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Read more about the article The Name of God – poem by Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore

The Name of God – poem by Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore

The Name of God came haunting down the halland dazzled all our eyes and ears andhearts, and made us swoon into this hard physical life,and we’ll be wakened and called back and then we’ll leave this world asthings…

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Read more about the article True Ramadan – by Iljas Baker

True Ramadan – by Iljas Baker

  Ramadan arrives like a guestyou think might be difficult:disrupting cherished routinesmaking too many demandsoffering not enoughgood conversationstaying too long.then you find thatby letting go of what you thinkand who you arethe guest becomes the hostand offers youa…

Continue ReadingTrue Ramadan – by Iljas Baker
Read more about the article Winners of the Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore Ecstatic Poetry Prize 2025

Winners of the Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore Ecstatic Poetry Prize 2025

Mabrouk, congratulations to our winners! 🏆 Since we had so many strong entries for the Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore Ecstatic Poetry Prize, of almost 500 poems, it was so hard to select a top three that we created a…

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Read more about the article “If Beginnings can be Holy” a poem by Murtaza Humayun Saeed

“If Beginnings can be Holy” a poem by Murtaza Humayun Saeed

  Leave me in a quiet place to pray Where I can receive the energy To face the new day A place close to nature Re-vi-tal-i-zing Ox-y-gen-a-ting Calm-ing Leave me there early in the day Leave me alone…

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Read more about the article Solace to My Sorrow – a poem by Nana Asma’u

Solace to My Sorrow – a poem by Nana Asma’u

  Nana Asma’u (1793-1864) was a poet, educator and activist who wrote poetry in Arabic, Fulfulde and Hausa. She was the daughter of Uthman dan Fodio and was raised in a scholarly environment that valued the education of…

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Read more about the article Is There a Way? Poem by Uthman Dan Fodio

Is There a Way? Poem by Uthman Dan Fodio

  Uthman dan Fodio opens one of his most famous and widely recited poems, Al-Dāliyya, written in 1772 (1188AH) when he was just twenty years old, expressing his longing to visit the Prophet’s tomb in Medina. It is…

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Read more about the article Beginning the Prayer by Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore

Beginning the Prayer by Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore

I stand facing Mecca the house all around me parallel with everything hands up to my ears the Prayer begins Hands across chest time-space capsule surrounds me no god but Allah all Other forgotten Here’s eternity’s signature signed…

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Read more about the article From The Soft Rope We Are by Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore

From The Soft Rope We Are by Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore

From the soft rope we arefrom the jagged tear in a canvas we arefrom the wrecked and twisted bicycle we arefrom the lengthy shadow of a lost world we arefrom flickers at the edge of a dark wood…

Continue ReadingFrom The Soft Rope We Are by Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore
Read more about the article The Logic of Love in Muhammad Iqbal and Rabindranath Tagore – Talk by Dr. Hina Khalid

The Logic of Love in Muhammad Iqbal and Rabindranath Tagore – Talk by Dr. Hina Khalid

In her talk Dr. Hina Khalid gave us a fascinating comparison of the logic of love in the work of Iqbal and Tagore. Watch the recording for a thought-provoking exploration of their overlapping and spiritually refreshing outlooks on love. You can…

Continue ReadingThe Logic of Love in Muhammad Iqbal and Rabindranath Tagore – Talk by Dr. Hina Khalid
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Access our course “Poetic Traditions of the Isla Access our course “Poetic Traditions of the Islamic World” for a one time payment of £99, including any future updates to the course.

For centuries poetry was the primary form of literary expression in the Muslim world. In this course we discover some of the treasures of this rich poetic heritage. Explore the poetic traditions of the Islamic world with us from a faith-based perspective from the poetry of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ, through the mystical verses of Sufi poets from South Asia to West Africa, to the history of Palestinian resistance poetry.

Poetry Writing Prompts

The course includes poetry writing prompts inspired by the poetic traditions of the Muslim world to help spark your own creativity. 

Community Online Space

You will also gain access to our online poetry community space where you can post your own poetry and discuss all things poetry with other members.

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Join us tomorrow for an online poetry party with j Join us tomorrow for an online poetry party with judges Sukina Noor and Baraka Blue to hear the winners of the inaugural Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore Ecstatic Poetry Prize reciting their winning entries! We look forward to seeing you there! Link in bio @ecstaticexchangepoetry and @lotetreepress
Join us tomorrow for an online poetry party with j Join us tomorrow for an online poetry party with judges Sukina Noor and Baraka Blue to hear the winners of the inaugural Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore Ecstatic Poetry Prize reading their winning entries! We look forward to seeing you there. Link in bio @lotetreepress
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Truth is the Night of Power hidden amidst the nigh Truth is the Night of Power hidden amidst the nights
In order that the soul may make trial of every night

- Rumi

حق شب قدر است در شبها نهان
تا كند جان هر شبى‌را امتهان

haqq shab-e qadr ast dar shabhā nahān
tā konad jān har shabī rā emtehān

the Truth . haqq . حق
the Night of Power . shab-e qadr . شب قدر
is . ast . است
in . dar . در
nights . shabhā . شبها
hidden . nahān . نهان
in order that . tā . تا
makes . konad . كند
the soul . jān . جان
every . har . هر
night .‌ shabī . شبى
[direct object marker] rā . را
trial/ test . emtehān . امتهان
Fasting says in the language of spiritual states
“Become less, for all increase is with us”

- Rumi

روزه به زبان حال گوید
کم شو که همه مزید با ماست

ruze beh zabān-e hāl gūyad
kam show ke hame mazīd bā māst

fasting . rūze . روزه
in/with beh . به
language/ tongue of. zabān-e . زبان
spiritual state . hāl . حال
says . gūyad . گوید
little . kam . کم
become . show . شو
for . ke . که
all/ every . hame . همه
increase . mazīd . مزید
is with us . bā māst . با ماست
When your brain and stomach burn from fasting, fr When your brain and stomach 
burn from fasting,
from the heat, every moment,
a song rises from your chest

With every breath 
you burn a thousand veils
from that heat,
You raise up a thousand steps 
with dedication and resolve

- Rumi

اگر ز روزه بسوزد دماغ و اشکم تو
ز سوز ناله برآید ز سینه‌ات هر دم

هزار پرده بسوزی به هر دمی زان سوز
هزار پایه بر آری به همت و به قدم

agar ze rūze besūzad demāgh v ashkam-e tow
ze sūz nāle barāyad ze sīne-at har dam
hezār parde besūzī beh har damī zān sūz
hezār pāye barārī beh hemmat u beh qadam 

if . agar . اگر
from . ze . ز 
fasting . rūze . روزه 
burn . besūzad . بسوزد
brain . demāgh  دماغ
and . v . و
stomach of . ashkam-e . اشکم
you . tow . تو
from . ze . ز
heat/ burning . sūz . سوز
voice/ music/ lament nāle . ناله
arises . barāyad . برآید
from . ze . ز
your chest .‌ sīne-at . سینه‌ات
every . har . هر 
moment/breath . dam . دم

a thousand . hezār . هزار
veils . parde. پرده
you burn. besūzī . بسوزی
with . beh . به
every . har. هر
breath/moment. damī . دمی
from that . zān . زان
 heat/burning . sūz . سوز
a thousand . hezār . هزار
steps. pāye . پایه
raise . bar ārī . بر آری
with . beh . به
dedication/ determination/ aspiration . hemmat . همت
and u . و
resolve/footing . qadam . قدم
How wonderful is the hidden sweetness in this emp How wonderful is the hidden sweetness 
in this emptiness of the stomach!
The human being is as a lute, 
neither more nor less

Thus when, for instance, 
the belly of the lute is filled,
no note comes from that full lute, 
neither high nor low

- Rumi 

زهی حلاوت پنهان در این خلای شکم
مثال چنگ بود آدمی نه بیش و نه کم

چنانک گر شکم چنگ پر شود مثلا
نه ناله آید از آن چنگ پر نه زیر و نه بم

zehī halavat-e penhān dar īn khelāy-e shekam 
mesāl-e chang bovad ādamī nah bīsh o nah kam
chonānke gar shekam-e chang pur shavad masalan 
nah nāleh āyad az ān chang-e pur nah zīr u nah bam

how wonderful is . zehī . زهی
the sweetness . halavat-e . حلاوت
hidden . penhān . پنهان
in . dar . در
this . īn . این
emptiness of . khelāy-e . خلای
the stomach . shekam . شکم
like/ the likeness of . mesāl-e . مثال
lute . chang . چنگ
is . bovad . بود
‎آدمی . ādamī . the human being 
no . nah . نه
more . bīsh . بیش
and . u . و
less . kam . کم
thus. chonānke . چنانک
when/if . gar . گر
 the belly of . shekam-e . شکم
the lute . chang . چنگ
full . pur . پر
is . shavad . شود
for example . masalan . مثلا
no . nah . نه
note/music/lament . nāle . ناله
comes . āyad . آید 
from . az . از
that . ān . آن
full lute . chang-e pur . چنگ پر
neither high nor low . nah zīr u nah bam . نه زیر و نه بم
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For the sown fields of the soul whose kernels are For the sown fields of the soul 
whose kernels are concealed
the cloud of mercy 
is full of the water of Kawthar

زرع جان را كش جواهر مضمر است
ابر رحمت پر ز آب كوثر است

zar’-e jān rā kesh javāher muzmar ast
abr-e rahmat pur ze āb-e kawsar ast

sown fields of . zar’-e .  زرع
the soul . jān . جان
‎را . rā . for
whose . kesh . كش
kernels/ essences . javāher . جواهر
concealed . muzmar . مضمر 
are . ast. است
the cloud of . abr-e . ابر
mercy . rahmat . رحمت
full . pur . پر
of . ze . ز
water of . āb-e . آب 
Kawthar . kawsar . كوثر
is. ast . است
Wash your hands Because the table and divine banqu Wash your hands
Because the table and divine banquet from the heavens has arrived 
Wash your hands and mouth 
Do not eat or speak
Find those words and mouthfuls
which have arrived for the silent

‎دست بشو کز فلک مایده و خوان رسید
‎دست و دهان را بشو نه بخور و نه بگو
‎آن سخن و لقمه جو کان به خموشان رسید

dast beshu kaz falak māyede va khān rasīd
dast u dahān rā beshū nah bekhūr u nah begū
ān sukhan u lugma jū kān beh khamūshān rasīd

hand . dast . دست
wash . beshu . بشو
because . kaz . کز
the heavens . falak .  فلک
heavenly banquet . māyede . مایده
and . va . و
table . khān . خوان
arrived . rasīd . رسید
hand . dast . دست
mouth . dahān .  دهان
[direct object marker] rā . را
do not . nah . نه 
eat . bekhūr . بخور
speak . begū . بگو
that . ān . آن
word/speech . sukhan . سخن
mouthful . lugma . لقمه
find/seek jū . جو
has . kān . کان
for . beh . به
the silent ones. khamūshān . خموشان
arrived . rasīd . رسید
When the self is in need the soul ascends on a jou When the self is in need
the soul ascends on a journey to heaven
When the gate of the prison is broken
the soul reaches the land of the Beloved 

‎نفس چو محتاج شد روح به معراج شد
‎چون در زندان شکست جان بر جانان رسید

nafs chu mohtāj shod rūh beh mi’rāj shod
chun dar-e zendān shekast jān bar-e jānān rasīd

the ego/self . nafs . نفس
when . chu . چو
in need . mohtāj . محتاج
is . shod . شد
soul/ spirit . rūh . روح
on . beh . به 
ascension/ journey to heaven . mi’rāj . معراج
goes. shod . شد
when . chun . چون
the gate of . dar-e . در 
the prison . zendān . زندان
is broken . shekast . شکست 
the soul . jān . جان
the land of . bar-e . بر
the Beloved . jānān . جانان
arrives at/ reaches . rasīd . رسید
Patience is like a gentle cloud, wisdom raining d Patience is like a gentle cloud, 
wisdom raining down from it
Thus it was in such a month of patience
that the Qur’an came down 

‎صبر چو ابریست خوش حکمت بارد از او
‎زانک چنین ماه صبر بود که قرآن رسید

sabr chu abrīst khosh hikmat bārad az u
zānke chonīn māh-e sabr būd ke qurān rasīd

patience . sabr . صبر
like . chu . چو 
is a cloud . abrīst . ابریست
good/gentle . khosh . خوش
wisdom . hikmat . حکمت
rains . bārad .  بارد
from . az . از
it . u . او
thus . zānke . زانک
such . chonīn . چنین
a month of . māh-e . ماه
patience . sabr . صبر
it was . būd . بود
that . keh . که
the Quran .  qurān . قرآن
came/arrived . rasīd . رسید
Don’t strike the drum for sahur too much, that i Don’t strike the drum for sahur too much, that is to say, speak little and fall silent
They will come to understand fasting 
from fasting itself 

سحوری کم زن ای نطق و خمش کن
ز روزه خود شوند آگاه روزه

‏sahūrī kam zan ay nutq u khamush kon
ze rūze khod shavand āgāh-e rūze 

سحوری . sahūrī . 
‏sahur drum (to wake people up) 
کم . little . kam
زن . strike . zan
ای . meaning / that is . ay
نطق . speaking . nutq 
و . and . u 
خمش کن . be silent . khamush kon
ز . from . ze
روزه . fasting . rūze
خود . itself . khod 
شوند . they will become . shavand 
آگاه . aware of . āgāh-e
روزه . fasting . rūze
Like Yusuf, the one who endures patiently in the Like Yusuf, 
the one who endures patiently 
in the well of fasting
attains the kingdom of the Egypt of love

‎چو یوسف ملک مصر عشق گیرد
‎کسی کو صبر کرد در چاه روزه

chū yūsuf mulk-e misr-e`ishq gīrad 
kasī kū sabr kard dar chāh-e rūze 

like . chū . چو
Joseph . yūsuf . یوسف
kingdom of . mulk-e . ملک
Egypt of . misr-e . مصر
‘ishq . love . عشق
attains . gīrad . گیرد
the one . kasī . کسی
who . kū . کو
patience . sabr . صبر 
practices . kard . کرد
in . dar . در 
the well of . chāh-e . چاه 
fasting . rūze - روزه
Gazing up (to see the moon) my hat fell from my he Gazing up (to see the moon) my hat fell from my head
Intoxicated as my head was by the Sovereign of fasting

‎نظر کردم کلاه از سر بیفتاد
‎سرم را مست کرد آن شاه روزه

nazar kardam, kolāh az sar beyoftād
saram ra mast kard ān shāh-e rūze

I gazed . nazar kardam . نظر کردم
hat . kolāh . کلاه
from . az . از
head . sar . سر
fell . beyoftād . بیفتاد
my head . saram . سرم
direct object marker . rā. را 
intoxicated . mast kard . مست کرد
that . ān . آن 
Sovereign of . shāh-e . شاه
fasting . rūze - روزه
How wonderful the felicity, good fortune and sple How wonderful the felicity, 
good fortune and splendour of fasting is!

زهی اقبال و بخت و جاه روزه

‏
zehī iqbāl o bakht o jāh-e rūze

 
how excellent/wonderful is . zehī . زهی
the felicity . iqbāl. اقبال
and . o . و
good fortune . bakht . بخت
splendour/rank of . jāh-e . جاه
fasting . rūze . روزه
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