Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi: "My aspiration in this world..."

دُعَاءٌ إلَى القُرْءانِ والسُّنَنِ التِي * تَنَاسَى رِجَالٌ ذِكْرَهَا في المَحَاضِرِ

وأَلْزَمُ أَطْرافَ الثُّغُورِ مُجَاهِداً * إذَا هَيْعَةٌ ثَارَتْ فَأَوَّلُ نَافِرِ

لأَلْقَى حِمَامِي مُقْبِلاً غَيرَ مُدْبِرٍ * بِسُمْرِ العَوالِي والرِّقَاقِ البَواتِرِ

كِفَاحاً مَعَ الكُفَّارِ فِي حَوْمَةِ الوَغَى * وأَكْرَمُ مَوْتٍ لِلْفَتَى قَتْلُ كَافِرِ

فَيَا رَبِّ لا تَجْعَلْ حِمَامِي بِغِيرِهَا * ولا تَجْعَلَنِّي مِنْ قَطِينِ المقَابِر


My aspiration in this world is to put forth knowledge,
And to spread it openly in every town and village;

Being one who is calling to the Qur’an and sunan,
That, in their gatherings, the men have forgotten;

And, as a Mujahid, on the farthest frontlines to stay,
If I am called forth, being the first to make my way;

ًWith the clanking of weapons in the darkness, frequented by silence,
Clashing with the disbelievers, encircled by the violence;

Not turning back, facing my demise with my chest,
To be killed by a disbeliever is the youth’s death noblest;

So, O my Lord, allow me not to die in any other way,
And use me not as a stuffing for the graves.


[Ibn Hazm's 'at-Talkhis li Wujuh at-Takhlis'; p. 57]