The seeker’s humble appeal to his spiritual comrade not to abandon him to perish in the world of godless solitude – Mujeeb Jaihoon’s poem on spiritual camaraderie.
Hey my Tabrez. Hey my Tasbih!
Leave me not in the dark
For the devil’s forces to stalk
I know you have
A Him-fearing heart
Generous have you been
Since the start
If you desert me
In this confusing age
Where shall I run
To seek a pious refuge?
Leave me not
In this dark
Who else will guide
Towards His Love?
Shall I bury my face
Among the penny papers?
Or indulge in the world
Of virtual cables?
Have you wondered-
What will happen to this moth?
In your absence
He shall become another sloth
Drown me not in much pain
Show me you care as a grain
I shiver of cold
In the bazaar of beasts
What appears as candy
Is in real bitter taste
Men and women have
Become madly blind
Souls with greed
They have left behind
I see nothing
But darkness around
In Hind and Hijaz
I see evils abound
All I need is a ray
Of Him-Loving flame
Ah! Even if I am burnt
I have no blame
Be a little kind
To this tiny being
Plenty are the fortunes
He could bring
In your absence
My wings become weak
Without His fearful tears
Dry is my cheek
Now when I silently raise
My head to the sky
Even before uttering a word:
I begin to cry
He hears me weep
He sees my heart deep
He knows how sincere
The hope I keep
And what my heart whispers
While I sleep
O My Tabrez. O My Tasbih!
Tell me a little more
About that Merciful Him
My heart is discontent
Listening to you in dream
If you have wounded me
Partly with His Love-
Take the sword:
Complete the story
For, it pains more
For a lover’s heart to bleed
Give me not a book
But teach me how to read
Leave me not alone
In solitude to perish
Do anything else
But not like this punish
Without you I can bear
Any amount of pain
But not the joy-
To alone enjoy
Of what value
Is that joy
Unable to share;
Makes you cry?
Imagine the pain and regret
Of a shallow well
His rain comes plenty
But can’t it have all
My heart is small:
Cannot contain much
The cup when is full:
Madly outflows
For many years I ran
Everywhere in His search
Within days you taught
In my heart is His reach
Then I called Him the creator
Of the earth and sky
‘O My Merciful Him who loves me’
Is now my cry
Why to be so rude,
Hey slave of Al Wadood?
Why leave me to suffer
In this solitude?
Nothing else I have
To look up to in this world
Our Ummah has become
A stock to mock at
The foe from the friend
We cannot segregate
And then talk matters big
For show sake
I do not wish
To put on anyone blame
What difference do I have
For an exception to claim
In such a state
Why you desert
Alone in His Way-
How shall I exert?
You showed me
A world beyond books
His fear issued
From your humble looks
Now when I meet learned sages
Read who have numerous pages
Ah! But what use-
His Love can’t arouse
I shall not stop my complaint
Until you shall acquaint!
May Allah grant you
A thousand years more
To Love and fear Him more
Than ever before
December 28th, 2003. Edit March 2023
