The Trembling Tent

Another year of life now passed
From that day out of the womb
Another year of life now passed
And I'm closer to my tomb

Oh the mysteries it hides
Will the bird finally sing?
And how shall be the tides
Of the sea this year will bring?

One rollercoaster ride over
A ride of many screams
Is this ride the last?
And what about my dreams?

A soul's thirsts to be quenched
Or left to be dried?
Onto the heart that I clenched
When I thought it had died

I woke and found the day
Where I am "legal", they say
For now I can drink, waste away
In lawful destruction, but no, I prefer to pray

And hope to see a Paradise
Of green silk and eternal gardens
Bought with the merchandise
That I've sold to the Lord that Pardons

All sin and disobedience
For that I have certainly done
I shall repeat once more, my pledge of allegiance
"Mohammad is my messenger and Allah is Only One"

And cry, once more, my dark heart
Perhaps you may be cleansed by a tear
Or two or three or many, tear yourself apart
In hopes of His Mercy till the next coming year..

When you feel it creep through your veins
Sin over sin and the mess of pains
Quickly runs through blood like a dart
Kills hard, attacking the heart

And when you see with eyes that don't
And when you walk with legs that won't
You'll know the anguish of it all
As you slam into its dark wall

Of regret and wishings unattainable
To just bring back yesterday to take away sorrow
And make it a tommorow
Just walk back through time and oh if it was possible!

I'd stroll down the lane of time
In reverse and start from my prime!
And never would I write a sad rhyme
Or be convicted of a soul's crime

But here I am writing this
Hearing the snake of sin hiss
And looking to the skies in shame
I am the only one to blame

Riding the waves of hope
Up and down, never at a stable slope
From fear to wish, I switch and hold on
To my ship of one passenger, waiting for the dawn

To light my way and keep me strong
To shine on the darkness that I kept all along
Hidden from the world and inside of my soul
Roll your waves, Oh sea, roll..

Should an illness come my way
So be it and keep stay, but I pray
That it would cleanse me
And set me free

Should the angel visit me
May the mercy of the Almighty
Shower my soul
And may He forgive me of its health I stole

One can wish and wonder
Despite the many a blunder
That the soul has committed
But His Mercy is unlimited

I am in no need
Of love or hate
All I need
Is heaven's gate..

Shot in the midst of a valley
Between the mountain of love
And the mountain of hope
The gunsmoke reached the skies

You saw me in pain and passed by slowly
You looked at my lifeless eyes as I fell
Cared not a bit, and walked right ahead
..Not a word I could utter, nothing there to tell

Not looking back, you threw a paper
That fell on my bleeding heart
In it was written fate
And tore my eyes apart

Struggling about the mountain of hope
I fell each time I tried
To avenge for the pains I had
All the attempts would fail

Sedated by numbness with blinded eyes of black
Onto the mountain of love, reaching for the rocks
To hold me up, but they rolled against me
Here I was, still climbing as before

I found solace in a cave, feeling my way through
Cold and dark it was, no one was around
I thanked the Almighty for this dwelling
As I knelt to kiss the ground

At that moment a light came shining
Right at the moment of the bright dawn
After years of toiling in the night
The spiderwebs were taken down

A heart once dead has now returned to life
Torn eyes now revitalized
Light had met the iris
And a colorful world lay before me

The Cyprus tree was standing
Giving its caring shade
So I sat beneath its safety
And took its trunk in my arms

A fruit has fallen on to my head
Oh the wisdom that came from the Fall!
The tree told me to throw fruits
At people who threw at me stones or nothing at all

And the heavens told me to be patient
For the plan above is the best
And that the human eye that falters
Has vision shortsighted...

Indeed...

This man, who once roamed Arabian lands
Who toiled through the harsh desert sands
This man, who delivered the message of monothesim
To a people who followed corrupt polythesim

To worship only One Lord, with no partner and not any other
To believe in the Day of Judgement and live in peace with one another
To fear God and not create hatred with your sister or brother
To love humanity and to revere your father and mother

Some would listen and obey while others would desecrate
This beautiful message sent from above Heaven's gate
He suffered much and lost his beloved mother
At the tender age of 6--and before birth, his father

He had no siblings, for he was an only child
Despite his hardships, he often sweetly smiled
Orphaned at a young age, he adopted the world
In return for his love, at him, hate was hurled

He tended all creatures with love and care
He treated all people kindly and fair
He advised the ummah
And taught it the sunnah

Who is this man? This man I speak of
Who else can be so full of such genorousity and love?
Who was stoned and abused for us?
Yet never uttered a word of fuss?

It is none but the mercy sent to all of the worlds, Human and Jinn
The one who lead us into the light and took us out of the darkness we were in
Mohammed, the son of Abdellaah, the best of all creations
The Trustworthy, the Truthful, the master of all nations

Salla Allahu Alayhi wa Ala Aalehi Wa Sahbihi Wa Sallam

Wounded, bleeding
Crying and pleading

Woes of the battle pains
Waiting for the peaceful rains

To wash away the remnants of lost fights
And clear up the miserable sites

Stained by the blood of men, unknowing
Of why this war was still ongoing

No use would it bring
And no anthem would they sing

But the "Anthem for Doomed Youth"
Written by Owen, the soldier poet who realised the truth

This poem is inspired by Alfred Owen's "Anthem for Doomed Youth"

Bismillah

Looking behind my back one day
When all seemed fine and okay

I found the world in shambles, crying a desperate call
The rain hits the ground and harder it would fall

The skies were crying, beyond my reach, people were dying
Souls were flying as their bodies were lying

The screams are unheard and the silence profound
Promises of new hopes and dreams are carelessly thrown around

What is a word without action--one that would save the soul
Of the ummah that is quiet, its voice gone with the rising death toll

Extravagance is making us poor, but the poor are taking our riches
Seems like a contradiction but think again--an increase of akhirah and lack of duniya enriches

That is, in another realm that we haven't yet entered...
But for now, we are a nation not centered--

On the meaning of Tawhid, Unification--
Which means not only the Oneness of God, but the Oneness of our nation

The nation that is Earth, for we are all the Sons of Adam, Daughters of Eve
And the one message that was sent us to make our hearts at ease...

Is now forgotten...And see the world continue in its mischief as we sit in our chairs...
Tending our earthly cares...

There are those who live in mansions, who own huge sums of unused wealth
And in the same world, millions suffer in cold dungeons, deprived of good health

Desensitised, not flinching, sleeping well at night
Looking behind my back, I see this hideous sight

What a polar world, I think to myself
Where 5% of the population controls 95% of the nations wealth

In a world of disgusting polarity
There is no suprise it suffers such calamity

But one mustnt forget: This world is a test and only for a limited time
All of this will be forgotten, and a lovely eternity is to follow if you listen to The Sublime

A world of polarity can be neutralised by a garden of jannah in the mind
Of a servant who is good to himself and to others, kind...

No air blown through a flute
Nor strings strung on a lute
Can match the miraculous musical art
Composed by the valves of your heart...

In the words of the Almighty I see grace,
Love, hope, compassion, and mercy
The thought of seeing His Majestic Face
Makes the mind wonder as you read Ayatul Kursi..

Bismillah

Dust over dust and one day under
Life passes faster than the flash of thunder
Or a blink of an eye or the sound of a sigh
Like a leaf of a tree, we wrinkle and die

Dust over dust, and we dont even know
If we're walking on people from long ago
When the last breath is taken and the soul would rise
Then the body falls in ultimate demise

We are weak.
Infront of Allah, but in the eyes of others we're graceful and unique.
We are strong.
Only by the strength that Allah grants us to discern the right from wrong.

Allah made us needy from the start, we cried the moment we left the womb
We then grow older, little by little, time runs and off to the tomb
And back into the graves, our time is due--- Rich, poor, young or old...
We're visited by the Angels of Death; Our blood runs slower and our bodies turn cold

A comprehensive tape of your life is unfurled before you, right before you die
All of what happened is rehearsed once more as you silently cry
Tears of regret! Oh, to go back once more and do some good to recompense!
Afraid of Munkar and Nakeer's conversation that you know will be intense

Munkar and Nakeer in the barzakh here, discussing what you have done
Every time a sin is mentioned you'd really wish to run
A good deed wipes the bad and then things tend to seem fine
You were strong in many instances and didn't cross the line

What will it be, you wonder, a grand garden or a dark ditch of Hell?
Definitely one would wish for a beautiful Angel to come down and tell
That Allah blessed you with the good you have done and gave you a merciful pardon
And now your residence till the Great Day will be a beautiful garden

Death is the certain reality for all; yet those who give it attention are few
What do you want to do before it comes to you?
Have you thought about that before or do you have no clue?
This is the question I need to think about thoroughly and I hope you do too...

Dust over Dust and one day under...


*barzakh is the place you reside between death and Judgement Day. Its time period is said to be felt like the time between Duhr and Asr prayers.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

O Palestine, your land is so pure
Your riddance of the Infamous Zionists*is its cure
Your lands are green and blessed
Even your cursed enemies confessed

And thus they attack your Olive trees
They bulldoze your houses and your valuables they seize
They fill your pure air with debris and kill as they please
As a way to feed their hearts' disease

All the plants will one day testify--its in their fate
With the exception of one, the one they cultivate
AlGharqd, the tree of treachery will have nothing to say
It will be silent and shut itself like we do today

We live in a time of hope and despair
Where no human would give an earthly care
For those children orphaned or dead or those mothers widowed
Or those men incarcerated, and they wonder why they explode

The land--is now lost
Our dignity has been bought at a cheap cost
By money, it was sold
And true where the words that the Prophet* told

"The Fitnah of Bani Israel was women and yours is Money"
The words of the Mustafa* are like ailments to honey
But this shifa' is and never was given by force
For the Nabi* was told to only warn and endorse

But to those who believe in Him, Allah makes a way out
For those who pray, read His Book and serve Him with no doubt
A day will come when one can hold the banner high and say
"All praise is due to Allah" as we thank Him for this glorious day

But hey...

Only if we unite in goodwill, the force of evil will slowly perish
If Allah gave us the power, and we loved Him and cherish
Our Muslim brothers and sisters no matter who they are
And where they come from--near or far

The day still seems far
As far as the North Star
But your flowers will once more bloom and the Sun will shine
On your land that is divine
O Palestine...

* May the Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him
* Zionists does not equal Jews

Incognito

Through the Night, under the bright moonlight
A solemn man comes into sight
Donning a long, black leather trench coat
Wearing a dark red scarf across his throat

He walks with no steps heard at all
Even though he's evidently tall
He wanders about the Desert land
Tarrying through its desolate sand...

Looking to the stars, he takes his direction
Above the heavens is his guide and where he seeks protection
Never seen in the day, he sits on a dusty dune
There he's hidden and rises with the mighty moon

Standing in the middle of the road of thoughts, he stopped
He looked back in sorrow and his head slowly dropped
Long is the dusty road ahead and vast is the sea
For it tells the stories of those before him, full of mystery

A pain came into his heart and right through his chest
He felt it come harder and tried to get some rest
So he went into the dark shade and looked inside his small red bag
He didn't find anything left--other than his tear-wet rag

He endured the pain and stood strong amidst the raging sea
Walked for a mile and took a rest under the shade of a bent palm tree
A date fell in his hand and he admired its wrinkles
Before he knew it, it was night so soon and gazed at the stars' twinkles

An ancient voice disguised through the wind came near his ear
It told him to run off to the cave, and not to feel any fear
A black cave it was, and eerie it seemed but along he went and stayed
Right through he entered that darkened cave--no longer would he be afraid

Away went the Sun as a bird sang its last song
Rising is the moon, shining a light so strong
The waves of the sea danced as the tide rose to a high
The breezy air let out a deep cold sigh...

Never was he to be seen again, this mysterious man
But look into this dark cave, enter if you can
You're in for a surprise to know who it is...
Especially when you look at those eyes of his...

We dwell in a superficial society
Where materialism reigns and ridiculed is piety
In the value of humanity, inconsiderable regard is given
By looks and status, people's lusts are driven

In a world where spirituality holds little recognition
And the meaning of freedom changed in definition
There isn't a doubt that the vines of vanity
Have pulled us into a moral calamity

While we seek flashy possessions, that car yonder or that pair of shoes
We tend to neglect the dues
That we haven't yet paid to the One and Only
And what shall we do when we find ourselves lonely...

Beneath the dust, within our graves--like those from before?
Oh Allah, we can only knock on your Mercy's door
Your compassion surpasses, by far, Your displeasure
For You provided in our hearts a treasure of unfathomable measure

A banner inscribed with Your word-- carrying a meaning so profound
One that would nourish the soul, keeping it serene and sound
So strong is its power that it flings a world of sin far away
On the scale of deeds on Judgment Day

But only if we belief in its meaning's worth
And live by it on our journey through our life on Earth
Yet the vines of vanity cease not to take hold
Of our nafs--and let truth be told...

Life may seem at times very unpleasant
But remember; for us is the hereafter and their's is the present
So hold onto the banner--heaven's only key
For the truth will ultimately set us free

Oh Child of Adam, you are to the world a gift
So play your given role, don't transgress before the Great Shift
Catch onto the wave of faith, hold on to the Quran and Sunnah
Remember the calling of the Beloved who'll cry "My Ummah, My Ummah!"

Before your soul rises to the life after that
Before the seas turn dry and the mountains, flat
Rise! Lift this banner proudly and give it genuine care
The message the beloved Prophet carried to the world to share

Free the self from these bounding chains
And soon enough the soul will rid of its pounding pains
Oh vines of vanity--go back to where you came from!
Dust we will become, as once before--and to Allah we shall come...

*word = the Shahadah

Layla Khayyam

Oh Wayfarer, come hither, sit beside me
Listen to a story, for I have thee one to tell
On the shore of this solemn sea

See this droughted plant, lying on this rock..
Was once a vibrant rose, spreading its beautiful scent
The bees would drink its nectar and to it the birds would flock

Sweet was its honey, for nectar was her soul
Its leaves were wide and open, embracing the great blue sky
Its stems were tall and strong, till disaster took its toll

Take hold of this faint rose
A love's old memory
Its petals still red--smell its scent of many woes

This rose you hold in your hand
Has journeyed through many a land; in heat and in snow
It crossed rivers, paced the hills and tarried through the sand

Its mission for its passion, which was sometimes a need
Took from its life a great deal
That placed her in this state--a sad one indeed

Her love stole her heart and with it--ran away
No longer is it found, within her reach at least
Love took a pricey toll, that she hadn't the wealth to pay

So listen, Oh Wayfarer, listen very well
To the advice that I have got for you to tell
You must take hold of yourself--look at the rose and how in love, she fell

Fell in a darkened bout of depression, like a bird without a nest
Unable to find her way; living as if dead
Leaving behind her heart beating in another chest

The wayfarer felt the rose tremble in his hand
It began a transformation that his eyes couldn't believe
Little by little, the stem grew longer and its petals would expand

And soon the rose became a woman, dressed in crimson red
She rose and ran to the shore, taking a deep breath
With a grin on her face and a pen in her hand, she glanced far ahead

Bending down by the shore, she washed her hands clean
The storyteller and the wayfarer, in utter silence, watched
In a matter of moments, she disappeared, never again to be seen...

Layla Khayyam

Many of us are drowning in the Sea of Sin,
Oh Allah help us out of the mess we're in

Our Brothers and Sisters are suffering abroad,
While we stand like a lightening rod

Still, paralyzed, not knowing what to do in the midst of the rain
Absorbing the lightening, hoping for it to stop, keeping in the pain

Every time a lightening comes---again and again--News flash
On the television set I hear the anchor reporting the details on my brothers' clash

People killing left and right, the enemy continues killing my brother
While our own brethren are fighting and killing one another

But what about us, those afar-- how many black dots
Do we have on our hearts?

Why don't we start being kinder to ourselves,
Look at the dusty Quran sitting on your shelves

Read! By the name of the Al-Mighty--this book
That Allah sent down on our Beloved Prophet--which shook
His heart, The ArchAngel Gabriel and those who understand
Truly, its a reminder for those who contemplate our Lord's demand
To hold on the rope of unity, tight and firm, humble and kind
Like a chain, a jigsaw puzzle, like a hard book's bind

Pages in a book, that's what we should be
One spine holding all the pages together, all in unity

What we watch everyday on the news, the channel of sadness
Is now a source of misery that shows the madness
That happens everyday and we see only a fraction--our picture is distorted
Much worse happens that never gets reported

And here we are, drowning in the sea of sin
Asking Allah to help us out of the mess we're in

Standing dormant like a lightening rod
Crying to God

Layla Khayyam

A pain in my heart
Shoots like a poisoned dart

I tarry through the desolate sand
Amidst this harsh desert land

Running towards the shore
My feet are feeling sore

I sat on a rock to rest
As I held the compass to my chest

I cried my rivers and streams...
And the wind wiped my thoughts and dreams

The waves have launched my tears...
...Numbed my face and scared away my fears

On the road again, there's something that I took
I felt its warmth radiate-- its my green sheathed book

Along the journey, I read...
...took heed of what it said

Around and about, I wandered,
Asked my questions and pondered...

I paced the sandy dunes...
And heard all the birds' various tunes

I travelled many a land
...kept a trusty pen at hand

To the Sacred House, I yearn and run to if I could...
To visit the place the beloved once stood

A tremendous Kaaba stands before me...
There, my soul is set free...

I make my way back clean and pure...
Any wrath I could now endure

My strength has toppled mountains and seas...
Its branches are in the air, like grand majestic trees

Back home I go and take my belongings to the shore...
...take out my green sheathed book and read some more

Reaching the Sea of Life once again, vast and wide,
A long journey it was, that felt like a short fast, ride

The Sun has finally set, I shall now rest in my bed...
The Moonlight appeared and a last prayer was read
I closed my eyes, said the shahada and laid there peacefully dead...

Layla Khayyam

The feeling of pain is hard to sustain…
But don’t just sit there and cry in the rain,
The world is like this, if you’re on the faith train

It seems like no one cares, no one can bear
To heal his brother and listen to his pain’s share
They treat you like you’re not there, only because you are a treasure and rare…

An instant your fellow, another your foe
One day you’re appreciated and the other not so…
Before, was nice and mistakes would kindly flow, but now you know…

The good thoughts you thought and wished to think…
Are shamefully and deeply sadder than you wished to sink--
Into that mind of yours that was hopeful of the best even at the edge of the brink…

Know that Allah is your only One to wish to and to face
In all times, happiness, excitement, trouble and disgrace…
Allah is the Merciful and the Ever Forgiving - Creator of the Human Race

No one can rely on mankind for everything
So keep that in mind, if you wish to accomplish anything---
True of real value and reward, something----
That is ever-growing, never boring and everlasting

This world is full of troubles, problems and pain…
Nothing could wash all of the bloodshed, not even the rain…
We know where our place is, it’s not this, and it’s definitely more sane

Jannah is its name and inshaa'Allah our domain!
AlFerdous is our wish to attain
Inshaa'Allah no more pain and inner peace we shall gain,
Alhamdulilah, we are Muslims, we’re on the right lane!

Layla Khayyam

Oh Allah, Release me from this pain
I feel the air of abandonment closing in on me
Once more, and a feeling of disdain...
Sedate me with the numbness that I felt before or set me free...

But I can't wish to perish and I know its not the right thing to say
So I'll wait till it'll all be over and things will no longer seem so binding...
I try my best to beat the rest in my mission for finding
My peace of mind and a tranquil heart--and for that, I pray

But for now I got swept by the harsh tide
That got me when certain people gave me a hard time
I kept my silence and cried
And that sharp pain came again, in my chest like a dagger

From the emotional pain to the physical--thats how far it came
This is truly detrimental, can't they see?
But those who don't understand, think that I'm playing a game
Only Allah knows how much it really affects me

Being positive is really nice, but hard to do
Especially if you have people being very nonsupporting of you
But its those moments that build who you are
So embrace them even if you hate them and you'll go far

I supplicate to the Lord, the One and Only
To help me and those in the same quandry
And let us rise above these covert pains with victory
Oh the Almighty, give us Jannatul Ferdous by Your Mercy

Oh Allah, strengthen my heart, and keep me on the right lane
I wish to be successful and I don't want this to get in my way
Oh Allah, Release me from this pain! Let them be a source of gain!
And let those pains intercede for me on Judgement Day...

Layla Khayyam

I see
A reflection of me

Walking down the lane
of blame

Asking my past and looking at what I've done
And I every time I remember a sin, I run

I seek forgiveness from the Most Merciful, the Almighty
And I will try my best to pass the test and stick to piety

Taking another lane, the lane of hope
I wonder about the future and how it will be, it seems to me, a slippery slope

I won't worry too much, I really can't anymore
It's really not of much use--to knock on mystery's door

So I welcome optimism with strong legs as I tread its path
And fight worry's ugly, painful wrath...

Oh Allah help your weak servant, the servant writing this
And bless the readers with the Ferdous and endless bliss

Layla Khayyam

In the midst of the enchanted night, there comes an hour
A time of deep thought, one that gives me power
And at times cultivates a pain of worry, at times, so sour

Reminiscing back to the better times we spent
"I wonder what happened and where you went"
I pray to Allah all is fine, as I cry and repent

A friendship so dear to me can make me feel
So blessed and content, for real
I pray to Allah that you're fine, I supplicate as I kneel

Raising my head from the ground, I cry
"Oh Allah, I fear to live and see my friend die!
I have no one but you, Allah, but a human is weak" I said with a sigh

A voice came in and said: "I know that a human is weak but one must
Fight against this weakness as much as they can and trust
The Almighty, who is capable of everything and anything, creating man from dust!"

Without looking behind my back I said,
"Yes, thats right, its just the pain in the head,
that can get one to struggle from moving ahead

I seem to you weak right now, in the middle of the night
but in the day, I laugh, open up and keep the sadness out of sight
I shy from showing my thoughts and weaknesses out in the daylight"

The voice came back and I felt it sit beside me on the floor,
It told me to knock at optimism's large, wide open door
And how unwise it is to make oneself suffer and feel so sore

"Allah is the caretaker, do you not agree?" the voice said
"Of course! I do indeed!" I replied. "Then don't worry about your friend, clear your head,
Your friend is in Allah's care" the voice reassured me--- and almost right away-- it fled

Layla Khayyam

A Bundle of Wisdom's Gems given to me that you and I can learn
To make our lives easier, more pleasant--words that concern
Our life in this world and the Day of Judgment
But first and foremost I say them to myself--May Allah bless us with enlightenment

When you pick your companions, pick them right
Not someone too loose in his deen or too uptight
Pick a person who will help you on Guidance Way
One who isn't distracted by duniya's illusions or immersed in its play

If you see a bad deed done by your sister or brother,
Don't expose him or her--and don't even bother--
Spreading what they did or are doing to one another
For in the day of Reckoning, who ever covers up the fault of his brother--will have less to suffer

Remember death; for its the true certainty that none can deny
Not a kaafir, nor a Muslim or even a fly
Let its remembrance shake your heart and let your eyes cry
For truly, one's better off accounting himself and repent before its time to die

Sell your wealth and your soul to the One and Only
Purchase with it Jannah; Its a beautiful transaction, so bask in Allah's mercy
Its okay to suffer a bit, and yes, you may at times find yourself lonely
But in the end, you'll taste Iman's sweetness, so deep and lovely

If you're having some trouble in life,
Turn to Allah and supplicate to Him--its naturally full of strife
And remember that we're in a temporary phase
Those who run after the money and possessions are stuck in a sorrowful craze

If you think drinking, zina and riba are truly forbidden
Then let me shed light on another huge haram thats at times quite hidden
That is, giving up and relenting on Allah's mercy--without faith in Him, you're done
So keep on having faith, He's the Most Merciful, oft forgiving, The Only One

In contemplation, look at the waves of the sea,
Appreciate the splendor of the earth and the beauty
That Allah gave to the world for our eyes to see
All he does is say "Be!" and it is, Gracious is He

Lord of the Heavens and the skies above
Please grant us all ilm, taqwa and Your Love

And let us be from those who heed what is best from speech
Or from reading something beneficial--To better ourselves and to others, teach...

Layla Khayyam

I open my eyes and witness Your splendor
Subhanak, Allah, the Perfect creator

Creator of the glimmering stars and vast sky,
Amazingly in a great way, Lord of the Universe, Most High

People of the Earth, can you see--
The Bounties of your Lord given to you with no fee?

Did you pay for the breath that you just took--
Or have you written a check for these eyes by which you look?

You know these bones you use to walk,
And the mouth that lets you talk

Are blessings of your Lord
-Such favors that money can never afford

Ever seen the beautiful clouds on a clear sunny day--
See how the grass bows and the tall yellow flowers sway?

Ever sat out in the rain and thought--
"Without this, we'd suffer drought"

Have you witnessed the majestic thunder--
How it glorifies Allah in its own way and wonder?

Have you woken up on the song sang by the Rooster--
Trying to wake you up for Fajr--his way of giving you a booster?

Ever seen a praying mantis building its nest--
that insect that you might consider a pest?

Watch the Sunset on the horizon and contemplate,
Or look upon the moon and stars and meditate

Verily, we can't count the blessings and creation Allah made
If we were to list them out with the ink of several oceans, before finish, the ink would fade

Oh Allah, the Most Divine
Please show me a sign

To soften my heart,
A sign that shows if I really do my part
Before the time comes for me to depart

Ameen, Ameen, Ameen Ya Rab

Layla Khayyam

Ignored, left and abandoned by association
Seen as a germ, convicted of the sin of abandoning assimilation

The veil of hers, not combined with tight jeans or cute ditsy little shirts,
With an attitude that says no to flirtation--not wanting attention, even if it hurts

A person of that type and especially a female
Is not well liked, for many believe that she should be on sale

For all to see,
bought cheap as eyecandy

They say its freedom to dress as if there's a shortage on cotton,
And its apparently fine for everyone to look at her bottom

But when a girl wants to cover up and respect herself and her deen, they call her oppressed--*
Sling at her names, give odd looks and try to make her depressed

Nonetheless, she's patient, persevering, and not succumbing to their jargon,
For the duniya is a prison to the believer and to the kafir, a garden...


*I try to write inspirational poems for those who pass through hard times and feel those pains, as many have come across. However, keep in mind that there are many tolerant and kind NonMuslims out there who do not make the veiled feel this way and sometimes even in the opposite. Infact, there are many Muslims who do more harm in this regard than NonMuslims...

Layla Khayyam

She was sitting there, staring at me straight in the eye--
Not moving, not a flinch was made, on a face so dry

Then suddenly, her eyes fixed on the ground and released a heavy sigh
As her features turned softer, she gave a low sorrowful cry


Tears running down her face, frown after frown
What ever made her feel so down?

Outside she's happy, very nice, and at times acts like a clown
But there she is, in her own reality, with drooping eyes of brown


After sitting there observing her, I thoughtfully said:
"Why are you putting yourself in this mess, don't let it get to your head--

Take all that bothers you and bury it in the ground,
You better believe in Allah more than this, stop bein' a fool and keep your heart sound"


With that she smiled, smacked her head silly and right away went her frown,
And putting her life and aspirations in Allah's care and mercy...

I put the mirror down...

"I cannot take it anymore!" shouted Khadija in frustration
"The pressure is driving me nuts, I never get what I want" she sobbed with burning sensation

*A Wise Woman puts her hand on Khadija's shoulders*

"Dear", said the wise woman, "look at what you possess,
So long as you firmly believe in The One and Only, there is no need to stress

Don't think of this duniya as your eternal home,
You are like a guest; In a house that is not your own

What is it but a bridge to the next and a test?
One that few pass and fail the rest?

*The wise woman brings out a rose*

Observe the beautiful rose; for a short time its lovely and vibrant--
It only takes a short time to see it wilt, crinkle and dormant

Feel its thorns, painful, right?"
"Yes Indeed, sharp as a knife" Khadija said, looking towards the sunlight

The rose is like the duniya, its short-lived and if you get close to it, it will hurt--
Its pain is not limited to your stay, but extends after you're dug under its dirt"

*Khadija cries* "It seems as though everytime I dare,
to wish for something, I see it not there, why is it that life's unfair?"

"Listen" said the woman "If Allah took something away from you, know its for the best"
or Allah is testing your faith in him and gives it to you in a way your couldn't ever expect

Don't you know that to everything, there is a wisdom behind it?
"Everything?!" said a perplexed Khadija on the verge of a fit

"Of course, Remember..."the woman chuckled "that time you wanted to buy that car?"
"heh, oh yeah" blushed Khadija "It turned out to be a rip-off, It wouldnt've taken me far"

"And by the way" the woman warned "I'm giving you an example we realized,
Imagine the ones we may have never noticed or recognized?

"Listen child", the woman said tenderly placing the rose aside,
"Know that pain here is inevitable, it comes in some shape or form, it can't slide"

The pain you feel comes to either cleanse your soul or elevate your status in the hereafter,
And think once more, pain makes you grow and understand on a deeper level thereafter

*Khadija nods in agreement*

The secret for happiness in this world is to be content what what Allah has ordained,
This, for many, may not be easy to do--for these people have their souls tamed

The key to this secret is complete trust in Allah and hope,
Without hope, you won't even try, and if you try then you've got to cope

Daughter, you have a long way to go, Masha'Allah,
Try your best and you shall find yourself in Jannah insha'Allah"

"Insha'Allah!" said Khadija with a smile radiating her face,
"So Khadija," said the wise woman "I rest my case?"

"Yes, thank you so much, I can't tell you how better I felt"
The wise woman looked at her and smiled, Khadija knelt

And gave the wise woman a hug, so tight...
But to her surprise she opened her eyes and the wise woman was out of sight...

Layla Khayyam

Fearing the destruction of my soul, helping myself set it on Guidance road
Before a satan instills his whispers in my head and leads me to hell's abode

I pray to you, the Most Merciful,
Ya Allah, you made your servant weak and sinful

Nonetheless, your compassion for him surpasses that of his Mother's
And all of his friends, combined, along with his brothers

O my Creator, you gave us forgiveness and told us to never lose hope in You,
I come to you broken-hearted, with a chest ridden with pains felt in my soul, feeling blue

O Allah, Creator of the crooked rib of which is made Eve,
There is no one besides you where I can find relief

With my forelock fixed on the duniya's unforgiving ground, I plead...
Oh Allah, the All-Knowing, you know what I wish for and need

Oh the Guide, Guide my heart closer to your deen,
And make it to your service more and more keen

The illusions of this duniya are simply mirages,
That any wise person recognizes and dodges,

For the sake of your pleasure and his salvation,
For without our obedience, our souls will suffer starvation

Oh Allah, the All See-er, the All Hearer,
My invocations to you make me feel to you more nearer

What beauty is this, the beauty of faith so sweet, My Lord
And yet the many say "For the sake of this duniya, I cannot afford--

To give up my exceeding luxury,
my desires, my fame, my usury

Life's short, you gotta have fun" they say,
But what will they come up with on Judgement Day?

There will come a time where a man will cry--
Oh Allah! Give me another try, I will change, but let me not die!

And to him will be said "Nay, but fool, you have been given a chance"
Sorrowful indeed, is his last hopeless glance...

Oh the Sustainer, sustain me on your Halal
And save me from the way of Dualal

Oh Allah, make this temporary world not pose a danger to my final abode
Truly, for every Muslim's heart who is true, for Hell Allah has forbode

I do not wish to have much in this life,
But wish for a moderate, quiet one with not too much strife

A wish I truly hope for is also this--
A spouse who firmly believes in You and makes this tiring world seem like bliss

In return, I would promise that person my devotion for your sake,
and of course, Allah, that person I will never forsake

Oh Allah, my master, I am your humble slave in this duniya underneath,
I wish to attain the Gardens of Ferdous, with rivers flowing beneath

But only with your guidance and light
Can I ever get myself to think right

To make the right choices along life's way
And not from the straight path stray away

Crying with need, and asking you with my supplications
I ask you Allah, please help us unite our world's nations

SubhanaAllah, Master of the Universe, You made humankind so diverse
With your mercy unite us on your truth, and lift from our hearts hatred's curse

May Allah unite us all at the fountain with the Prophet,
For truly indeed, this is our ultimate target

Alhamdulilah--You created me a Muslim Believer
Knowing this gives me more relaxation than any pain reliever...

Layla Khayyam

Life will never stay the same
Time is passing us by
No need to give the past a blame
One must look ahead and aim high

You've got to be secure and hold yourself
Across this rugged road
Put trust in Allah first and nobody else
And you will uncrack serenity's code

Life is going fast...Don't let it pass you by
Without fulfilling your purpose here
No matter what you hear them say, don't let your heart cry
In the end you'll see...that sadness can account for a price so dear

And do you know why you're in this world?
You're not here to eat, sleep and die--
Your here to fulfill a mission, one that many can't unfold...
That is to be a servant of the Almighty and to do your best to try--

Living to the expectations of The Creator, The greatest Manifestator
The One and Only, Lord of the weak and the lonely
The Mercy, The Almighty, there is no one greater--
Than He, so shield yourself well with Taqwa's armor

And let not the world distract you from this Honor you hold
See your life with a clear and positive conviction
Don't always listen to what is being told
Unless its a word of truth or a pearl of wisdom--the rest could be mere deception

Look around you...Life is ever-changing... We will never be in one place
It's constantly changing, like the waves on the shore
So take advantage and give optimism an everlasting embrace
And keep the Iman alive in the deepest part of your heart's core

The past is gone and will never return
So let your future laugh in its face--
And let the desire of attaining Jannah--till the last breath, burn
In your heart a metaphorical fire, to set you off on this race

A race to get it, and to get it good
Its not impossible, its something that we all could
Its only impossible if we don't have the key--
But alhamdulilah, we are Muslims and that's Allah's only fee...

*Allah SubhanahuWaTa'ala said in Surat An-Nahl, verse 97:
"Whosoever of you, male or female, does a righteous deed and has faith, We (Allah) shall assuredly give him or her a good life, and We will recompense them their wage, according to the best of their deeds."

Layla Khayyam

The pens have been lifted and the ink has dried
Oh Allah from you, we cannot run or hide
Our sins piled up in mountains of wrong
Keep our Imaan alive and our deen strong

Unaware, we walk carelessly on Earth's ground
We only live one short life--we're all grave-bound
Stuck in a matrix of this duniya, indulged in false bliss
Oh the All-Seer, All Hearer pardon us and our sins dismiss

Why is it so hard for us to forgive and swallow
The pains of a brother or sister-- are our hearts really hollow?
Can we live amongst ourselves without any hatred?
When will know that our message the Beloved Prophet gave us is sacred?

Racism, tribalism, opposition, oppression--mere insanity
In Muslim countries everywhere, you see calamity
Muslim ummah--disjointed
Shouldn't we be disappointed?

War-torn lands from the West to the East,
On all fronts growing, running over lands like a raging beast
In the battlefield of the mind and on the ground
The dove is on its search, peace not yet found

There are those who don't care
And treat their fellow like a foe and dare
To put them down based on skin color and make them frown
White versus black, fair versus brown

Lost is the sense of deen and manners
People forget whats valuable and hold onto other banners
Of worldly illusions, based on false premises
Formulated by Shaytan--mankind's arch nemesis

True sensibility lies in a mind that thinks clear
A mind that is deep, one that knows Allah is near
A sincere heart is one that follows the straight path
Should it ever stray, it comes back for His love and fear of His wrath

Stand up, people and be like the thoughtful bee
Flying over from flower to flower, tree to tree
Collecting only the nectar of the flowers it sees in its presence
Leaving out their thorns and petals, capturing their beautiful essence

Oh sense, come back, the darkness of your night is almost pitch black
Fill in with the bright light of the early dawn and bring your glory back
Rise, Oh Sun, from the East and shine on us the clear horizon
Covered by ignorance's heavy and dark layers of pollution

Dead until death, when it comes, we're truly alive
That is unless we take hold of our deen and really strive
To rekindle the Imaan in our hearts again and again
'Cause its not always up and high as we plan

God is the Merciful and not only to His slaves
He is to all creation, the kind, the mediocres and the knaves
For all he gave them a time to spend in luxury
If not in this world, then in the next for eternity

A sinner repenting is better than a servant
Who does righteous deeds but is fond and arrogant
If we weren't to sin, we'd be replaced
With another creation that would, so don't be too disgraced

Never despair, He will always be there
He forgives generously the sins of the repentant who care
To come back to Him from the darkness to the light
Crying tears of hope and supplicating in the midst of night

Let worldly desire be killed by the hell's furious fire
Inspire the heart to be cleansed before its time to expire
We're not in need of more darkness-- let the mind inquire
How we could retrace our steps back to the path and seek what's higher

The pens have been lifted and the ink has dried
How many people you knew once living have died?
Oh Allah we are weak, in need of your guidance and love
Purify our hearts, souls, minds, bodies, and let us rise above...

Layla Khayyam