Question

What is the theme of the poem Abou Ben Adhem

Answer 1

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 reply Abou heard was 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 was negative. He then politely requested the angel to write his name as those people who love God’s fellow men. The angle wrote and disappeared.

The other night, it came again with a still glistening light and displayed the names of people whom God had blessed. Abou Ben Adhem saw that his name was on the top of the list and it led all the rest.

Answer 2

The poem ultimately argues that love of humankind is love of God—because people are God's creation. In essence, the poem is saying that anyone who claims to love God, without putting this into practice first through a love for their fellow human beings, doesn't really love God at all.