Hira

Enshrouded in the high mantle of night. The darkness of idols, greed in business, Abuse of orphans, widows, women. Here, from the mountain, I see the darkness That enfolds the world. Yet now Another darkness descends on me, A beating of wings, shuddering, as if Beating in my own breath, heart, soul: Shadow everywhere, shadows, all shadow. What moment is this, opening into The very soul of time, what mode of time Unfolding the very breath of Eternity. God. Worlds above, worlds Upon worlds. What weight of universe Descends upon me, spreading through me, Breathing into my lips, through my language A voice from so high yet so deep within Shuddering in Angel breath: O vision At the edge of vision, wherever I turn The dark horizon is lit with the form of Angel, Forcing me, wherever I turn, he stands, Confronts, blinding, colossal, power of light Burning before me yet deep within: Archangel. All the forces of mountain and desert Cry into my heart; the black sky Thunders in my throat: All the sources of life, all sense, all Power of reason, of beauty, the sublime Freeze in this moment, in this cave, All resources of language, lips, eyes, hands Flow and freeze in this one command: Read! Echoing inside me, pounding, Read! My own voice. I hear Myself, from deep within: I cannot, I cannot read. Again the echo, pressing louder, harder: Read! The word, the world, bites In my head, my frame shivering yet Numb: I cannot read. Read! And now, I know the power, know The hour is too great: What shall I read? Read in the Name of Thy Lord... My being is cleft as dread Spreads through this human form: It is both Night and Day, the desert Horizon rises to sky, all heaven Burning over every grain of sand. And here I stand, man Transformed, yearning, Shivering, breathless, touched In spirit, breathing a word The Word. [Hira: The Prophet’s First Revelation in the Cave of Hira on the Mountain of Nur]