A beautiful and touching poem penned by Zainal 'Abidin 'Ali bin Hussain bin 'Ali bin Abi Talib.
The stranger is not the stranger to Yemen or Syria
But the stranger is the stranger to the grave and the coffin
Verily the stranger has rights for his absence
Over the residents of the dwellings & homelands.
Don’t chase away the outlander in his state of unfamiliarity
For time is also chasing him with hardship & distress
My travels are far and my provisions will not suffice me
My strength has weakened and death is calling unto me.
I still have sins which I know not of
Allah knows of them; those made in secret & in manifest
How merciful has Allah been to me by giving me respite
And I have increased in sins but Allah has always shielded me
The hours of my days pass by without regret
No crying, no fear, no sadness
I am the one who closes the doors with fatigue
On disobedience, & The Eye of Allah watches over me…
O that which was written in a moment of heedlessness
O the sorrow which remains in my heart is burning me.
Leave me to bewail myself and weep
And pass the time in sadness and remembrance.
Leave off your Blaming of me O you who do so…
If you were but to know my situation you would have excused me…
Let me cry out tears that have no ending to them
For there will be no lesson that will set me free
It is As though I am with that family, laying…
Upon the mattress with their hands turning me over.
And they came to me with a doctor that he may cure me…
But of today I think not that medicine will benefit me..
My sufferings increased and death began to pull at me…
From every vein, without ease or comfort…
My soul was then removed from me with a gurgle…
And my saliva became bitter at that point…
They then shut my eyes and left me…
After a long moment of despair… they hurried to the purchase of the shroud
And he who was dearest to me got up in a hurry…
To summon the person who was to wash me…
He said: O my people we have attained a washer who is skillful,
Clever, bright & intelligent…
So then one of the men came and removed my clothing…
He undressed me and uncovered my body…
They then placed me on top of a board
And the sound of water above me, [the water that] began to clean me
He poured the water on top of me and washed me…
Three times, before calling out to the people for the shroud…
They shrouded me in a sleeveless garment…
And my provisions became the balm in which they embalmed me
They bore me towards my journey out of this world, oh how sorrowful!
Will be this journey for which I have no provisions to take along with me?
Upon their shoulders, they carried me, Four…
Men, and behind me are those who come to bid me farewell
They set me before the mihrab then turned away from me
Behind the Imam they went and he prayed on me then bade me farewell
They prayed over me a prayer consisting of neither rukoo’ nor sujood
Asking that Allah may have Mercy upon me.
They lowered me into my grave slowly
And one of them came forward to place me in the lahd
He raised the garment from my face to gaze upon me
And the tears spilled from his eyes awashing me
Then he stood, honoring me, firm and resolute
And lined the bricks on my body then left me
And he said “Throw the dirt upon him and reap
The great rewards from Ar-Rahmaan, the Most Gracious”
In the darkness of the grave, no mother is there nor
Is there an affectionate father, or a brother to comfort me
Alone… The only inhabitant of the grave, oh how sorrowful!
Am I on parting the world bearing no deeds to provision me?
And a sight which beheld my eye struck terror into me.
From a place of terror it came and startled me…
Munkar and Nakeer, what shall I say to them?
The thought of them strikes terror into me, it causes me fear
And they made me to sit and put forth their questions
I have none other than You now, O Lord, to deliver me!
So bestow upon me from Your Mercy, O Lord, how I hope in You!!
For verily I am fettered in my sins, I am confined by them
The relatives have divided my wealth amongst them after leaving me.
And my sins are now upon my back, burdening me
My wife has taken another husband in my place
And she has appointed him as overseer over my wealth and my home
She has made my children into servants to bid unto her needs
And my wealth has become to them a worthless means of enjoyment
So let not this World and its adornments deceive you.
And look at its [evil] effects in your family and homeland
And look at the one who collects the wealth of this Dunya in abundance
Will he depart from this world bearing other than the death shroud and balm?
Take from the dunya that which suffices you and be contented with that
Even if you were to have naught but good health
O you who sows good, you will reap the fruit of your efforts.
O you who sows evil you will find yourselves overcome with grief
O soul of mine, abstain from sinning and attain instead
Deeds which are beautiful, for which Allah may be merciful towards me
O soul of mine, Woe upon you! Turn towards your lord in Repentance, and do that which is good
So that you will be recompensed after your death with that which is delightful
Lastly sending prayers upon the Chosen one, Our Sayyid (leader)
All praise is unto Allah, May he fill our days and nights with that which is Good, with forgiveness
لَيْسَ الغَريبُ غَريبَ الشَّأمِ واليَمَنِ *إِنَّ الغَريبَ غَريبُ اللَّحدِ والكَفَنِ
إِنَّ الغَريِبَ لَهُ حَقٌّ لِغُرْبَتـِهِ * على الْمُقيمينَ في الأَوطــانِ والسَّكَنِسَفَري بَعيدٌ وَزادي لَنْ يُبَلِّغَنـي * وَقُوَّتي ضَعُفَتْ والمـوتُ يَطلُبُنـي
وَلي بَقايــا ذُنوبٍ لَسْتُ أَعْلَمُها * الله يَعْلَمُهــا في السِّرِ والعَلَنِ
مـَا أَحْلَمَ اللهَ عَني حَيْثُ أَمْهَلَني * وقَدْ تَمـادَيْتُ في ذَنْبي ويَسْتُرُنِي
تَمُرُّ سـاعـاتُ أَيّـَامي بِلا نَدَمٍ * ولا بُكاءٍ وَلاخَـوْفٍ ولا حـَزَنِ
أَنَـا الَّذِي أُغْلِقُ الأَبْوابَ مُجْتَهِداً * عَلى المعاصِي وَعَيْنُ اللهِ تَنْظُرُنـي
يَـا زَلَّةً كُتِبَتْ في غَفْلَةٍ ذَهَبَتْ * يَـا حَسْرَةً بَقِيَتْ في القَلبِ تُحْرِقُني
دَعْني أَنُوحُ عَلى نَفْسي وَأَنْدِبُـهـا * وَأَقْطَعُ الدَّهْرَ بِالتَّذْكِيـرِ وَالحَزَنِ
كَأَنَّني بَينَ تلك الأَهلِ مُنطَرِحــَاً * عَلى الفِراشِ وَأَيْديهِمْ تُقَلِّبُنــي
وَقد أَتَوْا بِطَبيبٍ كَـيْ يُعالِجَنـي * وَلَمْ أَرَ الطِّبَّ هـذا اليـومَ يَنْفَعُني
واشَتد نَزْعِي وَصَار المَوتُ يَجْذِبُـها * مِن كُلِّ عِرْقٍ بِلا رِفقٍ ولا هَوَنِ
واستَخْرَجَ الرُّوحَ مِني في تَغَرْغُرِها * وصـَارَ رِيقي مَريراً حِينَ غَرْغَرَني
وَغَمَّضُوني وَراحَ الكُلُّ وانْصَرَفوا * بَعْدَ الإِياسِ وَجَدُّوا في شِرَا الكَفَنِ
وَقـامَ مَنْ كانَ حِبَّ لنّاسِ في عَجَلٍ * نَحْوَ المُغَسِّلِ يَأْتينـي يُغَسِّلُنــي
وَقــالَ يـا قَوْمِ نَبْغِي غاسِلاً حَذِقاً * حُراً أَرِيباً لَبِيبـاً عَارِفـاً فَطِنِ
فَجــاءَني رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ فَجَرَّدَني * مِنَ الثِّيــابِ وَأَعْرَاني وأَفْرَدَني
وَأَوْدَعوني عَلى الأَلْواحِ مُنْطَرِحـاً * وَصـَارَ فَوْقي خَرِيرُ الماءِ يَنْظِفُني
وَأَسْكَبَ الماءَ مِنْ فَوقي وَغَسَّلَني * غُسْلاً ثَلاثاً وَنَادَى القَوْمَ بِالكَفَنِ
وَأَلْبَسُوني ثِيابـاً لا كِمامَ لهـا * وَصارَ زَادي حَنُوطِي حيـنَ حَنَّطَني
وأَخْرَجوني مِنَ الدُّنيـا فَوا أَسَفاً * عَلى رَحِيـلٍ بِلا زادٍ يُبَلِّغُنـي
وَحَمَّلوني على الأْكتـافِ أَربَعَةٌ * مِنَ الرِّجـالِ وَخَلْفِي مَنْ يُشَيِّعُني
وَقَدَّموني إِلى المحرابِ وانصَرَفوا * خَلْفَ الإِمـَامِ فَصَلَّى ثـمّ وَدَّعَني
صَلَّوْا عَلَيَّ صَلاةً لا رُكوعَ لهـا * ولا سُجـودَ لَعَلَّ اللـهَ يَرْحَمُني
وَأَنْزَلوني إلـى قَبري على مَهَلٍ * وَقَدَّمُوا واحِداً مِنهـم يُلَحِّدُنـي
وَكَشَّفَ الثّوْبَ عَن وَجْهي لِيَنْظُرَني * وَأَسْكَبَ الدَّمْعَ مِنْ عَيْنيهِ أَغْرَقَني
فَقامَ مُحتَرِمــاً بِالعَزمِ مُشْتَمِلاً * وَصَفَّفَ اللَّبِنَ مِنْ فَوْقِي وفـارَقَني
وقَالَ هُلُّوا عليه التُّرْبَ واغْتَنِموا * حُسْنَ الثَّوابِ مِنَ الرَّحمنِ ذِي المِنَنِ
في ظُلْمَةِ القبرِ لا أُمٌّ هنــاك ولا * أَبٌ شَفـيقٌ ولا أَخٌ يُؤَنِّسُنــي
فَرِيدٌ وَحِيدُ القبرِ، يــا أَسَفـاً * عَلى الفِراقِ بِلا عَمَلٍ يُزَوِّدُنـي
وَهالَني صُورَةً في العينِ إِذْ نَظَرَتْ * مِنْ هَوْلِ مَطْلَعِ ما قَدْ كان أَدهَشَني
مِنْ مُنكَرٍ ونكيرٍ مـا أَقولُ لهم * قَدْ هــَالَني أَمْرُهُمْ جِداً فَأَفْزَعَني
وَأَقْعَدوني وَجَدُّوا في سُؤالِهـِمُ * مَـالِي سِوَاكَ إِلهـي مَنْ يُخَلِّصُنِي
فَامْنُنْ عَلَيَّ بِعَفْوٍ مِنك يــا أَمَلي * فَإِنَّني مُوثَقٌ بِالذَّنْبِ مُرْتَهــَنِ
تَقاسمَ الأهْلُ مالي بعدما انْصَرَفُوا * وَصَارَ وِزْرِي عَلى ظَهْرِي فَأَثْقَلَني
واستَبْدَلَتْ زَوجَتي بَعْلاً لهـا بَدَلي * وَحَكَّمَتْهُ فِي الأَمْوَالِ والسَّكَـنِ
وَصَيَّرَتْ وَلَدي عَبْداً لِيَخْدُمَهــا * وَصَارَ مَـالي لهم حـِلاً بِلا ثَمَنِ
فَلا تَغُرَّنَّكَ الدُّنْيــا وَزِينَتُها * وانْظُرْ إلى فِعْلِهــا في الأَهْلِ والوَطَنِ
وانْظُرْ إِلى مَنْ حَوَى الدُّنْيا بِأَجْمَعِها * هَلْ رَاحَ مِنْها بِغَيْرِ الحَنْطِ والكَفَنِ
خُذِ القَنـَاعَةَ مِنْ دُنْيَاك وارْضَ بِها * لَوْ لم يَكُنْ لَكَ إِلا رَاحَةُ البَدَنِ
يَـا زَارِعَ الخَيْرِ تحصُدْ بَعْدَهُ ثَمَراً * يَا زَارِعَ الشَّرِّ مَوْقُوفٌ عَلَى الوَهَنِ
يـَا نَفْسُ كُفِّي عَنِ العِصْيانِ واكْتَسِبِي * فِعْلاً جميلاً لَعَلَّ اللهَ يَرحَمُني
يَا نَفْسُ وَيْحَكِ تُوبي واعمَلِي حَسَناً * عَسى تُجازَيْنَ بَعْدَ الموتِ بِالحَسَنِ
ثمَّ الصلاةُ على الْمُختـارِ سَيِّدِنـا * مَا وَصَّـا البَرْقَ في شَّامٍ وفي يَمَنِ
والحمدُ لله مُمْسِينَـا وَمُصْبِحِنَا * بِالخَيْرِ والعَفْوْ والإِحْســانِ وَالمِنَنِ
Can anybody tell me who is the reciter in the video?