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“Song of the Bell” by Linda “iLham” Barto is based on a Shi’ite tradition and is an elaboration of a story in which Prophet Muhammed (peace and blessings upon him) has beautifully explained the meaning of the church bell.
Song of the Bell
by Linda “iLham” Barto
(based on a Shi’ite tradition recorded by Bihar)
Ali ibn Abu Talib was Prophet Muhammed’s cousin and son in law. One day Ali was walking into a town with his friend Al Harith al Awar. The clear chime of a church bell split the calm, evening air. The tops of the palm trees seemed to sway with the ringing music.
Ali and Harith walked until they arrived at the steps of a church. Outside, the monk was pulling and then letting go of the long rope hooked to the bell. The bell’s voice responded with every yank of the monk’s strong hand.
Ali said to his friend, “O Harith, do you know what this church bell is saying?”
Harith answered, “Allah (exalted and glorified is He), Allah’s Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), and the Messenger’s cousin (may peace be upon him also) know better than I.”
Ali then explained. “The church bell tells the story of this world and its ruin. It sings this message:
“‘Allah. Allah. Allah.
There is no god but Allah.
Surely, surely. Truly, truly.
Certainly the world has fooled you.
Glitter, glitter. Dazzle, dazzle.
Certainly the world has trapped you.
Vanity, vanity. Frolic, frolic.
O son of this world, take your time.
Ring. Ring. Ring.
O ringer of the bell, take your time.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
O son of this world, call the people.
Chime. Chime. Chime.
O ringer of the bell, assemble the people.
Clamber. Clamber. Clamber.
This world is ruined, moment by moment.
No day passes without a column falling.
People have ruined their everlasting home
And put their hopes in a temporal lodge.
They will not realize all they have lost
Until their lives leave this fleeting place.’”
The chiming of the bell grew louder. The sound peeled furiously across the clear, blue sky. Truth swelled like distant thunder growing nearer and nearer.
Harith addressed Ali in the usual manner of Ali’s closest friends. “O Commander of the Faithful,” Harith said, “Do the Christians know the story of the bell’s message?”
Ali answered, “If they did, they would not worship the Messiah as equal to Allah, but would worship Allah alone, for He is the Wonderful and Almighty Creator of all.”
Harith approached the monk and said to him, “By the right of Jesus the Messiah who has authority over you, continue ringing the church bell. Ring! Ring! Ring!”
The monk yanked the rope more vigorously. The bell sang, one note on top of another. The message grew more furious. “Bong. Bong. Bong.” Wild and sweet, the clambering sounds whisked the air and skirted across the sand dunes. “Clang. Clang Clang.” The monk was becoming breathless. “Dong. Dong. Dong.” Finally the monk felt dizzy. He pulled the rope more gently. “Chime. Chime. Chime.” More softly the bell sang. “Ting-a-ling. Ting-a-ling. Ting-a-ling.” The vast Arabian desert swallowed the final notes. Silence.
Harith then explained to the monk the message of the bell, just as Ali had told it.
The monk listened intently and then asked, “By the right of your Prophet who has authority over you, who told you this message.”
Harith pointed to Ali. “This man,” he said.
The monk asked, “Is he kin to your Prophet?”
Harith answered, “He is the son of the Prophet’s uncle.”
“By the right of your Prophet who has authority over you,” the monk said, “did he learn the song of the bell from your Prophet?”
“He did learn it from the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him),” answered Harith.
The monk was amazed and delighted. “I have read in the Torah,” he said, “of a prophet who is to come at the end of the line of prophets. I have hoped for the prophet who can make all things clear –even the meaning of the church bell. Your Prophet shall be my Prophet.”
After that, the monk believed the message of Islam and preached the truth to his church. “Let us all be bells,” the monk said, “telling Allah’s truth with sounds like music –full of harmony and joy.”
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Comments (3 posted)
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Posted by Hasan Qazi Muizudin , 02 December, 2007 12:49:26This story was enjoyable and ecstatic!
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Posted by Muhammad Abdullah, 02 December, 2007 02:24:57In the name of Allah-the beneficent-the merciful; say, He, Allah is one illah, He on whom all depend. He begets not, nor is he begotten,.and none is like him. As-salamu-alaikum. Alhamdulilah for such a beautiful story. I once read, and Allah knows best that it was said that Ali [ra]of the Sahaba [ra]was like Isa ibn Maryam [raa]. This to me coincides with the Qur'an (41:33). Please continue to write. Allah'u'akbar. Taif'tul'islam.
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Posted by Shamim Siddiqui, 02 December, 2007 02:15:36It is so beautiful, so enchanting and so devoted to God that I felt instantly an integral part of the time when it was sung and heard by Sayedna Ali (RA) and his companion. It touches the heart and moves it so passionately that I would have loved to die instantaneously in His path. Ali's interpretation of the sounds coming out of the ringing bell was the moments of his ecstasy and communion with God that reminded him as the call to God under whatever name it is possible or whatever format it is innovated. He was a great scholar of Islam and he, showing the sense of extreme tolerance to other faiths, advocated and approved it to go on ringing and calling the believers to His worship the way they like . Linda dear, You go on writing such stories through your matured vision of God's Omnipotency as a positive means of Dawah Ilallah. Muslims will take time to appreciate your approach. So you have to bare with them for some time till they see the fruits of your efforts in the field of DI. May Allah bless you.
