حب الرسول صلى الله عليه و سلم

حب الله تعالى للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وللصحابة الموضوعات المصدر: الحب في السنة وأثره في حياة الأمة المؤلف: غازي محمود الشمري الناشر: دار المقتبس الطبعة: 1 / 2018 - 1439 هـ الصفحة: 49 - 66 عدد الزيارات: 4233 شارك غرّد أرسل حب الله تعالى للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وللصحابة كتب الدكتور غازي محمود الشمري حول هذا الموضوع في كتابه ( الحب في السنة وأثره في حياة الأمة) والصادر عن دار المقتبس سنة (1439هـ - 2018م) فقال: أولًا ـ حب الله تعالى للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: إنَّ حبَّ الله تعالى لنبيّنا محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم، لا يعلم قدره إلا هو سبحانه، وحسبنا أن نقرأ خطاب الله تعالى له: ﴿ فَإِنَّكَ بِأَعْيُنِنَا ﴾[الطور: 48]. فلـه من المآثر الرفيعـة ما ليس لغيرِه من إخوانـه الأنبياء والمرسلين، عليه وعليهم أفضلُ الصلاة وأتمُّ التسليم، مما يـدل علـى عظيـم محبـة الله تعالى لـه، كعموم رسالته الثقلين، وشمولها بين الخافقين، وأنـه خاتم النبيين، وهو صاحب الوسيلة والفضيلـة، والمقام المحمـود، والشفاعـة الكبـرى، والحـوض المورود، وأنه صلى الله عليه وسلم خليلُ اللهِ تعالى، وغيرِها ([1])، وحسبنا أن نذكر شيئًا من هذه المآثر: 1 ـ قرن اسمه تعالى باسمه صلى الله عليه وسلم في الشهادة: قال الله تعالى: ﴿ وَلَسَوْفَ يُعْطِيكَ رَبُّكَ فَتَرْضَىٰ ﴾[الضحى: 5]. فلا يُقبل إسلامُ مسلم إلَّا أن يشهد ألَّا إله إلَّا الله، وأنَّ محمدًا رسولُ الله. وهو الركن الأول من أركان الإسلام. فعن عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ قَالَ: بَيْنَا نَحْنُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ، إِذْ طَلَعَ عَلَيْنَا رَجُلٌ، شَدِيدُ بَيَاضِ الثِّيَابِ، شَدِيدُ سَوَادِ الشَّعَرِ، لاَ يُرَى عَلَيْهِ أَثَرُ السَّفَرِ، وَلاَ يَعْرِفُهُ مِنَّا أَحَدٌ، حَتَّى جَلَسَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَأَسْنَدَ رُكْبَتَيْهِ إِلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ، وَوَضَعَ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى فَخِذَيْهِ وَقَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الإِسْلاَمِ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «الإِسْلاَمُ أَنْ تَشْهَدَ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ، وَتُقِيمَ الصَّلاَةَ، وَتُؤْتِيَ الزَّكَاةَ، وَتَصُومَ رَمَضَانَ، وَتَحُجَّ الْبَيْتَ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا»([2]). قال حسان بن ثابت رضي الله عنه: وضَمَّ الإلهُ اسْمَ النبيِّ إلى اسْمِهِ إذ قالَ في الخَمْسِ المؤذِّنُ أَشْهَدُ وشَقَّ له من اسْمِهِ لِيُجِلَّهُ فَذو العَرشِ محمودٌ وهذا محمَّدُ 2 ـ أعطاهُ اللهُ تعالى ما لم يُعطِ غيرَه من الأنبياء عليه وعليهم الصلاة والسلام: عن جَابِر بْن عَبْدِ اللهِ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «أُعْطِيتُ خَمْسًا لَمْ يُعْطَهُنَّ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ قَبْلي: نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ مَسِيرَةَ شَهْرٍ، وَجُعِلَتْ لِيَ الأَرْضُ مَسْجِدًا وَطَهُورًا، وَأَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ مِنْ أُمَّتِي أَدْرَكَتْهُ الصَّلاَةُ فَلْيُصَلِّ، وَأُحِلَّتْ لِيَ الْغَنَائِمُ، وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ يُبْعَثُ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ خَاصَّةً وَبُعِثْتُ إِلَى النَّاسِ كَافَّةً، وَأُعْطِيتُ الشَّفَاعَةَ»([3]). 3 ـ جعله اللهُ تعالى سيّدَ الخَلْق: وهو أولَ من تنشق عنه الأرض يوم القيامة وأولَ شافِع ومشَّفَع: عن أَبي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «أَنَا سَيِّدُ وَلَدِ آدَمَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَأَوَّلُ مَنْ يَنْشَقُّ عَنْهُ الْقَبْرُ، وَأَوَّلُ شَافِعٍ وَأَوَّلُ مُشَفَّعٍ»([4]). 4 ـ أعطاه اللهُ تعالى الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ والمَقَام المحمود: عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ: «إِذَا سَمِعْتُمُ الْـمُؤَذِّنَ فَقُولُوا مِثْلَ مَا يَقُولُ، ثُمَّ صَلُّوا عَلَيَّ، فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَيَّ صَلاَةً صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ بِهَا عَشْرًا، ثُمَّ سَلُوا اللهَ لِيَ الْوَسِيلَةَ، فَإِنَّهَا مَنْزِلَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ لاَ تَنْبَغِي إِلاَّ لِعَبْدٍ مِنْ عِبَادِ اللهِ، وَأَرْجُو أَنْ أَكُونَ أَنَا هُوَ، فَمَنْ سَأَلَ لِيَ الْوَسِيلَةَ؛ حَلَّتْ لَهُ الشَّفَاعَةُ»([5]). وعَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: «مَنْ قَالَ حِينَ يَسْمَعُ النِّدَاءَ: اللهمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ وَالصَّلاَةِ الْقَائِمَةِ، آتِ مُحَمَّدًا الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ، وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ؛ حَلَّتْ لَهُ شَفَاعَتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ»([6]). معنى المقام المحمود: قال ابن حجر: الْجُمْهُورُ عَلَى أَنَّ الُمرَاد بِهِ الشَّفَاعَة([7]). وهو قولُ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رضي الله عنهما، حيث قال: إِنَّ النَّاسَ يَصِيرُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ جُثًا([8])، كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ تَتْبَعُ نَبِيَّهَا، يَقُولُونَ: يَا فُلاَنُ اشْفَعْ، حَتَّى تَنْتَهِيَ الشَّفَاعَةُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَذَلِكَ يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُ الله الْـمَقَامَ الْـمَحْمُودَ([9]). وبشفاعته صلى الله عليه وسلم، يخرج أناس قد دخلوا جهنم، ويدخلون الجنة: عن عِمْرانَ بنِ حُصَيْنٍ رضي الله عنه، أنَّ النبيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: «يخرُجُ قومٌ من النارِ بشفاعةِ محمدٍ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فيدخلون الجنَّةَ يُسمَّون الجَهَنَّميِّين»([10]). 5 ـ أعطاه اللهُ تعالى المحبَّة والخُلَّة: أمَّا المحبة: قال القاضي عياض: جاءت بذلك الآثارُ الصحيحةُ، واخْتُصَّ على ألسنة المسلمين بحبيبِ اللهِ([11](. أمَّا الخُلَّـة: قال ابـن القيِّم: «وأما الخلـة فتوحيد المحبـة، فالخليل هـو الذي توحَّدَ حُبُّه لمحبوبه، وهي رتبةٌ لا تقبل المشاركة، ولهذا اخْتُصَّ بها في العالَمِ الخليلانِ إبراهيمُ ومحمدٌ صلواتُ اللهِ وسلامُه عليهما، كما قال اللهُ تعالى: ﴿وَاتَّخَذَ اللَّـهُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ خَلِيلًا ﴾[النساء: 125]. وصحَّ عن النبيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال: «إنَّ اللهَ اتخذني خليلاً كما اتخذَ إبراهيم خليلاً»([12]). وقال الإمام النووي: «قَالَ ابْنُ الْأَنْبَارِيّ: الْخَلِيل، مَعْنَاهُ المحِبّ الْكَامِل المحَبَّة، وَالمحْبُوب الموَفِّي بِحَقِيقَةِ المحَبَّة، اللَّذَانِ لَيْسَ فِي حُبّهمَا نَقْص وَلَا خَلَل» ([13]). وقد اتخذَ اللهُ تعالى نبيَّنا محمدًا صلى الله عليه وسلم خليلًا. عن عَبْد الله بْن مَسْعُودٍ يُحَدِّثُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «لَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا خَلِيلًا لاَتَّخَذْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ خَلِيلًا، وَلَكِنَّهُ أَخِي وَصَاحِبِي، وَقَدِ اتَّخَذَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ صَاحِبَكُمْ خَلِيلًا»([14]). قال القاضي عياض: «واختلف العلماءُ أربابُ القلوبِ أيهما أرفعُ درجةً: درجةُ الخُلَّة أو درجةُ المحبة؟ فجعلهما بعضهم سواءً؛ فلا يكون الحبيبُ إلا خليلًا، ولا الخليلُ إلا حبيبًا، لكنه خصَّ إبراهيمَ بالخُلَّةِ، ومحمدًا بالمحبةُ..»([15]). وقال: مزيَّـةُ الخُلَّـةِ، وَخُصُوصِيَّـةُ الْـمَحَبـَّةِ حَاصِلَـةٌ لِنَبِيّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِمَا دَلَّتْ عَلَيْهِ الآثَارُ الصَّحِيحَة المنتشرة الْـمُتَلَقَّاةُ بِالْقَبُولِ مِنَ الْأُمَّةِ وَكَفَى بِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى:﴿ قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّـهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّـهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ﴾[آل عمران: 31]... وَقَدْ نَقَلَ الْإِمَام أَبُو بَكْرِ بن فُورَك عَنْ بَعْض الْـمُتَكَلّمِينَ كَلامًا فِي الْـفَرْقِ بَيْنَ الْـمَحَبَّةَ وَالْـخُلَّةِ يَطُولُ، جُمْلَةُ إشاراته إِلَى تَفْضِيلِ مَقَامِ الْـمَحَبَّةَ عَلَى الْـخُلَّةِ، وَنَحْنُ نَذْكُرُ مِنْهُ طَرَفاً يَهْدِي إِلَى مَا بَعْدَهُ، فَمْن ذَلِكَ قَوْلـَهُمُ: الْـخَلِيلُ يَصِلُ بِالْـوَاسِطَةِ من قَوْلِهِ: ﴿وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُرِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ مَلَكُوتَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلِيَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُوقِنِينَ﴾[الأنعام: 75] والْـحَبِيبُ يَصلُ إليْهِ بِهِ من قَوْلِهِ: ﴿ فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَىٰ ﴾[النجم: 9]([16]). قلت: وأيُّ صفةٍ اخْتُصَّ بها سيِّدُنا محمدٌ صلى الله عليه وسلم هي الأرفـع درجـةً؛ لثبـوت عُلُوِّ درجته على جميع الأنبياء، عليه وعليهم أزكى الصلاة والسلام. ويمكن القول أيضًا، بأنه صلى الله عليه وسلم خليلُ الله تعالى في أعلى درجات الخُلَّة؛ وحبيبُهُ تعالى في أعلى درجات المحبَّة. 6 ـ أكثر الأَنْبِيَاءِ تصديقًا وتبعًا وأَوَّلُ مَنْ يدخل الجنَّة: قَالَ أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ: قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «أَنَا أَوَّلُ شَفِيعٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، لَمْ يُصَدَّقْ نَبِيٌّ مِنَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ مَا صُدِّقْتُ، وَإِنَّ مِـنَ الأَنْبِيَـاءِ نَبِيًّا مَا يُصَدِّقُـهُ مِنْ أُمَّتِـهِ إِلاَّ رَجُلٌ وَاحِدٌ»([17]). ولما كان صلى الله عليه وسلم أكثرَ الناس تصديقًا؛ كان أكثرَهم تبعًا، وهو أَوَّلُ مَنْ يَقْرَعُ بَابَ الْجَنَّةِ. عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «أَنَا أَكْثَرُ الأَنْبِيَاءِ تَبَعًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ مَنْ يَقْرَعُ بَابَ الْجَنَّة»([18]). فخازنُ الجنـة ينتظر سيّدَ الخَلـق صلى الله عليه وسلم؛ ليفتحَ لـه بـاب الجنـة كما أمره الله سبحانه، وهو صلى الله عليه وسلم أوَّلُ داخليها، وصاحبُ أعلى مقامٍ فيها. عَنْ ثَابِتٍ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «آتِي بَابَ الْجَنَّةِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَأَسْتَفْتِحُ، فَيَقُولُ الْخَازِنُ: مَنْ أَنْتَ؟ فَأَقُـولُ: مُحَمَّدٌ، فَيَقُـولُ: بِـكَ أُمِـرْتُ لاَ أَفْتَحُ لأَحَدٍ قَبْلَكَ»([19]). 7 ـ أمته صلى الله عليه وسلم أولُ الأمم دخولًا الجنة: وبه صلى الله عليه وسلم تدخل أمته الجنة أول الأمم، بعد الأنبياء عليهم الصلاة والسلام. عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «نَحْنُ الآخِرُونَ الأَوَّلُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَنَحْنُ أَوَّلُ مَنْ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ، بَيْدَ أَنَّهُمْ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا، وَأُوتِينَاهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ، فَاخْتَلَفُوا، فَهَدَانَا اللهُ لِمَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ، فَهَذَا يَوْمُهُمُ الَّذِي اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ هَدَانَا اللهُ لَهُ ـ قَالَ: يَوْمُ الْجُمُعَةِ ـ فَالْيَوْمَ لَنَا، وَغَدًا لِلْيَهُودِ، وَبَعْدَ غَدٍ لِلنَّصَارَى»([20]). 8 ـ صلاةُ اللهِ تعالى والملائكةوالمؤمنين عليه صلى الله عليه وسلم: قال تعالـى: ﴿إِنَّ اللَّـهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا﴾[الأحزاب: 56]. إنَّ هذه الآية الكريمة اشتملت على الخبر أولًا، والأمر ثانيًا. أمَّا الخبر، فانَّ الله تعالى أخبر عباده في هذه الآية الكريمة، بمنزلة هذا النبي الكريم صلى الله عليه وسلم عنده في الملأ الأعلى، بأنه يصلِّي عليه عند المقرَّبين هناك، وأنَّ الملائكة كلهم يصلون عليه، وما ذاك إلَّا لفضله صلى الله عليه وسلم عند ربه، وعلوِّ مقامه وشرف قدره في الملأ الأعلى. ثمَّ أمـر سبحانه أهل العالم الأدنى بالصلاة عليـه، وذلك ليجتمع له الثناء والتكريم والتعظيم من أهل العالَمَيْن([21]). وهذا شاهد لمحبة الله تعالى للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ([22]). ثانيًا ـ حب الله تعالى للصحابة رضي الله تعالى عنهم: إذا كان رضا اللهِ سبحانـه وتعالى ومدحـه دليلًا على المحبـة، ومظهرًا من مظاهرها؛ فقد امتدح اللهُ تعالى الصحابـة الكرام رضي الله عنهم في مواقـع كثيرة من كتابه العزيز: قال الله تعالى: ﴿وَالسَّابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالْأَنصَارِ وَالَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَانٍ رَّضِيَ اللَّـهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ ﴾[التوبة: 100]. وقال تعالى: ﴿لِلْفُقَرَاءِ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ الَّذِينَ أُخْرِجُوا مِن دِيَارِهِمْ وَأَمْوَالِهِمْ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّنَ اللَّـهِ وَرِضْوَانًا وَيَنصُرُونَ اللَّـهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۚ أُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الصَّادِقُونَ ﴿٨﴾ وَالَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُوا الدَّارَ وَالْإِيمَانَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هَاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ حَاجَةً مِّمَّا أُوتُوا وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ ۚ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفْسِهِ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ ﴾[الحشر: 8 ـ 9]. وقال تعالى: ﴿لَّا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّـهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّـهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ ۚ أُولَـٰئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْإِيمَانَ وَأَيَّدَهُم بِرُوحٍ مِّنْهُ ۖ وَيُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ رَضِيَ اللَّـهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ۚ أُولَـٰئِكَ حِزْبُ اللَّـهِ ۚ أَلَا إِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّـهِ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ﴾[المُجَادِلة: 22]. وقال تعالى: ﴿مُّحَمَّدٌ رَّسُولُ اللَّـهِ ۚ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ تَرَاهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّنَ اللَّـهِ وَرِضْوَانًا ۖ سِيمَاهُمْ فِي وُجُوهِهِم مِّنْ أَثَرِ السُّجُودِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مَثَلُهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ ۚ وَمَثَلُهُمْ فِي الْإِنجِيلِ كَزَرْعٍ أَخْرَجَ شَطْأَهُ فَآزَرَهُ فَاسْتَغْلَظَ فَاسْتَوَىٰ عَلَىٰ سُوقِهِ يُعْجِبُ الزُّرَّاعَ لِيَغِيظَ بِهِمُ الْكُفَّارَ ۗ وَعَدَ اللَّـهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ مِنْهُم مَّغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا ﴾[الفتح: 29]. وقال تعالى: ﴿مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوا مَا عَاهَدُوا اللَّـهَ عَلَيْهِ ۖ فَمِنْهُم مَّن قَضَىٰ نَحْبَهُ وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَنتَظِرُ ۖ وَمَا بَدَّلُوا تَبْدِيلًا ﴾[الأحزاب: 23]. لقد رأينا في الآيات الكريمات، كيف أن اللهَ سبحانه وتعالى رضي عن الصحابة الكرام، ووعدهم بالجنان، ومدحهم، فوصفهم بأنهم صادقون، رحماء بينهم، مؤثرون على أنفسهم، مخلصون، ثابتون على العهد. وما هذا إلا دليل محبته تعالى لهم، فالآيات تفوح برائحة الحب لهم، رضي الله تعالى عنهم. ومحبة الله تعالى للصحابة في السنة الشريفة تجلَّت في أمور كثيرة، أذكر منها: 1 ـ حُبُّ اللهِ تعالى للصحابة عامة رضي الله تعالى عنهم: لقد بشَّر اللهُ سبحانه وتعالى الصحابةَ الكرام رضي الله تعالى عنهم، بجنَّات تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ، وأن يُكَفِّرَ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّئَاتِـهِمْ؛ ووصف اللهِ سبحانه هذا بأنه فَوْزٌ عَظِيمٌ لهم. من ذلك: عندما أُنْزِلَتْ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ﴿ لِّيَغْفِرَ لَكَ اللَّـهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِن ذَنبِكَ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ﴾[الفتح: 2]، مَرْجِعَهُ مِنَ الْحُدَيْبِيَةِ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «لَقَدْ نزلَتْ عَلَيَّ آيَةٌ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا عَلَى الأَرْضِ، ثُمَّ قَرَأَهَا النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَيْهِمْ، فَقَالُوا: هَنِيئًا مَرِيئًا يَا رَسُوْلَ اللهِ، قَدْ بَيَّنَ اللهُ لَكَ مَاذَا يُفْعَلُ بِكَ، فَمَاذَا يُفْعَلُ بِنَا؟ فَنَزَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ: ﴿ لِّيُدْخِلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَيُكَفِّرَ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ ۚ وَكَانَ ذَٰلِكَ عِندَ اللَّـهِ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا﴾[الفتح: 5]([23]). فعَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ رضي الله عنه في قوله تعالى: ﴿ إِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًا مُّبِينًا﴾ [الفتح: 1]، قَالَ: الْحُدَيْبِيَةُ. قَالَ أَصْحَابُهُ: هَنِيئًا مَرِيئًا فَمَا لَنَا؟ فَأَنْزَلَ الله تعالى: ﴿لِّيُدْخِلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ ﴾[الفتح: 5]([24]). فهذه البشارة دليل على محبته سبحانه للصحابة، وإن كانت الآيةُ عامةً تشملُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ، لكنها تخصُّهم بالدرجة الأولى ـ كما يعبِّر المحققون: يدخلون في النص دخولًا أوليًا ـ وسبب نزولها كان جوابًا لسؤالهم. 2 ـ حب الله تعالى للمهاجرين رضي الله تعالى عنهم: مَدَحَ المولى سبحانه وتعالى، الصحابةَ الكرام رضي الله تعالى عنهم، فشهد بأنهم خير الأمم، كما شهد لهم المصطفى صلى الله عليه وسلم بذلك، وأنهم الأكرم على الله تعالى. فعندما فسَّر قَوْلَه تعالى: ﴿كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ﴾[آل عمـران: 110]، قَـالَ: «إِنَّكُمْ تُتِمُّونَ سَبْعِينَ أُمَّةً أَنْتُمْ خَيْرُهَا، وَأَكْرَمُهَا عَلَى اللهِ»([25]). هذا وإن كان الخطاب موجهًا للمهاجرين، كما قال ابْن عَبَّاسٍ رضي الله عنهما: «هُمُ الَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا مَعَ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من مكة إِلَى المدِينَةِ»([26])، فإنه يعم جميع الصحابة رضي الله تعالى عنهم، الذين خرجوا للناس، ففتحوا البلاد والعباد، وأمروا بالمعروف ونهوا عن المنكر، كما يعم الأمة أيضًا في أي وقت تقوم بهذه الوظيفة التشريفية، إلى يوم القيامة، لأن العبرة بعموم اللفظ لا بخصوص السبب. 3 ـ حب الله تعالى للأنصار رضي الله تعالى عنهم ([27]): والأنصـار رضي الله تعالى عنهـم نصـروا الدين بنصـرة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، وإيواء المهاجرين، وكانوا معهم جنبًا إلى جنب؛ فسمَّاهم الله تعالى الأنصار، ومدحهم مع المهاجرين بقـولـه: ﴿وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ وَالَّذِينَ آوَوا وَّنَصَرُوا أُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقًّا ۚ لَّهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ ﴾[الأنفال: 74]. عن غَيْلاَن بْن جَرِيرٍ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لأَنَسٍ: أَرَأَيْتَ اسْمَ الأَنْصَارِ، كُنْتُمْ تُسَمَّوْنَ بِهِ، أَمْ سَمَّاكُمُ اللهُ؟ قَالَ: بَلْ سَمَّانَا اللهُ عزَّ وجلَّ. كُنَّا نَدْخُلُ عَلَى أَنَسٍ، فَيُحَدِّثُنَا بمَنَاقِبِ الأَنْصَارِ وَمَشَاهِدِهمْ، وَيُقْبِلُ عَلَيَّ، أَوْ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِنَ الأَزْدِ، فَيَقُولُ: فَعَلَ قَوْمُكَ يَوْمَ كَذَا وَكَذَا: كَذَا وَكَذَا([28]). 4 ـ حب الله تعالى لأهل بدر رضي الله تعالى عنهم: وللصحابة الذين حضروا غزوة بدرٍ خصوصيَّة عند الله تعالى. عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رضي اللهُ عنه، أن رَسُولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: «لَعَلَّ اللهَ اطَّلَعَ إِلَى أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ فَقَالَ: اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ، فَقَدْ وَجَبَتْ لَكُمُ الْجَنَّةُ، أَوْ: فَقَدْ غَفَرْتُ لَكُمْ»([29]). وكذلك الملائكة الذين شاركوا فيها القتال مع المسلمين. وعَنْ رِفَاعَةَ بْنِ رَافِعٍ الزُّرَقِيِّ ـ وَكَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ ـ قَالَ: جَاءَ جِبْرِيلُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ: «مَا تَعُدُّونَ أَهْلَ بَدْرٍ فِيكُمْ؟ قَالَ: مِنْ أَفْضَلِ الْـمُسْلِمِينَ ـ أَوْ كَلِمَةً نَحْوَهَا ـ قَالَ: وَكَذَلِكَ مَنْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا مِنَ الملاَئِكَةِ»([30]). 5 ـ حب الله تعالى لأفراد من الصحابة: فبالإضافـة إلى ورود نصوص من الكتاب والسنـة ـ كما مـرَّ ـ بخصوص حبِّ اللهِ عزَّ وجلَّ للصحابة عمومًا، فإن نصوصًا أخرى أيضًا، وردت في السنة النبوية، تخصُّ أفرادًا منهم رضي الله تعالى عنهم جميعًا، فمن ذلك: أ ـ حب الله تعالى لسيدنا أبي بكر رضي الله عنه: لا تخفى مكانة سيدنا أبي بكر رضي الله عنه عند الله تعالى، وعند رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم، وعند المسلمين. فهو أول من أسلم من الرجال، ورفيق النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في الهجرة، وصاحبه في الغار، ﴿ثَانِيَ اثْنَيْنِ إِذْ هُمَا فِي الْغَارِ﴾[التوبة: 40]، وصهره، وخليفته، وخيـر الناس بعده، ودفـن إلى جانبـه، وأول من يدخل الجنـة من هذه الأمة بعده. فقد مدحه الله سبحانه في كتابه العزيز، فوصفه بأنه من أولي الفضل والسعة، نزلت في أبي بكر عندما حلف ألا ينفـق على مسطح بن أثاثـة، بسبب خوضه في حادثة الإفك بحق السيدة عائشة. قالت السيدة عائشة رضي الله عنها: «.. فَلَمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ هَذَا فِي بَرَاءَتِي، قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ رضي الله عنه ـ وَكَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَى مِسْطَحِ بْنِ أُثَاثَةَ لِقَرَابَتِهِ مِنْهُ، وَفَقْرِهِ ـ: وَاللهِ لاَ أُنْفِـقُ عَلَـى مِسْطَحٍ شَيْئًا أَبَدًا بَعْـدَ الَّذِي قَـالَ لِعَائِشَةَ مَا قَـالَ. فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ تعالى: ﴿وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُولُو الْفَضْلِ مِنكُمْ وَالسَّعَةِ أَن يُؤْتُوا أُولِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَالْمُهَاجِرِينَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ ۖ وَلْيَعْفُوا وَلْيَصْفَحُوا ۗ أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغْفِرَ اللَّـهُ لَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴾[النور: 22]. قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: بَلَى، وَاللهِ إِنِّي أُحِبُّ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ اللهُ لِي، فَرَجَعَ إِلَى مِسْطَحٍ النَّفَقَةَ الَّتِي كَانَ يُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِ، وَقَالَ: وَاللهِ لاَ أَنْزِعُهَا مِنْهُ أَبَدًا»)[31](. فوَصَفَ اللهُ تعالى أبا بكرالصدِّيق بأنه من أولي الفضل)[32](، وهذا من مظاهر حب الله تعالى لأبي بكر رضي الله تعالى عنه. ب ـ حب الله تعالى لسيدنا عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله تعالى عنه: ويدل عليه، أن الله تعالى أعزَّ الإسلام بإسلامه، وجعل الحق على لسانه؛ فكان من المُلْهَمِين للحق ـ المُحَدَّثِين في هذه الأمـة ـ إضافـة إلى منزلتـه التي تأتي بعد منزلة سيدنا أبي بكر الصديق رضي الله تعالى عنهما. فعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رضي الله عنهما، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: «اللهمَّ أَعِزَّ الإِسْلاَمَ بِأَحَبِّ هَذَيْنِ الرَّجُلَيْنِ إِلَيْكَ، بِأَبِي جَهْلٍ، أَوْ بِعُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ». قَالَ: وَكَانَ أَحَبَّهُمَا إِلَيْهِ عُمَرُ([33]). وعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: «إِنَّهُ قَدْ كَانَ فِيمَا مَضَى قَبْلَكُمْ مِنَ الأُمَمِ مُحَدَّثُونَ، وَإِنَّهُ إِنْ كَانَ في أُمَّتي هَذِهِ مِنْهُمْ؛ فَإِنَّهُ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ»([34])، بل قَالَ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «لَوْ كَانَ نَبيٌّ بَعْدِي لَكَانَ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ»([35]) وقد نزلت عـدة آيات تـؤيِّد سيدنا عمر رضي الله عنـه في رأيـه فـي بعض القضايـا، كفرض الحجاب، وأسرى بدر، وغيرِها. ت ـ حب الله تعالى للسيدة خديجة أم المؤمنين رضي الله تعالى عنها: دليل ذلك، أنه سبحانه أقرأها سلامًا على لسان جبريل عليه السلام، وبشَّرها بِبَيْتٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، مِنْ قَصَبٍ لاَ صَخَبَ فِيهِ وَلاَ نَصَبَ. عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنـه قَالَ: أَتَى جِبْرِيلُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ: «يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، هَذِهِ خَدِيجَةُ قَدْ أَتَتْ مَعَهَا إِنَاءٌ فِيهِ إِدَامٌ، أَوْ طَعَامٌ أَوْ شَرَابٌ، فَإِذَا هِيَ أَتَتْكَ؛ فَاقْـرَأْ عَلَيْهَـا السَّلاَمَ مِـنْ رَبِّهَا وَمِنِّي، وَبَشِّرْهَا بِبَيْتٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ، مِـنْ قَصَبٍ([36])، لاَ صَخَبَ فِيهِ، وَلاَ نَصَبَ» ([37]). ث ـ حب الله تعالى لسيدنا عليّ رضي الله تعالى عنه: وقد شهد صلى الله عليه وسلم لسيدنا عليّ بحبه لله تعالى، وبحب الله تعالى له. عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمَ خَيْبَرَ: «لأُعْطِيَنَّ الرَّايَةَ غَدًا رَجُلًا يَفْتَحِ اللهُ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ، يُحِبُّ اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ، وَيُحِبُّهُ اللهُ وَرَسُولُهُ». فَبَاتَ النَّاسُ لَيْلَتَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ يُعْطَى، فَغَدَوْا كُلُّهُمْ يَرْجُوهُ، فَقَالَ: «أَيْنَ عليٌّ؟». فَقِيلَ: يَشْتَكِيعَيْنَيْهِ، فَبَصَقَ فِى عَيْنَيْهِ وَدَعَا لَهُ؛ فَبَرَأَ كَأَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ بِهِ وَجَعٌ، فَأَعْطَاهُ الرايةَ، فَقَالَ: أُقَاتِلُهُمْ حَتَّى يَكُونُوا مِثْلَنَا؟ فَقَالَ: «انْفُذْ عَلَى رِسْلِكَ([38])، حَتَّى تَنْزِلَ بِسَاحَتِهِمْ، ثُمَّ ادْعُهُمْ إِلَى الإِسْلاَمِ، وَأَخْبِرْهُمْ بِمَا يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَوَاللهِ لأَنْ يَهْدِيَ اللهُ بِكَ رَجُلًا؛ خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنْ أَنْ تَكُونَ لَكَ حُمْرُ النَّعَمِ»([39]). ج ـ حب الله تعالى لسيدنا سَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ رضي الله تعالى عنه: ويدل عليه اهتزاز عرش الرحمن لموته رضي الله عنه، فعَنْ جَابِرٍ رضى الله عنه قال: سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ: «اهْتَزَّ الْعَرْشُ لِمَوْتِ سَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ»([40]). د ـ حب الله تعالى لسيدنا أَشَجِّ عَبْدِ الْقَيْسِ رضي الله تعالى عنه: ويدل على ذلك حب الله تعالى لصفتين فيه من أخلاقه، فعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رضي الله عنهما قالَ: قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِلأَشَجِّ، أَشَجِّ عَبْدِ الْقَيْسِ: «إِنَّ فِيكَ خَصْلَتَيْنِ يُحِبُّهُمَا اللهُ تعالى: الْحِلْمُ وَالأَنَاةُ»([41]). ﻫ ـ حب الله تعالى لسيدنا أُبيّ بن كعب رضي الله تعالى عنه: فقد أمر الله سبحانه، النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يقرأ عليه القرآن. عَنْ أَنَسٍ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لأُبَيٍّ: «إِنَّ اللهَ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَقْرَأَ عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْآنَ». قَالَ أُبَيٌّ: آللهُ سَمَّانِي لَكَ؟ قَالَ: «اللهُ سَمَّاكَ لِي». فَجَعَلَ أُبَيٌّ يَبْكِي. قَالَ قَتَادَةُ: فَأُنْبِئْتُ أَنَّـهُ قَـرَأَ عَلَيْـهِ: ﴿لَمْ يَكُنِ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ مُنفَكِّينَ حَتَّىٰ تَأْتِيَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَةُ ﴾[البيِّنة: 1]([42]). و ـ حب الله تعالى لرجل من الصحابة لحبِّه سورة الإخلاص: كان هـذا الصحابي يحبُّ أنْ يختـمَ صلاتَـه بسورةِ الإخلاص، لأَنَّهَـا صِفَةُ الرَّحْمَنِ. عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رضي الله عنها، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعَثَ رَجُلًا عَلَى سَرِيَّةٍ، وَكَانَ يَقْرَأُ لأَصْحَابِهِ فِى صَلاَتِهِ، فَيَخْتِمُ بِـ ﴿ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّـهُ أَحَدٌ﴾[الإخلاص: 1]. فَلَمَّا رَجَعُوا، ذَكَرُوا ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَقَالَ: «سَلُوهُ لأَيِّ شَيْءٍ يَصْنَعُ ذَلِكَ؟». فَسَأَلُوهُ، فَقَالَ: لأَنَّهَا صِفَةُ الرَّحْمَنِ، وَأَنَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ أَقْرَأَ بِهَا. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «أَخْبِرُوهُ أَنَّ اللهَ يُحِبُّهُ»([43]). ز ـ وأختم هذه الدلائل فأقول: وبالجملة، فإنَّ من علامات حب الله تعالى للصحابة رضي الله تعالى عنهم، أن جعلهم صحْبًا لسيِّد المرسلين، نبينا محمد عليه أفضل الصلاة وأتمّ التسليم، وعاشوا في خير القرون، وشرَّفهم بحمل راية الحق والدين، وهم خير الناس بعد الأنبيا ءعليهم الصلاة والسلام، ولاتزال الأمة تترضَّى عليهم، وتعرف لهم حقهم وفضلهم، إلى أن يرث الله الأرض وما عليها. اللهم ارضَ عن الصحابـة وعلينا معهم، واجعلنــا عندك من المحبوبين، آمين. * * * [1])) انظر: شعب الإيمان للبيهقي: الرابع عشر من شعب الإيمان هو باب في حب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، (ج2/ ص132). [2])) صحيح مسلم: كتاب الإيمان، باب مَعْرِفَةِ الإِيمَانِ وَالإِسْلاَمِ وَالْقَدَرِ وَعَلاَمَةِ السَّاعَةِ، ص(24 ـ 25)، ح93. ([3]) صحيح البخاري: كتاب الصلاة، باب قَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «جُعِلَتْ لِيَ الأَرْضُ مَسْجِدًا وَطَهُورًا»، ص76، ح438. [4])) صحيح مسلم: كتاب الفضائل، باب تَفْضِيلِ نَبِيِّنَا صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى جَمِيعِ الْخَلاَئِقِ، ص1008، ح5940. [5])) صحيح مسلم: كتاب الصلاة، باب اسْتِحْبَابِ الْقَوْلِ مِثْلَ قَوْلِ الْـمُؤَذِّنِ لِمَنْ سَمِعَهُ ثُمَّ يُصَلِّي عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ يَسْأَلُ اللهَ لَهُ الْوَسِيلَةَ، ص163، ح849. ([6]) صحيح البخاري: كتاب الأذان، باب الدُّعَاءِ عِنْدَ النِّدَاءِ، ص102، ح614. ([7]) فتح الباري، كتاب الرقائق، بَابٌ صِفَةُ الْجَنَّة وَالنَّار، (ج11/ ص426). ([8]) أي جماعة، وتُروَى هذه اللفظة جُثِيٌّ بتشديد الياء: جمع جَاثٍ، وهو الذي يَجْلس على رُكْبَتَيْه. [النهاية في غريب الحديث والأثر، (جثا )، (ج 1 / ص 680) ]. [9])) صحيح البخاري: كتاب التفسير، بـاب قَـوْلِـهِ: ﴿ عَسَىٰ أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحْمُودًا﴾ [الإسراء: 79]، ص(816 ـ 817)، ح4718. [10])) صحيح البخاري: كتاب الرقائق، باب صفة الجنة والنار، ص1136، ح6566. [11])) الشفا بتعريف حقوق المصطفى صلى الله عليه وسلم: فصل في تفضيله بالمحبة والخُلَّة، ص263. [12])) روضة المحبين ونزهة المشتاقين، (ص: 47). [13])) شرح صحيح مسلم: كتاب الإيمان، باب إثبات الشفاعة وإخراج الموحدين من النار، (ج3/ ص56). [14])) صحيح مسلم: كتاب فضائل الصحابة، باب مِنْ فَضَائِلِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ رضي الله عنه، ص1050، ح6172. [15])) الشفا بتعريف حقوق المصطفى صلى الله عليه وسلم: فصل في تفضيله بالمحبة والخلة، ص266. [16])) المرجع نفسه، ص267. ([17]) صحيح مسلم: كتاب الإيمان، باب فِي قَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «أَنَا أَوَّلُ النَّاسِ يَشْفَعُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَأَنَا أَكْثَرُ الأَنْبِيَاءِ تَبَعًا»، ص106، ح485. ([18]) المرجع نفسه، ص105، ح484. [19])) المرجع نفسه، ص106، ح486. ([20]) صحيح مسلم: كتاب الجمعة، باب هِدَايَةِ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ لِيَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ، ص(343 ـ 344)، ح1980. ([21]) الشيخ عبد الله سراج الدين الحسيني، الصلاة على النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم، ص7. ([22]) وهناك آيات كثيرة تشهد لهذه المحبة، بل نزول القرآن الكريم على قلبه هومن قبيل المحبة، وجَعْلُه نبيًا كذلك، لكن القصد فيما ذكرته من المآثر، هو من قبيل محبة خاصة من الله تعالى للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم تميَّز بها عن غيره من الأنبياء عليهم الصلاة والسلام. ولايمكن استقصاء الآيات في بحثنا هذا؛ لأنه في السنة وليس في القرآن الكريم، لكنني أذكر من الآيات بقدر ما تدعو إليه الضرورة. [23])) جامع الترمذي: أبواب تفسير القرآن عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، باب وَمِنْ سُورَةِ الفتح، ص742، ح3263عَنْ أَنَسٍ، وقال: حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ. وَفِيهِ عَنْ مُجَمِّعِ بْنِ جَارِيَةَ.

A Detaled Paper on Ahmed Shawqi

THE PORTRAIT OF AHMED SHAWQI (A Modern Egyptian Muslim Arabic Poet 1868-1932) Dr. Z. I. OSENI The clash between the technologically advanced West and the culturally decadent Arab lands at the close of the 13th century C.E. brought in its wake radical changes in Egypt and other Arab countries. This clash was, at the outset, military. In his bid to fight the British in all fronts Napoleon Bonaparte of France invaded Egypt in 1798. Though his stay in Egypt was short-lived, it served as a fillip to cultural renaissance in Arab Lands. It dawned on the Arabs that for centuries they had been in a state of torpidity, and that the flag of learning and enlightenment had been snatched away from them by the West. As a reaction to this reawakening there were internal changes in the area as well as attempts to imitate the West. The Muslim majority looked inwards and concluded that they were backward because they were not practicing Islam the way it ought to be practiced. The new environment produced pan-Islamic scholars like Jamal al-Din al-Afghani and Muhammad Abduh, to name only two, whose revolutionary impact on Modern Muslims and their attitude to modernization is great[1]. The changes also produced literary scholars and poets who were bent on ridding Arabic literature of the rigidity and decadence with which it had been afflicted for centuries since the fall of the Abbīsid Empire in 1258. Such scholars include Nīsif al-Yīzijḍ (1800-1871), Ahmad Faris al-Shidyīq (1804-1887), Butrus al-Bustani (1819-83) Abdullīhḍ al Nadim (1844-1896), Ibrahim al-Muwaylihḍ (1845-1904) and his son Muhammad al-Muwaylihḍ (1868-1930), Marun al-Naqqash (1817-1855), Mahmud Sami al-Barudi (1839-1904), Hafiz Ibrahim (1871-1932) and Ahmad Shawqi. This paper is essentially a study of the last mentioned personality, namely, Ahmad Shawqi. It is divided into four sections. The first one dwells on the life of the poet while the second section covers his literary works. These include his diwan (anthology) called al-Shawqiyyat, his poetic plays and his prose works. The third section treats the poet’s attitude to religion, particularly Islam. The last section is the conclusion. Notes and references as well as an appendix containing the Arabic original of quoted extracts are given after the conclusion. It is hoped that the article will throw some light on Ahmad Shawqi the African Arab Poet, his literary activities and his miheu. It is also hoped that it will help students of Arabic literature, literary historians and critics to understand more about the personage called Shawqi and his place in modern Arabic literature. Ahmad Shawqi’s Life Ahmad Shawqi is a well known modern Arabic poet among the neo-classicists who were bent on reviving the cherished traits of classical poetry after half a millennium of decadence (inhitat) and rigidity (Jumud) in Arabic poetry.[2] Born in 1868 of fairly wealthy parents of mixed Arab, Turkish, Circassian and Greek origins, he was brought up in the modern secular schools of Egypt in addition to his Qur’anic training. After his secondary education in Egypt, he was sent to Europe by the Khedive Tawfiq,’ ruler of Egypt (1879-92) to study law and literature. The poet was to spend two years in Montpellier and two years in Paris. On the day of his departure from Cairo, the Khedive gave him one hundred pounds and promised to pay him a sum of sixteen pounds monthly. He warned the Paris bound budding poet not to worry his parents whenever he needed money and that he was ready to take full responsibility of all his financial needs.[3] This undoubtedly had a great impact on the mind of Shawqi. Little wonder then that he showered his encomiums upon the Khedive and his successor, Abbīs Hilmi (reigned 1892-1914) whose attitude towards the poet was not less favourable. When the poet returned to Egypt in 1891, he was appointed to a high office in the court and soon became the favourite bard of the Khedive Abbas Hilmi. As M.M. Badawi puts it:[4] “He composed panegyrical poems on official occasion such as the anniversary of Abbas’s accession to the throne and expressed the Khedive’s official poetry in his poems praising the Ottoman Caliph or criticizing British policy in Egypt.” In September 1894, Ahmad Shawqi was delegated to represent Egypt in the conference of Orientalists held in Geneva[5]. During the conference, the poet recited an elegant poem captioned “Kibar al-hawadith fi wadi al-Nil” (Great Events in the Nile valley), in such a brilliant manner that won him the hearts of his audience[6]. Thus much of the poet’s time “was consumed by his office at the court which he occupied for over twenty years, and which, although conferred prestige and power”[7] upon him as ‘shair al-Umara’ (poet of the princes) in Egypt, also cost him some of his freedom. Nevertheless, Shawqi tried at the same time to compose a multiplicity of poems which were outside the scope of his official functions. When the first World War broke out in 1914, the British government prevented the Khedive, Abbas from entering Egypt. He was deposed in his absence while on a visit to the Ottoman Caliph in Istanbul. The action was due to the khedive’s known solidarity with the Ottoman government which was in alliance with Germany, Britain’s deadly foe[8]. Sultan Hasayn Kamil (1914-17) was appointed in his place. The British promptly annexed Egypt and declared it a protectorate. Ahmad Shawqi’s attachment to the Khedival court and his sympathy for the Ottoman Caliphate were no secret. He could not pretend to be neutral, for his vituperative attacks on the British in his much publicized poetry were clear evidence of his stand. As a security measure, the British wanted to exile him to Malta in 1915, but some state dignitaries interceded for him; he was then given the option to choose where he would like to be exiled to.[9] He chose Barcelona in Spain, and was promptly sent there in the company of his family. He was allowed to return to his home country towards the end of 1919.[10] In Spain the poet’s virtuosity was enhanced. He developed great interest in Spanish Arabic poetry, particularly that of Ibn Zaydun. He composed many poems on the past glory of the Arabs in the Iberian Peninsula and gave vent to his deep nostalgia for Egypt in meditative and highly emotional poetry.[11] At the end of the war, the poet returned to Egypt. At this time he was no longer the partly restricted poet of the court. He became more and more attracted by the nationalist aspirations of his people. He, like Hafiz Ibrahim, became one of the mouth-pieces of Egyptian nationalists more especially in the 1919 insurrection by the youths against British imperialism.[12] Thus it was evident that Shawqi’s exile to Spain was a blessing in disguise. He learnt much and perhaps, discovered his natural talents more than ever before, and strove vigorously to attain the title of Amir al-Shucara (the prince of poets). “Why should he not strive to attain such a coveted title?” one may ask. Was he not known as Shair al-Umara (the poet of princes) right from his youthful days as a poet laureate at the Khedival court? Have the Arabs not been saying that Kalam al-muluk muluk al-Kalam (the words of kings are the kings of words), and that adat al-sadat Sadat al-adat (the habits of masters are the masters of habits)?[13] This second phase of the poet’s life was also noted for the writing of his poetic plays, the only exception being Ali Bayk al-Kabir (1893).[14] The poet was married to a young lady from a well-to-do family. She brought a lot of wealth to the matrimonial home from her father. This further augmented his comfort and stability. He had three children by her; a girl, Aminah, and two boys whom he named Ali and Husayn respectively.[15] The poetic life of Shawqi’s rose to its apogee in 1927 when a conference was held in Egypt by literary scholars from all over the Arab world, and the title of Amir al-Shuara’ was conferred upon him. Long and impressive speeches were made to show how unparalleled the poet’s position was in the art of Arabic poetry.[16] It was on that occasion that Hafiz Ibrahim, another talented Egyptian poet (1871-1932) described Shawqi thus: “O Prince of rhymes, I’ve come to pay (you) homage and these are The groups from the East who joined me in paying (you) homage”.[17] Shawqi continued to enjoy an unmitigated flow of poetic inspiration and the adoration of Egyptians and other Arabs until his death in October 14th, 1932. Funeral citations were made in the Royal Opera House under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and a group of literary dignitaries. Many scholars from all over the Arab world were invited to the ceremony and the Egyptian monarch, King Fu’ad, was represented at the ceremony.[18] SHAWQI’S LITERARY WORKS The poet’s literary productions are many and varied. They include his al-Shawqiyyat (an anthology in four volumes), a number of poetic works on drama, an historical piece in verse and many prose works. Below is a brief introduction: 1. The Shawqiyyat: The poet published the first volume of his poetry captioned al- Shawqiyyat in 1898.[19] His poems, like his contemporaries’, generally appeared first in the newspapers, magazines and journals of the time such as al-Ahram, al-Mu ‘ayyad, al-Liwa, al-Majallat al-Misriyyah, Ukaz, and al-Zuhur.[20] It was much later that his selected works were published in four volumes called al‑Shawqiyyat. In the new edition of volume I of al-Shawqiyyat (1925) which was introduced by Dr. Muhammad Husayn Haykal, the most spectacular poems in this collection of sixty-one poems are Kibar al-hawadith fi wadi al-Nil (Important Events in the Nile Valley), Sada al-harb (the Echo of War), and Nahj al-Burdah (in the manner of the Mantle) which is a eulogy of the Prophet Muhammad meant to be read during the Mawlid al- Nabi celebrations.[21] Treated in this part also are socio-political and historical themes such as poems on Mustafa Kamil’s victory over the Greek, a lamentation of the abolition of the Caliphate by Mustafa Kamal of Turkey, a halt at the graveside of Napoleon Bonaparte, and a poem entitled al-Andalus al-Jadidah (The New Spain). The second volume of the Diwan (1930) contains one hundred and seven poems arranged under three headings: (a) al-Wasf (descriptive poems), (b) al-Nasib (elegiac reminiscence at the beloved one’s deserted encampments), and (c) Mutafarriqat (miscellaneous odes).[22] Poems in each section are arranged alphabetically. Conspicuous among the poems in this part are “Ayat al-asr fi sama’ Misr” (the sign of the Time in the sky of Egypt), “al-Busfur Ka-annaka tara-hu” (The Bosphorus as if you are seeing it), “al-Siniyyat al-Andalusiyyah” (The Andalusian Ode in S-Rhyme), and “Khada ‘uha” (They Deceived Her). Paregyrical poems have been omitted from this part, but the nasib, as has been mentioned, remains. It is here that one finds Shawqi’s famous elegant verse which summarizes a typical love story: “A look, then a smile and greeting Followed by talking, dating, and then meeting”.[23] This volume of the Shawqiyyat also contains “Marra’ al-Lurd Kitshinar” (The Fall of Lord Kitchener), “al-Nasr al-Misri” (The Egyptian Eagle), and Saqr Quraysh (the Hawk of Quraysh) which is a story about Abd al-Rahman al-Dakhil in strophic Andalusian verse.[24] In 1936, the third volume of the poet’s anthology was published; this contains fifty-nine elegiac poems. It was befitting tribute to Ahmad Shawqi that his elegies on notable personalities both in the Arab and Western worlds were published in one volume four years after his demise. These elegies follow the traditional pattern, and the bard’s neo-classicist proclivities are glaringly noticeable here as in may other genres of Arabic poetry he treated. Some of the elegies are on people like Hafiz Ibrahim, Said Zaghlul, Mustafa Kamil, Muhammad Abduh, Qasim Amin, Jurji Zaydan, Victor Hugo, Tolstoy, Verdi, Tharwat Pasha, Yaqub Sarruf, Sultan Husayn Kamil, al-Manfaluti, Butrus Ghali, and the poet’s own mother who died when he was away in Spain.[25] The fourth volume appeared in 1943. The 129 poems in this volume are classified under the following headings: (a) Mutafarriqat fi al-siyasah wa al-tarikh wa al-ijtima (Miscellaneous poems on political, historical and social issues); (b) Al-Khususiyyat (personal notes); (c) Al-Hakayah (Fables);[26] (d) Diwan al-Atfal (Children’s Anthology); (e) Min Shir al-siba (Of childhood verses), and (f) Mahjubiyyat (Light-hearted poems on his good friend, Dr. Mahjub Thabit)[27] In 1961, a scholar named Muhammad Sabri published two further volumes entitled “Al-Shawqiyyat al-Majhulah” (the Unknown Shawqiyyat), but the authorship of some of the poems in the book, according to Dr. M. M. Badawi, has not yet been established beyond all doubt.[28] Until the authenticity of the volume’s content is proved, by further research, let us be contented for now with the known shawqiyyat. 2. Shawqi’s Other Poetical Works Besides the Shawqiyyat, the poet published the following plays in verse: (a) Ali Baykaw ma hiya Dawlat al-Mamalik (1893), the revised version of which was published as `Ali Bayk al-Kabir (‘‘Ali Bey the Great) in 1932) (b) Masra Kilyubatrah (The Fall of Cleopatra), 1929,[29] (c) Qambiz (Cambyses), 1931. (d) Majnun Layla (1931) which is a dramatisation of the well-known desert romance of Qays narrated in al-Isbaharu’s Kitab al-Aghani.[30] (e) Antar (1932). This deals with the ancient Arabic romance of love and chivalry. (f) Al-Sittah Huda (a one-verse comedy about a contemporary Egyptian lady). This was published long after the poet’s death. In addition to the above plays in poetic form, the poet wrote and published a historical work in verse. The book is captioned Duwal al-Arab Wa Uzama’ al-Islam (The Arab States and the Notable of Islam). This work saw the light of the day after the poet’s death. 3. Shawqi’s Prose Works Ahmad Shawqi is known all over the Arab world as a poet who tried his hand at every imaginable poetic theme known in Arabic literature. In addition to his undying fame as a poet, he wrote the following five prose romances: (a) Adhra al-Hind (1897). This work introduces the reader to the ancient history of Egypt. (b) Ladiyas (1899). This romance is about the last of the Pharaohs of Egypt. (c) Shaytan Binta’ur (1899); this was published in al-Majallat al-Misriyyah. (d) Waraqat al-As (1904). This work has less rhyming prose than others. It treats ancient history as far back as the time of Sabur, the King of Persia.[31] (e) The poet also wrote an ornate work of rhyming prose entitled Aswaq al-Dhahab (the Markets of Gold). The book appeared in 1932. It contains articles in which the writer[32] expressed his views on topics like freedom, the nation, Suez Canal, the pyramids, death, the unknown soldier, etc. It also contains proverbs and aphorisms some of which are drawn from Shawqi’s personal experience.[33] The title of the book reminds one of al-Zamakhshari’s work Atwaq al- Dhahab (The Collars of Gold) which is a classical collection of proverbs written in the early part of twelfth century C. E. (f) He also wrote a play in prose captioned Amirat al-Andalus (The Princes of Andalusia), 1932. The events in the play are said to have happened in Spain & Morocco in the eleventh century C. E.[34] III Islam in Shawqi’s Works. Islam as a religion and way of life influenced the poet greatly in his literary works. He was learned in Islamic Studies such as the Qur’an, Sirah (the biography of the Prophet Muhammad) and the Hadith (the Traditions of the Prophet P.B.U.H.). Shawqi’s knowledge of these branches of Islamic Studies was not just a superficial one’. Rather his Shawqiyyat are replete with Islamic elements which portray his Islamic background. In the poems which are specifically devoted to the Prophet Muhammad, e.g. Nahj al-Burdah - a poem of 190 verses composed in 1910; Dhikr al-Mawlid (1911) which contains 99 verses; and al-Hamziyyat al-Nabawiyyah (1912) which contains 131 verses, the poet’s deep knowledge of the Sirah of the Prophet is indubitably established. In these works, Shawqi showered all imaginable praises upon the Prophet in a manner that equaled the renowned al-Busiri’s. Take for instance the following verses from Nahj al-Burdah: The full moon is beneath you in beauty and honour And the sea is below you in goodness and generosity; The mountan’s heights become low when you measure yourself against it; And whenever you compete with the bright stars you win. The lion in its daring enterprise is below you in courage, When you walk up to a man armed to the teeth. The hearts of heroes and stalwarts yearn to you Even when you cause them to bleed during the war. 5. God has indeed put His love and honour on the son of Aminah in all encounters. Your face amidst dust is like the full moon of the night, shining whether covered or not; A full moon rising at Badr: its light is comparable to the light of victory which illuminates the darkest of nights. You’re mentioned in the Qur’an as a (lonely) orphan as a mark of respect For the value of a hidden pearl is in its (lonely) uniqueness. While God shared people’s sustenance amongst them God you were given the choice of sustenance and shares. 10 If you say ‘No’ or ‘Yes’ about any matter, God’s choice will be the ‘No’ or ‘Yes’ emanating from you. Your brother, Jesus, raised a dead man to life While you gave life to generations from decay. Ignorance is death; if you’re given a miracle Raise (people) from ignorance or from the tomb.[35] In his humble conclusion of Nahj al-Burdah, Shawqi says: If my sins are too enormous to forgive, I have hope In God which put me under the best protector; And I meet my request as the protector is dear to Him, Who removes all anxieties and grief's in the two worlds.[36] The poet believed very strongly in God and did not fail to express this unshakable belief in his poems[37] He also loved Islam very much and tried not to compromise his faith whatever be the situation. Hence he regarded Islam as the seal of religion thus: “Those are the signs of the Criterion which God sent as light and by it guides whomsoever He wills. The signs abrogated the way of the Prophets And Apostles as light overshadows lesser lights.”[38] The poet was not, however, an Islamic fanatic; he composed poems to eulogize Jesus as a prophet of God. An example is: “Jesus, your way is mercy and love, Purity and peace in the universe. You were neither a shedder of blood Nor a man who looked down on the weak and orphans. “[39] He attacked the followers of Jesus who were belligerent and oppressive, and reminded them that their ways were different from Jesus’ own. He says: “Jesus and his disciples wash their hands of them; Could the followers of the compassionate Jesus be harsh? They’re hostile to a religion, not to an empire; Their pretension and complaint are false.”[40] Thus Shawqi made sure that he did not overstep the bounds of Islam in his eulogy of Jesus. He pleased the Copts and the Christian Arabs as well as his Muslim brothers. Perhaps, his education in Europe and his contacts with many people from different climes and faiths contributed to this much liberal attitude in his consideration of Christianity.[41] Nevertheless, the poet saw the Sultan of Turkey as the symbol of Islam and consequently eulogized the Ottoman Caliphs in Istanbul in a number of poems. Addressing a Caliph he says: “You’re always the Refuge of Religion and the Guide By whom we intimately move near to God”[42] This explains why he was shocked to the marrow when Mustafa Kamal (Attaturk) abolished the Caliphate in 1924 in an attempt to modernize Turkey along European lines. Shawqi lamented the abolition passionately in a poem entitled Khilafat al-Islam.[43] He composed beautiful lines on Salah (formal prayer), Zakah (poor-rate), and Siyam (fasting), and practised them with zeal in his life-time. In his Aswaq al-Dhahab he describes Salah as follows: If it were not the head of acts of worship, it would have been regarded as a righteous religious act, an exercise of the body, purification of clothes, a means of baring the emotion, and (a pointer to) various good qualities on which young girls and boys should grow.[44] The poet was generous and paid his Zakah and even exceeded the normal rate to express his gratitude to God for His grace and mercy.[45] In spite of his religious disposition, one is not suggesting that Shawqi was a perfect Muslim. The poet used to drink wine and has a number of Bacchanalian verses in his Diwan.[46] One finds it difficult to defend the poet on this issue, especially if one recognise the fact that he advised workers not to take alcohol.[47] This is the same poet who, despite his picturesque poem on pilgrimage to Mecca captioned Ila Arafat Allah (to God’s Arafat) in which he piously discussed the pilgrimage, and petitions God to have mercy on His servants, refused to perform the holy pilgrimage in 1911 when the Khedive asked him to accompany him in the holy journey. He never performed this obligatory duty in his life.[48] It is said that he dreaded riding on a camel and that, this is why he did not follow the Khedive to Mecca.[49] One must emphasis the indefensibility of Shawqi’s act here. In view of the Khedive’s exalted position, no Hajj could be more comfortable to the poet than accompanying him to Mecca. He looked for excuses and failed to perform the Hajj but went to spend his summer holiday in Europe and Lebanon almost every year until his death in 1932.[50] As a versatile artist, he frequented social gatherings, cinema and dance houses. But as he advanced in age, his appetite for these fleeting things decreased.[51] In his last days, he had dramatically cut down his hedonistic engagements. He contented himself with the study of Islamic religious books such as al- Ghazali’s and repented fervently for his past indulgences.[52] CONCLUSION To sum up, Ahmad Shawqi has proved through his poetic experimentation in Arabic that the language is capable of expressing almost everything under the sun appropriately. He used the classical language to express modern terms and this he did admirably. He is known in modern Arabic literature as Amir al-Shuara, (the prince of poets) whose poetry is more comprehensive then any other poet’s - both past and present-as far as the Arabic language is concerned.[53] There is no doubt that in addition to his poetic virtuosity, his contact with some other cultures, particularly French and English, helped him in no small measure to widen his horizon and fertilise his ideas. A close look at the second section of this paper reveals his versatility in the poetic art though owing to space economy, it has not been possible to give elaborate illustrations of the various themes on which he composed. The ease with which he described modern inventions like the aeroplane in his poetry while using old Arabic idioms, for example, is fascinating. Shawqi proved in his works that he was a threnodist, eulogist, didactic poet, social critic, outspoken politician, bucolic singer, bacchanalian bard, fabulist, writer of juvenile stories, play-wright, historian, and Islamic Scholar with a bias to the field of Sirah (biography of the Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H.). Indeed his emergence as a poet marked the maturation of modern Arabic poetry, a phenomenon whose foundation was laid by literary figures liKe Nīsif al-Yaziji, Ahmad Faris al-Shidyaq and al-Barudi in the early years of the renaissance of Arabic literature. Notes and References [1] For a detailed account of the results of the clash between the West and the Arab world, see Albert Hourani, Arabic Thought in the Liberal Age 1798 - 1939. (London, Oxford University Press, 1970). [2] M. M. Badawi, A Critical Introduction to Modern Arabic Poetry (London, Cambridge University Press 1975), p. 29. [3] Fu’ad Ifram al-Bustani, Ahmad Shawqi, Al-Rawa’i XLVIII, (Beirut, Catholic Press, 1959), p. iii. [4] Badawi, op.cit., p.29 Hanna al-Fakhuri, Tarikh al-Adab al-Arabi 2nd Edition Beirut, Matbaat al-Bulisiyyah, 1953), p. 984. [5] Al-Bustani,op.cit.,p.v. [6] Badawi,op.cit.,p.29. [7] Al-Bustani, op. cit., p. ix [8] Al-Fakhuri,op.cit.,p.984. [9] Al-Bustani,op.cit.,p.x. [10] Badawi op.cit.,p;29. [11] See A. Hourani, op.cit., pp.193-244. A talented Egyptian novelist Najib Mahfuz (Naguib Mahfuz) has aptly fictionalized this period in his Bayn al‑Qasrayn, the first of his Trilogy. [12] Al-Bustani,op.cit.,XLIX, p. xii. [13] Badawi,op.cit.,p.30 [14] Al-Fakhuri,op.cit.,p.973. [15] Abbas Hasan, Al-Mutanabbi wa Shawqi wa Imarat al-Shier. (Cairo, Dar al-Ma-arif, 1073), pp. 7-8, and 387 - 9. [16] Al-Bustani,op.cit., XLIX, p. xii. One may question the sincerity of this declaration on the part of Hafiz Ibrahim in. view of the reference to his disguised criticism of Shawqi’s poetry in R.C. Ostle (ed.) Studies in Modern Arabic Literature. (London, S.O.A.S., University of London 1975) pp. 1-13. For the Arabic original of the verse, see the Appendix, Number 1. [17] Ahmad Hasan al-Zayyat, Tarikh al-Adab al-Arabi. 21st Edition. (Cairo, Maktabah Nahdah Misr, n.d.) P. 501. [18] I have not been able to obtain a copy of this edition. Shakib Arslan, a close friend of Ahmad Shawqi, suggested the title al- Shawqiyyat to the author. [19] See Ostle op.cit., p. 3. [20] Badawi, op. cit., p. 30 [21] Mawlid al-Nabi is the celebration of the Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) which is observed every year all over the Muslim world. In composing his Nahj al-Burdah, Shawqi imitated the celebrated panegyric composed by Muhammad al-Busiri for the Prophet Muhammad which is called al-Burdah (the Mantle). The title is said to have been taken from the mantle which was given to al-Busiri in a dream by the Prophet when he was afflicted with paralysis. After the receipt of the mantle, he was miraculously healed. This is how his eulogy for the Prophet which he captioned “al-Kawakib al-Durriyyah fi Madh Khayr al-Barriyyah” came to be known as al-Burdah. It should be recalled that originally the Prophet gave a mantle of his to Kab b. Zuhayr b. Abi Sulina, a young poet of his time who first satirized him and later composed the famous Banat Suad to praise the Prophet. See art. “Burdah” in The Encyclopaedia of Islam New Edition. Vol. I (Leiden, E.J. Brill, 1960) p. 1314. Ahmad Shawqi dedicated his own poem to “our master, al-Hajj Abbas Hilmi II” to commemorate the Khedive’s holy pilgrimage to Mecca in 1909. Al-Bustani, op.cit., XLIX, p. v. [22] Ibid. p. vi. [23] The Arabic original of this verse is in the Appendix, Number 2. [24] Ibid., pp. vi - vii. [25] Badawi, op. cit., p. 35. [26] The fables are fifty-four in number, and contain 709 verses covering sixty-five pages of the fourth volume of al-Shawqiyyat pp. 94-158. See Z.I. Oseni, “Sources of Ahmad Shawqi’s Fables in verse,” NATAIS: Journal of the Nigerian Association of Teacher of Arabic & Islamic Studies, Vol. II no. 2 Dec., 1981, p. 54. [27] It should be noted that in this study, the editions of al- Shawqiyyat used are later ones volumes I & II are bound together in one book (Cairo, Matbaat al-Istiqamah, 1958) while volumes III & IV are also bound together in another volume (Cairo, Matbaat al- Istiqamah, 1956) [28] Badawi, op. cit., p. 30. See also Ahmad al-Hufi, Al-Islam f i Shir Shawqi. (Cairo, The Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs of Egypt, 1972) pp. 8-9 where some poems which are not in al-Shawqiyyat are quoted. The poems were earlier published in Egyptian magazines. All these findings further attest the greatness of this poet. [29] A study of this play had been undertaken in M.A. Bidmus, “Masra` Kilyubatrah of Ahmad Shawqi - A literary study and an English Translation”, an unpublished M.A. Degree Project (Ibadan, Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Ibadan, September, 1980). [30] This work has been studied and evaluated in B.A. Omotoso, “Majnun Layla of Ahmad Shawqi: Its place in modern Arabic Literature,” an unpublished B.A. Hons. Degree long essay. (Ibadan, Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Ibadan, June 1968). [31] Al-Fakhuri, op. cit., p. 987. [32] Badawi, op. cit., p. 30 [33] Al-Fakhuri, op. cit., p. 988. [34] Ibid., p. 1021. [35] Ahmad Shawqi, al-Shawqiyyat, I, p. 241. For the Arabic original see the Appendix, Number 3. [36] Ibid., I, p. 244. For the Arabic original see the Appendix, Number 4. [37] Ibid, I, pp. 10 and 30 and II, pp. 36 and 120. [38] Ibid, I, pp. 15 and 24. See the Arabic original in the Appendix, Number 5. [39] Ibid, I, p. 287 - See the Arabic original in the Appendix, Number 6. [40] Ibid, I, p. 188. See the Arabic original in the Appendix, Number 7. [41] See al-Fakhuri, op. cit., p. 1001 and Badawi, op. cit., p. 40 [42] See al-Shawqiyyat I, pp. 92, 108 and 198 and II, p. 39. See also a poem entitled “Dajj al-Hajj” with which he appealed to the Caliph Abd al-Hamid to deal with the Sharif (ruler) of Mecca, Awn al-Rafiq’ who terrorized innocent pilgrims in 1904. Ibid, I, p. 254. See also al-Hufi, op. cit., pp. 172-3. For the Arabic original of the above line, see the Appendix, Number 8. [43] Al-Shawqiyyat, I, p. 106. [44] Al-Hufi, op. it., pp. 40-41. For the Arabic original of this passage see the Appendix, Number 9. [45] This was confirmed by his close friend, Shakib Arslan. Ibid pp. 41 and 44. In the Shawqiyyat I, p. 26, the poet refers to Zakah as a socialistic element which God introduced through Islam. [46] Al-Shawqiyyat, I, p. III and II, p. 8, 92 and 145. [47] Ibid. I, p. 95 [48] Al-Hufi, op. cit., pp. 48-50. [49] Ibid. [50] Al-Fakhuri, op. cit., p. 984. [51] Ahmad al-Iskandari et al, Al-Mufassal fi tarikh al-Adab al-Arabi, Book II. (Cairo, Ministry of Education, n.d. P. 284. [52] Al-Hufi, op. cit., p. 11. [53] Abbas, Hasan, op. cit., pp. 7-8 and 387-9

Love & Courtship in the Poetry of Ahmad Shawqi Nada Yousuf Al-Rifai SHAWQI, EGYPT'S SHAKESPEARE Muhammad Mahdi Allam, born in 1900, was an Egyptian man of letters who studied in England and graduated from the University of London from which he was awarded certificates in Hebrew and Persian languages. In 1934, he wrote in an introductory essay: ‘Yet I say it uncomplicatedly and outspokenly, Shawqi is Egypt's Shakespeare’[1]. Ahmad Shawqi (1868–1932), the undisputed prince of poets (Ameer Al-shu’araa), was the greatest Arab poet in modern times. He was also the leader of the school of renovators based on preamble ancient Arabic poetry. He reflected the status and politics of the scepter of the royal palace in which he was brought up. Thus, his poetic tongue was radical in its origin, but his character belonged to the extreme right and within the traditions of the conservative aristocracy in Egypt. Shawqi, the poet of the twentieth century, found beauty in everything, including the past, the present, nature, and women. He had a pure tongue in mentioning women even in his courting that flew with rich emotions, delicate sensations, and glowing feelings transcending above profligacy and dissipation. ‘God granted Shawqi an eloquent tongue, and an inspired spirit, thus he lived with a beating heart, dreaming eyes, and a chest filled with poetry by which he existed in the realm of imagination, amid the quarters of beauty, there from where love and description come out’ [2]. Shawqi showed qualities of a religious man who directs himself to what he holds true of the characteristics of Islam. He intended to clarify and increase Islam’s lofty truths and was one of those who reinforced a high edifice of the love of Islam and respect to the Prophet in the hearts of the Eastern masses, peace be upon him, through the poems that he composed in praise of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. The owner of Al-Ma’refa magazine used to present Shawqi’s poems with the title ‘Poet of the East and Islam’ so when Shawqi later met him he smiled at his face and said to him: ‘Calling me the Poet of Islam is dearer to me than this resonant title given to me by the journalists, because I really hope to be The Poet of Islam’ [3]. The writer Muhammad Al-Taftazani said: ‘Shawqi preferred to be nicknamed The Poet of Islam, and he was pleased by this title more than he was pleased by the title of Prince of poets’. He added: ‘I remember on the occasion of talking about Shawqi's Islamic spirit that he granted Al-Ma'refa magazine at the beginning of its second year and some of the rare jewels that he had collected in his book (Gold Markets) before it was printed. I presented this book to the readers under the title The Poet of the East and Islam rather than the Prince of Poets. When I met him later on, he had a halo of happiness covering his bright laughing face while he said to me: “as if you mister uttered through the tongue of the unseen, the title of Poet of Islam is dearer to me than this resonant title which the journalists call me by. I hope to be the Poet of Islam really” ’[4]. 145 Copyright © Society for Science and Education, United Kingdom Al-Rifai, N. Y. (2019). Love & Courtship in the Poetry of Ahmad Shawqi. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 6(10) 145-162. 146 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.610.7237. It might be that this penetration of religious sentiment prevented Shawqi from degrading his poetry with shameless and nonsense subjects as many other poets did in the Eastern and Western worlds. As for Shawqi, he had a chaste tongue since he never in his life wrote a line that he would be ashamed to read. Muhammad Hussein Haykal, (1888–1956), the famous Egyptian writer, journalist, politician, and Minister of Education in Egypt, wrote in the introduction of the first edition of Shawqi’s poetry collection (Al-Shawqiyat): ‘Shawqi studied in Egypt, then completed his studies in Europe where he was significantly influenced by the European medium, the European lifestyle and the European poetry. The influence of both environments remained apparent in his life and in his poetry. You almost feel when your review parts of his poetry collection like you were in front of two different men with no connection between one and the other, yet both of them is a naturally disposed poet reaching the top heavens of poetry, both of them being an Egyptian who loves Egypt to the extent of sanctification and worship’. Apart from this, each one of the two men is different from the other: one is a believer filled with faith, while the other man is a worldly man who sees life’s hopes and goals in the world’s pleasures. In his poetry, there are two independent images of life as if written by two persons; although alcohol is banned in Islam, you can read from the poetry of his youth as if he is describing a glass of wine : ﺣ ﻒ ﻛ ﺄ ﺳ ﮭ ﺎ ا ﻟ ﺤ ﺒ ﺐ ﻓ ﮭ ﻲ ﻓ ﻀ ﺔ ذ ھ ﺐ Its cup is bordered by beads, of silver and gold. When you read the words: ر ﻣ ﻀ ﺎ ن و ﻟ ﻰ ، ھ ﺎ ﺗ ﮭ ﺎ ﯾ ﺎ ﺳ ﺎ ﻗ ﻲ ﻣ ﺸ ﺘ ﺎ ﻗ ﺔ ﺗ ﺴ ﻌ ﻰ إ ﻟ ﻰ ﻣ ﺸ ﺘ ﺎ ق Ramadan has gone, bring it, oh waiter, A craver seeking a craver. Hence you find yourself in the presence of a poet who is fond of life, its pleasures, and delights, a poet whose spirit is very different from the author of the prophetic praising poem (Hamziyah) in which you read a description of prophet Muhammad’s holy birth: و ﻟ ﺪ ا ﻟ ﮭ ﺪ ى ، ﻓ ﺎ ﻟ ﻜ ﺎ ﺋ ﻨ ﺎ ت ﺿ ﯿ ﺎ ء و ﻓ ﻢ ا ﻟ ﺰ ﻣ ﺎ ن ﺗ ﺒ ﺴ ﻢ و ﺛ ﻨ ﺎ ء Guidance was born, all living beings are lighted, the mouth of time is smiling and praising. How did duality exist? How did Shawqi combine within himself these two poets? One was the poet of Arab life, its Islamic civilization, ancientness and faith, and the other was the poet of the Western way of life ruled by modern science and its daily new inventions [5]? Shawqi's love poems are marked by excessive emotional tenderness. They express a lover’s courting routine and could never be a tradition of hereditary debris even if they seemed to be. They are in fact the love songs of a man who knew the meaning of the suffering caused by loving a woman and then described this experience with a poet’s sentiment [6]. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.6, Issue 10 Oct-2019 SHAWQI'S WIFE: Hussein Shawqi (in his book: Abi Shawqi [My father Shawqi]) described his mother with total reverence and brevity. He described her with the utmost tenderness, and according to his father, she resembled an Ankaran cat spoken in reference to her Turkish origin and the fact that cats were very soft but also disdained!! The son attributes a great deal of the success of his father to his mother and her gentle nature: ‘If my father was led to success in his literary life, the greatest favor was due to my mother's nature, and her infinite kindness, she never blamed him in his whole life, although he was sometimes to be blamed’ [7]. One of the shortest streets in Egypt does not extend more than a few steps and is located in the suburb of Giza, but we constructed it to commemorate the greatest poet in the history of Egypt. It is Ahmad Shawqi Street. The poet died on October 14, 1932 as the sun set. There, on the top of the road, lies Shawqi’s house, Karmat Ibn Hani (Ibn Hani’s Vine), as he had named it. It was in Al-Matariya and then moved to Al-Giza, with its garden, windows and balconies overlooking the banks of the Eternal Nile River as if asking for its late Lord. ﻣ ـ ﻦ أ ي ﻋ ـ ﮭ ـ ﺪ ﻓ ـ ﻲ ا ﻟ ـ ﻮ ر ى ﺗ ـ ﺘ ـ ﺪ ﻓ ـ ﻖ ؟ و ﺑ ﺄ ي ﻛ ـ ﻒ ﻓ ـ ﻲ ا ﻟ ﻤ ﺪ ا ﺋ ـ ﻦ ﺗ ﻐ ـ ﺪ ق ؟ و ﻣ ﻦ ا ﻟ ﺴ ﻤ ﺎ ء ﻧ ﺰ ﻟ ـ ﺖ ؟ أ م ﻓ ﺠ ـ ﺮ ت ﻣ ﻦ From which era do you flow into the villages? And by which hand do you inundate into the cities? Did you come down from the sky? Or did you gust, rippling streams from highest heavens? ﻋ ﻠ ﯿ ـ ﺎ ا ﻟ ﺠ ﻨ ﺎ ن ﺟ ـ ﺪ ا و ﻻ ﺗ ﺘ ـ ﺮ ﻗ ـ ﺮ ق ؟ This is Karmat Ibn Hani, Shawqi's house, the location of poetry by the Prince of Poets. His eternal spirit remains within the house, his presence is still in every room, and there is still a cherished part of his spirit in every corner. The dearest one to him belonging to the rest of the family there is his dignified widow, who secluded herself most of her days in a corner of the garden, praying in the niche of her memories. This honorable lady, Shawqi’s wife, is a descendant of a house with a long tradition of ancient Turkey, the East, and Islam. Her mission in this worldly life was as a wife, a mother, and a housewife. She had nothing to do with poetry, except for her relationship to Shawqi as her husband. The limits of her connection to this worldly life are the door of this house in which she lives. Today, this Karma (vine) is sponsored by Shawqi’s youngest son Hussein, the gentle poet to whom the famous singer Abdel-Wahab sang from his poetry: The nights stayed up for him, what has love got to do with me He is also the elegant author, who wrote My friend Renan and My father Shawqi. Shawqi's two other children, Ali and Amina, have long since left the house to build other houses, taking in the grandsons of the Prince of Poets. Is there a person who has not known love in this life? So what about a poet? Or even the Prince of Poets? 147 Copyright © Society for Science and Education, United Kingdom Al-Rifai, N. Y. (2019). Love & Courtship in the Poetry of Ahmad Shawqi. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 6(10) 145-162. However, when you read what the others wrote about Shawqi, you will not recognize a particular woman who played a role in his emotional life. When you read Shawqi’s poetry you find love poems, yet they are not abundant or burning but rather smooth and elegant. What is baffling is that Shawqi's love poetry does not paint a well-defined image of a woman in his heart. Thus, I asked his son Hussein: ‘Don’t you know of your father’s love story? It is a loss to deprive history from such a story?’. Hussein unequivocally assured me: ‘Regretfully, he did not tell us throughout his life anything about that, despite being unpretentious with us in everything.’ Thus, I went to seek the truth from his companions, who lived with him, yet none of them gave me a clear answer. His friend Rami told me: ‘I asked him once; O Shawqi, had you ever fallen in love, and he said to me: “Why do you do this to yourself, Rami? Shift from one love to another, take from each beauty its meaning, and be like a bird who does not rest on one branch. Women are meanings, do not limit yourself to one meaning”.’ Rami adds that Shawqi preferred brunettes with Egyptian features, slim without sickness, and pale without weakness [8]. Courting represents a part of Shawqi’s poetry that cannot be neglected. There are 58 poems of varying lengths, some of them consisting of only two lines, while the longest one consists of 27 lines. It is difficult to accurately determine the history of most of these poems as they belong to the first half of the life of the poet and represent part of the poetry of the palace, which was brilliant and graceful but was not shameless. It seems that Shawqi wanted in particular to show off his talent in courting more than to express his own emotions. Since ancient times, Arabic poets used to place courtship as the theme of the opening lines of their poems. That method had its advantages as it paved the way for the poet to delve into the subject, and it mimics the music that precedes singing. Thus, it awakens the heart of the singer and sharpens his sense for chanting and warbling. Shawqi followed this course; thus, the courtship chapter in his poetry collection was mostly taken from the opening lines of his old praising poems. By using this method, he joined the majority of Arabic language poets who took courtship as a form of ornament for their poems [9]. NAHJ AL-BURDA Nahj Al-Burda is one of Shawqi’s longest poems. It is also one of the wonderful masterpieces woven by the Prince of Poets in praise of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in imitation to the famous Burda poem by Al-Busiri. Nahj al-Burda, written in 1909, consists of 190 lines in five parts or themes, the first of which is about courting following the old style of traditional Arabic poems. Shawqi, as shown in the introduction of its first edition (1910), dedicated this poem to his royal patron, the Khedive 'Abbas Hilmi II, upon his return from his Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah to commemorate the Hajj of the year 1909/1327. As for the language of courting in Nahj Al-Burda, its vocabulary shows us to what extent Shawqi borrowed from the stock of ancient poets to depict the ideal woman with all her decorations. Thus, we find the old words in the approach of Nahj Al-Burda, for example, his description of antelopes straying in wilderness, rather than depicting young girls who used to wander at his time in Cairo's palaces, on the beaches of Alexandria and Port Sa’eed, or on the banks of the Bosphorus. URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.610.7237. 148 Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.6, Issue 10 Oct-2019 Copyright © Society for Science and Education, United Kingdom 149 Following the traditional approach of the Arabic poems, Nahj Al-Burda starts with a gorgeous flirtatious introduction in which Shawqi depicts his beloved, who kills him with yearning and infatuation, wandering as a beautiful and graceful doe. * * * أ ﺣ ﻞ ﺳ ﻔ ﻚ د ﻣ ﻲ ﻓ ﻲ ا ﻷ ﺷ ﮭ ﺮ ا ﻟ ﺤ ﺮ م ﻢ ر ﯾ ﻢ ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ا ﻟ ﻘ ﺎ ع ﺑ ﯿ ﻦ ا ﻟ ﺒ ﺎ ن و ا ﻟ ﻌ ﻠ * * * ﯾ ﺎ و ﯾ ﺢ ﺟ ﻨ ﺒ ﻚ ﺑ ﺎ ﻟ ﺴ ﮭ ﻢ ا ﻟ ﻤ ﺼ ﯿ ﺐ ر ﻣ ﻲ ﻟ ﻤ ﺎ ر ﻧ ﺎ ﺣ ﺪ ﺛ ﺘ ﻨ ﻲ ا ﻟ ﻨ ﻔ ﺲ ﻗ ﺎ ﺋ ﻠ ﺔ * * * ﻟ ﻮ ﺷ ﻔ ﻚ ا ﻟ ﻮ ﺟ ﺪ ﻟ ﻢ ﺗ ﻌ ﺬ ل و ﻟ ﻢ ﺗ ﻠ ﻢ ﯾ ﺎ ﻻ ﺋ ﻤ ﻲ ﻓ ﻲ ھ ﻮ ا ه و ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى ﻗ ﺪ ر * * * و ر ب ﻣ ﻨ ﺘ ﺼ ﺖ و ا ﻟ ﻘ ﻠ ﺐ ﻓ ﻲ ﺻ ﻤ ﻢ أ ذ ﻧ ﺎ ﻏ ﯿ ﺮ و ا ﻋ ﯿ ﺔ ﻟ ﻘ ﺪ أ ﻧ ﻠ ﺘ ﻚ * * * أ ﺳ ﮭ ﺮ ت ﻣ ﻀ ﻨ ﺎ ك ﻓ ﻲ ﺣ ﻔ ﻆ ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى ﻓ ﻨ ﻢ ﯾ ﺎ ﻧ ﺎ ﻋ ﺲ ا ﻟ ﻄ ﺮ ف ﻻ ذ ﻗ ﺖ ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى أ ﺑ ﺪ ا ﺮ م * * * أ ﻏ ﺮ ا ك ﺑ ﺎ ﻟ ﺒ ﺨ ﻞ ﻣ ﻦ أ ﻏ ﺮ ا ه ﺑ ﺎ ﻟ ﻜ أ ﻓ ﺪ ﯾ ﻚ إ ﻟ ﻔ ﺎ و ﻻ آ ﻟ ﻮ ا ﻟ ﺨ ﯿ ﺎ ل ﻓ ﺪ ى A white Antelope on the plain between the Moringa trees and the mountain, Allowed the shedding of my blood in the holy months. When it stared at me, I said to myself, Oh, woe unto your side, it was thrown by the right-aimed arrow. O you who blame me in her love, whereas it is a fate, If you were touched by passion, you would not reprove and would not blame. I lent you an unconscious ear, how many a listener whose heart lies in deafness. O sleepy eyes, may you never taste love, you kept your worn-out lover awake, so have sleep. A thousand times would I be your ransom, would not desist imagination for redemption, You were tempted to be mean, when I tempted you with generosity. In another poem, Shawqi also addresses his beloved: و ﺣ ﻲ ﻓ ﺪ ا ه . . . ھ ﺬ ا ا ﻟ ﺘ ﺠ ـ ﻨ ﻲ ﻣ ﺎ ﻣ ﺪ ا ه ؟ ﻗ ﻮ ﻟ ﻮ ا ﻟ ﮫ ر أ ﻧ ﺎ ﻟ ﻢ أ ﻗ ﻢ ﺑ ﺼ ـ ﺪ و د ه . . . ﺣ ﺘ ﻰ ﯾ ﺤ ﻤ ـ ﻠ ﻨ ﻲ ﻧ ـ ـ ﻮ ا ه ﺗ ﺠ ﺮ ي ا ﻷ ﻣ ﻮ ر ﻟ ﻐ ﺎ ﯾ ـ ﺔ . . . إ ﻻ ﻋ ﺬ ا ﺑ ﻲ ﻓ ﻲ ھ ـ ـ ـ ﻮ ا ه ﺳ ﻤ ﯿ ﺘ ﮫ ” ﺑ ﺪ ر ا ﻟ ﺪ ﺟ ﻰ “ . . . و ﻣ ﻦ ا ﻟ ﻌ ـ ﺠ ﺎ ﺋ ﺐ ﻻ أ ر ا ه ﻠ ﻢ أ ﺟ ﺪ ر و ﺿ ﺎ ﺣ ﻮ ا ه و د ﻋ ﻮ ﺗ ﮫ : ” ﻏ ﺼ ﻦ ا ﻟ ﺮ ﯾ ﺎ . . . ض “ ﻓ و أ ﻗ ﻮ ل ﻋ ﻨ ﮫ ” أ ﺧ ﻮ ا ﻟ ﻐ ﺰ ا . . . ل “ و ﻻ أ ر ى إ ﻻ أ ﺧ ـ ﺎ ه ﻗ ﺎ ل ا ﻟ ﻌ ﻮ ا ذ ل : ﻗ ﺪ ﺟ ﻔ ﺎ . . . ﻣ ﺎ ﺑ ﺎ ل ﻗ ﻠ ﺒ ﻚ ﻣ ﺎ ﺟ ﻔ ـ ﺎ ه ؟ أ ﻧ ﺎ ﻟ ﻮ أ ط ﻌ ﺖ ا ﻟ ﻘ ﻠ ﺐ ﻓ ﯿ ـ . . . ـ ﮫ ﻟ ﻢ أ ز د ه ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ﺟ ﻮ ا ه ﺎ ﻟ ﺪ ر ا ﻟ ﺸ ﻔ ـ ﺎ ه و ا ﻟ ﻨ ﺼ ﺢ ﻣ ﺘ ﮭ ـ ـ ﻢ و إ ن . . . ﻧ ﺜ ﺮ ﺗ ﮫ ﻛ . . . ﺣ ﯿ ﻨ ﺎ و ﺣ ﯿ ﻨ ﺎ ﻓ ﻲ ﻧ ﮭ ـ ـ ﺎ ه أ ذ ن ا ﻟ ﻔ ﺘ ﻰ ﻓ ﻲ ﻗ ﻠ ﺒ ـ ـ ﮫ Tell her my soul is her redemption, to what extent is this false accusation? I didn't turn her away, so that she would burden me with her farawayness. Things go to an aim, except my anguish in her love. I named her "darkness's moon", yet it’s a wonder that I don't see her. And I called her, “The branch of gardens”, yet found no garden containing her. And I say she’s the "Gazelle's brother" yet I only see her brother. The blamer said: She had shun you, Al-Rifai, N. Y. (2019). Love & Courtship in the Poetry of Ahmad Shawqi. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 6(10) 145-162. 150 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.610.7237. So why doesn't your heart do the same? If I obeyed my heart in her, this wouldn't increase its pain. Advice is accused even if, it were thrown like pearls through the lips. A boy's ear is sometimes in his heart, and others, in his mind. WORN OUT AND CANNOT MOVE: In 1890, when Shawqi was in his twenties, he wrote the words: ﻣ ﻀ ﻨ ﻰ و ﻟ ﯿ ﺲ ﺑ ﮫ ﺣ ﺮ ا ك ، ﻟ ﻜ ﻦ ﯾ ﺨ ﻒ إ ذ ا ر آ ك و ﯾ ﻤ ﯿ ﻞ ﻣ ﻦ ط ﺮ ب إ ذ ا ، ﻣ ﺎ ﻣ ﻠ ﺖ ﯾ ﺎ ﻏ ﺼ ﻦ ا ﻷ ر ا ك إ ن ا ﻟ ﺠ ﻤ ﺎ ل ﻛ ﺴ ﺎ ك ﻣ ﻦ ، و ر ق ا ﻟ ﻤ ﺤ ﺎ ﺳ ﻦ ﻣ ﺎ ﻛ ﺴ ﺎ ك ﻓ ﻨ ﺒ ﺖ ﺑ ﯿ ﻦ ﺟ ﻮ ا ﻧ ﺤ ﻲ ، و ا ﻟ ﻘ ﻠ ﺐ ﻣ ﻦ د ﻣ ﮫ ﺳ ﻘ ﺎ ك ﻟ ﯿ ﺖ ا ﻋ ﺘ ﺪ ا ﻟ ﻚ ﻛ ﺎ ن ﻟ ﻲ ، ﻣ ﻨ ﮫ ﻧ ﺼ ﯿ ﺐ ﻓ ﻲ ھ ﻮ ا ك ﯾ ﺎ ﻟ ﯿ ﺖ ﺷ ﻌ ﺮ ي ﻣ ﺎ أ ﻣ ﺎ ﻟ ﻚ ﻋ ﻦ ھ ﻮ ا ى و ﻣ ﺎ ﺛ ﻨ ﺎ ك ﻣ ﺎ ھ ﻤ ﺖ ﻓ ﻲ ر و ض ا ﻟ ﺤ ﻤ ﻰ ، إ ﻻ و أ ﺳ ﻜ ﺮ ﻧ ﻲ ﺷ ﺬ ا ك و ا ﻟ ﻘ ﻠ ﺐ ﻣ ﺨ ﻔ ﻮ ض ا ﻟ ﺠ ﻨ ﺎ ح ﯾ ﮭ ﯿ ﻢ ﻓ ﯿ ﮫ ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ﺟ ﻨ ﺎ ك Worn out and cannot move, yet he hastens upon seeing you. And tends joyfully whenever, you tend like a mustard tree branch. Beauty has covered you with, whatever leaves it wished. Thus you grew between my ribs, watered by my heart's blood. I wish that, from your straightening up, I had a share in your love. I wish I could know what had inclined, and alienated you, away from my love. I never wandered in love's garden without getting drunk by your fragrance. While my lower-wing heart wanders in your harvest. It is no secret that Shawqi was capable of writing the language of love; actually, he had mastered it and spoke it as a lover [10]. In Shawqi's poetry, there are many who are witness to his ability to control the vocal elements of the language and broadcast a special sense through them, that was fitting to the situation or the moment [10]. In love poetry, Shawqi preferred the gentle to the eloquent, thus, his poetry was full of sweetness and softness. In 1910, he wrote the words: ﻣ ﻌ ﻚ ر د ت ا ﻟ ﺮ و ح ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ا ﻟ ﻤ ﻀ ﻨ ﻰ أ ر ﺟ ﻌ ﻚ أ ﺣ ﺴ ﻦ ا ﻷ ﯾ ﺎ م ﯾ ﻮ م ﻛ ﻢ ﺷ ﻜ ﻮ ت ا ﻟ ﺒ ﯿ ﻦ ﺑ ﺎ ﻟ ﻠ ﯿ ﻞ إ ﻟ ﻰ ﻣ ﻄ ﻠ ﻊ ا ﻟ ﻔ ﺠ ﺮ ﻋ ﺴ ﻰ أ ن ﯾ ﻄ ﻠ ﻌ ﻚ Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.6, Issue 10 Oct-2019 Copyright © Society for Science and Education, United Kingdom 151 و ﺑ ﻌ ﺜ ﺖ ا ﻟ ﺸ ﻮ ق ﻓ ﻲ ر ﯾ ﺢ ا ﻟ ﺼ ﺒ ﺎ ﻓ ﺸ ﻜ ﺎ ا ﻟ ﺤ ﺮ ﻗ ﺔ ﻣ ﻤ ﺎ ا ﺳ ﺘ ﻮ د ﻋ ﻚ ﯾ ﺎ ﻧ ﻌ ﯿ ﻤ ﻲ و ﻋ ﺬ ا ﺑ ﻲ ﻓ ﻲ ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى ﻣ ﺎ ﺟ ﻤ ﻌ ﻚ ﺑ ﻌ ﺬ و ﻟ ﻲ ﻓ ﻲ ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى أ ﻧ ﺖ ر و ﺣ ﻲ ظ ﻠ ﻢ ا ﻟ ﻮ ا ﺷ ﻲ ا ﻟ ﺬ ي ز ﻋ ﻢ ا ﻟ ﻘ ﻠ ﺐ ﺳ ﻼ أ و ﺿ ﯿ ﻌ ﻚ ﻣ ﻮ ﻗ ﻌ ﻲ ﻋ ﻨ ﺪ ك ﻻ أ ﻋ ﻠ ﻤ ﮫ آ ه ﻟ ﻮ ﺗ ﻌ ﻠ ﻢ ﻋ ﻨ ﺪ ي ﻣ ﻮ ﻗ ﻌ ﻚ أ ر ﺟ ﻔ ﻮ ا أ ﻧ ﻚ ﺷ ﺎ ك ﻣ ﻮ ﺟ ﻊ ﻚ ﻟ ﯿ ﺖ ﻟ ﻲ ﻓ ﻮ ق ا ﻟ ﻀ ﻨ ﺎ ﻣ ﺎ أ و ﺟ ﻌ ﻧ ﺎ ﻣ ﺖ ا ﻷ ﻋ ﯿ ﻦ إ ﻻ ﻣ ﻘ ﻠ ﺔ ﺗ ﺴ ﻜ ﺐ ا ﻟ ﺪ ﻣ ﻊ و ﺗ ﺮ ﻋ ﻰ ﻣ ﻀ ﺠ ﻌ ﻚ The soul came back to the worn out through you. The best of days is that which has brought you back. How many nights did I complain separation till daybreak, hoping that it would arise you. And sent my longing yearning with the wind; thus, it complained the heat of the deposit. O you, my bliss and my suffering in love what gathered you in love with my carper? You are my soul the informer who claimed that my heart forgot or wasted you, was unjust. I know not what I mean to you Oh, if only you knew what you mean to me. They spread rumors that you are in sore and pain, I wish, besides my pain, that what ails you ailed me. All eyes slept, except an eye that sheds tears and guards your bed. THEY DECEIVED HER: When Shawqi composed this poem, he invited all poets to divide up and complete its opening line. He even allotted an award for the best completion. It was published in the newspapers of Egypt and the Levant, and opposed by many poets who took part in completing it [11]. ﺧ ﺪ ﻋ ﻮ ھ ﺎ ﺑ ﻘ ﻮ ﻟ ﮭ ﻢ ﺣ ﺴ ﻨ ﺎ ء * * و ا ﻟ ﻐ ﻮ ا ﻧ ﻲ ﯾ ﻐ ﺮ ھ ﻦ ا ﻟ ﺜ ﻨ ﺎ ء They deceived her by telling her you're a beauty, as beauties are enticed by praise. It is a beautiful poem by the Prince of Arab Poets, Ahmad Shawqi, and people became fond of it and passed it on. The poet speaks in these verses about his beloved, who abandoned him, and pretended she forgot him because of the many fans and lovers around her. In the poem, he describes how she was flattered upon hearing the words of praise for her beauty. Shawqi's way of completing his own opening line was expressed in several phrases: ﺧ ﺪ ﻋ ﻮ ھ ﺎ ﺑ ﻘ ﻮ ﻟ ﮭ ﻢ ﺣ ﺴ ﻨ ﺎ ء * * و ا ﻟ ﻐ ﻮ ا ﻧ ﻲ ﯾ ﻐ ﺮ ھ ﻦ ا ﻟ ﺜ ﻨ ﺎ ء أ ﺗ ﺮ ا ھ ﺎ ﺗ ﻨ ﺎ ﺳ ﺖ ا ﺳ ﻤ ﻲ ﻟ ﻤ ﺎ * * ﻛ ﺜ ﺮ ت ﻓ ﻲ ﻏ ﺮ ا ﻣ ﮭ ﺎ ا ﻷ ﺳ ﻤ ﺎ ء إ ن ر أ ﺗ ﻨ ﻲ ﺗ ﻤ ﯿ ﻞ ﻋ ﻨ ﻲ ﻛ ﺄ ن ﻟ ﻢ * * ﺗ ﻚ ﺑ ﯿ ﻨ ﻲ و ﺑ ﯿ ﻨ ﮭ ﺎ أ ﺷ ﯿ ﺎ ء They deceived her by telling her you're a beauty, as beauties are enticed by praise. I wonder whether she pretended to have forgotten my name, When there became many names in her love? Al-Rifai, N. Y. (2019). Love & Courtship in the Poetry of Ahmad Shawqi. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 6(10) 145-162. 152 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.610.7237. When she sees me, she turns away, as if, There weren’t things between us. In the fourth and fifth lines, Shawqi summarized the love tale in all its chapters. ﻧ ﻈ ﺮ ة ﻓ ﺎ ﺑ ﺘ ﺴ ﺎ ﻣ ﺔ ﻓ ﺴ ﻼ م * * ﻓ ﻜ ﻼ م ﻓ ﻤ ﻮ ﻋ ﺪ ﻓ ﻠ ﻘ ﺎ ء ﻓ ﻔ ﺮ ا ق ﯾ ﻜ ﻮ ن ﻓ ﯿ ﮫ د و ا ء * * أ و ﻓ ﺮ ا ق ﯾ ﻜ ﻮ ن ﻣ ﻨ ﮫ ا ﻟ ﺪ ا ء A look, then a smile, then a greeting, then a talk, then a date, then a meeting. Then a separation in which there is remedy, Or a separation from which there is an ailment. ﺟ ﺎ ذ ﺑ ﺘ ﻨ ﻲ ﺛ ﻮ ﺑ ﻲ ا ﻟ ﻌ ﺼ ﻲ و ﻗ ﺎ ﻟ ﺖ * * أ ﻧ ﺘ ﻢ ا ﻟ ﻨ ﺎ س أ ﯾ ﮭ ﺎ ا ﻟ ﺸ ﻌ ﺮ ا ء ﻓ ﺎ ﺗ ﻘ ﻮ ا ﷲ ﻓ ﻲ ﻗ ﻠ ﻮ ب ا ﻟ ﻌ ﺬ ا ر ى * * ﻓ ﺎ ﻟ ﻌ ﺬ ا ر ى ﻗ ﻠ ﻮ ﺑ ﮭ ﻦ ھ ﻮ ا ء She pulled my disobedient robe, saying: Oh poets! You are the real people! So fear God (have mercy) in the virgins' hearts, Since their hearts are as light as air. A PARTY AT SHAWQI'S HOUSE: At Shawqi's house, the poem’s location and the poets’ destination at Al-Matariya, between the shimmering lights and the opening of the flowers with the sounds of the lute and the zither and the tones of the vocalists and singers under the beautiful thickets and grandiose pavilions, a group of dignitaries and writers met last Thursday evening to welcome the return of His Highness the Egyptian Prince of Poetry to his capital. Thus turned the rings around a dignified minister, or a poet, a man of letters, or a creative singer, while the generous host moved between these seminars. It was a uniquely amusing audition soiree, sparingly provided by time. In the luxuriant garden, tables of many kinds of food and drinks were offered. It was a period of time, attended by the prime minister, during which one of the vocalists chanted Shawqi's love poem (Your lover’s bed rejected him). It was previously published by our magazine, and opposed (imitated) by our major poets. Shawqi later on added many lines to it [6, 12]: ﻣ ﻀ ﻨ ﺎ ك ﺟ ﻔ ﺎ ه ﻣ ﺮ ﻗ ﺪ ه و ﺑ ﻜ ﺎ ه و ر ﺣ ﻢ ﻋ ﻮ د ه * ﺣ ﯿ ﺮ ا ن ا ﻟ ﻘ ﻠ ﺐ ﻣ ﻌ ﺬ ﺑ ﮫ ﻣ ﻘ ﺮ و ح ا ﻟ ﺠ ﻔ ﻦ ﻣ ﺴ ﮭ ﺪ ه * ﯾ ﺒ ﻘ ﯿ ﮫ ﻋ ﻠ ﯿ ﻚ و ﺗ ﻨ ﻔ ﺪ ه * أ و د ى ﺣ ﺮ ﻓ ﺎ إ ﻻ ر ﻣ ﻘ ﺎ و ﯾ ﺬ ﯾ ﺐ ا ﻟ ﺼ ﺨ ﺮ ﺗ ﻨ ﮭ ﺪ ه * ﯾ ﺴ ﺘ ﮭ ﻮ ي ا ﻟ ﻮ ر ق ﺗ ﺄ و ھ ﮫ و ﯾ ﻘ ﯿ ﻢ ا ﻟ ﻠ ﯿ ﻞ و ﯾ ﻘ ﻌ ﺪ ه * ا ﻟ ﻨ ﺠ ﻢ و ﯾ ﺘ ﻌ ﺒ ﮫ و ﯾ ﻨ ﺎ ﺟ ﻲ ﺷ ﺠ ﻨ ﺎ ﻓ ﻲ ا ﻟ ﺪ و ح ﺗ ﺮ د د ه * و ﯾ ﻌ ﻠ ﻢ ﻛ ﻞ ﻣ ﻄ ﻮ ﻗ ﺔ و ﺗ ﺄ د ب ﻻ ﯾ ﺘ ﺼ ﯿ ﺪ ه * ﻛ ﻢ ﻣ ﺪ ﻟ ﻄ ﯿ ﻔ ﻚ ﻣ ﻦ ﺷ ﺮ ك و ﻟ ﻌ ﻞ ﺧ ﯿ ﺎ ﻟ ﻚ ﻣ ﺴ ﻌ ﺪ ه * ﻓ ﻌ ﺴ ﺎ ك ﺑ ﻐ ﻤ ﺾ ﻣ ﺴ ﻌ ﻔ ﮫ و ا ﻟ ﺴ ﻮ ر ة إ ﻧ ﻚ ﻣ ﻔ ﺮ د ه * ا ﻟ ﺤ ﺴ ﻦ ﺣ ﻠ ﻔ ﺖ ﺑ ﯿ ﻮ ﺳ ﻔ ﮫ ﺣ ﻮ ر ا ء ا ﻟ ﺨ ﻠ ﺪ و أ ﻣ ﺮ د ه * ﻗ ﺪ و د ﺟ ﻤ ﺎ ﻟ ﻚ أ و ﻗ ﺒ ﺴ ﺎ و ﺗ ﻤ ﻨ ﺖ ﻛ ﻞ ﻣ ﻘ ﻄ ﻌ ﺔ ﯾ ﺪ ھ ﺎ ﻟ ﻮ ﺗ ﺒ ﻌ ﺚ ﺗ ﺸ ﮭ ﺪ ه * ﻻ ﯾ ﻘ ﺪ ر و ا ش ﯾ ﻔ ﺴ ﺪ ه * ﺑ ﯿ ﻨ ﻲ ﻓ ﻲ ا ﻟ ﺤ ﺐ ﱢ و ﺑ ﯿ ﻨ ﻚ ﻣ ﺎ و أ و ﺷ ﻚ أ ﻋ ﺒ ﺪ ه ﻓ ﺄ ﻗ ﻮ ل : * و ﯾ ﻘ ﻮ ل : ﺗ ﻜ ﺎ د ﺗ ﺠ ﻦ ﺑ ﮫ ﻗ ﺪ ﺿ ﯿ ﻌ ﮭ ﺎ ﺳ ﻠ ﻤ ﺖ ﯾ ﺪ ه * ﻣ ﻮ ﻻ ي و ر و ﺣ ﻲ ﻓ ﻲ ﯾ ﺪ ه و ﺣ ﻨ ﺎ ﯾ ﺎ ا ﻷ ﺿ ﻠ ﻊ ﻣ ﻌ ﺒ ﺪ ه * ﻧ ﺎ ﻗ ﻮ س ا ﻟ ﻘ ﻠ ﺐ ﯾ ﺪ ق ﻟ ﮫ ﻣ ﺎ ﺑ ﺎ ل ا ﻟ ﻌ ﺎ ذ ل ﯾ ﻔ ﺘ ﺢ ﻟ ﻲ * ﺑ ﺎ ب ا ﻟ ﺴ ﻠ ﻮ ا ن و أ و ﺻ ﺪ ه ه ﺳ ﻠ ﻮ ى ﺑ ﺎ ﻟ ﻘ ﻠ ﺐ ﺗ ﺒ ﺮ د * ﻣ ﺎ ﺧ ﻨ ﺖ ھ ﻮ ا ك ، و ﻻ ﺧ ﻄ ﺮ ت Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.6, Issue 10 Oct-2019 Copyright © Society for Science and Education, United Kingdom 153 Your worn-out lover was rejected by his bed, His visitors wept over him and asked God to have mercy upon. His heart, confused and tormented His eyelids sleeplessly ulcerated. He is at the point of death, in the last spark of life, Which keeps him alive, while you waste it. His moaning appeals to the pigeons, His sighing melts the rocks. He talks to the star, tiring it Raising the night up and down. He teaches every ringdove a pitiful melody, That she would repeat on the lofty tree. I swear by the beauty of Joseph, (the prophet, And the holy verse, that you are beauty’s single. * Every woman who cut her hand witnessing his beauty, Wished that she would be resurrected to witness yours. Your beauty, or even a part of it, was wished by heaven's good-looking people. Between you and me, there is in love, What a talebearer cannot spoil. He says: you are almost mad about her, And I say: I almost worship her. Why does the censurer open, The door of consolation, while I close it? Never did I betray your love Nor did a distraction occur to my heart to cool it down [5]. SHAWQI'S SELF-ESTEEM IN LOVE; In the Al-Muqtataf magazine, the editor commented on part two of Shawqi's poetry collection, the: ‘Only in courtship, Shawqi's spirit becomes less distinguishable, perhaps this is due to the fact that Shawqi never forgets his position and his situation’ [13]. Thus, Shawqi was always ready to return the issue of love to himself, as he said: أ ﺗ ﻐ ﻠ ﺒ ﻨ ﻲ ذ ا ت ا ﻟ ﺪ ﻻ ل ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ﺻ ﺒ ﺮ ي أ ﻧ ﺎ أ و ﻟ ﻰ ﺑ ﺎ ﻟ ﻘ ﻨ ﺎ ع و ﺑ ﺎ ﻟ ﺨ ﺪ ر إ ذ ن ﺗ ﺘ ﯿ ﮫ و ﻟ ﻲ ﺣ ﻠ ﻢ إ ذ ا ﻣ ﺎ ر ﻛ ﺒ ﺘ ﮫ ر د د ت ﺑ ﮫ أ ﻣ ﺮ ا ﻟ ﻐ ﺮ ا م إ ﻟ ﻰ أ ﻣ ﺮ ي و ﻣ ﺎ د ﻓ ﻌ ﻲ ا ﻟ ﻠ ﻮ ا م ﻓ ﯿ ﮭ ﺎ ﺳ ﺂ ﻣ ﺔ و ﻟ ﻜ ﻦ ﻧ ﻔ ﺲ ا ﻟ ﺤ ﺮ أ ز ﺟ ﺮ ﻟ ﻠ ﺤ ﺮ Al-Rifai, N. Y. (2019). Love & Courtship in the Poetry of Ahmad Shawqi. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 6(10) 145-162. 154 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.610.7237. ﻓ ﺠ ﺮ ه و ﻟ ﯿ ﻞ ﻛ ﺄ ن ا ﻟ ﺤ ﺸ ﺮ ﻣ ﻄ ﻠ ﻊ ﺗ ﺮ ا ء ت د ﻣ ﻮ ﻋ ﻲ ﻓ ﯿ ﮫ ﺳ ﺎ ﺑ ﻘ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﻔ ﺠ ﺮ Would the coquette overcome my patience? Hence, I am the worthier to be veiled and covered. She becomes haughty, while I have a tolerance, which when ridden, I return the issue of love to my myself. I did not push away the blamers because of boredom, except that a free man's soul is more qualified to scold itself. In a night as if its daybreak was to be on doomsday, in which my tears appeared preceding the dawn. Among Shawqi's practice to withhold his emotions, it may be noticed that his poetry did not appeal very much to those who were lovesick because Shawqi used to look at life from a royal balcony. As he said: ‘I would never submit my safety to those eyes, or permit my gravity to the love incident.’ He wrote in a poem on the Bosphorus gulf bridge of Istanbul: ﻟ ﻚ أ ن ﺗ ﻠ ﻮ م ، و ﻟ ﻲ ﻣ ﻦ ا ﻷ ﻋ ﺬ ا ر , , , أ ن ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى ﻗ ﺪ ر ﻣ ﻦ ا ﻷ ﻗ ﺪ ا ر ﻣ ﺎ ﻛ ﻨ ﺖ أ ﺳ ﻠ ﻢ ﻟ ﻠ ﻌ ﯿ ﻮ ن ﺳ ﻼ ﻣ ﺘ ﻲ , , , و أ ﺑ ﯿ ﺢ ﺣ ﺎ د ﺛ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﻐ ﺮ ا م و ﻗ ﺎ ر ي ﻘ ﮫ ا ﻟ ﻔ ﺆ ا د و ﯾ ﻨ ﻘ ﻀ ﻲ , , , و ا ﻟ ﻨ ﻔ ﺲ ﻣ ﺎ ﺿ ﯿ ﺔ ﻣ ﻊ ا ﻷ و ط ﺎ ر و ط ﺮ ﺗ ﻌ ﻠ ﯾ ﺎ ﻗ ﻠ ﺐ ، ﺷ ﺄ ﻧ ﻚ ، ﻻ أ ﻣ ﺪ ك ﻓ ﻲ ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى , , , أ ﺑ ﺪ ا و ﻻ أ د ﻋ ﻮ ك ﻟ ﻺ ﻗ ﺼ ﺎ ر أ ﻣ ﺮ ي و أ ﻣ ﺮ ك ﻓ ﻲ ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى ﺑ ﯿ ﺪ ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى , , , , ﻟ ﻮ أ ﻧ ﮫ ﺑ ﯿ ﺪ ي ﻓ ﻜ ﻜ ﺖ إ ﺳ ﺎ ر ي ﺟ ﺎ ر ا ﻟ ﺸ ﺒ ﯿ ﺒ ﺔ ، و ا ﻧ ﺘ ﻔ ﻊ ﺑ ﺠ ﻮ ا ر ھ ﺎ , , , ﻗ ﺒ ﻞ ا ﻟ ﻤ ﺸ ﯿ ﺐ ، ﻓ ﻤ ﺎ ﻟ ﮫ ﻣ ﻦ ﺟ ﺎ ر ﻲ ﻋ ﮭ ﺪ ا ﻟ ﺼ ﱢ ﺒ ﺎ , , , ﻣ ﺜ ﻞ ا ﻟ ﺮ ﯾ ﺎ ض ﺗ ﺤ ﺐ ﱡ ﻓ ﻲ آ ذ ا ر ﻣ ﺜ ﻞ ا ﻟ ﺤ ﯿ ﺎ ة ﺗ ﺤ ﺐ ّ ﻓ أ ﺑ ﺪ أ ﻓ ﺮ و ق ﻣ ﻦ ا ﻟ ﺒ ﻼ د ھ ﻲ ا ﻟ ﻤ ﻨ ﻰ , , , , و ﻣ ﻨ ﺎ ي ﻣ ﻨ ﮭ ﺎ ظ ﺒ ﯿ ﺔ ﺑ ﺴ ﻮ ا ر ﻣ ﻤ ﻨ ﻮ ﻋ ﺔ إ ﻻ ا ﻟ ﺠ ﻤ ﺎ ل ﺑ ﺄ ﺳ ﺮ ه , , , ﻣ ﺤ ﺠ ﻮ ﺑ ﺔ إ ﻻ ﻋ ﻦ ا ﻷ ﻧ ﻈ ﺎ ر ﺧ ﻄ ﻮ ا ﺗ ﮭ ﺎ ا ﻟ ﺘ ﻘ ﻮ ى ، ﻓ ﻼ ﻣ ﺰ ھ ﻮ ة , , , , ﺗ ﻤ ﺸ ﻲ ا ﻟ ﺪ ﻻ ل ، و ﻻ ﺑ ﺬ ا ت ﻧ ﻔ ﺎ ر , ﻋ ﻦ ﺟ ﻨ ﺔ ، و ﺗ ﻠ ﻔ ﺘ ﺖ ﻋ ﻦ ﻧ ﺎ ر ﻣ ﺮ ت ﺑ ﻨ ﺎ ﻓ ﻮ ق ا ﻟ ﺨ ﻠ ﯿ ﺞ ، ﻓ ﺄ ﺳ ﻔ ﺮ ت , , ﻓ ﻲ ﻧ ﺴ ﻮ ة ﯾ ﻮ ر د ن ﻣ ﻦ ﺷ ﺌ ﻦ ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى , , , ﻧ ﻈ ﺮ ا ، و ﻻ ﯾ ﻨ ﻈ ﺮ ن ﻓ ﻲ ا ﻹ ﺻ ﺪ ا ر ﻋ ﺎ ر ﺿ ﺘ ﮭ ﻦ ، و ﺑ ﯿ ﻦ ﻗ ﻠ ﺒ ﻲ و ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى , , , أ ﻣ ﺮ أ ﺣ ﺎ و ل ﻛ ﺘ ﻤ ﮫ و أ د ا ر ي You may blame me, while I have my excuses, Love is but part of destiny. I would never submit my safety to those eyes, or permit my gravity to the love incident. A desire to which my heart is clung, then it is past, since the soul follows its desires. O my heart, it is your business, I will not supply you, nor ask you to refrain from it. Our love affair is in love's hand, If it were in mine, I would have broken up my captivity. Go along with youth and benefit from its neighborhood, Before grayness, as it has no neighbors. Life is loved in boyhood time, as gardens are loved in March Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.6, Issue 10 Oct-2019 Copyright © Society for Science and Education, United Kingdom 155 From among the countries, Istanbul is always my aspiration, and from it I aspire an antelope wearing a bracelet. She is forbidden except from whole beauty, Concealed, except from the eyes. Her steps are piety, she is not arrogant, she does she not walk in coquetry, nor repulsion. She passed by us over the gulf, uncovering a paradise, Then turned around like a fire Among women who get to fall in love, And care not about getting out of it. I opposed them, while stuck between my heart and passion, was an affair that I tried to mute and hide. I liked in, particular, the wonderful paradox between paradise and fire, in the previously translated poem. RATIONALITY IS A BETTER REPUTATION, Shawqi shone in the field of love and affection in which he wrote many expressive poems. His flirting was rich with flowing emotions and glowing feelings far above indecency due to his conservative origin. The next poem was most probably written when Shawqi had grown older. ا ﻟ ﺮ ﺷ ﺪ أ ﺟ ﻤ ﻞ ﺳ ﯿ ﺮ ة ﯾ ﺎ أ ﺣ ﻤ ﺪ و د ا ﻟ ﻐ ﻮ ا ﻧ ﻲ ﻣ ﻦ ﺷ ﺒ ﺎ ﺑ ﻚ أ ﺑ ﻌ ﺪ ﻗ ﺪ ﻛ ﺎ ن ﻓ ﯿ ﻚ ﻟ ﻮ د ھ ﻦ ﺑ ﻘ ﯿ ﺔ و ا ﻟ ﯿ ﻮ م أ و ﺷ ﻜ ﺖ ا ﻟ ﺒ ﻘ ﯿ ﺔ ﺗ ﻨ ﻔ ﺪ ھ ﺎ ر و ت ﺷ ﻌ ﺮ ك ﺑ ﻌ ﺪ ﻣ ﺎ ر و ت ا ﻟ ﺼ ﺒ ﺎ أ ﻋ ﯿ ﺎ و ﻓ ﺎ ر ﻗ ﮫ ا ﻟ ﺨ ﻠ ﯿ ﻞ ا ﻟ ﻤ ﺴ ﻌ ﺪ أ ﻣ ﺮ د ﻟ ﻤ ﺎ ﺳ ﻤ ﻌ ﻨ ﻚ ﻗ ﻠ ﻦ ﺷ ﻌ ﺮ ﯾ ﺎ ﻟ ﯿ ﺖ ﻗ ﺎ ﺋ ﻠ ﮫ ا ﻟ ﻄ ﺮ ﯾ ﺮ ا ﻟ ﻤ ﺴ ﻌ ﺪ ﻣ ﺎ ﻟ ﻠ ﻮ ا ھ ﻲ ا ﻟ ﻨ ﺎ ﻋ ﻤ ﺎ ت و ﺷ ﺎ ﻋ ﺮ ﺟ ﻌ ﻞ ا ﻟ ﻨ ﺴ ﯿ ﺐ ﺣ ﺒ ﺎ ﻟ ﺔ ﯾ ﺘ ﺼ ﯿ ﺪ و ﻟ ﻜ ﻢ ﺟ ﻤ ﻌ ﺖ ﻗ ﻠ ﻮ ﺑ ﮭ ﻦ ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى و ﺧ ﺪ ﻋ ﺖ ﻣ ﻦ ﻗ ﻄ ﻌ ﺖ و ﻣ ﻦ ﺗ ﺘ ﻮ د د ﺳ ﺨ ﺮ ت ﻣ ﻦ و ا ش و ﻛ ﺪ ت ﻟ ﻌ ﺎ ذ ل و و ا ﻟ ﯿ ﻮ م ﺗ ﻨ ﺸ ﺪ ﻣ ﻦ ﯾ ﺸ ﻲ و ﯾ ﻔ ﻨ ﺪ O Ahmad, rationality is a better reputation, the beauty’s cordiality is further to you than your youth is. You used to have a remainder for their cordiality, Yet today this remainder is almost depleted. The magic of your poetry, besides the magic of your youth, Fatigued and parted with their pleasurable comrade. When they (the females) heard you, they said: What a youthful poetry would that a young beardless youth had said it. Al-Rifai, N. Y. (2019). Love & Courtship in the Poetry of Ahmad Shawqi. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 6(10) 145-162. What have playful soft ladies got to do with a poet, Who uses flirting poetry as a hunting trap? So many times you gathered their hearts on love, and deceived whoever cut off or showed affection. you ridiculed the talebearer and tricked the censurer, while today you seek a talebearer and a censurer SHAWQI AND UM KULTHUM: Once a singing soiree assembled Shawqi, the undisputed Prince of Poets, with Um Kulthum, the most famous Arab singer. Shawqi felt the ecstasy flooding into his soul, so he rose from his seat to salute Um Kulthum after she sang and then gave her a cup of wine. Um Kulthum acted diplomatically and tactfully when she lifted the cup to touch her lips without sipping even a drop because she did not drink wine. Shawqi was impressed by her behaviour. He left the crowd and sat by himself and wrote a delicate poem that he was keen to deliver by himself the following morning in a sealed envelope to where Um Kulthum lived. Mohammed Sabri said in his book ‘The Unknown Shawqiyat, Part II’: “Shawqi estimated Um Kulthum because she was a literary intellectual who understands what she sings” ’ [14]. Um Kulthum was pleased by the present, an she kept it for herself. In 1936, four years after Shawqi’s passing, Um Kulthum decided to shake off the dust from this poem by presenting it to the great composer Riyad al-Sombati, who wrote her an immortal melody to her in an Arab song. ﺳ ﻠ ﻮ ا ﻛ ﺆ و س ا ﻟ ﻄ ﻼ ھ ﻞ ﻻ ﻣ ﺴ ﺖ ﻓ ﺎ ھ ﺎ ، و ا ﺳ ﺘ ﺨ ﺒ ﺮ و ا ا ﻟ ﺮ ا ح ھ ﻞ ﻣ ﺴ ﺖ ﺛ ﻨ ﺎ ﯾ ﺎ ھ ﺎ ﺟ ﺮ ت ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ﻓ ﻢ د ا و د ﻓ ﻐ ﻨ ﺎ ھ ﺎ Ask the drizzled cups if they touched her mouth, And inquire the wine whether it pet her front teeth. Her talk is magic yet it is a melody Which rolled on David's mouth, and he sang it. O neighbor of the bosket, days of love had gone like a dream, ow to days of love ﺣ ﺪ ﯾ ﺜ ﮭ ﺎ ا ﻟ ﺴ ﺤ ﺮ إ ﻻ أ ﻧ ﮫ ﻧ ﻐ ﻢ ، ﯾ ﺎ ﺟ ﺎ ر ة ا ﻷ ﯾ ﻚ أ ﯾ ﺎ م ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى ذ ھ ﺒ ﺖ ، ﻛ ﺎ ﻟ ﺤ ﻠ ﻢ آ ھ ﺎ ﻷ ﯾ ﺎ م ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى آ ھ ﺎ THE VALLEY’S NEIGHBOR: On one of his visits to Lebanon, the poet Ahmad Shawqi returned to the city of Zahle, to which he had visited as a youth. Upon his visit, he wrote his famous poem, ‘The Valley’s Neighbor’.This famous poem by Shawqi is well-known as Jarat Al-Wady (The Valley's Neighbor) although Shawqi named it ‘Time’s Story’. It is one of of Shawqi’s masterpieces sung by singing giants, such as the musician Mohammad Abdel Wahab (1928) and the famous, soft-voiced Lebanese singer Fayrouz (1954) and is considered as one of the best love poems in modern time. Under the Headline The Prince of Poets in Zahle, the editor of the Lebanese magazine Al-Ma’rad, wrote: The town of Zahle enthusiastically gave a beautiful welcome to Lebanon’s guest, the Prince of Poets Shawqi (Bey). The large Qadiri hotel was overcrowded with the guests who were invited to the honoring ceremony held by the local Ahli literary club. Shawqi Bey was conveyed to the hotel by the car of the club’s president, the notable Najib Shamoun Effendi, among the applause of the welcoming people along the roadsides. URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.610.7237. 156 Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.6, Issue 10 Oct-2019 Copyright © Society for Science and Education, United Kingdom 157 Shawqi was seated surrounded by pillars of the Lebanese government represented by the Prime Minister, the Parliament Speaker, and the Ministers of the Interior, Finance, and Justice in addition to some sheikhs, MPs, managers, and a great number of dignified summer vacationists and notables who were warmly welcomed by everyone. The Parliament Speaker elegantly welcomed the Prince of Poets, and then the poet Halim Effendi Damous delivered a touching speech. The creative Egyptian writer and the national MP, Fikri Bey Abatha, then stood up to read Shawqi’s poem; thus, the ears were sharpened, and the necks stretched out to hear Shawqi's poem on Zahla during which time each line was interrupted by continuous approving applause. Khalil Bey Mutran, the poet of the two countries and the prince of rhetoric, then arose to welcome Shawqi and all Egyptians on behalf of Zahle or rather on behalf of Lebanon as a whole and mentioned in his charming statement some of the close ties linking the two brotherly countries making them one country [15]. Zaki Mubarak, Shawqi’s intimate friend who wrote over forty books and held three Ph.D.’s in literature from Cairo, Paris, and Sorbonne Universities wrote: ‘I have reviewed what Shawqi had said in courting and found out that the most fascinating of them were his intimate talk to his heart, fare-welling his youth, as his ropes were cut off in valleys of beauty and youth’ [9,16]. Hereby is my own translation of Shawqi’s marvelous poem, Jarat Al-Wady (Neighbor of the Valley), in which Shawqi said: ﺷ ﯿ ﻌ ﺖ أ ﺣ ﻼ ﻣ ﻲ ﺑ ﻘ ﻠ ﺐ ﺑ ﺎ ك و ﻟ ﻤ ﻤ ﺖ ﻣ ﻦ ط ﺮ ق ا ﻟ ﻤ ﻼ ح ﺷ ﺒ ﺎ ﻛ ﻲ و ر ﺟ ﻌ ﺖ أ د ر ا ج ا ﻟ ﺸ ﺒ ﺎ ب و و ر د ه أ ﻣ ﺸ ﻲ ﻣ ﻜ ﺎ ﻧ ﮭ ﻤ ﺎ ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ا ﻷ ﺷ ﻮ ا ك ﺧ ﻔ ﻮ ﻗ ﮫ و ﺑ ﺠ ﺎ ﻧ ﺒ ﻲ و ا ه ﻛ ﺄ ن ﻟ ﻤ ﺎ ﺗ ﻠ ﻔ ﺖ ﺟ ﮭ ﺸ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﻤ ﺘ ﺒ ﺎ ﻛ ﻲ ﻗ ﺪ ر ا ﻋ ﮫ أ ﻧ ﻲ ط ﻮ ﯾ ﺖ ﺣ ﺒ ﺎ ﺋ ﻠ ﻲ ﻣ ﻦ ﺑ ﻌ ﺪ ط ﻮ ل ﺗ ﻨ ﺎ و ل و ﻓ ﻜ ﺎ ك و ﯾ ﺢ ا ﺑ ﻦ ﺟ ﻨ ﺒ ﻲ ﻛ ﻞ ﻏ ﺎ ﯾ ﺔ ﻟ ﺬ ة ﺑ ﻌ ﺪ ا ﻟ ﺸ ﺒ ﺎ ب ﻋ ﺰ ﯾ ﺰ ة ا ﻹ د ر ا ك ﻨ ﺎ ﯾ ﺎ ﻓ ﺆ ا د ﺑ ﻘ ﯿ ﺔ ﻟ ﻢ ﺗ ﺒ ﻖ ﻣ ﻟ ﻔ ﺘ ﻮ ة أ و ﻓ ﻀ ﻠ ﺔ ﻟ ﻌ ﺮ ا ك ﻛ ﻨ ﺎ إ ذ ا ﺻ ﻔ ﻘ ﺖ ﻧ ﺴ ﺘ ﺒ ﻖ ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى و ﻧ ﺸ ﺪ ﺷ ﺪ ا ﻟ ﻌ ﺼ ﺒ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﻔ ﺘ ﺎ ك و ا ﻟ ﯿ ﻮ م ﺗ ﺒ ﻌ ﺚ ﻓ ﻲ ﺣ ﯿ ﻦ ﺗ ﮭ ﺰ ﻧ ﻲ ﺴ ﺎ ك ﻣ ﺎ ﯾ ﺒ ﻌ ﺚ ا ﻟ ﻨ ﺎ ﻗ ﻮ س ﻓ ﻲ ا ﻟ ﻨ ﯾ ﺎ ﺟ ﺎ ر ة ا ﻟ ﻮ ا د ي ط ﺮ ﺑ ﺖ و ﻋ ﺎ و د ﻧ ﻲ ﻣ ﺎ ﯾ ﺸ ﺒ ﮫ ا ﻷ ﺣ ﻼ م ﻣ ﻦ ذ ﻛ ﺮ ا ك ﻣ ﺜ ﻠ ﺖ ﻓ ﻲ ا ﻟ ﺬ ﻛ ﺮ ى ھ ﻮ ا ك و ﻓ ﻲ ا ﻟ ﻜ ﺮ ى و ا ﻟ ﺬ ﻛ ﺮ ﯾ ﺎ ت ﺻ ﺪ ى ا ﻟ ﺴ ﻨ ﯿ ﻦ ا ﻟ ﺤ ﺎ ﻛ ﻲ و ﻟ ﻘ ﺪ ﻣ ﺮ ر ت ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ا ﻟ ﺮ ﯾ ﺎ ض ﺑ ﺮ ﺑ ﻮ ة ﻛ ﻨ ﺖ ﺣ ﯿ ﺎ ﻟ ﮭ ﺎ أ ﻟ ﻘ ﺎ ك ﻏ ﻨ ﺎ ء ﺿ ﺤ ﻜ ﺖ إ ﻟ ﻲ و ﺟ ﻮ ھ ﮭ ﺎ و ﻋ ﯿ ﻮ ﻧ ﮭ ﺎ و و ﺟ ﺪ ت ﻓ ﻲ أ ﻧ ﻔ ﺎ ﺳ ﮭ ﺎ ر ﯾ ﺎ ك ﻓ ﺬ ھ ﺒ ﺖ ﻓ ﻲ ا ﻷ ﯾ ﺎ م أ ذ ﻛ ﺮ ر ﻓ ﺮ ﻓ ﺎ ﺑ ﯿ ﻦ ا ﻟ ﺠ ﺪ ا و ل و ا ﻟ ﻌ ﯿ ﻮ ن ﺣ ﻮ ا ك أ ذ ﻛ ﺮ ت ھ ﺮ و ﻟ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﺼ ﺒ ﺎ ﺑ ﺔ و ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى ﻟ ﻤ ﺎ ﺧ ﻄ ﺮ ت ﯾ ﻘ ﺒ ﻼ ن ﺧ ﻄ ﺎ ك ﻟ ﻢ أ د ر ﻣ ﺎ ط ﯿ ﺐ ا ﻟ ﻌ ﻨ ﺎ ق ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى ﺣ ﺘ ﻰ ﺗ ﺮ ﻓ ﻖ ﺳ ﺎ ﻋ ﺪ ي ﻓ ﻄ ﻮ ا ك Al-Rifai, N. Y. (2019). Love & Courtship in the Poetry of Ahmad Shawqi. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 6(10) 145-162. 158 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.610.7237. و ﺗ ﺄ و د ت أ ﻋ ﻄ ﺎ ف ﺑ ﺎ ﻧ ﻚ ﻓ ﻲ ﯾ ﺪ ي و ا ﺣ ﻤ ﺮ ﻣ ﻦ ﺧ ﻔ ﺮ ﯾ ﮭ ﻤ ﺎ ﺧ ﺪ ا ك و ا ﻟ ﺪ ﺟ ﻰ و د ﺧ ﻠ ﺖ ﻓ ﻲ ﻟ ﯿ ﻠ ﯿ ﻦ ﻓ ﺮ ﻋ ﻚ و ﻟ ﺜ ﻤ ﺖ ﻛ ﺎ ﻟ ﺼ ﺒ ﺢ ا ﻟ ﻤ ﻨ ﻮ ر ﻓ ﺎ ك و ﺗ ﻌ ﻄ ﻠ ﺖ ﻟ ﻐ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﻜ ﻼ م و ﺧ ﺎ ط ﺒ ﺖ ﻋ ﯿ ﻨ ﻲ ﻓ ﻲ ﻟ ﻐ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى ﻋ ﯿ ﻨ ﺎ ك و ﻣ ﺤ ﻮ ت ﻛ ﻞ ﻟ ﺒ ﺎ ﻧ ﺔ ﻣ ﻦ ﺧ ﺎ ط ﺮ ي و ﻧ ﺴ ﯿ ﺖ ﻛ ﻞ ﺗ ﻌ ﺎ ﺗ ﺐ و ﺗ ﺸ ﺎ ﻛ ﻲ ﻣ ﻦ ﻋ ﻤ ﺮ ا ﻟ ﺰ ﻣ ﺎ ن و ﻻ ﻏ ﺪ ﻻ أ ﻣ ﺲ ﺟ ﻤ ﻊ ا ﻟ ﺰ ﻣ ﺎ ن ﻓ ﻜ ﺎ ن ﯾ ﻮ م ر ﺿ ﺎ ك I buried my dreams with a weeping heart, and collected my net, leaving the beauties' roads. I turned back to the youth's runways and its flowers, walking on thorns in their whereabouts. Within my side was a weak fellow, whose beatings, When it looked around, were the bursts into tears. It scared him that I folded my traps, After a lengthy tying and untying. Woe to my side's son, the utmost of every pleasure, After youth, is too dear to attain. O my heart, no remainder was left of us, For a chivalry, or a leftover for a fight. When you applauded, we used to anticipate love, And stretch tight like a devastating band. Today, when you shake me, you trigger within me, That which the bell triggers within the hermits. O neighbor of the valley, I was enchanted and revisited, By what looked like dreams upon your remembrance. I recalled your love in memory and in sleep, Since memories are the narrating echo of the years. I have passed by the gardens upon a luxuriant hill, nearby where I used to meet you. Its faces and eyes smiled at me, And I found your nice smell in its breaths. I went through those days to remembering a flickering, that embraced you between the streams and springs. Did you remember our ardent love’s trotting? kissing your steps when you pranced? Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.6, Issue 10 Oct-2019 Copyright © Society for Science and Education, United Kingdom 159 I did not know what a good hug of passion is, until my arm gently embraced you. Your tender sides twisted within my hands, and your cheeks blushed of shyness. I entered two nights, its darkness and your hair And kissed your mouth like the lightening morning The language of speech disrupted, while my eyes, Addressed your eyes in the language of love. I erased every arousal out of my mind, And forgot every admonition and complaint. No yesterday exists in time, or tomorrow, All time was collected to be the day of your gratification [5]. MAJNOUN LAILA (LAYLA'S MAD LOVER): Majnoun Laila is the second poetic play that Shawqi presented to the audience after returning to writing for the theater during the last period of his life. It is the first of his plays that took its primary theme from Arab history. This play is a traditional and popular legend symbolizing the chaste virgin love for which some of the tribes of Najd and Hijaz in the Umayyad era were famous. Many myths abound about his love for Laila; thus, his real historical story was mixed with legends. Ahmad Shawqi wrote this play according to the story of Qays Al-Mullawah with his adored cousin Layla Al-Ameriya, yet he added some events. The play was mainly about virgin courtship and what people at his time and tradition consider of publicizing the beloved through love poems. Anyone who writes love poems about his beloved would never be allowed to marry her, and the end is always tragic as one died on the other one’s grave. ‘Majnoun Layla’ is considered to be one of Shawqi’s best plays and one of the best poetic plays in modern Arab literature in addition to its pioneering writing in the field of poetic theater literature. The issue of expressing love appears to be problematic in Ahmad Shawqi's poetry. Stating this issue in the context of the his poetic play, ‘Majnoun Layla’ (Layla’s Mad Lover), is essential when trying to identify the obstacles and barriers that made Shawqi look conservative or traditional when writing about love and women in general, and then how the play (Majnoun Laila) filled some of the gaps in his performance in regard to this subject and restored to his poetry a bit of emotional and artistic balance. It is also essential to note the nature of the social atmosphere and the sober personality within which Shawqi lived throughout his life and not overlook the status of the woman in Shawqi's era, the multiple aspects in which she appeared, and the fluctuation of cultural values around her. All of these factors caused the poet’s anxiety and confusion when approaching this thorny subject [17]. Ahmad Shawqi's greatest dramatic work is without doubt his poetic play ‘Majnoun Layla’. In the first scene Qays describes his love for Layla: ﺳ ﺠ ﺎ ا ﻟ ﻠ ﯿ ﻞ ﺣ ﺘ ﻰ ھ ﺎ ج ﻟ ﻰ ا ﻟ ﺸ ﻌ ﺮ و ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى و ﻣ ﺎ ا ﻟ ﺒ ﯿ ﺪ إ ﻻ ا ﻟ ﻠ ﯿ ﻞ و ا ﻟ ﺸ ﻌ ﺮ و ا ﻟ ﺤ ﺐ ﻣ ﻠ ﺌ ﺖ ﺳ ﻤ ﺎ ء ا ﻟ ﺒ ﯿ ﺪ ﻋ ﺸ ﻘ ﺎ و أ ر ﺿ ﮭ ﺎ و ﺣ ﻤ ﻠ ﺖ و ﺣ ﺪ ى ذ ﻟ ﻚ ا ﻟ ﻌ ﺸ ﻖ ﯾ ﺎ ر ب Al-Rifai, N. Y. (2019). Love & Courtship in the Poetry of Ahmad Shawqi. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 6(10) 145-162. 160 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.610.7237. أ ﻟ ﻢ ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ أ ﺑ ﯿ ﺎ ت ﻟ ﯿ ﻠ ﻰ ﺑ ﻰ ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى و ﻣ ﺎ ﻏ ﯿ ﺮ أ ﺷ ﻮ ا ﻗ ﻰ د ﻟ ﯿ ﻞ و ﻻ ﻛ ﺴ ﺐ و ﺑ ﺎ ﺗ ﺖ ﺧ ﯿ ﺎ ﻣ ﻰ ﺧ ﻄ ﻮ ة ﻣ ﻦ ﺧ ﯿ ﺎ ﻣ ﮭ ﺎ ﻓ ﻠ ﻢ ﯾ ﺸ ﻔ ﻨ ﻰ ﻣ ﻨ ﮭ ﺎ ﺟ ﻮ ا ر و ﻻ ﻗ ﺮ ب إ ذ ا ط ﺎ ف ﻗ ﻠ ﺒ ﻰ ﺣ ﻮ ﻟ ﮭ ﺎ ﺟ ﻦ ﺷ ﻮ ﻗ ﮫ ﻛ ﺬ ﻟ ﻚ ﯾ ﻄ ﻐ ﻰ ا ﻟ ﻐ ﻠ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﻤ ﻨ ﮭ ﻞ ا ﻟ ﻌ ﺬ ب Notice that the following is Arbery’s translation of the previous lines: How still the night! It stirs within me yearning And poetry. The desert is all night, And love, and poetry. God, thou hast filled The heaven and earth with passion in this desert, And I alone am laden with that passion. Yearning has seized me for the tents of Layla ; I have no guide, no convoy but my passion. At night my tent was pitched but a step from hers, Yet all that neighbouring wrought no cure in me. When my heart goes about her, all its passion Suddenly swells like an upleaping stream [18]. While the following is my own translation of the same lines: Night became tranquil till poetry and passion agitated within me, And what are the deserts, except night, poetry and love. I filled its sky and land with passionate love And alone, O Lord, carried that passion. Love befell upon me at Layla's dwellings, while I have no guide or choice except my longings. My tents have become apart steps from hers, yet this neighborhood and nearness did not heal me. When my heart passes around her, its longing is covered, As like the fresh fountain masters defeats the burning thirst. I felt as if Shawq's poem is more beautiful than Qay's poem himself. In a profound and extensive thematic study entitled ‘Romantic Shawqi’ written by Ahmad Abdel Mu’ty Hejazi and published in a special issue about Shawqi in the magazine, Al-Hilal, published in 1968, Hijazi explores the effects of romanticism on Shawqi and finds it in some of his poetic plays, especially the poem ‘Mount Al-Towbad’ written by Shawqi on the tongue of Qays in his play ‘Majnoun Layla’ in which he says [19]: ﺟ ﺒ ﻞ ا ﻟ ﺘ ﻮ ﺑ ﺎ د ﺣ ﯿ ﺎ ك ا ﻟ ﺤ ﯿ ﺎ * و ﺳ ﻘ ﻰ ﷲ ﺻ ﺒ ﺎ ﻧ ﺎ و ر ﻋ ﻰ ﻓ ﯿ ﻚ ﻧ ﺎ ﻏ ﯿ ﻨ ﺎ ا ﻟ ﮭ ﻮ ى ﻓ ﻰ ﻣ ﮭ ﺪ ه * و ر ﺿ ﻌ ﻨ ﺎ ه , ﻓ ﻜ ﻨ ﺖ ا ﻟ ﻤ ﺮ ﺿ ﻌ ﺎ و ﺣ ﺪ و ﻧ ﺎ ا ﻟ ﺸ ﻤ ﺲ ﻓ ﻰ ﻣ ﻐ ﺮ ﺑ ﮭ ﺎ * و ﺑ ﻜ ﺮ ﻧ ﺎ ﻓ ﺴ ﺒ ﻘ ﻨ ﺎ ا ﻟ ﻤ ﻄ ﻠ ﻌ ﺎ و ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ﺳ ﻔ ﺤ ﻚ ﻋ ﺸ ﻨ ﺎ ز ﻣ ﻨ ﺎ * و ر ﻋ ﯿ ﻨ ﺎ ﻏ ﻨ ﻢ ا ﻷ ھ ﻞ ﻣ ﻌ ﺎ ھ ﺬ ه ا ﻟ ﺮ ﺑ ﻮ ه ﻛ ﺎ ﻧ ﺖ ﻣ ﻠ ﻌ ﺒ ﺎ * ﻟ ﺸ ﺒ ﺎ ﺑ ﯿ ﻨ ﺎ و ﻛ ﺎ ﻧ ﺖ ﻣ ﺮ ﺗ ﻌ ﺎ ﻛ ﻢ ﺑ ﻨ ﯿ ﻨ ﺎ ﻣ ﻦ ﺣ ﺼ ﺎ ھ ﺎ أ ر ﺑ ﻌ ﺎ * و ا ﻧ ﺜ ﻨ ﯿ ﻨ ﺎ ﻓ ﻤ ﺤ ﻮ ﻧ ﺎ ا ﻷ ر ﺑ ﻌ ﺎ و ﺧ ﻄ ﻄ ﻨ ﺎ ﻓ ﻰ ﻧ ﻘ ﺎ ا ﻟ ﺮ ﻣ ﻞ , ﻓ ﻠ ﻢ * ﺗ ﺤ ﻔ ﻆ ا ﻟ ﺮ ﯾ ﺢ , و ﻻ ا ﻟ ﺮ ﻣ ﻞ و ﻋ ﻰ ﻟ ﻢ ﺗ ﺰ ل ﻟ ﯿ ﻠ ﻰ ﺑ ﻌ ﯿ ﻨ ﻰ ط ﻔ ﻠ ﺔ * ﻟ ﻢ ﺗ ﺰ د ﻋ ﻦ ا ﻻ ﻣ ﺲ إ ﻻ أ ﺻ ﺒ ﻌ ﺎ ﻣ ﺎ ﻷ ﺣ ﺠ ﺎ ر ك ﺻ ﻤ ﺎ , ﻛ ﻠ ﻤ ﺎ * ھ ﺎ ج ﺑ ﻰ ا ﻟ ﺸ ﻮ ق أ ﺑ ﺖ أ ن ﺗ ﺴ ﻤ ﻌ ﺎ ﻛ ﻠ ﻤ ﺎ ﺟ ﺌ ﺘ ﻚ ر ا ﺟ ﻌ ﺖ ا ﻟ ﺼ ﺒ ﺎ * ﻓ ﺄ ﺑ ﺖ أ ﯾ ﺎ ﻣ ﮫ أ ن ﺗ ﺮ ﺟ ﻌ ﺎ ﻗ ﺪ ﯾ ﮭ ﻮ ن ا ﻟ ﻌ ﻤ ﺮ إ ﻻ ﺳ ﺎ ﻋ ﺔ * و ﺗ ﮭ ﻮ ن ا ﻷ ر ض إ ﻻ ﻣ ﻮ ﺿ ﻌ ﺎ Mount Al-Towbad, may you be greeted by rains, May God water and guard our youth. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.6, Issue 10 Oct-2019 On you, we talked tenderly to love in its cradle, And suckled it, while you were the suckling mother. We walked beside the sun by singing in its sunset, Then early preceded the sunrise. At your foot we lived an age, And shepherded our parents' sheep together. This hill was a playground, And a pasture for our youth. How many a times we built four of its stones, Then we bent and erased the four of them. We drew in the pure sand, yet the wind, Did not keep it, nor did the sand hold it. Layla, in my eyes, is still a little girl, She did not grow, from yesterday, but a finger. Why are your stones deaf whenever, my longings agitate, they wouldn’t listen to me? Whenever I came to you, I turned back to my boyhood, Yet its days refused to return. The whole life may become worthless, except one hour, And the whole earth may become valueless, except one place. Hijazi reviewed this poem and regarded it, similar to other poems, among the best of what Shawqi had ever written. He added that it reflected the romantic spirit of Shawqi, noting the gentle soul-stirring melody that was woven throughout the poem starting from its first line until its ingenious end. He finally remarked that this poem did not reflect the spirit of Qays as described in the books, yet rather discloses the spirit of a pondering old man; Shawqi, who shaken by love, was delighted by old memories that flowed from his shy tongue. To conclude my research, I could not find words more expressive than these by which Arthur John Arberry (1905–1969) concluded his research entitled Hafiz Ibrahim and Shawqi: ‘Shawqi died in the summer of 1932 at the height of his great poetic gifts. The fertility of his genius during the last few years of his life was truly amazing, and it is a melancholy reflection that his best may have remained unwritten. So great a genius, however, is never lost to literature, and the repercussions of his truly original mind and well-nigh inexhaustible energy will continue to be felt for many years to come’ [20]. References: Al-Houfi, A.M. (1934). Wahyu Al-Naseeb fi She'r Shawqi. Matba'at Al-Oloum, Cairo, Egypt. Al-Dahhan, S. published in Mahrajan Aḥ mad Shawqi (Memorial festival for Ahmad Shawqi) (1960). A National government publication. Published by: The Supreme Council of Arts, Literature and Social Sciences, Cairo, Egypt. 161 Copyright © Society for Science and Education, United Kingdom Al-Rifai, N. Y. (2019). Love & Courtship in the Poetry of Ahmad Shawqi. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 6(10) 145-162. Abdul-Ghani, M. (1996). Islamiyat Ahmad Shawqi. Majalat Al-Adab Al-Islami, Number 14, Al-Riyad, Saudi Arabia. Al-Taftazani, M.Gh.(1932 Nov, 1) , Al-Ma’refa Journal, Cairo, Egypt. Shawqi, A. (n.d.). Al-Shawqiyat. Beirut, Lebanon: Dar Al-Ketab Al-Arabi. Bedair, H. The sentimental poetry of Hafith and Shawqi - p. 232. Magazine of (Fosoul) - Number 2 - March 1983. Cairo, Egypt. Shawqi, H. (1946). Abi Shawqi (My Father Shawqi), Maktabat Al-Nahda, Cairo, Egypt. Jawdat, Saleh. (1960). Balabel min Al-Sharq. Al-Dar al-Qawmiyah lil- Tibaʻah wa Al-Nashr. Cairo, Egypt. Mubarak, Z. (1988). Ahmad Shawqi. Page 80. Dar Al-Jeel, Beirut, Lebanon. Al-Ashmawi, M. Z. (2000). A'laam Al-Adab al-Arabi Al-Hadeeth, Dar Al-Ma'refa Al-Jame'iya. Alexandria, Egypt. Obeid, A. (1922). Mashaheer Sho'ara Al-Asr, Al-Maktaba Al-Arabiya, Damascus, Syria. Anonymous (1910, December 1). Ahmad Shawqi. Al-Zohour, 458-459. Cairo, Egypt. Mubarak, Z. (1935). Al-Bada’ae, (2nd edition), part one, Al-Maktaba Al-Mahmoudiya, Cairo. Egypt. (Page 41). Sabry, M. (1979). Al-Shawqiyat Al-Majhoula , part 2, (2nd ed.). Dar Al-Mayssara. Beirut, Lebanon. Al-Muqtataf magazine- January 1, 1931, page 114, Maktabat Al-Muqtataf , She'r Shawqi (Name of article), commenting on part 2 of his poetry collection. The editor, (1927). The prince of poets in Zahle - p. 26. Journal of (Al-Ma’rad) – Number 19 – May/August. Beirut, Lebanon. Idrees, Najma, A. (2006). “Majnoun Layla by Ahmad Shawqi” The Foundation of Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain’s Prize for Poetic Creativity". Kuwait. Page 118. Arberry, Arthur J. (1933): «Majnun Layla. (A poetical drama translated into English verse), Publisher: A. Lencioni: Cairo, Egypt. Hejazi, Ahmad,A. (1968). “Romantic Shawqi”. Al-Hilal Magazine , Number 11, Nov.1968 . Cairo, Egypt. Pages 111112. Arberry, Arthur J: «Hafiz Ibrahim and Shawqi», Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society. 35(1937) 41-58, csp. pp. 5058. Reprinted (with some additional translations) in his Aspects of Islamic Civilization. London: 1964. pp. 365377. » URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.610.7237. 162