In my journey to discover more about arabic poetry and poet's I came across poems from Al-Husayn Mansur Al-Hallaj one of the most controversial figures of Sufism and considered by many a poet-saint that was executed by blasphemy for his unorthodox religious beliefs.
Al-Hallaj, the 'wool-carder' was born in the province of Fars, Persia (Iran) and moved to Iraq where he took religious studies, specially the Sufi way devoting is life to the contemplation of the divine, he lived between 858 - 922 A.D.
Though he was Persian he wrote in Arabic and became known for his zuhdiyyat, 'mystical or ascetic poems'. More fundamentalist Muslism authorities would often persecute Sufis and Al-Hallaj was publicly tortured crucified and beheaded by heresy by the Abbasid for one line of one of his great poem where he proclaim "An'l Haqq" ("I am the real"or "I am the Truth"or "I am God"), people could not understand is perspective of this mystic.
Many say that even being under torture Al Hallaj was extremely calm and willing to forgive those who were torture him and before he was put to death the said:
Or reasoned demonstration,
Or proof of revelation;
Now, brightly blazing full, Truth’s lumination
Each flickering, lesser light.
Today he is revered as a martyr for truth by many Sufis and mystics and his tomb at Baghdad became a pilgrimage destination...
Stillness, then silence, then random speech,
Then knowledge, intoxication, annihilation;
Earth, then fire, then light.
Coldness, then shade, then sunlight.
Thorny road, then a path, then the wilderness.
River, then ocean, then the shore;
Contentment, desire, then Love.
Closeness, union, intimacy;
Closing, then opening, then obliteration,
Separation, togetherness, then longing;
Signs for those of real understanding
Who find this world of little value.
By Al-Hallaj - Islamic Mystical Poetry - Sufi verses
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