Chapter One

Concerning the love of 

Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam

In this chapter Allamah Busairi R.A. speaks of his love for Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. He tries to conceal this love and who his beloved is . For this reason he has not mentioned the name of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, directly in the whole chapter. By mentioning places and things close to Madinah, he alludes to Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. Due to this excessive love and devotion for Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, he has become completely restless, thus exposing this love to everyone.

1. 

         Is it because of your remembrance of the neighbour
of  Dhi-salam.

Dhi-salam is a place between Makkah and Madina, rather closer to Madinah. Allamah Busairi R.A. mentiond Dhi-salam as it reminds him of the hijrat of Rasullullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. It is as though he remembers the beginning of Rasulullah Sallalahahu Alayhi Wasallam's Nubuwwat, and early life in Makkah as well as his hijrat to Madina.

2. 

       That tears mixed with blood are flowing (from your eyes).  

These tears are due to his excessive love for Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. By referring to tears mixed with blood Allamah Busairi R.A. shows his great love for his beloved (Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam).

3. 

Or is it because of the breeze blowing from Kaazimah

Here he again questions and probes the reason for the happenings  mentioned in line 2. Kaazimah is a village in Madinah and as the breeze from there reaches Allaamah Busairi, his heart turns towards his beloved. Allamah Busairi R.A. has not as yet mentioned who his beloved is, but by beginning with Makkah, then mentioning Kaazimah which is a village on the outskirts of Madinah, he is alluding to the resting place of his beloved.

4. 

Or it is the lightning struck in the darkness of the night, from the mount of Idam

Idam is a mountain in Madinah. As Allamah Busairi R.A. sees the lightning he wonders if it is the same lightning that struck on Idam. Even the lightning reminds his troubled heart of his beloved. After mentioning Dhi-salam, Kaazimah and now the mount of Idam it becomes completely clear where his beloved is and who his beloved is without directly mentioning the name. Allamah Busairi R.A. is actually trying to keep the name of the beloved (Rasulullah Sallallalhu Alayhi Wasallam) a secret.

5.

What has happened to your eyes, the more you tell 

them to stop,the more theycontinue flowing

Due to Allamah Busairi being separated from his beloved, tears continue flowing from his eyes. As every true lover knows the more one tries to stop crying, the more thoughts of the beloved brings tears to the eyes.

6. 

What is the matter with your heart, the more you tell it to come to its senses, the more it is distracted by love

Here Allamah Busairi asks his ailing heart, why is it that when I ask you to come under control, the more you long for the beloved and become grieved by its separation.

7. 

Does the fervent lover think that his love can be concealed

Now Allamah Busairi shows the reason for his tears and the reason why his heart is ailing.

8. 

While his eyes are shedding tears and his heart is glowing

Even though Allamah Busairi had tried to keep his love a secret, his tears and troubled heart exposed his love to everyone.

9. 

Had it not been for the love, you would not have shed 

tears at the ruins (of your beloved)

Allamah Busairi says, had it not been for love, such tears would not have flowed from his eyes. Upon seeing something which reminds him of his beloved, he uses the words 'ruins' (of your beloved). It is also these tears which have exposed his secret love.

10. 

Nor would you become restless at the remembrance of the cypress (tree) and the high mountain

Love causes sleeplessness to Allamah Busairi at the recollection of the cypress on a high mountain. This is so because the cypress on a high mountain due to its sweet scent is used by Arab poets to denote a beloved. The high mountain reminds Allamah Busairi of the mountains in the place where his beloved lives. 

11.

How do you deny love after the testimony

Although Allamah Busairi tries to deny his love, yet there is evidence which exposes his love.

12. 

Borne against you by (such) reliable witnesses as your tears and your illness

The evidence spoken about in the previous line is in fact the tears and illness. They constitute such trustworthy witnesses that no doubt can be placed of Allamah Busairi not being in love. Due to tears and grief, misery and sleeplessness, he has become ill.

13. 

Love has ingrained two lines of fear, and withered your face

The effect of Allamah Busairi's love caused two streaks to appear on his cheeks due to excessive tears and made his face become feeble and withered.

14. 

On your cheeks like yellow rose and the reddish tree

Allamah Busairi's cheeks are compared to a yellow rose because he has become pale and due to the excessive tears the lines caused on his cheeks are compared to the reddish colour of a tree.

15. 

Yes! Thoughts of the beloved came to me at night and kept me awake

Allamah Busairi says that thoughts of his beloved kept him awake at night. A point to note: Because the beloved is Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam many of his true lovers are blessed with seeing his noble countenance in a dream.

16. 

And love transforms pleasure into pain

When a person is in love or in grief (due to love), he no longer finds enjoyment in those things which he used to enjoy before being separated from his beloved.

17. 

You who reproach me, regarding my love for one of the tribe of Uzrah, excuse me

Allamah Busairi’s close ones reproached him on his love and tried to explain to him that he is harming himself and will become seriously Ill, but Allamah Busairi asks to be excused because he is helpless and cannot control the love in his heart.

18. 

From me to you if you do justice, you would not reproach me

Allamah Busairi says to his reproachers that you know I am helpless in this love and if you were just, you would not reprimand me but rather sympathize with me.

19. 

My state of love has been expressed to you, and now my secret is no longer concealed

Allamah Busairi admits to his love and is grief stricken that it no longer remains a secret.

20. 

From those who malign (me), nor is there (something to) check my agony

This line continues from the previous one in that Allamah Busairi's secret love is no longer hidden from those who are envious and malign him. On the other hand, there is nothing to stop the pain of his love, nor does he wish it to stop.

21. 

You have sincerely advised me, I did not heed it

Allamah Busairi refers to his reproachers as being people who sincerely wished to help him but he remained heedless to their advice.

22. 

For verily a lover is deaf to his reproaching critics

Allamah Busairi explains why he did not heed his sincere advisers. He admits that love overpowered him. He no longer has control over his emotions. Love has made him deaf to everything else.

23) 

I regarded with suspicion the advice of the elders in reproaching me

Due to being lost in love Allamah Busalri regarded with distrust and dislike the sincere reproaching of the elders who had the experience of love before.

24) 

(Wisdom) in the advice of the elders is above suspicion

Extreme love made Allamah Busairi distrust the sincere reproachment of his elders, but now he realises that the advice of the elders is full of wisdom and above doubt. Even though he acknowledges reality of their wisdom, his overwhelming love leaves him heedless to their advice.