Lady Rabia al-Adawiyya (717-801) went from slave to Sufi spoken-word poet.
There’s two loves for the one:
The devotion of desire
And the flame that serves the other.
As for the self with roots in longing
I’m devoured by your presence
Scarce existing outside.
As for the self that shines with gold
It’s you that lift the veil
To allow me to see.
No currency on either side
For my love and its degrees
But we lack lack in Abaddon at the gate.
So if you’re called from want
Of your sun, burn me
With the flame of my carcass crisp.
And if you’re worshipped
For your sun, keep it away,
The key to the gate, from my arms.
But if you’re loved, right here in Basra
In the sun’s reflection
Stay with me as we play among the stars.
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أُحِبُّكَ حُبَّيْنِ
حُبَّ الهَوَى
وَحُبًّا لِأَنَّكَ أَهْلٌ لِذَاكَا
Uḥibbuka ḥubbayni
ḥubba al‑hawā
wa ḥubban li‑annaka ahlun li‑dhākā
فَأَمَّا الَّذِي هُوَ
حُبُّ الهَوَى
فَشُغْلِي بِذِكْرِكَ عَمَّنْ سِوَاكَا
fa‑ammā alladhī huwa
ḥubbu al‑hawā
fa‑shughlī bi‑dhikrika ʿamman siwākā
وَأَمَّا الَّذِي
أَنْتَ أَهْلٌ لَهُ
فَكَشْفُكَ لِيَ الحُجُبَ حَتَّى أَرَاكَا
wa‑ammā alladhī
anta ahlun lahu
fa‑kashfuka liya al‑ḥujuba ḥattā arākā
فَلَا الحَمْدُ فِي ذَا
وَلَا ذَاكَ لِي
وَلَكِنْ لَكَ الحَمْدُ فِي ذَا وَذَاكَا
fa‑lā al‑ḥamdu fī dhā
wa‑lā dhāka lī
wa‑lākinn laka al‑ḥamdu fī dhā wa‑dhākā
اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتُ أَعْبُدُكَ
خَوْفًا مِنْ نَارِكَ
فَأَحْرِقْنِي فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ
Allāhumma in kuntu aʿbuduka
khawfan min nārika
fa‑aḥriqnī fī nāri Jahannam
وَإِنْ كُنْتُ أَعْبُدُكَ
طَمَعًا فِي جَنَّتِكَ
فَاحْرِمْنِي مِنْهَا
wa‑in kuntu aʿbuduka
ṭamaʿan fī jannatika
fa‑ḥrimnī minhā
وَإِنْ كُنْتُ أَعْبُدُكَ
حُبًّا لِذَاتِكَ
فَلَا تَحْرِمْنِي مِنْ وَجْهِكَ الْكَرِيمِ
wa‑in kuntu aʿbuduka
ḥubban li‑dhātika
fa‑lā taḥrimnī min wajhika al‑karīm
