طافوا بقبرك والدموع سجام

ولكل قلب لوعة وأوام

They circled your grave, their tears streaming,

And every heart held anguish and burning thirst.

قبر تضمن آية قدسية

رفعت فأكبر شأنها الإسلام

A grave that enshrined a sacred sign,

Exalted, its stature revered by Islam.

يا مضجع التقوى ويا جدث التقى

بكرت عليك تحية وسلام

O resting place of piety, O tomb of godliness,

At dawn, a greeting and peace came upon you.

ومجدد الإسلام بعد دثوره

حياك من صوب النعيم غمام

And O renewer of Islam after its fading,

A cloud from the quarter of bliss saluted you.

للمسلمين بكل عام موقف

فيه المآتم للتقى تقام

For Muslims there is a gathering every year,

Where mourning assemblies are held for piety.

فيه الرزية لا يزال لدكرها

حزن تجدده لنا الأعوام

There, the calamity is remembered with an unending

Grief that the years renew for us.

يا آية النور الذي فيه انجلى

المتقابلان الظلم والاظلام

O sign of light, in which were dispelled

The two opposing forces: injustice and darkness.

لك اية القلم الذي لشباته

دانت ضباها البيض والأقلام

Yours is the marvel of the pen, to whose point

The edges of bright swords and the pens submitted.

أضحت ملوك الأرض وهي مروعة

بيراعة نفذت لها الأحكام

The kings of the earth were stricken with dread

By a reed pen whose decrees were enforced.

حاطت حمى الدين الحنيف عن العدى

وغدت لدين الله وهي عصام

It guarded the sanctuary of the upright faith against foes,

And became a safeguard for God's religion.

كم من يدلك لا يقوم بشكرها

نثر وليس يحدهن نظام

How many favors of yours cannot be duly thanked

By prose, nor can verse encompass them.

حررت من رق الأسار معاشراً

كانت تسام مذلة وتضام

You freed communities from the bondage of captivity,

They had been subjected to humiliation and wrong.

نهضوا ولكن واثقين بقائد

بيديه كان النقض والأبرام

They rose, but with confidence in a leader

In whose hands lay the power to undo and bind.

فد كنت ترعاهم بعين عناية

يقضى وتسهر والعيون نيام

Indeed, you watched over them with a caring eye,

Wakeful, you kept vigil while other eyes slept.

أحييت مجدا للعراق وأهله

لله محي المجد وهو رمام

You revived glory for Iraq and its people;

How splendid the reviver of glory when it lay in decay!

فالشعب يحكم نفسه في نفسه

وعليه عترة أحمد حكام

Thus the people govern themselves from within,

With Ahmad's kin as rulers over them.

وأطاعك الشرق العصي فأهله

إن سرت ساروا أو أقمت أقاموا

And the unruly East obeyed you; its people

Went when you went, or stayed when you stayed.

كنت القوي على الخطوب تقلها

بضعيف جسمك والخطوب جسام

You were strong against calamities, bearing them

With your frail body, though those calamities were immense.

كنت المنار بلا ضلال لمهتد

رفعت له من نورك الأعلام

You were a beacon without error for one seeking guidance;

From your light you raised banners for him.

ونهضت مضطلعاً بكل عظيمة

منها ينوء متالع وشمام

And you rose, shouldering every mighty burden

Beneath which Mutaliʿ and Shamam would stagger.

وهديتنا نهج السبيل وحبذا

نهج نسير به وأنت إمام

You guided us to the path—how excellent

A path we tread with you as our imam!

وسننت في حفظ الشريعة منهجاً

تمشي به علماؤنا الأعلام

And to preserve the sacred law, you laid down a course

Along which our eminent scholars walk.

شرع النبي محمد بمحمد

قد عز جانبه فليس يرام

The law of the Prophet Muhammad, through Muhammad,

Has grown so strong that it cannot be assailed.

فله الشجاعة في العدى وله التقى

لله فهو الناسك الضرغام

His is courage against foes, and his is piety

Before God: he is the devout worshipper, the lion.

ما كان عهد الناس قبل نهوضه

إن المدارس للأسود آجام

Before he rose, people had never known

That schools were thickets for lions.

ومسدد الآراء يقصد ان رمى

غرض الصواب كأنهن سهام

And, directing his opinions aright, whenever he shot he aimed

At the mark of right judgment, as though they were arrows.

لله قد نجحت سريرة قصده

إن السرائر بعضها الهام

How admirable—his inward purpose has succeeded!

Indeed, some inner thoughts are inspiration.

يا باعثاً روح الحياة لأمة

قد فارقت أرواحنا الأجسام

O reviver of life's spirit in a nation:

Our souls had already parted from our bodies.

ألفت شملهم الشتيت فأصبحوا

وهم يد تسطو وأنت حسام

You united their scattered ranks, so they became

A striking hand, and you a keen sword.

حرمات دين بينهم محفوظة

وأخوة فكأنهم أرحام

The sanctities of religion are safeguarded among them,

And brotherhood too, as though they were blood kin.

وعهدت في أهل الكتاب بسيرة

فيها عهود رعاية وذمام

And you enjoined a way of dealing with the People of the Book,

In it were covenants of care and protection.

فضميرك التقوى وظاهرك الهدى

وفعالك الإحسان والإنعام

Thus your conscience is piety, your outward bearing guidance,

And your deeds are kindness and generosity.

عدل وإحسان وارفة والد

فلتبك خير أب لها الأيتام

Justice, kindness, and a father's tenderness—

So let the orphans weep for the best father they had.

إن الوجود به تحلى جوهراً

قد زان صدر الدهر منه وسام

Indeed, existence adorned itself with him as a jewel;

As a medal, he has graced the breast of time.

لولا الغلو لقلت إن ضريعه

حرم على من زاره الأحرام

Were it not for exaggeration, I would say his tomb

Is a sanctuary, requiring pilgrim consecration of those who visit it.

وسيجمع التاريخ من اثاره

ورداً له صحف العلى أكمام

And history will gather from his legacy

Roses, with the pages of glory as their calyxes.

شرفت بأعظمك الزكية تربة

حق لها التعظيم والإكرام

A patch of earth was ennobled by your pure bones;

It rightly deserves veneration and honor.

لله نفسك انها قدسية

والنفس عند ذوي الحجي اقسام

How wondrous your soul: it is holy,

And, in the eyes of the wise, souls are of different kinds.

فسعدت حيا والإمامة رتبة

وسعدت ميتا والجنان مقام

Thus you were blessed in life, the imamate your rank,

And blessed in death, the gardens of Paradise your abode.

فجزيت خيراً من عميد مصلح

لا زال يذكر فضله الإسلام

So may you be well rewarded as a reforming leader;

May Islam never cease to recall his merit.