Black Holes and Sunrises

The dark blue fortified a foreign feeling,
An enigmatic emotion that was not ready to testify.
‘Twas like ink submerging in the celestial ceiling.
I verify the color that swept the surface of this sky.

What may be declared of that which is not understood
From the depths of a space that cannot be reached?
A hollowing darkness where light never stood
An engulfing entity that cannot be beseeched.

Why do you attempt to achieve another galaxy?
Distraught, then taught, of this universe’s plea
Whilst surviving an existing fallacy
Sought from something that ought not to be.

So, you continue to coexist so simply
Forgetting the nebulas that once burst in the sea,
Deciding the oceans had no need for chastity
Because immorality was always free.

Sunrises do not always represent the certainty.
Through what assurance does one reflect?
‘Twas was the reality of a felicity
When one resides in neglect.

***

The dark blue in this poem represents Islam. It is a color known to stimulate a smoothing effect, just like Islam’s healing effect in our lives. Gradually, our level of imaan increases as the inks fills the celestial ceiling which represents our hearts. I assign a grandiose metaphor to our hearts because they serve as the portal to achieving forgiveness and acceptance of Allah (swt). They hold such potential to unlocking numerous benevolent deeds and sincere acts of worship. If we are still uneasy about certain aspects of Islam, we haven’t actually embraced our deen entirely.

In the second stanza, I begin speaking about those who criticize from a depth of space, also synonymous to ignorance. In this darkness, the nur of Allah (swt) is absent. It is engulfing because it continues to grow by absorbing more hatred and ignorance around it. As Allah (swt) says, “In their heart is a disease, and Allah increases their disease, for them is a painful chastisement, because of the lie they were saying” (2:10).

The disbelievers strengthen their attachment to the dunya, or worldly life. Despite hearing the call to Islam, some still choose to ignore. This also includes our own ummah, which attempts to achieve one worldy satisfaction after the next. Ultimately, they are stuck in the cycle of dunya, a fallacy that misdirects their desires and erodes their beliefs. A life without Islam is the residual of what we highly regard as dunya. How is anyone to decide what morality is? Why do we bend the rules of morality and make exceptions to comfort this dunya when the Quran clearly shows righteous guidance? It is because immorality is free and its pursuit is painless.

I end the poem by stating that sunrises do not always represent the certainty. The sunrise typically identifies the next day. We are always certain that sunrises will happen, because tomorrow always comes. But will it always be that way? Will we live to see the next sunrise? The illusion of the dunya is a temporary felicity. One of the biggest realities in life is death. Apart from the gift of life, we have been divinely presented the gift of Islam from Allah (swt). That is what we must hold on to.