IN PRAISE OF ALI is one of Charbel Baini's books translated by from Arabic by Naji Mourad, Joseph G. Yamouni, Elias Shaanin

Psalm 9

 -1-

My memory is erasing things,

Extinguishing the glare of thinking.

Renew my memory,

So I can live

And the preaching may live

Upon my lips.

-2-

It matters not what they say of me,

Denomination alters not a person.

Maronite,

Shiite,

Oh Sunni,

The name means little,

And ALLAH is great.

-3-

ALLAH..

Who was sold by merchants,

Upon paper pulpits,

Is dissatisfied

With what transpired

With our religious rituals.

-4-

Glory to He who created you,

A creation the ages won’t repeat,

He sent you to a world

Infested with crime

And is oblivious to His existence.

-5-

Oh Ali..

The world is an egotist,

Dishonest,

Hypocritical

And deceitful.

Help me rid it of evils,

Absorbed through generations.

-6-

I am perturbed

By the world’s madness.

Where freedom is a wave of sins,

Afraid it may sweep my son away,

Casting him upon the shores of wars.

-7-

Extend your hand..

Help me..

My cross is heavy

And I am afraid of falling,

Lest such fall may distance me

And be engulfed by the dust

Of forgetfulness.

-8-

I must create another race,

Capable of understanding

Your teachings,

Unifying all religions.

Which declare “ALLAH” is one.

**