In honour of Sidi Ahmad Zarruq’s maqam in Misrata.

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“Knock it! Burn it! Pulverise it to the ground!”

They cheered uncovering Az Zarruq’s mound.

“In the name of pure and unadulterated tawheed

We cleanse this wretched house of idolatry!

For Allah’s deen this is a clear victory!

And may God curse those who make this dead man their deity!

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They barked and brayed as the saint’s body was removed

A strange old man stood watching their jubilant mood

“What are you staring at old man, do you disapprove?”

Yelled one of the baying gang, derisive and rude.

“I’m staring at a mystifying sight.”

Replied  the strange old man, with eyes intensely bright.

“Oh yer, old man, what seems to you so strange?”

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“What’s strange to me is that the ones whose hearts are dead

Are digging up such a one whose heart is truly alive

An idol, allegedly, has been obliterated

While the idols of your hearts have been exonerated.

But though you have this body, you can never touch his soul,

His soul is with his Lord, privy to all the secrets untold

And while you think you’ve rid the earth of a house of sin,

You’ve just sparked off a battle you can never win

Because you’re not facing rows of swords or warrior jinn

It’s not an emperor, it’s the One and Only Him.”