1. He is the beloved of the beloved of God, on the contrary the secret of
the secret of God. He is the body of the command, which is the soul of
creatures. 2. He is one, whose Caliphate and praise were revealed from
Almighty Allah and Quran declared this clearly. 3. He is the Imam: such
that whoever loves him, the balance of his deeds on Judgment Day shall be heavy. 4. He is having followers (Shia), who sparkle like stars and dazzle the
eyes of the folks of the world.
Introduction to the poet
His full name was Hafiz Shaykh Raziuddin Rajab bin Muhammad bin Rajab
bin Bursi Mahalli. He was from the well scholars and jurists of the Imamiyah. He
possessed great excellence and wisdom and was learned about traditions and
most preceding authority in literature.
He had a nice diction, was an expert of letters and aware of the secrets of
prosody and conclusive statements. From this aspect, his books are full of
meanings and gnosis. He was having a particular style in knowledge of letters.
In the same way, with regard to affection for Ahle Bayt (a.s.), he possessed a
special point of view not liked by some people and that is why they accused him
of extremism in beliefs.
It is narrated from Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) that His Eminence (a.s.) said:
“Do not resort to extremism about us, on the contrary you should say that we
are slaves and creatures of God. After that you can say whatever you like about
us.”1
Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) says: “Appoint for us our Lord, as our return is to
Him alone. After that you can say whatever you want in our excellence.”2
And he says: “Regard us as creatures of God and you can say whatever you want regarding our excellence and you would not have exaggerated.”
And how is it possible for us to reach the end of those merits, which Almighty Allah has bestowed them with?
How can we become aware of all those excellent qualities and personal traits that Almighty Allah bestowed them with?
How far from the truth is it! Intellects have lost (themselves), imaginations
have gone astray, minds have become perplexed, eyes have turned away, the
great are made small, the wise have confounded themselves, those, who reflect,
forever fall short, orators falter, intelligent become ignorant, poets become
expressionless, prosodists incapable and the eloquent stammer in describing one
of his aspects, or one of his eminences. All of them have confessed their
incapacity and inadequacy.
How can his totality be described, and how can his inner essence be
characterized? How can anything concerning him be understood? Who can be
found to take his place and to give what he can give? No! How and where? Since
he is in position of the star that hands cannot grasp. Where can someone like this
be found?3
That is why, you will observe many scholars of recognition proving such
qualities for them, which others do not have. Among the scholars of Qom, if
there were persons, who attributed such qualities to anyone, they blamed him to
be extremist; so much so that some of them said: The first foundation of
extremism is that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) was free from error; till researchers
arrived and recognized the reality.
Conclusion
Persons differ in concluding facts; and they do so according to their view as
per their capacity. Some do not have the capacity to learn complex secrets, and
some have the capacity to realize great secrets and important issues.
Naturally, the first group cannot digest the issue they are unaware of. In the
same way, the second group cannot leave aside the cognitions that they obtain
and this becomes a basis for disunity and malice. We appreciate the efforts of
both groups and awareness of their pure intentions to reach the truth and we say:
“Everyone should make efforts according to his capacity. Even though he
might not be able to succeed.”
Know that people are like mines of gold and silver4 and it is mentioned in
widely narrated traditional reports from Ahle Bayt (a.s.) that:
“Our issue or our traditions are difficult and complex and none can
understand them, except for the messenger prophet, the proximate angel or the
believer, whose heart Almighty Allah has tested for faith.”5
On the basis of this, we don’t blame scholars of religion and we also don’t
reject miracles of Gnostics and don’t object to anyone, who is unable to
recognize the rank of those higher than him, because:
لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا
“Allah does not impose upon any soul a duty but to the extent of its ability.”6
Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) says: “If I take the seat of narrating traditions and
relate what I have heard from Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), you would leave me
saying: Ali is the greatest liar.”7
Imam Sajjad (a.s.) says: “If Abu Zar came to know what was present in the
heart of Salman, he would definitely have slain him,” in spite of the fact that the
Prophet established brotherhood between him and Salman. Then what is the
meaning of your suspicion for others? (what do you expect from others?)8
وَكُلًّا وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْحُسْنَى وَفَضَّلَ اللهُ الْمُجْهِدِينَ عَلَى الْقَعِدِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا
“And to each (class) Allah has promised good; and Allah shall grant to the strivers above the holders back a mighty reward:”9
In the following verses, Imam Sajjad (a.s.) implies this same point:
1. I conceal the gems of my knowledge from ignorant; that he may not
see the truth and create mischief for me. 2. Before me, Ameerul Momineen
(a.s.) made such recommendation to Imam Husain (a.s.) and before that he
also advised the same to Imam Hasan (a.s.). 3. How numerous are the jewels
that exist, they would say: You are an idol-worshipper. 4. And Muslim men
regarded my blood lawful and the worst act, which is slaying me, would be
the best deed in their view.10
In Ayanush Shia,11 the late Sayyid Amin, in the account of late Bursi Hilli has
issued statements like this, except that he has criticized him due to his reliance on
letters and numbers, which are not worthy of reasoning and establishment of
proof.
Although in this matter we support the late Sayyid, but we regard Bursi and
those, who have such views, like Ibne Shahr Ashob and others to be excused,
because these sciences are the best means to confront the specialists of this
science like Ubaidi, Maliki in Umdatut Tahqiq.12
Also, we have not understood the implication of our great Sayyid Amin
from this statement: In his publication, there are negative points and in this
writings, obsessions and mania13 are mixed together and mistakes and signs of
extremism are present, which are not only not needed, on the contrary, they even
carry harms. Though, it is possible that he might have a valid justification. Alas,
if only the Sayyid had illustrated this sample of the negative points of this poet
and those opposed to principles, his statement might have carried weight.
I don’t know how he interprets them to be mistakes and forgetfulness? Is it
not that you should interpret the act of your brother in the best way. Bursi has
followed the same accepted style in his poetry; thus where is the obsession,
mania, extremism and harm, which the Sayyid, author of Ayanush Shia has
imagined?
As for the statement of the Sayyid that he said: “His writings are not in the
least beneficial and some of them are harmful. There is wisdom in creation of
Allah. Allah Almighty would forgive us and him.” Among the mistakes of the
pen is that it is issued unintentionally. May Almighty Allah forgive our and his mistakes.
Valuable writings of Bursi
- Mashariqul Anwaarul Yaqeen fee Haqaiqq Asraare Ameerul Momineen
(a.s.).
- Risala fee as-Salawat Alan Nabi wa Aalihi Masoomeen.
- Ad-Durre Thameen, fee Khamsa Miya Ayat Nazalat fee Maulana Ameerul
Momineen (a.s.) ba Ittefaaq Aksar Mufassireen min Ahlat Deen. Maula
Muhammad Taqi Zanjani in his book of Tariqatun Najat has quoted from
him.
- Lawamih Anwar Tamjeed was Jawame Asrarut Tauheed fee Usulul Aqaid.
His beautiful couplets
Hafiz Bursi composed beautiful, amazing and interesting couplets: most of
whom, or rather all of them are in praise of Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) and his
purified Ahle Bayt (a.s.).
His non de plume in poetry is Hafiz. His biography can be found in the
books of: Amalul Amal, Riyazul Ulama, Riyazul Jannah, in Rauza Four of
Rauziyatul Jannat; Tatmeemul Amal, Sayyid bin Abi Shabana, Al Kuna wal
Alqaab, Ayanush Shia, Al-Taliya and al-Babaliyat.14
We were unable to find information about the date of birth and death of the
poet, except the date mentioned in some of his writings and said: There was a
period of 518 years between the birth of His Eminence (s.a.w.a.) and writing of
this book. This would be on the basis of the report that the birth of His Eminence
took place in the year 255 A.H. and thus this book must have been written in 773
A.H. In some of his books he has mentioned the date as 813 A.H. that perhaps his
death was near about that time, and Allah knows best.