Adab al-Tariq (Etiquettes of the Path)- Sidi Abu Madyan al-Ghawth ق

Adab al-Tariq is a qasidah written by Sidi Abu Madyan Shuayb ibn al-Hussen al-Ansari ق, a great gnostic of Allah. Sidi Abu Madyan ق was the murshid (spiritual guide) of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Harazim ق who was the murshid of Sidi Abdussalam ibn Mashish ق who was the murshid of Imam Abul Hassan ash-Shadhili ق.

القَصِيدَة: قصيدة آداب الطريق
سيدي أبي مدين الغوث ‎: الكلمات

1) مَا لَذَّةُ الْعَيْشِ إِلَّا صُحْبَةُ الْفُقَرَا
هُمُ الـسَّلَاطِينُ وَالسَّادَاتُ وَالْأُمَرَا
2) فَاصْحَبْهُمُو وَتَأَدَّبْ فِي مَجَالِسِهِمْ
وَخَلِّ حَظَّكَ مَهْمَا قَدَّمُوكَ وَرَا
3) وَاسْتَغْنِمِ الْوَقْتَ وَاحْضُرْ دَائِمًا مَعَهُمْ
وَاعْلَمْ بِأَنَّ الرِّضَا يَخْتَصُّ مَنْ حَضَرَا
4) وَلَازِمِ الصَّمْتَ إِلَّا إِنْ سُئِلْتَ فَقُلْ
لَا عِلْمَ عِنْدِي وَكُنْ بِالْجَهْلِ مُسْتَتِرَا
5) وَلَا تَرَ الْعَيْبَ إِلَّا فِيكَ مُعْتَقِدًا
عَيْبًا بَدَا بَيِّنًا لَكِنَّهُ اسْتَتَرَا
6) وَحُطَّ رَأْسَكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ بِلَا سَبَبٍ
وَقِفْ عَلَى قَدَمِ الْإِنْصَافِ مُعْتَذِرَا
7) وَإِنْ بَدَا مِنْكَ عَيْبٌ فَاعْتَذِرْ وَأَقِمْ
وَجْهَ اعْـتِذَارِكَ عَمَّا فِيكَ مِنْهُ جَرَى
8) وَقُلْ عُبَيْدُكُمُو أَوْلَى بِصَفْحِكُمُو
فَسَامِحُوا وَخُذُوا بِالرِّفْقِ يَا فُقَرَا
9) هُمْ بِالتَّفَضُّلِ أَوْلَى وَهْوَ شِيمَتُهُمْ
فَلَا تَخَفْ دَرَكًا مِنْهُمْ وَلَا ضَرَرَا
10) وَبِالتَّفَتِّي عَلَى الْإِخْوَانِ جُدْ أَبَدًا
حِسًّا وَمَعْنًى وَغُضَّ الطَّرْفَ إِنْ عَثَرَا
11) وَرَاقِبِ الشَّيْخَ فِي أَحْوَالِهِ فَعَسَى
يَرَى عَلَيْكَ مِنِ اسْتِحْسَانِهِ آثَرَا
12) وَقَدِّمِ الجِدِّ وَانْهَضْ عِنْدَ خِدْمَتِهِ
عَسَاهُ يَرْضَى وَحَاذِرْ أَنْ تَكُنْ ضَجِرَا
13) فَفِي رِضَاهُ رِضَا الْبَارِي وَطَاعَتُهُ
يَرْضَى عَلَيْكَ فَكُنْ مِنْ تَرْكِهِ حَذِرَا
14) وَاعْلَمْ بِأَنَّ طَرِيـقَ الْقَوْمِ دَارِسَةٌ
وَحَالُ مَنْ يَدَّعِيهَا الْيَوْمَ كَيْفَ تَرَى
15) مَتَى أَرَاهُمْ وَأَنَّى لِي بِرُؤْيَتِهِمْ
أَوْ تَسْمَعُ الْأُذْنُ مِنِّي عَنْهُمُو خَبَرَا
16) مَنْ لِي وَأَنَّى لِمِثْلِي أَنْ يُزَاحِمَهُمْ
عَلَى مَوَارِدَ لَمْ آلَفْ بِهَا كَدَرَا
17) أُحِبـُّهُمْ وَأُدَارِيهِمْ وَأُوثِرِهِمْ
بِمُهْجَتِي وَخُصُوصًا مِنْهُمُ نَفَرَا
18) قَوْمٌ كِرَامُ السَّجَايَا حَيْثُ مَا جَلَسُوا
يَبْقَى الْمَكَانَ عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ عَطَرَا
19) يَهْدِي التَّصَوُّفُ مِنْ أَخْلَاقِهِمْ طُرُقًا
حُسْنِ التَأَلُّفِ مِنْهُمْ رَاقِنِي نَظَرَا
20) هُمُ أَهْلُ وُدِّي وَأَحْبَابِي الَّذِينَ هُـمُو
مِمَّنْ يَجُرُّ ذُيُولُ الْعِزِّ مُفْتَخِرَا
21) لَا زَالَ شَمْلِي بِهِمْ فِي اللَّهِ مُجْتَمِعًا
وَذَنْبُنَا فِيهِ مَغْفُورَا وَمُغْتَفَرَا
22) ثُمَّ الصَّلَاةُ عَلَى الْمُخْتَارِ سَيِّدِنَا
مُحَمَّدٍ خَيْرُ مَنْ أَوْفَى وَمَنْ نَذَرَا

Qasidah: Etiquettes of the Path
Lyrics: Sidi Abu Madyan al-Ghawth ق

1) What delight is there in life other than the companionship of the fuqara?
They are the sultans, lords, and princes.
2) So befriend them and learn the ways of their assemblies,
And keep your obligations, even if they ignore you.
3) Profit from your time and participate always with them,
And know that Divine satisfaction distinguishes one who is present
4) Make silence obligatory unless you are questioned, then say:
‘No knowledge have I’, and conceal yourself with ignorance.
5) Regard not any fault, but that acknowledged within yourself
As a manifest, clearly apparent fault, though it be concealed.
6) Lower your head and seek forgiveness without  apparent cause,
And stand at the feet of Justice, making excuses in your own behalf.
7) If a fault appears in you, acknowledge it, and direct
Your pleas toward that within you which comes from you.
8) Say: ‘Your slaves are more worthy than ourselves of your forgiveness
So excuse us and be kind to us, oh fuqara
9) By giving preference to others they are exalted, for it is in their nature,
So do not fear that they will punish or harm you
10) And in magnanimity toward the brothers be forever limitless,
Out of feeling or understanding, and avert your gaze if one of them stumbles.
11) Observe the shaykh attentively in his states, for perhaps
A trace of his approval will be seen upon you.
12) Display earnestness and be eager in his service;
Perhaps he will be pleased, but beware lest you see annoyance.
13) For in his satisfaction is that of the Creator and obedience toward Him,
He has granted you His good pleasure, so beware lest you forsake it!
14) Know that the Way of the Folk is now decadent,
And that the state of the one who preaches it today is as you see.
15) When shall I see the true Folk of God, and how am I to have sight of them,
Or my ears to hear news of them?
16) How can I or one like me dispute with them
Over spiritual experiences about which I am not familiar?
17) I love them, am courteous to them, and follow them,
With my innermost soul- especially one person among them.
18) They are a folk noble in character; wherever they sit,
That place remains fragrant from their traces.
19) Sufism guides one quickly by means of their conduct;
A fitting harmony is theirs, delightful to my sight.
20) They are my loved ones, my family, who
Are among those who proudly hold up the Helms of Glory.
21) I am united with them still, brought together in God,
And through Him our transgressions are pardoned and forgiven.
22) So may blessings be upon the Chosen One, our Lord
Muhammad, the best of those who fulfill their vows.