by Jannah Khan
faragha; as the semesters whirl to a close. Fruitful be the sahar al-layālī of those who seek the ʿulā, annihilating their bodily rāḥah in sweet hopes of Eternal rawḥ and rayḥān!
ifrāgh; as the students pour out of the madrasah gates, unburdened of tear-stained term papers, fervent adʿiyah and nawāfil having left their faces nūrānī – fleeting relief obscures an appallingly bitter, lingering farewell.
fārigh remain the madrasah halls, the classroom walls, library seats, muṣallā rows. chairs forlorn, books untouched, white-boards yet unerased. do the desks weep in my absence?
mufarragh. made empty, vacant, void.
have I returned home or left it behind?
farāgh; remaining restless in my ability to rest. what is time when not filled with ḥamd, thanāʾ and ḥaddatha-nā?
fūrūgh al-ṣabr as empty summer days dwindle on. my count-down lengthens, awaiting their close.
