حمداً لمن جعل الإجازةَ سُلَّمَا

حمداً لمن جعل الإجازةَ سُلَّمَا

يَرِثُ المُجَازُ بنَيْلها نسباً سَمَا

يَرِثُ المُجَازُ بنَيْلها نسباً سَمَا

Praise to Him who made scholarly authorization a ladder,

Praise be to the One who made vacation a ladder

by attaining it, the authorized scholar inherits an exalted lineage.

Through which knowledge inherits lineage, reaching for the sky

وصَلاَتهُ وسلامُه أبداً على

وصَلاَتهُ وسلامُه أبداً على

خَيْرِ الورى متعلّماً ومُعَلِّمَا

خَيْرِ الورى متعلّماً ومُعَلِّمَا

And His blessings and His peace be forever upon

And may His prayers and peace be upon

the best of humankind, as learner and teacher.

The best of creation, as a student and teacher

ولآله وجميعِ أمّته الرّضى

ولآله وجميعِ أمّته الرّضى

لا سيّما علماؤهم لا سيما

لا سيّما علماؤهم لا سيما

And may divine favor be for his family and all his community,

And upon his family and all his nation's pleasure

especially their scholars—especially.

Especially its scholars, without doubt

هذا وإنّ الفاضل ابْنَ سَلاَمةٍ

هذا وإنّ الفاضل ابْنَ سَلاَمةٍ

ذاك الذي مَتْنَ الكَمَالِ تَسَنَّمَا

ذاك الذي مَتْنَ الكَمَالِ تَسَنَّمَا

Now, indeed, the distinguished Ibn Salama—

This is the eminent Ibn Salama

that man who scaled the ridge of perfection—

Who reached the pinnacle of perfection

هَشَّتْ إلى نَيْلِ الإجازة نَفْسُهُ

هَشَّتْ إلى نَيْلِ الإجازة نَفْسُهُ

لمّا رآها للأفاضل مَغْنَمَا

لمّا رآها للأفاضل مَغْنَمَا

his soul was eager to obtain authorization,

His soul yearned for gaining this authorization

when he saw it as a prize for the distinguished.

When he saw it as a bounty for the eminent

فمن الفقير لها الْتجَا مَعْ أنّني

فمن الفقير لها الْتجَا مَعْ أنّني

ما كنتُ للظّمآنِ فيها مَعْلَمَا

ما كنتُ للظّمآنِ فيها مَعْلَمَا

So he turned to this poor one for it, although I

So I, despite being not well-versed

was no guidepost in it for the thirsty.

In quenching the thirsty, came seeking it

لكن رَجَوْتُ تَشبُّهاً برجالها

لكن رَجَوْتُ تَشبُّهاً برجالها

آبائِنا العُلَمَا وَمَنْ يُشْبِهْ فَمَا

آبائِنا العُلَمَا وَمَنْ يُشْبِهْ فَمَا

But I hoped to resemble its men,

But I hoped, emulating its men

our fathers, the scholars—and whoever resembles them has not...

Our fathers of knowledge – and whoever emulates, so be it

فأقول إنّي قد أَجَزْتُ له بلا

فأقول إنّي قد أَجَزْتُ له بلا

ثني روايةَ ما يصحّ لِيَ انتما

ثني روايةَ ما يصحّ لِيَ انتما

So I say: I have indeed authorized him, without

Thus I say I have authorized him, without

exception, to transmit whatever I may rightly claim affiliation with,

Hesitation, to narrate what is valid to relate

مُوصٍ كما أُوصيت بالتّقوى التي

مُوصٍ كما أُوصيت بالتّقوى التي

أوصى بها القرآن نصّاً مُحْكَمَا

أوصى بها القرآن نصّاً مُحْكَمَا

enjoining, as I was enjoined, the piety that

Advising, as I was advised, piety

the Qur'an enjoined in an unambiguous text—

As the Quran advised it clearly and wisely

من كلّ ما أدريه وأرويه لا

من كلّ ما أدريه وأرويه لا

الجُعفيّ أَقّصِدُه فقط أو مُسْلِمَا

الجُعفيّ أَقّصِدُه فقط أو مُسْلِمَا

of all that I know and transmit; it is not

Of all I know and narrate, not intending

al-Juʿfi alone, or Muslim, that I mean.

Al-Ju’fi nor Muslim in specific

وبدعوةٍ منه بقلبٍ حاضرٍ

وبدعوةٍ منه بقلبٍ حاضرٍ

أرجو بها حُسْنَ الختام مُكَرَّما

أرجو بها حُسْنَ الختام مُكَرَّما

And with a prayer from him, with an attentive heart,

And with a prayer from him, with a present heart

I hope thereby for a good end, with honor granted me.

I hope for an honorable ending, esteemed

واللّهِ إبراهيمُ يحمَد مُهْدِياً

واللّهِ إبراهيمُ يحمَد مُهْدِياً

أَزْكى الصّلاة على الرّسول مُسَلِّمَا

أَزْكى الصّلاة على الرّسول مُسَلِّمَا

By God, Ibrahim gives praise, offering

By God, Ibrahim praises, guiding

the purest blessings upon the Messenger, sending greetings of peace.

The best prayer upon the Messenger, submitting