في مدح زين الدين وزاويته بأوباري In Praise of Zayn al-Din and His School in Ubari

2023 · 20 verses · basīṭ metre

Poet: Ahmadou Mohamadalher Ishaki

Introduction

A poem from the collection “⁨رمال الصحراء⁩”, written on 11 October 2023 for the completion of the zawiya school that Zayn al-Din ibn Ahmad Muhammad, commander of Libyan Brigade 163, had built in Ubari, Libya.

The poet celebrates scholars, keepers of the Qur’an and guides in the sciences (he names the Kel Essouk in verse 6), and hails the man who builds a school: “it is by schools that knowledge and culture are built”. He adds that he did not write it for gain, but to serve the Qur’an.

The poem

Show the translation

هذه قصيدة من ديوان رمال الصحراء؛ أنشأها أحمدو محمد الخير الإسحاقي -بمناسبة اكتمال بناء الزاوية-المدرسة التي بناها السيد البطل، المغوار، المقدم، فاعل الخير: زين الدين بن أحمد محمد، أمير كتيبة 163 الليبية حفظه الله ورعاه، في مدينة «أوباري» الليبية- تخليدا لهذا العمل الكبير.

قفْ وابكِ شِعرا ونثرا في تِهِ القِمَمِ أطلالَ قوم رُمُوا بالشَّر والنِّقَم

Stop and weep, in verse and prose, on these heights, over the ruins of a people struck by evil and afflictions.
وانثُر لنا من جِعابِ الشِّعرِ قافيةً تُنقِي القريحةَ للتَّفكير في القِيَمِ

And scatter for us, from the quivers of poetry, a rhyme that clears the mind to reflect on values.
ذكِّر بقوم إذا ما قيل قد نزَلَت بالفقه نازلةٌ تحتاج للحَكَمِ

Recall those who, when it is said that a question of law has arisen that needs an arbiter,
ستشْرَئِبُّ لهم كلُّ العيون ولا تزيغُ. «ذاك علوٌّ بيِّنُ العَلَمِ»

draw every eye towards them, never turning aside. “That is eminence, plain as a banner.”
حُفَّاظُ تنزيلِ ربِّ العالمين هُمُ وفي الكروب أُسَاةُ الفقر والعَدَم

They are those who know by heart the Revelation of the Lord of the worlds, and in hardship they heal poverty and want.
وفي العلوم هُداةُ من يُجاورهم إلا كَلْ اسُّوكَ همْ أشياخُ ذي الأمَمِ

In the sciences they guide those around them: yes, the Kel Essouk are the masters of these peoples.
هذا. من القول ما يحلوا بذكرهم أبطالِنا وذوي الأخلاق والشِّيَمِ

So be it. Some words are sweet to speak in memory of our heroes, people of morals and fine qualities,
أهلِ الكِياسة أهلِ الحِذْقِ والحِكم مثل ابن أحمد زينِ الدِّين في الكَرَمِ

people of tact, skill and wisdom, such as Ahmad’s son, Zayn al-Din, in generosity.
لولا التُّقى قلت فيه الشِّعْرَ في مَهَلٍ حتى يقولَ نذِيرُ الموتِ صَهْ ونَمِ

Were it not for piety, I would compose verse about him at leisure, until death’s herald said: “Hush, and sleep.”
وكيف لا والذي قد رُمْتُ في عجَلِي سَمَى بدون مديحِ العُرْبِ والعَجَمِ

And how could I not, when the one I sought to praise in haste has risen high without need of praise from Arabs or non-Arabs?
أفعالُه في سبيل العلم تُنبِئُنا أنَّ العُلومَ ستُنشَا. اليومَ من عدَمِ

His deeds in the cause of knowledge tell us that the sciences will today be brought forth from nothing.
إذْ بالمدارِس يُبنَى العلمُ والأدبُ ولاِبنِ أحمدَ تشييدٌ لها فَقُمِ

For it is by schools that knowledge and culture are built, and Ahmad’s son has built one: so rise!
تحيةً لكريمٍ كنتُ آمُلُه -في حَلِّ مشكلة التَّعليم- ذا هِمَمِ

Greetings to a generous man who, I hoped, would have the resolve to solve the problem of education.
هو الوحيد الذي قد شَادَ مدرسةً لحفظ نور إله العلم والحِكَمِ

He is the only one who has built a school to preserve the light of the God of knowledge and wisdom,
من بين أقرانه ممن لهم رُتَبٌ تُتِيحُهم لبِناءِ العلم والكُرَمِ

among his peers, who hold ranks that would allow them to build knowledge and generosity.
من يعمل الخير لا يَقْنَطْ من الصمد يُثِيبُهُ بالثرآ. والصُّحِّ لا السَّقَمِ

Whoever does good does not despair of the Eternal: He rewards him with wealth and health, not sickness,
في هذه؛ ثمَّ في يوم الجزاء له -وعدا على الحقِّ- جناتٌ بلا سَأَمِ

in this world; then, on the Day of Reckoning — a promise from the One who is the Truth — Gardens without weariness await him.
ما قلت ذا طمعا في سيبه أبدا وإنما نصرةَ القرآنِ لا النَّسَمِ

I have never said this out of desire for his gifts, but to support the Qur’an, not mere mortals.
إضافةً أَنَّه لا بدَّ من أسد يُسَطِّرُ المجد في القِرطاسِ بالقَلَمِ

And also because a lion is needed to write glory on paper with the pen.
يا رب أجزِلْ لَه الثَّوابَ ما كُتِبتْ حروفُ فُرْقَانِ ربِّ الخير والنِّعَمِ

O Lord, grant him an abundant reward, for as long as the letters of the Qur’an, Book of the Lord of goodness and blessings, are written.

أحمدو محمدالخيرالإسحاقي، 11/أكتوبر/2023م

The Arabic text is reproduced as the poet wrote it, vowel marks included. The translation, offered verse by verse by the site’s team, follows the meaning rather than the rhyme: only the Arabic text is authoritative.