and the young at heart by Khadijah Stephens The Mosque of the Internet www.muhammad.com BISMILLAH IR RAHMAN IR RAHIM POEMS IN MY BOOK Mummy Dear When I was Ill Aladdin's Lamp Winter The Year of the Elephant Wishful Imagination The Animal Kingdom The Prophet's Mosque Isra and Miraj Sharing O MUMMY DEAR O Mummy dear, O mummy dear, why do trees bow in the wind? My darling child, my darling child, they bow in obedience to Him. O Mummy dear, O mummy dear, how many leaves grow upon trees? My darling child, my darling child, Allah alone knows the number of these. O Mummy dear, O mummy dear, who should I love best? My darling child, my darling child, it's Allah and His Prophet*, the kind, the blessed. *Praise and peace be upon him Did you know we should love Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, more than any other person, even more than our parents and more than ourselves? WHEN I WAS ILL One day when I was feeling ill a sparrow flew onto my window sill. He didn't see me tucked up in bed as he pecked away at a piece of bread. I thought of how he could fly when I, in bed could only lie. I thought how Allah had made him small and then of dinosaurs, and giraffes so tall. I thought of many, many things some with four legs, others with wings. I thought how wonderful Allah is because everything around me is really His! Did you know that everything we have really belongs to Allah? Allah is the Owner of all things. He has made some people rich to see if they will remember that it is only through His blessing they are rich and He watches how they spend their wealth. Some rich people do a lot of good work by giving some of their wealth away in the Name of Allah, and then there are some poor people who wish they could do the same but can't because they have nothing to give. But Allah is so kind and merciful that He will reward the poor person with exactly the same reward He gives to the rich person. Why? Just because the poor person said to his or herself: "If only I had a lot of money, I would spend in the Name of Allah like that rich person." ALADDIN'S LAMP I wish I had Aladdin's lamp I know just what I'd do - I'd rub it hard and wish to be in Paradise with you! Every Muslim should want the same good things he or she wants for themselves for other Muslims. WINTER In winter when I'm fast asleep outside my windows angels creep, dusting everywhere around with snow upon the frozen ground. So when the sun begins to rise and sheds its rays across the sky, the world sparkles like diamonds, bright as it glistens in the new days light. THE YEAR OF THE ELEPHANT The sun beat down on the desert parched as over it Abra's army marched. Its aim to destroy Ka'ba with the elephant's might and kill many Meccans in a fierce fight! As the elephant approached Ka'ba most fair it stopped in defiance and just stood there. Somehow, even the poor dumb elephant knew the destruction of Ka'ba is strictly taboo. It was beaten so hard because it refused with bars of iron, severely abused, but nothing would make the elephant march even though its beating was terribly harsh. Abdul Muttalib, the noble, the wise said to the Koraysh in haste - "Go and hide, Allah will protect Ka'ba this day go now to the hills not far away!" Suddenly, the sky was filled with birds the Koraysh stared in amazement - lost for words! Allah had sent birds with stones to pelt the army and break their bones. Abra, the wicked leader of them all was hit hard by the stones that fell in the squall, his death didn't come straight away in pain he lingered for many a day. Allah had saved Ka'ba in a miraculous way and no one forgot the events of that day. The Meccans returned to their homes once more in wonderment of the miracle they saw. That was the Year of the Elephant, a year in which there was another event! A babe was born, the last Prophet to be Muhammad* his name, sent for you and me! *Praise and peace be upon him WISHFUL IMAGINATION Last night I imagined an angel came and took me by the hand we flew together far away over sea and land. We landed on a hilltop high and looked down upon a town and saw a group of people with children playing around. Then came a man dressed in white whose perfume filled the air the children stopped their playing and sat in silence there. This noble man had a face that shone talked with words so kind, that tears just rolled down their cheeks, a dry eye I could not find. He spoke of Allah, our Creator and that he was sent to guide not just to that group of people but to the world so wide. I asked the angel "Who is that man, where is this lovely place?" He told me "Prophet Muhammad*, in Medina, City of Grace." He told me that this noble Prophet had been given the Book so true that teaches us what's right and wrong and tells us what to do. The Book is named "Al Koran" the Book Allah protects, the Book so fine and full of truth pure, without defect. Then I imagined he told me it was time to go, I felt my heart was going to break I loved the Prophet so. The angel looked at me with pity and smiled a gentle smile so we drifted down the hillside and stood a little while. I learned something I will never forget that Allah is the only One, that He is Eternal and does not need a son. I learned He has neither a beginning nor an end that He is Self-Sufficient and His Religion is Islam. O how I wish I'd been a child in those years long past then I wouldn't have to imagine what's deep inside my heart. One day when I am older I hope that I will go to Mecca and Medina for I love our Prophet* so. Wouldn't it be wonderful to walk where once he had been to gaze upon the mountains and remember what he had seen. To glorify Allah at Ka'ba so noble and most fair to thank Him for our Prophet* and for His loving care. Praise and peace be upon him. I would really like to have been able to use the word "dreamt" instead of "imagined" but in Islam it is forbidden to claim you had a dream or vision of an angel when you did not. InshAllah, one day Allah will bless me with such a nice dream, wouldn't that be nice! THE ANIMAL KINGDOM Some animals make their homes in trees so do some insects and busy honey bees, whilst others burrow away in the earth so deep then curl up inside for a winter-time sleep. Camels live in the desert hot and dry storing water in humps so they don't die! Yet the Polar bear with his fur coat so nice has to fish through a hole he has made in the ice! No matter whether animals are big or small they give thanks to Allah who created them all! THE PROPHET'S MOSQUE With lightness of foot the gentle camel came fearing to jolt the Prophet* holding its rein. With grace it had moved over the hot desert sand obeying the touch of its kind master's hand. A cloud had shaded them on their way shielding them from the fierce sun's rays. When they reached Medina children raced to his side, as the Prophet* greeted them they patted his ride. "Where shall we build the Mosque", they all inquired as the Prophet rode his camel that was happy, yet tired. "Be patient," he said, "in a moment you'll see where the camel takes its rest that's the place it will be." When the camel sat down in a very blessed place happiness spread over everyone's face. They knew where they should build at last and fetched wood and palms - very fast. A fine, yet humble Mosque stood upon that site and there the Prophet* worshipped both day and night. Everyone thanked Allah for the safety of his ride, for the camel that carried him and those by his side! *Praise and peace be upon him. The name of the Prophet's camel was "Kaswa" and his companion was Abu Bakr ISRA AND MIRAJ All was quiet, the night was still when the Prophet* was awakened by Angel Jibril. Winged Burack trembled by Ka'ba in wait to carry the Prophet* to Jerusalem's gate. That night Burack had been ordered to carry but one the best of humanity, Abdullah's son. He knew the importance of his blessed mission for he carried no one except by Allah's permission. Over deserts and valleys Burack raced, each stride was as far as his sight could reach. Over mountain tops with his legs raised so high they passed smoothly over without effort or sigh! At Jerusalem's Mosque prophets waited anxiously to greet our Prophet* whose perfume was delicately sweet. Then as Jibril took his hand and they arose above the sky to heavenly abodes. Through veils of light in a gossamer haze they visited more prophets as they passed on their way, as the heavens rejoiced in such ecstasy at the predestined meeting near the Lote Tree. *Praise and peace be upon him This journey is one of our Prophet's most important miracles. In those days it used to take several months to journey to and from Jerusalem by camel, but he traveled from Mecca to Jerusalem and returned in just one night, added to which was the extra special journey through the seven heavens! As for Burack, he is a very special animal from Paradise. He is white and looks similar to a horse, however, he has wings on his thighs. As for Burack's size he is smaller than a horse yet larger than a donkey. By the way, did you know that the Angel Jibril is called Gabriel in the West? SHARING There once was a greedy boy who didn't want to share his toys when his friends came to play he would hide his toys away! Soon his friends stayed away and he felt lonely until one day he saw a lad he thought was poor playing happily outside his door. His toys were broken, none were new yet he seemed happy - could this be true? Just then the lad saw the lonely boy and called, "Come and play, I'll share my toys". "This is strange", thought the greedy boy he's happy playing with those old toys, I'll bring mine so that we can play, and together they played happily all that day. He had learned it's nice to share especially with those who have little to spare. His heart felt good, now he knew that this is what Allah wanted him to do! THE END We hope you have enjoyed these poems, Insh'Allah I will write some more Islamic poems for you soon. This book is copyrighted 1993 - 2004 by Khadijah Stephens and the Mosque of the Internet All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from Khadijah Stephens and the Mosque of the Internet www.muhammad.com |
CopyrightŠAhmad Darwish - ahmad@mosque.com