By Zachary King
—Inspired by the sixth juz’ of the Qur’an (4:148-5:81).
The Road to Abundance
In the Name of Allah
The Most Merciful and Full of Grace
Who sent not only a Messenger
but the Qur’an as a guide, for all time and place
Oh Allah, I ask of you as did Moses
Expand our breast and make a space
That hearts be touched by your message
And that all barriers you erase
Both Women and Abundance of Food
Were domains my Juz did touch
Both great areas for Divine Reminders
To protect believers from abuse and such
As I read and read on, looking for a theme
more and more about the People of the Book did I see
The troubles, pitfalls and lessons about them,
perhaps speak most, of current struggles in society
There is a level of faith that is addressed very strongly
And to convert ears, from Christianity, a nice review
Regardless, we are all slaves of the Most High
Among them the Messenger Isa (alayhe salam) falls rank and file too
Beware of Excess resonates in these pages
From attributing falsely or lies–there is no need to fabricate
The Messiah is special (without doubt) yet under the same heavens
And would have passed, if Allah had not given another his likeness, and caused him to elevate
So draw back from the Table and bridle your desires
The Verses of Ma’idah and Nisa Reverberate
Is it lack of discipline, or another disease of the heart
Causing the People of the Book to break the Covenants they make
Lord let us not persist in a path that leads to hell
But have us make every effort to follow the way that’s straight
And when we fall, make easy our return, again and again
To a way that you clearly laid out, before it is indeed too late
Allah you are The Lord holding it all together
Making no effort to accomplish such a mighty feat
You direct our worship, have structured our way of living
And sent a most stellar Seal to manifest our potential peak
You made every way possible for us to be pure
Believe, pray and if you can pay, at the going rate
You put ease in the pillars to ground us in faith
Adding even how to eat to attain the holiest state
God save us from the trials of the disobedient
Let us submit, praise your blessing and uphold the trust
Protect us from the path of those who are distant
Wandering hard-hearted or from souls full of rust
One life, One life worth all of humanity
Make us be Abel in our times to draw near
And if you are not pleased with our life’s sacrifice
Gently correct our course, Our Sublime Lord, to a station most dear
The believers, the believers, amidst it all
perfect religion, Messenger and book—promised to remain hot off the press
Allah protect us from open or subtlety trading all this
Seeking others of The Book to impress
You have dubbed us a people of the middle way
Help us with family, society and work to the true golden mean
Establish our grip with the rope you have extended to us
So that we are models of the Sirat al Mustakeem
I write these humble words of mine
Hoping for a reward where Allah caused light to shine through
And for the clouds, revealing the author’s flaws
Asking where we fell short, Allah please forgive us too
The end, the end, with the Beloved we intend
Thee friend whose Solawat…the umami, were (our) speech a stew
Best Prayers, Best Prayers upon you infinitely
With pleas and striving to be amongst your crew
Zachary
Zachary A King, MSW, LSW, is a product of the Garden State. He grew up in northern NJ and converted to Islam in 1996. He majored in Nutrition at Rutgers University and was greatly influenced by his company in the New Brunswick area during his college years and 20s. Since graduation, he has become a teacher, gone back for his social work master’s degree and currently works in the Newark area school system. Mr. King is an in-home intensive community counselor for young men. He is wholeheartedly dedicated to urban education and uplift. Islamically, he is moderately proficient in recitation of Qur’an and singing. ‘The dream is to employ everything about me, what I was once ashamed of, loved, struggled to place and covet, to transform the soul and liberate humanity.’
No comments