من سلم الحق إلى أربابه

من سلم الحق إلى أربابه

معترفا بأنه أولى به

معترفا بأنه أولى به

Whoever hands over what is due to its rightful owners,

Those who surrender the truth to its masters

acknowledging that its owner is more entitled to it,

Admitting that it is more deserving of it

فهو الذي بنور عقله اهتدى

فهو الذي بنور عقله اهتدى

إلى دخول بيته من بابه

إلى دخول بيته من بابه

is the one who, by the light of his reason, has found his way

They are the ones who with the light of their intellect found guidance

to entering his house through its door.

To enter its house through its door

ما آثر ابن العربي عاقل

ما آثر ابن العربي عاقل

على النبي والذي أتى به

على النبي والذي أتى به

No rational man has preferred Ibn al-Arabi

What virtue does Ibn Arabi the wise possess

over the Prophet and what he brought.

Over the Prophet and what he brought

قال رسول الله عن رب السما

قال رسول الله عن رب السما

كما قرأتموه في كتابه

كما قرأتموه في كتابه

The Messenger of God said, on behalf of the Lord of heaven,

The Messenger of Allah said about the Lord of the Skies

as you have read it in His Book:

As you have read in His Book

لا تسجدوا للشمس وابن عربي

لا تسجدوا للشمس وابن عربي

قال مصرحا وما كنى به

قال مصرحا وما كنى به

“Do not prostrate yourselves to the sun”; but Ibn Arabi

Do not prostrate to the sun - and Ibn Arabi

said explicitly, without speaking of it obliquely:

Said openly, and what he hinted

بل اسجدوا لها وما عبدتم

بل اسجدوا لها وما عبدتم

من شجر أو حجر يدعى به

من شجر أو حجر يدعى به

“Rather, prostrate yourselves to it and to whatever you have worshipped,

Rather, prostrate to it and what you have worshipped

whether a tree or a stone through which prayer is offered—

Of trees or stones called upon

فانه الله فمن لديهم

فانه الله فمن لديهم

لا قدسوا اصدق في خطابه

لا قدسوا اصدق في خطابه

for it is God.” So who, in their eyes—

It is God, so for those who have

may they not be sanctified!—is truer in his speech:

No sanctity in their claims

الله أم هذا الخبيث ويلهم

الله أم هذا الخبيث ويلهم

من شر هذا الشر وارتكابه

من شر هذا الشر وارتكابه

God, or this vile man? Woe to them

Is it Allah or this wicked one, woe to them

for the evil of this wickedness and their committing it!

From the evil of this and its commission

ما لي أرى شيخ الشيوخ ساهيا

ما لي أرى شيخ الشيوخ ساهيا

يدني عدو ربه من بابه

يدني عدو ربه من بابه

Why do I see the shaykh of shaykhs heedless,

I wonder to see the Shaykh of Shaykhs forgetful

bringing his Lord's enemy close to his door?

Letting the enemy of his Lord near his door

لا يغررنك ما يرى من سمته

لا يغررنك ما يرى من سمته

فالخير كل الخير في اجتنابه

فالخير كل الخير في اجتنابه

Let not what is seen of his demeanor deceive you;

Do not let what you see of his composure fool you

for good—all good—lies in avoiding him.

For all good is in avoiding him

أعيذه بالله من كرماني

أعيذه بالله من كرماني

يبغض الحق إلى أحبابه

يبغض الحق إلى أحبابه

I seek God's protection for him from Kirmani,

I seek refuge for him in Allah from honoring me

who makes truth hateful to those who love it,

Who hates the truth among his loved ones

يحول ما بين الفتى ودينه

يحول ما بين الفتى ودينه

وينفث السم لمن خلا به

وينفث السم لمن خلا به

who comes between a young man and his faith

He comes between the young man and his religion

and breathes poison upon whoever is alone with him.

And spews poison to whoever is alone with him

الله بين ديننا ودينه

الله بين ديننا ودينه

وإنه يدعو إلى خرابه

وإنه يدعو إلى خرابه

God stands between our faith and his,

Allah between our religion and his

and indeed he calls for its ruin.

Though he calls to its ruin

وقد قلاه المسلمون كلهم

وقد قلاه المسلمون كلهم

وكلهم ناءٍ عن اقترابه

وكلهم ناءٍ عن اقترابه

And all the Muslims have loathed him,

And the Muslims all cursed him

and all of them keep far from approaching him.

And all fled from going near him

ملته من ملة ابن عربي

ملته من ملة ابن عربي

وليس منك أحد أدرى به

وليس منك أحد أدرى به

His creed comes from the creed of Ibn Arabi,

His religion is the religion of Ibn Arabi

and no one knows him better than you.

And none among you know more of him than I

صحبته توقع من يصحبه

صحبته توقع من يصحبه

في تهمة فاقلع عن استصحابه

في تهمة فاقلع عن استصحابه

His company casts whoever keeps company with him

Befriending him risks involving those who befriend him

into suspicion; so desist from keeping his company.

In suspicion, so refrain from assuming his companionship

ولا تنوه باسمه بقربه

ولا تنوه باسمه بقربه

منك فان الحبر يقتدي به

منك فان الحبر يقتدي به

And do not exalt his name through his closeness

And do not speak of his name in nearness

to you, for a learned man is taken as a model.

To you, for the scholars emulate him

لا يطرق الإسلام منك بعدها

لا يطرق الإسلام منك بعدها

بقربه ما ليس في حسابه

بقربه ما ليس في حسابه

Let Islam not be assailed through you thereafter,

Let no more of Islam approach you after this

because of his closeness, by something beyond its reckoning.

In nearness to what is not in its reckoning

ابعده عن قربك ترضى ربنا

ابعده عن قربك ترضى ربنا

فقربه داعٍِ إلى إغضابه

فقربه داعٍِ إلى إغضابه

Keep him far from your presence, and you will please our Lord;

Remove him from your nearness to please our Lord

for his closeness invites His anger.

For his nearness calls to His displeasure

والله إنى ناصح ومحذر

والله إنى ناصح ومحذر

من شؤمه من خفت أن يرمى به

من شؤمه من خفت أن يرمى به

By God, I offer sincere counsel and warning

By Allah, I am an advisor and a warner

against his ill-omened influence to those I fear may be struck by it.

From his evil, fearing he will be accused of it

هذا الذي علي قد أديته

هذا الذي علي قد أديته

الهمك الرحمن ما يرضى به

الهمك الرحمن ما يرضى به

This is what was incumbent on me; I have fulfilled it.

This which is upon me I have conveyed

May the All-Merciful inspire you with what pleases Him.

Seeking the Most Merciful’s pleasure in it