Laylatul Qadr {The Night of Power}
The night of power is better than a thousand months. Therein come down the angels and the Spirit, by Allah’s permission, with every command. Peace it is; until the rise of dawn.
—Al Qadr 97: 3-5
the sacred vigil echoes with sepulchral verses
of the Holy Qur’an. worshippers with heavy hearts
of bitter owls, chorusing when imam
heaps an ocean of prayers
for old bereaved Chibok & the shattered Earth.
because she’s gorgeous than the splendour
of a sylphlike rainbow. because the moon’s orbiting queenly
around the smiles of her facial horizon,
filling me with burning desire to see a lovebird
wintering in the haven of my heart like a bird of paradise
frolicking in the Eden of New Guinea, so i nerve myself
to borrow the Eye of God, for Satan’s immured into chains.
silent melodies of bliss waft through the merciful Ramadan.
tonight, i cast off sleep like a serpent to its skin,
thrown into the belly of witching hour.
i perform ablutions, spread a sheepskin rug,
& face the qibla — the land of Zamzam, where kindness
of water makes it tears of angels. beating brains out,
as sudden as downpour, the words of Sheikh
pop into my head, saying sujood is the foot of God.
from heavens Allah draws himself so nigh when we fall
on our knees; on our faces to the ground,
longing for blessings.
i believe in the power of dua, for prayer can play God
& make the eye of a needle, quite passable
for a herd of horses like bats out of hell.
tonight, i’ve got a date with Laylatul Qadr — the Night of Power,
so i can scale the heights of Meccan charisma.
i want to be the apple of Nashwa’s eye.
o Lord, my hands are raised above mountain tops,
wide open like palms of plantain tree, capable
of hefting a cluster of stars.
o Laylatul Qadr, you’re a good-hearted Samaritan —
be an angel & give me Nashwa.
she’s a special lamp; let me be the xenon to light her world.
ABOUT THE POET
Sani Kasim Ghabi is not only a poet but also a creative writer with several quills in the ink. He holds a BA in English from IBB University, Lapai. He is the patron of Debating and Literary Club at Islamic Leadership Academy, Kuje—Abuja, where he has coached and mentored at least 3 of his students to win the Nigeria Prize for Teen Authors in both poetry and fiction categories respectively. Ghabi lives in the heart of Nigeria, Abuja.
(Instagram: kasimghabi, Facebook: Sani Kasim Ghabi).
