The Qasidat al-Burda_shariah as fortress

“The Qasidat al-Burda and the Shari`a”

Part 1:

• Imam al-Busiri writes in the section on the Prophet’s jihad and bravery in the Qasidat al-Burda (‘Ode of the Prophetic Mantle’) as follows:

 أحل أمته حرز ملته

1. He lodged his nation (umma) in the fort of his religion. 

كالليث حل مع الأشبال في اجم

1. Like a lion which lodges with its cubs in a jungle.

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• The Prophet is described here as putting his umma in his protection under Islam.
• The comparison is made with how a lion protectively sits with his cubs and stops any enemy to hurt it.

Point to take from Ibn `Allan’s comment:

• One of the most famous commentators on the burda is Imam Ibn ^cAllan who writes the following regarding this in his book al-Dhukhr wa ’l-^cUdda fi Sharh al-Burda: 

“He (Allah bless him and give him peace) (lodged) – meaning ‘placed’ – (his nation) – the best nation – (in the fort of his religion) [and the fort] of its Law (sharica) which is like the mightiest fortress, exalted and invincible where none can enter but its people.” Ez-Zühru, MS no.3791, fol.46a and MS no.144, fol.154b.

أحل – صلى الله عليه و سلم – أي أنزل أمته أمة الإجابة في حرز ملته و شريعته التي هي كأعظم الحصون عزة و منعة فلا يدخلها غير أهلها …

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• This shari^ca that the Prophet has so lovingly and carefully protected his umma in is not currently a protected fortress it is supposed to be.
• This religion and shari^ca is not being able to protect those it is supposed to protect. 
• The shari^ca today is under attack: Islamic laws, Islamic values, Islamic rules and Islamic codes are under severe attack, ridicule and hatred and no-one is able to stop or halt this.
• The reason why we as a Muslim umma are not living within this Protection the Messenger realised mentioned in this poem of Imam Busiri is because the human instrument that enables this is entirely absent and this is the Imam or the Khalifah regarding which the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

إنما الإمام جنة يقاتل من ورائه ويتقى به

“Indeed the imam [s: i.e. Khalifa] is a shield behind whom you fight and are protected…” (Muslim, Sahih [#1841]).

• It is the Imam who will unify the Muslim lands, armies, resources and morale and ensure the correct implementation of the  shari^ca that is conspicuously missing and bring back the glory, might and dignity of Islam and once again make it that impenetrable fortress it once was. – insha’allah!

 

And with Allah is all success.

s. z. chowdhury