ألم تر أن الله أكرمَ أحمداً

ألم تر أن الله أكرمَ أحمداً

ونادى به حتى إذا بلغ المدى

ونادى به حتى إذا بلغ المدى

Have you not seen that God honored Ahmad,

Did you not see that Allah honored Ahmad

And called him forth until, when he reached the utmost limit,

And called him until he reached the goal

تلقاه بالقرآن وحياً منزلاً

تلقاه بالقرآن وحياً منزلاً

فكان له روحاً كريماً مؤيدا

فكان له روحاً كريماً مؤيدا

He met him with the Qur'an, a revelation sent down,

He received the Quran as revelation sent down

And so it became for him a noble, strengthening spirit?

So he had a noble, supported spirit

وأعطاه ما أبقى عليه مهابةً

وأعطاه ما أبقى عليه مهابةً

فاورثه علماً وحِلماً وسؤددا

فاورثه علماً وحِلماً وسؤددا

And gave him what preserved his awe-inspiring dignity,

And gave him what made awe remain in him

Thus endowing him with knowledge, forbearance, and preeminence.

Thus he inherited knowledge, forebearance and generosity

وأعلى به الدين الحنيفي والهدى

وأعلى به الدين الحنيفي والهدى

وصيرَّه يومَ القيامةِ سيِّدا

وصيرَّه يومَ القيامةِ سيِّدا

And through him exalted the upright, monotheistic faith and guidance,

And elevated through him the true religion and guidance

And made him a master on the Day of Resurrection.

And made him on the Day of Judgment the master

وهيأ يومَ الفصلِ عند وروده

وهيأ يومَ الفصلِ عند وروده

له فوق أدنى في التقرب مقعدا

له فوق أدنى في التقرب مقعدا

And prepared, on the Day of Judgment, upon his arrival,

And prepared on the Day of Separation when he arrives

For him a seat beyond the nearest degree of approach.

For him above the lowest a seat of nearness

وعين يوم الزور في كلِّ حضرةٍ

وعين يوم الزور في كلِّ حضرةٍ

له في كَثيبِ المسكِ نُزُلاً ومشهدا

له في كَثيبِ المسكِ نُزُلاً ومشهدا

And allotted, on the Day of Visitation, in every presence,

And designated on the Day of Misfortune in every assembly

For him, on the dune of musk, hospitality and a place of witnessing.

For him in clouds of musk dwellings and shrines

فيا خير خلقِ الله بل خير مُرسَلٍ

فيا خير خلقِ الله بل خير مُرسَلٍ

لقد طبتَ في الأعراق نشأ ومحتدا

لقد طبتَ في الأعراق نشأ ومحتدا

So, O best of God's creation—nay, best of messengers,

So O best of Allah's creation, rather best of messengers

Indeed, you were pure in ancestry, upbringing, and lineage.

You were good in disposition from birth and upright

تحليت للإرسال في كل شُرعةً

تحليت للإرسال في كل شُرعةً

يظهرن آياتٍ ويقدحن أزندا

يظهرن آياتٍ ويقدحن أزندا

You adorned yourself for the mission in every sacred law,

You were adorned for prophethood in every law

They manifest signs and strike sparks from fire-sticks.

They show clear verses and strike bright sparks

ففي قولكم لما دعيت مّذماً

ففي قولكم لما دعيت مّذماً

كعصمتنا من سبِّ من كان ألحدا

كعصمتنا من سبِّ من كان ألحدا

So in your words, when you were called “blameworthy,”

So in your words when you were blamed

As in “our protection from the insults of one who had strayed,”

Is like our protection from insulting whoever was alone

علومٌ وأسرار لمن كان ذا حجى

علومٌ وأسرار لمن كان ذا حجى

تدل على خُلق كريمٍ من العِدى

تدل على خُلق كريمٍ من العِدى

Lie knowledge and secrets for whoever possesses understanding,

Knowledge and mysteries for whoever has understanding

That point to noble character on the part of foes.

Indicating a generous character from harm

فيا خيرَ مَبعوثٍ إلى خيرِ أُمَّة

فيا خيرَ مَبعوثٍ إلى خيرِ أُمَّة

لو أنك في ضيقٍ لكنت لك الفدا

لو أنك في ضيقٍ لكنت لك الفدا

So, O best of those sent to the best community,

So O best of those sent to the best nation

If you were in distress, I would be your ransom.

If you were in distress, I would ransom you with my soul

ولما دعوتُ الله غيرةَ مؤمنٍ

ولما دعوتُ الله غيرةَ مؤمنٍ

على من تعدَّى في الشريعة واعتدى

على من تعدَّى في الشريعة واعتدى

And when I called upon God with a believer's protective zeal,

And when I called upon Allah zealous of a believer

Against one who transgressed the sacred law and overstepped,

Against one who transgressed the law and tyrannized

أتاك عتابُ الله فيه ولم تكن

أتاك عتابُ الله فيه ولم تكن

أردت به إلا التعصبُ للهدى

أردت به إلا التعصبُ للهدى

God's rebuke concerning him came to you, and you had not

Allah's reprimand came to you in it but you intended

Intended by it anything but zeal for guidance,

Only zeal for the right guidance

بأنك قد أرسلتَ للخلقِ رحمةً

بأنك قد أرسلتَ للخلقِ رحمةً

ومن كان هذا أصله طاب مولدا

ومن كان هذا أصله طاب مولدا

For you had indeed been sent as a mercy to creation.

That you were sent to people as a mercy

And one whose origin is this is pure in birth.

And whoever was this his origin, his birth was pure