@3Say Ar-Raheem! call Him "Compassionate," For He is pitiful to small and great@1. 'Tis written that the serving-angels stand Beside God's throne, ten myriads on each hand, Waiting, with wings outstretched and watchful eyes. To do their Master's heavenly embassies. Quicker than thought His high commands they read, Swifter than light to execute them speed; Bearing the word of power from star to star Some hither and some thither, near and far. And unto these nought is too high or low, Too mean or mighty, if He wills it so; Neither is any creature, great or small, Beyond His pity, which embraceth all, Because His eye beholdeth all which are; Sees without search, and counteth without care. Nor lies the babe nearer the nursing-place Than Allah's smallest child to Allah's grace; Nor any ocean rolls so vast that He Forgets one wave of all that restless sea Thus it is written; and moreover told How Gabriel, watching by the Gates of gold, Heard from the Voice Ineffable this word Of twofold mandate uttered by the Lord; "Go earthward! Pass where Solomon hath made His pleasure-house, and sitteth there arrayed. Goodly and splendid—whom I crowned the king— For at this hour My servant doth a thing Unfitting: out of Nisibis there came A thousand steeds with nostrils all aflame And limbs of swiftness, prizes of the fight; Lo! these are led, for Solomon's delight, Before the palace, where he gazeth now Filling his heart with pride at that brave show; So taken with the snorting and the tramp Of his war horses, that Our silver lamp Of eve is swung in vain, Our warning Sun Will sink before his sunset-prayer's begun; So shall the people say, 'This King, our lord, Loves more than long-maned trophies of his sword Than the remembrance of his God?' Go in! Save thou My faithful servant from such sin." "Also, upon the slope of Arafat, Beneath a lote-tree which is fallen flat, Toileth a yellow ant who carrieth home Food for her nest, but so far hath she come Her worn feet fail, and she will perish, caught In the falling rain; but thou, make the way nought, And help her to her people in the cleft Of the black rock." Silently Gabriel left The Presence, and prevented the king's sin, And holp the little ant at entering in. @3Oh, Thou whose love is wide and great, We praise Thee, "The Compassionate."@1 | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...INDIAN SUMMER by SARA TEASDALE BURNS by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER VULTURES by GHALIB IBN RIBAH AL-HAJJAM LINES WRITTEN ON A TUMBLER by ROBERT BURNS JUNE'S COMING by JOHN BURROUGHS A LETTER, ON HIS DEPARTURE FORM LONDON; TO R.L., ESQ. by JOHN BYROM THE PRISONER by SAMUEL VALENTINE COLE |