عجبتُ لقومٍ أطلقوا سهمَ مكرِهم

عجبتُ لقومٍ أطلقوا سهمَ مكرِهم

ولمْ تُغنِهم ممَّن مَضَوْا كلُّ عِبرةِ

ولمْ تُغنِهم ممَّن مَضَوْا كلُّ عِبرةِ

I marvel at a people who loosed the arrow of their guile,

I am amazed by people who launched the arrow of their deceit,

yet no lesson from those who went before availed them.

Yet all the lessons of those who passed did not benefit them.

يداهنُ منهم كلُّ وَغْدٍ بلُؤْمِه

يداهنُ منهم كلُّ وَغْدٍ بلُؤْمِه

لإطفاءِ نورٍ أو لإشعالِ فتنةِ

لإطفاءِ نورٍ أو لإشعالِ فتنةِ

Each scoundrel among them dissembles in his baseness,

Every morrow, they fawn on those among them with their afflictions,

to extinguish a light or kindle discord.

To extinguish a light or ignite strife.

سعَى (صالحٌ) لا أصلَحَ اللهُ سعيَه

سعَى (صالحٌ) لا أصلَحَ اللهُ سعيَه

لإنكارِ حقٍّ مِن كتابٍ وسُنَّةِ

لإنكارِ حقٍّ مِن كتابٍ وسُنَّةِ

Salih strove—may God not set his striving right—

Saalih strove - may Allah not make his effort successful -

to deny a truth from the Book and the Sunnah.

To deny a right from the Book and Sunnah.

فعمَّا قريبٍ يلتقي الموتَ دونها

فعمَّا قريبٍ يلتقي الموتَ دونها

ويصبحُ منها في هوانٍ وذِلَّةِ

ويصبحُ منها في هوانٍ وذِلَّةِ

So before long he will meet death short of it,

So before long, death will meet him beyond which

and because of it come to abasement and humiliation.

He will be in humiliation and disgrace.

عليكَ من الرحمن ما تستحقُّه

عليكَ من الرحمن ما تستحقُّه

ونلتَ مزيدًا مِن عذابٍ وشِقْوَةِ

ونلتَ مزيدًا مِن عذابٍ وشِقْوَةِ

Upon you be, from the All-Merciful, what you deserve,

Upon you is what you deserve from the Most Merciful,

and may you receive still more torment and misery.

And you have gotten increased punishment and wretchedness.

تَتَبَّعُ وحيًا مِن شياطينِ عصبةٍ

تَتَبَّعُ وحيًا مِن شياطينِ عصبةٍ

أضلَّهمُ إبليسُ في كلِّ بقعةِ

أضلَّهمُ إبليسُ في كلِّ بقعةِ

You follow a revelation from the devils of a faction,

You follow inspiration from the devils of a faction

whom Iblis has led astray in every place.

Led astray by Iblis in every place.

وقد أيقنوا أنَّ الإله مُمِدُّهم

وقد أيقنوا أنَّ الإله مُمِدُّهم

وقد علموا ما ذاك إلا لِعِلَّةِ

وقد علموا ما ذاك إلا لِعِلَّةِ

And they are certain that God is sustaining them,

And they were certain that the God provides for them,

and they know that this is only for a reason.

And they knew that was only for a reason.

فما قَدَرُوا رَبَّ البرِيَّةِ حقَّه

فما قَدَرُوا رَبَّ البرِيَّةِ حقَّه

ولا عرَفوا فَضْلَ النبيِّ لِلَحظةِ

ولا عرَفوا فَضْلَ النبيِّ لِلَحظةِ

Yet they have not given the Lord of creation His due,

Yet they did not value the Lord of the wilderness as is His right,

nor recognized the Prophet's merit for even a moment.

Nor recognized the merit of the Prophet for a moment.

ومَن يَعْشُ عن ذِكر الإله يكنْ له

ومَن يَعْشُ عن ذِكر الإله يكنْ له

قرينٌ من الشيطان يُدْلي بخطَّةِ

قرينٌ من الشيطان يُدْلي بخطَّةِ

And whoever turns a blind eye to remembrance of God will have

Whoever lives distracted from remembering Allah,

a companion from Satan who puts forward a scheme.

Satan will be his companion to slip him into mischief.

فما السُّنَّةُ الغرَّاءُ إلا بوحيِه

فما السُّنَّةُ الغرَّاءُ إلا بوحيِه

وليس يُنالُ البرُّ إلا بهمَّةِ

وليس يُنالُ البرُّ إلا بهمَّةِ

For the radiant Sunnah comes only through His revelation,

The noble Sunnah is only by His revelation,

and righteousness is attained only through determination.

And righteousness cannot be attained except with determination.

وحسبُكَ منهم جهْلُهم ونفاقُهم

وحسبُكَ منهم جهْلُهم ونفاقُهم

وفي النُّور حتمًا تنجلي كلُّ ظُلْمَةِ

وفي النُّور حتمًا تنجلي كلُّ ظُلْمَةِ

And their ignorance and hypocrisy are enough for you,

Their ignorance and hypocrisy is enough from them,

and in the light every darkness surely clears.

And surely all darkness dissipates in the light.

فكم لجَّ في بحر الضلالة مفسدٌ

فكم لجَّ في بحر الضلالة مفسدٌ

وكم هامَ بالتضليل كلُّ جِبِلَّةِ

وكم هامَ بالتضليل كلُّ جِبِلَّةِ

For how many a corrupter has plunged deep into the sea of error,

How many corrupted people have immersed in the sea of misguidance,

and how often every people has been enamored of deception!

And how every wicked nature roamed astray!

وقد أوقدوا للشرِّ نارًا لهيبُها

وقد أوقدوا للشرِّ نارًا لهيبُها

سيحرِقُهم بالكفر في كلِّ وَقْدَةِ

سيحرِقُهم بالكفر في كلِّ وَقْدَةِ

And they have kindled a fire for evil, whose blaze

They have ignited for evil a fire whose flames

will burn them through unbelief with every flare.

Will burn them in disbelief at every kindling.

وما سلكوا في مسلكِ الحقِّ خطوةً

وما سلكوا في مسلكِ الحقِّ خطوةً

ولا أخلصوا لله يومًا بِنِيَّةِ

ولا أخلصوا لله يومًا بِنِيَّةِ

And they have not taken a single step along the path of truth,

They have not tread a single step in the path of truth,

nor been sincere to God in intention for even a day.

Nor were sincere to Allah one day with intention.

وهم أطلقوا صيْحاتِ بغيٍ مضتْ بها

وهم أطلقوا صيْحاتِ بغيٍ مضتْ بها

ضمائرُ سوءٍ تفتري كلَّ فِريةِ

ضمائرُ سوءٍ تفتري كلَّ فِريةِ

And they unleashed cries of aggression, carried forward by

They let out cries of rebellion which corrupted souls followed,

evil consciences that fabricate every lie.

Spreading every nonsense and falsehood.

ومَن يَهْدِهِ الرحمنُ يظفَرْ بفضلِه

ومَن يَهْدِهِ الرحمنُ يظفَرْ بفضلِه

ومَن يُخْزِهِ الشيطانُ يرجعْ بحسـرةِ

ومَن يُخْزِهِ الشيطانُ يرجعْ بحسـرةِ

And whoever the All-Merciful guides wins His bounty,

Whoever Allah guides will succeed by His grace,

and whoever Satan disgraces returns in regret.

And whoever Satan humiliates will return in sorrow.

أتنكِرُ مِن هَدْيِ النبيِّ حديثَه

أتنكِرُ مِن هَدْيِ النبيِّ حديثَه

وتَهذي بِزعمٍ قاطعٍ للمودَّةِ

وتَهذي بِزعمٍ قاطعٍ للمودَّةِ

Do you deny the Prophet's hadith, part of his guidance,

Do you deny the guidance of the Prophet and his narration,

and rave with a claim that severs affection?

And rave with a claim that severs affection?

فَمَنْ بيَّن الآياتِ مِن وحيِ ربِّه

فَمَنْ بيَّن الآياتِ مِن وحيِ ربِّه

ومَن قام يجلو كلَّ شكٍّ ورِيبةِ

ومَن قام يجلو كلَّ شكٍّ ورِيبةِ

Who, then, explained the verses from his Lord's revelation,

For who made clear the verses by revelation of his Lord,

and who arose to dispel every doubt and suspicion?

And who arose removing all doubt and suspicion?

ألستَ بمأمورٍ بطاعة أمرِه

ألستَ بمأمورٍ بطاعة أمرِه

مِنَ اللهِ فاحذر كلَّ حَيْدٍ ورِدَّةِ

مِنَ اللهِ فاحذر كلَّ حَيْدٍ ورِدَّةِ

Are you not commanded to obey his command

Are you not ordered to obey his command

by God? Then beware every deviation and apostasy.

From Allah? So beware all deviation and returning.

وقلْ لرسولِ اللهِ سمعًا وطاعةً

وقلْ لرسولِ اللهِ سمعًا وطاعةً

ودَعْ عنكَ هذا الزَّيْغَ تظفَرْ برحمةِ

ودَعْ عنكَ هذا الزَّيْغَ تظفَرْ برحمةِ

And say to the Messenger of God, 'I hear and obey,'

Say to the Messenger of Allah, "Hearing and obedience,"

and put this waywardness away from you; you will win mercy.

And leave this deviation to gain mercy.

لقد كان في الماضين قبلُ بصائرٌ

لقد كان في الماضين قبلُ بصائرٌ

لمن رامَ حربَ الحقِّ مِن كلِّ مِلَّةِ

لمن رامَ حربَ الحقِّ مِن كلِّ مِلَّةِ

Indeed, in those who passed before there were illuminating lessons

Indeed, in the past there used to be insight

for anyone of any creed who sought to wage war on truth.

For whoever sought war against the truth from every faith.

مضتْ سُنَّةُ الرحمن فيهم فأُهلِكوا

مضتْ سُنَّةُ الرحمن فيهم فأُهلِكوا

وقد كان فيهم حُجَّةٌ بعد حُجَّةِ

وقد كان فيهم حُجَّةٌ بعد حُجَّةِ

The All-Merciful's established way took its course among them, and they were destroyed,

The way of the Most Merciful passed judgement on them and they perished

and among them there had been proof after proof.

While argument after argument had existed among them.

فإنْ تُنكِروا هَدْيَ النبيِّ فإنما

فإنْ تُنكِروا هَدْيَ النبيِّ فإنما

هو النُّكْرُ للقرآن مِن كلِّ وجْهةِ

هو النُّكْرُ للقرآن مِن كلِّ وجْهةِ

So if you deny the Prophet's guidance, that is nothing but

If you deny the guidance of the Prophet, then verily

denial of the Qur'an in every respect.

It is denial of the Qur'an from every perspective.

دعوناكُمُ للحقِّ والحقُّ واضحٌ

دعوناكُمُ للحقِّ والحقُّ واضحٌ

وليس وراءَ النُّورِ غيرُ الدُّجُنَّةِ

وليس وراءَ النُّورِ غيرُ الدُّجُنَّةِ

We have called you to truth, and truth is clear,

We called you to the truth and the truth is clear,

and beyond the light there is nothing but deep darkness.

And there is no darkness beyond the light.