Sunday 31 August 2014

Brave Poetry

Against the ever rising sun
An umbrella to the bodies of those already departed
My arrival was like a flourishing fantasy to his heart
My glistening pupils, the same adorned by the Messenger of God. 
If Abbas was the shadow of Ali in battle 
Then I Ali Al-Akbar was the reflection of Mohammed, wholly.
From the vibrations of his voice to the tip of his feather shaped brow
I was an image created to break the already broken heart of my father

Soon time struck and death waited silently 
I approached him like a fragile wound waiting to be broken again
My head bowed and my eyes faltering
Between the white of his beard and the slain behind him
Bestrewn on the ground like the leaves in the wind
Like the prey of the vultures
"Father I request for permission to go and fight the enemies of Islam"
He stood silent as if words had collapsed against his own breath 
His pleading eyes burnt the pits of my already repentant heart
Seeking forgiveness 

I suddenly grew into his eyes and he stared at me differently
As if picturing the messenger of God through my image
I felt his pounding pulse against mine
Our hearts singing their last farewells
Like the moment his grandfather held him at birth
Knowing something beautiful 
Will be torn by the evil of the world 
Like his grandfather he too 
Was weak in the presence of endless beauty
Silence rained between us and my father walked me to my end
The moments yawned and withered in his presence
Swords clashed and spears plunged in
But I was yet to give in until I saw his face once more

“Father the thirst has perished me”
This reality carved his heart even more 
As he promised me water at the end of the swords
I battled to the strength of a hundred men
And ended my life with a cry as thunderous as they come
‘Abataaa ithrikni’ I cried
And waited like an infant for his father
He dragged what remained of me
And placed my head over his lap once again
Weariness wavered through
Visions once clear now blurred
My gushing blood now in sync with his tears
I saw him fading away
Replaced by the image of my grandfather
As he quenched my thirst
Eternally

Taher Adel
24/12/2011 

Short character biography:

"Father, we have said good-bye. Why are you walking behind me." Hussain (as) replied, "My son, had you been a father of a son like you, you would surely have understood!!"  

Ali Akbar – was the son of Imam Hussan(as). He was said to be around 25 years of age during the battle of Karbala. He so much resembled the Holy Prophet(Saw) that Imam Hussain(as) was often heard saying that whenever I would want to remember the Holy Prophet(saw) I would look at Akbar. This poem hopes to reflect this undying love that Imam Hussain(as) had for his brave son. 

I
Ink forming letters and words forming tears
That once unfolded from under the fingertips of my father
I need not read the words to understand
For I have understood enough through the eyes of Hussain
Beneath these hidden stars I declare my uncle a master to me
‘What is death to me but sweeter than honey’
Warmer than the embrace of sunlight 
And the testimony of the beauty of the night 
My death is moulded on the waves of sacrifice
My life, young but an endless sea in its message

II
I heard a tremor in his voice and felt a shiver in his embrace
My uncle’s sorrowful words have flooded my heart’s shore
His eyes as heavy as clouds today waiting to spill away
He welcomed me back into his arms and I remembered your warmth
But what embrace would bury my wounds but the swords?
Timeless counted visions soar about in my mind 
Images painted pictures of my legacy perfectly 
But none could picture leaving my mother behind
What greater parting gift I could extend to her broken heart
Than the gift of youthful sacrifice 

III
The far horizon of paradise stretches and merges with the redness
The angels flock and compete to call me by my father’s name
In pride I march forth with armour once adorned by him
I am now ready to fill the many corners of his bleeding heart 
Today Hussain’s name will not be the only one sung by angels
‘Hassan Almujtaba’ will be sung through me and my wounds
This honour that I have been seeking lies in the heart of death
I shall earn it despite my fragile frame and young age
I am the student of Hussain in the art of martyrdom 
Painting an eternal message with an endless sea of love 

IV
The tide of death comes waning before my eyes
As the moon of karbala brings you to me tonight 
I lay underneath the sky returning the letter to you O’ Father 
Written with love and sent with the swords and spears
For who am I to sleep eternally like this?
For I am the son of the fourth of five purified forms
Ready to lay my life for the stand of the fifth
I am the son of the purified ready to sacrifice for the pure
Death why do you kneel before me gracefully
For do I remind you of my father?
Or does my father remind you of me?


Taher Adel
30/11/2011
Short character biography:

Qassim Ibn Alhassan(as) – was the son of Imam Hassan(as). He was said to be around 14 years of age during the battle of Karbala. During the day of Ashurah Qassim was eager to sacrifice his life in honour of protecting his uncle but his young age and being the son of his brother, Imam Hussain(as) was reluctant to give him permission. His mother was also very upset to see her son like this so she gave him a letter that Imam Hassan(AS) had written for his son before he died. She gave Qassim the letter. In the letter it was written, "My son Qasim, a day will come when my brother Hussain(as) will be facing an enemy army of tens of thousands. That will be the day when Islam will need to be saved by sacrifice. You must represent me on that day." Al-Qasim read the letter and rushed to his uncle and gave him the letter. After reading the letter Hussain(as) said, "O my brother's son, how can I stop you from doing what your father wanted you to do? In the Name of Allah, go! Allah be with you!" It was said when he got up on the horse he looked like a shining moon. 

Here I am knocking on the gates of paradise
Bare foot on the plains with nothing but love to my name 
Waiting for the answer to the question that I have been constantly asking 
My mind is swimming lengths trying to justify to the remaining sanity 
Why my soul is spinning towards the swords in passion's insanity 
Hussain is not my father nor a relative who belongs to the templates of my blood
But here is a man who belongs to the blueprint of our being
His love reaches depths that blood is incapable to bring life to
Bringing life to a passion not bound by the surface of the heart 
So much it spills onto the mind 
Leaving you blossomed yet generous 
With everything worth little in sacrifice 
My repose like a pot of gold 
At the end of a rainbow is found at the end of these swords 
My soul like a ribbon waiting to be snipped 
My soul like a rose waiting to be clipped 
I'm no madman believing immortality 
Is found at the root of love 
For what deeper root to the almighty 
Than that of Hussain
With everything beautiful to hold on to
Giving it all up to satisfy One
I notice the angels waiting at the tip of the swords with lunar smiles 
Eyes so proud as if they are mothers
Waiting to take you into their arms
I enter battle knowing I won't be defeated
Fight me if you dare stare into the eyes 
Of one who stared into the eyes of Hussain 
Fight me if your insanity is as heavy as mine 
That you are willing to run into death insane
Fight me and know my blood is here waiting to be spilled
Just as you wait for your dishonour 
I'll hold on to my love so long as life holds on to me
For this love has written its testimony on the leaves of my mind
And no shield is needed to shield me from thee 
Once the swords stop their bickering 
I will rest in the soft shadows of contentment 
The seas of all my days will finally calm
While my memory will haunt all those who fight off this love
I die having drowned in it
I die knowing history will repeat
As today will be framed by tomorrows hearts 

I am Aabis.

Taher Adel
07/11/2011

Short character biography:

'Abis Ibn Abi Shabib – Chief of the clan of Bani Shakir, a tribe of Hamdan. He was considered a powerful man in stature, an orator, a jurisprudent but most notably known for being a valiant warrior.  He is most famous for his stance on the day of Ashurah where he fought with awe inspiring bravery.

"He fearlessly met his neck with the clear-cut spears, and he considers his head to be a helmet, when the spears advance, he wears no other armour except that of chastity."

This poem aims to describe the level of love and devotion to Imam Hussain(AS) reached by Abis. Bridging the connection between devotion and a deep founded love now mistaken for insanity. The poem revolves around the theme of selfless love and the stage  is set in the heat of battle. He is driven towards the ultimate goal of paradise anchored by overspilling passion to the person and message he is sacrificing himself for. 

Abis told Imam Husain (A.S.) that, "O Aba Abdillah! There in none upon the earth, among my relatives and others, who is more dear and beloved in my eyes than you. If I had the power to defend off oppression with anything more dear to me than my life, I would surely have done so. Peace be upon you O Aba Abdillah! I call upon Allah as my witness, that I am (steadfast) upon the path of your father and yourself.

I
From deep within the pits of Kufa
Few hearts still leaned towards the light
My heart was one of few lanterns 
That sought Hussain that night
Defending the honour of the prophet
Is the home of my lofty heights 
This flag in my heart pushes me forth
For I am the bearer of the non-Hashemites 

II
Arriving to the light in a cloud of dust
The first sign of Karbala was his smile
My tears like my horse lose their feet
Yet the distance between us counts in miles
Lost in the spinning spires of his beauty 
Immediately the distance proved worthwhile 
Here I was a young soul in an aging man
At the forefront of my destined trial 
    
III
This night is void of darkness despite the blanket sky
Seventy two surrounding one candle in the night 
I feel the prostrations of devoted hearts
And see angels whisper proud in flight 
I hear the humming of whispered prayers
Plenty of wishes but no wish are to survive 
Here we are all 72 in the darkness like
Bees surrounding our hive

IV
Zainab’s tears have broken us 
And carved open the stones of our hearts 
Water now flows in tandem streams
Our past and future now distant apart
This earth knows only our days 
While heaven knows our eternity 
Death is tasted only once in life
But for Hussain, we grant it without pity

V                                              
Battles have sown my destiny
Just as days have built up my being
Swords have been blunted whilst
Sacrifice has sharpened the world that I am seeing 
Each strike of this sword has knitted
Each fragment of this soul for today
Each scar is another signature 
Of allegiance to your fathers name

VI
I am Habib and age is nothing but a breeze 
Swimming through this storm
No breeze could pluck nor can storms pull
This rooted love beyond nature’s norms
I give you my days as if my soul is a youth
I spread them evenly between my aging years
I spill my years now on the surface 
Of this land in honour of Zainab’s tears

Taher Adel
08/10/2011


Short character biography:

Habib Ibn Muthahir - “Even though I have become old and unable, whenever I look at you, youth begins to flow in my veins once again.”

Habib Ibn Muthahir was from the clan of Banu Asad. He was a companion of Imam Hussain(as) on the 10th of Muharram, also a companion of Imam Ali(as) and the Prophet Mohammed(SAW). Habib was given the duty of being in charge of the left flank of the Imam Hussain's army, although he was 70 years old. This poem describes his unfaltering loyalty despite his old age and physical weakness. The latter three verses reflect on his exchange with Sayeda Zainab(as) who he sought to reassure her of the non-hashemite loyalty. Eventually convincing the daughter of Imam Ali(as) and receiving her salutation.

“Ah! The sorrow of loss! Who is Habib for the Lady Zaynab to offer him her salutation?”


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