The ideal vehicle to seek knowledge

Poem by Mohamed Edris

Those who really seek knowledge

Take the long road with courage

They go so far but say we are not done yet

As they discover the secret

Always they like to see the highest tutor

Before opening their mouths to utter

Or putting their pens to paper

They are the researchers of love and peace

And scientists of profound tolerance

Wining here and hereafter

That is their matter

They give us wisdom

To live in peace and freedom

They do not rest

Till arranging priorities of interest

But those who try to take the short way

For sure they will be far away

From the source

And their input won’t suffice

That short cut is waste of time and killer of the foot

For it forces us to focus on the branch rather the root

We need scholars who strengthen our unity

And help us to eradicate this poverty

And become good members of the society

Open your mind

And be kind

If not you are way behind

Do not interfere in Allah’s business?

By judging those who verify the two witnesses

Take the knowledge’s journey

It has fountains that pour sweet water of honey!

Fountain of a good attitude and fountain of tolerance

Fountains that clean us from arrogance

In this sweet long road of knowledge

As you study page by page

Extremism vanishes and there will be no damage

Walk through the road of knowledge which is long

While you are young and strong

Knowledge is a long road that we have to sacrifice

And its ideal vehicle is patience

*Mohamed Edris is an Arabic Language teacher at the Islamic Institute of Toronto