Address To The Muslim Youth

Have ever you pondered, O Muslim youth, on deep and serious things?
What is this world in which you are only a broken star?

You come of a stock that nourishes you in the close embracing of love,
A stock that trampled under the foot of Dara who wore the crown.

Civilization’s grace they forged to a world-disposing law,
Those folks that came from the Arab sands that cradled camel-riders.

The simple life was the pride they had in their deeds of glorious show.
How does the lovely face feel need of rouge and mole and art?

In pure plain life and in fear of God they lived their modest way.
The rich man stood in no fear of the poor that he gives his wealth in fee.

In short, with what words can I tell you that these were desert people?
Holders, Keepers, Saviours, Adorners of what we call the world.

If I should draw the sketch aright limning the form in words,
The vision I’d draw would be far better than all your fancy paintings.

There is no standard by which to judge yours and your father’s worth.
You utter words but they did deeds. They roamed: you stay at home.

We have despoiled the inheritance that we from our fathers won.
The heaven from the zenith has dashed it down and cast it upon the ground.

What is this weeping at ordered things that it is the affair of a day?
Except the help of all-certain law the world has no other plan.

But if those pearls of learning’s lore, those books our fathers wrote
We see in Europe make scholar’s joy, the heart is rent with grief.

Rich man, behold the darkened day Kinan’s old man once knew,
That the light of his eyes to Zuleikha’s eyes might bring the brightness of sight.

-Allama Iqbal

Awakened from slumber we then began, to roam light again

Building ways overseeing oppressors all the while

Taking Love to their doorstep

Response to Iqbal Pt- 1.2

Prayer and Patience often the bedrock foundation from which good action propels

Tech and Faith the few remaining effective weapons with which to protect ourselves

The bits and bytes that come from our clay

Before resurrection’s Justice claiming day

The outcome isn’t always visible right away

See non-violence’s sown seed of mid-May

وَقَضَيْنَا إِلَىٰ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي الْكِتَابِ لَتُفْسِدُنَّ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَلَتَعْلُنَّ عُلُوًّا كَبِيرً

Ask for forgiveness and throw thy dusted face upon the sands

What will you do in those places you considered your colonized lands

When the surveillance apparatus lies not entirely in your hands?

Now perhaps you know a little more why

It is that we build highways in the sky

We gave you some secrets-you turned them into deception

Spreading upon Mother Earth’s bosom - endless corruption

Stock Nourished In The Close Embracing Of Love