- oh no, not again!
Written late November 2010 - (76 lines)
*
"Are you Sunni or Shia?" asked someone
Oh no, not again! I thought
This time I felt something had to be done
For so far I have sought -
To defuse or evade that question somehow
But things are different today
And feeling brave, let me answer it now
To get it out of the way
Though neither a scholar nor a fool
I still have a point of view
And am not yet prevented by any rule
From sharing it with you:
We disobey our Prophet when
His Ummah still neglects
His call for cohesion and we then
Divide ourselves into sects
We are misguided and misled
When we still argue and fight
Amongst ourselves when instead
We should and must unite
Some have pointed far too long
To an "enemy" within
But closing ranks and staying strong
Is the only way to win
Some Sunnis argue forcefully
That Shias are a disgrace
For they behave heretically
So simply have no place -
In the great and green Islamic fold
Where the light of purity shines -
Have we not all read or been told
Something along those lines?
Are Shias not good Muslims then?
Do Sunnis really claim
That many of our women and men
Are Muslims only in name?
In disbelief we must report
That some most certainly do
How sad, but as a last resort
We hope that they are few
But they insist the difference
Is anything but small
And say that Shias are in essence
Not really Muslims at all
I have to tell you, I disagree
It simply is not fair
For all who in sincerity
Solemnly declare:
La-ilaha-il-al-Laah
And go on to say
Muhammad-ur-Rasul-al-Laah
Give zakat, fast and pray -
Are Muslims beyond any doubt
And as good as you and me
So stop the back-biting, cut it out
Think SOLIDARITY
Now, as for that opening question and
What kind of Muslim I am:
Sunni or Shia? Please understand
That I embraced Islam -
And not one group or another, so
I shun that whole debate
But it does exist and goes to show
What problems we can create...
Am I Sunni or Shia? My lips are sealed!
Are you sure you wish to know?
All right, let it finally be revealed
Listen, here we go:
Brothers and Sisters, honest to God
It makes no difference to me
So answer without any need for a prod:
I am a Muslim! - you see?
I hope that will be acceptable
To all except maybe a few
And now it is my turn to ask, so tell
Me please: what are YOU?
Written late November 2010 - (76 lines)
*
"Are you Sunni or Shia?" asked someone
Oh no, not again! I thought
This time I felt something had to be done
For so far I have sought -
To defuse or evade that question somehow
But things are different today
And feeling brave, let me answer it now
To get it out of the way
Though neither a scholar nor a fool
I still have a point of view
And am not yet prevented by any rule
From sharing it with you:
We disobey our Prophet when
His Ummah still neglects
His call for cohesion and we then
Divide ourselves into sects
We are misguided and misled
When we still argue and fight
Amongst ourselves when instead
We should and must unite
Some have pointed far too long
To an "enemy" within
But closing ranks and staying strong
Is the only way to win
Some Sunnis argue forcefully
That Shias are a disgrace
For they behave heretically
So simply have no place -
In the great and green Islamic fold
Where the light of purity shines -
Have we not all read or been told
Something along those lines?
Are Shias not good Muslims then?
Do Sunnis really claim
That many of our women and men
Are Muslims only in name?
In disbelief we must report
That some most certainly do
How sad, but as a last resort
We hope that they are few
But they insist the difference
Is anything but small
And say that Shias are in essence
Not really Muslims at all
I have to tell you, I disagree
It simply is not fair
For all who in sincerity
Solemnly declare:
La-ilaha-il-al-Laah
And go on to say
Muhammad-ur-Rasul-al-Laah
Give zakat, fast and pray -
Are Muslims beyond any doubt
And as good as you and me
So stop the back-biting, cut it out
Think SOLIDARITY
Now, as for that opening question and
What kind of Muslim I am:
Sunni or Shia? Please understand
That I embraced Islam -
And not one group or another, so
I shun that whole debate
But it does exist and goes to show
What problems we can create...
Am I Sunni or Shia? My lips are sealed!
Are you sure you wish to know?
All right, let it finally be revealed
Listen, here we go:
Brothers and Sisters, honest to God
It makes no difference to me
So answer without any need for a prod:
I am a Muslim! - you see?
I hope that will be acceptable
To all except maybe a few
And now it is my turn to ask, so tell
Me please: what are YOU?
