- you really need to ask?
Written mid January 2011 - (161 lines)
*
To be or not to be
A Muslim - well, if you ask me
"Why ISLAM?" the answer is
Something along the lines of this:
First of all let me say: SALAM!
Now, why did I embrace ISLAM
Instead of singing some old psalm
Or reading lines in my own palm?
Because ISLAM has bliss and balm
Guiding you to inner calm
Should you still have any qualm
Ask any local Imam
What is halal and what is haram
ISLAMs instruction manual
Is straightforward and factual
Nothing here is casual
It helps to be bilingual
Most lessons are gradual
A healthy blend of physical
Mental and spiritual
Some aspects are visual
Forms of worship are ritual
Some are daily, some annual -
Should there be some cultural
Barriers, with mutual
Understanding the usual
Problems will be temporal
For it is organic and natural
And of course absolutely halal
The first and last and original
Wasting its collective wit
The opposition now is split
Former skeptics used to spit
Reluctantly they now admit
That this complete survival kit
Will keep you healthy, strong and fit
Men and women queue to quit
Lesser faiths to re-commit
To a better sacred writ
Eagerly learning bit by bit
They stand bow kneel and sit
Willingly they now submit
To their Creator who has lit
The flame inside so they emit
The goodness that is part of it
Their friends wonder what has hit
For many things they did permit
Themselves once they now omit
Kicking many a bad habit
Into the gaping bottomless pit
ISLAM covers all human needs
Encourages you to do good deeds
Blesses any hand that feeds
The hungry beggar when he pleads
Or helps your neighbour when he bleeds
Now, there are many different creeds
And each one claims that it succeeds
Where all the others fail it leads
To Paradise because it breeds
From tiny spiritual seeds
Beautiful flowers not ugly weeds
Wearing out his worry beads
The ardent critic now concedes
That one who knowingly misreads
The Quran and aids and speeds
Islamophobia grossly exceeds
The acceptable as peace recedes
And yet again the weapon-smith heeds
The ancient call to harness the steeds
Of war, when once more evil stampedes
Through laws and conventions as it proceeds
With everything that goodness impedes
The mass media try to divert
Your attention while they exert
Subtle efforts to subvert
Or influence in a clear and overt
Way as they give another squirt
Of Islamophobia, the final spurt
Intended to poison and pervert
Your view of ISLAM, but stay alert
And you can easily avert
All this and so remain unhurt -
They demonise while more convert!
For ISLAM is more than a baggy shirt
A headscarf and a modest skirt:
Did any recent revert
Abandon ISLAM and desert?
ISLAM is attractive
And has everything to give
Designed to be effective
It compels you to be active
Aware engaged and positive
With a healthy inner motive
It is anything but passive
Its power truly massive
There is nothing fictive
About it, it will outlive
Other faiths whether native
Or alien, your restive
Soul no longer captive
Embracing ISLAM will forgive
Your past however defective
In short the proper way to live
Daily more in the spotlight
Emerging from the twilight
As dawn follows midnight
ISLAM is about to rewrite
History, maybe not quite
Yet but will in the end unite
Humanity, oh yes, and despite
The slander, mistrust and downright
Hate in an effort to incite
Islamophobia we invite
You all to join, after maybe slight
Problems at first the future is bright
For ISLAM not only might
But it can and it will re-ignite
Its former glory and reach the height
It once enjoyed, and with hindsight
Reduced to one sound bite
Whether black or brown or white
ISLAM is your birthright
Are you still sitting on the fence
Looking this way or that in suspense
Growing ever more worried and tense?
What if anything is your defense?
Why not stir and let action commence?
Polite as always we mean no offense
But is it not time for you to dispense
With bells and water and incense
And all the other nonsense!
ISLAM is universal, hence
It can be yours at no expense
If your commitment is intense
Believe us, the benefits are immense
That is no empty false pretense
Let us once and for all condense
It all into one brief sentence:
ISLAM really does makes sense
Anyone willing to apply
The basic rules and so comply
With ISLAM will soon qualify
As another valued ally
And a Brother or Sister, thereby
Strengthening the family tie
So join us now before you die
Do not hesitate or be shy
Or we may leave you where you lie
For we will never ever try
To force you along as with hopes high
Looking life straight in the eye
Seeking gifts that some deny
But no amount of money can buy
We march on aiming for the sky
Inshallah we will soon defy
Gravity, take off and fly -
We hear your repeated plaintive cry
Alternating with a heavy sigh
Receding behind us and so goodbye
We are now too far ahead to reply
To the voice back there still asking: WHY?
Written mid January 2011 - (161 lines)
*
To be or not to be
A Muslim - well, if you ask me
"Why ISLAM?" the answer is
Something along the lines of this:
First of all let me say: SALAM!
Now, why did I embrace ISLAM
Instead of singing some old psalm
Or reading lines in my own palm?
Because ISLAM has bliss and balm
Guiding you to inner calm
Should you still have any qualm
Ask any local Imam
What is halal and what is haram
ISLAMs instruction manual
Is straightforward and factual
Nothing here is casual
It helps to be bilingual
Most lessons are gradual
A healthy blend of physical
Mental and spiritual
Some aspects are visual
Forms of worship are ritual
Some are daily, some annual -
Should there be some cultural
Barriers, with mutual
Understanding the usual
Problems will be temporal
For it is organic and natural
And of course absolutely halal
The first and last and original
Wasting its collective wit
The opposition now is split
Former skeptics used to spit
Reluctantly they now admit
That this complete survival kit
Will keep you healthy, strong and fit
Men and women queue to quit
Lesser faiths to re-commit
To a better sacred writ
Eagerly learning bit by bit
They stand bow kneel and sit
Willingly they now submit
To their Creator who has lit
The flame inside so they emit
The goodness that is part of it
Their friends wonder what has hit
For many things they did permit
Themselves once they now omit
Kicking many a bad habit
Into the gaping bottomless pit
ISLAM covers all human needs
Encourages you to do good deeds
Blesses any hand that feeds
The hungry beggar when he pleads
Or helps your neighbour when he bleeds
Now, there are many different creeds
And each one claims that it succeeds
Where all the others fail it leads
To Paradise because it breeds
From tiny spiritual seeds
Beautiful flowers not ugly weeds
Wearing out his worry beads
The ardent critic now concedes
That one who knowingly misreads
The Quran and aids and speeds
Islamophobia grossly exceeds
The acceptable as peace recedes
And yet again the weapon-smith heeds
The ancient call to harness the steeds
Of war, when once more evil stampedes
Through laws and conventions as it proceeds
With everything that goodness impedes
The mass media try to divert
Your attention while they exert
Subtle efforts to subvert
Or influence in a clear and overt
Way as they give another squirt
Of Islamophobia, the final spurt
Intended to poison and pervert
Your view of ISLAM, but stay alert
And you can easily avert
All this and so remain unhurt -
They demonise while more convert!
For ISLAM is more than a baggy shirt
A headscarf and a modest skirt:
Did any recent revert
Abandon ISLAM and desert?
ISLAM is attractive
And has everything to give
Designed to be effective
It compels you to be active
Aware engaged and positive
With a healthy inner motive
It is anything but passive
Its power truly massive
There is nothing fictive
About it, it will outlive
Other faiths whether native
Or alien, your restive
Soul no longer captive
Embracing ISLAM will forgive
Your past however defective
In short the proper way to live
Daily more in the spotlight
Emerging from the twilight
As dawn follows midnight
ISLAM is about to rewrite
History, maybe not quite
Yet but will in the end unite
Humanity, oh yes, and despite
The slander, mistrust and downright
Hate in an effort to incite
Islamophobia we invite
You all to join, after maybe slight
Problems at first the future is bright
For ISLAM not only might
But it can and it will re-ignite
Its former glory and reach the height
It once enjoyed, and with hindsight
Reduced to one sound bite
Whether black or brown or white
ISLAM is your birthright
Are you still sitting on the fence
Looking this way or that in suspense
Growing ever more worried and tense?
What if anything is your defense?
Why not stir and let action commence?
Polite as always we mean no offense
But is it not time for you to dispense
With bells and water and incense
And all the other nonsense!
ISLAM is universal, hence
It can be yours at no expense
If your commitment is intense
Believe us, the benefits are immense
That is no empty false pretense
Let us once and for all condense
It all into one brief sentence:
ISLAM really does makes sense
Anyone willing to apply
The basic rules and so comply
With ISLAM will soon qualify
As another valued ally
And a Brother or Sister, thereby
Strengthening the family tie
So join us now before you die
Do not hesitate or be shy
Or we may leave you where you lie
For we will never ever try
To force you along as with hopes high
Looking life straight in the eye
Seeking gifts that some deny
But no amount of money can buy
We march on aiming for the sky
Inshallah we will soon defy
Gravity, take off and fly -
We hear your repeated plaintive cry
Alternating with a heavy sigh
Receding behind us and so goodbye
We are now too far ahead to reply
To the voice back there still asking: WHY?
4 comments:
so wonderful poem you really a magnificent gift in writing poems may allah reward you well for using your gift in serving Islam
You are a bright person dear brother Ibraheem ,so few are people who reflect like you , Qur'aan called them ,people of understanding !
Hela Younes :)
Thanx to Allah who have given u the wonderful gift of ability of writing poems...MashaAllah all lines are ending with beautiful patterns..Nyc
Thanx to Allah who have given u the wonderful gift of ability of writing poems...MashaAllah all lines are ending with beautiful patterns..Nyc
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