Run Toward Light Poem by Mystic Qalandar

Stay away from small fires—
they scorch the skin
but never open the heart.

Run to the flame
that speaks to the heavens,
whose warmth floods the veins,
ignites the spirit,
and clothes love in radiance.

Do not let fearful hearts
dim your glow.
Some breathe smoke,
yet their chests hold no fire—
no light to reveal the real.
They peddle false dawns,
wear crowns of deceit,
and rattle rusted keys
before doors
they will never open.

They twist the songs of your love,
turn centuries-old wine
to vinegar in their grasp.

Do not linger in the market of fools,
where wisdom gathers dust on shelves,
where hypocrites chant verses
like tongueless parrots,
or stack hollow covers
to tempt hollow buyers.
They are the donkey
laden with holy scrolls—
bearing, but never understanding.

In that place, love's wings
crumble like a moth's in flame.
Better to heed the silent call
that has echoed since before time:
'Am I not your Lord? '

Turn from hands tangled in duality,
from circles that speak of truth
but hunger for lies.
Remember—
knowledge dwells in the mosque of your soul,
its minarets ablaze with answers,
its stones shaped by humility.

Those who dwell there
carry lamps—
light upon light—
guiding wanderers
from the valley of shadows.

So run, now, toward that light—
the flame that birthed your being.
And when it fills you,
rise.
For the journey does not end there—
it begins.

Smile…
and step forward,
still burning bright.