In my previous post (dated January 27, 2014) I had published a soul touching poem by Kanti Akhtar written after returning from Madinah – the city of Holy Prophet (pbuh).
Prior to that web post, I had introduced the poem to everyone in my circle through e-mail.
Below I am reproducing the responses I received from my readers sent at my email address. They are listed here chronologically in the order they were received.
1. Masood Ali Khan, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
This is really something special from your better half….
what all I can say, this is fazal and nazar of our beloved Prophet on her …
Definitely she is blessed there…..
This will come only after the blessings…
2. Hassan Sharif, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
This is as evocative as one can get about this city of enlightenment!
I am absolutely wonderstruck about the feelings it inspires, to say anything more
would be too insouciant.
3. Syed Farid Maharaj, Ajmer, India
Excellent !. Please keep us connected with your radiant self…,
Congratulation to Kanti Bhabi.
4. Ahsanul Haque, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
True feelings….I admire the hidden talent in bhabhee
5. Kunigal Azizullah Shariff, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Alhamdolillah a very soothing poetry for the inner feelings striking all the right cords to enlighten the soul and provide the fodder for future.
May Allah SWT Bless Kanti Bhabi for a marvelous creation.
6. Hafiz Ishtiaq Talib, Toronto, Canada
I just read the poem written by Kanti Bhabi.
I am very pleased and totally thrilled by it.
Please convey my heart felt congratulations to her.
May Allah SW bless her for the beautiful thoughts and true feelings.
7. M.Z. Anis, Kolkata, India
It is a very nice touching poem & perhaps its greatest benefit to us will come – as the poetess herself says – “if we follow Prophet’s footsteps with hearts pure”
8. Salikah Iqbal, Toronto, Canada
Poem is beautiful
9. Ekramul Hoque Sarkar, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Since it is from your better half we expected the best and it is true feeling. Maashallah
10. Syed Jalal Quadri, Chicago, USA
Subhan Allah!!
Very touchy expression reflecting the sacred city’s surroundings and its attributes and the spiritual impact of its visitors which are hard to describe.
May Allah swt increase more and more attachment and reverence. Jazakallah!!
11. Siraj Iqbal, Toronto, Canada
It is very rhythmic, lots of good advice.
We need in this present time day to day.
If I am permitted I would like to share the poem with my friends.
12. Naveed Akhtar, Mississauga, Canada
It is a very nice poem. I think it has captured the feel of Madinah beautifully.
You can actually visualize this poem.
13. Syed Rashiq Ahmad, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Great !.MashaAllah !. Bahut khoob !. Keya kahne hain !. Wah wah, wah wah !
14. Rachid Ochletree, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Mashallah, very touching.
15. Mohammed Rahim Khan, Chicago, USA
Congratulations to both of you. It is great. .Poem like this can be written only when one has great knowledge, thoughts and vision. This is not just a poem but a gist of the knowledge both of you possess.
16. Dr. Syed Zafar Hafiz, Tanuma, Saudi Arabia
Nice poem! Mabrook!
17. Farrukh Shahab, Detroit, USA
It is really a heart touching poem. It is true that good things come to good people. Please congratulate her on this achievement and please keep up the good work.
18. Nazish Bin Zain, Bangalore, India
Subhan-Allah! what a beautiful poem !. This eloquently conveys the spirit and holiness of the city as well as the Prophet (PBUH). Very remarkable given that she composed it in a day.
19. Abdul Wasay, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Excellent expression of soul & thought; Deeply impressed specially by “Unworthy Blind”
Jazakallah Khair
20. Enam Khan, Patna, India
Very good poem and it reminds my visit in 2012
21. Razia Anees, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
I feel special that you have asked for my opinion on Kanti’s masterpiece.
A visit to Medina usually makes most of us very emotional but to be able to express it in such a beautiful manner……I am speechless.
This confirms the fact that Allah has endowed Kanti with a special talent. Use it Kanti, let us have some more.
22. Almas and Akhtar Baqa, Missisauga, Canada
It is beautiful and heart touching feeling. May Allah bless you and your family!
23. Kamal Ashraf & Sumbul, Winnipeg, Canada
This is so nice and heart touching poem.
She wrote this poem such a beautiful way, I feel she gave words to every one’s feelings.
I feel who ever will read this poem will like so much.
24. Jawed Hassan, Bahrain
It was really worthy to read the poem on our Prophet (PUBH).
Jazak Allah Khair! Ma’sallam wa Khairun Inshallah,
25. Junaid Zuberi, Mississauga, Canada
Thank you so much for sharing. This is indeed beautifully expressed.
26. Anees Ahmed, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Beautifully rendered Bless you Kanti Akhtar!
27. Malik and Jenneth, Missisauga, Canada
Wow! That’s very sincere and beautifully composed. I can feel a sense of spiritually being aroused. Jazakallah khairan
28. Shahnaz and Irfan Khan, Hyderabad, India
Thanks for the Natiya kalam.
We both read it again and again and the more we read the more our hearts were filled with Hubbe Rasool
New meanings and nuances came to our mind —it reflects outpourings of someone who is emotionally and spiritually stirred and is irresistibly attracted to Rasool and Madinah—-it is indeed very brilliantly worded and the translation of Madinah Monawwara is also very apt.
There is only AAMAD and no AWURD in this Naat —written based on heart- felt and genuine feelings- oozing out all the way– you wrote what you felt.
I have always respected the quietly brilliant and unassuming Kanti but after reading this soulful Naat written spontaneously, I believe if you “feel” like you can be a very good poet also. I did not know this so- far- hidden talent.
sorry for delay in expressing our deep appreciation of the brilliant renderings of the feelings of a devout pilgrim to Madina.
29. Nour Syed, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
YA ALLAH ITNI MOHABBAT KE SAATH IS PYARI TEHREER KE LIKHNEY WALEY KO DUNIYA AUR AKHIRAT MEIN AALA MUQAM ATA FARMA. YA ALLAH HUM GUNAHGARUN KU JALD AZ JALD AUR BAR BAR JAAN SE ZYADA AZIZ PYAREY NABI (PBUH) KE MADINA PAK KI ZIYARAT NASEEB FARMA (AMEEN)
JAZAKALLAH KHAIR
30. Shahood Alam, Mumbai, India
Wonderful! Bhabhi is a Great Poet. Please keep writing such thoughtful lines again and again. Allah Hafiz
31. Azam Khan, Qatar
My wife and myself both read the beautiful poem written by bhabi. Poem is really very well written and expresses the heart felt feelings one can experience in Madinah Munawwara.
32. Mukhtar Nabi, Los Angeles, USA
Great!. Feelings put together very very nicely. May Allah give you all you wished for!
Remember us in your prayers.
33. Meerza Hasan Nizami Rumi, Brantford, Canada
MashAllah! I am impressed! What a beautiful Na’at! No doubt, Kanti bhabi has written it with the power of love but with genuine humility. Hence, it is not only a NA’AT but a DUA too, as evident in the first and last couplet.
This poem brings forward a spontaneous flow of respectful words for our Prophet SAW. This is why; every couplet seems to emanate fragrance of our Prophet’s courtyard.
While reading this NA’AT of Kanti bhabi, again and again this thought came to mind that how fortunate she is to partake in the celebration of Mawlid in a real way. I have no doubt that unless and until, it is willed by the Prophet SAW himself, it is impossible to find proper words to praise Him. After all, He is a Being about whom Allah says:
Wa Raf’Ana laka Zikrak!
Allama Iqbal nae ‘khyalaat ki balandi’ ki munasibat sae saheeh farmaya hai
Dil se jo baat nikalti hai asar rakhti hai
Par nahin taqat-e parwaaz magar rakhti hai
And this sweet NA’AT is a vivid example of such height of heights.
34. Mohammed Alam, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
How should I express! It’s beautiful.
Many many thanks for including me. I have forwarded the same to my two daughters, only son & other dearest one. I am sorry for not taking your permission. With kind regards
35. Sarfaraz Khithani, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
SubhanAllah, is all I can say. It is like something spoken by the tongue of the heart. It conveys the love of the Creator’s Beloved & their prayers too.
My congratulations to your wife. Duagoh to both of you & Jazak Allah Khair.
36. Wael Amer, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
It is a very good poem…..Best Regards,
37. Dr. Md.Firoze, Kolkata, India
I didn’t know that your better half is a poetess too. The poem on Madinah by her in English is really touching and it seems that it has come out from the depth of her heart.
I congratulate her for such a poetic venture and hope she would continue doing so in future.
38. Danish Hassan, India
Indeed it is a nice poem!. Can I share it with my friends??.
39. Kamal Ather, Mississauga, Canada
Sayeed sahib, this is a very touching poem from bhabi. This shows great love and respect.
But I like most was ‘ keep us connected’, and I say Ameen, Ameen Ameen.
Please convey my salaam and congratulations to Kanti bhabi
40. Abdul Mujeeb, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
When you asked my feelings about the poem written by Bhabi,I am forced to give my expressions even though I never dare to write or speak in front of both of yours highly acquired & bestowed knowledge. We have already benefited so much with your company Alhamdolillah. Regarding her poem, it is superb and shows a real hazri/presence at Madinah al Munawwarah. She has talents and further blessed by Huzoor-e-Pak when she intended to do so. So many ladies visit there but hardly anybody expressed in such a beautiful way.
41. Fizza and Asdarul Haque, Karachi, Pakistan
We just read your poem, a beautiful and indeed full discription of Madina in very few words. Last two verses are universal feelings of we think every visitor of Madina.
Thank-you for sharing such a beautiful sentiment…
42. Sameer Akhtar, Mississauga, Canada
It is so beautiful, I can’t express in words.
Made me cry.
I am reminded that the Prophet (pbuh) told us we will be with those whom we love.
43. Rashid Ahmed, Mississauga, Canada
I read the poem. it was really heart touching, tell your better half to keep up the good work. Regards..
44. Jafar Ali, Saudi Arabia
Very nice. I have shared it with my friends in Facebook
45. Mohammad Shamim, Houston, USA
Masha Allah a heart touching poem written by bhabi is really her best feeling and also of all Muslim Ummah .Say my best regards and Salam to her.
46. Samreen Zain, Dubai, UAE
It is very touching and spiritual. And Kudos to bhabhi’s poetry skills.
My heartiest wishes on her beautiful poem!.
47. Syed Ameen, Maryland, USA
Kanti is not just a better-half, but a talented-half as well. You are good in composing poems in Urdu which happens to be your mother tongue. Kanti is a great Shaa-er in English – a much challenging task because English is not her mother tongue.
Hats-off to Kanti for composing such a heart touching Na’at in English.
48. Raheela Naseem, Mississauga, Canada
Saeed bhai, We just read the poem written by our dear Kanti. It made us speechless, beautifully written and reflects her emotions very well.
Salams and please forward mine and Naseem’s Mubarak to Kanti for such a beautiful poem
49. Syed Zulwiqar, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Thanks for sharing this beautiful poem, congratulations to your much better half
Madinah Al Munawwarah is glowing with light purest of the pure. Characteristic of the light is its continuity without gap. Hearts, filled with love can only sight this shining light.
The poem is a reflection of this enlightenment
50. Tasneem Banu, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Straight from the heart .beautifully described in simple words
As mentioned in the beginning the above messages were sent to me by e-mail. There were others who commented and commended on phone.
When asked about her feelings regarding all these approving and appreciating responses to her poem, reply of the poetess was “I am immensely moved and overwhelmed. My sincere thanks to all”