Ramazan is here

By Asma Sadia

One night I heard a knock on my door;

Who can it be, I wasn’t quite sure.

I open the door and am filled with glee;

The visitor ahead is no stranger to me.

I welcome the guest with utmost delight;

For I know it has come to give me respite.

An air of happiness fills the space;

My home now seems, a better place!

Have you any clue who this visitor

could be?

Yes! It’s Ramazan, the month of mercy.

The pious and righteous can’t await

its arrival;

Others seem to greet it,

with waves of denial.

For Allah (SWT) we fast from

dawn to dusk;

For Him our breath is the

fragrance of musk.

The Muslims who pray and fast with zest;

Are aware of the rewards of

this month manifest.

Throughout this month we

weep and repent;

Now is the time to strongly lament.

And those who shun this sacred month;

On the Day of Reckoning will

face the brunt.

In the last ten nights, hides the

Night of Decree;

Allah (SWT) then awaits for his

slaves to plea.

The angels descend with Gabriel

(AS) in the lead;

To check on the steadfast and

record every deed.

Permanent

By Amna Ameer

Oh dear

Butterfly

Stay a bit

Don’t go away

Fleeting

Like happinesses

And opportunities

Stay a but longer

I need to savour

The high

Before the fall

Into sweet oblivion

Oh passing moments

Make my mortal soul

Immortal

In memory

In poetry

In a sad sonnet

Let me outlive

My legacy

Be it in pressed flowers

Pinned to pages

Or severed wings

Held in boxes

Though reminiscent

Of something

But never quite the same

As living

Oh life

Infuse within me

The valour

To keep going

When every sign

Says to stop

Make me wary

Of guises

And learn

The true essence

Of living

Albeit fleeting

Yet forever

Permanent

Gloom

By Manahil Farooq

In the quiet, still night

The charm of darkness invaded her soul

For the moments of peace

When everybody was asleep

It was her tired soul

That kept her awake

Stuck in an ocean of futile thoughts

What immense pain to her it had brought

Endeavouring to fight against

A million intrusive thoughts

Remembering all the tragedies

Her achievements proved worthless

And thus was lost another life

Gloom and hopelessness prevailed