The Faithless Muslim and the Faithful Infidel

A Muslim fought an infidel one day
And as they fought requested time to pray.
He prayed and fought again - the infidel
Then asked for time to say his prayers as well;
He went aside to find a cleaner place
And there before his idol bowed his face.
The Muslim, when he saw him kneel and bow,
Said: “Victory is mine if i strike now.”
But as he raised his sword for that last stroke,
A warning voice from highest heaven spoke:
"O Vicious wretch - from head to foot deceit -
What promises are these, you faithless cheat?
His blade was sheathed when you asked him for time;
For you to strike him now would be a crime,
Have you not read in our Quran the verse
‘Fulfil your promises’? And will you curse
The word you gave? The infidel was true;
He kept his promises? And so should you.
You offer evil in return for good -
With others act as yourself you would!
The infidel kept faith with you, and where
Is your fidelity, for all your prayer?
You are a Muslim, but false piety
Is less than this poor pagan’s loyalty”
The Muslim heard this speech and went apart;
Sweat poured from him, remorse accused his heart.
The pagan saw him as if spell bound stand,
Tears in his eyes, his sword still in his hand,
And asked: “Why do you weep” The man replied:
"My shame is not a matter I can hide”
He told him of the voice that he had heard
Reproaching him when he would break his word,
And ending said: “My tears antcipate
The fury of your vengeance and your hate”
But when the infidel had heard this tale,
His eyes were filled with tears, his face turned pale,
"God censures you for your disloyalty
And guards the life of His sworn enemy,
Can I continue to be faithless now?
I’ll burn my gods, to Allah I will bow,
Expound His law! Too long my heart has lain
In darkness bound by superstition’s chain”
What infidelity you give for love!
But I shall wait until the heavens above
Confront you with the actions you have done
And number them before you, one by one.

~ Farid ud-Din Attar, Manteq at-tair ("The Conference of the Birds"), lines 2693-2721 (assuming I counted correctly).

---------------

From the version masterfully translated from the original Persian by Afkham Darbandi and Dick Davis.

I'm not normally given to reading epic tomes mystical poetry but this book is something else. I recommend. Maybe I'll have time in a few years to read Rumi's Mathnawi or the Diwan-e-Shams-e-Tabrizi. Who knows?