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Requital

By John Greenleaf Whittier

Topics: classic

As Islam's Prophet, when his last day drew     Nigh to its close, besought all men to say     Whom he had wronged, to whom he then should pay     A debt forgotten, or for pardon sue,     And, through the silence of his weeping friends,     A strange voice cried: "Thou owest me a debt,"     "Allah be praised!" he answered. "Even yet     He gives me power to make to thee amends.     O friend! I thank thee for thy timely word."     So runs the tale. Its lesson all may heed,     For all have sinned in thought, or word, or deed,     Or, like the Prophet, through neglect have erred.     All need forgiveness, all have debts to pay     Ere the night cometh, while it still is day

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"As Islam's Prophet, when his last day drew..."

This evocative piece by John Greenleaf Whittier, titled "Requital", represents a masterful exploration of classic. The lines capture a profound emotional resonance... ### Why We Love This Line At Linespedia, we believe that poetry is the ultimate sanctuary for the soul...

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Author:John Greenleaf Whittier

"As Islam's Prophet, when his last day drew..." by John Greenleaf Whittier

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"The Text is taken from Percy's Reliques (1765), vol. i. p. 71, 'given from two MS. copies, transmitted from Scotland.' Herd had a very similar bal"

John Greenleaf Whittier

About John Greenleaf Whittier

John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–1892) was an American Quaker poet and abolitionist whose poems—including "Snow-Bound" and "Barbara Frietchie"—celebrate New England life and moral courage. He was one of the Fireside Poets and a leading voice against slavery.

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"Gallery of sacred pictures manifold,     A minster..."

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