نَحْنُ الرِّفاعيَّةُ الأعْلامُ ما بَرحَتْ

نَحْنُ الرِّفاعيَّةُ الأعْلامُ ما بَرحَتْ

إِلاَّ ولاحَتْ لنا في الكَوْنِ أنْوارُ

إِلاَّ ولاحَتْ لنا في الكَوْنِ أنْوارُ

We are the eminent Rifaʿis; unceasingly

We are the towering banners, we Raifa'is never cease

lights have shone for us throughout creation.

Our lights kept shining in the universe and increased

جَلَّتْ مَظاهرُها سِرًّا وظاهِرُنا

جَلَّتْ مَظاهرُها سِرًّا وظاهِرُنا

طَوى نِظاماً به للفَضلِ مِضْمارُ

طَوى نِظاماً به للفَضلِ مِضْمارُ

Their manifestations grew exalted in secret, and our outward form

Our signs openly and secretly excelled

enfolded an order wherein excellence has a racecourse.

And established a system of merit we held

من كلِّ شَيخٍ كبيرٍ مُفْرَدٍ عَلَمٍ

من كلِّ شَيخٍ كبيرٍ مُفْرَدٍ عَلَمٍ

كأنَّهُ عَلَمٌ في رأسِهِ نارُ

كأنَّهُ عَلَمٌ في رأسِهِ نارُ

From every great shaykh, peerless and eminent,

Each elder, each singular flag, a blazing torch

as though he were a mountain with fire upon its summit.

As if a fire burned atop his head perched

تَسَلَّقَتْ ذِرْوَةَ العَليا عَصائِبُنا

تَسَلَّقَتْ ذِرْوَةَ العَليا عَصائِبُنا

شُموسُ مَنْقَبَةٍ تُجْلى وأنْوارُ

شُموسُ مَنْقَبَةٍ تُجْلى وأنْوارُ

Our bands scaled the summit of the heights,

Our lofty ambitions climbed up the highest peak

suns of virtue unveiled, and lights.

Suns unveiled and lights that clarity seek

طافَتْ بِنا الأولِياءُ الزُّهْرُ واحْتَفَلَتْ

طافَتْ بِنا الأولِياءُ الزُّهْرُ واحْتَفَلَتْ

بِعَهْدنا ولهم من حالِنا جارُ

بِعَهْدنا ولهم من حالِنا جارُ

The radiant saints circled us and celebrated

The saints flocked around us, and flowers were strewn

our covenant, and from our state they have a neighbor.

Celebrating our era, defending our boon

طابَتْ مَعاهِدُنا لَذَّتْ مَوارِدُنا

طابَتْ مَعاهِدُنا لَذَّتْ مَوارِدُنا

عَزَّتْ مَشاهِدُنا والقومُ قد حاروا

عَزَّتْ مَشاهِدُنا والقومُ قد حاروا

Our abodes grew pleasant; our watering places grew sweet.

Our schools flourished, our resources flowed

Our witnessings grew exalted, and the people were bewildered.

Our visions emboldened, while others were wowed

لنا قُلوبٌ عن الأغْيارِ غائِبَةٌ

لنا قُلوبٌ عن الأغْيارِ غائِبَةٌ

ونحنُ قومٌ مع المَحْبوبِ حُضَّارُ

ونحنُ قومٌ مع المَحْبوبِ حُضَّارُ

We have hearts absent from all else,

Our hearts detached from strangers, aloof

and we are a people present with the Beloved.

And we became close companions with our beloved proof

يُكابِرُ الخَصْمُ كي يَطوي مَظاهِرنا

يُكابِرُ الخَصْمُ كي يَطوي مَظاهِرنا

بالوَهمِ يَطوي وكَفُّ الغَيبِ نَشَّارُ

بالوَهمِ يَطوي وكَفُّ الغَيبِ نَشَّارُ

The adversary obstinately contends to fold away our manifestations;

The rival denies just to hide our signs

he folds them in delusion, while the hand of the Unseen unfolds them.

With delusions he hides what destiny divines

يُريدُ إبْطانَنا المَخْذولُ عن حَسَدٍ

يُريدُ إبْطانَنا المَخْذولُ عن حَسَدٍ

ونحنُ قامَ لنا في الغَيبِ إظْهارُ

ونحنُ قامَ لنا في الغَيبِ إظْهارُ

The forsaken one wishes to conceal us out of envy,

From envy he seeks to subvert our essence

yet our manifestation has arisen in the Unseen.

While divine support aids us in absent presence

قد راحَ بالزُّورِ والبُهْتانِ مُنْتَصراً

قد راحَ بالزُّورِ والبُهْتانِ مُنْتَصراً

وعندنا من جُنودِ الله أنْصارُ

وعندنا من جُنودِ الله أنْصارُ

He went forth triumphant through falsehood and slander,

With lies and slander he claimed victory

and with us are helpers from God's hosts.

But God's armies stood by us loyally

مَواهِبُ الله لا تُمْحى بِشِنْشِنَة

مَواهِبُ الله لا تُمْحى بِشِنْشِنَة

من ذي ضَلالٍ وحالُ الغَيبِ قَهَّارُ

من ذي ضَلالٍ وحالُ الغَيبِ قَهَّارُ

God's gifts cannot be erased by the ingrained habit

God's gifts cannot be erased by disbeliever's din

of one astray; the state of the Unseen is overpowering.

The unseen is dominant, this truth shall win

لنا مع الله أحْوالٌ مُؤَيَّدَةٌ

لنا مع الله أحْوالٌ مُؤَيَّدَةٌ

غَيباً وفيها لِسِرِّ الله أسرارُ

غَيباً وفيها لِسِرِّ الله أسرارُ

We have with God states upheld

We have divine states of aid and protection

invisibly, and within them are mysteries of God's secret.

Secrets of God, beyond worldly detection

ثارَ الحَواسِدُ عَجْزاً قَصْدُهُمْ أثَراً

ثارَ الحَواسِدُ عَجْزاً قَصْدُهُمْ أثَراً

مِنَّا وفاتَهُمُ المَرْمى ولو طاروا

مِنَّا وفاتَهُمُ المَرْمى ولو طاروا

The envious rose in helplessness, seeking a trace

The envious rise against us, desperate, in vain

of us; the target eluded them, even had they flown.

Their efforts fall short, though they strain and complain

نحنُ الشُّموسُ التي ضِمْنَ العُلى سَطَعَتْ

نحنُ الشُّموسُ التي ضِمْنَ العُلى سَطَعَتْ

والعُمْيُ قالوا دَجَتْ لمَّا لَها غاروا

والعُمْيُ قالوا دَجَتْ لمَّا لَها غاروا

We are the suns that shone amid the heights,

We are the shining suns, though the blind said

and the blind said, 'They grew dark,' when they envied them.

It's dark, for in their caves they fled

نُبْنا الرَّسولَ بإرشادٍ ومَعرفةٍ

نُبْنا الرَّسولَ بإرشادٍ ومَعرفةٍ

وبَحْرُنا عنهُ بالبُرْهانِ زَخَّارُ

وبَحْرُنا عنهُ بالبُرْهانِ زَخَّارُ

We stood in for the Messenger in guidance and gnosis,

We guide to the Prophet with knowledge and wisdom deep

and our sea, from him, is brimming with proof.

And our sea of proof is stormy and steep

واختارَنا الله أنصاراً لِمَنْهَجهِ

واختارَنا الله أنصاراً لِمَنْهَجهِ

وإنَّما نائِبُ المُخْتارِ مُخْتارُ

وإنَّما نائِبُ المُخْتارِ مُخْتارُ

And God chose us as helpers for His way,

God chose us as aides of his creed and way

and the Chosen One's deputy is none but a chosen one.

A deputy of the chosen is chosen today

نحنُ ارْتَقَينا مَراقي المَجدِ عن أدبٍ

نحنُ ارْتَقَينا مَراقي المَجدِ عن أدبٍ

غَضٍّ وفيه على حُسَّادِنا العارُ

غَضٍّ وفيه على حُسَّادِنا العارُ

We climbed the steps of glory through courtesy,

With humility and dignity we climbed fame

fresh and tender; in it lies shame for our enviers.

While our envious foes bear nothing but shame

رَمَوا نُجومَ العُلى طَيشاً بأسْهُمِهمْ

رَمَوا نُجومَ العُلى طَيشاً بأسْهُمِهمْ

بينَ العُلى والثَّرى يا صاحِ أدْوارُ

بينَ العُلى والثَّرى يا صاحِ أدْوارُ

They rashly shot their arrows at the stars of the heights;

They futilely flung arrows at our guiding stars

between the heights and the dust, my friend, lie stages.

Between the heavens and earth, their efforts fell far

قُمْنا فَقامَتْ شُؤُنُ الغَيبِ تَكْنِفُنا

قُمْنا فَقامَتْ شُؤُنُ الغَيبِ تَكْنِفُنا

وكُلُّنا بالشَّذا الغَيْبِيِّ مِعْطارُ

وكُلُّنا بالشَّذا الغَيْبِيِّ مِعْطارُ

We arose, and the workings of the Unseen arose to surround us,

We stood up and the world of secrets came to aid

and each of us is richly scented with unseen fragrance.

Perfumed with divine fragrance, our quest stayed

قلْ للأعادي رُوَيداً وارْقُبوا خَبَراً

قلْ للأعادي رُوَيداً وارْقُبوا خَبَراً

من السَّماءِ صُرِعْتُمْ ما لكم دارُ

من السَّماءِ صُرِعْتُمْ ما لكم دارُ

Say to the enemies: 'Gently now; await tidings

Say to our enemies: wait and behold

from heaven; you have been felled, and no abode is yours.'

From the heavens you will be struck down manifold

نِمْنا على الأمنِ رَيبٌ يُزَلْزِلُنا

نِمْنا على الأمنِ رَيبٌ يُزَلْزِلُنا

والله للمُخْلِصِ المَكسورِ جَبَّارُ

والله للمُخْلِصِ المَكسورِ جَبَّارُ

We slept in safety; doubt shakes us,

Do our victories make you worried and wary?

and God is the restorer of the sincere, broken one.

God backs the loyal despite them being weary

رُمْتُمْ بنا أخذَ ثارٍ فاثْبُتوا وإذاً

رُمْتُمْ بنا أخذَ ثارٍ فاثْبُتوا وإذاً

منكمْ بِعَزمِ التَّجَلِّي يُؤْخَذُ الثَّارُ

منكمْ بِعَزمِ التَّجَلِّي يُؤْخَذُ الثَّارُ

You sought to exact vengeance upon us; stand firm, and then

You have blamed us, now stand your ground

vengeance will be exacted from you through manifestation's resolve.

And divine manifestation will turn things around

هذا ضَمانٌ قَديمٌ خُطَّ في صُحُفٍ

هذا ضَمانٌ قَديمٌ خُطَّ في صُحُفٍ

غَيْبِيَّةٍ ولها المُخْتارُ سَبَّارُ

غَيْبِيَّةٍ ولها المُخْتارُ سَبَّارُ

This is an ancient assurance, inscribed in scrolls

An ancient promise was written long ago

of the Unseen, which the Chosen One fathoms.

In divine scrolls, by the Glorious Doer of all in the know

لنا من المُصْطَفى في كلِّ مَنْقَبَةٍ

لنا من المُصْطَفى في كلِّ مَنْقَبَةٍ

شُؤُنُ سِرٍّ وأحوالٌ وأطْوارُ

شُؤُنُ سِرٍّ وأحوالٌ وأطْوارُ

From Mustafa, in every virtue, we have

From the Chosen we have secret spiritual states

workings of mystery, states, and phases.

Attributes, conditions, levels that he relates

قُمنا على مِنْبَرِ العَليا وقد سُدِلَتْ

قُمنا على مِنْبَرِ العَليا وقد سُدِلَتْ

على مَظاهِرِنا بالعِزِّ أسْتارُ

على مَظاهِرِنا بالعِزِّ أسْتارُ

We stood upon the pulpit of the heights, and there were drawn

We stood on the pulpit of lofty divine station

over our manifestations curtains of glory.

Veiled by honor, beyond worldly valuation

تلكَ البراهينُ والأيَّامُ شاهدةٌ

تلكَ البراهينُ والأيَّامُ شاهدةٌ

وللَّيالي حِكاياتٌ وأخْبارُ

وللَّيالي حِكاياتٌ وأخْبارُ

Those are the proofs, and the days bear witness;

Signs and days bear witness to this affair

and the nights have tales and tidings.

Nights whisper stories and tales that declare

وعندَ كَشْفِ الغطاءِ البَحْتِ يَظهرُ من

وعندَ كَشْفِ الغطاءِ البَحْتِ يَظهرُ من

طَيِّ الخَبايا لأهلِ الذَّوقِ أسرارُ

طَيِّ الخَبايا لأهلِ الذَّوقِ أسرارُ

And at the complete lifting of the veil, there emerge from

When the veil is lifted, discerning hearts will see

the folds of hidden things, secrets for those with spiritual taste.

From the folds of secrecy, truths and signs to be

فاشْهَدْ بَشائِرَنا وارْقُبْ أشائِرَنا

فاشْهَدْ بَشائِرَنا وارْقُبْ أشائِرَنا

ويَفْعَلُ الله ما يقضي ويختارُ

ويَفْعَلُ الله ما يقضي ويختارُ

So witness our glad tidings and watch for our signs,

So witness our tidings and await our portents

and God does what He decrees and chooses.

God decrees what He wills, He chooses and sends