"Do not cry for me Mother..."

 

The poem is written by Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisi, who wrote it to his mother who was saddened and crying for his imprisonment.

 

لا تـبكني أمـاه وابـك بلوعة ديـناً جـريحاً ما عليه بــواكيا


Do not cry for me, Mother, rather cry heavily [instead] * for a wounded religion no one is crying for


ما كنت يومـا رغم حبسي جاثيا فـلأجل ربـي أسـتطيب عذابيا


Never in spite of my imprisonment did I kneel * and for the sake of my Lord I shall enjoy this punishment


أمـاه إن خـط القـضاء منيتي بـدم تحـرر فـاصبري لمصـابيا


O Mother, if my death has been decreed * then be patient for my tribulation


لله قـد قدمت روحـي راغبـا ثـمنـا ليبقى أصـل ديـني عاليا


I have willfully given my soul to Allah. * A small price to pay for my religion to remain high


وقحـمت أسـباب المنايا حاملا بيـدي لنـصرة دعـوتي أكفـانيا


I crossed the pathway of death, carrying * in my hands my Kaffan hoping to bring victory to my Religion


فالمـوت لا يـريع نفسـاً حرةً قهـرت خطوباً قـد عصفن عواتيا


For Death does not scare a free soul * [A soul] which has overcome trials coming forth as violent winds


والقيد ليس بمـوهن لي هـمتي والسجن ليـس بمحبطٍ آمــاليا [1]


Handcuffs will not lower my determination * Neither will this prison lower my hopes


يا أمّ لا تبـكي لحبسي دمعـةً وابكي لـدينٍ ما علـيه بواكيـا


[So], Mother, do not shed tears for my captivity * And weep instead for this Religion which no one is weeping for


فالسجن خير من حيـاة مذلـةٍ وأنا لـربي قـد نذرت حياتيـا


For Prison is better than a life of disgrace. * And for my Lord, I vowed my life


أنا لست أركعُ رغبةً في لقمـةٍ أو أشتكي سـوطاً يُعربد عاتيـا


I am not one to bow down for a loaf [of bread] * or one to complain of the whip tearing my shoulders


فالسجن ليس بضائري إن ضمّني والقيد ليـس معجـلاً أكفانيـا


For Prison is not going to harm me when it embraces me * And these chains will not bring my death any sooner


والسجن ليس بحابسٍ لي دعـوتي والقيد ليـس بمطفـئ أنواريـا


This prison is not going to hold back my Message * and these shackles are not going to dim my Lights


أنا هـاهنا حر برغم سلاسـلي ورنينها يشـجي ربوع فؤاديـا


I am here free, in spite of my chains * and its sounds bring life to my heart


أنا هـاهنـا عزّي هنا حريـتي فالعز قيدي والشموخ جراحيـا


Over here I find my dignity, over here I find my freedom * Dignity [can be seen] in my shackles, and determination [can be seen] in my wounds


[سأقول للسجن الذي قد ضمني ] اشدد قيودك لا تفـك وثاقيـا


I will tell this prison which has embraced me * Tighten your bonds, and do not let untie my chains


أنا هـاهنا حـر ودون قيودنـا شـعبٌ يُطأطئ للخيانة جاثيـا


I am here free, and away from these chains * is a nation which has lowered its head kneeling for Treachery


يا سجن إنّي قد عشقتُ سلاسلي هذي السلاسل والقيود سلاحيا


O Prison, I have fallen in love with these chains * these chains and bonds are my weapons [and source of strength]


يا سـجن إنـّي قد ألفتُ زنازني هـذي الزنازن والظلامُ ردائيـا


O Prison, I have gotten used to this jail cell. * This cell and its darkness are my cover and clothing


أنا في قيودك شامـخٌ في عـزتي والحرُ يخنع خلف سورك راضيـا


I am in your chains steadfast with my dignity * and those “free” outside your walls are happy in their disgrace


قد حددوا عيشي على قضبانـهم وبظـلِ قيدك مولدي ووفاتيـا


They restricted my life between these bars * and within the shadows of these chains is by birth and death


وعلى جدارك قد خططت ملاحمي حفراً بظفري والـمداد دمائيـا


On your walls I have recorded my struggles * with my nails I have carved it, and my blood I used as ink


بدمي خططت براءتي من كفرهم ولأجل ذا ضـاقت عليّ بلاديـا


With my blood I have written my dissociation from their Kufr * And for that reason my own country have narrowed and closed in on me


يا أمّ مـالك تذرفـين الدمع لا لا تفعلي أفديـك أمـاً حانيـة


O Mother, do not shed these tears over me, don’t * May I be scarified for you, what a kind loving mother you are


يا أمّ لا تبكـي لقيدي واصبري فالفجـر يشرق عن قريبٍ آتيـا


O Mother do not cry because of my shackles and be patient * Since Dawn will soon come bringing forth its light


والكفر مندحـرٌ بإثْر جيوشهم والنور من ديني يُشـعشع زاهيـا


Disbelief will soon disintegrate with its armies * And the light from my Religion [will remain] brightly shining


والحـقّ منتصرٌ برغم سجونـهم والقيد منكسـرٌ وديـني عاليـا


And the Truth will prevail, in spite of their jails * And the cuffs would soon break, and my Religion will remain high