عن فضل مولانا الإمام

حدث ولا تخش الملام

Of the excellence of our master, the Imam,

Speak, and fear no reproach.

واذكر مناقبه التي

أربت على قطر الغمام

And recount his virtues, which

Have outnumbered the raindrops of the clouds.

هذا ابن زمزم والصفا

والركن والبيت الحرام

This is the son of Zamzam and al-Safa,

And of the Corner and the Sacred House.

هذا ابن عم المصطفى سامى الذرا

السيد السند الهمام

This is the Chosen One's cousin, lofty as the peaks,

The master, the mainstay, the magnanimous one.

هذا ابن إدريس الذي

ينمى إلى القوم الكرام

This is the son of Idris, who

Is descended from the noble people,

من معشر النفر الألى

حازوا الفصاحة في الكلام

From the company of those men who

Attained eloquence in speech.

قد شيّدوا بيت العلا

وبهم تقوم فاستقام

They indeed erected the house of glory,

And through them it was set upright and stood firm.

من بيتهم ظهر الهدى

حتى سما أسمى مقام

From their house guidance appeared,

Until it rose to the loftiest station.

بيت السماحة والندى

والسيف قطعا والحسام

A house of magnanimity and generosity,

And of the cutting sword and the keen blade.

بهم الشريعة شيدت

والسلم أيد والسلام

Through them the sacred law was built up,

And peace and safety were strengthened.

ولهم معال شوهدت

بين الحواضر والخيام

And theirs are glories witnessed

Among the towns and tents.

ما ذاك إلا أنهم

قوم المظلل بالغمام

That is only because they are

The kin of the one shaded by clouds.

تاج الأئمة منهم

الشافعي حبر الأنام

Among them is the crown of the imams:

Al-Shafi‘i, the scholar of humankind.

ألف العلوم وجمعها

وبحبها في الكون هام

He loved the sciences and their collection,

And in the world was lost in love for them.

جافى بهمته الكرى

عن مقلتيه من الفطام

Through his resolve he banished slumber

From his eyes, from the time of weaning.

فجنى ثمار رياضها

في يتمه هذا الغلام

So he harvested the fruits of their gardens—

This boy, in his orphanhood—

حتى تسنم ذروة

لسواه ما كانت ترام

Until he ascended a summit

To which no other could aspire.

آراؤه خضعت لها

في الكون أحلام الفخا

To his judgments bowed

The minds of the eminent throughout the world.

يا مصر تيهى وازدهى

بالشافعي الحبر الهمام

O Egypt, take pride and exult

In al-Shafi‘i, the magnanimous scholar,

وبآل بيت المصطفى

حاشى نزلهم يضام

And in the household of the Chosen One—

Far be it that their guests should be wronged.

يا قوم هذا الشافعي

قطب الوجود ولا كلام

O people, this is al-Shafi‘i,

The axis of existence—no more need be said.

فتوسلوا بجنابه

وقفوا لديه باحتشام

So seek intercession through his august person,

And stand before him with reverence.

فعسى به أن تبلغوا

نجح المقاصد والمرام

So perhaps through him you may attain

The fulfillment of your aims and desires.

يا شافعي أمدنا

من فيض فيضك يا إمام

O Shafi‘i, grant us aid

From the overflow of your abundance, O Imam.

وانظر لمن حضروا هنا

وتحملوا هذا الزحام

And look upon those who have come here

And endured this crowding.

فالقلب منهم مخلص

والثغر منهم في ابتسام

For their hearts are sincere,

And their lips are smiling.

وامنحهم يا سيدي

نظر القبول على الدوام

And grant them, O my master,

A gaze of acceptance for all time,

لا سيما النفر الألى

أحبوا الشعائر كل عام

Especially those men who

Have loved the sacred rites each year,

وجميع أشياخي ومن

خدموا الشريع باحترام

And all my teachers, and those who

Have served the sacred law with reverence.

يا رب وامنح جمعنا

بالمصطفى حسن الختام

O Lord, grant our gathering,

Through the Chosen One, a good ending.