ما زالَ نُور مُحَمد مُتنقلا

ما زالَ نُور مُحَمد مُتنقلا

في الطيبين أولي المَفاخر وَالعُلى

في الطيبين أولي المَفاخر وَالعُلى

Muhammad’s light never ceased passing onward

Muhammad's light kept passing onward

among the pure forebears, those endowed with glories and exalted rank,

through the pure, possessors of glories and exalted rank,

كَتَنقل الأَقمار في أَبراجِها

كَتَنقل الأَقمار في أَبراجِها

حَتّى بَدا مِن أمّه متهللا

حَتّى بَدا مِن أمّه متهللا

like moons passing through their celestial mansions,

like moons passing through their zodiacal mansions,

until he appeared from his mother, beaming with joy.

until he emerged from his mother, radiant.

وَتَباشَرَت كُل العَوالم فَرحَة

وَتَباشَرَت كُل العَوالم فَرحَة

بِظُهوره وَبِذاكَ نُوديَ في المَلا

بِظُهوره وَبِذاكَ نُوديَ في المَلا

All the worlds exchanged glad tidings, rejoicing

And all the worlds joyfully shared glad tidings

at his appearance and seeking blessing; a proclamation rang through the highest assembly.

at his appearance, and word of it was proclaimed in the assembly.

وَبيمنه دَفع الإِلَه بِمنهِ

وَبيمنه دَفع الإِلَه بِمنهِ

فيلا وَأهلَك صحبهُ مُستَأصِلا

فيلا وَأهلَك صحبهُ مُستَأصِلا

By his blessed auspice, God in His bounty repelled

And through his blessedness, God, by His grace, repelled

the Elephant and annihilated its host to the last.

an elephant, and destroyed its companions, uprooting them.

وَأَبان زَمزَم بَعدَ طُول خفائها

وَأَبان زَمزَم بَعدَ طُول خفائها

وَفدى أَباه ولِلفداء تَقبلا

وَفدى أَباه ولِلفداء تَقبلا

He disclosed Zamzam after its long concealment,

And He brought Zamzam to light after its long concealment,

and ransomed his father—and the ransom found acceptance.

and redeemed his father and accepted the ransom.

وَمن السفاح حمى صان جُدوده

وَمن السفاح حمى صان جُدوده

حَتّى بَدا مُتطهراً مُتَكَمّلا

حَتّى بَدا مُتطهراً مُتَكَمّلا

From illicit union He guarded his forefathers and kept them chaste,

And from illicit unions He protected and safeguarded his forefathers,

until he appeared purified and perfected,

until he appeared purified and perfected,

حاوِ لِغايات الكَمال مُنزهاً

حاوِ لِغايات الكَمال مُنزهاً

عَن كُل نَقص عارِفاً متبتلا

عَن كُل نَقص عارِفاً متبتلا

encompassing perfection to its furthest bounds, untouched

possessing the utmost degrees of perfection, free

by every flaw—a knower, wholly devoted to God—

from every flaw, spiritually aware and wholly devoted,

فَرداً لأشتات المَعالي جامِعاً

فَرداً لأشتات المَعالي جامِعاً

كَنزاً بلألأ العُلوم قَد اِمتَلا

كَنزاً بلألأ العُلوم قَد اِمتَلا

peerless, gathering the scattered heights of glory,

peerless, gathering the scattered forms of eminence,

a treasure filled with the pearls of knowledge,

a treasure filled with the pearls of knowledge.

مَحمود أَوصاف عَزيز مَحامد

مَحمود أَوصاف عَزيز مَحامد

مَخصوص آزال تَدانى وَاِعتَلى

مَخصوص آزال تَدانى وَاِعتَلى

praised in his qualities, rare in praiseworthy virtues,

Praiseworthy in attributes, exalted in merits,

distinguished by a Household; he drew near and rose aloft.

specially favored from all eternity, he drew near and ascended.

وَحوى وشوفه بِالخطاب تَحية

وَحوى وشوفه بِالخطاب تَحية

وَكَرامة وَرَأى وَشاهد وَاِجتَلى

وَكَرامة وَرَأى وَشاهد وَاِجتَلى

He attained—in vision and direct address—a greeting

And he received a greeting, spoken to him face to face,

and an honor; he saw, witnessed, and beheld clearly.

and honor; he saw, witnessed, and beheld clearly.

في مَدحِهِ نَزل القُرآن مفصلاً

في مَدحِهِ نَزل القُرآن مفصلاً

وَبِمَجدِهِ نطق الكِتاب مفضّلا

وَبِمَجدِهِ نطق الكِتاب مفضّلا

In praise of him the Qur’an was revealed, fully expounded,

In his praise the Qur'an descended, set forth in detail,

and in praise of him the Book spoke, proclaiming his excellence.

and the Book spoke of his glory, proclaiming his preeminence.

وَإِلى الصَّلاة عَلَيهِ قَد نَدَب الوَرى

وَإِلى الصَّلاة عَلَيهِ قَد نَدَب الوَرى

وَأَغاث من أَصحى بِهِ مُتَوَسّلا

وَأَغاث من أَصحى بِهِ مُتَوَسّلا

And the Book urged all creation to invoke blessings upon him,

And He urged humankind to send blessings upon him,

and he aided whoever had recourse to him as an intermediary.

and aided whoever came to his senses, seeking intercession through him.

صَلوا عَلَيهِ تَظفروا بِمَغانم

صَلوا عَلَيهِ تَظفروا بِمَغانم

حامَت عَلى آلائِها هِمَم الأولى

حامَت عَلى آلائِها هِمَم الأولى

Bless him: perfume yourselves with rich rewards,

Send blessings upon him, and you will win rewards,

around his bounties hover the aspirations of the foremost.

over whose blessings hovered the aspirations of those of old.

صَلَّى عَلَيهِ اللَّه رَبي دائِماً

صَلَّى عَلَيهِ اللَّه رَبي دائِماً

أَزكى صَلاة لِلقُلوب بِها جَلا

أَزكى صَلاة لِلقُلوب بِها جَلا

May God, my Lord, bless him forever

May God, my Lord, always send blessings upon him,

with the purest blessing, by which He burnishes hearts;

the purest blessing, through which hearts are polished,

وَعَلى جَميع المُرسَلين وآله

وَعَلى جَميع المُرسَلين وآله

وَصحابه وَالتّابِعين وَمَن تَلا

وَصحابه وَالتّابِعين وَمَن تَلا

and may He bless all the messengers and his Household,

and upon all the messengers and his family,

his Companions, the Followers, and all who came after—

and his companions, the followers, and those who came after,

ما هَيمَنَت ريح الصّبا وَتأوّدت

ما هَيمَنَت ريح الصّبا وَتأوّدت

قضب وَلاحَ مِنَ الدُّهور لَها حلا

قضب وَلاحَ مِنَ الدُّهور لَها حلا

as long as the east wind whispers and there sway

as long as the east wind murmurs, and there sway

slender boughs, while time’s ornaments gleam upon them;

boughs, and adornments shine forth for them from the ages,

وَتَتابع اللّطف الخَفي وَاسعفت

وَتَتابع اللّطف الخَفي وَاسعفت

بِصَنائع المَعروف أَرباب الوَلا

بِصَنائع المَعروف أَرباب الوَلا

and as hidden grace follows on and comes to the aid

and hidden grace follows in succession, and aid is given

of the people of devotion with deeds of kindness.

through deeds of kindness to the people of loyal devotion.