بنينَا بأرضِ الله للهِ مَسجدا

بنينَا بأرضِ الله للهِ مَسجدا

به نرتجى الغفرانَ والفوزَ في غدِ

به نرتجى الغفرانَ والفوزَ في غدِ

We built, upon God’s earth, a mosque for God,

We built, on God's earth, a mosque for God,

through it hoping for forgiveness and salvation on the morrow.

Through it we hope for forgiveness and triumph on the morrow.

بنيناه بِرّاً لا رياءً وسمعةً

بنيناه بِرّاً لا رياءً وسمعةً

لوجه إلهِ بالعُلى متفردِ

لوجه إلهِ بالعُلى متفردِ

We built it as a pious deed, without ostentation or desire for renown,

We built it as an act of piety, not for ostentation or renown,

for the sake of God, peerless in His exaltedness.

For the countenance of God, peerless in sublimity.

عسَى اللهُ يجزينا به خيرَ منزلٍ

عسَى اللهُ يجزينا به خيرَ منزلٍ

وخيرَ محلٍّ في النعيمِ مخلدِ

وخيرَ محلٍّ في النعيمِ مخلدِ

May God reward us through it with the finest lodging,

May God reward us for it with the finest abode,

the finest abode, everlasting in bliss.

And the finest dwelling in everlasting bliss.

أيا مسجداً في بقْعةٍ علويةٍ

أيا مسجداً في بقْعةٍ علويةٍ

لقد فقت ترتيبا على كل مسجدِ

لقد فقت ترتيبا على كل مسجدِ

O mosque in a lofty place!

O mosque in a lofty place,

In design, you have surpassed every mosque.

You have indeed surpassed every mosque in layout.

فلا زِلْت معموراً ولا زِلت عامراً

فلا زِلْت معموراً ولا زِلت عامراً

تبارَك مأوَى كل هادٍ ومهتدِى

تبارَك مأوَى كل هادٍ ومهتدِى

May you never cease to be frequented, never cease to flourish,

May you never cease to be frequented, never cease to flourish,

blessed refuge of every guide and rightly guided soul.

Blessed is the refuge of every guide and rightly guided soul.

قد اختارَك الرحمن فضلاً ببقعةٍ

قد اختارَك الرحمن فضلاً ببقعةٍ

مباركة قدست عن كلِّ مُلحدِ

مباركة قدست عن كلِّ مُلحدِ

The All-Merciful has graciously chosen you in a site

The All-Merciful has chosen you, by grace, in a place

blessed and sanctified from every unbeliever.

Blessed and kept sacred from every heretic.

فبالحق لو أعطيت حقكَ كاملاً

فبالحق لو أعطيت حقكَ كاملاً

تشابُ بمسكٍ لا تشابُ بِقَرْمَدِ

تشابُ بمسكٍ لا تشابُ بِقَرْمَدِ

Indeed, if you were given your full due,

So, truly, if you were granted your due in full,

you would be tempered with musk, not brick;

You would be mingled with musk, not with fired brick.

وبسط الثرَى باللؤلؤِ الرطبِ نَسْجُها

وبسط الثرَى باللؤلؤِ الرطبِ نَسْجُها

وجُدْرُك تُبْنَى من لُجَينٍ وعَسْجَدِ

وجُدْرُك تُبْنَى من لُجَينٍ وعَسْجَدِ

the earth’s carpets would be woven with fresh pearls,

And the earth's carpets would be woven with moist pearls,

and your walls built of silver and gold.

And your walls would be built of silver and gold.

ويُتْلَى كتابُ الله فيك تبرعاً

ويُتْلَى كتابُ الله فيك تبرعاً

وتذكرُ بالخيراتِ في كلِّ مَشهدِ

وتذكرُ بالخيراتِ في كلِّ مَشهدِ

God’s Book would be recited within you as a voluntary devotion,

And God's Book is recited within you as a free offering,

and you would be remembered for good in every gathering.

And you are spoken of with praise at every gathering.

عَلَى من يصلى فيك ألفُ تحية

عَلَى من يصلى فيك ألفُ تحية

وألفُ سلام بالسكينةِ يَرْتدى

وألفُ سلام بالسكينةِ يَرْتدى

Upon whoever prays in you be a thousand greetings,

A thousand greetings upon whoever prays within you,

and a thousand salutations; serenity is his garb—

And a thousand salutations of peace, as he is robed in tranquility.

وبعضٍ كأمثالِ الشموس لوامعَا

وبعضٍ كأمثالِ الشموس لوامعَا

ملابِسُها من سُنْدُسٍ وزبرجدِ

ملابِسُها من سُنْدُسٍ وزبرجدِ

and some of them gleaming like suns,

And some, radiant like suns,

their garments of fine silk and chrysolite;

Their garments are of fine silk and chrysolite.

وغيدٍ كأمثال الجواهرِ خرَّد

وغيدٍ كأمثال الجواهرِ خرَّد

نواعم أبدانٍ عفائفَ نُهَّدِ

نواعم أبدانٍ عفائفَ نُهَّدِ

and graceful maidens, jewel-like, secluded virgins,

And graceful virgins, like jewels,

forever tender, chaste, and full-breasted,

Soft of body, chaste, full-breasted.

قلائدُ في أعناقِها ونحورِها

قلائدُ في أعناقِها ونحورِها

مفصلةٌ من لؤْلؤ وزبرْجَدِ

مفصلةٌ من لؤْلؤ وزبرْجَدِ

with necklaces upon their necks and upper breasts,

Necklaces about their necks and bosoms,

finely fashioned of pearls and chrysolite.

Strung with pearls and chrysolite.

لها أوجه مثل البدورِ كواملا

لها أوجه مثل البدورِ كواملا

تَلأْلأ في جُنْحٍ من الليل أَسودِ

تَلأْلأ في جُنْحٍ من الليل أَسودِ

They have faces like perfect full moons,

They have faces like full moons in their fullness,

gleaming against the black wing of night:

Gleaming in a black stretch of night.

كَوَاعِبُ خيراتٍ حسانٍ عرائسٌ

كَوَاعِبُ خيراتٍ حسانٍ عرائسٌ

أُعِدّتْ جزاءً للمطيعِ المُوحِّدِ

أُعِدّتْ جزاءً للمطيعِ المُوحِّدِ

budding-breasted maidens—virtuous, beautiful brides—

Full-breasted, virtuous, beautiful brides,

prepared as reward for the obedient believer in God’s oneness.

Prepared as a reward for the obedient believer in God's oneness.

خُذُوا حظَّكم منها وصلُّوا صَلاَتكم

خُذُوا حظَّكم منها وصلُّوا صَلاَتكم

وأدُّوا زكاةَ اللهِ طاعةَ سيّدِي

وأدُّوا زكاةَ اللهِ طاعةَ سيّدِي

Take your share of them, and perform your prayers,

Take your share of them, and offer your prayer,

and pay the zakat owed to God, in obedience to my Lord.

And pay God's alms in obedience to my Lord.

أيا عصبةً قاموا بمسجدِ ربِّهم

أيا عصبةً قاموا بمسجدِ ربِّهم

فإن شاءَ يؤتيهم نصيبْينِ في غدِ

فإن شاءَ يؤتيهم نصيبْينِ في غدِ

O company who rose to build their Lord’s mosque—

O band who have tended their Lord's mosque,

if He wills, He will reward them twofold on the morrow—

For if He wills, He will give them two shares on the morrow.

ليعلمَ قوماً بعدنا أن ماله

ليعلمَ قوماً بعدنا أن ماله

من النخلِ والأشجارِ والأرض فاهتدِى

من النخلِ والأشجارِ والأرض فاهتدِى

so that people after us may know that its property

To let people after us know that its property

is date palms, trees, and land—so be guided.

Consists of date palms, trees, and land—so be guided.

ويا سامعاً قولي سَلِ اللهَ رحمةً

ويا سامعاً قولي سَلِ اللهَ رحمةً

ومغفرةً أدعوك إن كنت مُسْعِدِي

ومغفرةً أدعوك إن كنت مُسْعِدِي

O hearer of my words, ask God for mercy

And you who hear my words, ask God for mercy,

and forgiveness; I appeal to you, if you would bring me joy.

And forgiveness—I entreat you, if you would help me.

وتاريخُه يوماً جعلناهُ مسجدا

وتاريخُه يوماً جعلناهُ مسجدا

بشهرِ ربيعٍ في الحسابِ الممدَّدِ

بشهرِ ربيعٍ في الحسابِ الممدَّدِ

Its date: the day we made it a mosque,

And its date, on the day we made it a mosque:

in the month of Rabīʿ, by the extended reckoning:

In the month of Rabiʿ, in the extended reckoning.

وألفٌ مضَى من بعدها مائة خلتْ

وألفٌ مضَى من بعدها مائة خلتْ

ثلاثةَ عشرٍ في حسابِ مقيَّدِ

ثلاثةَ عشرٍ في حسابِ مقيَّدِ

a thousand had passed, and after it a hundred elapsed,

And a thousand had passed, after which a hundred had elapsed,

and thirteen, in a reckoning duly recorded.

Thirteen, in the recorded reckoning.

بدولةِ سيفٍ ذي المعالي إمَامِنَا

بدولةِ سيفٍ ذي المعالي إمَامِنَا

سلالةِ سلطانِ بن سيف المؤيدِ

سلالةِ سلطانِ بن سيف المؤيدِ

During the reign of Sayf, possessor of high honors, our imam,

Under the rule of Saif, possessor of high honors, our imam,

the scion of Sulṭān ibn Sayf, the divinely aided;

Descendant of Sultan bin Saif, the supported one.

وعامِلُه العدلُ الوليُّ حبيبُنا

وعامِلُه العدلُ الوليُّ حبيبُنا

به عامرٌ أعني سليلَ محمدِ

به عامرٌ أعني سليلَ محمدِ

and his just, loyal governor, our beloved—

And his governor, the just guardian, our beloved,

through him it flourishes—I mean ʿĀmir, the scion of Muḥammad.

ʿAmir therein—I mean the descendant of Muhammad.

وصلَّ إلهى كلَّما لاحَ بارقٌ

وصلَّ إلهى كلَّما لاحَ بارقٌ

علَى المُصطفَى هادِى البريةِ أحمدِ

علَى المُصطفَى هادِى البريةِ أحمدِ

And may my God bless, whenever lightning flashes,

And send blessings, my God, whenever lightning flashes,

the Chosen One, Aḥmad, guide of all creation.

Upon the Chosen One, guide of creation, Ahmad.