| By ,
on 08-02-2003 23:50
|
Views : 1213  |
Favoured : 29 |
Published in : , Poems |
By Saba Anwar
The story of Prophet Yunus,
Has often been told,
The setting is the sea,
On a ship- all aboard!
The sailing was smooth,
For a few days,
Then suddenly –the waves grew big
And the storm raged.
What thunder and lightning!
What havoc and rain!
For days on end,
The ship rocked again and again.
The captain of the ship
Called everyone together
For he wanted to
Discuss a serious matter.
“Attention! Attention!” he cried,
Banging on an empty tin
“It seems to me,
Someone’s guilty of a sin.”
“The rain has been pouring
For far too long,
God punishes one only,
When he or she has done a wrong.”
“Will the guilty person,
Stand up please?
Once he’s been identified,
God’s wrath may cease.”
No one came forward.
Complete silence prevailed,
Save the raging sea
On which the ship sailed.
“Well then!” sighed the captain,
“We’ll have to draw straws,
Act according to the rules
Laid in the ship’s laws.”
“Here’s a pile of straws,
Take one - each and every one of you,
The young and the old,
The travelers and the crew.”
Ah woe! Alas!
Prophet Yunus had the straw,
The shortest amongst all,
Was the one he did draw.
But all his fellow seafarers,
Raised a hue and cry.
Prophet Yunus was a good, pious man,
He didn’t deserve to die!
Surely there’d been an error,
The wrong man had drawn the straw,
They insisted to the captain,
To hold another draw.
Knowing Prophet Yunus’s character,
The captain readily agreed,
The straws were recollected,
Each and every one indeed!
Once again straws were selected
By all on the ship
“Hope I’m not the unlucky one!”
Was the prayer on every lip.
But! ‘Twas Prophet Yunus once again,
Another hue and cry was raised,
So a third draw was conducted,
Prophet Yunus again! Everyone cried amazed.
Except for Prophet Yunus,
Who suddenly realized
Yes! He had done a wrong deed,
For which he was being penalized.
“This isn’t chance,” he told everyone,
“But a sign from the Lord,
So do what is fitting,
And throw me overboard.”
And once he was thrown,
The storm went away,
As did the dark clouds and rain,
And it became a sunny day!
The people on the ship
Safely reached their destination,
And prayed for Prophet Yunus’s welfare,
In every supplication.
He probably had drowned,
In the deep blue sea,
But they were wrong,
He was alive actually!
For a big fish had swallowed him,
As God has ordered him to.
Prophet Yunus was safe inside him,
Wondering what he should do.
He pondered and thought
What should he pray?
Would God accept
What he would say?
“There is no God
except you,” he praised,
“Glory to thee,
I’ve been a wrong doer indeed!”
God accepted Prophet Yunus’s prayers,
And told the fish to let him out.
For God is merciful and kind
It’s true- without a doubt!
Allah released him from the fish and the sea,
When he awoke, he was underneath a tree
How long he had been there he did not know
The tree bore fruit so his hunger would go!
As this story shows you,
Realize your sins and repent.
You’ll always be rewarded.
And blessings on you will be sent!
Last update : 08-02-2003 23:50
|
|
|
(0 vote)
