The angels worship Allah incessantly but are amazed at the unwavering hope of sinful humans in Allah’s mercy.

Crowned by mercy,
He asked for bits of gold,
Mounts of wealth were bestowed.

Always failing in his duty,
Oh, what a man he is!
Never losing hope in His mercy,
Oh, what a man he is!

He boasted of the Lord’s mercy on him,
Many were the favors granted to him,
He moved his limbs to the rhythm of the Lord,
His face shone in glorifying his Lord.

Everyone wondered what had happened to him,
None realized what had come upon him,
He conversed with the Lord in the late hours,
“Subhanallah! Al hamdu lillah!” his prayers were diverse.

He has become a shame for his conscience,
He masked his pain with silence,
He drowned without hope,
None helped with a rope!

We worship the Lord day and night,
We’re made from the purest of light,
Was it for his race we prostrated?
For the numerous sins they committed?

He continues to place his face on the ground,
He maintains still, the Lord’s gift will again descend.

We, the creatures of light,
Are not devoid of understanding,
But with us is not
The piece of flesh inspiring!

This meat-piece is his secret,
Everything we have, but his heart.

The love of the Lord’s Beloved is his confidence,
Upon the Beloved sends he blessings endless.

The heavens and stars saw him dancing with joy,
But only the Lord remained to see him cry.

This poem was inspired by an essay of Allama Iqbal entitled “The Human Ego- His freedom and immortality”.

June 18 2001. Edit March 2023