Abou Ben Adhem

Abou Ben Adhem, originally Ibrahim Ben Adhem, was a great ruler of Bulkh that is in Afghanistan. The poem is a real incident happened to Ibrahim Ben Adhem. Ibrahim Ben Adhem was a great and pious saint who led a simple life leaving his kingdom and praying Almighty and serving His fellowmen.

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James Henry Leigh Hunt

James Henry Leigh Hunt, an English poet born in1784 was a journalist and an essayist as well. The one of the major characteristics of his poetry is its spirituality.

Synopsis:

One night Abou awakes from his deep sleep on account of a light that is calm and soothing. Abou finds an Angel in the room writing something in the book of gold . Asking , the Angel replies that he writes the names of those who love Lord. Abou asks whether his name is there. The angel answers in negative then he requests the Angel to write his name among those who love Lord’s fellowmen. The Angel writes and disappears. The next night the Angel comes again and shows Abou the names of those whose love was granted by Lord and Abou’s name was top of the list.

theme / central idea / message

God loves those who love His fellowmen. Loving humanity is the only way to love and be loved by Almighty.

Q/A

Note : Please see questions given in the text book page, 98.

1. He was sleeping soundly in his room.

2. See one

3.He saw the moonlight in the room, that was making it rich like a lily in bloom, and within that light, found an Angel.

4.The Angel was writing ” the names of those who love Almighty “in a book of gold.

5. The exceeding peace made Ben Adhem daring enough to ask the question to the presence in the room, “What writes thou?”

6. He asked the Angel the second time if his name was there but got the answer in negative.

7.No, he wasn’t, he was as cheerful as he was before.

8. Abou pleaded the Angel the third time to write him as one that loved His mankind.

8. Coming the second time, the Angel showed Abou the names of those who were “blessed ” by the love of Lord.

10. Abou’s name was top of the list because he loved Lord’s humanity and in return was awarded by His love.

Note : vision and presence both are used for angel in the poem.

End of the poem