ببابك يا الله عبدك مخبت — Abu Muslim Al Bahlani

ببابك يا اللّه عبدك مخبت

تعلقه باللّه من كل وجهة

At Your door, O God, Your servant is humbly bowed;

his clinging to God is from every direction.

تعلقت باللّه الذي لا إله لي

سواه ولا ضاعت لديه عبودتي

I have clung to God, having no deity

but Him; nor has my servitude been wasted with Him.

تعلقت باللّه العليم بموقفي

وما أنا فيه من ضروب البلية

I have clung to God, who knows my station

and the many kinds of affliction I endure.

تعلقت باللّه العظيم الذي جرت

مقاديره دون اختيار البرية

I have clung to God, the Magnificent, whose

decrees have run their course without creation's choosing.

تعلقت باللّه اللطيف بخلقه

وهذا هدى منه لنفعي وخيرتي

I have clung to God, the Gentle toward His creatures;

this is guidance from Him, for my benefit and welfare.

تعلقت باللّه الكريم ولم تخب

أمان على باب الكريم استقرت

I have clung to God, the Generous; never disappointed are

hopes that have settled at the Generous One's door.

تعلقت باللّه المبر عباده

بلا سبب منهم لدرك المبرة

I have clung to God, who does good to His servants,

without any cause on their part to merit that goodness.

تعلقت باللّه الحليم وإنني

لأعظم شيء في الخطايا خطيئتي

I have clung to God, the Forbearing; as for me,

my sin is surely the gravest thing among sins.

تعلقت باللّه المتين وإنه

لأمتن حبل بالمتين وثيقتي

I have clung to God, the Firm; indeed,

my bond with the Firm One is surely the strongest cord.

تعلقت باللّه المجيد وما انثنى

مؤمل مجد اللّه صدقاً بخيبة

I have clung to God, the Glorious; never has anyone returned

disappointed who sincerely hoped for God's glory.

تعلقت باللّه الحميد بحمده

وسيلة قصدي حمده حسب قدرتي

I have clung to God, the Praiseworthy, by praising Him;

the means to my aim is praising Him as best I can.

تعلقت باللّه الجليل تعلقاً

نسخت به مني ظلال الخليقة

I have clung to God, the Majestic, with a clinging

by which I effaced from myself the shadows of creation.

تعلقت باللّه الولي تعلقاً

أراني ولاء الحق من قبل نشأتي

I have clung to God, the Guardian, with a clinging

that showed me the Real's friendship before I came into being.

تعلقت باللّه العلي تعلقاً

علوت به عن مركزي وطبيعتي

I have clung to God, the Most High, with a clinging

by which I rose above my station and my nature.

تعلقت باللّه الوكيل وقد عدت

على العوادي المهلكات وشدت

I have clung to God, the Trustee, when they rushed

against me—the deadly calamities—and pressed hard.

تعلقت باللّه الكفيل وفضله

عظيم وقد ضاقت علي معيشتي

I have clung to God, the Guarantor; His bounty

is immense, though my livelihood has grown strait for me.

تعلقت باللّه الحفي بأهله

واهليتي للّه فقري وذلتي

I have clung to God, who tenderly cares for His own;

my qualification before God is my poverty and lowliness.

تعلقت باللّه الوهوب وإن لي

بفقري إلى الوهاب فوزاً بغنيتي

I have clung to God, the Bountiful Giver; truly mine is,

through my need of the Bestower, the attainment of all I need.

تعلقت باللّه الحفيظ وحفظه

من السوء في دين ودنيا مجنتي

I have clung to God, the Preserver; His protection

from evil in faith and worldly life is my shield.

تعلقت باللّه الحسيب وقد طغت

أعاديه بغياً فوق حولي وقوتي

I have clung to God, the All-Sufficient, though they have run rampant—

His enemies—in tyranny beyond my might and strength.

تعلقت باللّه السميع استغاثتي

سميع دبيب النمل من فوق صخرة

I have clung to God, who hears my cry for help,

who hears the creeping of ants upon a rock.

تعلقت باللّه البصير بحالتي

بصير خفايا العالمين الدقيقة

I have clung to God, who sees my state,

who sees the subtle secrets of the worlds.

تعلقت باللّه الخبير بوهلتي

إليه واخباتي ورهبي ورغبتي

I have clung to God, the All-Aware of my fearful recourse

to Him, my humble submission, my dread, and my longing.

تعلقت باللّه المقيت عباده

وسبحانه لم تخف عنه عنه ضرورتي

I have clung to God, the Sustainer of His servants;

glory be to Him! My dire need was not hidden from Him—from Him.

تعلقت باللّه العزيز وإن لي

بذي العزة القهار أمنع غيرة

I have clung to God, the Mighty, and mine is,

through the Lord of Might, the Subduer, the surest jealous protection.

تعلقت باللّه المحيط بعلمه

وقدرته سبحانه بالخليقة

I have clung to God, who encompasses with His knowledge

and His power—glory be to Him—all creation.

تعلقت باللّه السلام وقد جرى

على القضاء منه ببؤسي وكربتي

I have clung to God, the Source of Peace, though there has come

upon me His decree of misery and distress.

تعلقت باللّه الذي أنا مؤمن

به وهو ربي مؤمن كل خيفة

I have clung to God, the One in whom I believe;

He is my Lord, who gives safety from every fear.

تعلقت باللّه المهيمن سيدي

على كل شيء من صنوف البرية

I have clung to God, the Guardian, my Master,

over everything of every kind in creation.

تعلقت باللّه الذي جبر النهي

لعرفانه الجبار صدع الرزيَّة

I have clung to God, who compelled the intellects

to know Him, the Restorer of calamity's breach.

تعلقت يا اللّه يا متكبراً

عن الكل باسم الذات اسم الحقيقة

I have clung, O God, O You who are exalted

above all, through the Name of the Essence, the Name of Reality.

تعلقت باللّه الكبير جلاله

بعز اسمك الذاتي في قيد شقوتي

I have clung to God, whose majesty is immense,

by the might of Your essential Name, in the fetter of my wretchedness.

تعلقت باللّه الحكيم بصنعه

بمجد اسمك العلى على كل حضرة

I have clung to God, wise in His making,

by the glory of Your Name, exalted above every Presence.

تعلقت باللّه الرؤف بخلقه

بما لاسمك الذاتي من لطف رأفة

I have clung to God, Compassionate toward His creatures,

through the gentle compassion of Your essential Name.

تعلقت باللّه الرحيم بخلقه

بما وسع اسم الذات مع وسع رحمة

I have clung to God, Merciful toward His creatures,

through what the Name of the Essence embraces, with mercy's vastness.

تعلقت باللّه المليك وحسب من

تعلق باسم اللّه أفخر نسبة

I have clung to God, the Sovereign; sufficient for one

who clings to God's Name is the noblest affiliation.

تعلقت يا اللّه يا حي ضارعاً

باسمك يا قيوم تضراع مخبت

I have clung, O God, O Living One, imploring

by Your Name, O Self-Subsisting One, with a humble servant's plea.

تعلقت يا اللّه يا حق قانتاً

لوجهك فاقبلني على سوء رجعتي

I have clung, O God, O Truth, devoutly

to Your countenance; accept me despite my poor return.

تعلقت يا اللّه يا بر بائناً

وعندك يا فتاح فتحي ونعمتي

I have clung, O God, O Beneficent One, standing apart;

with You, O Opener, are my opening and my blessing.

تعلقت يا اللّه يا واسع العطا

بجودك في فقري وضنك معيشتي

I have clung, O God, O Boundless in giving,

to Your generosity, amid my poverty and straitened livelihood.

تعلقت يا اللّه من حيث أنني

عرفتك يا خلاق مبديء نشأتي

I have clung, O God, because I

have known You, O Creator, Originator of my being.

تعلقت يا اللّه من حيث أنني

رأيت لك الآيات في كل فطرة

I have clung, O God, because I

have seen Your signs in every created nature.

تعلقت يا اللّه من حيث أنني

علمتك بالتكوين والمبدعية

I have clung, O God, because I

have known You through creation and origination.

تعلقت يا اللّه من حيث أنه

يحق لك التوحيد في كل ذرة

I have clung, O God, because

the avowal of oneness is Your due in every atom.

تعلقت يا اللّه من حيث أنه

بتدبيرك الأشياء من غير شركة

I have clung, O God, because

You govern all things without a partner.

تعلقت يا اللّه من حيث أنه

وجودك لم يسبقه ذو قدمية

I have clung, O God, because

Your existence was preceded by no pre-eternal being.

تعلقت يا اللّه من حيث أنه

بقاؤك لا يفنى إلى الأبدية

I have clung, O God, because

Your abiding never perishes, through all eternity.

تعلقت يا اللّه من حيث أنه

جلالك والاكرام مجد الالوهة

I have clung, O God, because

Your majesty and munificence are the glory of divinity.

تعلقت يا اللّه من حيث أنه

لاسمك اسم الذات سلطان وحدة

I have clung, O God, because

Your Name, the Name of the Essence, holds the sovereignty of oneness.

فيا اللّه يا اللّه هذا تعلقي

وأنت مرادي واسم ذاتك لهجتي

So, O God, O God, this is my clinging;

You are my aim, and the Name of Your Essence is my constant utterance.

دعاني قل ادعوا اللّه والفقر مطلقاً

وأنك يا اللّه أهل لدعوتي

“Say: Call upon God” summoned me, as did need without limit,

and the fact that You, O God, are worthy of my invocation.

ونور جلال من أنا اللّه مشرق

سريت به حتى شهود الحقيقة

And the light of majesty from “I am God” shines forth;

I journeyed by it to the witnessing of Reality.

وعز كمال من أنا اللّه باهر

له استسلم الأشياء طوعاً وذلت

And the might of perfection from “I am God” is dazzling;

to it all things have willingly surrendered and bowed low.

وحسن جمال من هو اللّه ظاهر

به نشوة الأرواح تحت الهوية

And the loveliness of beauty from “He is God” is manifest;

through it spirits are enraptured beneath divine Selfhood.

وقفت لك اللهم وقفة حائر

بدهشة عبد بين عز وهيبة

I stood before You, O God, as one bewildered,

in a servant's amazement, between might and awe.

وقفت لك اللهم وقفة ذاكر

باخلاء أركاني وملء طويتي

I stood before You, O God, as one remembering,

emptying my limbs and filling my inward self.

وقفت لك اللهم وقفة خاشع

ملأت بك اللهم سر سريرتي

I stood before You, O God, in humble reverence;

I filled, with You, O God, the secret of my innermost heart.

وقوفي لك اللهم كون أردته

فلاتك خلواً من مراضيك وقفتي

My standing before You, O God, is a state You have willed;

so let my standing not be devoid of what pleases You.

وقوفي باسم الذات يا اللّه خدمة

تحقق كوني خادماً كل حضرة

My standing in the Name of the Essence, O God, is service

that makes me truly a servant of every Presence.

وما غشيتني حضرة لم يكن لها

إلى القطب يا اللّه وصلة نسبة

No Presence has enveloped me without having

a bond of affinity to the Pole, O God.

فما يستمد الكل إلا ببحره

له الحكم في الذاتي والصفتية

For all draw aid only from his ocean;

his is authority in the essential and the attributive.

الهي امحق الأغيار عني بنوره

وخذني به من بين أبحر غفلتي

My God, efface all otherness from me by his light,

and draw me through him from amid the oceans of my heedlessness.

واشرق به يا اللّه نور هدايتي

إليك ووسع في المعارف بسطتي

And make the light of my guidance shine through him, O God,

toward You, and widen my reach in spiritual knowledge.

ولا يك ذكر الحرف حظي ومنصبي

ولكن بذكر المخلصين تثبتي

Let not remembrance of the letter be my portion and station;

but let my steadfastness be in the remembrance of the sincere.

فذكرك بالذكر الحقيقي منصب

ينال بفضل منك لا بفضيلتي

For remembering You with true remembrance is a station

attained through grace from You, not through my own merit.