Fruition!

Sometimes I wonder if I were a butterfly, with flaming shades on my wings,
Fluttering here and resting there, hopping and flitting from leaves to twigs,

I would live in gardens green with trees and bushes plentiful,
Wild flowers would be my haven, their scents would make my tummy full

Oh what a life would that be to lead, with nature all around my feet
But then what about that place of which no ear has heard nor eye has seen?

To earn which, the worst of pains and bitter sorrows you have to endure,
The price is high, the pennies worth it but every step makes you sore,

Would it be legit for me to make it my residence eternal, my resting place?
Where everlasting blessings tempt one, but oh for the pleasure of seeing His Face!

Light of Dawn

This piece of poetry was written on the theme of SIST ’14: Revive the light within; let the change begin
It was first published on youthclubblog.wordpress.com

I gaze at the moonless sky, covered with black clouds
The darkness piercing my eyes, I close them with a frown
I hear the cry of jackals, oh what an eerie sound!
Rest is as still as death, I sit there as if spellbound

Staring at the shadows of trees, hopelessness grips me
Innocent eyes brimming with tears, in my memory, I can see
Small hands, rough and dirty, plead for just one meal
This is not the story of a single child, it’s of millions in my country

There are those who talk of change yet their walk remains the same
With a fake face, they help society, but their hearts are in plague
The ones who persist in evil, corruption and bad fame
Are no good either from those who play the game without a name

Tired of failing to earn an honest penny is the young man who ends his life
Same goes for the pretty damsel, through whose broken heart pierces the knife
This depression, is it due to a lack of purpose, among the youth, rife?
Is all the education and those degrees really not worth the strife?

Thinking such desolate thoughts, with a heavy head, I fall asleep
Only to be waken by a ray of light, that through the windows peeped
The next day had come and the sun had risen, looking strong and sweet
Despite the darkness every night, resolute to spread the light, through every crack and creep

Suddenly I felt the hopelessness seeping out of my very soul
It’s true that our situation is bad, but certain things we can control
The sun rises every day, determined to fulfill its role
Nature stares in our face all the time, meant to inspire, so we too set firm goals

After all, darkness and evil prevailed even worse in the Prophet’s times
But in a few years, the picture displayed peace and conquests, with hardly any crimes
It was one man who became the agent of change, with only a few people by his side
Allah’s Word, the Glorious Quran, was what helped them spread the light

So my dear brothers and sisters, pay heed to these signs in nature therein
This Quran has been called An-Nur by the Lord, so it will revive the light within
The depression and frustration will end only if you turn to Him
So understand His Words with an open heart, enlighten yourself and let the change begin!

Misc. Virtues of Madinah (Ahadith 1605 – 1608)

Bismillah.

Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam)’s Love for Madinah:

Volume 3, Book 30, Number 110:

Narrated Anas (radiallaahu `anhu):

Whenever the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) returned from a journey and observed the walls of Medina, he would make his Mount go fast, and if he was on an animal (i.e. a horse), he would make it gallop because of his love for Medina.

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Volume 3, Book 30, Number 111:

Narrated Anas (radiallaahu `anhu):

(The people of) Bani Salama intended to shift near the mosque (of the Prophet) but Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) disliked to see Medina vacated and said, “O the people of Bani Salama! Don’t you think that you will be rewarded for your footsteps which you take towards the mosque?” So, they stayed at their old places.

Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) didn’t want people to abandon Madinah so he encouraged them to stay back reminding them of the rewards. :)

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Heaven is a Place on Earth (in Madinah)

Volume 3, Book 30, Number 112:

Narrated Abu Huraira (radiallaahu `anhu):

The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “There is a garden from the gardens of Paradise between my house and my pulpit, and my pulpit is on my Lake Fount (Al-Kauthar).”

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Volume 3, Book 30, Number 113:

Narrated ‘Aisha (radiallaahu `anhaa):

When Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) reached Medina, Abu Bakr (radiallaahu `anhu) and Bilal (radiallaahu `anhu) became ill. When Abu Bakr (radiallaahu `anhu)’s fever got worse, he would recite (this poetic verse): “Everybody is staying alive with his People, yet Death is nearer to him than His shoe laces.” And Bilal (radiallaahu `anhu), when his fever deserted him, would recite: “Would that I could stay overnight in A valley wherein I would be Surrounded by Idhkhir and Jalil (kinds of good-smelling grass). Would that one day I could Drink the water of the Majanna, and Would that (The two mountains) Shama and Tafil would appear to me!” The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “O Allah! Curse Shaiba bin Rabi’a and ‘Utba bin Rabi’a and Umaiya bin Khalaf as they turned us out of our land to the land of epidemics.” Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) then said, “O Allah! Make us love Medina as we love Mecca or even more than that. O Allah! Give blessings in our Sa and our Mudd (measures symbolizing food) and make the climate of Medina suitable for us, and divert its fever towards Aljuhfa.”

Aisha (radiallaahu `anhaa) added: When we reached Medina, it was the most unhealthy of Allah’s lands, and the valley of Bathan (the valley of Medina) used to flow with impure colored water.

Here’s the Arabic version of the verses (for poetry/Arabic lovers):

Abu Bakr (radiallaahu `anhu)’s lines:

كُلُّ امْرِئٍ مُصَبَّحٌ فِى أَهْلِهِ

وَالْمَوْتُ أَدْنَى مِنْ شِرَاكِ نَعْلِهِ

Bilal (radiallaahu `anhu)’s lines:

أَلا لَيْتَ شِعْرِى هَلْ أَبِيتَنَّ لَيْلَةً

وَهَلْ أَرِدَنْ يَوْمًا مِيَاهَ مَجَنَّةٍ

بِوَادٍ وَحَوْلِى إِذْخِرٌ وَجَلِيلُ

وَهَلْ يَبْدُوَنْ لِى شَامَةٌ وَطَفِيلُ

On the Train, To Poetry Lane

Assalam u ‘alaykum.

I am Hajrah Khawar and I like to introduce myself as a Muslim and student of knowledge. During my school years, I once wrote a poem on rain while studying at night for my maths exam. :P And then forgot about the existence of poetry in my life. Three months back it came to me in a rush of inspiration. Then things started happening, my friends caught me and on this blog I’ve been dragged at last. :D

 

This is one of the amazing things about Islam, it lets you discover, use and polish your skills, enjoy them and earn reward too. May Allah enable this to be a source of salvation for me and my fellow bloggers in the hereafter, and may this bring positive change in people’s lives. Say ameen. :)  

 

P.S.  I am only an amateur, don’t expect pro stuff. We have got some amazing poets in this section though. Stay tuned!

Valentine’s Day: A Muslim’s Response

Assalam u alaikum everyone! :) It’s been a while since I’ve made a post (I just posted a few days back -_-), so please give special attention to this special post for someone special in your life (sounds interesting right?).

That’s right, my very own Debute Spoken Word video about Valentine’s Day.

1. Listen,

2. Understand,

3. Apply, and finally,

4. SHARE.

May Allah bless the whole of Muslim Ummah.