A Shia Lady in Pain

A Shia Lady in Pain
Originally uploaded by firozeshakirphotographerno1

It rained
chehlum
at shahe marda
in delhi
a very
heavy rain
when
I spotted
this shia lady
fully covered
yet through
my camera eye
I read her pain
her silence
stopped all motion
emotion
just devotion
I heard a whisper
a name
reverberating
in the rain
in the soundless
corridors of my
consciousness
a single name
1400 years pain
the sands of karbala
blowing winds
ya hussain

shah ast hussain
badshah ast hussain
deen ast hussain
deen panah ast hussain
haqqe bina
lailaha ast hussain
a thought so plain
as he lay slain
he gave his head
not his hand
ya hussain

{Hussain is the king, indeed he is the king of kings
Hussain is Deen and also the protector of Deen
He gave his head but not his hand of allegiance in the hand of Yazid
Indeed he was the founder
(Like his grandfather) of the concept of One God}

Just her bare hand, the lines of misery, running criss crossing her lifes pain.. I am not a palmist
but like her I too in my bad times call out ya hussain…

May 2nd, 2007

U