Moderate Muslim

I am a moderate Muslim
I don’t pray 5 times a day
Only jummah is enough for me
I don’t fast the full thirty
Five is how many I do

Yes I drink
But only in moderation
I don’t get drunk or puke up in the loo
Yes I am a moderate Muslim

I check out the fit women
But only one at a time
I don’t sleep with them
Coz that’s extreme
I only date them, hug them, hold hands and kiss them.
Coz everything in moderation right?

I take drugs
But only class C ones
Avoid the hard ones
Coz only the fanatics do that

A moderate Muslim is the label I have given myself
Coz I can’t leave Islam
Coz it’s the truth
Can’t be an atheist or secular humanist

So I reconcile my Islam
To please the westerners
By compromising
And trying oh so very hard to fit in

My name is Muhammed
But to all and sundry I am Mo
During lunch and after work
Off to the pub I go
A few bevies
Nothing to heavy
Every weekday
Except for Fridays
Coz that’s a holy day

Despite all my compromises of my Islam
I cannot find any peace of mind or satisfaction in my heart
I feel guilty and ashamed
Feelings of nausea and self hate

My mind is in conflict and I find myself asking a question
Maybe to this you can relate
The question is

If you’re convinced of Islam then why follow it in moderation?
Should you not follow it completely and fundamentally?
Despite what the non-Muslims think or say
Coz who are they to tell us how we should follow the truth
When they are lost and following the misguidance.
Author Unknown

Faith: Love Vs Logic

My heart dreams,
It invites ideas of all themes,
My mind implements,
It eliminates all the tangents,

Yet, My heart depicts
what my mind ponders,
My mind ticks
to my heart's wonders,

My heart flies
on the winding path of laughs and cries,
My mind sails
on the binding rail of gains and fails,

Yet, My heart feels
what my mind sees,
My mind deals
my heart's keys,

My heart seeks,
It longs for the rainbow streaks,
My mind selects,
It picks only the black and white effects,

Yet, My heart fills
what my mind sketches,
my mind instills
my heart's etches,

But now, my heart and mind
are in quite a bind.
The ways of before
just don't work anymore.

To what my heart directs,
my mind burns,
To what my mind objects,
my heart yearns,

The path has come to a split,
either Love or Logic will only fit,
my heart and mind both test their might
to see which shall prevail into the light...

It's Up to You

One song can spark a moment,
One flower can wake the dream.
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald spring.

One smile begins a friendship,
One handclasp lifts a soul.
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal.

One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam lights a room
One candle wipes out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.

One step must start each journey.
One word must start each prayer.
One hope will raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.

One voice can speak with wisdom,
One heart can know what's true,
One life can make a difference,
You see, it's up to you!

This struggle has remembered...

Drowned in their own blood, the alleys of the lands,
a burning Palestine, a crying honour,
the deprived mother, the awake sister,
the long awaited sun watched across the horizon,
but the sunlight didn't bring with it peace...
oh knight of truth, where have you gone?
this struggle has remembered you all along

how will you account in front of your Master?
How will you side with the blood of your brothers?
Hiding your face only to hide it once again
in front of your messenger, what will you say?
will you return the message unused?
after he went through so much to lend it to you?
The addicting yawn will end with the night prayer
until dawn comes, you must not sleep
or until your eyes are closed shut from decree
because you will be asked, oh knight of truth, where had you gone?
the virtue's of that struggle had remembered you all along.
Author Unknown

Make Believe

Born in what was left of yesterday’s world,
You thought you could come and tell me what was real,
You tried to hide and seek,
Thinking it was okay to delve in make-believe.
I’ve been here before,
Where you take your steps so lightly,
I am not the child of yesterday’s war,
I’ve been here much longer

Tip toe,
My being circumvents your desires
For I tread carefully,
Where you step so easily
What is it like to live where you are?
Thousands of miles away in a compass direction,
It makes you think you’re thousands of miles higher,
Oh, so much nobler

Author unknown

Da Firez Burnt Out

Da firez burnt out
da hope diminished
Rappin my story
feelin like life's finished

2 long been caught up in dis web of lies
2 long stayed awake n wanted 2 cry
deep down no one knows whats real n whats not
dey playing with feelings like we a robot

Nah dis aint da "Eshal" i knew
da 1 who looks blank n aint got a clue
Knife shining, blud dripping
pulling da veins, heart ripping

nuff sed, nuff dun, nuff seen
i aint a ‘u can use me’ machine
heart going crazy but gonna control it
yeh i admit ur the one who stole it

but my Lord got some1 better in mind for me
n i'm gonna trust Him with all i own
only dis way i'm gonna get close to my Lord
and get a place near His Throne

Words Left Unsaid

Listen closely to the rhythm of the cries
Choked out in sobs from where the heart lies
Torn apart, in a chamber, where none can see
Locked and chained, in the dark, where it’ll always be

Watch the scars blossom in the cloak of the night
Then twinkle with the stars when they can no longer fight
Open up in surrender and pour out the pain
Hidden so deep within, it’ll drive you insane

Touch the ice cold skin & read between the lines
Of regret and loneliness and weak vital signs
That dies with every passing day
Silently thudding words it cannot say.

Author unknown

What a Smile Hides

A smile hides the lies
That no one can abide
A smile hides the tears
That wish to drain from the eyes because of fears
A smile hides the hate
And keeps it behind its unbroken gate
A smile hides the pain
That comes without gain
A smile hides the sorrow
Of another gloomy tomorrow
A smile hides what we truly feel
And turns the lies into something real

by anonymous

When I Was Ill

I was feeling ill

Solution was the pill
If only it could make me recover
In a spilt, like the Creator

The adhan was heard calling
The water for wudhu' was cool freezing
Wiz His name I began my prayer
To HIM i submit and surrender

To the bed i jumped again
Nothing else to bargain
Covering myself wiz blankets
I was asleep as though in casket

Dreams brought me far
To an island offshore
I saw a bird flying
I thought of many things

I tried to catch the bird
Till i fall down like dirt
And i could not get up
There was no one to help out

I cry a lot but there wasn't any tear
I was left all alone in my own fear
I was awake from the loud sound "vroom"
Alhamdulillah i was safe in my room

A sparrow flew on to my window sill
Making sound behind the grill
It was the same bird as in my dream
But only real this time it seem

I get up and walk towards the window
And the bird was quiet for a minute over
I saw a man starting his bike noisily
Disturbing the bird especially

And now I notice why didn't the bird fly
Just like when i'm ill, i could only lie
It's wing was injured badly
Perhaps by someone or accidentally

SubhanAllah I was thinking
How much ni'mat He has been giving
To ponder upon HIS creatings
Animals wiz four legs, others wiz wings.

I thought how wonderful Allah is
Everything around me is really His
I realise how much lucky i am
I'm still able to move around

Thank ya Allah for all that Ya give
The illness Ya bestow is indeed a gift
Every illness comes wiz His forgiveness
May He grants us mercy and easness

Ameen

Jumuah

May Our Deeds Attract Allah’s Love,

Noor & Barakah

So That Our Lives May Be Filled With

Peace, Happiness & Freedom

From Any Calamity.

Jumuah Mubarak

Advice on Friends

A real friend wishes his companions well,
He's not one who allows them to get close to hell,
Always be careful of the friends you Choose,
So, in the end, Jannah you will not lose,

If you find your companion is not stopping your wrong,
then, be weary, his friendship is not strong.
If you see the pattern made,
that when you are under your friend's shade,

Your Imaan begins to fade,
Leave the worthless creation,
make friends with Allah, Surely that is a high station!.
A dervish who had knowledge of our present situation,
Once told his students the following dictation,

"The meeting of people will never enrich you,
save with the gibberish of useless gossip.
So diminish your meeting with people,
except for knowledge or to improve your condition"

A Smile

A smile is sadaqa,
The Prophet said so.

A smile is sadaqa,
so give to everyone you know.

A smile is sadaqa,
so take one wherever you go.

A smile is sadaqa,
so smile.... you'll be glad you did so!
by Aisha (age 11)

Five Ways to Kill a Man

There are many cumbersome ways to kill a man.
You can make him carry a plank of wood
To the top of a hill and nail him to it.
To do this
Properly you require a crowd of people
Wearing sandals, a cock that crows, a cloak
To dissect, a sponge, some vinegar and one
Man to hammer the nails home.

Or you can take a length of steel,
Shaped and chased in a traditional way,
And attempt to pierce the metal cage he wears.
But for this you need white horses,
English trees, men with bows and arrows,
At least two flags, a prince and a
Castle to hold your banquet in.

Dispensing with nobility, you may, if the wind
Allows, blow gas at him. But then you need
A mile of mud sliced through with ditches,
Not to mention black boots, bomb craters,
More mud, a plague of rats, a dozen songs
And some round hats made of steel.

In an age of aeroplanes, you may fly
Miles above your victim and dispose of him by
Pressing one small switch. All you then
Require is an ocean to separate you, two
Systems of government, a nation's scientists,
Several factories, a psychopath and
Land that no one needs for several years.

These are, as I began, cumbersome ways
To kill a man. Simpler, direct, and much more neat
Is to see that he lives somewhere in the middle
Of the twentieth century, and leave him there.

-- Edwin Brock

Restart Posting on this blog

Assalam Alaykum,
Insha'Allah I plan to restart posting poetry from myself and others soon insha'Allah.
Please pray Allah Almighty makes easy this task, places blessings in it and accepts it from us.

In the cming few weeks and once updates have start I ask that you help spread the news and our efforts by sharing posts by email and social media.

Jazakallah
Wasalam Alaykum

Its been a while

Assalam Alaykum,
I pray that you are all well and in good health. Its been nearly 8 months since the blog was last updated and since then a lot has happened both in life and on www. It is with some regret that I inform you that I shall no longer be updating this blog. Instead poems will be posted over at Haq Islam's Poetry section.

Many of you have subscribed to receiving email updates from here. For those who want to unsubscribe you have about a week to do so and then I will, Insha'Allah, be changing the service so that you receive notification emails whenever the poetry section at Haq Islam is updated.

Please make dua I am able to continue to write poems beneficial for both you and me.

May Allah bless you all.
Assalam Alaykum
Brother Ahmed

Perfect

by Taysseer Kadri

I always wonder; is it ever worth it?
To try and strive to be ever so perfect?

Who determines what perfect is and what isn't?
Who truly is so happy and lives so pleasant?

Who has never cheated, lied, hurt or has been hurt
Yet still is sweet and kind, and knows what a soul is worth?

Which mortal has lived heaven on earth?
Who can live and say, I will never die from the day of birth?

That sounds too good to be perfect.
Let me help define how a human is perfect.

Perfect is being able to forgive and forget,
To be able to realize your mistakes and repent,

To realize our bad, and promise to never do it again,
But then again, we're only humans in the end.

I Worship My Lord

Author: by Na'ima B. Robert

I wake before dawn.
No muadhin calls me,
No footsteps stir me,
Instead society spurns me,
Labels me and burns me.
But everyday,
I wake before dawn.

I wear my hijab.
No father threatens me,
No religious police warn me,
Instead society judges me
Mocks me and shuns me.
But everyday,
I wear my hijab.

I rear my children.
No family pressures me,
No work barriers limit me,
Instead society shames me,
Names me and blames me.
But everyday,
I rear my children.

I follow the Sunnah.
No culture defines me,
No history holds me,
Instead, society scolds me,
Re-makes and moulds me.
But every day,
I follow the Sunnah.

I strive for Paradise.
No teachers indoctrinate me,
No worldly hardships sedate me,
Instead society rejects me,
Tempts me and affects me.
But every day,
I strive for Paradise.

I worship my Lord.
No imam compels me,
No rules force my heart,
Instead, society fears me,
And dares not come near me.
But every day,
I worship my Lord.

Every day,
In every way,
Through hardship and strife
And the all-consuming,
O so fleeting,
Bitter sweetness of life,
I worship my Lord.

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Simply Islam

Actions speak louder than words

Once I was walking down the road
On a dark and foggy night
When there was hardly any light

I called out “Hey, mister, What’s your name?”
At first there was no reply
Perhaps he was a little shy

I called out yet again
But it was all in vain
I was about to give up when it suddenly began to rain
And as we ran helter, skelter
To find ourselves shelter
He opened his umbrella
Willing to share
And then I realized that my friend of few words
Really did care

And as we huddle together, cold and numb
I realized that my friend couldn’t speak
Because he was deaf and dumb

And then a sudden thought flashed through my mind
Do we really need words to be kind?
What words couldn’t do, his actions had done
For life long in me
A friend he had won!

Of Angels And Men

Allah made the angels out of heavenly light
created for His service, to do what’s right.
Whatever Allah commands, they must obey
and from these duties they never stray.

Unlike Humans, they cannot choose
so when Allah commands, they can not refuse.
They are the dedicated servants of our Lord.
They wont do anything on their own accord.

Some angels are told to worship and pray
and they follow these commands night and day.
Some performing Sajda and others in Ruku
From the moment of creation this is all they do.

Every angel has tasks that Allah has assigned.
Some are commanded to serve mankind.
Some provide sustenance from hunger and thirst.
Others are with us from the moment of birth.

Two angels are assigned to record our deeds,
whilst some take care of our other needs.
Like bringing us sunshine and also the rain.
Like protecting us from harm and also from pain.

There is another creation - it is called man.
They live on Earth for a very short span.
After their time expires they are returned
and through their deeds, paradise is earned.

Adam was first and he was made from mud
which was then turned into flesh and blood.
Unlike the angels, he has a choice to obey
- to go for guidance or to go astray.

So humans have choices to be the best
as freewill can raise them above the rest.
The ability to choose between wrong and right.
To return from darkness to knowledge and light.

Through choice we can follow Allah’s command
and refrain from everything Allah has banned.
We can follow Islam, becoming pious and just
so both learning and practice become a must.

If we ignore Islam and follow our desire
sand lose ourselves in building our empires.
Our purpose in life becomes obeying our lust
- chasing the Dunya we become spiritually bust.

When our whims and desires is all we select.
Our real purpose in life we tend to neglect.
When Islam isn’t the centre of our lives,
our heart becomes empty where nothing survives.

Our Creator’s wishes we no longer observe
when our nafs and ego is all we serve.
We forget the reality that life is a test
and the path of righteousness is the best.

If the Path we tread is of virtue and merit
then the gardens of paradise we will inherit.
Many hardships and trials we will ultimately face
When the pious and righteous we emulate.

The amount of wealth is a test from above.
Do we love to share or is it hoarding we love?
Are we grateful to Allah for whatever he has sent?
Or do we complain of poverty and show resent?

If Allah has given us power over others
Do we treat them as equals and as brothers?
or do we feel superior and are filled with pride?
Do we practice fairness or are their rights denied?

Allah has blessed us with youth and good health,
both these qualities are our greatest wealth!
Do we pick on others demonstrating our brawn?
Or are we up for Fajr at the crack of dawn?

Are we careful to use our precious time?
Or is it devoted to TV, music and rhyme?
Do we try to create a better place
and improve the conditions that Muslims face?

Do we obey our parents and give them respect?
Are we good role models are our morals correct?
Do we help other people and are we always fair?
Do we earn halal income or don’t we care?

Do we follow the guidance from the Qur’an?
By shunning all evil and following Islam?
Do we read the Qur’an and heed its advice?
Or have we sold Jannah for a meagre price?

For all Allah’s blessings we show gratitude
with generosity, kindness and the right attitude.
So in doing good deeds we should not delay
and our commitment to Islam should start today.

On the last day all souls will be raised
and we will face Allah – the most praised.
Standing before Allah what face will we show?
When the truth of our actions will freely flow.

By Zahid bin Ghulam