Page 101 - DENG101_Communication Skills-I

Communication Skills-I

Notes 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 cheerily still, and said “I pray thee, then,

Write me as one that loves his fellow men.”
Explanation: Abou Ben Adhem was a religious person. One night when he was sleeping
peacefully in his room, a sparkling light woke him up. He found out that this bright light was
due to the presence of an angel who was writing something in a golden book. Being a pious man,
Abou was not afraid of the Angel and the silence in the room made him more courageous. He
asked the angel what he was writing in the book. The angel replied that that he was writing the
names of all those people who love God. Abou asked the angel curiously if his name was in the
list. The angel replied that his name was not included in the list. Ben doesn’t seem to be too upset
by this and asks the angel to add his name to a list of men who love their fellow men. The angle
heard his request and disappeared.
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 blessed,

And lo! Ben Adhem’s name led all the rest.
Explanation: The other night, it came again in similar circumstances carrying a new book. The
book contained a list of everyone god loves and had blessed. Ben, as a result of his stated love for
humanity, is the first name on the list.

9.1.1 About the Poet

James Henry Leigh Hunt was born in 1784. He was a religious man educated at Christ Hospital.
He then became the editor and writer of a newspaper called The Examiner. His early poems are
The Story of Remini and Endymion. The earliest poems he wrote were published when he was
in school. In English Literature, Leigh Hunt is known for his achievements as an editor, a critic
and an essayist.

9.1.2 Summary and Analysis of the Poem

James Leigh Hunt wrote this poem in 1838. Abou Ben Adhem was a Muslim saint and a Sufi
mystic. The poem conveys the idea that true service of God lies in the service of humanity. God
blesses those people who love their fellow beings. Most of us pay only lip-service to the worship
of God, whatever the religion might be. If each one of us applies to our daily life, what our
religion teaches us the world would be a much better place for each one of us to live.

9.1.3 Keywords

Bloom: The organic process of bearing fl owers
Cheerily: Pleasantly

94 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY