Poetry on Saiyidina Umar Al-Khattab RA
Briefly edited from a beatiful composition by Sheikh Ilyas, Sheikh Nazir & Sheikh Huzaifah - students of the traditional Islamic institution of learning - Darul Ulum Bury, United Kingdom:
I was called by the Amirul Mu'minin,
To accompany him in his daily routine,
Strolling in fright on a shiny night,
Hoping in mind that all stays bright,
Humbly walking from tent to tent,
Aspiring to aid helpless gents,
Passed by a woman distressed in anger,
Surrounded by children crying from hunger,
A pot of water placed on the stove,
Children waiting for dinner in their droves,
Uttering in distress as she blows in the cauldron,
"Patience my children, food will soon be done",
Not blinking an eye, not moving the gaze,
Staring at the children in craze,
Promising in heart, deciding with zeal,
To not leave without them having a meal,
With humbleness and patience before proceeding,
Enquired the woman as to why they were crying,
"Hungry!" said the woman in anxious cry,
“Why don't you feed them?” said Umar in reply,
Said the woman in unbearable manner,
"Do you want me to feed them boiling water?",
"Nothing but water and stone in the cauldron",
"To lure the children, the food will soon be done",
Replied Umar in a gentle voice,
“You kept them hungry which was wrong choice",
"Why didn't you pass your complaint?",
"Umar's assistance would have been your gain",
She turned away in disgust,
Cursing Umar who she couldn't trust,
"Umar the oppressor left me to die",
"From hardships to hardships, all I could do was cry",
Umar shocked and terrified in response,
Umar said "why didn't you tell me at once!",
She retorted in unpleasant mode,
She did not consider Umar's thought,
"What's do you say of the careless Shepherd?",
"Do you say he is a watcher of herd?",
"He must look after his community",
"Must travel to desolated places to fulfil his duty",
"Might he see a woman in her last breath",
"Starving from hunger and waiting for death",
"When a king becomes insensitive",
"He is thus - one of the oppressive",
Umar knew not about her starvation,
Yet he is the one sacrificing for the nation,
"Truth has been spoken" - said Umar in bitter,
"You and children will not sleep in hunger",
Retorted Umar with grief he had not thought,
Filled a bag with dates, flour, fat and tied the knot,
Placed on his back and walked with ease,
His companion following behind the heels,
Umar placed all in the couldron and began to stir,
Blew to kindle the strength in the fire,
Just a short while the Porridge was ready,
Umar himself served the family,
The family they ate up to their fill,
What remained was left for their next meal,
Children were happy - began to play,
Woman was grateful starting to praise,
"May Allah reward for your kindness, surely you deserve the Caliph's place",
Umar consoled her thus and he said,
"When you come to the Caliph, you'll see me instead",
Umar then sat for a while watching the children,
Returned then to Madinah with his companion.
I was called by the Amirul Mu'minin,
To accompany him in his daily routine,
Strolling in fright on a shiny night,
Hoping in mind that all stays bright,
Humbly walking from tent to tent,
Aspiring to aid helpless gents,
Passed by a woman distressed in anger,
Surrounded by children crying from hunger,
A pot of water placed on the stove,
Children waiting for dinner in their droves,
Uttering in distress as she blows in the cauldron,
"Patience my children, food will soon be done",
Not blinking an eye, not moving the gaze,
Staring at the children in craze,
Promising in heart, deciding with zeal,
To not leave without them having a meal,
With humbleness and patience before proceeding,
Enquired the woman as to why they were crying,
"Hungry!" said the woman in anxious cry,
“Why don't you feed them?” said Umar in reply,
Said the woman in unbearable manner,
"Do you want me to feed them boiling water?",
"Nothing but water and stone in the cauldron",
"To lure the children, the food will soon be done",
Replied Umar in a gentle voice,
“You kept them hungry which was wrong choice",
"Why didn't you pass your complaint?",
"Umar's assistance would have been your gain",
She turned away in disgust,
Cursing Umar who she couldn't trust,
"Umar the oppressor left me to die",
"From hardships to hardships, all I could do was cry",
Umar shocked and terrified in response,
Umar said "why didn't you tell me at once!",
She retorted in unpleasant mode,
She did not consider Umar's thought,
"What's do you say of the careless Shepherd?",
"Do you say he is a watcher of herd?",
"He must look after his community",
"Must travel to desolated places to fulfil his duty",
"Might he see a woman in her last breath",
"Starving from hunger and waiting for death",
"When a king becomes insensitive",
"He is thus - one of the oppressive",
Umar knew not about her starvation,
Yet he is the one sacrificing for the nation,
"Truth has been spoken" - said Umar in bitter,
"You and children will not sleep in hunger",
Retorted Umar with grief he had not thought,
Filled a bag with dates, flour, fat and tied the knot,
Placed on his back and walked with ease,
His companion following behind the heels,
Umar placed all in the couldron and began to stir,
Blew to kindle the strength in the fire,
Just a short while the Porridge was ready,
Umar himself served the family,
The family they ate up to their fill,
What remained was left for their next meal,
Children were happy - began to play,
Woman was grateful starting to praise,
"May Allah reward for your kindness, surely you deserve the Caliph's place",
Umar consoled her thus and he said,
"When you come to the Caliph, you'll see me instead",
Umar then sat for a while watching the children,
Returned then to Madinah with his companion.
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