Umar ibn al-Farid: The Wine Song
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Photo: The extremely long beards of the male members identify this group as part of the Ahl-i Haqq order of Sufis, whose practices are guarded with extreme secrecy. The portrait may have been taken by Antoin Sevruguin, who served at the court of the Qajar ruler Nasir al-Din Shah in the latter nineteenth century and is known for his photographs of Iranian landscapes and subjects.
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Before all beings, in Eternity
It is, ere yet was any shape or trace.
Through it things were, then it by them was veiled,
Wisely, from him who understandeth not.
My spirit loved it, was made one with it,
But not as bodies each in other merge.
Wine without vine: Adam my father is.
Vine without wine, vine mothereth it and me.
Vessels are purer for the purity
Of truths which are their content, and those truths
Are heightened by the vessels being pure.
Things have been diff’renced, and yet all is One:
Our spirits wine are, and our bodies vine.
(Umar ibn al-Farid trans. by Martin Lings)
It is, ere yet was any shape or trace.
Through it things were, then it by them was veiled,
Wisely, from him who understandeth not.
My spirit loved it, was made one with it,
But not as bodies each in other merge.
Wine without vine: Adam my father is.
Vine without wine, vine mothereth it and me.
Vessels are purer for the purity
Of truths which are their content, and those truths
Are heightened by the vessels being pure.
Things have been diff’renced, and yet all is One:
Our spirits wine are, and our bodies vine.
(Umar ibn al-Farid trans. by Martin Lings)
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Quote Source and Recommended Reading:
'Sufi Poems: A Mediaeval Anthology'
By Martin Lings
Purchase Book:
Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk
Description:
Sufi Poems is a selection of poems from the golden period of Sufism especially chosen and translated from the Arabic by the distinguished scholar Dr Martin Lings. Dr Lings is the author of numerous best-selling works on Sufism and is a published poet in his own right. Inlcuding poems here translated for the first time, Sufi Poems brings together selections from the giants of Sufism; for example, Rabia, Hallaj, Ibn al-Farid and Ibn Arabi. Sufi Poems is published as bi-lingual Arabic-English edition which will be of interest to all those wishing to read the original Arabic and will also be helpful for university students of Arabic.
Purchase Book:
Amazon.com
Amazon.co.uk
Description:
Sufi Poems is a selection of poems from the golden period of Sufism especially chosen and translated from the Arabic by the distinguished scholar Dr Martin Lings. Dr Lings is the author of numerous best-selling works on Sufism and is a published poet in his own right. Inlcuding poems here translated for the first time, Sufi Poems brings together selections from the giants of Sufism; for example, Rabia, Hallaj, Ibn al-Farid and Ibn Arabi. Sufi Poems is published as bi-lingual Arabic-English edition which will be of interest to all those wishing to read the original Arabic and will also be helpful for university students of Arabic.
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