This was the First Friday after the Last Friday
The bodies not yet cold in their graves,
The bloodstains on the walls not quite gone
The flowers on the sidewalk not yet wilted
The knees of the faithful not quite worn
The iron willed, the fiery eyed, the strong souled,
They rise
“Allahu-akbar”, begins the takbīr
This was the First Friday after the Last Friday
There were gang bikers on the streets
There stood armed policemen across
There watched thousands of strangers
There with the faithful they stood in solidarity
The bright-smiling, the quiet gaited, the calm minded
They bow
“Subḥāna rabbī l-ʿaẓīm”, recited in ruku’
This was the First Friday after the Last Friday
They stand on the firmest of grounds
They avow in the strongest of terms
They impassion to the deepest of hearts
They love on the greatest of heights
The hand holding, the kind hearted, the soft spoken
They prostrate,
“Subḥāna rabbī al-‘aʿlā,” whispers of sujood
This was the First Friday after Last Friday
The broken do not weep, they are tranquil
The tragedies do not hurt, they are honoured
The martyrs do not die, they are blessed
This day too more walked through the very same doors
This day too they smiled and welcomed their brothers
This day too peace was delivered to all who sought it
The worshippers finish the first of many Salatul Jama’ah to come,
“As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatu llāh”
They took the peace with them