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- Permanent Link:
- http://digital.soas.ac.uk/LSMD000346/00001
Notes
- Abstract:
- Like Other works of its genre, this poem is an admonishment that urges Muslims to fulfil their responsibilities before God. The poet regularly introduces passages from the Qur’an to support his warnings and instruction. The early part of the poem praises God and the prophet Mohammed. The poet then turns to discussion of the four things that are determined for all human beings before their birth: when and where they will die (ajali), the means of subsistence they will have (riziki) and their good and evil acts. The poem then elaborates the theme of human weakness as it contrasts with the power of God, emphasising that human destiny is entirely in God’s hands. The poet discusses the five pillars of Islam and obligatory religious duties (faradhi), and then addresses at length the subject of death. He describes its suddenness (‘Ziraeli hana hodi na kujibu kisa rudi, muda wako hauzidi ila sasa kuifia’). He describes the angels by whom each person will be questioned after death and the process by which, on the day of judgement (‘kiyama’), the reward and punishment of each person will be determined. He describes heaven, where trees are so heavy with fruit that no one needs to climb them and where there are four rivers of water, milk, honey and wine. And he discusses the way to reach heaven, insisting especially on avoidance of arrogance (kiburi) and envy (husuda) and noting the importance of respecting the sharif. The waadhi concludes with a prayer. The poet’s idiomatic use of the suffix ‘ni’, as in ‘hasarani,’ ‘maradhini,’ and ‘nusurani,’ is an interesting feature of the poem. The modernity of this waadhi is evident in the opening, when the poet, making the customary request for writing materials, asks for ‘kalamu yenye nibu,’ a fountain pen. It is also evident in the concluding prayer, which asks God to protect those who journey ‘baharini’ (by sea) ‘barabarani’ (by road) and ‘baluna yangani’ (by airplane). ( en )
- General Note:
- Biographical information: The poet was probably a native of Lamu of Hadrami descent
- General Note:
- Date of Composition is unknown
- General Note:
- Languages: Swahili (Arabic script)
- General Note:
- Dialects: KiAmu
- General Note:
- Poetic Form: Utenzi
- General Note:
- Extent: 36 pages
- General Note:
- Incipit: Nipa langu daftari, niandike mashairi, ndani yake yenye kheri, ya akhera na duniya
- General Note:
- Africa -- Eastern Africa -- Kenya -- Lamu County -- Lamu -- Lamu Island
- General Note:
- Purchased from Dr. J. Knappert, March 1993
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- SOAS University of London
- Holding Location:
- Archives and Special Collections
- Rights Management:
- This item may be in the public domain. Its status has yet to be assessed.
- Resource Identifier:
- MS 380549 ( SOAS manuscript number )
MS 380549a ( SOAS manuscript number )
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