مُطَلسَمُ القومِ لا تُهمِلْ مَكانَتَهُ

مُطَلسَمُ القومِ لا تُهمِلْ مَكانَتَهُ

فرُبَّ كنزٍ كَثيرِ الدُّرِّ مخْتومُ

فرُبَّ كنزٍ كَثيرِ الدُّرِّ مخْتومُ

Do not neglect the standing of the enigmatic one among the company.

The silent one of God's servants, though ignored, has esteem

For many a treasure rich in pearls lies sealed.

Many a treasured pearl lies hidden in its shell

كم ساكِتٍ من عِبادِ اللهِ مهجَتُهُ

كم ساكِتٍ من عِبادِ اللهِ مهجَتُهُ

حَرَّاءَ والقلبُ بالأَشواقِ مَهْمومُ

حَرَّاءَ والقلبُ بالأَشواقِ مَهْمومُ

How many a silent one among God's servants has a soul

How many a silent soul is anguished in its heart

Ablaze, and a heart burdened with longings!

Yet outwardly is barren, while its heart is full of longing

يريدُ ينطِقُ لم تحسُنْ عِبارَتُهُ

يريدُ ينطِقُ لم تحسُنْ عِبارَتُهُ

لكنْ بأَحوالِهِ المقْصودُ منْظومُ

لكنْ بأَحوالِهِ المقْصودُ منْظومُ

He wishes to speak, but his expression has fallen short;

It wants to speak but cannot find the words

Yet through his states the intended meaning is strung together.

Yet its state reveals the meaning it has formed

ما كلُّ ربُّ سُكوتٍ فيه معرفَةٌ

ما كلُّ ربُّ سُكوتٍ فيه معرفَةٌ

أو كلُّ صاحِبِ نُطْقٍ فيه تَرْنيمُ

أو كلُّ صاحِبِ نُطْقٍ فيه تَرْنيمُ

Not every keeper of silence possesses spiritual knowledge,

Not every silent one has wisdom or every speaker, rhythm

Nor is there melody in every speaker.

Gifts are destined in the unseen though their forms

مواهِبٌ نُقِشتْ في الغيبِ مظهَرُها

مواهِبٌ نُقِشتْ في الغيبِ مظهَرُها

لدى أَساطينِ علمِ الحالِ مَعْلومُ

لدى أَساطينِ علمِ الحالِ مَعْلومُ

Gifts inscribed in the unseen—their manifestation

Are known to the learned masters of spiritual states

Is known to the pillars of the science of spiritual states.

One in spiritual bliss cannot hide it from all

مُطَمْطَمُ الحالِ لا يخفَى بصاحِبِهِ

مُطَمْطَمُ الحالِ لا يخفَى بصاحِبِهِ

كأنَّما وجهُهُ للنَّاسِ تَعْليمُ

كأنَّما وجهُهُ للنَّاسِ تَعْليمُ

A veiled spiritual state does not remain hidden in its bearer,

As if his face reveals to all what’s meant

As though his face were a lesson for people.

When the knower sees the ardent lover, he discerns

إذا رأى العارِفَ المُشتاقَ ميَّزَهُ

إذا رأى العارِفَ المُشتاقَ ميَّزَهُ

عن غيرِهِ وأَخو الأَشْواقِ مَوْسومُ

عن غيرِهِ وأَخو الأَشْواقِ مَوْسومُ

When one sees the yearning knower, one distinguishes him

Him from the rest, for lovers bear a mark

From others; the brother of longing bears a mark.

As if his longing were inscribed upon his cheek

كأنَّما شوقُهُ في طيِّ مهجَتِهِ

كأنَّما شوقُهُ في طيِّ مهجَتِهِ

سطرٌ على وجهِهِ يا صاحِ مَرْقومُ

سطرٌ على وجهِهِ يا صاحِ مَرْقومُ

As though his longing, in the folds of his soul,

O beloved companion, like lines etched in stone

Were a line inscribed on his face, O friend.

Whoever meets the Master of States from afar

من صادَفَ الشَّيخَ ربَّ الحالِ وهو على

من صادَفَ الشَّيخَ ربَّ الحالِ وهو على

بعدٍ فذاكَ بعلمِ الغيبِ مُحْرومُ

بعدٍ فذاكَ بعلمِ الغيبِ مُحْرومُ

Whoever meets the shaykh, master of the spiritual state, while at

Is deprived of the knowledge of the unseen

A distance—that one is deprived of knowledge of the unseen.

The state diffuses its fragrance through its bearer

الحالُ يعبُقُ مِسكاً ضمنَ حامِلِهِ

الحالُ يعبُقُ مِسكاً ضمنَ حامِلِهِ

وكيف ينشَقُ ريحَ المِسكِ مَزْكومُ

وكيف ينشَقُ ريحَ المِسكِ مَزْكومُ

The spiritual state is fragrant with musk within its bearer;

How can the scent of musk be concealed in its pod?

And how can one with a cold breathe in musk's scent?

Thanks be to God whose skirt is perfumed with passion

الحمد للهِ ذَيْلي بالغَرامِ طَمَى

الحمد للهِ ذَيْلي بالغَرامِ طَمَى

شُمُّوهُ فهو لأهلِ الحالِ مَشْمومُ

شُمُّوهُ فهو لأهلِ الحالِ مَشْمومُ

Praise be to God! My hem has overflowed with passionate love.

Let those of spiritual states inhale this fragrance

Smell it, for its scent is perceptible to the people of the spiritual state.

The cure for the poison of vain desires is its scent

تِرياقُ سمِّ الأَماني شَمُّ نفحَتِهِ

تِرياقُ سمِّ الأَماني شَمُّ نفحَتِهِ

كم منه نالَ الشِّفاءَ المَحْضَ مَسْمومُ

كم منه نالَ الشِّفاءَ المَحْضَ مَسْمومُ

The antidote to the poison of wishes is breathing its fragrance.

How many have found through it perfect remedy for poison

How many a poisoned one has gained pure healing from it!

When I am mentioned, tremble, for I know you, my people

إذا ذُكِرْتُ اطْرَبوا إِنِّي لأَعرَفُكُمْ

إذا ذُكِرْتُ اطْرَبوا إِنِّي لأَعرَفُكُمْ

باللهِ قلباً وإن شارَفْتُكُمْ قوموا

باللهِ قلباً وإن شارَفْتُكُمْ قوموا

When I am mentioned, rejoice: I am surely the most knowing among you

In spirit, though you have drawn close to me in body

Of God, in heart; and if I draw near you, rise.

Yearning for God has effaced all else from my heart

الشَّوقُ للهِ فَني من مُطارَحَتي

الشَّوقُ للهِ فَني من مُطارَحَتي

به القُلُوبُ لها في السَّيرِ تَقْويمُ

به القُلُوبُ لها في السَّيرِ تَقْويمُ

Longing for God is my art; through my converse

Through it hearts find rectitude in conduct

With hearts about it, they are set right on the path.

Take my system as means to elevate your resolve

خُذوا نِظامي مِعراجاً لهِمَّتِكُم

خُذوا نِظامي مِعراجاً لهِمَّتِكُم

إِنْ راحَ يُتلى وفي مضمونِهِ هِيموا

إِنْ راحَ يُتلى وفي مضمونِهِ هِيموا

Take my verse as a ladder for your aspiration;

When recited its content makes sense

If it comes to be recited, wander enraptured within its meaning.

Rise, my companions in spiritual state, and follow my trace

قوموا أُصيْحابَ حالي واتْبعوا أثري

قوموا أُصيْحابَ حالي واتْبعوا أثري

فإنَّما صاحِبُ المَرْحومِ مَرْحومُ

فإنَّما صاحِبُ المَرْحومِ مَرْحومُ

Rise, dear companions of my state, and follow my trail;

For the companion of the Beloved is also beloved

For the companion of one shown mercy is himself shown mercy.

Veil your secrets, courtesy demands, O wise ones

واسْتكْتِموا سِرَّكم أَلبابَكُمْ أَدَباً

واسْتكْتِموا سِرَّكم أَلبابَكُمْ أَدَباً

فسِرُّ أهلِ الغرامِ الحَقِّ مَكْتومُ

فسِرُّ أهلِ الغرامِ الحَقِّ مَكْتومُ

And, out of courtesy, bid your minds conceal your secret;

The secret of the passionates is a guarded trust

For the secret of the people of true ardent love is concealed.

And of the Eternal, forever take refuge in piety

وللقديمِ فَطيروا بالتُّقى أبَداً

وللقديمِ فَطيروا بالتُّقى أبَداً

غيرُ القَديمِ ألا يا قومُ مَعْدومُ

غيرُ القَديمِ ألا يا قومُ مَعْدومُ

And toward the Eternal, fly with piety forever.

Other than the Eternal, know, my people, is doomed

All but the Eternal—take heed, O people—is nonexistent.

A truth confronted by falsehood, a guiding light

حقٌّ يُقابِلُهُ زورٌ وعينُ هُدًى

حقٌّ يُقابِلُهُ زورٌ وعينُ هُدًى

تجاهَها خَبَرٌ بالرَّأْيِ مَهْمومُ

تجاهَها خَبَرٌ بالرَّأْيِ مَهْمومُ

Truth is opposed by falsehood, and the very essence of guidance

Facing an opinion steeped in gloomy cares

Faces a report burdened with opinion.

Resist misfortunes from your path, flow past them

فاطْووا الحَوادِثَ طَيًّا عن مناهِجِكَمْ

فاطْووا الحَوادِثَ طَيًّا عن مناهِجِكَمْ

وسَلِّموا فنَجاحُ العبدِ تَسْليمُ

وسَلِّموا فنَجاحُ العبدِ تَسْليمُ

So fold created things completely away from your paths,

And surrender, for the servant's success is in submission

And surrender, for the servant's success is surrender.

These are the ranks of the lovers that I have pronounced

تلكَ المَراتِبُ للأَحبابِ قد ذُكِرَتْ

تلكَ المَراتِبُ للأَحبابِ قد ذُكِرَتْ

وسيرَةُ الأَمرِ منْطوقٌ ومَفْهومُ

وسيرَةُ الأَمرِ منْطوقٌ ومَفْهومُ

Those ranks have already been mentioned for the beloved,

My discourse being clear, explicitly and implicitly

And the course of the matter is stated and understood.

Take the meanings, walk in our truths

خُذوا المَعاني وسِيروا في حَقائقِنا

خُذوا المَعاني وسِيروا في حَقائقِنا

واسْتكشِفوا سِرَّ ما تَطوي الحَواميمُ

واسْتكشِفوا سِرَّ ما تَطوي الحَواميمُ

Take the meanings and journey through our realities,

And discover what the doves conceal in their cooing

And uncover the secret of what the Ha-Mim surahs enfold.