and the young at heart BOOK FOUR by Khadijah Stephens The Mosque of the Internet www.muhammad.com BISMILLAH IR RAHMAN IR RAHIM BOOK FOUR POEMS IN MY BOOK A Good Word The Fly Food Around Every Corner Please and Thank You Mum and Dad The Holy Man The Jinn Don't Tell Tales My Special Friend Soul Searching! A GOOD WORD The sun didn't come out today he's such a sleepy-head he snuggled down amongst the clouds and spent the day in bed, and as the angels drove the clouds drops of rain began to fall gently caressing the fresh green leaves of trees so elegant and tall. Then I remembered what our Prophet* said about a good word spoken, its roots are like an established tree - its branches reach the heaven! *Praise and peace be upon him THE FLY Have you ever watched a fly climbing up a wall, then watched it cross the ceiling and wondered why it didn't fall? And isn't it amazing how under each of its two wings lie a tiny sack of fluid amongst some other things. In one sack is a poison that can make us ill, yet in the other an antidote that cures, by Allah's will. This is yet another truth that Prophet Muhammad* brought so that people everywhere may pause and give a thought! Praise and peace be upon him. Did you know that it was only in this century that scientists discovered the two sacks of fluid under the wing of a fly? You can imagine their surprise when they found one contained poison and the other its cure, and even more surprised with they found that Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, told his companions about these two sacks of fluid over fourteen centuries ago! FOOD Don't forget to say "Bismillah" when you eat your food because that shaytan of yours is very, very rude! From each and every mouthful you pop inside your mouth he yums some up like crazy of that there is no doubt! But when you say "Bismillah" he hates it, and runs away because he knows you love Allah and His Prophet* you obey. However, if you do forget, say "Bismillah in its beginning and end" and that shaytan of yours will vomit and you'll have made amends! *Praise and peace be upon him. One day, a very hungry man sat down to eat in front of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and forgot to say Bismillah. It wasn't until he was just about to pop the last handful of food into his mouth, that he remembered so he quickly said: "Bismillah in its beginning and end". The Prophet had been watching him and when he heard him say this he told him that until that moment he had seen shaytan eating his food with him, but as soon as shaytan heard him say "Bismillah in its beginning and end" he vomited and ran away! AROUND EVERY CORNER Around every corner at each and every bend, lurks that wicked shaytan who pretends to be your friend. Sometimes he whispers in your ear "Do it, it can't hurt!" You listen and you do it then realize he's nothing but a jerk! For what you did seemed nearly OK at that moment in time but it was shaytan's wickedness that tricked your little mind! Yes, shaytan does try to trick us but we can't lay the blame on him when we do something by saying "Shaytan made me do it". We must be responsible for what we do and think before we do it, after all we must remember that shaytan is very happy when we do something wrong because he does not want us to go to Paradise. PLEASE AND THANK YOU There are three little words and although they're only small they help you and others to feel at least ten feet tall. Those words are "please" and "thank you" they always bring a smile and make you think nice thoughts and chase of shaytan's guile. A smile is also charity it softens a hardened heart and makes for happy memories when you're far apart. These little things are simple they help the world go round and one good thing leads to another and banishes a frown. Unkind words are destructive they let shaytan in and lead you down a path that more often leads to sin! Be kind to others around you, spare a thought for their needs and never, ever, forget to say "thank you" and always ask with "please". Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, taught us to say "Bismillah" before we start to do something, he also taught us to have good manners and not to be angry. Saying "please" and "thank you" are part of being good mannered. MUM AND DAD Even if things didn't go to well at school today and someone made you mad don't come home from school then take it out on Mum and Dad. They love you and you should treat them well, why not talk it over with them, for after all they're not just Mum and Dad they are your very best friends! THE HOLY MAN A holy man came knocking, knocking at a door but the people looked down on him thinking he was poor. True his clothes were old, tattered, faded, torn, true his socks had holes in them and his shoes were worn. He asked them in the Name of Allah to help him in this way but the door was closed upon him and he was turned away. His way was that of the Prophet* who warned and brought good news of the Path so very straight, a path that will never loose. Reminding that this present life soon fades and is but a delusion but shaytan promotes and decorates it and tricks with his confusion. Yet the life of the world to come is eternal for it never ends and is either full of happiness or punishment for shaytan's friends. His way called back to the Prophet's where the heart finds rest where when a good deed is done it never goes unblessed. Its reward is more than doubled, multiplied much more for doing even the smallest good deed great treasures lie in store. Yet when we fall into sin we are punished just for one unless we ask for forgiveness then it counts as none. That night, alone yet humbly he prayed unto his Lord for poverty mattered not to him his Lord he adored. And as he lay down to sleep sweet angels cradled him then took away his soul so gently he did not feel a thing. Then to the house the angels went to make another call to take away the soul of the one who had closed the door. His rank and wealth were of no account they were but a trial for him, he had forgotten his wealth belonged to Allah and could free him from his sin, for he had become arrogant delighting in rank and wealth neglecting his precious soul by promoting the ego of his self. Sad indeed was his condition as his family laid him to rest, spending upon his impoverished soul flowers and whatever they thought best. But around the holy man's grave there grew flowers with perfume sweet whilst birds flew singing happily his contented soul to greet. Happiness indeed was his, now his trial was done for he'd been shown his place in Paradise the place that he had won. For him no more tiredness just sweet, perfected rest a reward for obeying Allah and His Messenger* the reward that's richly blessed. THE JINN Tonight I saw a shooting star way up in the sky it was there for just a minute as it sailed quickly by. Then I remembered how the Koran tells of the eavesdropping jinn that journeyed to the lower heavens just to listen in. They use to journey so far away to listen and to learn about the future of mankind and then to earth return. But Allah put a stop to this for mischief some would make so nowadays there waits for them flames, and guards awake! There is a chapter in the Koran called "The Jinn", it is chapter 72 where you can learn more about them. DON'T TELL TALES Don't tell tales about others even when they're true because that sort of thing just isn't nice to do! Look for good in everyone and you will surely find that angels are pleased with you because you're very kind. But, be wise about others and learn from their mistakes and turn the situation into one that shaytan hates, for he is waiting for you each moment of the day, but you know much better now that's why you turn away. Our Prophet* and his family never said a word unkind so follow his example for he's the best of all mankind! *Peace and blessings be upon him and his family The companions were always kind to their servants, they ate the same food and were never treated badly. One day an ungrateful servant broke the leg of his master's sheep. When the companion saw the poor sheep he asked what happened, so the ungrateful servant told him he had broken its leg just to make him angry. When the companion heard this, instead of getting angry, he thought to himself, "I will turn this situation into one that shaytan will hate!" So instead of punishing him he said to his servant: "Go, you are a freeman." MY SPECIAL FRIEND I have a tabby pussy cat her coat is soft and gray, she rubs around my legs and purrs when she wants to play. She does so many funny things which always make me laugh then stops right in the middle of them and licks herself, to take a pussy bath! At night she curls up tight at the bottom of my bed then wakes me up for Fajr prayer because I'm such a sleepy head. She really is a special cat I thank Allah for her and know she's happy to be my friend because of her loud purrrrrr! Her name is "Momma Cat" SOUL SEARCHING Busy, busy, busy, hurry, hurry, hurry! That should have been done yesterday worry, worry, worry! What is this life all about who is the real me, what is the purpose of my being is this my destiny? Working hard nine-to-five and then some overtime life is just streaking by - I'm about to lose my mind! Do I really need all life's frills with ever growing credit bills working hard for two weeks vacation of fun and sun in compensation! Stop the world, I need to think, is there nothing to life but this or is there something more meaningful, something I have missed? Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, always lived a simple life. He was satisfied with whatever Allah sent him, he was never greedy nor did he wanted lots of things. In fact, when he was given gifts he would always give them to needy people. There is nothing wrong in being rich, after all you can do a lot of good things for others with it. However, we must remember not to become slaves to the world because when we become slaves to the world, there is the danger that we will forget Allah and His Prophet, praise and peace be upon him. I think the person in the poem had started to look for the real reason for his/her life, don't you? THE END I 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 www.Muhammad.com |
CopyrightŠAhmad Darwish - ahmad@mosque.com