Poetry – Islamic Research and Information Center (IRIC)

The Decoration of Her Father’s Head

IRIC — Sat, 18 Nov 2023 15:41:47 +0000

The Decoration of her Father’s Head
Zeenat al-Ab
Ya Zainab

How on the day you were born decorating the heavens
And began your role to the youth of the heavens

A shadow by your brothers
The Sun Hussain and the Moon Al Abbas
A dotting sister whose love surpassed her heart

A lady in her strength we forget
As the modern ones today beget
That the ones from the past
Are no longer part of our fast

A woman from her time they say
Is not important in this day
A woman from that time
I say Is the most important one in this day

Feminism, pessimism …spare me the sarcasm and isms
For this woman was feminine glory in all that is holy

For the daughter of Fatima and Ali
Can be nothing but from the Wali

Grand daughter to Khadija and Mohammad
Glorified in her name, her sacredness and her blood

And so
Who do I look up to as a woman
Who do I look up to as a leader
Who do I look up to for strength
Who do I look up to for a voice
For if not the grand daughter and daughter the greatest Ladies

Then I am lost
Just as those who cling to the false
The false women of today
The pseudo rights of the day
For I have my rights from way back in the day

And say what you may
And I know the way

Zainab you are my way
My lady of night and day
My lady of light
My lady of rights
Zainab you glorify the heights

And with your voice you shook the foundation
The very land of trials & calamity
Karbun Wa Bala’
Teaching us how a woman
Saves an entire faith with one octave of her voice

Crashing down the shame of men
With a wave of her one hand
Her patience is exemplary
Her strength is extraordinary
Her pain is put aside
Saying to the enemy

I see nothing but beauty
Beauty in Him
Faith in Him
Strength in Him
Love in Him

Beauty of her Father’s Head
The Decoration of her Father’s Head
Zeenat al-Ab
Ya Zainab, Ya Zainab, Ya Zainab!
Labaiki Ya Zainab! Labaiki Ya Zainab!

Sultan of Khorasan

IRIC — Mon, 29 May 2023 15:30:40 +0000

In this video, Berak Hussain recites a poem about Imam Reza (AS), the eighth Imam of Twelver Shias and a descendant of the prophet Muhammad(PBUH). She describes his legacy, his life, his scientific debates, his status among Shia followers, and his enemies. She also expresses her emotions when visiting his holy shrine in Mashhad, Iran, which is the largest mosque in the world. The poem is a tribute to Imam Reza, who was known for his piety and Divine knowledge.

Her poem is as follows:

“Born in the holiest of cities in Medina

In the house of Imam Mousa Al Kazim

The 8th after the 7th of the Divine’s shari’a

Ali the name of the highest

For what better name of Ali to name

Yes we are the biased

Son of the Star Najmah

A former slave of the Berber

Of Highest nobility and thought

A woman scholar, do not be bought

That our faith of these women has not

Al Reza, Abal Hassan Al Thani

Meaning pleased with whatever’s given from Al’ali

Not satisfied with more to give in His name

That is a challenge we all must face do not be blamed

Struggle he did with the patience of the pious

At a time of Al-Mamoon and his defiance

For we know that all of those against Muhammad

Were always of black heart and double-faced, insane of envy and mad

In the face of purity and honour

They always fall with disgrace which is so proper

So let me tell you about Ali Reza and his legacy

At a time of jealous evil and hypocrisy

He knew the little pawns of the Abbasid and Umayyads

Don’t be fooled by his quiet stance and abstinence

Lessons for us today as we see the game played

In politics with religion strayed

Al Saud from Mu’awiya

Keep letting Satan rule over you thinking you’re the rightful Messiah

Threatened by the pureness of Ale Muhammad

Al Ma’moon Challenging Al Reza?

Yam’owad bring it on

In the courts of philosophers, scientists, and astronomers such a yawn

For even by their own books and tongue

Al Reza slashed them all one by one

One need not say I am the rightful one

When all of your proof is at the tip of your tongue

Al Reza your debates slammed the highest of them all

They plan yet not realizing He is the best of Planners

Embarrassed and shamed with the slap of truth

What could he do but point so astute?

Off to Khorasan banished

To silence the followers to vanish

As the Crown Prince to quell the impending rebellion

Not knowing he has created his own Hellion

As the lovers grew in numbers

All of a result of Al Ma’moon’s blunder

Turning the black flags back to the original green

Just as in the days of the truth as seen

Games twisted to raise Al Reza

As he was already raised by the rightful A’ala

Fatima Ma’sooma soon to follow

Not being able to part the heart so hollow

With her brother’s lead

Teaching more to the steep

Alhamdulillah by far their love embedded in the true hearts

Of the muwaleen forever

As evident in the golden domes and highest of minarets

Of the 7 courts of the fountains and the heavens

In Mashhad do our eyes witness

The glory of Ali Al Reza

Sending our salaams so far with our hands

Wishing to be standing under those domes with our Hussaini brand

Ya Ghareeb Toos, oh King of Khorasaan,

Sultan of Khorasan

Peace be upon the blessed day of your birth and land

From hearts with tears to be close to the scented Zareeh of your promised land

Asalamu A’laika Oh Pleased One, Al Reza. of Ale Muhamad of Khorasan”

Awaiting the Awaited One

IRIC — Mon, 29 May 2023 11:38:44 +0000

Through tears and prayers, Berak Hussain expresses her longing for the reappearance of Imam Mahdi in ‘Awaiting the Awaited One.’ Her words capture the heartache and hope of those who wait for the arrival of our beloved savior.

Awaiting the Awaited One

Words begin to fail me this time

As I begin to write from this heart of mine

They did not come so easily

And my hands shook readily

From the shame and fear

That I do not know my Imam and my eyes tear

My eyes tear that I do not know him

As serving him does not mean I beat my chest for Hussain in vain

While I wait for his reappearance

from his lengthy disappearance

What does it mean to

Await the Awaited One..?

The Promised one

The Savior of Humanity old and young

The one who Prophet Jesus will pray behind him with a true tongue

The one whose mother was a Roman Princess

Held captive becoming a free slave in an instant

Born in secrecy even his birth was awaited

In suspense, fear, and desire despite the hated

Imam at 5, a child prodigy

From Muhammad’s Progeny

Is his name Muhammad Al Mahdi

The Guiding One

The One who Guides the hearts lost

In this world’s temptations, we get so lost

Forgetting our past, history, and cause

Do we not stop and pause?

To think, to meditate, and contemplate

What it means to be a virtuous human of weight

To love our brothers and sisters in humanity

As our Amir Ali and Amira Fatima taught us in his service to humanity

Ya Mahdi

He is the living Imam Ali of our time

He is the living Imam Hassan of our time

He is the living Imam Hussain of our time

Labbayk Ya Hussain We Cry

And say we wish we were with you that day and time

Yet why do we not give him of our time

To get rid of our soul’s grime

As he is THE Imam of our time

72 years gone the first time

and comes and goes he does from time to time

Appearing and offering prayers In Jamkaran and Karbala

In our visions, dreams, and between worlds

In the direction of the blessed and holy Ka3ba

Will we ever see him other than in these words

In the Name of our Beloveds

How are we preparing for him and his lovers

A promised legion of three thirteen

Of old and young wearing the green

Of Ale Bayt Yaseen

From the eleven

We have been promised the heavens

Do we deserve this salvation…

From the day of redemption…?

What does it mean to celebrate this day

The 15^th of Sha’ban night and day

Lighting the candles and

Writing the A’reetha

Of promises and desires

Wanting peace and Sakina

the luminous full moon

Filling the night’s skies

And filling our open hearts

Dropping notes in the rivers and oceans

Hoping and wishing for our motions

To be conjured from our Master’s hands

I ask you…are you ready…?

He is waiting for us… we are not waiting for him…

This world has lost its path

As day by day, we are full of wrath

Not loving not caring for our brother’s lives

Disunity and hatred turning on each other’s backs

Your lovers attacked for loving you

Makes the heart sick with this lack of empath

To the Beloved we turn as the guides on the right path

As hell burns all around us we turn to the light

The Salvation so Bright

To understand that this life is truly seconds in sight

So how do you choose to live it…?

Ignorance of its plight?

Or turn to the lighted guiding one

With a pure heart of one

To understand what it means to celebrate this one

And understand that we are indeed all one

All on the same humane path to be won

Hand in hand we stand

With a hand on our head in honour of the living awaited one we pray and say:

O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad.

O Allah, be, for Your representative, the Hujjat (proof),

Son of Al-Hasan, Your blessings be on him and his forefathers,

in this hour and in every hour, a guardian, a protector, a leader,

a helper, a proof, and an eye. until You make him live on the earth,

in obedience (to You), and cause him to live in it for a long time.

Mowlid May 9, 2016/7