This background is from the website https://cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides8/Abou.html
Abou Ben Adhem" is a poem that tells a little story
about the importance of loving one's fellow human beings. Leigh Hunt based the poem on a story in a
French book, Bibliothèque Orientale, by Barthélemy d'Herbelot de Molainville
Abou Ben Adhem was a Muslim mystic, or Sufi, in Persia
who was venerated as a saint after his death (circa AD 777). Writers of
English-language religion and history books usually refer to him as Ibrahim ibn
(or bin) Adham. Like the famous Roman
Catholic ascetic, Saint Francis of Assisi, Ibrahim ibn Adham gave up a life of
luxury in exchange for a simple life devoted to his fellow man and to God.
Ibrahim's description of the moment of his conversion to a new lifestyle
appears in Tabaqat al-Sufiya, a book about Sufism by Abu Abd al-Rahman
al-Sulami, who died in AD 1021.
My father was one of the princes
of Khurasan, and I was a youth, and rode to the chase. I went out one day on a
horse of mine, with my dog along, and raised a hare or fox. While I was chasing
it, I heard the voice of an unseen speaker say, "Oh Ibrahim, for this wast
thou created? Is it this thou wast commanded to do?" I felt dread, and
stopped—then I began again, and urged my horse on. Three times it happened,
like that. Then I heard the voice—from the horn of my saddle, by God!—saying,
"It was not for this thou wast created! It is not this thou wast commanded
to perform!" I dismounted then, and came across one of my father's
shepherds, and took from him his woolen tunic and put it on. I gave him my mare
and all I had with me in exchange, and turned my steps toward Mecca. (Quoted in
Arthur John Arberry, trans. An Account of the Mystics of Islam. London, George
Allen & Unwin Ltd., 1950)
And here is the poem itself. A little gem, best read out loud.
Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe
increase!)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of
peace,
And saw, within the moonlight in his
room,
Making it rich, and like a lily in
bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold:—
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem
bold,
And to the presence in the room he
said,
"What writest thou?"—The
vision raised its head,
And with a look made of all sweet
accord,
Answered, "The names of those
who love the Lord."
"And is mine one?" said
Abou. "Nay, not so,"
Replied the angel. Abou spoke more
low,
But cheerly still; and said, "I
pray thee, then,
Write me as one that loves his
fellow men."
The angel wrote, and vanished. The
next night
It came again with a great wakening
light,
And showed the names whom love of
God had blest,
And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the
rest.
Leigh
Hunt
