The Tightrope

On the tight rope of dunya
I keep walking... Destination Unsure
With sweat dripping from my brow I practice my balancing act
“O Allah please don't let me fall, I'm not a loser
O Allah guide me to the middle way
and make beautiful my balancing act
Let me dance my way to the end of the tightrope
singing hymns along the way”

As I take the final step off the rope, I look back
“I was afraid you know it wasn't easy, that tightrope!
I thought I'd fall, had you not enabled me to pray and call upon You, and been Merciful to me,
I would have fallen for sure
O Allah, I'll be honest, I almost gave in
Satan suggested You were being unjust by putting me on the tightrope
that You did not care, and he whispered, maybe You aren't there"

But Your book was there to guide me
and a spirit from You to strengthen me
and to affirm me, to make certain my faith, and,
indeed You are the Most Just, Most Merciful

“What made them fall off?” you may ask
Well, they thought this life was perfect
and nothing of ill fate was to touch them
in comfort and peace they were to dwell
they thought they deserved it!
and even still, good was theirs at the end.
so when things didn't go their way
they lost heart and profited not.

“Or do you think that ye shall enter the Garden (of bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? they encountered suffering and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried: "When (will come) the help of Allah?" Ah! Verily, the help of Allah is (always) near!”

(The Noble Quran 2:214)

[Photo Credits: brubeckcom.com]

My Child

My child, fear not the looks of strangers
Or the comments of the passerby - in your faith find salvation
Walk with your head high among people
And yet have a heart humble, submissive to the Most Gracious
Defend your honor and guard your chastity
As did Mary, peace be upon her

Take not to heart evanescent words and pathetic looks
They have not valued you with justice
Let their criticism increase you in naught but closeness to Allah
They feel themselves small, and out of envy, they speak, they glance and they stare,
To them is visible only the outer appearance of this life
They fail to look beneath the surface, and proudly deny that which is certain

If you are upon the truth, then why fear?
The sun rises in the morn only to set at eve
The earth rotates, only one day to halt
We age and return to dust
The day the trumpet is blown all of us shall go back to Allah,
Glorified and Exalted be He, the Lord of you and me

That which Allah has prepared for you is superior and everlasting
Put your trust in Him, never would He forsake you
No al terrosismo el Islam no mata
Allah with surety knows
pray to Him that he guide these people
to comprehension and correct belief

A young Muslim immigrant holds a poster reading 'No to terrorism, Islam does not kill' during a rally to pay tribute to the victims of the Madrid train bombings, in Madrid on Sunday. — Reuters

The Night Prayer

In the last hours of the night,
a man awakens to call upon his Lord:
In a condition of fear and hope
He stands trembling, ashamed
His eyes bear the burden of his sins
and upon sensing his weakness, they overflow

His standing, sitting, bowing, and prostration
His recitation, supplication, and remembrance
His reflection, gratitude, and repentance
are all in the best of forms:
The form most beloved to Allah (swt),
The way of the messenger Muhammad (s.a.w)

(Photo Credits: gettyimages.com)

Ebb and Flow

I try to revive the spirit

Of the works which lead me to You
I tread the path stumbling upon little stones, (and) then am left behind

My heart attaches itself to the world; I cling to evanescent dust
Realisation, a mercy from you penetrates these ears deaf
And causes the cover on this heart to melt

I turn to You and plead respite
Never again, never again
Will I commit sin – O Allah, forgive me

You unlock all doors
Suddenly a most passionate breeze takes hold of me -
I am taken into the realm of calm

And am no more, in Your sight, one despised
I feel the bounties overflow as my nose and fore touch the ground
I whisper unto You words soft and tender

Ah how ironical
These sweet utterances from a heart once covered;
One stained by careless hands

And then I feel Your existence:
For all doubt but You
And all hurt but You

"Oh what exalted disposition, I must say
None but a Lord can be such!"
I try to come closer- I stand before You with soiled hands, tongue, eyes, ears and limbs

As I step into prayer, I submit my whole self to You
Allah is Most great, I remind myself
As I recite, bow down, and prostrate

I feel my life renewed.
Thank You O Lord, I truly do feel You
Please guide me unto the path so that I may worship You and that I may please You

And grant me, so that I be the man
Who gives his all...
O Allah, indeed I submit to You

I turn to the Turner of Hearts
And feel as if I’m the jack of all trades
As if “my” sweet words were the cause of this bounty immense

As if my “righteous” deeds tipped the balance whole
As if my sins- mere flies warded off the tip of my nose
What! Hypocrisy still?

Deep-rooted, subtle, disturbing
A disease!!
…I see I have a long way to go

(Photo Credits: gettyimages.com)

The Cartwheel

dunya-
it's like a cartwheel, a never ending cycle
a continuous random circular dynamic motion
wherever life takes you
goals, ambitions, aspirations
plan, plan, plan
needs, wants, heartfelt desires
gratitude, patience
prosperity, adversity
my life your life
my benefit your sacrifice
your benefit i don't care
use abuse use abuse
money money money
more more more
happiness, sorrow
high, low
up down
right left
here there
more more more
life life life

slow down, here's a reality check:

"Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception."

[Quran, 3:185 (Aal-e-Imran)]

And So I Learnt

Learnt to love God and obey His Will,
Find peace in His Grace, recite His words, and kneel to pray,
Beg His forgiveness and ask for guidance
For He is Exalted in Power, Wise.

We are blind and deaf to His signs
And unfamiliar to His trials.
At times, we tend to lose faith
For all we desire we cannot take
Thus we disobey and welcome Wrath.
But He is the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful

So we learn to diminish our desires and limit our undignified proceedings.
Bow to His grace and seek refuge in His calm
For it is where serenity is found, in superfluity.
Blessed be He, the Lord of Honor and Majesty
He is Allah: the Manifest, the Only, the First and the Last.