Skip to main content

Rabia Al Basri and some of her contemporaries. Eyes are at rest...(Post 9)

In this and in next several posts I will introduce a few scholars of the *Golden age of Islam (8th to 13th century), and will give a short overview and a sample of their work
Rabia al Basri (717-810) was an early scholar and a Sufi. Her contemporaries included Jabir Ibn Haiyan*(722-800) known as Geber In Europe, who is regarded as the father of chemistry. Al-Khwārizmī* (780-860) known as Algorithm* in Europe, invented Algebra and Algorithm. Al-Kindi* (800-873) was a philosopher and a mathematician. On appointment by the Abbasides Caliph, he headed a team of translators who translated Greek Classics, works of science and medicine, from Galen into Arabic (from Arabic these works were translated into Latin and other European languages).
There were no contemporaries in Europe; it was in the dark ages. People like Dante**(1265-1321), Leonardo de Vinci (1452-1519), Shakespeare (1564-1616) and others came a few centuries later. The Renaissance began in Italy in the late 13th century and in the rest of Europe in the mid 14th century.
Here is a selection from Rabia Al Basri.

"Eyes are at rest, the stars are setting.
 Hushed are the stirrings of birds in their nests,
 ...You are the Just who knows no change,
 The Balance that can never swerve,
 The Eternal which never passes away.
 The doors of Kings are bolted now and guarded by soldiers.
 Your Door is open to all who call upon You

Dante in his "Devine comedy" disrespects our Prophet even though some of its themes are borrowed from Muslim sources. See professor Miguel Asin Palacios, a Spanish scholar and a Catholic priest "La Escatologiamusulmana en la Divina Comedia" (Islamic eschatology in the Devine Comedy)published in 1919. See also"The Uncanonical Dante. The Devine Comedy and Islamic philosophy" by Paul A Canter of University of Virginia.
Thomas Aquinas (St. Thomas 1225-1274) was an important theologian of the 13th century. In his famous book  "Summa Contra Gentiles" he is critical of Islam and our Prophet. But he quotes Ibn Rushd (Averroes 1126-1199) a great Muslim philosopher many times and refer to him as "commentator".

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Masnavi of Rumi. Tear not...(Post 74)

Tear not thy plumage off, it can not be replaced; Disfigure not thy face in wantonness, O fair one! That face which is bright as the forenoon sun--- To disfigure it were a grievous sin. 'Twere paganism to mar such a face as thine! The moon itself would weep to lose sight of it! Knowest  thou not the beauty of thine own face? Quit this temper that leads thee to war with thyself! It is the claws of thine own foolish thoughts That in spite wound the face of thy quiet soul. Know such thoughts to be claws fraught with poison. Which score deep wounds on the face of thy soul.
Post a Comment
Read more

Masnavi of Rumi. We and our existance...(Post 105)

We and our existences are non-existent; Thou art the Absolute appearing in the guise of mortality. That which moves us is Thy Gift; Our whole being is Thy creation, Thou didst show the beauty of Being unto not-being, after Thou hadst caused not being to fall in love with Thee. Take not away the delight of Thy beauty; take not away Thy dessert and wine and wine cup! But if Thou take it away, who will question thee? Does the picture quarrel with the painter? Look not on us, look on Thine Own loving-kindness and Generosity! We were not; there was no demand on our part; yet Thy Grace heard our silent prayer and called us into existence. In the Divine court of audience all are helpless as tapestry before the needle. Now He makes the portrait of the Devil, now of Adam; now He depicts joy, now sorrow. None can raise a hand in defence; none dare utter a word concerning injury or benefit.
Post a Comment
Read more

Masnavi of Rumi. Since wisdom is. (Post 107).

Since Wisdom is the true believers stray camel, he knows with certainty, From whomsover he may have heard it. And when he finds himself face to face with it, How should there be doubt? How can he make mistake? If you tell a thirsty man—“Here is a cup of water; drink!”— Will he reply?-“This is mere assertion: let me alone, O liar go away.” Or suppose a mother cries to her babe, ”Come, I am mother; hark my child!” Will it say? Prove this to me, so that I may take comfort in thy milk.” When in the heart of people there is a spiritual perception, the face and voice of the prophet (SAWS) are as an evidentiary miracle. When the prophet (SAWS) utters a cry from without, the soul of people falls to worship within. Because never in the world will soul’s ear have heard a cry of the same kind as his. That wondrous voice is heard by the soul in exile-the voice of God calling , “lo, I am nigh.”                ...
Post a Comment
Read more