A Commentary on Manzoomah Ilbiri – Sharh of Ilbiri’s Poem on Seeking Knowledge

A Commentary on Manzoomah Ilbiri – Sharh of Ilbiri’s Poem on Seeking Knowledge

A Commentary on Manzoomah Ilbiri is a profound explanation of the classical poem by Abu Ishaq Al-Ilbiri, focusing on the virtues and etiquettes of seeking knowledge. This insightful work, explained by Suhaib Sirajudin, presents the original Arabic text alongside English translation and detailed commentary, making it accessible for modern readers. The poem itself was written as sincere advice, addressing important aspects of life such as humility, sincerity, the superiority of knowledge over wealth, and the dangers of bad company.
This book is ideal for students of knowledge and anyone seeking spiritual development, offering timeless lessons rooted in Islamic teachings from the Qur’an and Sunnah.

From Author:

A commentary on Abu Ishaq Ilbiri’s poem on the seeking of knowledge and its Mannerisms. It is said to have written this poem in response to a young man who had insulted him. Instead of replying in kind, which was the custom of poets, he decided to respond by providing the young man advice that would benefit him in this life and the next.

Content:

Table of Contents
Commentators Notes.
Introduction.
Complete Poem of Abu Ishaaq Ilbiri
Focus on the Hereafter Instead of this world
Encouraging one to seek beneficial.
Status of knowledge and its sweetness.
The importance of acting upon knowledge, and being questioned about
The superiority of knowledge over wealth
A warning not to become occupied with the luxuries of this world.
The things that can help a person.
Invitation to haste in repentance to Allah and taking heed from your .
Condemning yourself, invitation to remembering the Day of Judgement and its events.
Humbleness, humility and confession of sins.
Disobedience to Allah and its disadvantages, and obedience to Allah and it
Advice on abstaining from sins and its places
Warning about bad company.
Turning away from the ignorant.
Advice on beneficial travel.

Page:01
A Commentary on
Manzoomah Ilbiri
Abu Ishaq Al-Ilbiri R.A
on the Seeking of Knowledge and Its Mannerisms
شرح منظومة الإلبيري
لأبي إسحاق إبراهيم بن مسعود الإلبيري الغرناطي الأندلسي
Page:02
Commentary on Manzoomah Ilbiri
Table of Contents
Commentators Notes.
Introduction.
Complete Poem of Abu Ishaaq Ilbiri
Focus on the Hereafter Instead of this world
Encouraging one to seek beneficial.
Status of knowledge and its sweetness.
The importance of acting upon knowledge, and being questioned about
The superiority of knowledge over wealth
A warning not to become occupied with the luxuries of this world.
The things that can help a person.
Invitation to haste in repentance to Allah and taking heed from your .
Condemning yourself, invitation to remembering the Day of Judgement and its events.
Humbleness, humility and confession of sins.
Disobedience to Allah and its disadvantages, and obedience to Allah and it
Advice on abstaining from sins and its places
Warning about bad company.
Turning away from the ignorant.
Advice on beneficial travel.
Page:03
Commentary on Manzoomah Ilbiri
Various titles of this poem
This poem has been given various titles, such as:
'Al Qaseedah At Taiyyah',
(doglio) 'Manzoomah Ilbiri',
Taiyyah llbiri (تائية الإلبيري)
'Qaseedah Ilbiri',
Qaseedah At Tawbah',
(pbell will be CJI) 'Al Hath Ala Talabil Ilm', 'Wasiyyah Nasih'.
and other similar titles have been given to this poem.
Verses
Topics Covered
Encourages one to focus on the Hereafter and not on the beauty and the glitter of this world.
Encourages one to seek beneficial knowledge.
Mentions the status of knowledge and its sweetness.
One being questioned about his knowledge, acting upon his knowledge; and about his ignorance, if he was ignorant.
The superiority of knowledge over wealth.
A warning not to become occupied with the luxuries of this world.
Page:04
Commentary on Manzoomah Ilbiri
and its virtue will last with you when you are gone (dead).
It is the sharp sword that does not error, you strike with it whoever seeks it.
هُوَ العَصْبُ المُهَنَّدُ لَيسَ يَنبو
تُصِيبُ بِهِ مَقاتِلَ ضَرَيتا
It is the treasure that is not to be stolen,
وكنزاً لا تَخَافُ عَلَيْهِ لِصَاً
خفيف الحَملِ يوجَدُ حَيثُ كُنتا
light in weight, with you wherever you are.
It increases when it is spent much,
and it decreases when you do not spend it.
If you but taste its sweetness,
يَزيدُ بِكَثرَةِ الإنفاقِ مِنهُ وَيَنقُصُ إِن بِهِ كَفَأَ شَدَدتا فلو قد ذُقتَ مِن حَلواهُ ظَعماً لَاثَرْتَ التَعَلَّمَ وَاجْتَهَدَتا وَلَم يَشْغَلَكَ عَنهُ هَوى مُطَاعٌ وَلا دُنْيا بِزُحْرُفِهَا فُتِنتا
you will not cease in learning and striving for it. And desire will not distract you from it, nor will the world tempt you with its beauty.
Page:05
Commentary on Manzoomah Ilbiri
تَنامُ الدَهرَ وَيْحَكَ فِي غَطيط
You are sleeping as time goes (woe to you in your snoring) until you die, then you will awaken.
بها حَتَّى إِذَا مِتْ إِنتَبَهنا
Commentary
You are sleeping: metaphorically, the poet is saying that you are in heedlessness due to the temptations of this world, and as such, one who is in this state is spiritually sleeping. So, beware of death knocking at your door while you are spiritually sleeping (i.e. occupied with the temptations of this world).
Yes, when you die, that is when you will wake up to reality and regret, but then your regret will be of no benefit, as Allah says:
أَلْهَاكُمُ التَّكَاثُرُ (1) حَتَّى زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَ
You are distracted by mutual competition in amassing (worldly benefits) Until you reach the graves. (Quran 102:1-2).
Ali said:
الناس نيام فإذا ماتوا انتبهو
People are asleep. Once they die, they wake up. (Hilyah Abu Nuaim)
This Hadith is attributed to Alia or Sufyan Thawree or Suhail Tastaree; some have narrated this Hadith as Marfoo to the Prophet but it is not correct to attribute this statement to the Prophet; instead, this Hadith is Mawqoof.

Suhaib Sirajudin

• Abu Ishaq Al-Ilbiri R.A

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Page:01
A Commentary on
Manzoomah Ilbiri
Abu Ishaq Al-Ilbiri R.A
on the Seeking of Knowledge and Its Mannerisms
شرح منظومة الإلبيري
لأبي إسحاق إبراهيم بن مسعود الإلبيري الغرناطي الأندلسي
Page:02
Commentary on Manzoomah Ilbiri
Table of Contents
Commentators Notes.
Introduction.
Complete Poem of Abu Ishaaq Ilbiri
Focus on the Hereafter Instead of this world
Encouraging one to seek beneficial.
Status of knowledge and its sweetness.
The importance of acting upon knowledge, and being questioned about
The superiority of knowledge over wealth
A warning not to become occupied with the luxuries of this world.
The things that can help a person.
Invitation to haste in repentance to Allah and taking heed from your .
Condemning yourself, invitation to remembering the Day of Judgement and its events.
Humbleness, humility and confession of sins.
Disobedience to Allah and its disadvantages, and obedience to Allah and it
Advice on abstaining from sins and its places
Warning about bad company.
Turning away from the ignorant.
Advice on beneficial travel.
Page:03
Commentary on Manzoomah Ilbiri
Various titles of this poem
This poem has been given various titles, such as:
'Al Qaseedah At Taiyyah',
(doglio) 'Manzoomah Ilbiri',
Taiyyah llbiri (تائية الإلبيري)
'Qaseedah Ilbiri',
Qaseedah At Tawbah',
(pbell will be CJI) 'Al Hath Ala Talabil Ilm', 'Wasiyyah Nasih'.
and other similar titles have been given to this poem.
Verses
Topics Covered
Encourages one to focus on the Hereafter and not on the beauty and the glitter of this world.
Encourages one to seek beneficial knowledge.
Mentions the status of knowledge and its sweetness.
One being questioned about his knowledge, acting upon his knowledge; and about his ignorance, if he was ignorant.
The superiority of knowledge over wealth.
A warning not to become occupied with the luxuries of this world.
Page:04
Commentary on Manzoomah Ilbiri
and its virtue will last with you when you are gone (dead).
It is the sharp sword that does not error, you strike with it whoever seeks it.
هُوَ العَصْبُ المُهَنَّدُ لَيسَ يَنبو
تُصِيبُ بِهِ مَقاتِلَ ضَرَيتا
It is the treasure that is not to be stolen,
وكنزاً لا تَخَافُ عَلَيْهِ لِصَاً
خفيف الحَملِ يوجَدُ حَيثُ كُنتا
light in weight, with you wherever you are.
It increases when it is spent much,
and it decreases when you do not spend it.
If you but taste its sweetness,
يَزيدُ بِكَثرَةِ الإنفاقِ مِنهُ وَيَنقُصُ إِن بِهِ كَفَأَ شَدَدتا فلو قد ذُقتَ مِن حَلواهُ ظَعماً لَاثَرْتَ التَعَلَّمَ وَاجْتَهَدَتا وَلَم يَشْغَلَكَ عَنهُ هَوى مُطَاعٌ وَلا دُنْيا بِزُحْرُفِهَا فُتِنتا
you will not cease in learning and striving for it. And desire will not distract you from it, nor will the world tempt you with its beauty.
Page:05
Commentary on Manzoomah Ilbiri
تَنامُ الدَهرَ وَيْحَكَ فِي غَطيط
You are sleeping as time goes (woe to you in your snoring) until you die, then you will awaken.
بها حَتَّى إِذَا مِتْ إِنتَبَهنا
Commentary
You are sleeping: metaphorically, the poet is saying that you are in heedlessness due to the temptations of this world, and as such, one who is in this state is spiritually sleeping. So, beware of death knocking at your door while you are spiritually sleeping (i.e. occupied with the temptations of this world).
Yes, when you die, that is when you will wake up to reality and regret, but then your regret will be of no benefit, as Allah says:
أَلْهَاكُمُ التَّكَاثُرُ (1) حَتَّى زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَ
You are distracted by mutual competition in amassing (worldly benefits) Until you reach the graves. (Quran 102:1-2).
Ali said:
الناس نيام فإذا ماتوا انتبهو
People are asleep. Once they die, they wake up. (Hilyah Abu Nuaim)
This Hadith is attributed to Alia or Sufyan Thawree or Suhail Tastaree; some have narrated this Hadith as Marfoo to the Prophet but it is not correct to attribute this statement to the Prophet; instead, this Hadith is Mawqoof.