an-NusHu (Counsel) - Sidi Muhammad ibn al-Habib ash-Shadhili ق

an-NusHu (Counsel) is a qasidah from the Diwan of the Shaykh and Gnostic of Allah , Sayyidi Muhammad ibn al-Habib al-Amghari al-Idrisi al-Hasani ash-Shadhili ق. The Diwan of Sidi Muhammad ibn al-Habib ash-Shadhili has long been famous among the Sufis for its balance between poems expressing direct spiritual experience and those in instruction on travelling the path.

Sidi Muhammad ibn al-Habib, may Allah be pleased with him, was born circa 1871 CE in Fez. He received a traditional education in fiqh and the sciences of Islam, Iman and Ihsan. He was Maliki in fiqh, Ash’ari in ‘aqida and Darqawi-Shadhili in tariqa. Describing himself, he said:

“Allah, may He be exalted said: ‘As for the blessing of your Lord – declare it.’ So let Muhammad ibn al-Habib, al-Amghari al-Hasani by lineage, dwelling in Fez, the poor slave of his Master, yet enriched by Him with other-than-Him, declare, in speaking of Allah’s blessing, that idhn (authorisation) has come to him from Allah and the Messenger of Allah and all the awliya’ of Allah, and that Allah has singled him out with sciences and secrets which only the unique man of Muhammad possesses.”

He passed on, may Allah have mercy on him, in 1391/1972 while on the way to Hajj, and is buried in his zawiya in Meknes.

النُّصْحُ
Counsel
سيدي محمد ابن الحبيب الشاذلي
Sidi Muhammad ibn al-Habib ash-Shadhili   

سَلَامٌ عَلَى الْإِخْوَانِ فِي كُلِّ مَوْضِعٍ
سَلَامًا يَعُمُّ الْكُلَّ مَجْمَعِ

1. Greetings of peace to my brethren in every place,
Greetings to each one in every gathering.

وَإِنِّي أُرِيدُ النُّصْحَ لِلْكُلِّ رَاجِيًا
بُلُوغَ الْمُنَى وَالْعِزِّ وَالْفَتْحِ الْوُسْعِ

2. I wish to give counsel to all who hope to reach
the desired goal, honour, and a vast opening.

فَأَوَّلُ نُصْحِي لِلَّذِي حَرَّرَ التَّقْوَى
مُصَاحَبَةَ الْأَخْيَارِ فِي الْجَلْبِ وَالدَّفْعِ

3. The first advice to one who would make his piety sincere
is to keep company with the righteous in both difficulty and ease.

فَهَذَا أَسَاسُ الْخَيرِ إِنْ كُنْتَ عَاقِلًا
فَعَوِّلْ عَلَيْهِ مَعْ مُرَاعَاةٍ لِلشَّرْعِ

4. This is the basis of goodness if you are someone of sound mind,
So rely upon it and keep the sacred law.

وَكُلُّ الَّذِي قَدْ نَالَ عِلمًا وَسُؤْدَدًا
فَمَا نَالَهُ إِلَّا بِصُحبَةِ خَاشِعِ

5. All those who attain to knowledge and a place of honour
do so by being with one of humble reverence,

وَأَعْنِي بِهِ الشَّيْخَ الَّذِي فَاضَ نُورُهُ
وَجَاءَ بِأَسْرَارٍ وَخَيْرٍ مُتَابِعِ

6. By which I mean a shaykh whose light is overflowing
And who brings with him mysteries and boundless good.

فَإِنْ شِئْتَ أَنْوَارًا وَفَتْحَ بَصِيرَةٍ
فَقَلِّدْهُ تَعْظِيمًا وَعُجْ عَنْ مُنَتزِعِ

7. So if you wish for lights and the opening of inner vision
Then follow him with respect and turn away from conflict.

وَوَاظِبْ عَلَى الذِّكْرِ الْمَاَقَّنِ بِالإِذْنِ
وَلَا تَغْفُلَنْ فِي حَالَةِ الضَّيْقِ وَالْوُسْعِ

8. Be regular in the invocation you've received with his permission -
Do not neglect it in states of hardship or ease.

وَزِنْ وَارِدَاتِ الذِّكْرِ بِالشَّرْعِ حَاكِيًا
لِشَيْخِكَ كُلَّ مَا أَتَاكَ وَسَارِعِ

9. Weigh by the Law what it might bring of inspirations
And hasten to recount them to your shaykh.

فَسَلْبُ اخْتِيَارٍ ثُمَّ كُلِّ إرَادَةٍ
هُوَ الْمَورِدُ الأَصْفَى فَهَلْ أَنْتَ سَامِعِ

10. Giving up choice and the will's desires
is the purest spring to drink from, do you hear?

وَهَاكَ مَقَامَاتِ اليَقِينِ فَبَادِرَنْ
بِتَوْبَةٍ زُهْدٍ ثُمَّ خَوْفٍ بِوَازِعِ

11. And here are the stations of certitude make efforts towards repentance,
then detachment, and then fear that brings restraint.

رَجَاءٍ وَشُكْرٍ ثُمَّ صَبْرٍ تَوَكُّلٍ
كَذَاكَ الرِّضَى وَالْحُبُّ لِلْكُلِّ جَامِعِ

12. Hope and gratitude, then patience and trust,
contentment and love, when combines them all.

وَأَسْبَابُهُ الْفِكْرُ الصَّفِيُّ فِي نِعمَةٍ
وَحُسْنِ صِفَاتٍ ثُمَّ فِي النُّورِ اللَّامِعِ

13. The means to reach them is pure reflection on Allah's bounty,
And the beauty of His Attributes, and then on a gleaming light,

وَأَعْنِي بِهِ ذَاكَ الرَّسُولَ مُحَمَّدًا
عَلَيْهِ صَلَاةٌ عَدَّ وَتْرٍ مَعَ الشَّفْعِ

14. And by this I mean the Messenger, Muhammad,
upon whom be Allah's blessings as numerous as the even and odd,

وَآلِهِ وَالأَصْحَابِ مَعْ كُلِّ عَارِفٍ
دَعَالِطَرِيقِ اللهَ فِي كُلِّ مَجْمَعِ

15. And upon his family and companions and every single gnostic
who calls to Allah's Way in every gathering.