|
Classic and Contemporary Poetry
PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 19. AL-FATTA'H, by EDWIN ARNOLD Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Our lord muhammad lay upon the hill Last Line: Thy name, and worship thee alway. Subject(s): God; Islam | |||
Al-Fattâ'h! praise the "Opener!" and recite The marvels of that "Journey of the Night." Our Lord Muhammad lay upon the hill Safâ, whereby the holy city stands, Asleep, wrapped in a robe of camels' wool. Dark was the nightthat Night of Graceand still; When all the seven spheres, by God's commands, Opened unto him, splendid and wonderful! For Gabriel, softly lighting, touched his side, Saying, "Rise, thou enwrapped one! Come and see The things which be beyond. Lo! I have brought Borak, the horse of swiftness; mount and ride!" Milk-white that steed was, with embroidery Of pearls and emeralds in his long hair wrought. Hoofed like a mule he was, with a man's face; His eyes gleamed from his forelock, each a star Of lucent hyacinth; the saddle-cloth Was woven gold, which priceless work did grace: The lightning goeth not so fast or far As those broad pinions which he fluttered forth. One heel he smote on Safâ, and one heel On Sinaiwhere the dint is to this day. Next at Jerusalem he neighed. Our Lord, Descending with th' Archangel there, did kneel Making the midnight prayer; afterwards they Tethered him to the Temple by a cord. "Ascend!" spake Gabriel; and behold! there fell Out of the sky a ladder bright and great, Whereby, with easy steps, on radiant stairs, They mountedpast our earth and heaven and hell To the first sphere, where Adam kept the gate, Which was of vaporous gold and silvery squares. Here thronged the lesser Angels: some took charge To fill the clouds with rain and speed them round, And some to tend live creatures; for what's born Hath guardians there in its own shape: a large Beauteous white cock crowed matins, at the sound Cocks in a thousand planets hailed the morn. Unto the second sphere by that white slope Ascended they, whereof Noah held the key; And twofold was the throng of Angels here; But all so dazzling glowed its fretted cope, Burning with beams, Muhammad could not see What manner of celestial folk were there. The third sphere lay a thousand years beyond If thou should'st journey as the sun-ray doth, But in one Fâtihah clomb they thitherward. David and Solomon in union fond Ruled at the entrance, keeping Sabaoth Of ceaseless joy. The void was paven hard With paven work of rubiesif there be Jewels on earth to liken unto them Which had such color as no goldsmith knows And here a vast Archangel they did see, "Faithful of God" his name, whose diadem Was set with peopled stars; wherefrom arose Lauds to the glory of God, filling the blue With lovely music, as rose-gardens fill A land with essences; and young stars, shaking Tresses of lovely light, gathered and grew Under his mighty plumes, departing still Like ships with crews and treasure, voyage-making So came they to the fourth sphere, where there sate Enoch, who never tasted death; and there Behind its portal awful Azrael writes; The shadow of his brows compassionate Made night cross all worlds; our Lord felt fear, Marking the stern eyes and the hand which smites For always on a scroll he sets the names Of newborn beings, and from off the scroll He blotteth who must die; and holy tears Roll down his cheeks, recording all our shames And sins and penalties; while of each soul Monker and Nakir reckon the arrears. Next, at the fifth sphere's entry, they were 'ware Of a door built in sapphire, having graven Letters of flashing fire, the faith unfolding, "THERE IS NO GOD SAVE GOD." Aaron sate there Guarding the "region of the wrath of Heaven;' And Israfil behind, his trumpet holding. His trumpet holdingwhich shall wake the dead And slay the livingall his cheek puffed out, Bursting to blow; for none knows Allah's time Nor when the word of judgment shall be said: And darts, and chains of flame, lay all around, Terrible tortures for th' ungodly's crime. When to the sixth sphere passed they, Moses sped Its bars of chrysoprase, and kissed our Lord, And spake full sweet, "Prophet of Allah! thou More souls of Ismael's tribes to truth hast led, Than I of Isaak's." Here the crystal sword Of Michael gave the light they journeyed through But at the seventh sphere that light which shone Hath not an earthly name, nor any voice Can tell its splendor, nay, nor any ear Learn, if it listened; only he alone Who saw it, knows how there th' elect rejoice, Isa, and Ibrahim, and the souls most dear. And he, the glorious regent of that sphere, Had seventy thousand heads; and every head As many countenances; and each face As many mouths; and in each mouth there were Tongues seventy thousand, whereof each tongue said. Ever and ever, "Praise to Allah! praise!" Here, at the bound, is fixed that lotus-tree SEDRA, which none among the Angels pass; And not great Gabriel's self might farther wend: Yet, led by presences too bright to see, Too high to name, on paths like purple glass Our Lord Muhammad journeyed to the end. Alone! Alone! through hosts of Cherubim Crowding the infinite void with whispering vans, From splendor unto splendor still he sped; Across the "Lake of Gloom" they ferried him, And then the "Sea of Glory:" mortal man's Heart can not hold the wonders witness&3232;d. So to the "Region of the Veils" he came, Which shut all times off from eternity, The bars of being where thought can not reach: Ten thousand thousand are they, walls of flame Lambent with loveliness and mystery, Ramparts of utmost heaven, having no breach. Then he saw GOD! our Prophet saw THE THRONE! Oh, Allah! let these weak words be forgiven! Thou, the Supreme, the "Opener," spake at last; The Throne! the Throne! he saw; our Lord alone! Saw it and heard!but the verse falls from heaven Like a poised eagle, whom the lightnings blast. And Gabriel waiting by the tree he found; And Borak tethered to the Temple porch; He loosed the horse, and 'twixt its wings ascended. One hoof it smote on Zion's hallowed ground, One upon Sinai; and the day-star's torch Was not yet fading when the journey ended. Al-Fâttâ'h! "Opener!" we say Thy name, and worship Thee alway. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE CRESCENT AND THE CROSS by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 1. ALLAH by EDWIN ARNOLD PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 10. AL-JABBAR by EDWIN ARNOLD PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 11. AL-MUTAKABBIR by EDWIN ARNOLD PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 12. THE CREATOR by EDWIN ARNOLD PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 13. AL-BARI by EDWIN ARNOLD PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 14. AL-MUZAWWIR by EDWIN ARNOLD PEARLS OF THE FAITH: 15. AL-GHAFFAR by EDWIN ARNOLD |
|