1. He said to me, "Come, let's walk ahead
Through roads of light and darkness intertwined,

2. Cutting through the desert and stars so glad
With strides like those of horses, steady in kind.

3. And when despair and lust and love awaken
Deep in my heart, to steal all of my care,

4. I wavered, then stood up and freely taken
By him, surrendered to him my reins with flair.

5. He said, "Turn back if you wish, for my way
Is thorny, or be patient with my reigns."

6. I said, "You remind me of Moses' friend, my dear,
And so in you has grown my ardent flame.

7. Go where you wish, I shall follow ahead
Then he glanced at me with a smile instead.

8. And so we walked through existence as though
In a grueling race against time we vie,

9. Plucking flowers from the meadows fresh in blow
And strewing them in the paths people walk by.

10. Gathering stars though thousands of years have passed,
Should their light even slightly start to wane.

11. Living life more precious than all that has amassed,
Sweeter than the longings of hearts in pain.

12. My friend! My spirit is flying so high!
What bliss is this?! What station have I come nigh?

13. Wait, look over there, he said. And I spied
In the distance a field full of landmines.

14. I grew uneasy, and desires I'd denied
Began to kindle in my bones supine.

15. He said, "If you wish, you can turn back; or you can tread
Upon hardship with steps instead."

16. I said: After crossing such ordeals, what's ahead?
He said: Whatever glory you wish to be fed.

17. I walked behind him, gardens of eternity
Before me, my destination, my dream.

18. We strode where no winds ever dared to be,
Parting seas of idols, or so it did seem.

19. And here we are, in the far unknown,
He extends to me a goblet of wine, a worldly tone.

20. I said: Alas! Your drink is venom, understand,
Forbidden to me is partaking of wine.

21. He said: Then drink up. I listened to his command,
And nodded farewell to worldly life.

22. And in my hands the goblet shattered to pieces right there,
As he glanced at the fragments with nary a care.

23. Then he turned from me, laughing, nothing to fear,
A heart satisfied, enchanting to hear.

24. And he faded away, as though he was but a dream,
That told me the story of my path in Islam.