Explanation of al-Qasidah al-Ha’iyah

We have before us a beneficial poem that was written by Al- ‘Allaamah, Ash-Shaykh, Al-Imām, Ḥāfidh ibn Ahmad ibn ‘Ali Al- Ḥakamī (May Allah have mercy upon him).

He is known for having good writings and excellent knowledge-based poems that are in various aspects of the religion. For what they possess of ample knowledge, beneficial arrangement, reasonable deduction, beautiful sequence, clear expression, and sound advice, that is from this magnanimous Imām.

From his pieces of poetry (May Allah have mercy upon him) is this poem entitled ‘Al-Hāʾīyah.’ It concerns a lofty aspect and an essential matter of knowledge. It is concerning having Zuhd (abstinence) in this worldly life, cautioning from being tested in it. This poetry contains safeguarding it, from making it one’s most significant importance, from it being the scope of one’s knowledge, and from it is the extent of his objective.

Whoever is like that, this worldly life will cause him a great deal of harm. It will be the cause of his destruction and being deprived of any good.

The poet (May Allah have mercy upon him) has undoubtedly done well and was proficient in writing this poem. Along with its conciseness, it is comprised of many excellent and tremendous benefits.

The scholars (May Allah have mercy upon them) have written beneficial books concerning this field, like Imām Ahmad, Ibnul Mubārik, Wakee’, Hanād ibn as-Sarī, and other than them.