Khawaja Abdullah Ahrar
Afghanistan

Editor’s note: This month, we’re celebrating men we love, and so we bring you this poem, by a well-known Afghan poet and writer. (One of our favorite contributors, Alaha Ahrar, is his daughter!)

***

If you call a human an animal:

He will be very upset, disturbed and distressed

If unwittingly a human turns to ignorance

He will become wilder than wolves and leopards

The values of humanity such as

wisdom, education, grace and generosity

differentiate humans from all animals

The human has been created from an adorned spirit;

Therefore, humans are superior to all other beings

God has given dignity to humans;

Even according to the Quran

Humans have been selected as the head of the universe

Why cannot humans understand their own values?

Some become very cruel and unkind to others

Live and adorn your life with morals, ethics and etiquette

Then the name of Human will befit you

The spiritual value of a human is very superior;

Therefore, humans should be the source of beneficence and dignity

Close your eyes so that you do not see who are you helping

Without acknowledging people’s beliefs, serve and benefit everyone equally

If you want to live an honorable life,

Live with morals and ethics!

This is one of the teachings of the schools of mysticism

If you follow this path, you will reach reach the level of the mystics.

When the lights of spirituality and mysticism shine,

The world can become even brighter

***

You can also read the poem in the original Dari:

مقام معنوی انسان

خواجه عبداله احرار

تاریخ نشر پنجشنبه  ۲۲ ثور ۱۳۹۰ – ۱۲ می ۲۰۱۱

به انسان گــر بگــویـنـد نام حیوان

شود آزرده خاطــر، سخت پریشان

زغفلت گــر به سـوی جهـل گـرایـد

شود وحشی تر از گرگ و پـلنگان

به عـقـل و دانش و فضل و مروت

همین است فرق انس ازجمله حیوان

See more poetry by Khawaja Abdullah Ahrar ( in Dari) here and here.

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