شمل بفضل رسول الله ينتظم

شمل بفضل رسول الله ينتظم

فوراً وصدع بجاه منه يلتئم

فوراً وصدع بجاه منه يلتئم

What was scattered, by the grace of God’s Messenger, is gathered;

A company is united through the grace of God's Messenger,

our wound—and every fracture—through his high station is mended.

at once, and a rift is healed through his standing.

وحسن ظن وآمال تبشرني

وحسن ظن وآمال تبشرني

عنه بما يدفع الأمر الذي يضم

عنه بما يدفع الأمر الذي يضم

Good expectations and hopes bring me glad tidings

And good expectations and hopes bring me glad tidings

of him—of what will drive away the distress that hems me in.

from him of what wards off the affliction that constricts me.

فيا صروف زماني قد شددت يدي

فيا صروف زماني قد شددت يدي

بعروة منه وثقى ليس تنفصم

بعروة منه وثقى ليس تنفصم

O reversals of my age, I have fastened my hand

So, O vicissitudes of my time, I have fastened my hand

to his firmest handhold, which shall never break.

to his firmest handhold, which cannot break.

ويا حوادث دهري فاتكن فتى

ويا حوادث دهري فاتكن فتى

أمسى بحبل رسول الله يعتصم

أمسى بحبل رسول الله يعتصم

And you, calamities of my time—come assail a man

And, O calamities of my lifetime, a young man has escaped you,

who has come to cling to the cord of God’s Messenger.

who now holds fast to the rope of God's Messenger.

أيقنت أن دوائي قد ظفرت به

أيقنت أن دوائي قد ظفرت به

وأن دائي بحمد الله منحسم

وأن دائي بحمد الله منحسم

I know with certainty that through him I have found my cure,

I am certain that I have found my cure,

and that my illness—praise be to God—is ended.

and that my illness, praise be to God, is cut off,

وأنني آمن مما أحاذره

وأنني آمن مما أحاذره

بسيد منه لي ركن وملتزم

بسيد منه لي ركن وملتزم

I am secure from everything I fear

and that I am safe from what I fear,

through a master in whom I have a pillar and a refuge:

through a master in whom I have a pillar of strength and a refuge.

محمد سيد الكونين أفضل من

محمد سيد الكونين أفضل من

مشت به فوق هامات العلى قدم

مشت به فوق هامات العلى قدم

Muhammad, lord of both worlds, the best of all

Muhammad, master of the two worlds, the finest of those

whose foot has ever trodden the summits of glory;

whose foot has walked above the summits of glory.

من لا تعد ولا تحصى فضائله

من لا تعد ولا تحصى فضائله

فكيف يحصى الحصى أو تحصر الديم

فكيف يحصى الحصى أو تحصر الديم

he whose virtues cannot be numbered or reckoned—

One whose virtues can neither be numbered nor counted—

how can pebbles be counted, or rain clouds encompassed?

so how can pebbles be counted, or steady rains be reckoned?

وكل معجزة للرسل فهي له

وكل معجزة للرسل فهي له

إذ كان من نوره اشراق نورهم

إذ كان من نوره اشراق نورهم

Every miracle granted to the messengers is also his,

And every miracle of the messengers belongs to him,

for the radiance of their light arose from his light.

since their light shone forth from his light.

كالشمس ما كوكب يبدو ولا قمر

كالشمس ما كوكب يبدو ولا قمر

إلا ومن نورها النور الذي يهم

إلا ومن نورها النور الذي يهم

As with the sun: neither star nor moon appears

Like the sun: no star appears, nor any moon,

but its radiance is borrowed from hers.

except that the light it sheds comes from the sun's light.

فكم به بشرت من قبلنا رسل

فكم به بشرت من قبلنا رسل

وكم به آمنت من قبلنا أمم

وكم به آمنت من قبلنا أمم

How many messengers before our time foretold his coming;

How many messengers before us brought glad tidings of him,

how many nations before our time believed in him.

and how many peoples before us believed in him!

غاضت بحيرة غيظا يوم مولده

غاضت بحيرة غيظا يوم مولده

وبات إيوان كسرى وهو منهدم

وبات إيوان كسرى وهو منهدم

A lake sank away in rage on the day of his birth,

A lake dried up in rage on the day of his birth,

and Khosrow’s palace lay that night in ruins.

and Kisra's vaulted hall lay collapsed through the night.

وأخمد الله نار بعد ما لبثت

وأخمد الله نار بعد ما لبثت

في فارس ألف عام وهي تضطرم

في فارس ألف عام وهي تضطرم

God extinguished a fire after it had remained

And God extinguished a fire after it had endured

in Persia for a thousand years, fiercely blazing.

in Persia for a thousand years, blazing all the while.

هم أوقدوها وقاموا يعبدون لها

هم أوقدوها وقاموا يعبدون لها

الرب يُحيي وهم يحيون ربهم

الرب يُحيي وهم يحيون ربهم

They had kindled it and stood worshiping it:

They kindled it and set about worshipping it:

the Lord gives life, while they kept their lord alive.

the Lord gives life, while they give life to their lord.

جاءت به ساجداً لله آمنة

جاءت به ساجداً لله آمنة

والعرب في شركهم معبودهم صنم

والعرب في شركهم معبودهم صنم

Āmina bore him prostrate before God,

Amina bore him while he prostrated to God,

while the Arabs, in their polytheism, worshiped an idol.

while the Arabs, in their polytheism, worshipped an idol.

والجن تغشى السما للسمع تسرقه

والجن تغشى السما للسمع تسرقه

منها وتلقى إلى الكهان علمهم

منها وتلقى إلى الكهان علمهم

The jinn would overrun heaven, stealing what they heard,

The jinn would approach heaven to steal what they overheard

then cast their knowledge down to the soothsayers.

from it, conveying their knowledge to the soothsayers.

فأرصد الله هذي الشهب تحفظها

فأرصد الله هذي الشهب تحفظها

فها هي اليوم في أدبارهم رجم

فها هي اليوم في أدبارهم رجم

So God posted these shooting stars to guard it,

Then God stationed these shooting stars to guard it;

and now they are missiles hurled against their backs.

behold them today: missiles at the jinn's backs.

وأرضعته بنو سعد فأسعدهم

وأرضعته بنو سعد فأسعدهم

حتى غدا الجدب مثل الخصب عندهم

حتى غدا الجدب مثل الخصب عندهم

The Banū Saʿd nursed him, and through him they prospered,

The Banu Sa'd nursed him, and he brought them good fortune,

until drought among them became as rich as abundance.

until drought became like abundance for them.

وكان طفلاً متى ما يلق مئزره

وكان طفلاً متى ما يلق مئزره

يزجره ملك فيستحيي ويحتشم

يزجره ملك فيستحيي ويحتشم

Whenever, as a child, he let his waistcloth fall,

As a child, whenever he cast off his waistcloth,

an angel rebuked him; abashed, he covered himself.

an angel rebuked him, so he grew bashful and modest.

وسار في ملأ والحر متقد

وسار في ملأ والحر متقد

فظللته الغمام الجون دونهم

فظللته الغمام الجون دونهم

He traveled amid a company while the heat blazed,

He traveled among a company, with the heat blazing,

and dark clouds shaded him, but not the rest.

and dark clouds shaded him, but not them.

أسرى به ليلة الإسراء وصاحبه

أسرى به ليلة الإسراء وصاحبه

جبريل فيها وأملاك السما خدم

جبريل فيها وأملاك السما خدم

He was borne by night upon the Night Journey; his companion

He was taken by night on the Night Journey, and his companion

was Gabriel, while heaven’s angels served him there.

was Gabriel; the angels of heaven were attendants.

رقى سماء سماء وهو يصحبه

رقى سماء سماء وهو يصحبه

حتى انتهى حيث لا يخطو به قدم

حتى انتهى حيث لا يخطو به قدم

He climbed through heaven after heaven, Gabriel beside him,

He ascended heaven after heaven, with Gabriel accompanying him,

until he reached a realm where no foot could advance.

until he reached where no foot could accompany him farther.

وقال لو جزت هذا قدر أنملة

وقال لو جزت هذا قدر أنملة

هلكت فاذهب فأنت المفرد العلم

هلكت فاذهب فأنت المفرد العلم

Gabriel said, “If I passed beyond this by a fingertip,

And he said, “If I passed beyond this by a fingertip's breadth,

I would perish. Go—you are the peerless paragon.”

I would perish. Go on: you are the peerless, preeminent one.”

دنا وزج به في النور حيث دنا

دنا وزج به في النور حيث دنا

كقاب قوسين واستقبلته النعم

كقاب قوسين واستقبلته النعم

He drew near and was plunged into the light as he approached,

He drew near and was thrust into the light, coming close

to within two bow-lengths, while blessings came to meet him.

as close as two bow-lengths, and blessings greeted him.

وأقبل الوحى بالترحيب واتصلت

وأقبل الوحى بالترحيب واتصلت

به الرسالة والآيات والحكم

به الرسالة والآيات والحكم

Revelation came forward to welcome him, and joined

Revelation came with words of welcome, and there reached

to him were the Message, the signs, and wisdom.

him the message, the signs, and wisdom.

وقام في قومه يدعو وينذرهم

وقام في قومه يدعو وينذرهم

فكذبوه وقالوا مسه لمم

فكذبوه وقالوا مسه لمم

Among his people he arose, calling and warning them,

He rose among his people, calling them and warning them,

but they called him a liar and said, “Madness has touched him.”

but they denied him and said, “Madness has touched him.”

وآمنت فتية مهم فجاهد هم

وآمنت فتية مهم فجاهد هم

بهم جهادا وهم قل عديدهم

بهم جهادا وهم قل عديدهم

A band among them believed; then with that band he fought them,

And youths among them believed; then he fought them

waging the struggle though his followers were few in number.

with those youths in battle, though they were few in number.

فكان يقتلهم في كل معترك

فكان يقتلهم في كل معترك

ليؤمنوا ولتهواه قلوبهم

ليؤمنوا ولتهواه قلوبهم

In every battle he would kill them

So he would kill them on every battlefield,

so that they might believe and their hearts come to love him.

so that they might believe and their hearts might love him.

وان من أعجب الأشياء لو فهموا

وان من أعجب الأشياء لو فهموا

محبة نالها منهم بقتلهم

محبة نالها منهم بقتلهم

Among the strangest things—if only they understood—

And among the strangest things—if only they understood—

is a love he gained from them by killing them.

is the love he won from them by killing them.

فهل علمتم بحرب كان موقعها

فهل علمتم بحرب كان موقعها

في معشر سبب التأليف بينهم

في معشر سبب التأليف بينهم

Have you ever known a war whose effect

Have you ever known a war whose impact

among a people was what bound them together,

upon a people was the cause of bringing them together?

حتى يود الفتى يفدى بمهجته

حتى يود الفتى يفدى بمهجته

من ظل يقتل آباه ويغتنم

من ظل يقتل آباه ويغتنم

until a young man would wish to ransom with his own life

Until a young man wishes to ransom with his life's blood

the man who had kept killing his forefathers and taking spoils?

the one who kept killing his fathers and taking booty.

هذي هي الآية الكبرى فلو فهموا

هذي هي الآية الكبرى فلو فهموا

هذي الدقيقة ردتهم عقولهم

هذي الدقيقة ردتهم عقولهم

This is the greatest sign, if only they understood;

This is the greatest sign; if they understood

their own minds would have led them back to this subtle truth.

this subtle truth, their reason would turn them back.

يا خاتم الرسل يا نعم الشفيع إذا

يا خاتم الرسل يا نعم الشفيع إذا

ضاق الخناق وزلت بالفتى القدم

ضاق الخناق وزلت بالفتى القدم

O Seal of the Messengers, what an excellent intercessor you are when

O seal of the messengers, how excellent an intercessor you are when

the noose draws tight and a young man’s footing slips.

the noose tightens and a young man's foot slips.

كلي ذنوب وأنواع الخطا صفتي

كلي ذنوب وأنواع الخطا صفتي

ومن صفات إلهي العفو والكرم

ومن صفات إلهي العفو والكرم

My whole being is sin, and every kind of error is my trait;

I am all sins, and every kind of wrongdoing is my trait;

while pardon and generosity are among my God’s attributes.

while among my God's attributes are pardon and generosity.

وقد تعلقت من أذيال عزكم

وقد تعلقت من أذيال عزكم

بفضل جاهٍ به ما خاب ملتزم

بفضل جاهٍ به ما خاب ملتزم

I have caught hold of the hems of your might,

And I have clung to the trailing hems of your honor,

through the grace of a rank by which no clinger is disappointed.

through the virtue of a standing to which none clings in vain.

فغارة يا رسول الله مدركة

فغارة يا رسول الله مدركة

تجلى الهموم وتحيا عندها الهمم

تجلى الهموم وتحيا عندها الهمم

Charge swiftly to my rescue, O Messenger of God—

Then send timely succor, O Messenger of God,

a charge that dispels cares and revives resolve;

that dispels cares and at whose coming resolve revives,

ترد عني وجوه الحادثات قفاً

ترد عني وجوه الحادثات قفاً

وينجلي بك عن وجهي بها الظلم

وينجلي بك عن وجهي بها الظلم

that turns the faces of calamities back from me,

that turns calamities' faces backward, away from me,

and through you clears the darkness they cast upon my face.

and through you, by that aid, darkness clears from my face.

يا خير من دفنت في الترب أعظمه

يا خير من دفنت في الترب أعظمه

فطاب من طيبهن القاع والأكم

فطاب من طيبهن القاع والأكم

O best of all whose bones were buried in the earth,

O best of those whose bones were buried in the earth,

whose sweet fragrance made the plain and hills grow fragrant;

the plain and the hills grew fragrant from their fragrance.

ويا ملاذي في دنيا وآخرة

ويا ملاذي في دنيا وآخرة

من ذا سواك به الملهوف يعتصم

من ذا سواك به الملهوف يعتصم

O my refuge in this world and the next,

And, O my refuge in this world and the next,

who besides you is there for the anguished to cling to?

who but you can the distressed cling to for protection?

سل لي الاقالة والغفران من ملك

سل لي الاقالة والغفران من ملك

كبائرَ الذنب في غفرانه لمم

كبائرَ الذنب في غفرانه لمم

Ask a King to grant me release and forgiveness—

Ask pardon and forgiveness for me from a King

in whose forgiveness even the gravest sins are trifles.

in whose forgiveness grave sins are but minor faults.