I dreamed I was in heaven Where an angel kept God

         I dreamed I was in heaven
         Where an angel kept God's book.
         He was writing so intently
         I just had to take a look.

         It was not, at first, his writing
         That made me stop and think
         But the fluid in the bottle
         That was marked eternal ink.

         This ink was most amazing,
         Dark black upon his blotter
         But as it touched the parchment
         It became as clear as water.

         The angel kept on writing,
         But as quickly as a wink
         The words were disappearing
         With that strange eternal ink.

         The angel took no notice,
         But kept writing on and on.
         He turned each page and filled it
         Till all its space was gone.

         I thought he wrote to no avail,
         His efforts were so vain
         For he wrote a thousand pages
         That he'd never read again.

         And as I watched and wondered that
         This awesome sight was mine,
         I actually saw a word stay black
         As it dried upon the line.

         The angel wrote and I thought I saw
         A look of satisfaction.
         At last he had some print to show
         For all his earnest action.

         A line or two dried dark and stayed
         As black as black can be,
         But strangely the next paragraph
         Became invisible to see.

         The book was getting fuller,
         The angel's records true,
         But most of it was blank, with
         Just a few words coming through.

         I knew there was some reason,
         But as hard as I could think,
         I couldn't grasp the significance
         Of that eternal ink.
         The mystery burned within me,
         And I finally dared to ask
         The angel to explain to me
         Of his amazing task.

         And what I heard was frightful
         As the angel turned his head.
         He looked directly at me,
         And this is what he said...

         I know you stand and wonder
         At what my writing's worth
         But God has told me to record
         The lives of those on earth.

         The book that I am filling
         Is an accurate account
         Of every word and action
         And to what they do amount.

         And since you have been watching
         I must tell you what is true;
         The details of my journal
         Are the strict accounts of YOU.

         The Lord asked me to watch you
         As each day you worked and played.
         I saw you as you went to the masjid,
         I saw you as you prayed.

         But I was told to document
         Your life through all the week.
         I wrote when you were proud and bold,
         I wrote when you were meek.

         I recorded all your attitudes
         Whether they were good or bad.
         I was sorry that I had to write
         The things that make God sad.

         So now I'll tell the wonder
         Of this eternal ink,
         For the reason for its mystery
         Should make you stop and think.

         This ink that God created
         To help me keep my journal
         Will only keep a record of
         Things that are eternal.

         So much of life is wasted
         On things that matter not
         So instead of my erasing,
         Smudging ink and ugly blot.

         I just keep writing faithfully and
         Let the ink do all the rest
         For it is able to decide
         What's useless and what's best.

         And God ordained that as I write
         Of all you do and say
         Your deeds that count for nothing
         Will just disappear away.

         When books are opened someday,
         As sure as heaven is true;
         The Lord's eternal ink will tell
         What mattered most to you.

         If you just lived to please yourself
         The pages will be bare,
         And God will issue no reward
         For you when you get there.

         In fact, you'll be embarrassed,
         You will hang your head in shame
         Because you did not give yourself
         In love to Allah's Name.

         Yet maybe there will be a few
         Recorded lines that stayed
         That showed the times you truly cared,
         Sincerely loved and prayed.

         But you will always wonder
         As you enter heaven's door
         How much more glad you would have been
         If only you'd done more.

         For I record as God sees,
         I don't stop to even think
         Because the truth is written
         With God's eternal ink.

         When I heard the angel's story
         I fell down and wept and cried
         For as yet I still was dreaming
         I hadn't really died.

         And I said:  O angel tell the Lord
         That soon as I awake
         I'll live my life for Allah-
         I'll do all for His dear sake.

         I'll give in full surrender;
         I'll do all He wants me to;
         I'll turn my back on self and sin
         And whatever isn't true.

         And though the way seems long and rough
         I promise to endure.
         I'm determined to pursue the things
         That are holy, clean and pure.

         With Allah as my helper,
         I will win lost souls to Thee,
         For I know that they will live with Allah
         For all eternity.

         And that's what really matters
         When my life on earth is gone
         That I will stand before the Lord
         And hear Him say, well done.

         For is it really worth it
         As my life lies at the brink?
         And I realize that God keeps books
         With His eternal ink.

         Should all my life be focused
         On things that turn to dust?
         From this point on I'll serve the Lord;
         I can, I will, I must!

         I will NOT send blank pages
         Up to God's majestic throne
         For where that record's going now
         Is my eternal home.

         I'm giving all to Allah
         I now have seen the link
         For I saw an angel write my life