and the young at heart BOOK THREE by Khadijah Stephens The Mosque of the Internet www.muhammad.com BISMILLAH IR RAHMAN IR RAHIM BOOK THREE POEMS IN MY BOOK The Dance of the Snowflakes Fish Somewhere The Grub Nice Thought Something Special to Say Jesus, Al Mahdi & the False Messiah What to Do? Abu Hurayrah In His Name The Pigeons Count Your Blessings THE DANCE OF THE SNOWFLAKES The cats were fed, the curtains drawn, my eyes grew sleepy, I began to yawn. I said my prayers then snuggled up in bed pulling the sheets around my head. Outside the wind howled with its biting chill whilst the clock ticked away the minutes, until at last I drifted off to sleep till the light of dawn through my window did creep. I rubbed my eyes and said my prayer - when I drew the curtains I just stood and stared everywhere was cloaked in purest white as snow flakes danced - what a breath-taking sight! The flakes whirled about like a dervish dance as I watched the wind toss them they seemed to chant, exalting Allah in His Glory and Might what a blessed reminder - my heart's delight! FISH Why are fish so slippery with bones that are sharp and prickly? Why do they have eyes on the side of their face and swim in shoals when bigger fish chase? Their world is quite unlike that of the land they can't even live on the soft wet sand! Yet Allah lets me swim in the sea and play in the sand, then go home for tea! SOMEWHERE When coyotes howl on a moonlit night and the owl spreads its wings in silent flight, when you and I are tucked up in bed somewhere in the world its time for prayers to be said. Isn't it nice to know that Allah is being praised every moment of the day and night! THE GRUB Isn't it funny how a tiny grub can chomp its way through a hard piece of wood gnawing its way deep inside a tree its hole so small, you can hardly see! Look how Allah created him without any bones and a jelly-like skin, yet daddy has to work so hard to split logs of wood in our back yard! The wonders of Allah you will always find if you just look around and open your mind, wherever you look you're bound to discover so many miracles of one kind or another! Each creation has its own special place and purpose in the planning of Allah. Some of us may be clever in doing something whereas others find it hard. But, that is no reason to look down on someone and think you are better than them, after all they might be better at something we find hard to do. Think about the example in this poem. We have a tiny grub that has no trouble at all making a hole in a hard piece of wood and then there is the father, who is millions of times bigger and stronger than the grub, yet he has difficulty chopping the wood! NICE THOUGHT Wouldn't it be very nice to live near the Prophet* in Paradise! Praise and peace be upon him SOMETHING SPECIAL TO SAY My heart has something special to say its "Subhan Allah" each and every day. Almighty is He above all things the more I praise Him, the more my heart sings. When I say "Subhan Allah" a hundred times He forgives one thousand sins of mine or, He gives in its place one thousand rewards from His Grace. Thank You Allah for Your generous reward I am so blessed to know You are my Lord! Isn't Allah kind to us! If we just remember to praise Him by saying Subhan Allah 100 times, He gives us so much, and it only takes us a few minutes to say. Why not start off by saying Subhan Allah ten times a day and gradually build up to the hundred. You will be surprised how quickly you reach the hundred! JESUS, AL MAHDI AND THE FALSE MESSIAH The day will come when a man claims he is the messiah and brings clouds full of rain. Written on his forehead there will be a sign for believers to read and see. The sign will read KAFIR, if you see it you'll know not to believe him or to Hell you will go! This man will perform magic in a way never seen that they'll appear as miracles sent from the unseen. But his magic is from satan, the stoned cursed one who longs for our souls when our lives are done. If he comes during your time, trust Allah and you'll see He has not forsaken you, but sent Al Mahdi. At the Mosque on the Mount of Jerusalem fair Al Mahdi will fight and make his stand there. Then, at last such blessed relief will come as Jesus, the true Messiah descends - Mary's son! When ad-dajjal, the false messiah sees Jesus is here he will tremble then shrink - struck with fear. Prophet Jesus* will call - ad-dajjal can't get away for when Jesus leaves the Mosque, the false messiah he'll slay. Peace and truth will at last be restored as Jesus destroys the error surrounding his word, as he proclaims, Allah is One and he is His worshiper - not His son. *Peace be upon all the Prophets of Allah The false messiah will come just before the end of the world. The world will be in a terrible condition; lots of people will starve on account of a severe drought. When ad-dajjal, (the Arabic name for the false messiah) comes he will use his magic to make rain, but won't give water to anyone unless they follow him, and he will do a lot of very bad things, but we must not give up hope. Allah will send Al Mahdi who will prepare the way for Prophet Jesus. After Jesus has killed the false messiah, the rain will come again, the famine will be over and Islam will be practiced just like it was during the time of Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him; it will be a very happy, blessed time. WHAT TO DO What shall I do today shall I go outside and play? Or, shall I help my mum instead wash the dishes and make the beds for when I help her angels write something good about me in Allah's sight. ABU HURAYRAH FATHER OF THE KITTEN A long time ago in Medina most fair a man named Abu Hurayrah once live there. How did he get his name do you suppose - 'twas because of a kitten that curled up in his clothes! Abu means father, and Hurayrah means kitten. Abu Hurayrah was one of the Prophet's closest companions. He would go everywhere with the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and memorize what he said and those sayings are called "Hadith". It is through Abu Hurayrah and companions like him that we know a lot about what the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, taught and did. IN HIS NAME Isn't it wonderful how Allah permits the oceans to carry big iron ships and planes to fly through the clouds so high leaving trails of white across the sky. Allah has given us brains to use so don't close your mind or you're sure to lose use your brain in His Name and you just might be a scientist on the brink of discovery! THE PIGEONS Did you know the pigeons that fly around Ka'ba today are descended from those two pigeons that kept the Koraysh away, away from the cave beyond the Holy City where Muslims were persecuted without sympathy or pity. The cave in which our Prophet* stayed during his migration over which a spider spun its web without the slightest hesitation! *Praise and peace be upon him When you go to Mecca, I am sure you will see pigeons flying around Ka'ba, so don't forget they are not ordinary pigeons, they are very special pigeons. Did you know that Abu Bakr was the Prophet's companion in the Cave? COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS When the leaves change color and fall from the trees, when Jack Frost tweaks your nose and makes you sneeze, when the fire crackles away in the old wood stove, and you put on your slippers to warm your toes. Don't forget those without a home who roam the streets with no home of their own. Don't forget they are hungry and tired pray for them and ask Allah to guide. Then thank Allah for your blessings for it could have been you wandering the streets with hands numb and blue. THE END We hope you have enjoyed these poems, Insh'Allah I will write some more Islamic poems for you soon. This book is copyrighted 1993 - 2004 by Khadijah Stephens and Allah.com and Muhammad.com All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and/or retrieval system without permission in writing from both Khadijah Stephens and the Mosque of the Internet.