Classic and Contemporary Poetry
PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 29. AL-HAKIM, by EDWIN ARNOLD Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: When the sun is withered up Last Line: Who might abide that awful hour? Subject(s): God; Islam | ||||||||
Al-Hâkim! think upon the Day of Doom, And fear "the Judge" before Whom all must come. When the sun is withered up, And the stars from Heaven roll; When the mountains quake, And ye let stray your she-camels, Gone ten months in foal; When wild beasts flock With the people and the cattle In terror, in amazement, And the seas boil and rattle; And the dead souls For their bodies seek; And the child vilely slain Is bid to speak, Being asked, "Who killed thee, little maid? Tell us his name!" While the books are unsealed, And crimson flame Flayeth the skin of the skies, And Hell breaks ablaze; And Paradise Opens her beautiful gates to the gaze; Then shall each soul Know the issues of the whole, And the balance of its scroll. Shall We swear by the stars Which fade away? By the Night drowned in darkness, By the dead Day? We swear not! A true thing is this; It standeth sure, He saw it and he heard, and Our word Will endure! When the sky cleaves asunder, And the stars Are scattered; and in thunder All the bars Of the seas burst, and all the graves are emptied Like chests upturned, Each soul shall see her doings, done and undone, And what is earned. The smiting, the smiting Of that Day! The horror, the splendor, Who shall say? The Day when none shall answer for his brother; The Day which is with God, and with none other. Al-Hâkim! Judge! Save by thy power, Who might abide that awful hour? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE CRESCENT AND THE CROSS by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 1. ALLAH by EDWIN ARNOLD PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 10. AL-JABBAR by EDWIN ARNOLD PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 11. AL-MUTAKABBIR by EDWIN ARNOLD PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 12. THE CREATOR by EDWIN ARNOLD PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 13. AL-BARI by EDWIN ARNOLD PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 14. AL-MUZAWWIR by EDWIN ARNOLD PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 15. AL-GHAFFAR by EDWIN ARNOLD |
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