The Poem that made Imam Ahmad Cry

This video discusses a poem that deeply affected Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, exploring themes of shame in disobeying Allah, the world as a test, hiding sins, the afterlife, and seeking Allah’s forgiveness.

Mufti Abdur Rahman covers the famous poem which is related to have made Imam Ahmad cry.

Poem:
I will be asked, what have I sent forth
in my life to save me

So what will I answer,
after I’ve been neglectful in my faith

Woe to me, did I not hear the
words of Allah calling out to me?

Did I not heed what has come in Qāf and Yasīn

Did I not hear of the day of gathering, of assembly and retribution?

Did I not hear the caller of death
Calling me, summoning me

So my lord, this is a slave who has come repenting,
Who shall grant me refuge,

Other than a generous forgiving Lord,
To the truth he will guide me

I have come to You, so have mercy on me,
and make heavy my scales

And lighten my reckoning, for you are the best
of those to reckon with me

If my Lord asks me
“Have you no shame in disobeying me?
You hide your sins from my created beings
Yet full of disobedience you come to Me”

So how will I answer? Woe to me,
Who shall protect me?

I keep distracting my soul
With false hopes from one time to the next
And I forget what is to come after death,
What is there after I am wrapped in my shroud

As if I am guaranteed to live forever,
And that death will never come to me
Then the harsh pangs of death overtake me,
Who will now protect me?

I look at the faces, is there not among them
one who will ransom me?

إذَا مَا قَالَ لِيْ رَبِّي أَمَا اسْتَحْيَيْتَ تَعْصِيْنِيْ..؟
وتُخْفِي الذَّنْبَ عَنْ خَلْقِيْ وَبِالْعِصْيَانِ تَأْتِيْنِيْ؟

فَكَيْفَ أُجْيْبُ، يَا وَيْحِيْ… وَمَنْ ذَا سَوْفَ يَحْمِيْنِيْ؟
أُسَلِّيْ النَّفْسَ بِالْآمَالِ مِنْ حِينٍ إِلىٰ حِيْنِي ..

وَأَنْسٰى مَا وَرَاءَ الْمَوَتِ مَاذَا بَعْدُ تَكْفِيْنَيْ
كَأَنِيْ قَدْ ضَمِنْتُ الْعَيْشَ لَيْسَ المَوْتُ يَأْتِيْنِيْ

وَجَائَتْ سَكْرَةُ المَوْتِ الشَدِيْدَةُ، مَنْ سَيَحْمِيْنِيْ؟
نَظَرْتُ إِلى الْوُجُوْهِ، أَلَيْـسَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ سَيُفْدِيْنِـيْ؟

سَأُسْأَلُ مَا الَّذِيْ قَدَّمْتُ فِيْ دُنْيَايَ يُنْجِيْنِيْ
فَكَيْفَ إِجَابَتِيْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا فَرَّطْتُ فِي دِيْنِيْ

وَيَا وَيْحِيْ، أَلَـمْ أَسْمَعْ كَلَامَ اللهِ يَدْعُوْنِيْ؟
أَلَـم أَسْمَعْ لِـماَ قَدْ جَاءَ فِي قَافٍ وَيٰسِيْنِ

أَلَـمْ أَسْمَعْ بِيَوْمِ الحَشْرِ يَوْمَ الْجَمْعِ وَالدِّيْنِ
أَلَـمْ أَسْمَعْ مُنَادِي المَوْتِ يَدْعُوْنِي يُنَادِيْنِي

فَيَا رَبَّـاهُ عَبْدٌ تَـائِبٌ، مَنْ ذَا سَيُؤْوِيْنِيْ؟
سِوٰى رَبٍّ غَفُوْرٍ وَاسِعٍ لِلْحَقِّ يَهْدِيْنِيْ

أَتَيْتُ إِلَيْكَ فَارْحَمْنِيْ وَثَقِّـلْ فِيْ مَوَازِيْنِيْ
وَخَفِّفْ فِيْ جَزَائِيْ، أَنْتَ أَرْجٰى من يُـجَازِيْنِيْ