Wedding Poem

Usually, in the Pakistani culture, we have a ceremony known as the 'sehra bandi' before the wedding. In this ceremony, someone writes and recites some poetry relevant to the occasion and the family. It is usually in Urdu, but we decided to change things for my brother's wedding and so I wrote and recited it based on Maya Angelou's work. I hope you enjoy it. 

Today we can feel Allah’s presence,

We know He is here.

For what falls on today,

We, indeed, know blessings are near.

Like the silver lining on the darkest cloud,

In all blackness you bring light.

As this auspicious moment falls upon us,

We give our worship to you from morning till night.

The sun has come, the mist has gone,

We see in the distance our long way home.

Hamza will carry the candle of his love,

A prayer of all prayers, against all, his love will rise above.

In the battle of everyday challenges and fears,

He found a rose who will bring faith throughout the years.

Saman’s love hurdles all distances and time,

She says “I was always yours to have, and you were always mine”

A journey they together start,

Side by side, enduring all, never to part.

The sun has come, the mist has gone,

We see in the distance our long way home.

Idris a man who’s goodness of heart shines off his face,

So proud of his son, through Allah’s grace.

All of his children so very lucky and glad,

That for others he is Idris, but to them, he is dad.

Shalina, her courage and beauty of heart, can cure everything and all,

Always managed to catch her children when they would fall.

Since the moment we entered the world, you cared for us like no other,

There is only one way to describe you; the perfect mother.

The sun has come, the mist has gone,

We see in the distance our long way home.

What of Sidhra, Samra, Sarah and Aniqah?

They say with welling hearts, dearest Hamza;

When the first stone looked up at the blazing sun, and the first tree struggled from the forest floor,

We had always loved you more.

Though we fought and had our rows,

Between it all, with us, love always and always grows.

The sun has come, the mist has gone,

We see in the distance our long way home.

Aunts, uncles, cousins and friends,

To you we say a big thankyou, as your love showed no ends.

You may have seen us bludgeoned by circumstance,

Lost, injured, hurt by chance.

We screamed to the heavens, loudly screamed,

Allah sent you, to change our nightmares into dreams.

You stood by us in bad times and good,

We pray for forgiveness for you, as you would.

The sun has come, the mist has gone,

We see in the distance our long way home.

Yakub, Hamida, Alaudin, Khursheed, Rahseed, Mehboob and Farzana,

Jewels we lost to the almighty and wise,

Forgotten are you never for our heart still cries.

You gave a share of your soul to us, when and where your course was run,

You left nothing left undone.

Do not remember them and think that they have gone,

For their memories, legacy and love still lives on.

The sun has come, the mist has gone,

We see in the distance our long way home.

We live everyday as the messenger would,

So humble, so loving, so pure, so simple, so good.

Hamza and Saman, be the best Muslims and people you can be,

In your marriage let Islam, love, happiness, respect and patience be key.

Let it be a strong fire burning through the year’s every day,

And not a dream that faced with reality fades into grey.,

May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

The sun has come, the mist has gone,

We see in the distance, our long way home.