when i was young
and the world was new
i was filled with joy
at everything i could do
the spring brought rain
and in summer felt sun
i could dance, i could laugh
i could swim, i could run
but at times i would feel
a piercing cold wind blow
and wonder in my heart
about those below
i approached an adult
with a question in my heart
“what happens when we die?”
and the fear began to start
they said they did not know
and about this we do not think
there is so much to enjoy
to eat, to touch, to drink
but as the years passed
that fear began to creep
in the darkness of the night
when you cannot sleep
the blinding of the I
the ending of the me
the world will go on
and nowhere i shall be
but then there came a man
whose name was al-Mustafa
who said in death is life
nothing to fear at all
only One should be feared
who gave you life at first
who satisfies your hunger
and takes away your thirst
if you walk in His way
you will never be alone
even in your grave
angels will come to bring you home
and for years I walked with Him
and He blessed me with a son
hoping to see him safe
until my life is done
but then the One he told me
about the son of al-Husayn
and learned that I know nothing
of tragedy and pain
in ancient sands, under burning skies
death was all around
body upon bloody body
sinking into the ground
if i had looked when i was young
only despair would i have seen
unable to bear history’s oppression
what could this possibly mean
but for the sake of Truth and Justice
this precious one did die
lying in his father’s lap
looking into the sky
“my grandfather is coming
to quench my bitter thirst
come join us soon, my father
as I take the journey first”
to a place beyond sadness
where dreams are reality
manifest by the One who made us
and everything you see
the One who crafted imagination
and the heights of the human soul
from nothing came all of this
and everything we know
But ‘Ali al-Akbar could see
something that we cannot
a sacred drop from Heaven’s rain
that brings forth tears that do not stop
for the love of al-Mustafa
with trust in the All-Mighty One
Husayn let his oldest son die
certain that Heaven he had won
for this life will end, there is no doubt
and we will all face the final test
but can we watch our little one die
the one we had held to our chest
can we let go of our hopes and dreams
and still know that Allah is there
can we undergo life’s crushing trials
and still believe He cares
well I say to the world and all who will hear
Husayn faced more than we know
yet he never backed down and never gave up
for he knew where we all will go
it is better to live a moment for God
than to spend a lifetime clinging to Earth
better to know one’s precious soul
the source of the human’s worth
better to fear Justice’s wrath
and hope in Mercy’s embrace
to let go of our tight grasp upon this life
and seek out our Master’s face
to seek for the beauty of a boy who stood tall
and made his grandfather proud
the reflection of the greatest of Allah’s creation
whose battle cry he shouted out loud
“Do you know who I am, by the Ka’ba’s Lord
I am the son of Husayn and ‘Ali
I will strike you down with the sharpest of swords
so come face this young Hashimi!”
and with that I lost the fear of my youth
a poison that destroys any heart
for the call of Husayn is that we cannot die
even if our body is torn apart
the One who made the man you see
from a single drop of fluid despised
will create me again and make me stand
under dark and foreboding skies
the pregnant will forget the child she has
the friend will turn into foe
and the result of our lives will be revealed
the truth of existence we will know
we will see it all with our very eyes
the veil will finally be gone
and on the Day we face that test
our tears will help us along
these tears we shed are not in vain
they are our soul longing to be free
yearning for our everlasting home
where with our Imam we can be
by the Grace and Mercy of the One
Each of us has a choice
and the best advice I can give to you
is listen for ‘Ali al-Akbar’s voice
listen to him calling you
repeating, “there is nothing to fear”
for my father and I are waiting for you
and the end of the journey is near
A Mercy Case 
MashaAllah