Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 95, 96. AL-AZALI, AL-BAKI, by EDWIN ARNOLD


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 95, 96. AL-AZALI, AL-BAKI, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Al aaraf saith - the seventh of 'the book'
Last Line: Thou, the beginning and the end!
Subject(s): God; Islam


Al-Azali! Al-Bâkî! praise to Thee
Who wast before Beginning, and will be
After the Ending. From Thy mercy came
Man's breath, and unto Thee returns the same.

Al Aarâf saith—the seventh of "the Book:"—
In the Beginning God from Adam took
All who should be his seed, and bade them bear
Witness upon themselves, putting His fear
And knowledge in the hearts of all to be,
As salt is set in all the waves of the sea.
A countless, nameless, throng there gathered they,
That unborn multitude; and God did say,
"Testify! Am I not your Lord?" And those
Replied, "Yea, Lord! we testify!" Propose
Never, then, Man! to say, "we did not have
Guidance;" it shall be answered, "Allah gave
With life that light which leadeth to the grave."

And in the chapter of "Ya Sin" it saith—
Read in the Muslim's ear at hour of death:—
A blast! and then another blast! and, lo!
At summons of the trumpet, all shall go
Forth from their grave-beds, thronging once again
Unto their Lord; and some, in fear and pain,
Shall cry, "Woe, woe! what waketh us? Is this
God's word come true?" and some, in joy and bliss,
Shall say, "Now, praise to God! His prophets spake
Truth unto us." For all mankind shall wake
Together, at the trumpet; and shall wend
Together, to the Judgment, in the end.

And no soul shall be wronged in that dread place
For aught not wrought; nor any soul find grace
Except for what it wrought; and there shall fall
Endless delight in Paradise on all
Who kept that witness! happy they shall be
Reclining with sweet consorts, 'neath the Tree
Which bears all fruits, and groweth by the Throne.
And they shall hear the Lord say to His own,
"PEACE!"—they shall hear the Merciful say so.

But to the sinners shall be thundered, "Go!
Divide here from! did not ye testify?"
"Yea, dreadful Lord!"—thus shall they make reply,
Descending into Hell.

Thy mercy send,
Thou, the Beginning and the End!





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