www.majalahnabawi.com – The popularity of poetry Syafi’i in Indonesia is certainly not in doubt. How could it not be, it is his mazhab that is used as the main guideline for Muslim communities in Indonesia. Especially in his fatwas regarding fiqh which are very coherent and to the conditions of Muslim worship in Indonesia. But unfortunately, this approach with Imam Syafi’i as a complete figure may not have happened yet, especially about his figure outside the science of jurisprudence. In the field of literature, for example, many are still unfamiliar with his knowledge of that field. Even though at the beginning, before deepening his knowledge of jurisprudence, Imam Syafi’i was very active in getting to know literature and language.

The proof is that Imam Syafi’i likes poetry, nahwu, and also rhetoric. Even when he conveyed knowledge or fatwas, he often greeted them by humming or writing them in poetic verses, with rhyming words. In addition to great scholars in the fields of hadith, jurisprudence, and other religious knowledge, Imam Shafi’i is famous for his skill in making pearls of wisdom.

Imam Syafi’i’s Poetry

His poetry can now be touched in a collection of poems called the Diwan Imam al-Syafi’i book. Listed in the book, the summary is named Yusuf Syekh Muhammad al-Biqa’i, a professor of Arabic language and literature. From the existing poems, there are various kinds of themes with more than one hundred titles. For example manners, association, wandering, studying, love, and divinity.

One of his poems that deserves our reflection is his advice for someone to migrate, leave their comfort zone to go to new areas, new atmospheres, new experiences, and get to know new people too.

The following is one of Imam Syafi’i’s advice in his poetry regarding the motivation to wander:

سَافِرْ تَجِدْ عِوَضاً عَمَّنْ تُفَارِقُهُ # وَانْصَبْ فَإنَّ لَذِيذَ الْعَيْشِ فِي النَّصَبِ
إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ وُقُوْفَ المَاءَ يُفْسِدُهُ # إِنْ سَاحَ طَابَ وَإنْ لَمْ يَجْرِ لَمْ يَطِبِ
وَالشَّمْسُ لَوْ وَقَفَتْ فِي الفُلْكِ دَائِمَةً # لَمَلَّهَا النَّاسُ مِنْ عُجْمٍ وَمِنَ عَرَبِ
وَالتُرْبُ كَالتُرْبِ مُلْقًى فِي أَمَاكِنِهِ # وَالعُوْدُ فِي أَرْضِهِ نَوْعٌ مِنْ الحَطَبِ

Merantaulah… you will get replacements from those you left behind (relatives and friends) # Be tired, the sweetness of life is tasted after you are tired of fighting.

I see water being damaged because it is still stuck # If it flows, it becomes clear, if not, it will become muddy.

If the sun in its orbit does not move and continues to stand still # of course, humans get bored of him and are reluctant to look.

If the agarwood comes out of the forest, it becomes a high-value perfume # If the ore separates (from the ground), then it is valued as pure gold.

This book is truly a “spring of water” that can plug our awareness to be serious about religion and improve the quality of our morals. Inevitably, from this book, we can undoubtedly take valuable lessons (ibrah) for life.