A poem on Islamic beleifs

2. Foundations of Certitude
A Poem on Islamic Beliefs

5. © ibriz media
www.ibriz.net
All rights reserved. Aside from fair use, meaning a few pages or less for non-profit
educational purposes, review, or scholarly citation, no part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior
permission of the Copyright owner.
Cover: The Cosmic Tree [Shajarat al-Kawn], by Muhammadan Press

6. Say, “He is the First, the Last, the Outward, and the Inward,
and He has power over all things.”
[Quran 57:3]

7. “Certitude is like the fortified wall of a city. When a city has a wall, the enemy
has no hope of entering it. But when a breach occurs in the wall and gates
and fissures appear in it, the enemy makes haste to enter. The pitfall of Satan
and his temptation is a consequence of the defect of the body’s wall which is
certitude. So let every intelligent person hasten to maintain the well-being
of his body’s wall so that Satan cannot approach him and no human being
disturbs him. . . . Certitude is a sign of the people of truthfulness and spiritual
realization. We ask Allah Most High by His grace and His generosity to bestow
on us His sweetness and secrets!”
—Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz al-Dabbagh g (al-Ibriz)

9. Foundations of Certitude
opening
1·
In Allah’s Holy Name this poem I start
Asking Him humbly that He guide my heart
2·
By the blessed Prophet, bearer of light
By whom servants ascend spiritual heights
3·
Plentiful prayers and salutations
On Ahmad, master of the creation
4·
He is fairest of all, purest of speech
And with knowledge of God he came to teach
5·
He was mercy to all, tender and kind
He’s the closest of all to the Divine
6·
Pondering deeply and knowing the truth
Is your first duty at onset of youth
theology
7·
Allah is without beginning or cause
Forever abiding, no end or pause
8·
Completely unlike all we see and find
He has no likeness to what comes to mind
9·
Everything in the cosmos stands in need
Of His care and provision but He’s free;
10·
He is independent of place and time
And completely Exalted and Sublime
1

10. 11·
He is in Essence, Attributes, and acts
Unique and unrivaled; understand that
12·
He is the One, there’s no god besides He
Allah is alone, the true deity
13·
To Allah belongs Life, Power, and Will
Hearing and Seeing all—moving or still
14·
His is knowledge without acquisition
Divine speech without letters or diction
15·
These attributes here Allah must possess;
And sure faith in them all we must profess
16·
T
he Opposite of these, thirteen in count
Are impossible; let’s spell them all out
17·
They’re non-existence or contingency;
These two are reserved for things that can be
18·
To have beginning, end, or cessation
To bear resemblance to the creation
19·
To have a partner, a helper, or need
Is impossible and against tawhid
20·
Inability, ignorance, or death
To be blind, dumb, compelled, or to be deaf
21·
Know these words well and understand these lines
Those with these qualities can’t be Divine
22·
To do what He wills or leave it undone
Both are possible—He’s compelled by none
2

11. rational proofs
23·
Do not suffice with poetry or prose;
When it comes to creed, we’re obliged to know
24·
What we believe, with certainty and truth
No doubts or conjecture, only sound proof
25·
Allah’s existence has proof—it’s very clear,
For all that has been made needs a maker
26·
The world didn’t emerge all on its own;
Each effect has a cause, willed by the One
27·
If He had beginning, there’d be regress
A never ending chain, an absurd mess
28·
If with end, He’d have no eternity;
If like the world, He’d have contingency
29·
And if Allah had not Self-Subsistence
He’d be subject to need and dependence
30·
If not One He’d have no power to act
Then the world would perish, shatter, and crack
31·
I
f not a living, knowing, willing Lord
With absolute power, there’d be no world
32·
I
f He had no hearing, no speech, no sight
He’d be imperfect and lacking in might
33·
When “possibles” undergo conversion
We call that “realities’ inversion”
3

12. 34·
To become impossible or required,
Inversion occurs and in falsehood mired
prophetology
35·
Out of His Mercy to every nation
Allah sent Prophets with revelation
36·
They are the chosen ones, pure and elect;
Proofs of their truthfulness He did erect
37·
The Messengers speak truth in all they say
Trustworthy, the message they did convey
38·
Likewise they possess vast intelligence
Healthy features, strength, handsome countenance
39·
These are the attributes they must possess;
And sure faith in them all we must profess
40·
But the opposite of these, five in count
Are impossible, so let’s spell them out
41·
False words, concealment of truth, treachery
Bad traits or form, lacking lucidity
42·
The Prophets all had human conditions
But they did not fail their sacred missions
43·
It’s allowed that they feel sick or unwell,
But only so light that they do not fail
44·
Do not suffice with poetry or prose;
When it comes to our creed, we all must know
4

13. 45·
What we believe, with certainty and truth
No doubts or conjecture—only sound proof
proofs
46·
Were they guilty of prevarication
God would have lied in His confirmation
47·
Their miracles are God’s way of saying
“They speak truth in all they are conveying”
48·
Were Prophets to hide the truth or betray
Bad would turn good, and we’d have to obey
49·
Had Prophets lacked knowledge or lost their way
They would have floundered and failed to convey
50·
Their human states are, in themselves, a proof
That they’re possible, harmless to the truth
transmitted beliefs
51·
The preceding lines involve intellect
Though there is more, brought by Prophets elect
52·
Beliefs taken from sacred, inspired words;
Realities about the unseen worlds:
53·
Angels obedient, never fatigued
Vigilant, dutiful, fulfilling needs
54·
Some roam the earth, some stand at Heaven’s door
Messengers with wings, two or three or four
55·
Then there’s faith in Books, divinely revealed
To Messengers of old, but they are sealed
5

14. 56·
Save the Quran, preserved till the Last Day
It’s the guiding light, showing us the way
57·
When our time comes, after our final breath
We shall taste the reality of death
58·
In the Next World, every single slave
Will face interrogation in the grave
59·
Three questions are asked by two Angels stern
Answers to these, only now we can learn
60·
“Say! Who is your Lord, and who is this Man?”
—your Prophet sent, and what’s your religion?”
61·
After the grave, the quickening occurs
All nations silent, not a single word
62·
That is the time for Divine reckoning
Good deeds and bad deeds receive their weighing
63·
Both are placed firmly on a flawless Scale
There’s no injustice: it’s Heaven or Hell
64·
Mankind, in terror and fright, shall run
Begging of Prophets for intercession
65·
But all shall decline, not one will agree;
Then they shall reach the Prophet of Mercy
66·
They’ll seek shelter under his blessed shade
With his intercession they’ll have it made
67·
Just look at his mercy, for now you know
On that terrible day where you should go!
6

15. 68·
T
here is the Pond, the ever-sweet basin
Drink for the believers of all nations
69·
There is the Traverse, razor sharp and thin
Whosoever crosses safely shall win
70·
H
ell, for the losers, the abode of doom
Piercing darkness, flames, punishment and gloom
71·
Paradise, garden of eternal bliss
Pure enjoyment—whatever you may wish
72·
Believe, we must, in the divine decree:
All things are pre-ordained for you and me
conclusion
73·
T
his concludes our poem, a simple outline
About the Prophets sent, and the Divine
74·
A
bout the unseen world, Books, and decree
All of which constitute our faith’s firm tree
75·
Allah! Send prayers and salutations
On Ahmad, Intercessor of Nations
76·
U
pon his folk of purest pedigree
And Companions with whom we hope to be
7