He loved optimism

Give serenity another name
Or simplicity another face.

He loved optimism
Hated pessimism.

Positive, ever so positive
For the little things always appreciative:
The cackle of the baby
The sip of plain water
The first to smile
The last to disengage.

He loved optimism
Hated pessimism.

Good of intent
Mild of voice
Light of foot
Gentle, ever so gentle.

He loved optimism
Hated pessimism
Invited criticism
Celebrating pragmatism:

His Jihad being just an operation
Against the aberration:
The middle course, O my followers
The middle course, O my followers.

@ 2007 Safi Abdi. All Rights Resevered.

Between me and my Lord

Between death and I a breath
Between pain and I a needle
Pray tell,
Where am I between me and my Lord?

@ Safi Abdi, all rights reserved.

The love for Somalia

The love for Somalia
like a downpour of
sweet fresh water
off the ground
the ills of this nation sweeps.
The newly born bonding
with the plaintiff
resuscitates the forgotten
Saint.
Dare to love
and you shall be
in the rush
to come home.
Cool Southerly breeze
and a North cheerful
are a unit in the Attar.
A body a plane boards;
Somalia is my sanctuary.
@ Safi Abdi

By the Wailing Wall

By the wailing wall
Palestine is butchered
by the wailing wall
Even though it’s only a wall
It’s the wailing wall
And by the wailing wall
It’s laughter time.

Beneath this wailing wall,
A child of the soil
By the scent of heaven I hang;
But how many were the prophets that wailed
Because of this wall?

By the wailing wall it was laughter time then
And by the wailing wall it is laughter time now.

By the scent of heaven
Hang the prophets of God
And now a whole population
Are hanged by the wailing wall.

By the tears of this torn land
This wall is a see-through
My heaven is way beyond this debris
The wailing wall is just a wall.

A chandelier a night for now;
Patience, wait
Be my obedient servant.

Authenticity defies the divide:
This is my land
Before Hitler I was here
After Hitler I am still here
And after all the children of Hitler’s
Wailing wall have gone
Here shall I be.

From this land sprang I
And from this land,
After the bombardment
If nothing else were to remain;
A nail and at least some bone
By the will of Allah
Shall resurrect.

This land is in my bone marrow
I am a child astride by the torn land.
So I will still be here
Even after the Bushes, and all the big
Boys have departed, I will still be here.

Like the prophets I now wail
And like them one day shall I cease to wail.

Authenticity defies the divide
Winner is the one that laughs last
I hang by the scent of heaven
Beneath and beyond the wailing wall
I am with those that wait.

Approaching laughter is a salve
And so much better than impending doom
Patience carries the slave
Yonder, beyond the thunder
Over the wailing metal birds
I wait with those that wait.

For now a chandelier a night, Patience
Wait for me;
It’s wailing time
Palestine is waiting by the see-through wall.

(c)Safi Abdi, 2007, all rights reserved.

Sincerity

What's Sincerity? How can we tell when we are sincere? Is there anyway we can measure the level of Sincerity in our hearts?

My computer’s English Thesaurus lists the meanings of Sincerity as: honesty, truthfulness, trustworthiness, genuineness, frankness, openness, candor and innocence.

This to me speaks volumes about the universality of this human quality. Sincerity in its basic form being a common human value that’s shared, appreciated and sanctioned by the human spirit, irrespective of one’s race, tribe or creed. Those of you who are familiar with the life of God’s last Messenger, know how the Arabs of Mecca appreciated Mohammed’s integrity and truthfulness long before he became a Messenger of Allah.

Sincerity in thought, word and deed that in a nutshell is what Islam’s all about; God-consciousness in relation to himself, those around him, and his Maker; all three in a way being interrelated.

"No man is true in the truest sense of the word but he who is true in work, in deed, and in thought," said the Prophet of Islam.

"Verily, the reward of deeds depends upon the intention and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended." If the intention is to show off then the good deeds are nullified.

The first three people on whom judgment will be pronounced and thrown into the Fire, Muslims are warned, are: a martyr who dies to show off his courage, a person who gives to show off his generosity, and a scholar who learns and teaches to show off his learning. All seemingly good actions, yet because of lack of good intentions on the part of the doers, such good actions become the cause of their doers' downfall.

To stress the importance of Sincerity at all times, Allah's Messenger said:

"Allah does not look at your bodies and appearances but He scans your hearts and deeds."

While the Muslim is exhorted at every step of the way to give charity, and non-payment of Zakaat (compulsory charity) might even take one out of the fold of Islam), yet the best charity, Muslims are taught, is the one whereby "the giver’s left hand does not know what the right hand gives."

Believers are exhorted to be Sincere at all times, in all their dealings, whether public or private, expecting reward from none but Allah:

"Say: Truly, my prayer my service of sacrifice my life and my death, (all) for Allah, The Lord of the Worlds". ( Quran: Chapter 6:Verse:162)

Naked Beggar

By the door a beggar praying:
walking, laying, sitting, standing,
Waiting for Peace.
What are they saying?
What are they seeing?
Are they as naked as
the beggar by the Door?
@ Safi Abdi, all rights reserved.

Guest of the Beneficient

It was the happiest moment of my life four years ago when Allah the Most Gracious finally gave me His permission to visit Him, at His House. I was in a daze. Though I talk to Allah everyday in my prayers and in my heart, visiting His house and practically answering His call is a totaly different experience. As the impact of this sublime opportunity dawned on me I set about making my preparations. I was about to visit a most beloved Friend and I needed to be prepared, body and soul. Hajj is not about just going on any trip, it's about total obedience, hope and ultimate submission. It's a test of one's Sincerity.

Hajj(pilgrimage to Mecca) is one of the five pillars of Islam and is to be performed at least once in a lifetime, if one is able to do so. Hajj is a spiritual experience, the ultimate submission, and no words can do justice to the feelings of joy one feels during the few days spent as an honored "Guest of the Beneficent". The Ka'bah, the Cube shaped structure in the middle of the Mosque is the first house of worship on the face of the earth. History has it that the black stone that's situated within the Ka'bah came down from Paradise and was brought by the Angel Jibril (Gebriel). The stone was initially white but the sins of the sons of Adam turned it into black. The Ka'bah's foundation was raised by the prophet Ibraham (Abraham) and his son Ismael (Ishmael). When the Muslim performs the Hajj he's simply following in the footsteps of the prophet Ibrahim. My intention is not to explain the Hajj rites, there are many Islamic sites on the net that can give the reader a learned explanation of what Hajj is all about: For those who are interested in finding out more about this religious experience I'll paste a couple of sites at the foot of the poem for their perusal.
The following poem merely reflects my own personal feeling of what this journey meant to this spiritual traveler. Some two million "Invitees" perform Hajj each year and the sheer numbers of devotees is an humbling experience for each "invitee". This is the House of God and the people who answer the call are called: "Guests of the Beneficent".


Guest of the Beneficent
Is a bare-footed beggar
A poor thing invited by One Rich and Mighty
To answer the call of a lifetime,
a pledge made to God.
Guest of the Beneficent is a humble follower
Of a humble prophet, himself a follower
In the footsteps of his father Abraham,
For the first to make the call was Abraham
To this house of God and from him sprang
Prophets by the Beneficent blessed, chosen.
Guest of the Beneficent on the path
Of such a one blessed with modest walks
All pretense and ornaments shed
Eyes fixed heart trembling hands raised
A willing guest in tears drenched
The guest is a single entity in a sea of guests
Swimming in tears remorseful
For the flesh is weak and man given to haste…
Guest of the Beneficent is humbled
By feelings of smallness felt
Insignificant he's for once lost
In an ocean of devotees
he looks towards the Lord
With heart longing for freedom
From a self to blunders given.
Guests of the Beneficent are people
Pulled together by a Hand Powerful
Able to call whom He wills when He wills.
These beggars by the Door of the Merciful
In tongues diverse cry
In sizes and hues various appear
But in unison they answer this Call sublime
Joyful in a union at last made they chant
To the beat of a Truth long desired.
Hajj is a time of bonding
Beneath a sky open
The seeker learns and teaches
Equal are the guests of God
In attires easy and plain
Kings and penniless all Needy
Shoulder to shoulder before a King Mighty
This is a time of repentance
An occasion of release in an ocean of tears.
From the attachments to sin and wrong-doing
To the bonds of fellowship, hearts healing
These days of consoling, delivery
And elevated hopes
The guest of the Beneficent returns not home
But happy.

@ Safi Abdi, all rights reserved.

Spirit Collector

Why me?
Why now?

Why not you?
Why not now?
Spirit Collector
Called on Trader.

Why not YOU?
Why not NOW?
Somebody’s got to go
Every minute’s a go
Together with a soul
For the common goal.

Just doing a JOB
I don’t cry
I don’t laugh
Just doing a JOB.

Why me?
Why now?

It could be her
It could be him
It could be they
It could be them
Now it’sYOU.

I cry not
I laugh not
I am just on call
Making a CALL.

It could be her
It could be him
It could be they
It could be them
Now it’sYOU.

@ Safi Abdi, all rights reserved.

He knows you

He knows them best
Who created these cells
He gives life
A whole being produces
Showers on it gifts
Gives it form
Embellishes the senses
Shows the ways.

How life would be
if all was had
Luxuries and
human desires unlimited
And nothing for soul’s keep?
He knows them best
Who created these cells.

@ Safi Abdi, all rights reserved.

Guest of the Beneficent

It was the happiest moment of my life a few years ago when Allah the Most Gracious finally gave me His permission to visit Him, at His House. I was in a daze. Though I talk to Allah everyday in my prayers and in my heart, visiting His house and practically answering His call is a totaly different experience. As the impact of this sublime opportunity dawned on me I set about making my preparations. I was about to visit a most beloved Friend and I needed to be prepared, body and soul. Hajj is not about just going on any trip, it's about total obedience, hope and ultimate submission. It's a test of one's Sincerity.

Hajj(pilgrimage to Mecca) is one of the five pillars of Islam and is to be performed at least once in a lifetime, if one is able to do so. Hajj is a spiritual experience, the ultimate submission, and no words can do justice to the feelings of joy one feels during the few days spent as an honored "Guest of the Beneficent". The Ka'bah, the Cube shaped structure in the middle of the Mosque is the first house of worship on the face of the earth. History has it that the black stone that's situated within the Ka'bah came down from Paradise and was brought by the Angel Jibril (Gebriel). The stone was initially white but the sins of the sons of Adam turned it into black. The Ka'bah's foundation was raised by the prophet Ibraham (Abraham) and his son Ismael (Ishmael). When the Muslim performs the Hajj he's simply following in the footsteps of the prophet Ibrahim. My intention is not to explain the Hajj rites, there are many Islamic sites on the net that can give the reader a learned explanation of what Hajj is all about: For those who are interested in finding out more about this religious experience I'll paste a couple of sites at the foot of the poem for their perusal.
The following poem merely reflects my own personal feeling of what this journey meant to this spiritual traveler. Some two million "Invitees" perform Hajj each year and the sheer numbers of devotees is an humbling experience for each "invitee". This is the House of God and the people who answer the call are called: "Guests of the Beneficent."...


Guest of the Beneficent
Is a bare-footed beggar
A poor thing invited by One Rich and Mighty
To answer the call of a lifetime,
a pledge made to God.
Guest of the Beneficent is a humble follower
Of a humble prophet, himself a follower
In the footsteps of his father Abraham,
For the first to make the call was Abraham
To this house of God and from him sprang
Prophets by the Beneficent blessed, chosen.
Guest of the Beneficent on the path
Of such a one blessed with modest walks
All pretense and ornaments shed
Eyes fixed heart trembling hands raised
A willing guest in tears drenched
The guest is a single entity in a sea of guests
Swimming in tears remorseful
For the flesh is weak and man given to haste…
Guest of the Beneficent is humbled
By feelings of smallness felt
Insignificant he's for once lost
In an ocean of devotees
he looks towards the Lord
With heart longing for freedom
From a self to blunders given.
Guests of the Beneficent are people
Pulled together by a Hand Powerful
Able to call whom He wills when He wills.
These beggars by the Door of the Merciful
In tongues diverse cry
In sizes and hues various appear
But in unison they answer this Call sublime
Joyful in a union at last made they chant
To the beat of a Truth long desired.
Hajj is a time of bonding
Beneath a sky open
The seeker learns and teaches
Equal are the guests of God
In attires easy and plain
Kings and penniless all Needy
Shoulder to shoulder before a King Mighty
This is a time of repentance
An occasion of release in an ocean of tears.
From the attachments to sin and wrong-doing
To the bonds of fellowship, hearts healing
These days of consoling, delivery
And elevated hopes
The guest of the Beneficent returns not home
But happy.

@ Safi Abdi, all rights reserved.

Blindfolded

Blindfolded...
On the pavements
Impatient we push
The traffic light.
Perhaps the light pole's
The summons spot?
Or the Pedestrian's
Just the place
The angel descended?
Blindfolded we walk and tour
Places beforehand determined.
We sigh and whimper
About sights missed
In reality though not meant
To be, but we moan blindfolded
Even as the picked roll off
The heavenly reels,
Our fate decided
Ahead the rules we make.
Beyond the length notated
Crowd the files we keep.

@ Safi Abdi, all rights reserved.

Palestine

The story of a child
Not combat attire.

The story of a child
Disarrayed in the rain.

Columns of tanks in battle array
And a woman carrying a pitcher of the rain.

She is his mother in total disarray
Welcoming him in the sunshine rain.

Son, come drink this water from the day’s rain!
Where's it, Mama?
Cries the boy disarrayed in the rain.
My hospital leg? My hospital leg?

The woman points
To the column of tanks in battle array
Where stood their home before the morn’s rain.

The boy limps on
On a single leg
Limps he on
To find the rally on.

His father lay high in the rain
On shoulders and tears of the day’s rain
Gift-wrapped in the nation’s rain
Face high in the rain
Peace! O Peace!
How does thou lounge in this rain?

@ Safi Abdi, all rights reserved.

Peace for the world

Come in speed, Friend to this being in need
Grasp this hand stretching wide
Treat your senses to the fragrance of peace
Hop onto this wagon of hope before we miss the boat.

We tarried for too long in the rags of dispute
Impaired our sight in the dusky zone
And lost our ways in combat fatigue.

Come quickly to this friend in need
Listen to this voice above the din risen
Catch this light put forth for you and me
Cast off these fraying sheets scratching my back
In the showers of Summer bathe freely with me.

Hop onto this wagon of desire burning anew
Come share this shade in the gentle wood
Touch the blossom with tenderness
Our worlds let hearts united scale the heights
Leap into the arena of expectations grand
And soar with the birds free at last.

From the shackles of bonds man-made
On the changing winds let the hopeful ride
As we cuddle the star born anew
With an olive shoot let's write today
And let our verses on the milky way pour.
A dreamer that I am
But I study the seasons with an eagle's eye
And have witnessed a frosty stalk melt on a Sunny day

© Safi Abdi

Small thanks

haven't you noticed…

how belittled
benevolence stands,
small thanks given
for health or wealth
gratis obtained.
it's when the bills
mount or the body
declines truly
awareness dawns.
it's human nature
to take lightly
the gems of life...
oblivious of the cost
involved
man drinks
the air,
as though
it
were
an object
purchased.

@ Safi Abdi, all rights reserved.

I revisit my love

After 13 years of persecution and mistreatment in Mecca the prophet of Islam and his companions migrated to Medina. The people of this city (named by the prophet “the helpers”) had pledged to protect the prophet and assist him in his struggles to establish the truth and it’s here that the prophet spent the last 10 years of his mission and the first community of Muslims were firmly established. Even after securing Mecca and purifying the house of God (the Kaba) from idol-worship the prophet lived on in Medina until his death and was buried in this mosque on the spot he died. Millions of Muslims visit this Mosque each year to visit their prophet. The prophet’s mosque is the 2nd holiest shrine in Islam.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Days of joy and love true
A sacred track my steps
retrace
Devotion divine
for peace to reign
In the way of God
no toil’s too great
It’s here in this town
my beloved reclines
Within these walls
luminous
a piece of heaven lies
By the meadows
of paradise
I revisit my love
To praise the Lord
as he’d have me do.

@ Safi Abdi, all rights reserved.

Heavenly Hug

Heavenly hug
Happily joins
Cohesive parts
Interwoven needs
Needing no coercion
Heavenly love.

Mercy kissed
Children
Falling in love
With the mother soil
Heaven held.

Nontoxic jokes
No more pokes
Poise in our votes
Freshly doused
Flowers
Shimmering, adoring
Falling in love
With the heavenly hold.

Heavenly hug
Happily joins
Cohesive parts
Interwoven needs
Needing no coercion
Heavenly love.

@ Safi Abdi, all rights reserved.

Those who blaspheme

In this world of tests and trials
Deliberate
Those who blaspheme the Lord
Their souls degrade.

It's a free world they say
And right they are
But the Creator so did make
These days and minutes to pass
An ordeal for those who walk His earth.

But those who blaspheme the Lord
All sense shut
Seeing but seeing not
Own voices alone exaggerate
Averse to stop
Or take stock by the setting sun.

@ Safi Abdi, all rights reserved.

By the Dome of the Rock

Heart weeps
For hands tied
Yours and mine joined
To infinite eyes tear-logged
Heavenwards flooding reverent
Heads raised by the Dome of the Rock
A billiion hearts united..

@ Safi Abdi,all rights reserved.

Muhammad

The stone pebble and the soil under his feet gentle
Grateful, delighting in every moment treaded
To the cave of light, soul eager as he retreated:
Read! The Arch Angel commanded.
Read! In the name of thy Lord!

By the Lord of the alalamin,
'To all the world a mercy' Rahmata lilaalamin!
by the One Merciful sent;
Rahmata lilaalamin!

Never for a moment severe
The rowdy with mildness he amended
Rahmata lilaalamin!
'A lamp spreading light', Siraajan munira!

Modest traveler for whom this world
a place of sacrifice sufficed…a servant
While the world under his feet pined
His own shoes he mended...a servant.

Piety he wore, poverty with pride chose, a servant,
he gave up himself, and all he had, a servant.

In his Name! in his Name!
All night long, supplicating
All night long, supplicating
All night long,
a servant in the Lord's way,
supplicating...a servant.

This son of Makka did ascend
To the Heavens in person did ascend;
an eye-witness to a glory awesome
yet on earth moved he gentle...a servant.

The exalted charcacter the Majesty crowned
The hand of God a spirit perfected.
Beloved of the Loving One and all those who walk upright.

The souls he stirred with happiness shined
The ideal human nation did evolve
under this builder of the hearts; a servant.

Let the ignorant say what may, it's lack of nearness,
Not knowledge that feeds on lies promulgated.

Know him, you shall love him.
The most praised
Between heaven and earth
His name's daily repeated:

Muhammad!
Mohamoud!
Ahmed!
Yaa Mustafa!
Your name's with the Lord's joined;
A celebration in the Heavens echoed.

From minarets and on mountain tops
In deep valleys and on the sailing ships
In needy hearts
And wherever the Lord resides
Your name's praised, Yaa Ahmed!
At the heights of fame and power

His tears of compassion
The lowest on heavenly wings to the Heavens soared.

Proud protector of women
Orphaned child and baby-girl…
A community of justice for all he founded
Slave and master in fellowship joined
Under his care all hearts rejoiced.

In the way of God he marched
Liberator of the sinner
In shinning armor fought he evil, relentless
In the face of corrupting forces, undaunted, a servant.

Those who find fault with Ahmed
Far removed are they from the person praised.

Sad indeed is the soul that disregards or
distances itself from this lamp of God.

Rahmata lilaalamin!
Siraajan munira!
Allahuma sali wasalim 'ala sayidina muhammad,
salla Allahu 'alaihi wassalim tasaliman kathira!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Allah and His Angels send blessings on the Prophet: O ye that believe!
Send ye blessings on him, and salute him with all respect."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
(Qur'an : 33:56)
@ Safi Abdi 2003, all rights reserved.

On the Map of God

When the Universe
Becomes a Handful
And Earth just a dot
And no more Somalia to despoil
Soul! Soul! Where are you
On this map of God?

@Safi Abdi,all rights reserved.