بني مِذْحَجٍ ما ثَمَّ من مُتردّدِ

بني مِذْحَجٍ ما ثَمَّ من مُتردّدِ

هُوَ الدِّينُ أو حدُّ الحُسامِ المُهنَّدِ

هُوَ الدِّينُ أو حدُّ الحُسامِ المُهنَّدِ

O sons of Madhhij, there is no room for wavering:

Sons of Madhhij, there is no wavering here:

it is the Faith—or the edge of an Indian-forged sword.

It is the faith or the edge of the Indian-steel sword.

ألا فانظروا سيفَ الإمامِ وبأسَهُ

ألا فانظروا سيفَ الإمامِ وبأسَهُ

تَرَوْا عَجَباً من مشهدٍ ليس بالدَّدِ

تَرَوْا عَجَباً من مشهدٍ ليس بالدَّدِ

Behold, then, the Imam’s sword and his valor:

Behold, then, the Imam's sword and his might;

you shall see a marvel in a spectacle that is no idle sport.

You will see a marvel in a spectacle that is no idle play.

بُلِيتُمْ بمعقودِ اللّواءِ على يدٍ

بُلِيتُمْ بمعقودِ اللّواءِ على يدٍ

يَشُدُّ عليها مالكُ المُلكِ باليدِ

يَشُدُّ عليها مالكُ المُلكِ باليدِ

You were told of the banner’s appointed hour at the hand

You have been tried by one whose banner was bound by a hand

that the Master of all sovereignty strengthens with His own hand.

That the Sovereign of all dominion strengthens with His hand.

بني مِذْحَجٍ ما ظنُّكم بِمُدجَّجٍ

بني مِذْحَجٍ ما ظنُّكم بِمُدجَّجٍ

تُعِمِّمُهُ للحربِ كفُّ مُحمّدِ

تُعِمِّمُهُ للحربِ كفُّ مُحمّدِ

O sons of Madhhij, what think you of an armor-clad warrior

Sons of Madhhij, what do you think of a fully armed warrior

whom Muhammad’s hand has turbaned for war?

Whom Muhammad's hand wraps in a turban for battle?

غزاكم بمن لا تَعرِفُ الحربُ غيرَهم

غزاكم بمن لا تَعرِفُ الحربُ غيرَهم

إذا انتسبَ الأبطالُ في كلِّ مَشهدِ

إذا انتسبَ الأبطالُ في كلِّ مَشهدِ

He marched against you with men besides whom war knows no others,

He marched against you with men whom war knows, and no others,

when heroes proclaim their lineage on every battlefield.

When heroes declare their lineage on every battlefield.

أصابوا من الأسلابِ والسَّبْي ما ابْتَغوا

أصابوا من الأسلابِ والسَّبْي ما ابْتَغوا

وأنتم بمنأَىً بين صَرْعَى وهُجَّدِ

وأنتم بمنأَىً بين صَرْعَى وهُجَّدِ

They won all the spoils and captives they sought,

They took what they sought of spoils and captives,

while you, far from the fray, lay among the slain and the sleeping.

While you were far away, among the fallen and the sleeping.

فلما لَقُوكم قال صاحبُ أمرِهم

فلما لَقُوكم قال صاحبُ أمرِهم

هُوَ الحقُّ مَن يُؤثِرْهُ يَرشَدْ ويهتدِ

هُوَ الحقُّ مَن يُؤثِرْهُ يَرشَدْ ويهتدِ

Then, when they met you, their commander said:

Then, when they met you, their commander said:

“It is the truth: whoever chooses it acts rightly and is guided.

“It is the truth; whoever chooses it will act rightly and find guidance.

فإن تُسْلِمُوا فالله بيني وبينكم

فإن تُسْلِمُوا فالله بيني وبينكم

وإن تُعرِضُوا فالسَّيفُ عَضْبُ المجرَّدِ

وإن تُعرِضُوا فالسَّيفُ عَضْبُ المجرَّدِ

If you embrace Islam, then God stands between me and you;

If you embrace Islam, then God is between me and you;

but if you turn away, the unsheathed sword is keen.”

And if you turn away, the sword is keen and unsheathed.”

صددتم صُدودَ الجاهلينَ وَردَّكم

صددتم صُدودَ الجاهلينَ وَردَّكم

عَنِ الحقِّ رأيٌ طائشٌ لم يُسدَّدِ

عَنِ الحقِّ رأيٌ طائشٌ لم يُسدَّدِ

You turned away as the ignorant do, and you were driven back

You turned away as the ignorant do, and were driven

from the truth by an errant judgment that found no right course.

From the truth by a reckless judgment that had not been set aright.

جَرى النّبلُ يَهوِي وَاسْتطارتْ حِجارةٌ

جَرى النّبلُ يَهوِي وَاسْتطارتْ حِجارةٌ

تتابعُ شتَّى بين مَثنىً وموْحَدِ

تتابعُ شتَّى بين مَثنىً وموْحَدِ

Arrows sped, plunging, and stones went flying,

Arrows sped, plunging down, and stones flew aloft,

following one another in scattered volleys, now in twos, now singly.

Following one another, scattered, in pairs and singly.

رَمَيْتُم بها جُندَ النبيِّ وإنّما

رَمَيْتُم بها جُندَ النبيِّ وإنّما

رميتم بأحلامٍ عَوازِبَ شُرَّدِ

رميتم بأحلامٍ عَوازِبَ شُرَّدِ

You hurled them at the Prophet’s troops, but in truth

You pelted the Prophet's troops with them, but in truth

you hurled them with absent minds, wandering wildly astray.

You hurled only stray, wandering notions.

مضى السّيفُ يَجزيكم على الشرِّ مِثلَهُ

مضى السّيفُ يَجزيكم على الشرِّ مِثلَهُ

فلا دَمُكم بَسْلٌ ولا هُو مُعتَدِ

فلا دَمُكم بَسْلٌ ولا هُو مُعتَدِ

The sword went on requiting you evil for evil:

The sword went on, repaying your evil in kind;

your blood was not shed without cause, nor was the sword an aggressor.

For your blood is not inviolable, nor does the sword transgress.

فَولّيتمُ الأدبارَ وارتدَّ جَمعُكم

فَولّيتمُ الأدبارَ وارتدَّ جَمعُكم

شراذمَ شتَّى كالشَّعاعِ المُبدَّدِ

شراذمَ شتَّى كالشَّعاعِ المُبدَّدِ

So you turned your backs, and your host recoiled—

So you turned your backs, and your host retreated,

scattered bands, like rays of light dispersed.

In scattered bands, like dispersed rays.

وآمنَ منكم معشرٌ عادَ جَدُّهم

وآمنَ منكم معشرٌ عادَ جَدُّهم

سعيداً ومن يرغبْ إلى اللهِ يَسْعَدِ

سعيداً ومن يرغبْ إلى اللهِ يَسْعَدِ

Yet a company among you believed, and their fortune returned

And a group among you believed; their fortune turned

auspicious; whoever turns to God shall prosper.

Favorable; and whoever turns to God will find happiness.

وجاءوا فقالوا هذه صدقاتنا

وجاءوا فقالوا هذه صدقاتنا

فَخُذْها بإحسانٍ وإن شئتَ فازْدَدِ

فَخُذْها بإحسانٍ وإن شئتَ فازْدَدِ

They came and said, “These are our alms;

And they came and said: “These are our alms;

take them graciously—and, if you wish, take more.

So take them graciously, and if you wish, take more.

نَدِينُ بأنَّ البِرَّ لا شيءَ مثله

نَدِينُ بأنَّ البِرَّ لا شيءَ مثله

ونبذلُ حقَّ اللهِ غيرَ مُنَكَّدِ

ونبذلُ حقَّ اللهِ غيرَ مُنَكَّدِ

We hold as faith that nothing equals righteousness,

We believe that nothing equals righteousness,

and we give God His due without grudging.

And we give God's due without stinting,

وأنَّا لكم عَونٌ على ما وراءنا

وأنَّا لكم عَونٌ على ما وراءنا

نناجِزُ منهم كلَّ غاوٍ ومُفْسِدِ

نناجِزُ منهم كلَّ غاوٍ ومُفْسِدِ

We are your allies against whatever lies beyond us;

And that we are your help against what lies beyond us;

we shall openly fight every wayward corrupter among them.

We fight every misguided man and corrupter among them.

وندعو إلى الإسلامِ نَنشرُ نُورَهُ

وندعو إلى الإسلامِ نَنشرُ نُورَهُ

ونُورِدُ منه قومَنا خيرَ مَورِدِ

ونُورِدُ منه قومَنا خيرَ مَورِدِ

We call people to Islam, spreading its light,

And we call people to Islam, spreading its light,

and through it lead our people to the finest watering-place.

And lead our people to its finest watering place.”

لك الشكرُ فَارْجِعْ يا عليُّ مظفَّراً

لك الشكرُ فَارْجِعْ يا عليُّ مظفَّراً

وبَشِّرْ رسولَ اللهِ يَشكُرْ ويَحْمَدِ

وبَشِّرْ رسولَ اللهِ يَشكُرْ ويَحْمَدِ

To you be thanks; return, O Ali, victorious,

To you be thanks; return victorious, O Ali,

and bear glad tidings to God’s Messenger, that he may give thanks and praise.”

And bring God's Messenger glad tidings, that he may give thanks and praise.