بمِعْراجِنا طِرْ أَنْتَ للفَلَكِ الأَعلى

بمِعْراجِنا طِرْ أَنْتَ للفَلَكِ الأَعلى

وسِرْ في مَضامينِ الشُؤوُنِ إلى المَوْلى

وسِرْ في مَضامينِ الشُؤوُنِ إلى المَوْلى

On our ladder of ascent, fly to the highest celestial sphere.

With our ascension, you fly to the highest celestial sphere,

And journey through the inner meanings of affairs to the Lord.

And travel through the essence of affairs to the Master.

ولا تمشِ يا هذا المُطَيْطاءَ في السُّرى

ولا تمشِ يا هذا المُطَيْطاءَ في السُّرى

ودعْ عنكَ من ساروا بنهجِ الهُدى مَهْلاَ

ودعْ عنكَ من ساروا بنهجِ الهُدى مَهْلاَ

Do not walk with a swagger, O you, on the night journey.

Do not walk slowly in this path, O waverer!

And leave behind those who journeyed slowly on the path of guidance.

Leave those who took the path of guidance some respite.

وجرِّدْ حُسامَ العزمِ عن كلِّ مائلٍ

وجرِّدْ حُسامَ العزمِ عن كلِّ مائلٍ

ولا ترَ قطعاً في الطَّريقِ ولا وَصْلاَ

ولا ترَ قطعاً في الطَّريقِ ولا وَصْلاَ

And unsheathe the sword of resolve, apart from all who waver.

Strip the sword of resolve from all deviations,

And perceive neither separation nor union along the path.

Neither stop nor continue on the path.

وغِبْ عن جَميعِ الحادِثاتِ لرَبِّها

وغِبْ عن جَميعِ الحادِثاتِ لرَبِّها

ولا تتَّخذْ فيها سِوى شُغلِهِ شُغْلاَ

ولا تتَّخذْ فيها سِوى شُغلِهِ شُغْلاَ

And lose awareness of all created things for their Lord's sake.

Turn away from all temporal occurrences to their Lord,

And take up no occupation among them except concern with Him.

And do not busy yourself with anything but His occupation.

وإن وَهَبوكَ العرشَ والفرشَ والفَضا

وإن وَهَبوكَ العرشَ والفرشَ والفَضا

برمشَةِ عينٍ ضمنَ حجْبٍ فقلْ كلاَّ

برمشَةِ عينٍ ضمنَ حجْبٍ فقلْ كلاَّ

Even if they granted you the Throne, the earthly expanse, and space,

If they grant you dominion over the heavens and earth in a blink,

In the blink of an eye, amid veiling, then say, 'No!'

Say "No!" from behind a veil of obscurity.

وسِرْ سيرَتي واسْلُكْ بنَهْجِ طَريقَتي

وسِرْ سيرَتي واسْلُكْ بنَهْجِ طَريقَتي

إلى اللهِ لا تشهدْ لدي غيرِهِ فِعْلاَ

إلى اللهِ لا تشهدْ لدي غيرِهِ فِعْلاَ

And follow my course, and walk the way of my path

Follow my way and walk my path

To God; see no action as belonging to anyone but Him.

To God - do not witness to me any deed.

وجَرِّدْكَ من كلِّ الوُجوداتِ واضْطَجِعْ

وجَرِّدْكَ من كلِّ الوُجوداتِ واضْطَجِعْ

على حُصُرِ التَّسليمِ يا من سَما عَقْلاَ

على حُصُرِ التَّسليمِ يا من سَما عَقْلاَ

And strip yourself of all forms of existence, and lie down

Divest yourself of all existences and lie down

On the mats of surrender, O you of lofty intellect.

Upon the mat of surrender, O wise one!

وإيَّاكَ من شَيطانِ كلِّ عَجيبَةٍ

وإيَّاكَ من شَيطانِ كلِّ عَجيبَةٍ

وإنْ حَسُنَتْ في سَبْكِ تَسْويلِهِ مَجْلى

وإنْ حَسُنَتْ في سَبْكِ تَسْويلِهِ مَجْلى

And beware the devil of every marvel,

Beware of the devil in every wondrous thing,

Even if its appearance is fair in the shaping of his beguilement.

Though excellent in subtle enticement.

وكنْ مع أَهْلِ الفقرِ وارْضَ بحالِهِمْ

وكنْ مع أَهْلِ الفقرِ وارْضَ بحالِهِمْ

وخُذهُمْ عن الأَهلينَ يا صاحِبي أَهْلاَ

وخُذهُمْ عن الأَهلينَ يا صاحِبي أَهْلاَ

And stay with the people of spiritual poverty, content with their state.

Be with the poor, pleased with their state,

And take them as family instead of your kindred, my companion.

Take them as people of distinction, my friend.

وإنْ قلتَ قولاً في الطَّريقِ فأَدِّهْ

وإنْ قلتَ قولاً في الطَّريقِ فأَدِّهْ

على حُكمِهِ عَدلاً وفي قولِهِ فَصْلاَ

على حُكمِهِ عَدلاً وفي قولِهِ فَصْلاَ

And if you utter a saying on the path, convey it

If you speak a word on the path, speak it

According to its ruling, justly, and decisively in its expression.

With justice, and separate in speech.

وباعِدْ صُنوفَ الغَيِّ واقْطَعْ حِبالَهُمْ

وباعِدْ صُنوفَ الغَيِّ واقْطَعْ حِبالَهُمْ

كفى عن حِبالِ النَّاسِ حبلُ الهُدى حَبْلاَ

كفى عن حِبالِ النَّاسِ حبلُ الهُدى حَبْلاَ

And shun the varieties of error, and cut their ropes.

Shun the types of deviance, sever their ropes -

Guidance's rope is rope enough, instead of people's ropes.

The rope of guidance suffices, no other ropes!

ولا ترَ للمخلوقِ حَوْلاً وقوَّةً

ولا ترَ للمخلوقِ حَوْلاً وقوَّةً

فلا قُوَّةً للخلقِ طُرًّا ولا حَوْلاَ

فلا قُوَّةً للخلقِ طُرًّا ولا حَوْلاَ

And see no might or strength in any created being.

Do not see any power or strength in the creation,

For creatures, one and all, have neither strength nor might.

For creation has no power or strength at all.

وخذُ حُلْوَ أَمرِ اللهِ في الدِّينِ مَشْرَباً

وخذُ حُلْوَ أَمرِ اللهِ في الدِّينِ مَشْرَباً

فلنْ تَرى من مَجْلى مَشارِبِهِ أَحْلى

فلنْ تَرى من مَجْلى مَشارِبِهِ أَحْلى

And make the sweetness of God's command in religion your draught.

Take the sweetness of God's command as your drink,

For you will behold nothing sweeter than His draughts made manifest.

For you will not find any drink sweeter than its flavor.

وفي المَلاءِ الأَدْنى إذا كنتَ جالِساً

وفي المَلاءِ الأَدْنى إذا كنتَ جالِساً

فلا تنسَ في أَحْوالِكَ المَلأَ الأَعْلى

فلا تنسَ في أَحْوالِكَ المَلأَ الأَعْلى

And when you are seated in the lower assembly,

If you sit in the lower gathering, do not forget

Do not forget the highest assembly in any of your states.

The higher assembly in your states.

وصادِمْ بحالِ القلبِ من يرَ نفسَهُ

وصادِمْ بحالِ القلبِ من يرَ نفسَهُ

ومن جاءَ مَكْسوراً فصِرْ دونَهُ ظِلاَّ

ومن جاءَ مَكْسوراً فصِرْ دونَهُ ظِلاَّ

And confront, with the heart's state, anyone who thinks highly of himself.

Oppose with the state of your heart whoever sees himself,

And whoever comes broken, become a shadow beneath him.

And be a shadow for whoever comes broken.

ومَنْ قادَ للأَغْيارِ فاهْجُرْ سَبيلَهُ

ومَنْ قادَ للأَغْيارِ فاهْجُرْ سَبيلَهُ

ووافِقْ مُحِبَّ اللهِ إنْ قلَّ أَو جَلاَّ

ووافِقْ مُحِبَّ اللهِ إنْ قلَّ أَو جَلاَّ

And whoever leads to things other than God, abandon his way.

Shun the path of whoever leads to strangers,

And stand with the lover of God, whether lowly or great.

And agree with the lover of God, be he few or many.

ومن راحَ يَروي عن أُولي الحقِّ سُنَّةً

ومن راحَ يَروي عن أُولي الحقِّ سُنَّةً

فقِسْها على نورِ الكِتابِ هو الأَجْلى

فقِسْها على نورِ الكِتابِ هو الأَجْلى

And whoever sets out recounting a tradition from the people of truth,

Whoever relates a prophetic tradition,

Measure it against the light of the Book, which is clearest.

Measure it by the light of the Book, it is most sublime.

ولا ترضَ إِلاَّ سُنَّةَ الطُّهرِ أَحمدٍ

ولا ترضَ إِلاَّ سُنَّةَ الطُّهرِ أَحمدٍ

وما خالَفَتْها فهي مملوءةٌ جَهْلاَ

وما خالَفَتْها فهي مملوءةٌ جَهْلاَ

And accept only the tradition of Ahmad, the pure one.

Accept only the immaculate Sunna of Ahmad,

And whatever contradicts it is filled with ignorance.

All else is filled with ignorance.

وإنْ كنتَ بينَ النَّاسِ فاكتُمْ سِريرَةً

وإنْ كنتَ بينَ النَّاسِ فاكتُمْ سِريرَةً

وفي الخَلَواتِ البَحْتِ فاسْتَمِلْها ذُلاَّ

وفي الخَلَواتِ البَحْتِ فاسْتَمِلْها ذُلاَّ

And if you are among people, conceal your inward secret.

If you are among people, conceal your innermost secret,

And in utter solitude, draw it near in humility.

And in solitary retreats, surrender to it fully.

وخاصِمْ لأَجلِ الدِّينِ وارْضَ بأَهلِهِ

وخاصِمْ لأَجلِ الدِّينِ وارْضَ بأَهلِهِ

خُصوماً ولا تَعْلو عَلَيْهِ هو الأَعْلى

خُصوماً ولا تَعْلو عَلَيْهِ هو الأَعْلى

And contend for religion's sake, and accept its people

Dispute for the sake of religion, and be pleased with its people -

As opponents; do not rise above it—it is highest.

Disputants, but do not be domineering, He is most High.

وإنْ قيلَ قالَ المُصْطَفى أو أَصحابُهُ

وإنْ قيلَ قالَ المُصْطَفى أو أَصحابُهُ

فقلْ عَظِّموا أَمراً بل امْتَثِلوا قَوْلاَ

فقلْ عَظِّموا أَمراً بل امْتَثِلوا قَوْلاَ

And if it is said, 'Al-Mustafa said,' or his companions did,

If it is said the Chosen One or his Companions said:

Then say, 'Revere the command—rather, obey the saying.'

Say "Glorify the matter!" Rather, follow the saying.

وإنْ جاءَ عنَّا ما يُوافِقُ قولَهُمْ

وإنْ جاءَ عنَّا ما يُوافِقُ قولَهُمْ

فخُذْهُ وإلاَّ رُدَّنا كلَّنا إِلاَّ

فخُذْهُ وإلاَّ رُدَّنا كلَّنا إِلاَّ

And if something from us accords with their saying,

If something from us agrees with their words, take it,

Then take it; otherwise reject us all—except...

Otherwise, reject us altogether.

ومنْ نحنُ إنْ كُنَّا على غيرِ نهجِهِمْ

ومنْ نحنُ إنْ كُنَّا على غيرِ نهجِهِمْ

من العبدِ عن أَسْيادِهِ الزُّهرُ إنْ زَلاَّ

من العبدِ عن أَسْيادِهِ الزُّهرُ إنْ زَلاَّ

And who are we, if we follow a way other than theirs?

For we are but slaves, if we were upon a path other than theirs -

Who is the servant apart from his radiant masters, if he slips?

Can flowers compare to their masters if they slip?

وما كلُّ أَهلِ اللهِ إِلاَّ طَوائفٌ

وما كلُّ أَهلِ اللهِ إِلاَّ طَوائفٌ

تَؤُلُ لطَهَ صاحِبِ المَدَدِ الأَجْلى

تَؤُلُ لطَهَ صاحِبِ المَدَدِ الأَجْلى

And all the people of God are but groups

Not all saints are but groups

That trace back to Taha, possessor of the clearest succor.

Revolving toward the overflowing basin of the Master of all aid.

ومن لم يكنْ يرجِعْ إليه مُضَلَّلٌ

ومن لم يكنْ يرجِعْ إليه مُضَلَّلٌ

ومن يتْبَعِ الضِّلِّيلِ في نهجِهِ ضَلاَّ

ومن يتْبَعِ الضِّلِّيلِ في نهجِهِ ضَلاَّ

And whoever does not return to him is misled.

Whoever the misguided does not return to

And whoever follows the wayward one in his path goes astray.

And whoever follows the misguided in his path, goes astray.

وإيَّاكَ من زُعْمِ الحُلولِ ووَهْمِهِ

وإيَّاكَ من زُعْمِ الحُلولِ ووَهْمِهِ

ووحدَةِ قولٍ ساءَ قائلُها فِعْلاَ

ووحدَةِ قولٍ ساءَ قائلُها فِعْلاَ

And beware the claim of indwelling and its delusion,

Beware of the conceit of union and its illusion,

And a declaration of oneness whose speaker is evil in deed.

And the oneness of an evil statement by its sayer.

وأَوِّلْ شُطوحاتِ الرِّجالِ وإنْ نأَتْ

وأَوِّلْ شُطوحاتِ الرِّجالِ وإنْ نأَتْ

فلا تَرْضَها في كلِّ مَعْمَعَةٍ أَصْلاَ

فلا تَرْضَها في كلِّ مَعْمَعَةٍ أَصْلاَ

And interpret the men's ecstatic utterances, even if they stray far.

Do not accept the ecstasies of men, even if they seem lofty,

So never endorse them amid any tumult at all.

In every confusing uproar, they are baseless.

وسلِّمْ لأهلِ الحالِ في اللهِ حالَهُمْ

وسلِّمْ لأهلِ الحالِ في اللهِ حالَهُمْ

وإنْ خالَفوا الهادي فقدْ أَحْدَثوا بُطْلاَ

وإنْ خالَفوا الهادي فقدْ أَحْدَثوا بُطْلاَ

And acknowledge the state in God of the people of spiritual states.

Submit to the state of those spiritually absorbed in God,

But if they oppose the Guide, they have introduced falsehood.

Though they differ from the guide - they have introduced nullity.

ففَرْضٌ مُباحٌ مُسْتَحَبٌّ وباطِلٌ

ففَرْضٌ مُباحٌ مُسْتَحَبٌّ وباطِلٌ

حَرامٌ ففصِّلْ ضمنَ أَحْكامِها المَجْلى

حَرامٌ ففصِّلْ ضمنَ أَحْكامِها المَجْلى

Thus there are the obligatory, the permissible, the recommended; and the invalid

For the allowed is obligatory, recommended and vain,

Is forbidden—so distinguish what manifests according to their rulings.

Forbidden, prohibited - specify within its rulings the path.

وكلُّ مَقامٍ فاعْطِهِ حكمَ حالِهِ

وكلُّ مَقامٍ فاعْطِهِ حكمَ حالِهِ

إذا رُمْتَ أن تُدعى لأهلِ السَّما خِلاَّ

إذا رُمْتَ أن تُدعى لأهلِ السَّما خِلاَّ

And give every station the ruling appropriate to its state,

Give every spiritual station the rule of its state,

If you wish to be called an intimate friend of heaven's people.

If you wish to be called to the inhabitants of the heavens.

فهذا طَريقُ ابنِ الرِّفاعِيِّ شيخِنا

فهذا طَريقُ ابنِ الرِّفاعِيِّ شيخِنا

أَبي العَلَمَيْنِ الغوثِ ذي المشرَبِ الأَحْلى

أَبي العَلَمَيْنِ الغوثِ ذي المشرَبِ الأَحْلى

This, then, is the path of Ibn al-Rifa'i, our shaykh,

This is the path of Ibn Rifa'i, our master -

Abu al-'Alamayn, the Succor, possessor of the sweetest draught.

My father of two sciences, the imminent aid of greatest sweetness.

أَخذْناهُ عنه في السُّلوكِ مُسَلْسَلاً

أَخذْناهُ عنه في السُّلوكِ مُسَلْسَلاً

نَهَلْناهُ من كاساتِ حاناتِهِ نَهْلاَ

نَهَلْناهُ من كاساتِ حاناتِهِ نَهْلاَ

We received it from him in spiritual wayfaring, through a chain of transmission.

We took it from him in conduct, chained together,

We drank our fill of it from the cups of his taverns.

We drank it in drafts from the cups of his taverns.

بذاكَ ليَ الإذْنُ الكريمُ صَراحَةً

بذاكَ ليَ الإذْنُ الكريمُ صَراحَةً

من المُصْطَفى رَبِّي على ذاتِهِ صَلَّى

من المُصْطَفى رَبِّي على ذاتِهِ صَلَّى

For that I have explicit, noble permission

With that, I have direct permission

From al-Mustafa—may my Lord bless his person.

From my Master, God, upon His Essence blessings!