Poem — Spiritual Teacher

In anticipation with bated breath, the lovers wait
water dripping from their ablution, sins forgiven
they hope. For a glimpse their way of their
beloved Shaykh, a man whose name is known
across the lands. Doctor of Hearts they say.

Here he is, here he comes, rejoice!
White thobes, green caps, na’al pins and bukhoor
manifestations of love and faith displayed.
We pray the white hide the darknesses,
the bukhoor masking the stench,
for his eyes are not like our eyes,
his heart filled with mercy, not revenge.

Each word fills the hearts, pencil scribbling,
we’ve heard it a thousand times before but
the taste is different; a door is opened.
Cameras clicked, hashtags filled, tears streaming.
Meanwhile the nafs & shaytaan observes,
quietly, carefully, plotting and scheming.

The lovers smile & laugh, our hearts are alive!
Souls dancing, hearts bursting, we’ll do anything
for the love of our teacher, we forgave old enemies,
he reminded us Allah is everything.
Seek His Love, he says, and we weep in longing.
We promise to be better, to do better,
forgetting shaytaan and nafs await.

Countless stories were narrated of the Prophet’s example,
and righteous ones that came after.
We hoped & prayed to walk in their way,
in unison, lines of litanies we uttered.
A sense of brotherhood emerged, a great new chapter,
we believed we did do better.

Alas, shaytaan strikes, just as our teacher left,
leaving us defenseless and scared.
The lessons he gave, the strength we felt,
are we able to face this together?
A teacher guides then watches from afar,
“Will my lovers fail & flounder?”

The road is long, the traps are many,
some hidden in compliments & praise.
“Will they allow the words of others
to distract them from the One?
Will insults & praises be welcomed together,
or will one trump the other?”

A believer is a mirror to his brother & sister,
are we brave enough to take a peek?
If it’s pretty, say thanks, if ugly, we repent,
the work is never done. Allah’s help we seek,
and the prayers of our teachers, for
courage to walk the way.
For shaytaan is crafty, our nafs’ his army,
and our defense is scant & weakly.

But our teacher is kind and will always remind,
even as we fail & fumble.
There is no one to impress, no pleasure
we desire, save the One we claim to serve.
To admit our flaws is heavy but necessary,
and we must always remember
that shaytaan is our true adversary,
not our fellow brother & sister.

May we uphold the example our Prophet & teacher left us,
and work on it while he’s away.
So that the next time he comes, with a smile he’ll say
“Well done beloveds. I’m proud of you.
Your toil & struggle has borne fruit
good character and a forgiving heart are your prizes today.
May Allah Almighty wash your sins away.”

May we never be deluded by our ego’s projections
May God grant us ikhlas, and lofty stations,
May we be blessed with our teacher’s company
and the Prophet’s too, in this world & for all eternity.
We are weak ones & may never be deserving,
but in His Mercy we hope & in humility we beg,
O God, You are Most Forgiving & Loving!

— From a weak muhib who needs her teacher every step of the way.