Their world has taken on crimson red and ashen gray and ominous black,
yet their world smells of musk, gardens of paradise.

Their walls have fallen, crumbled,
yet they remain strong, standing
while the world stumbles to its knees.

The world has fallen and yet they have risen. 

As children crumple to the ground,
as babies lose their heartbeat mid-second,
as bombs decimate the entire land,
turning radiant smiles, bustling families into shuhada—

They lift one finger up, proclaiming
Ashadu an laa ilaaha illa Allah 
wa Allahu Akbar.

They say Alhamdulillah,
Alhamdulillah to the Lord of the worlds
who has written this for us.

We watch through iPhones and hi-fi tech,
reclining on soft cushions, shielded in houses 
with walls that still stand.
We worry, about them.
We pray, for them.

Yet they tell us,
Don’t worry about us.
Allah has taken care of us.

Pray for yourselves— 
We worry, not for ourselves
but for you.

Photo by Sidik Kurniawan on Unsplash