was Islam spread by the sowrd ?
It is a common misconception with some non-Muslims that Islam would not have millions of adherents all over the world, if it had not been spread by the use of force.

The following points will make it clear, that far from being spread by the sword, it was the inherent force of truth, reason and logic that was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam.

Islam has always given respect and freedom of religion to all faiths. Freedom of religion is ordained in the Quran itself:

“There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong.” (Quran 2:256)

The noted historian De Lacy O’Leary wrote:[1] “History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myths that historians have ever repeated.”

The famous historian, Thomas Carlyle, in his book Heroes and Hero worship, refers to this misconception about the spread of Islam: “The sword indeed, but where will you get your sword? Every new opinion, at its starting is precisely in a minority of one; in one man’s head alone. There it dwells as yet. One man alone of the whole world believes it, there is one man against all men. That he takes a sword and tries to propagate with that will do little for him. You must get your sword! On the whole, a thing will propagate itself as it can.”

If Islam was spread by the sword, it was the sword of intellect and convincing arguments. It is this sword that conquers the hearts and minds of people. The Quran says in this connection:

“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best.” (Quran 16:125)

The facts speak for themselves
· Indonesia is the country that has the largest number of Muslims in the world, and the majority of people in Malaysia are Muslims. But, no Muslim army ever went to Indonesia or Malaysia. It is an established historical fact that Indonesia entered Islam not due to war, but because of its moral message. Despite the disappearance of Islamic government from many regions once ruled by it, their original inhabitants have remained Muslims. Moreover, they carried the message of truth, inviting others to it as well, and in so doing endured harm, affliction and oppression. The same can be said for those in the regions of Syria and Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, North Africa, Asia, the Balkans and in Spain. This shows that the effect of Islam on the population was one of moral conviction, in contrast to occupation by western colonialists, finally compelled to leave lands whose peoples held only memories of affliction, sorrow, subjugation and oppression.

· Muslims ruled Spain (Andalusia) for about 800 years. During this period the Christians and Jews enjoyed freedom to practice their respective religions, and this is a documented historical fact.

· Christian and Jewish minorities have survived in the Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuries. Countries such as Egypt, Morocco, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan all have significant Christian and Jewish populations.

· Muslims ruled India for about a thousand years, and therefore had the power to force each and every non-Muslim of India to convert to Islam, but they did not, and thus more than 80% of the Indian population remains non-Muslim.

· Similarly, Islam spread rapidly on the East Coast of Africa. And likewise no Muslim army was ever dispatched to the East Coast of Africa.

· An article in Reader’s Digest ‘Almanac’, yearbook 1986, gives the statistics of the increase of the percentage of the major religions of the world in half a century from 1934 to 1984. This article also appeared in The Plain Truth magazine. At the top was Islam, which increased by 235%, while Christianity had increased by 47%. During this fifty-year period, there was no “Islamic conquest” yet Islam spread at an extraordinary rate.

· Today the fastest growing religion in America and Europe is Islam. The Muslims in these lands are a minority. The only sword they have in their possession is the sword of truth. It is this sword that is converting thousands to Islam.

· Islamic law protects the privileged status of minorities, and that is why non-Muslim places of worship have flourished all over the Islamic world. Islamic law also allows non-Muslim minorities to set up their own courts, which implement family laws drawn up by the minorities themselves. The life and property of all citizens in an Islamic state are considered sacred whether they are Muslims or not.

Conclusion
It is clear, therefore, that Islam did not spread by the sword. The “sword of Islam” did not convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslim countries. In India, where Muslims ruled for 800 years, they are still a minority. In the U.S.A., Islam is the fastest growing religion and has over six million followers.

In his book The World’s Religions, Huston Smith discusses how the prophet Muhammad granted freedom of religion to the Jews and Christians under Muslim rule:

The Prophet had a document drawn up in which he stipulated that Jews and Christians “shall be protected from all insults and harm; they shall have an equal right with our own people to our assistance and good offices,” and further, “they shall practice their religion as freely as the Muslims.”[2]

Smith points out that Muslims regard that document as the first charter of freedom of conscience in human history and the authoritative model for those of every subsequent Muslim state.



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Footnotes:
[1] In his book Islam at the Crossroads, p.8.

[2] Quoted in The World’s Religions by Huston Smith, Harper Collins, 1991, p. 256

What Does Islam Say about Terrorism

Islam, a religion of mercy, does not permit terrorism.
In the Quran, God has said:

“God does not forbid you from showing kindness and dealing justly with those who have not fought you about religion and have not driven you out of your homes. God loves just dealers.” (Quran 60:8)

The Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, used to prohibit soldiers from killing women and children,[1] and he would advise them: “...Do not betray, do not be excessive, do not kill a newborn child.”[2] And he also said: “Whoever has killed a person having a treaty with the Muslims shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise, though its fragrance is found for a span of forty years.”[3]

Also, the Prophet Muhammad has forbidden punishment with fire.[4]

He once listed murder as the second of the major sins,[5] and he even warned that on the Day of Judgment, “The first cases to be adjudicated between people on the Day of Judgment will be those of bloodshed.[6]”[7]

Muslims are even encouraged to be kind to animals and are forbidden to hurt them. Once the Prophet Muhammad said: “A woman was punished because she imprisoned a cat until it died. On account of this, she was doomed to Hell. While she imprisoned it, she did not give the cat food or drink, nor did she free it to eat the insects of the earth.”[8]

He also said that a man gave a very thirsty dog a drink, so God forgave his sins for this action. The Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, was asked, “Messenger of God, are we rewarded for kindness towards animals?” He said: “There is a reward for kindness to every living animal or human.”[9]

Additionally, while taking the life of an animal for food, Muslims are commanded to do so in a manner that causes the least amount of fright and suffering possible. The Prophet Muhammad said: “When you slaughter an animal, do so in the best way. One should sharpen his knife to reduce the suffering of the animal.”[10]

In light of these and other Islamic texts, the act of inciting terror in the hearts of defenseless civilians, the wholesale destruction of buildings and properties, the bombing and maiming of innocent men, women, and children are all forbidden and detestable acts according to Islam and the Muslims. Muslims follow a religion of peace, mercy, and forgiveness, and the vast majority have nothing to do with the violent events some have associated with Muslims. If an individual Muslim were to commit an act of terrorism, this person would be guilty of violating the laws of Islam.



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Footnotes:
[1] Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #1744, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #3015.

[2] Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #1731, and Al-Tirmizi, #1408.

[3] Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #3166, and Ibn Majah, #2686.

[4] Narrated in Abu-Dawood, #2675.

[5] Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6871, and Saheeh Muslim, #88.

[6] This means killing and injuring.

[7] Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #1678, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6533.

[8] Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2422, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #2365.

[9] This saying of Muhammad has been mentioned in more detail on this page. Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2244, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #2466.

[10] Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #1955, and Al-Tirmizi, #1409.

Human Rights and Justice in Islam

Islam provides many human rights for the individual.
The following are some of these human rights that Islam protects.
The life and property of all citizens in an Islamic state are considered sacred, whether a person is Muslim or not. Islam also protects honor. So, in Islam, insulting others or making fun of them is not allowed. The Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said: “Truly your blood, your property, and your honor are inviolable.”[1]
Racism is not allowed in Islam, for the Quran speaks of human equality in the following terms:
“O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female and have made you into nations and tribes for you to know one another. Truly, the noblest of you with God is the most pious.[2] Truly, God is All-Knowing, All-Aware.” (Quran 49:13)
Islam rejects certain individuals or nations being favored because of their wealth, power, or race. God created human beings as equals who are to be distinguished from each other only on the basis of their faith and piety. The Prophet Muhammad said: “O people! Your God is one and your forefather (Adam) is one. An Arab is not better than a non-Arab and a non-Arab is not better than an Arab, and a red (i.e. white tinged with red) person is not better than a black person and a black person is not better than a red person,[3] except in piety.”[4]
One of the major problems facing mankind today is :racism. The developed world can send a man to the moon but cannot stop man from hating and fighting his fellow man. Ever since the days of the Prophet Muhammad, Islam has provided a vivid example of how racism can be ended. The annual pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah shows the real Islamic brotherhood of all races and nations, when about two million Muslims from all over the world come to Makkah to perform the pilgrimage.

Islam is a religion of justice. God has said:
“Truly God commands you to give back trusts to those to whom they are due, and when you judge between people, to judge with justice....” (Quran 4:58)
And He has said:
“...And act justly. Truly, God loves those who are just.” (Quran 49:9)
We should even be just with those who we hate, as God has said:
“...And let not the hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety....” (Quran 5:8)
The Prophet Muhammad said: “People, beware of injustice,[5] for injustice shall be darkness on the Day of Judgment.”[6]
And those who have not gotten their rights (i.e. what they have a just claim to) in this life will receive them on the Day of Judgment, as the Prophet said: “On the Day of Judgment, rights will be given to those to whom they are due (and wrongs will be redressed)...”[7]



Footnotes:
[1] Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #1739, and Mosnad Ahmad, #2037.
[2] A pious person is a believer who abstains from all kinds of sins, performs all good deeds that God commands us to do, and fears and loves God.
[3] The colors mentioned in this Prophetic saying are examples. The meaning is that in Islam no one is better than another because of his color, whether it is white, black, red, or any other color.
[4] Narrated in Mosnad Ahmad, #22978.
[5] i.e. oppressing others, acting unjustly, or doing wrong to others.
[6] Narrated in Mosnad Ahmad, #5798, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #2447.
[7] Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2582, and Mosnad Ahmad, #7163

WONDERFUL ARABIC SCRIPTS :

Dear friends I`d like to introduce you those beautiful Arabic handwritings that were and still the adore of both arabs and foreigners . I wish you like it
To see the wonderful arabic scripts : www.diwanalarab.com

أعزائي عشاق الخط العربي أود أن أقدم لكم هذه الباقة من الخطوط العربية الجميلة فطالما كانت الخطوط العربية عشق العرب و الأجانب علي حد سواء.أتمني أن تحوز اعجابكم .


أنواع الخطوط

الخط الكوفي
وهو من أجود الخطوط شكلا ومنظراً وتنسيقاً وتنظيماً، فأشكال الحروف فيه متشابهة، وزاد من حلاوته وجماله أن تزين بالتنقيط ، وقد بدأت كتابته من القرن الثاني الهجري، ثم ابتكر الإيرانيون الخط الكوفي الإيراني وهو نوع من الخط الكوفي العباسي تظهر فيه المدات أكثر وضوحًا، ثم ظهر الخط الكوفي المزهر وفيه تزدان الحروف بمراوح نخيلية تشبه زخارف التوريق، وشاع استعمال هذا النوع في إيران في عهد السلاجقة، وفي مصر في العهد الفاطمي.


خط النسخ
وضع قواعده الوزير ابن مقلة، وأُطلق عليه النسخ لكثرة استعماله في نسخ الكتب ونقلها، لأنه يساعد الكاتب على السير بقلمه بسرعة أكثر من غيره، ثم كتبت به المصاحف في العصور الوسطى الإسلامية، وامتاز بإيضاح الحروف وإظهار جمالها وروعتها.



خط الثلث
من أروع الخطوط منظرا وجمالاً وأصعبها كتابة وإتقانا، يمتاز عن غيره بكثرة المرونة إذ تتعدد أشكال معظم الحروف فيه ؛ لذلك يمكن كتابة جملة واحدة عدة مرات بأشكال مختلفة، ويطمس أحيانا شكل الميم للتجميل، ويقل استعمال هذا النوع في كتابة المصاحف، ويقتصر على العناوين وبعض الآيات والجمل لصعوبة كتابته، ولأنه يأخذ وقتاً طويلاً في الكتابة.




الخط المصحفي
كتبت المصاحف بحروف خط الثلث، وبعد العناية والاهتمام به وتجويده سُمي بالمحقق، ثم تطورت الكتابة لتكون على صورة أخرى سميت بالخط المصحفي جمعت بين خط النسخ والثلث.


الخط الديواني
هو الخط الرسمي الذي كان يستخدم في كتاب الدواوين، وكان سرًا من أسرار القصور السلطانية في الخلافة العثمانية، ثم انتشر بعد ذلك، وتوجد في كتابته مذاهب كثيرة ويمتاز بأنه يكتب على سطر واحد وله مرونة في كتابة جميع حروفه.


الخط الأندلسي - المغربي
مشتق من الخط الكوفي، وكان يسمى خط القيروان نسبة إلى القيروان عاصمة المغرب ، ونجده في نسخ القرآن المكتوبة في الأندلس وشمال إفريقيا، ويمتاز هذا الخط باستدارة حروفه استدارة كبيرة، وبمتحف المتروبوليتان عدة أوراق من مصاحف مكتوبة بالخط الأندلسي.



خط الرقعة
يمتاز هذا النوع بأنه يكتب بسرعة وسهولة، وهو من الخطوط المعتادة التي تكتب في معظم الدول العربية، والملاحظ فيه أن جميع حروفه مطموسة عدا الفاء والقاف الوسطية .



الخط الفارسي
يعد من أجمل الخطوط التي لها طابع خاص يتميز به عن غيره، إذ يتميز بالرشاقة في حروفه فتبدو وكأنها تنحدر في اتجاه واحد، وتزيد من جماله الخطوط اللينة والمدورة فيه، لأنها أطوع في الرسم وأكثر مرونة لاسيما إذا رسمت بدقة وأناقة وحسن توزيع ، وقد يعمد الخطاط في استعماله إلى الزخرفة للوصول إلى القوة في التعبير بالإفادة من التقويسات والدوائر، فضلاً عن رشاقة الرسم، فقد يربط الفنان بين حروف الكلمة الواحدة والكلمتين ليصل إلى تأليف إطار أو خطوط منحنية وملتفة يُظهر فيها عبقريته في الخيال والإبداع


و في المرة القادمة سوف نتعرف علي أدوات الخطاط وأشهر الخطاطين ثم سنري مجموعة من أحسن ما كتبه الخطاطين العرب .

In the next time we will see the tools of elkhatat ,the most famouse ones and see a group of the pages written by them .

See you in the next time

Bye

DEAR READERS I`D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU THE (2) PART OF " ONE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT" TO ENJOY IT AS I DID .

LAST TIME THE KING SHAHRAYAR AND HIS BROTHER STOPPED IN THE FOREST TO HAVE SOME WATER FROM THE WELL THEN THEY SAW A GINNI CARRYING A COFFER ON HIS HEAD AND A SMALLER THING HAS GOT OUT OF IT . THIS TIME WE WILL KNOW WHAT WAS INSIDE THIS COFFER i WISH YOU ENJOY IT AS i DID . FOLLOW .

bearing on his head a coffer of glass with seven locks of steel. He landed and sat down under the tree, where he set down the coffer, and opening it, took out a smaller one. This also he opened, and there came forth a damsel slender of form and dazzlingly beautiful, as she were a shining sun, as says the poet Uteyeh:
She shines out in the dusk, and lo! the day is here, And all the trees flower forth with blossoms bright and clear,
The sun from out her brows arises, and the moon, When she unveils her face, cloth hide for shame and fear.
All living things prostrate themselves before her feet, When she unshrouds and all her hidden charms appear;
And when she flashes forth the lightnings of her glance, She maketh eyes to rain, like showers, with many a tear.
When the genie saw her, he said to her, "O queen of noble ladies, thou whom indeed I stole away on thy wedding night, I have a mind to sleep awhile." And he laid his head on her knees and fell asleep. Presently the lady raised her eyes to the tree and saw the two kings among the branches; so she lifted the genie's head from her lap and laid it on the ground, then rose and stood beneath the tree and signed to them to descend, without heeding the Afrit. (3) They answered her, in the same manner, "God on thee (4) excuse us from this." But she rejoined by signs, as who should say, "If you do not come down, I will wake the Afrit on you, and he will kill you without mercy." So they were afraid and came down to her, whereupon she came up to them and offered them her favours, saying, "To it, both of you, and lustily; or I will set the Afrit on you." So for fear of him, King Shehriyar said to his brother Shahzeman, "O brother, do as she bids thee." But he replied, "Not I; do thou have at her first." And they made signs to each other to pass first, till she said, "Why do I see you make signs to each other? An you come not forward and fall to, I will rouse the Afrit on you." So for fear of the genie, they lay with her one after the other, and when they had done, she bade them arise, and took out of her bosom a purse containing a necklace made of five hundred and seventy rings, and said to them, "Know ye what these are?" They answered, "No." And she said, "Every one of the owners of these rings has had to do with me in despite of this Afrit. And now give me your rings, both of you." So each of them took off a ring and gave it to her. And she said to them, "Know that this genie carried me off on my wedding night and laid me in a box and shut the box up in a glass chest, on which he clapped seven strong locks and sank it to the bottom of the roaring stormy sea, knowing not that nothing can hinder a woman, when she desires
We seek aid of God against the malice of women, for indeed their craft is great!" Then she said to them, "Go your ways." So they returned to the road, and Shehriyar said to Shahzeman, "By Allah, O my brother, this Afrit's case is more grievous than ours. For this is a genie and stole away his mistress on her wedding night and clapped her in a chest, which he locked with seven locks and sank in the midst of the sea, thinking to guard her from that which was decreed by fate, yet have we seen that she has lain with five hundred and seventy men in his despite, and now with thee and me to boot. Verily, this is a thing that never yet happened to any, and it should surely console us. Let us therefore return to our kingdoms and resolve never again to take a woman to wife; and as for me, I will show thee what I will do." So they set out at once and presently came to the camp outside Shehriyar's capital and, entering the royal pavilion, sat down on their bed of estate. Then the chamberlains and amirs and grandees came in to them and Shehriyar commanded them to return to the city. So they returned to the city and Shehriyar went up to his palace, where he summoned his Vizier and bade him forthwith put his wife to death. The Vizier accordingly took the queen and killed her, whilst Shehriyar, going into the slave girls and concubines, drew his sword and slew them all. Then he let bring others in their stead and took an oath that every night he would go in to a maid and in the morning put her to death, for that there was not one chaste woman on the face of the earth. As for Shahzeman, he sought to return to his kingdom at once; so his brother equipped him for the journey and he set out and fared on till he came to his own dominions. Meanwhile, King Shehriyar commanded his Vizier to bring him the bride of the night, that he might go in to her; so he brought him one of the daughters of the amirs and he went in to her, and on the morrow he bade the Vizier cut off her head. The Vizier dared not disobey the King's commandment, so he put her to death and brought him another girl, of the daughters of the notables of the land. The King went in to her also, and on the morrow he bade the Vizier kill her; and he ceased not to do thus for three years, till the land was stripped of marriageable girls, and all the women and mothers and fathers wept and cried out against the King, cursing him and complaining to the Creator of heaven and earth and calling for succour upon Him who heareth prayer and answereth those that cry to Him; and those that had daughters left fled with them, till at last there remained not a single girl in the city apt for marriage. One day the King ordered the Vizier to bring him a maid as of wont; so the Vizier went out and made search for a girl, but found not one and returned home troubled and careful for fear of the king's anger. Now this Vizier had two daughters, the elder called Shehrzad and the younger Dunyazad, and the former had read many books and histories and chronicles of ancient kings and stories of people of old time; it is said indeed that she had collected a thousand books of chronicles of past peoples and bygone kings and poets. Moreover, she had read books of science and medicine; her memory was stored with verses and stories and folk-lore and the sayings of kings and sages, and she was wise, witty, prudent and well-bred. She said to her father, "How comes it that I see thee troubled and oppressed with care and anxiety? Quoth one of the poets:
'Tell him that is of care oppressed, That grief shall not endure alway,
But even as gladness fleeteth by, So sorrow too shall pass away."'
When the Vizier heard his daughter's words, he told her his case, and she said, "By Allah, O my father, marry me to this king, for either I will be the means of the deliverance of the daughters of the Muslims from slaughter or I will die and perish as others have perished." "For God's sake," answered the Vizier, "do not thus adventure thy life!" But she said, "It must be so." Whereupon her father was wroth with her and said to her, "Fool that thou art, cost thou not know that the ignorant man who meddles in affairs falls into grievous peril, and that he who looks not to the issue of his actions finds no friend in time of evil fortune? As says the byword, 'I was sitting at my ease, but my ............

THE NEXT TIME WE WILL KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO SHAHRAZAD

nazek almalaeka is an Iraqi poetess and critic .she was born in Baghdad in 1923 .her mother was a poetess ,her father was a poet and her uncle as well . shewas graduated at the school of teachers then she continued her studies in the u.s and she has alot of collections as the" moon tree " , " the tragedy of life" , " a song for life " and others . now I`ll introduce you the poem of " In the vally of slaves "



نازك الملائكة

نازك الملائكة شاعرة وناقدة من العراق، ولدت ببغداد عام 1923، ونشأت في بيئة أدبية خالصة من أم شاعرة "سلمى عبد الرزاق" وأب شاعر وخال شاعر.. وقد صدر لأمها ديوان "أنشودة المجد" انتسبت الى دار المعلمين العالية "كلية التربية" حالياً فتخرجت بشهادة الليسانس بدرجة امتياز عام 1944، ثم يممت وجهها شطر الولايات المتحدة الأميركية،
وتخرجت في جامعة وسكونس بشهادة الماجستير في الأدب المقارن عام 1950. اجادت اللغة الانكليزية والفرنسية والألمانية واللاتينية،
وعملت فيما بعد استاذة مساعدة في كلية التربية بجامعة البصرة. من دواوينها: "عاشقة الليل" 1947، و "شظايا ورماد" 1949، و "قرارة الموجة" 1957، و "شجرة القمر" 1968، و "مأساة الحياة وأغنية للانسان"1970. ولها في النقد "قضايا الشعر المعاصر" 1962، و "علي محمود طه". جمعت أشعارها في مجلدين بعنوا "ديوان نازك الملائكة" ونشرته دار العودة – بيروت 1971م.




قصيدة في وادي العبيد


ضاع عُمْري في دياجيرِ الحياة
وخَبَتْ أحلامُ قلبــي المُغْرَقِ

ها أنا وحدي على شطِّ المماتِ
والأعاصيــرُ تُنادي زورقي

ليس في عينيّ غيـرُ العَبَراتِ
والظلالُ السودُ تحمي مفرقي

ليس في سَمْعيَ غيرُ الصَرَخاتِ
أسفاً للعُمْـــرِ، ماذا قد بَقِي ؟

* * *


سَنَواتُ العُمْر مرّت بي سِراعا
وتوارتْ في دُجَى الماضي البعيدْ

وتبقَّيْتُ على البحْر شِراعـــا
مُغرَقاً في الدمْع والحزنِ المُبيدْ

وحدتـي تقتلُني والعُمْرُ ضاعا
والأَسى لم يُبْقِ لي حُلماً "جديدْ"

وظلامُ العيْش لم يُبْقِ شُعَاعـا
والشَّبابُ الغَضُّ يَذْوي ويَبِيـدْ

* * *


أيُّ مأساةٍ حياتي وصِبايــا
أيّ نارٍ خلفَ صَمْتي وشَكاتي

كتمتْ روحي وباحتْ مُقْلتايا
ليتها ضنّتْ بأسرار حياتـي

ولمن أشكو عذابي وأسَايا ؟
ولمن أُرْسلُ هذي الأغنياتِ ؟

وحوالــيَّ عبيــــدٌ وضحايــا
ووجـودٌ مُغْــرَقٌ فــي الظُلُماتِ

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أيُّ معنــىً لطُموحـي ورجائــي
شَهِدَ الموتُ بضَعْفــــي البَشريِّ

ليس في الأرض لُحزْني مـن عزاءِ
فاحتدامُ الشرِّ طبْعُ الآدمـــــيِّ

مُثُلي العُلْيا وحُلْمـــي وسَمَائـي
كلُّها أوهامُ قلبٍ شاعـــــريِّ

هكذا قالوا ... فما مَعْنـى بَقائـي ؟
رحمةَ الأقدارِ بالقلب الشقــــيِّ

لا أُريدُ العيشَ في وادي العبيـــدِ
بين أَمواتٍ ... وإِن لم يُدْفَنـــوا ...

جُثَثٌ ترسَفُ في أسْرِ القُيـــــودِ
وتماثيلُ اجتــوتْها الأَْعيُــــنُ

آدميّونَ ولكـــنْ كالقُــــرودِ
وضِبَاعٌ شَرْســــةٌ لا تُؤمَــنُ

أبداً أُسْمعُهـم عذْبَ نشيــــدي
وهُمُ نومٌ عميـقٌ مُحْـــــزنُ

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قلبيَ الحُرُّ الــذي لم يَفْهمــوهُ
سوف يلْقَى في أغانيــه العَزَاءَ

لا يَظُنّوا أَنَّهم قــد سحقــوهُ
فهو ما زالَ جَمَالاً ونَقَــاءَ

سوف تمضي في التسابيح سِنوهُ
وهمُ في الشرِّ فجراً ومســاءَ

في حَضيضٍ من أَذاهْم ألفـوهُ
مُظْلمٍ لا حُسْنَ فيه ، لا ضياءَ

* * *
إِن أَكنْ عاشقةَ الليلِ فكأســي
مُشْرِقٌ بالضوءِ والحُبِّ الوَريقِ

وجَمَالُ الليلِ قد طهّرَ نفســي
بالدُجَى والهمس والصمْتِ العميقِ

أبداً يملأ أوهامــي وحسِّــي
بمعاني الرّوحِ والشِعْرِ الرقيـقِ

فدعوا لي ليلَ أحلامي ويأسي
ولكم أنتم تباشيرُ الشُــروقِ




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The BOOK OF one THOUSAND NIGHTSAND ONE NIGHT
Shehrayar the begining
In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful! Praise be to God, the Lord of the two worlds, (1) and blessing and peace upon the Prince of the Prophets, our prophet

Mohammed, whom God bless and preserve with abiding and continuing peace and blessing until the Day of the Faith! Of a verity, the doings of the ancients become a lesson to those that follow after, so that men look upon the admonitory events that have happened to others and take warning, and come to the knowledge of what befell bygone peoples and are restrained thereby. So glory be to Him who hath appointed the things that have been done aforetime for an example to those that come after! And of these admonitory instances are the histories called the Thousand Nights and One Night, with all their store of illustrious fables and relations.
It is recorded in the chronicles of the things that have been done of time past that there lived once, in the olden days and in bygone ages and times, a king of the kings of the sons of Sasan, who reigned over the Islands (2) of India and China and was lord of armies and guards and servants and retainers. He had two sons, an elder and a younger, who were both valiant cavaliers, but the elder was a stouter horseman than the younger. When their father died, he left his empire to his elder son, whose name was Shehriyar, and he took the government and ruled his subjects justly, so that the people of the country and of the empire loved him well, whilst his brother Shahzeman became King of Samarcand of Tartary. The two kings abode each in his own dominions, ruling justly over their subjects and enjoying the utmost prosperity and happiness, for the space of twenty years, at the end of which time the elder king yearned after his brother and commanded his Vizier to repair to the latter's court and bring him to his own capital. The Vizier replied, "I hear and obey," and set out at once and journeyed till he reached King Shahzeman's court in safety, when he saluted him for his brother and informed him that the latter yearned after him and desired that he would pay him a visit, to which King Shahzeman consented gladly and made ready for the journey and appointed his Vizier to rule the country in his stead during his absence. Then he caused his tents and camels and mules to be brought forth and encamped, with his guards and attendants, without the city, in readiness to set out next morning for his brother's kingdom. In the middle of the night, it chanced that he bethought him of somewhat he had forgotten in his palace; so he returned thither privily and entered his apartments, where he found his wife asleep in his own bed, in the arms of one of his black slaves. When he saw this, the world grew black in his sight, and he said to himself, "If this is what happens whilst I am yet under the city walls, what will be the condition of this accursed woman during my absence at my brother's court?" Then he drew his sword and smote the twain and slew them and left them in the bed and returned presently to his camp, without telling any one what had happened. Then he gave orders for immediate departure and set out a'once and travelled till he drew near his brother's capital when he despatched vaunt-couriers to announce his approach. His brother came forth to meet him and saluted him and rejoiced exceedingly and caused the city to be decorated in his honour. Then he sat down with him to converse and make merry; but King Shahzeman could not forget the perfidy of his wife and grief grew on him more and more and his colour changed and his body became weak. Shehriyar saw his condition, but attributed it to his separation from his country and his kingdom, so let him alone and asked no questions of him, till one day he said to him, "O my brother, I see that thou art grown weak of body and hast lost thy colour." And Shahzeman answered, "O my brother, I have an internal wound," but did not tell him about his wife. Said Shehriyar, "I wish thou wouldst ride forth with me a-hunting; maybe it would lighten thy heart." But Shahzeman refused; so his brother went out to hunt without him. Now there were in King Shahzeman's apartments lattice-windows overlooking his brother's garden, and as the former was sitting looking on the garden, behold a gate of the palace opened, and out came twenty damsels and twenty black slaves, and among them his brother's wife, who was wonderfully fair and beautiful. They all came up to a fountain, where the girls and slaves took off their clothes and sat down together. Then the queen called out, "O Mesoud!" And there came to her a black slave, who embraced her and she him. Then he lay with her, and on likewise did the other slaves with the girls. And they ceased not from kissing and clipping and cricketing and carousing until the day began to wane. When the King of Tartary saw this, he said to himself, "By Allah, my mischance was lighter than this!" And his grief and chagrin relaxed from him and he said, "This is more grievous than what happened to me!" So he put away his melancholy and ate and drank. Presently, his brother came back from hunting and they saluted each other: and Shehriyar looked at Shahzeman and saw that his colour had returned and his face was rosy and he ate heartily, whereas before he ate but little. So he said to him, "O my brother, when I last saw thee, thou wast pale and wan, and now I see that the colour has returned to thy face. Tell me how it is with thee." Quoth Shahzeman, "I will tell thee what caused my loss of colour, but excuse me from acquainting thee with the cause of its return to me." Said Shehriyar, "Let me hear first what was the cause of thy pallor and weakness." "Know then, O my brother," rejoined Shahzeman, "that when thou sentest thy vizier to bid me to thee, I made ready for the journey and had actually quitted my capital city, when I remembered that I had left behind me a certain jewel, that which I gave thee. So I returned to my palace, where I found my wife asleep in my bed, in the arms of a black slave. I slew them both and came to thee; and it was for brooding over this affair, that I lost my colour and became weak. But forgive me if I tell thee not the cause of my restoration to health." When his brother heard this, he said to him, "I conjure thee by Allah, tell me the reason of thy recovery!" So he told him all that he had seen, and Shehriyar said, "I must see this with my own eyes." "Then," replied Shahzeman, "feign to go forth to hunt and hide thyself in my lodging and thou shalt see all this and have ocular proof of the truth." So Shehriyar ordered his attendants to prepare to set out at once; whereupon the troops encamped without the city and he himself went forth with them and sat in his pavilion, bidding his servants admit no one. Then he disguised himself and returned secretly to King Shahzeman's palace and sat with him at the lattice overlooking the garden, until the damsels and their mistress came out with the slaves and did as his brother had reported, till the call to afternoon prayer. When King Shehriyar saw this, he was as one distraught and said to his brother, "Arise, let us depart hence, for we have no concern with kingship, and wander till we find one to whom the like has happened as to us, else our death were better than our life." Then they went out by a postern of the palace and journeyed days and nights till they came to a tree standing in the midst of a meadow, by a spring of water, on the shore of the salt sea, and they drank of the stream and sat down by it to rest. When the day was somewhat spent, behold, the sea became troubled and there rose from it a black column that ascended to the sky and made towards the meadow. When the princes saw this, they were afraid and climbed up to the top of the tree, which was a high one, that they might see what was the matter; and behold, it was a genie of lofty stature, broad-browed and wide-cheated, bearing on his head a coffer of glass with seven locks of steel. He landed and sat down under the tree, where he set down the coffer, and opening it, took out a ..............
In the next time we`ll add the rest of the story
Bye to the next time
Mayada yahia
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