The Dunya pushes you: “Earn more. Climb higher. Secure your future.”
Your heart quietly asks: "But when will you seek knowledge? What about the Akhirah?"
If you’ve ever watched your commitment to seeking knowledge fade while life pulls you in every direction… if you’ve ever stared at your week and wondered when your Iman slipped through the cracks… this poem was written for you.
Welcome to our new series on the Ta’iyyah of Abu Ishaq al-Ilbiri - a poem so striking that scholars across generations instructed their students to memorise it. Not because it's beautiful poetry, but because it slaps you awake.
Taught by Ustadh Muhammad Tim Humble, this series takes you into a masterpiece that speaks to the modern Muslim student - the one juggling university, work, household, and trying to hold onto their Deen in a world that doesn't make it easy.
This isn't just admonition. It's not a Sheikh telling you "you're doing it wrong."
It's a father confessing to his son: “These are the mistakes I made. These are the attachments that cost me. Don’t repeat them. Take the path I should have taken.”
The poem revolves around three unshakeable truths:
Zuhd - turning away from a Dunya designed to capture you
Seeking Knowledge - the treasure that fills the void when you stop chasing wealth and status
Purifying the Soul - Tawbah, return, and filling your heart with what Allah loves
In Episode 1, Ustadh Muhammad introduces the poem's background, its author's remarkable story, and begins unpacking the very first line:
"The days shatter your heart, piece by piece..."
Why does the poem begin with the heart, not the body, not time, but your heart? What happens when Iman wears out like old clothing? And what are the five actions that can renew a broken heart?
This episode sets the stage for a journey that will challenge every student of knowledge, every person who's felt the weight of "I'm not doing enough," and every Muslim who knows deep down: the dunya is winning, and I need to fight back.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
03:28 About the Ta'iyyah
07:21 Core Topics of the Poem
11:00 Pursuing Balance Between Knowledge and Livelihood
17:45 The Poet and His Works
22:06 Why is the Poem Known as "Ta'iyyah"?
24:27 A Note on the Poem’s Variations
27:23 Different Explanations of the Poem
29:24 Beginning the Poem
30:30 How the Passage of Days Weakens Your Heart
35:30 Analysing and Rectifying the Heart’s Situation
37:16 Iman-Boosting Deeds
46:40 Conclusion
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