O Muhammad, if I show patience after losing you,
it is the patience of a snake-bitten man who cannot survive his affliction.

Before you, I was bereaved of the Prophet Muhammad;
to my mind, his loss is more devastating and more immense.

For now I know that I shall follow you,
though once I thought that I would go before you.

What a memory of you remains ever in my thoughts,
holding sway over my patience and ruling it at will.

Whenever I look, I imagine your form before me;
whenever I listen closely, I fancy I hear your voice.

In every land, because of you, grief sears my heart;
at every grave, I stop and linger.

Whenever I call to someone other than you, my tongue strays from his name
and, enamored of you, calls him by yours.

Death has passed its decree and laid down paths for people of understanding;
and sorrow was known before Mutammim.

If I give way to grief, my Lord will pardon me;
but if I remain patient, my patience is nobler.

Abū al-Qāsim Ahmad

One of the two sons died, while the other, named Abū al-Qāsim Ahmad, survived. He grew up in righteousness, studied under his father, and transmitted much from him. He succeeded him in his teaching circle. The testament and counsel bore fruit, and the son became an ascetic, a great erudite scholar, devout and scrupulous. He had mastered scholarly disagreements and disputation, and was gifted in poetry and literature. He was distinguished, astute, and eminent—among the most perceptive and learned of people. He also authored a number of works