fed up with the all-encompassing silence which engulfed him, so he began to sing in a light, sing-song voice.

“Miskiin, wa haali Adam.”

The night was rapidly approaching its mid-point. Abu Fahd‘s happiness was on the rise, having drunk three glasses of Arak, and the second had sent him into intoxication.

“Miskiin, wa haali Adam.”

He fancied his crude voice filled to the brim with first-rate sweetness, and he said to himself in a loud voice, “I am a singer!” He began…

Vocabulary and Translation Notes

Vocabulary

مترنحاDizzy

متعرجة Twisting

متناثرة Scattered

مترنما Sing-song, melodious

غبطة Joy, glee, happiness

مفعم Overflowing, filled to the brim

فائقة First-rate, top-quality

مطرب Singer, crooner, performer

Translation Notes

• المهيمن – Literally “supervising, protecting, the master” One of the 99 names of Allah.
• – خيل اليه This is Passive Voice in Arabic
• Many of the adjectives in this paragraph beginning “muta-” are not actually found in Hans Wehr, but have meanings that can be extrapolated by their roots, which are present.
• – مسكين وحالي عدم I chose not to translate the name of the song he sings. If I were to translate it, it would be along the lines of “Poor Thing, Ain’t Got No Love” or something similar.

Shams Saghira 2

to imagine people, open-mouthed and and waving their hands,
cheering and applauding him. He laughed a while, then tipped his fez to the rear a bit, and continued happily singing.

“Miskiin, wa haali ‘Adam.”

He was wearing grey trousers, tied around his waist by and old yellow belt. When he arrived under an old stone archwayto the point where the shadow outweighed the light, he was surprised to see a small black sheep, standing close to the wall.

He opened his mouth in surprise, and said to himself, “I’m not drunk. Look well, old boy. What do you see? It’s a sheep! But where’s its owner?”

He looked around but found no one; the alley was completely deserted. He then encircled the sheep and said to himself, “Am I drunk?”

He laughed a faint chuckle and then said, “God is generous! He knew…

Vocabulary

Trousers, (both س and ش are possible) – شروال/سروال

Waving their Hands – يلوحون بيديهم

To adjust, move back – أمال

Stone arch, aqueduct – قنطرة

To cling to – لصق

Deserted – مقفرا

Faint, light – خافتة

Surprise –بوغت

Shams Saghira 3

Abu and Um Fahd hadn’t eaten meat in a week!”

He approached the sheep and tried to force it to walk by pushing it forward, but it refused to move. So Abu Fahd grabbed it by its two small horns and pulled on them, but the sheep became rigid and clung to the wall. So Abu Fahd looked at it angrily and said, “I’m gonna carry you, and then I’ll get your mother and father, too.”

So Abu Fahd carried the sheep, raising it up and putting it on his back, holding its front hooves in his hands, then he went on his way, and continued singing. However, his happiness and intoxication had been diminished.

After a while he stopped singing, for it seemed the the weight and size of the sheep had increased. He then unexpectedly heard a voice saying, “Let me go!”

He furrowed his brow and said to himself, “Goddamn booze.” After a moment he heard the very same voice again, saying, “Let me go, I’m not a sheep!”

Abu Fahd shivered and pushed back his fear and hung onto the sheep, but stopped walking. The voice said,…

Vocabulary and Translation Notes

إجبار- To force

رمق- To look at

غيظ – Exasperation, ire, rage

قائمتين- (Two) paws, feet of an animal

نشوة- Intoxication

قطب جبينه- To furrow ones brow

ارتعد- Shiver, shudder. From ‘thunder’.

تشبث- To hold on to, cling to

Translation Notes

على حين غرة-unexpectedly, out of nowhere

قائمتيه- The dual-marker nun is dropped because of the addition of a conjoined personal pronoun, making this word an idafa.

لعن الله السكر-Literally “God Curse Drunkenness”, I chose to translate that as “Goddamn Booze.”

 

Shams Saghira 4

“I’m the son of the king of demons. Let me go and I’ll give you whatever you want.”

Abu Fahd didn’t answer, rather he continued walking quickly, and the voice said again, “I will give you seven jugs filled with gold.”

He then imagined he heard the echo of a piece of gold falling to the ground nearby. He set the sheep down, turned around, and was about to shout, “Let me have it!” when he found himself alone in the long, narrow alley. He didn’t find the sheep, and was left talking to himself alone in the alley for a few fearful moments. The he continued hurriedly along home.

When he arrived at his house, he woke his wife, Um Fahd, up from her sleep and told her what had happened. She said, “Go to sleep, you’re drunk.”

“I only drank three cups!”

Vocabulary

متعجلة – Rapid, speedy, hurried

رنين- Echo

ارتطم – Bump, crash, collide

افلت – Release, let down, escape

هتف – To shout

عثر على – To find, lit. to stumble upon

هنيهات – Moments

مهرول – Hurriedly

Shams Saghira 5

“You get sick after one!”
Abu Fahd felt he had been insulted, so he replied, “I wouldn’t get sick if I drank and entire barrel of Arak.”

Um Fahd didn’t argue, but began to remember stories she had been told as a child about demons and the tricks they play. Abu Fahd got undressed, turned off the light, and sprawled out on the bed next to his wife, and pulled the covers up to his chin.

Suddenly, Um Fahd said, “You shouldn’t have let him go before he gave you the gold, earlier.”

Abu Fahd didn’t answer, so Um Fahd continued enthusiastically, ‘Go back tomorrow. Catch him, but this time don’t let him go.”

Abu Fahd yawned tiredly and sadly, then said wearily, “How will I find him?”

“You’ll definitely find him under the stone arch. Bring him to the house and don’t let him go until after he…

Shams Saghira 6

gives us the gold.”
“I won’t find him.”
“Demons live underground during the day. When night falls, they rise to the surface and play tricks till dawn. If they like a particular spot, they’ll continue to return to it. You’ll find the sheep under the stone archway.”

Abu Fahd moved his had to her chest and slipped it between her breasts, and left it there without moving. He said, “We’ll be rich.”
“We’ll buy a house.”
“A house with a garden.”
“We’ll buy a radio.”
“A big radio.”

Shams Saghira 7

“And a washing machine.”
“A washing machine.”
“We won’t have to eat cracked wheat.”
“We’ll eat white bread!”
Um Fahd laughed like a little girl while Abu Fahd continued, saying,
“I’ll buy you a red gown.”
Um Fahd whispered in a haughty tone, “Just one gown?”
“I’ll buy you a hundred gowns.”
He was quiet a moment, then asked, “When are you due?”
“Three months.”
“It’ll be a boy.”
“He won’t suffer like us.”
“He won’t go hungry.”
“He’ll wear nice clean clothes.”
“He’ll go to school.”
“The landlord won’t bother him for rent.”
“He’ll be a doctor when he grows up.”
“I’d rather he was a lawyer.”
“We’ll ask him, would you rather be a lawyer or a doctor?”
She clung to him tenderly, and continued, wryly, “You won’t get a second wife?”

He gently nibbled her ear and said, “Why would I get a second wife, you’re the best woman on Earth.”
They stayed silent, their joy overflowing, but then Abu Fahd, after…

Shams Saghira 8

a little while got out from under the covers suddenly. Um Fahd asked,

“What’s up?”

“I’m going now.”

“Where?”

“I’m going to bring the sheep back.”

“Wait until tomorrow night, sleep now.”

 

He hurriedly left the bed, turned on the light hanging from the ceiling and began to get dressed. “I might not find it.”

“You’ll find it.”

As she was helping him tie his yellow belt around his waist, Um Fahd said, “Be careful not to let him go.”

Abu Fahd felt he may be facing a perilous mission, and may need his dagger. His dagger had a curved blade with a dark shine to it.

 

Shams Saghira 9

He left the house, and dashed along quickly until he arrived under the stone archway. He was flooded with feelings of failure, should he not come cross the sheep. The alley was deserted, and the lights of the scattered windows of the houses on either side of him had gone out.

Abu Fahd stopped and waited, back propped against the wall. After a little while he became aware of an approaching noise, and it wasn’t long until a staggering drunk appeared, bumping against the walls of the alley, all the while shouting in a drawn-out voice, “whatchama…Whoshewhatsit….”

Then he got close to Abu Fahd he stopped walking, he opened his eyes and stared at Abu Fahd in surprise and apprehension, then said in a stumbling, joyful voice, “What are you doing here?”

“Piss off.”

The drunk furrowed his brow in thought, then his face glowed with joy and he said,

 

Shams Saghira 10

“Oh man! I love women too! Are you waiting for the
husband to go to sleep so she can open the door for you?”

Abu Fahd started to get annoyed, and felt his annoyance rise inside him as the drunk continued, “Is she hot?”

“Who?”

“The woman you’re waiting for!”

“I’ll be you’re wing-man!”

“Piss off.”

Abu Fahd‘s anger intensified as he feared the sheep wouldn’t appear thanks to the drunk’s presence. He said furiously, “Go on your way, before I break your head.”

The drunk burped, then said in a surprised tone, “What did you say to me? Who the hell are you?”

Shams Saghira 11

There was silence a moment, then he added, saying, “C’mon. Break my head. Lets go.”

Abu Fahd replied, “Go on, leave me be, I don’t want to break your head.”

But the drunk said belligerently, “No, no, c’mon and break my head.”

He took a step back a bit, and said in a playful voice, “I’ll turn you into a sieve.”

The drunk took his hand out of his coat pocket and with it a long straight razor blade. Abu Fahd rushed his hand to his belt, unsheathing his dagger while the drunk was quickly and alertly closing in on him.

Abu Fahd raised his dagger high, then swung it down, but the drunk moved to the left in a quick and sudden movement. The dagger missed him and he pushed the razor into the chest of Abu…

Shams Saghira 12

Fahd, shouting, “Take that!”

He pulled the razor out of the flesh, twisting it a bit. Abu Fahd clung to the mud wall, and raised his dagger again, but the drunk stabbed him a second time in the chest, then stabbed him a third time in the shoulder, and Abu Fahd‘s arm immediately went limp and hung to the side. His fingers let go of the dagger and it dropped to the ground.

The drunk was shouting and jumping around yelling, “Take that! Take that!”

He stabbed him in the hip and Abu Fahd moaned, he felt weak suddenly in his knees, and he tried to stay standing up firmly, but the razor was still after him, piercing his flesh and ripping it to shreds without mercy. He stabbed him in the stomach, and his guts spilled out. Abu Fahd pressed his hands against his insides, they were warm and wet and gave a final shudder. They spilled out and poured to the ground, and he collapsed on his back. The drunk was standing and leaning over him nearby. The drunk coughed several times, and then vomited. He then raced away.

Abu Fahd heard the sheep saying to him, “Seven jugs of
gold…” And then the gold tumbled down, shining like little suns.

Then the voice started, bit by bit, to drift away.

Shams Saghira Textual Notes

This text came out of a book of modern Arabic short stories designed for speakers of English, and had some textual notes at the end.