قباب قباء تلكم أم قبا سلع — Ibn Al Tayyib Al Sharqi

قِبابُ قُباءٍ تلكمُ أم قَبا سَلعِ

تبدّت فَشَقَّت مُهجَتيَّ بما سَلعِ

Are those the domes of Quba, or Salʿ's robe?

They appeared and split my two hearts with their cleaving.

وذاكُم سَنا الأفراحِ حول مُفَرِّحٍ

تَنَقَّلَ من لَمحٍ خفِيٍّ إلى لَمعِ

And that is the radiance of joys around a bringer of joy,

passing from a hidden glimmer into a brilliant flash.

وهل ذاكمُ وادي العقيقِ الذي غَدا

عقيقُ دموعي بَعدَهُ دائمَ الهَمعِ

Is that the valley of al-ʿAqiq, after which

the agate of my tears became an unceasing flow?

ديارٌ لأحبابي الذين ألفِتهم

وصرتُ بهم في عالم الذرِ ذا وَلعِ

Dwellings of my beloved ones, whom I came to love,

and through whom I became enamored in the realm of primordial particles.

تُرى هل ترى عَيني ثَراهُم فإنَّني

بِحُبّي لحبّي ذو ثَراءٍ وذو وُسعِ

I wonder: will my eye see their soil? For I

am rich and amply endowed through my love for my beloved.

ولي في مغانيهم مَعانٍ مَعانُها

فسيحٌ بنا أعيى الفصيحُ منَ البُرعِ

In their dwellings I have meanings whose domain

is spacious within us, baffling the most accomplished orator.

ففيهم سكوتي إن صَمتُّ وفيهِمُ

كلامي إذا ما فهتُ بالنَظم والسجعِ

My silence concerns them when I am silent, and of them

is my speech whenever I utter verse and rhymed prose.

وفكري إذا فكَّرتُهُ في جمالهم

فهم بَصَري في العالَمين وهم سَمعي

My thought, whenever I turn it, is upon their beauty;

they are my sight in both worlds, and they are my hearing.

فما لهمُ في حسنهِم من مُماثِلٍ

وما ليَ في أهلِ الصبابةِ من سِلعِ

None equals them in their beauty,

and among the passionately enamored I have no peer.

ولم لا وفيهم أحمدُ المصطفى الذي

حوى كلَّ أصلٍ في المحاسن أو فَرعِ

And why not, when among them is Ahmad, the Chosen One, who

encompasses every root and branch of excellence?

فبدرُ الدجى من نور طلعته اكتسى

وسدفةُ جنحِ الليل من ذلك الفَرعِ

The full moon of darkness clothed itself in his face's light,

and the gloom of night's wing comes from those locks.

أغَرٌّ أزَجٌ أدعجُ العين أفلحُ

الثنيّةِ أقنى الأنفِ ذو قامةٍ ربعِ

Radiant-faced, arched-browed, dark-eyed, gapped

in the front teeth, aquiline-nosed, and of medium stature.

وشُكلةُ شكلِ العين زانَت بياضَها

فماذا عيونُ العُفر منها أو الهُنعِ

A reddish tinge in his eyes adorned their whiteness;

what are the eyes of tawny or curved-necked gazelles beside his?

ضَليعٌ أسيلُ الوجنتين مُقَصَّدٌ

إذا ما مشى ينحَطُّ في الأرض ذا قَلعِ

Broad-chested, smooth-cheeked, well-proportioned,

when he walked, he moved earthward with a vigorous, lifted stride.

حَوَت ذاتُه كلَّ الكمالِ وأحرَزَت

محاسِنُهُ كلَّ الجمالِ بلا شِرع

His being contained all perfection, and

his excellences embraced all beauty, without equal.

وكم ظهرت في حَملِهِ من بَشائرِ

وكم من كراماتِ الولادةِ والوَضع

How many glad signs appeared during his gestation,

and how many marvels attended his birth and delivery!

فإيوانُ كسرى كُسِّرت شُرُفاتُهُ

وأركانُهُ فيها سَرَت نَسمةُ الصَدعِ

The battlements of Kisra's palace were shattered,

and a breath of fracture swept through its pillars.

وأخمدَ نورُ أحمدٍ نارَ فارسٍ

وقد أوقَدَتها ألفَ عامٍ بلا قَطعِ

Ahmad's light extinguished Persia's fire,

which Persia had kept burning for a thousand years without interruption.

وساوَةُ ساءَت إذ تَغَيَّضَ ماؤها

ولم يبقَ فيها من ثماد ولا نقعِ

Sawa was stricken when its waters dwindled,

and no scant water or pool remained there.

وقيصَرُ من بُصرى تراءَت قصورُهُ

فأبصرها مَن حَلَّ حولَ حمى جَمعِ

Caesar's palaces at Busra became visible,

and those dwelling around Jamʿ's sacred precinct saw them.

وكم ظهرت من معجزات عظيمةٍ

على يدهِ جلَّت عن الحصرِ والجمعِ

How many mighty miracles appeared

at his hand, too great to enumerate or collect!

والزِبر قال انشق في مُحكمَ الهدى

ورُدَّت له بوحٌ مُكَمَّلةَ السَطعِ

And Scripture says, 'It split,' in the clear text of guidance,

and the sun was returned to him in full radiance.

وكلمهُ ضَبٌّ وظبيٌ وظبيَةٌ

وجاءت له الأشجارُ تسجدُ عن طَوعِ

A lizard, a gazelle, and a doe spoke to him,

and trees came to him, bowing of their own accord.

وكم راح من سَقَمٍ بلمسَةِ راحةٍ

وكم كفَّ ذاك الكفُّ باللَمس من صرعِ

How much sickness vanished at a touch of his palm,

and how often that hand stopped seizures with its touch!

وكم قد شَفى من كان أشفى على شَفا

وأفظَعَهُ بالبُرء من ألمٍ فَظعٍ

How often he healed one poised upon the brink,

and amazed him with recovery from dreadful pain!

وَكَم قَد شَفى عَيناً وَجادَ بِها وَكَم

غَدَت عَذبةً من ريقِهِ الأعذَبَ الجَرعِ

How many an eye he healed and graciously restored, and how many

springs became sweet through his saliva, sweetest to sip!

وكم ظلَّلتهُ في الفيافي غَمامةٌ

وحامت أمام الغارِ وُرقِيَّةُ السَجعِ

How often a cloud shaded him in the wilderness,

and a gray, cooing dove hovered before the cave.

وجاءته بُدنُ الهَديِ تطلبَ نسكَهُ

ليَذبحها للنُسكِ مسرعةَ الوَضعِ

Sacrificial camels came to him seeking sacrifice by him,

that he might slaughter them for the rite, hastening in their gait.

وكم مَيِّتٍ أحياهُ في كَم قَضيَّةٍ

وأعظمُ من أحيا بهِ قصةُ الجِذعِ

How many dead beings he revived, in how many instances!

Greatest among the tales of what he enlivened is the tree trunk's.

وكم فاضَ في كم مشهدٍ بحرُ كفِّهِ

فأغنى جيوشَ المسلمين عن النَبعِ

How often, in how many gatherings, the ocean of his palm overflowed,

sparing Muslim armies the need for a spring!

وكم مرةٍ من صاعِ تمرٍ ونَحرِهِ

غدا العَسكرُ الجرّارُ مُستكمِلَ الشِبعِ

How often, from a saʿ of dates and a beast he slaughtered,

the vast army became completely satisfied!

وكم من شياهٍ أرسلَت رِسلَها لهُ

ودَرَّت وكانت قبلُ يابسةَ الضَرعِ

How many sheep released their milk for him,

flowing freely, though their udders had been dry before!

وكم من بعيرٍ جاءَهُ يستكي العَنا

وكثرةَ شُغلٍ دون عَلفٍ ولا نَقعِ

How many a camel came to him complaining of hardship

and excessive labor without fodder or water!

فأشكاهُ من شَكوى الشقاء وعاذَهُ

وأعراهُ مما قَد عراهُ مِنَ الخَفعِ

He relieved its complaint of suffering and sheltered it,

freeing it from the affliction that had beset it.

أما ناولَ المختارُ عُكاشَةَ العَصا

بِبَدرٍ فصارت مُنصُلاً دائمَ القَطعِ

Did not the Chosen One hand ʿUkasha a staff

at Badr, which became an ever-cutting blade?

وفي أحُدٍ أحذى ابنَ جَحسٍ عسيبَهُ

فأضحى حُساماً قاطعَ القَطعِ

And at Uhud he gave Ibn Jahs his palm stalk,

which became a sword, keen in severing.

أما سَبَّحت صُمُّ الحصى بيَمينهِ

أما أخبرته الشاةُ عن سُمِّها النَقعِ

Did not the mute pebbles glorify God in his right hand?

Did not the sheep tell him of its deadly poison?

أما عادَ عودٌ يابسٌ بدُعائهِ

وملمسهِ مستَكمِلَ النضجِ واليَنعِ

Did not a dry branch return, through his prayer

and his touch, to full maturity and ripeness?

بطالَتهُ الأبطالَ قد أبطلت فسَل

حُنَيناً وبَدراً عن مصارعها الفُظعِ

His heroism defeated the heroes; ask

Hunayn and Badr about their dreadful falls.

ورميةُ كَفِّ النَقعِ عَمَّت هوازناً

جميعاً وأقذَت عينهم رميةُ النَقع

A handful of dust he cast reached all Hawazin,

and that cast of dust filled their eyes with grit.

جوادٌ عطاياهُ عطايا حُلاحِلٍ

خِضَمٌّ سَرِيُّ القدرِ أريحيُّ الطبعِ

Generous, his gifts are the gifts of a noble chief,

an ocean of bounty, exalted in rank, openhanded by nature.

يجودُ فلا يخشى من الفقر إذ ندي

نداهُ يحاكي صوبُهُ صيِّبَ الرجعِ

He gives without fearing poverty, for the dew

of his bounty pours like a heavy shower of rain.

وقد حاز إذ جازَ السماوات رِفعةً

تقاصرَ كَم من طائلٍ دونَها مرعي

Crossing the heavens, he attained a height

before which many a great, esteemed eminence fell short.

ونال العُلا لمّا علا لعَلائهِ

على الأفقِ إذ أسرى به اللَه للسّبعِ

He gained the heights when, through his exaltedness, he rose

above the horizon as God bore him by night to the seven heavens.

وكلّمهُ المولى كفاحاً ونال ما

تمنّى بلا منٍّ هناك ولا مَنعِ

The Lord spoke to him face to face, and he gained what

he wished, without reproach for favors or denial there.

وأدناهُ منه قابَ قوسينِ فارتَقى

مقاماً عظيماً لا يُحيطُ به وَضعي

He drew him near, two bow-lengths away, and he ascended

to a mighty station that my description cannot encompass.

وأولاهُ ما أولاهُ مولاهُ رُتبَةً

تقاصرَ عنها كلُّ مستعظمٍ فرع

His Lord bestowed upon him what He bestowed—a rank

beyond the reach of every branch deemed lofty.

وقال ابنُ عباسٍ بمقلهِ رأسهِ

رأي ربَّهُ من غير ريبٍ ولا دَفعِ

And Ibn ʿAbbas said: with the eyes of his head

he saw his Lord, without doubt or denial.

فهذا هو المجدُ الذي نُصِبَت لهُ

جوازمُ برهانٍ مؤصلَّةُ الرَفعِ

This is the glory for which were erected

decisive proofs, firmly rooted in exaltation.

فيا خيرَ مبعوثٍ إلى خير أمةٍ

بأعظمِ قرآنٍ وأسمحِ ما شَرعِ

O best messenger sent to the best community,

with the greatest Qur'an and the most generous of laws!

أجرني أجِرني من عظيم جرائري

فقد أثقلت ظهري وضاق بها ذرعي

Protect me, protect me from my grievous offenses,

for they have burdened my back and exhausted my strength.

فما لي سواك اليوم أرجوهُ شافِعٌ

شفاعَتهُ تُرجى لدى الوِترِ والشفعِ

Today I have no intercessor but you in whom to hope,

whose intercession is hoped for before the odd and the even.

وحاشاك أن ترضى العناءَ لمَن عنا

فسيحُ رجاك ذا رجاء وذا طَمعِ

Far be it from you to approve suffering for one who seeks

the vastness of your hoped-for grace, hopeful and yearning.

إلاهي تَشَفَّعنا إليكَ بأحمدٍ

محمّدِك المختار في الوَترِ والشفع

My God, we seek intercession with You through Ahmad,

Your Muhammad, chosen among the odd and the even.

أجِب دعوتي واقبَل بفضلك شكوَتي

وجُد لي بمَنحٍ لا يُكَدّر بالمَنعِ

Answer my prayer and, through Your favor, accept my complaint.

Grant me a gift unsoured by withholding.

ونوّر بنورِ العِلم والحلم باطني

وزِد ظاهري نورَ المعارفِ والطوع

Illuminate my inward being with knowledge and forbearance,

and increase my outward being's light of understanding and obedience.

وأصلح شُؤوني كلّها فشؤونها

مخافَةَ أن تُشنا مُهَلَّلةُ الدمعِ

Set all my affairs right; concern for their state

makes tears stream, for fear they may be despised.

وأمّن بمحضِ الفضلِ منك مخاوفي

فيرتَع روعي روضَ أمنٍ منَ الروعِ

Through Your pure favor, make my fears secure,

so my heart may graze in a meadow of safety from dread.

ووسّع إلاهي واشرَحِ الصدر بالتُقى

فمن فاز بالتقوى حوى كلَّ ما رَجعِ

Enlarge, my God, and open my breast through piety,

for whoever attains piety gathers every returning benefit.

ودائرةَ العرفانِ والرزقِ وَسِّعن

علَيَّ وأنزِل ركبَها في حِمى رَبعي

Widen the circle of spiritual knowledge and livelihood

for me, and settle its caravan within my dwelling's sanctuary.

وأغنِ فؤادي يا إلهي عن الوَرى

جميعاً فلا ألقي لهم أبداً سمعي

Make my heart, my God, independent of all creatures,

so I never turn my ear to them.

إلاهي بكَ اشغَلني وفيك وَرُدَّني

إليكَ وقَرِّبني فحتّى متى شَسعي

My God, occupy me with You and in You, and bring me back

to You and draw me near—how long must I remain afar?

إلاهِيَ شَفِّع في النبيَّ مُحمّداً

فلي ذِمَّةٌ باسمي اسمه وهوُ ذو صُنعِ

My God, accept the Prophet Muhammad's intercession for me,

for I have a claim through bearing his name, and he is beneficent.

إلاهيَ عامِلني وكلَّ أحِبَّتي

بفضلك يا مولايَ فالفضلُ ذو وُسعِ

My God, deal with me and all my beloved ones

through Your favor, my Lord, for Your favor is abundant.

وواصل على خيرِ الأنام محمّدٍ

صلات صلاةٍ واصلاتٍ بلا قَطعِ

Continue upon Muhammad, the best of humankind,

gifts of blessings, arriving continuously without interruption,

وآلهِ والأصحابِ ما قال شائِقٌ

قبابُ قُباءٍ تلكمُ أم قَبا سَلعِ

and upon his family and Companions, as long as a yearning lover says:

Are those the domes of Quba, or Salʿ's robe?