Remembering Death

The intense emotion I experienced last night prompted me to put up the lyrics to this Arabic song that I find to be poignantly reflective. I retrieved it some time ago through the wonders of file sharing, and the melancholic tune and meaningful lyrics complemented by the evocative vocals just got to me. Having gone through 5 years of Arabic more or less enabled me to appreciate the beauty of the poetic lines, which are much more refined than the translated English version. This song serves as a good remembrance of who we are- of where we came from and to whom we will return. To those who put their trust in Allah, death is but another transient phase en route to a greater pursuit- Al-Akhirah.

If you wish to watch the video, click here.

"Now, if they turn away (O Muhammad) say: Allah sufficeth me. There is no God save Him. In Him have I put my trust, and He is Lord of the Tremendous Throne.” - At-Taubah: 129


Dust is My Bed

Performed & Composed by:
Meshary Alaradah

Lyrcis by:
Ahmad Alkandiry

Dust is my bed, embracing me, and is my cover
The sands are around me, engulfing me from all directions
And the grave recounts (the story of) the darkness of my calamity
And the light has destined that my pleasure is in meeting (Allah)

Where is the kindness of kin? They relinquished fidelity (sold my loyalty)
Where are the scores of friends? They left my brotherhood
Where is the bliss of money? I left it behind
And where is the glory of fame and compliments?
That’s my end; dust is my bed

The beloved bade farewell to his love, and cried my elegy
The tears flow dried out, after crying
The vast universe shrank, narrowing my space
The grave to my corpse became both my land and my sky
That’s my end; dust is my bed

Fear overwhelms my estrangement and sadness is my ailment
Hoping for steadfastness, which is – I swear – my remedy
Sincerely supplicating to the Lord; You are my hope
Hoping- O Allaah – for a paradise, in which my bliss shall be attained