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I Only Knew Love cover art

I Only Knew Love

by Sami Yusuf

Album: I Only Knew Love (Live at the Holland Festival)

Duration: 3:37

Maqam: BayatiGenre: nasheedYear: 2020Type: nasheedComposer: Sami Yusuf

Story & Cultural Context

This track by Sami Yusuf explores themes of pure love and devotion, drawing from Islamic spiritual traditions. It is part of his broader collection that promotes ethical and uplifting messages through music, gaining popularity in the world music scene for its emotional depth and cultural…

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MaqamBayati
Genre
Instruments
vocal-onlystrings

Credits

ComposerSami Yusuf
LyricistSami Yusuf
ArrangementSami Yusuf
ProducerAwakening Records
LabelAwakening Records

Story & Cultural Context

This track by Sami Yusuf explores themes of pure love and devotion, drawing from Islamic spiritual traditions. It is part of his broader collection that promotes ethical and uplifting messages through…

Titles in Other Languages

EnglishI Only Knew Love

Lyrics

I sealed up my heart against Thy enemy

I stood long in converse with Thee, who doth see
My heart’s inner secrets, but Thou I don’t see

My love is twin loves, yet the twain are for Thee
The first’s for Thy love, and the other’s for Thee

And as for the first, which is love of Thy love:
Remembrance complete, not distracted from Thee

‘Araftul-hawā mudh ‘araftu hawāk
Wa-’aghlaqtu qalbī ‘alā man ‘ādāk
(I only knew love when I knew love of Thee
I sealed up my heart against Thy еnemy.)

And as for the second: my truе love of Thee

All praise to Thy name, and no praises for me
For Thine is the glory in all unity

‘Araftul-hawā mudh ‘araftu hawāk
Wa-’aghlaqtu qalbī ‘alā man ‘ādāk
(I only knew love when I knew love of Thee
I sealed up my heart against Thy enemy.)

’Uḥibbuka ḥubbayni, ḥubba l-hawā
Wa-ḥubban li-’annaka ’ahlu  l-lidhāk
(My love is twin loves, yet the twain are for Thee
The first’s for Thy love, and the other’s for Thee.)

Fa-’amma l-ladhī huwa ḥubbul-hawā
Fa-shughlī bi-dhikrika ‘an man siwāk
(And as for the first, which is love of Thy love:
Remembrance complete, not distracted from Thee.)

Wa-’amma l-ladhī ’anta ’ahlu l-lahu
Fa-lastu ’ara l-kawna ḥattā ’arāk
(And as for the second: my true love of Thee

Fa-la l-ḥamdu fī dhā wa-lā dhāka lī
Wa-lākin laka l-ḥamdu fī dhā wa-dhāk
(All praise to Thy name, and no praises for me
For Thine is the glory in all unity.)