يُسائِلُني هِشامٌ عَن صَلاتي

صَلاةِ المُسلِمينَ فَقُلتُ خَمسُ

Hisham asks me about my prayers

The prayers of Muslims, I said, are five

صَلاةُ العَصرِ وَالأولى ثَمانٍ

مُواتَرَةً فَما فيهِنَّ لَبسُ

The afternoon prayer and the first, then three

In succession, in them there is no confusion

وَعِندَ مَغيبِ قَرنِ الشَمسِ وِترٌ

وَشَفعٌ بَعدَها فيهِنَّ حَبسُ

And at sunset an odd prayer

And an even one after it, in them there is devotion

وَغُدوَةً اِثنَتانِ مَعاً جَميعاً

وَلَمّا تَبدُ لِلرائينَ شَمسُ

And two together in the morning

When the sun appears to those who see

وَبَعدَهُما لِوَقتِهِما صَلاةٌ

لِنُسكٍ بِالضُحاءِ إِذا نَبُسُ

And after them a prayer for their time

For a ritual at midday when it is hot

أَأَحصَيتَ الصَلاةَ أَبا هِشامٍ

فَذاكَ مُكَدِّرُ الأَخلاقِ جِبسُ

Have you enumerated the prayers, Abu Hisham?

That is what corrupts manners, obstinacy

تَعَوَّدَ أَن يُلامَ فَلَيسَ يَوماً

بِحامِدِهِ إِلى الأَقوامِ إِنسُ

He is accustomed to being blamed so he is not

A day praising him among the people, friendly