Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 32. AL-KHABIR by EDWIN ARNOLD

Poet Analysis

First Line: ONE MORNING IN MEDINA WALKED OUR LORD
Last Line: TO-MORROW, NóW, AND LONG AGO.
Subject(s): FORGIVENESS; GOD; ISLAM; CLEMENCY;

@3Al-Khâbir! Thou Who art "aware" of all,
By this name also for Thy grace we call@1.

One morning in Medina walked our Lord
Among the tombs: glad was the dawn, and broad
On headstones and on footstones sunshine lay;
Earth seemed so fair 'twas hard to be away.
"Oh, people of the graves!" Muhammad said.
"Peace be with you. Your caravan of dead
Hath passed the defile, and we living ones
Forget what men ye were, of whom the sons,
And what your merchandise and where ye went;
But Allah knows these things! Be ye content
Since Allah is 'aware.' Ah! God forgive
Those that are dead, and us who briefly live."

@3Yea! pardon, Lord, since Thou dost know
To-morrow, nów, and long ago@1.



Home: PoetryExplorer.net