الْفَصْلُ الْأَوَّلُ فِي الْغَزَلِ وَشَكْوَى الْغَرَامِ
Chapter One: Nostalgic Rhapsody and Love Complaint
Imam al-Busiri opens the Burda expressing intense spiritual longing for the Holy Sanctuary in Medina. Overwhelmed by love for the Prophet ﷺ, he weeps tears mixed with blood as memories of Dhu Salam and the blessed breezes of Kazhimah stir his soul, declaring that genuine spiritual love can never be concealed.
Chapter One: Nostalgic Rhapsody and Love Complaint
الْفَصْلُ الْأَوَّلُ فِي الْغَزَلِ وَشَكْوَى الْغَرَامِ
Theme & Spiritual Context • Love, Longing & Spiritual Nostalgia
Imam al-Busiri opens the Burda expressing intense spiritual longing for the Holy Sanctuary in Medina. Overwhelmed by love for the Prophet ﷺ, he weeps tears mixed with blood as memories of Dhu Salam and the blessed breezes of Kazhimah stir his soul, declaring that genuine spiritual love can never be concealed.
مَوْلَايَ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ دَائِمًا أَبَدًا عَلَى حَبِيبِكَ خَيْرِ الْخَلْقِ كُلِّهِمِ
“Mawlāya ṣalli wa sallim dā'iman abadā 'Alā ḥabībika khayril khalqi kullihimi”
O my Master! Send blessings and peace continually and eternally Upon Your Beloved, the best of all creation.
The sacred refrain traditionally chanted between verses across the Muslim world.
أَمِنْ تَذَكُّرِ جِيرَانٍ بِذِي سَلَمِ مَزَجْتَ دَمْعًا جَرَى مِنْ مُقْلَةٍ بِدَمِ
Transliteration
Amin tadhakkuri jīrānin bi dhī salami Mazajta damʿan jarā min muqlatin bidami
English Meaning
Is it from remembering neighbours at Dhū Salam That you shed tears admixed with blood from your eyes?
أَمْ هَبَّتِ الرِّيحُ مِنْ تِلْقَاءِ كَاظِمَةٍ وَأَوْمَضَ البَرْقُ فِي الظَّلْمَاءِ مِنْ إِضَمِ
Transliteration
Am habbatir rīhu min tilqāʾi kādhimatin Wa awmaḍal barqu fīẓ ẓulmāʾi min iḍami
English Meaning
Or because wind has blown from the direction of Kāẓima And lightning has flashed in the dark of Iḍam?
فَمَا لِعَيْنَيْكَ إِنْ قُلْتَ اكْفُفَا هَمَتَا وَمَا لِقَلْبِكَ إِنْ قُلْتَ اسْتَفِقْ يَهِمِ
Transliteration
Famā li ʿaynayka in qultakfufā hamatā Wa mā li qalbika in qultastafiq yahimi
English Meaning
So what ails your eyes that when you tell them ‘stop’, they continue to weep still more? And what ails your heart that when you bid it awake, it wanders further in distraction?
أَيَحْسَبُ الصَّبُّ أَنَّ الحُبَّ مُنْكَتِمٌ مَا بَيْنَ مُنْسَجِمٍ مِنْهُ وَمُضْطَرِمِ
Transliteration
Ayaḥsabuṣ ṣabbu annal ḥubba munkatimun Mā bayna munsajimin minhu wa muḍṭarimi
English Meaning
Does the lovelorn man think that love can be hidden Behind a torrent from his [eyes], or a heart’s raging fire?
لَوْلاَ الهَوَى لَمْ تَرِقْ دَمْعًا عَلَى طَلَلٍ وَلاَ أَرِقْتَ لِذِكْرِ البَانِ وَالْعَلَمِ
Transliteration
Lawlal hawā lam turiq damʿan ʿalā ṭalalin Wa lā ariqta li dhikril bāni wal ʿalami
English Meaning
But for passion, you would not shed tears at an abandoned camp, Or lie awake at night recalling the fragrant willow or the mountain;
فَكَيْفَ تُنْكِرُ حُبًّا بَعْدَمَا شَهِدَتْ بِهِ عَلَيْكَ عُدُولُ الدَّمْعِ وَالسَّقَمِ
Transliteration
Fakayfa tunkiru ḥubban baʿda mā shahidat Bihi ʿalayka ʿudūlud damʿi was saqami
English Meaning
So how can you deny this love when tears and sickness, truthful witnesses, have testified to it against you?
وَأَثْبَتَ الوَجْدُ خَطَّيْ عَبْرَةٍ وَضَنىً مِثْلَ البَهَارِ عَلَى خَدَّيْكَ وَالعَنَمِ
Transliteration
Wa athbatal wajdu khaṭṭay ʿabratin wa ḍanā Mithlal bahāri ʿalā khaddayka wal ʿanami
English Meaning
Lovesickness has etched two lines, of tears and gauntness, Upon your cheeks, like yellow spice and red ʿanam
نَعَمْ سَرَى طَيْفُ مَنْ أَهْوَى فَأَرَّقَنِي وَالحُبُّ يَعْتَرِضُ اللَّذَّاتِ بِالأَلَمِ
Transliteration
Naʿam sarā ṭayfu man ahwā fa arraqanī Wal ḥubbu yaʿtariḍul ladhdhati bil alami
English Meaning
Yes, my beloved’s apparition came to me and denied me sleep, For love always opposes pleasures with pain!
يَا لاَئِمِي فِي الهَوَى العُذْرِيِّ مَعْذِرَةً مِنِّي إِلَيْكَ وَلَوْ أَنْصَفْتَ لَمْ تَلُمِ
Transliteration
Yā lāʾimī fīl hawal ʿudhriyyi maʿdhiratan Minnī ilayka wa law anṣafta lam talumi
English Meaning
O you who blame me for this chaste love, pardon me! But had you judged fairly, you would not have blamed me.
عَدَتْكَ حَالِي لاَ سِرِّي بِمُسْتَتِرٍ عَنِ الْوُشَاةِ وَلاَ دَائِي بِمُنْحَسِمِ
Transliteration
ʿAdatka ḥāliya lā sirrī bi mustatirin ʿAnil wushāti wa lā dāʾī bimunḥasimi
English Meaning
May you be spared my condition! My secret cannot be concealed From detractors, nor is there any cure for my ailment!
مَحَّضْتَنِي النُصْحَ لَكِنْ لَسْتُ أَسْمَعُهُ إِنَّ المُحِبَّ عَنْ العُذَّالِ فِي صَمَمِ
Transliteration
Maḥḥaḍtanī nuṣḥa lākin lastu asmaʿuhu Innal muḥibba ʿanil ʿudhdhāli fī ṣamami
English Meaning
You have given me sincere advice, but I cannot hear it; A lover’s ears are deaf to the reproaches of critics.
إِنِّي اتَّهَمْتُ نَصِيحَ الشَّيْبِ فِي عَذَليِ وَالشَّيْبُ أَبْعَدُ فِي نُصْحِ عَنِ التُّهَمِ
Transliteration
Innit tahamtu naṣīḥash shaybi fī ʿadhalī Wash shaybu abʿadu fī nuṣḥin ʿanit tuhami
English Meaning
I hold suspect even the advice of my own grey hairs, Even though their advice is far from deception.