Mallam Ahmed Abdulkadir

And, these days, everywhere seems empty
except for frightened people and disarrayed countrymen,
who kneel to pray and wait for the intervention of the
Ever Watchful, before Whom neither Kidnapper escapes justice,
nor kidnapped is forgotten.
The perverse intrudes into privacies to desecrate
and defile the innocent and wreck belongings,
dispossess families of dignity and decorum
the manner of which no account is adequate
nor lamentation worthy the grief of the affected.
Ahmed Abdulkadir and Laila’s abduction
reverberates even in the ravines.
I cannot imagine the agony of a 15 year old
which, to the co-kidnapped father, traumatises
ever more than the infinite twinge they both are in.
We live with the thoughts of both of you,
and continue to pray, dear brother, for your safe return,
along with Laila and all seized countrymen.
“And We will surely test you with a measure of fear
and hunger and loss of wealth and lives and fruits,
but give glad tidings to the patiently persevering, Who,
when disaster strikes them, say, Inna lilLaHi wa inna ilaiHi raaji’un.
Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy,
And it is they who are the [rightly] guided”.