Al-Uqud al-Durriyya - Ibn Abd al-Hadi - (الكتاب/30)

When Shaykh Rashid al-Din (1) read that reply, he wrote to its author, Shaykh Taqi al-Din (2):

He mastered the untying of the designated term—
he did not voice its name, yet produced its twin (3).
He outstripped al-Jawzāʾ with his speech and outshone Sirius with poetry that is limpid and powerful.
Its meanings are exalted; thus my gratitude to him is duly recorded (4), and the solution is indeed the solution.
Within it, “Ahmad” fits the meter of action, while “al-Taqī” fits the meter of both word and deed.
It is as though its very letters were embodied, dictating to him even as he asks to be dictated to (5).
A youth whose forefather is glory itself is surely entitled to pride (6), and blessing has touched his descendants.
So may Allah make it easy for the one whose name bears “Justice” to receive a recompense (7) worthy of his excellence.

Afterward, the father of Shaykh Taqi al-Din Ibn Taymiyya examined the riddle (8), solved it with another word, and composed a poem on the subject; Shaykh Rashid al-Din then sent him this reply:

[ق 10] He matched my riddle yet did not utter its name—
a man unmatched in virtue and refinement (9).

(1) K reads ‘rashid’ (rightly guided). (2) After it, F and K add: ‘Ibn Taymiyya, rahimahu Allah’ (may Allah have mercy on him). (3) F has: ‘… fi al-musamma … walakin jad …’ (‘… regarding the designation … yet he strove …’). (4) F and K read ‘fa-shukran’ (‘so, thanks’). (5) B and F read ‘muthallath’ (‘triangular/three-fold’). (6) F reads ‘wa haqq bi-fata’ (‘and, by right, a youth’). (7) K reads ‘mukafaat’ (‘rewards’). (8) The base copy has ‘al-lafz’ (‘the wording’); the adopted reading follows the manuscripts, whereas F reads ‘dhalika al-lughz’ (‘that riddle’). (9) F and K read ‘ma mithl’ (‘nothing like’).

فلما وقفَ الشيخ رشيد الدين (١) على هذا الجواب كتب إلى منُشئه الشيخ تقي الدين (٢): أحْسَنَ في حلّ المسمَّى وما ... سمّى ولكن جاء بالمِثْل (٣) وجاوز الجوزاء بالنطق والشْـ ... ـشِعْرَى بشعرٍ رائقٍ جَزْل جَلَّت معانيه فشكري (٤) له ... مُصَحّف والحلّ كالحلّ أحمدُ وزنُ الفعل فيه وفي التْـ ... ـتَقيِّ وزنُ القول والفعل كأنما أحرفه مُثِّلت (٥) ... تُمْلي عليه وهو يستملي ... ج وحُقّ بالفخر فتًى (٦) جدُّه الـ ... مجد وقد بورك في النَّسْل فسهَّل الله لمن في اسمه الـ ... ـعدل مكافاة (٧) على الفضل فنظر والد الشيخ تقي الدين ابن تيميَّة بعد ذلك في اللُّغز (٨)، وحلَّه في لفظة أخرى، ونَظَم في ذلك قصيدة، فكتب إليه الشيخ رشيد الدين جوابًا لها: [ق ١٠] ماثَلَ (٩) لُغزي ولم يُسم به ... مَنْ لم يماثَل في الفَضْل والأدب

(١) (ك): «رشيد». (٢) بعده في (ف، ك): «ابن تيمية ﵁». (٣) (ف): « ... في المسمى .. ولكن جاد ... ». (٤) (ف، ك): «فشكرًا». (٥) (ب، ف): «مثلث». (٦) (ف): «وحق بفتى». (٧) (ك): «مكافآت». (٨) الأصل: «اللفظ»، والمثبت من النسخ، وفي (ف): «ذلك اللغز». (٩) (ف، ك): «ما مثل».