Ages 15-18 Years: Winner
Mohammed Rhemtulla (Age 16)
Category 15 – 18 years
Theme – Courageous Choices
Judges’ comments:
A great read, this poem covered the theme extremely well, moving from Qur’an to history and linking the two together with ease. It flowed very well with imagery, descriptions and thought-provoking phrases.
“Courage is an embellishment, cowardice is a disgrace.” (I.Ali)
Between right and left, between up and down,
In these decisions, a Mu’min is found,
Halal or Haraam, right or wrong,
Whilst making this choice, we must be strong
Strong like a lion, strong like Ali,
Strong like the one who lifted Khaybar so easily!
Take his inspiration and try to follow his lead,
Replicate his actions and in your heart plant a seed,
A seed of devotion and a symbol of fidelity,
To uproot good decisions and find some remedy,
To cure our desires and make us better mentally.
Alcohol or Zamzam, Salaah or Qadha,
Music or Qur’an, Drugs or Du’a,
Do not let your desires shape your life,
As defeating our Nafs is what we strive,
So next time a battle, a Jihad and a decision arrives,
Always look at the bigger picture.
Always look at the bigger picture,
And at Awwal time, do not worry about your clubs next fixture,
Neither concern yourself with the messages on your phone,
As towards such distractions we have become prone,
Just like a magnet’s north and south pole, We are attracted to Chelsea’s next goal,
And want to know whether or not Arsenal have taken full control..
Ignore those thoughts and dismiss your desires,
For Allah’s salvation never expires,
So pray, fast or do whatever it requires,
To in your heart destroy the flames of your desires,
So that Shaytans gun always misfires,
And so that he soon from his mischief forever retires.
In the Divine poem the Almighty writ,
“We hurl truth upon falsehood, which destroys it”,
Reading these lines and examining these verses,
We must take a lesson to avoid Allah’s curses,
So run far from falsehood. (x2)
Like how from a plant, the seed disperses,
And be drawn towards truth like a moth to a flame.
Be drawn towards truth like a moth to a flame,
And learn that in tribulations, do not complain,
For when you are with truth, Allah is with you (x2),
He has offered His hand even though we are undue,
Undue of His mercy and limitless compassion,
So grab hold tight in a mighty fashion.
“I saw nothing but beauty” was the call from Kufa,
A show of utmost courage from Zaynab Al Kubraa,
A crucial life lesson is what she’s addressing,
That everything that happens is Allah’s sacred blessing,
So be grateful in times of danger and trial,
And have faith that He will never reply with denial!
Our Imam is anxious in waiting.
Waiting for Shaytan to stop dictating.
And for us to be the ones delegating
By making the choice with the highest rating.
As by ensuring our souls are always nourished,
We can make our Akhira strongly flourish.
Your courage and loyalty is long overdue,
So don’t make the decision which just suits you,
For Allah is “indeed aware of what you do”,
And to that, Surah Hashr is my proof,
To this Qur’an we must not be aloof,
The book which is perfect and fully bulletproof.
They can try to attack and destroy its words,
But the message it carries will never be blurred,
It’s power and secrets can not be ignored,
For every other book is heavily flawed,
(And at Thaqalayn we were taught,
That with the Holy House comes the book of our Lord.) x2