Farshi Turab

We heard this haunting on an al Azhar student's handphone during our trip.


Here are the words and translation. (Courtesy of my diligent friend, Sal).

farshi atturabu yadhommouni wa hwa ghita'i
hawli arrimalu taloffuni bal men wara'i
wallahdu yahki dholmata fiha ebtila'i
wannuru khatta kitabahu unsa lika'i

farshi atturabu yadhommouni wa hwa ghita'i
hawli arrimalu taloffuni bal men wara'i
wallahdu yahki dholmatan fiha ebtila'i
wannuru khatta kitabahu unsa lika'i unsa lika'i

wal ahlu ayna hananuhum be'ou wafa'i be'ou wafa'i
wassahbu ayna jumu'ouhom taraku ikha'i taraku ikha'i
wal malu ayna hana'uhu sara wara'i
wal esmu ayna bariquhu bayna athana'i
hadhihi nihayatu hali farshi atturabu

farshi atturabu yadhommouni wa hwa ghita'i
hawli arrimalu taloffuni bal men wara'i
wallahdu yahki dholmata fiha ebtila'i
wannuru khatta kitabahu unsa lika'i unsa lika'i

wal hubbu wadda a shawqahu wa baka raietha'i wa baka rietha'i
wddamngu jaffa masiruhu bagda buka'i
walkawnu dhaqa bi wessihi dhaqat fadha'i
fallahdu sara bi jothati ardhi sama'i
hadhihi nihayatu hali farshi turabi

wal khawfu yamla'u ghorbati wa hozna da'i
arju athabata wa ennama 'asaman dawa'i

warrabu adhu mokhlisa anta raja'i
abghi ilahi jannatan fiha hana'i

warrabu adhu mokhlisa anta raja'i
abghi ilahi jannatan fiha hana'i

(Translation)
Dust is my bed, embraces me and it's my cover now
The sand surrounds me even behind my back
And the grave tells a dankness of my affliction
And the brightness draws a line

Dust is my bed, embraces me and it's my cover now
The sand surrounds me even behind my back
And the grave tells a dankness of my affliction
And the brightness draws a line

Where is my family's love? They sold my loyalty!
And where is my group of friends? They left my brotherhood!
Where is the bliss of money? It's behind my back now
And my name (reputation) where is it shine between praises
This is my end and this is my bed

Dust is my bed, embraces me and it's my cover now
The sand surrounds me even behind my back
And the grave tells a dankness of my affliction
And the brightness draws a line

And love farewells its longing and my elegizing cried
And the tears went dry after crying
And the universe became narrow and so is my space
And the grave became my ground and sky
This is my end and this is my bed

Fear fills my estrangement and sadness is my illness
I expect firmness and I swear it's my cure

And for Allah I pray faithfully, you are my hope
Allah! I desire heaven, to find bliss in it

And for Allah I pray faithfully, you are my hope
Allah! I desire heaven, to find bliss in it.

Verses of Love

When Egypt was still fresh in my mind, Acu urged me to read Habiburrahman El Shirazy’s novel Ayat-Ayat Cinta. I remember him mentioning a year ago that the novel is a hit with his friends. I didn’t think much of the novel; I felt (cough) what my brother reads will not suit me. This time, when he said that the novel is about Egypt, I didn’t hesitate. Needless to say, I read it as fast as I could, with intermittent smiles, tears and other interjections of recognition.

Co-incidentally, TV3 was to show the movie adaptation on 10th Syawal. Before the film was aired, I bought the CD (alongside Aizat’s excellent debut album) at Tesco. While the movie is good, the book is better. The writing is simple yet stylish. I think I may have lost the beauty of the language as I opted for the Bahasa Melayu version, but the messages are hard to miss. There is so much Islamic values and ideals to be learned from this book. And there is enough drama to keep one glued to the book.

This novel is one of few books that I reluctantly finish and will reread. If you have time to read only one book this month, read this one.

Now the novel is further entrenched in my life as the novel’s protagonist has inspired the name of my new nephew, Muhammad Arif Fahry.