Abou Ben Adhem

WORD MEANING OF THE POEM

 

Abou Ben Adhem – This is the Arab or Jewish manner of naming people, it means Abou-son of Adhem

May his tribe increase – a brief blessing after naming a person – meaning: May there be many such people.

Rich – here it is used to mean extremely beautiful

In bloom – fully- opened

Exceeding – very great

Presence – the angel

Vision – the angel

Accord –peace, harmony

Wakening light – a light of hope and goodness, bright light that woke him up

Led - was on top

 

QUESTION/ANSWERS OF THE POEM

 

Q1. - What did Abou see when he awoke one night?

A1. - One night when Abou awoke he saw an angel.

Q2. - Whose name was the angel writing in his book?

A2.-The angel was writing the names of those who loved God.

Q3. - Why did Abou “speak low” on learning the angel’s reply?

A3. - When the angel replied in negative, Abou spoke more low to make a request to the angel to write down his name as a man who loves his fellow men.

Q4. - What did the angel tell Abou on his second visit?

A4. - The angel told Abou on his second visit that his name had been written at the top in the list those whom God had blessed with His love.

Q5. - What do we learn from this poem?

A5. - We learn that we must love mankind if we want to receive God’s love and blessings. God loves those who serve humanity selflessly.

Q6. - Who was Abou Ben Adhem?

A6. - Abou Ben Adhem was a religious man.

Q7. - What was the angel writing in his book of gold?

A7. - The angel was writing the names of those persons who loved God in his book of gold.

Q8. - Write the explanation of ‘may his tribe increase!’

A8. - The poet wishes that the tribe of people like Abou may increase because he was a noble, selfless and virtuous person. He always thought of the good of others.

Q9. - Write the figure of speech used in this line- ‘Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom’

A9. - Simile

Q10. - What did Abou want to know from the angel?

A10. - Abou wanted to know from the angel that what he was writing in his book of gold.

Q11. - What did the angel show to Abou the next night?

A11. - The next night, the angel showed Abou the list of those who were blessed and loved by God.

Q12. - What came as a great surprise?

A12. It was a great surprise that Abou’s name topped the list of those blessed and loved by God.

Assignment

 

1. What kind of person was Abou Ben Adhem?

2. What was the angel writing?

3. Why was Abou not afraid?

4. What is the message of the poem ‘Abou Ben Adhem’?

5. Why did Abou speak in a low voice?

ABOUT THE POET

James Henry Leigh Hunt (19 October 1784 – 28 August 1859), best known as Leigh Hunt, was an English critic, prolific poet, essayist, and journalist and poet. He was a central figure of the Romantic movement in England. He was a close friend of all the great poets of his age. - Wordsworth, Byron, Keats, Shelley. He usually wrote stories in verse some lyrics. The poet says that to love and serve one’s fellowmen is a nobler act than to worship God.

 

ABOUT THE POEM

The poem ‘Abou Ben Adhem ‘is a poem that tells us a story of Abou Ben Adhem. He loved his fellowmen. So he was appreciated by God. We should love God's creation mankind. It pleases God very much. The poet wants to convey that we must love mankind if we want to receive God’s love and blessings. God loves those who serve humanity selflessly.

 

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.

ABOU BEN ADHEM -LEIGH HUNT

 

EXPLANATION OF THE POEM

 

Stanza-1

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;

Ref. to the Context- These lines have been taken from the poem ‘Abou Ben

Adhem’ written by Leigh Hunt. Here poet tells us how Abou was blessed with the love of God.

Explanation – In these lines poet wishes that the tribe of people like Abou may increase. In the first line he tells us that one night Abou was sleeping in his room .He was enjoying a deep dream of peace. Suddenly he was roused from his sleep. His room was full of bright moonlight. It made his room beautiful as a lily in bloom. He saw an angel in his room. The angel was writing something in a book of gold.

 

Stanza-2

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. “

Ref. to the Context- These lines have been taken from the poem ‘Abou Ben Adhem’ written by Leigh Hunt. Here poet tells us how Abou was blessed with the love of God.

Explanation – One night Abou suddenly woke up. He saw an angel was writing something in a book of gold. Abou was not afraid at all. His inner peace had made him bold. He asked the angel without any hesitation what he was writing. The angel raised his head. There was a look of sweetness and purity on his face. He answered Abou that he was writing the names of those who loved God.

 

EXPLANATION OF THE POEM

 

Stanza-3

 

"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. “

 

 

Ref. to the Context- These lines have been taken from the poem ‘Abou Ben

Adhem’ written by Leigh Hunt. Here poet tells us how Abou was blessed with the love of God.

Explanation – One night Abou suddenly woke up. He saw an angel was writing something in a book of gold. The angel told Abou that he was writing the names of those who loved God. Out of curiosity he asked the angel if his name was also there. But the angel honestly replied that his name was not in the list of God’s favourites. Abou felt a little low. But he was still cheerful. He humbly requested to the angel to write him as one who loves his fellowmen. This is the gist of the poem that to love fellow men is as noble a job as to love God himself.

 

EXPLANATION OF THE POEM

 

Stanza-4

 

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.

 

Ref. to the Context- These lines have been taken from the poem ‘Abou Ben Adhem’ written by Leigh Hunt. Here poet tells us how Abou was blessed with the love of God.

Explanation – In this stanza, the angel finished his work and disappeared. The angel fulfilled Ben Adhem's request before disappearing. The next night, the angel came again. His bright light awoke Abou. The angel now reveals the names of those whom God had blessed with His love. Now Abou was surprised that his name had been written at the top. Abou’s love for his fellow human beings proved to be greater than the love for God. In this stanza, the poet tries to pass on the message that no love is greater than the love for fellow men.

SUMMARY OF THE POEM

 

"Abou Ben Adhem" is a poem written by Leigh Hunt. The poem focuses on an event in the life of the Sufi saint Ibrahim bin Adham (Abou Ben Adhem). Abou Ben Adhem” is a short, fable-like poem that suggests people can best express love for God by simply loving their fellow human beings. The wish in the first line that the tribe of people like Abou may increase. One night Abou was sleeping in his room .He was enjoying a deep dream of peace. Suddenly he was roused from his sleep. His room was full of bright moonlight. It made his room beautiful as a lily in bloom. He saw an angel in his room. The angel was writing something in a book of gold. He asked the angel without any hesitation what he was writing. The angel raised his head. There was a look of sweetness and purity on his face. He answered Abou that he was writing the names of those who loved God. Out of curiosity he asked the angel if his name was also there. But the angel honestly replied that his name was not in the list of God’s favourites. Abou felt a little low. But he was still cheerful. He humbly requested to the angel to write him as one who loves his fellowmen. The angel finished his work and disappeared. The next night, the angel come again. His bright light awoke Abou. The angel now reveals the names of those whom God had blessed with His love. Now Abou was surprised that his name had been written at the top.

 

CENTRAL IDEA OF THE POEM

 

‘Abou Ben Adhem is an inspirational poem written by Leigh Hunt. It touches our heart. Nobody can deny the truth it conveys. The poem conveys the message that we must love mankind. When we do so, God is pleased. God blesses us with His infinite love. In the poem Ben Adhem loves his fellowmen which is appreciated by God. Such persons enjoy perfect peace of mind. Their inner peace makes them fearless. God loves those who serve humanity selflessly.