Last Poem by Imam Ghazzali

Imam Ghazzali (ra) who wrote in his Tahsin al Zunun:

Say to my friends, when they look upon me, dead,

Weeping for me and mourning me in sorrow

Do not believe that this corpse you see is my self.

In the name of Allah (swt), I tell you, it is not I,

I am a spirit, this is nothing but flesh

It was my abode and my garment for a time

I am a treasure, by a talisman kept hid,

Fashioned of dust, which served me as a shrine,

I am a pearl, which has left its shell deserted,

It was my prison, where I spent my time in grief.

I am a bird, and this body is my cage.

From which I have now flown forth and it is left as a token,

Praise to Allah, Who has now set me free.

And prepared for me my place in the highest of the heavens.

Until today I was dead, though alive in your midst.

Now I live in truth, with the grave clothes discarded

Today I converse with the saints above

Now, with no veil between, I see Allah face to face

I look upon the Lawh al Mahfuz and therein I read,

Whatever was and is and all that is to be.

Let my house fall in ruins, lay my cage in the ground,

Cast away the talisman, it is a token, no more.

Lay aside my cloak, it was but my outer garment.

Place them all in the grave, let them be forgotten.

I have passed on my way and you are left behind.

Your place of abode was no dwelling place for me.

Think not that death is death, no, it is life,

A life that surpasses all we could dream of here,

While in this world, here we are granted sleep,

Death is but sleep, sleep that shall be prolonged.

Do not be afraid when death draws near,

It is but departure for this blessed home.

Think of the mercy and love of your Lord,

Give thanks for His grace and come without fear.

What I am now, even so shall you be,

For I know that you are even as I am.

The souls of all men come forth from Allah,

The bodies of all are compounded alike

Good and evil, alike it was ours.

I give you now a message of good cheer

May Allah's peace and joy for evermore be yours.