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My religion now is Love alone

From the poems of Al-Maarri

Arab mosaic
Arab mosaic

Tread lightly, for a thousand hearts unseen

Might now be breathing in this misty green;

Here are the herbs that once were pretty cheeks,

Here the remains of those that once have been.

Afearing whom I trust I gain my end,

But trusting, without fear, my friend;

Much better is the Doubt that gives me peace,

Than all the Faiths which in hell-fire may end.

Among us some are great and some are small,

Albeit in wickedness, we’re masters all;

Or, if my fellow men are like myself,

The human race shall always rise and fall.

The air of sin I breathe without restraint;

With selfishness my few good deeds I taint;

I come as I was molded and I go,

But near the vacant shrine of Truth I faint.

A church, a temple, or a Kaba Stone,

Koran or Bible or a martyr’s bone —

All these and more my heart can tolerate

Since my religion now is Love alone.

— from the poems of Al-Maarri


Al-Ma’arri (973–1058) was a blind Arab philosopher and poet, and a controversialist who raised the ire of Muslims for his rationalist positions concerning religion. He rejected the claim that Islam or any other religion — including Christianity and Judaism — possessed the truths they claimed and accused the prophets of being liars. In 2013, during the Syrian conflict, the al-Nursa Front, a branch of al-Qaeda, beheaded a statue of Al Ma’arri either because of his atheism or because it was claimed he was related to the Assad family.

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Arab mosaic
Arab mosaic

Tread lightly, for a thousand hearts unseen

Might now be breathing in this misty green;

Here are the herbs that once were pretty cheeks,

Here the remains of those that once have been.

Afearing whom I trust I gain my end,

But trusting, without fear, my friend;

Much better is the Doubt that gives me peace,

Than all the Faiths which in hell-fire may end.

Among us some are great and some are small,

Albeit in wickedness, we’re masters all;

Or, if my fellow men are like myself,

The human race shall always rise and fall.

The air of sin I breathe without restraint;

With selfishness my few good deeds I taint;

I come as I was molded and I go,

But near the vacant shrine of Truth I faint.

A church, a temple, or a Kaba Stone,

Koran or Bible or a martyr’s bone —

All these and more my heart can tolerate

Since my religion now is Love alone.

— from the poems of Al-Maarri


Al-Ma’arri (973–1058) was a blind Arab philosopher and poet, and a controversialist who raised the ire of Muslims for his rationalist positions concerning religion. He rejected the claim that Islam or any other religion — including Christianity and Judaism — possessed the truths they claimed and accused the prophets of being liars. In 2013, during the Syrian conflict, the al-Nursa Front, a branch of al-Qaeda, beheaded a statue of Al Ma’arri either because of his atheism or because it was claimed he was related to the Assad family.

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