ذَوِي وُدِّي وَيَا مَنْ عَنَّفُونِي

سَمَاعاً لِي عَسَاكُمْ تَعْذِرُونِي

O my beloved friends, and those who have rebuked me,

listen to my words; perhaps you will excuse me.

أُحَدِّثُكُمْ بِأَنِّي مُسْتَهَامٌ

وَكَائِنْ مِنْ حَدِيثٍ ذُو شُجُونِ

I tell you now that I am deeply infatuated,

and how many a tale carries a multitude of sorrows.

وَأَنِّي قَدْ جَفَانِي مَنْ سَبَانِي

فَنَادَى الْوَجْدُ حَيَّ عَلَى الأَنِينِ

And that the one who captivated my heart has shunned me,

so passion called out: "Come to the moaning!"

وَأَغْرَى الشَّوْقُ بِي لَيْلَ التَّصَابِي

وَأَغْرَى الْهَجْرُ بِي جُنْدَ الْحَنِينِ

Longing incited the night of youthful love against me,

and abandonment unleashed the army of yearning upon me.

فَرُمْتُ تَخَلُّصاً مِمَّا عَرَانِي

بِمَا قَدْ يَطْرُدُ الأَحْزَانَ دُونِي

So I sought a way out from all that has afflicted me,

seeking that which might drive away my sorrows.

فَنَادَى الرُّشْدُ وَيْحَكَ رُمْ خَلاَصاً

بِمَدْحِ الْمُصْطَفَى طَهَ الأَمِينِ

Then right guidance called out: "Woe to you! Seek salvation

through praising the Chosen One, Taha, the Trustworthy,

مُحَمَّدٍ الرَّسُولِ لِكُلِّ إِنْسٍ

وَجِنٍّ جَاءَ بِالنُّورِ الْمُبِينِ

Muhammad, the Messenger sent to every human

and jinn, who has come with the clear, manifest light.

عَلَيْهِ اللهُ مُرْسِلُهُ إِلَيْنَا

لِيُنْقِذَنَا يُصَلِّي كُلَّ حِينِ

Upon him, Allah—who sent him to us

to save us—bestows His blessings at every moment.

أَلاَ فَاقْصِدْ عُلاَهُ فَنِعْمَ مَنْ قَدْ

جَلَى ظُلَمِ الْخُطُوبِ عَنِ الْحَزِينِ

Ah, seek his exalted presence! For how excellent is he who

dispelled the darkness of afflictions from the sorrowful.

مَتَى تَأْتِ ابْنَ عَبْدِ اللهِ تَظْفَرْ

بِحَوْلِ اللهِ بِالْحَبْلِ الْمَتِينِ

Whenever you come to the son of Abdullah, you shall triumph,

by the power of Allah, holding onto the firm rope.

مَتىَ تَقْصِدْ أَجَلَّ بَنِي لُؤَيٍّ

أَجَلِّ النَّاس ِ تُقْصَدْ بِالْيَقِينِ

Whenever you seek the most majestic of the sons of Lu'ayy—

the greatest of all mankind—you shall certainly attain your goal.

مَتَى صَافَحْتَ كَفَّ مَدِيحِ طَهَ

تُصَافِحْكَ السَّعَادَةُ بِالْيَمِينِ

Whenever you shake the hand of praising Taha,

happiness will shake your right hand in return.

فَلَبَّيْتُ النِّدَاءَ وَكَانَ فَرْضاً

جَوَابُ فَتىً بِهَدْيٍ مُسْتَعِينِ

So I answered the call, for it is an obligatory duty—

the response of a youth seeking help through divine guidance.

مُقِرّاً بِالْقُصُورِ لِأَنَّ مَدْحِي

يُقَصِّرُ عَنْ مَدَائِحِ جَبْرَئِينِ

Acknowledging my own shortcomings, for indeed my praise

falls far short of the praises sung by Gabriel.

مُمِدَّ أَكُفِّ مُعْتَذِرٍ إِلَى مَنْ

أُجِلَّ وَآدَمُ فِي مَا وَطِينِ

I stretch forth the hands of one apologizing to him who

was exalted while Adam was still between water and clay.

وَأَرْسَلَهُ الإِلَهُ لَنَا بَشِيراً

نَذِيراً بِالذِي بَعْدَ الْمَنُونِ

The Divine sent him to us as a bearer of glad tidings,

and a warner of what lies beyond death's decree;

بِأَنَّا إِنْ أَطَعْنَاهُ أُثِبْنَا

بِحُورٍ فِي حِنَانِ الْخُلْدِ عِينِ

That if we obey him, we shall be greatly rewarded

with wide-eyed houris in the blissful Gardens of Eternity,

وَإِنَّا إِنْ عَصَيْنَاهُ جُزِينَا

بِنِيرَانٍ تَهُدُّ قُوَى الْحَُزُونِ

and if we disobey him, we shall be recompensed

with fires that shatter the most rugged of terrains.

فَبَلَّغَ وَالإِلَهُ بِهِ حَفِيٌّ

رِسَالَتَهُ لِمُخْتَلِفِ الشُّؤُونِ

So he delivered the message—and God is ever gracious unto him—

His message to people of all different states and affairs.

فَآمَنَ مَنْ رَآهُ بِعَيْنِ عِزٍّ

وَعَانَدَ مَنْ رَآهُ بِعَيْنِ هُونِ

Those who looked upon him with an eye of honor believed,

while those who looked with an eye of disdain stubbornly rebelled.

رَسُولٌ قَدْ زَكَى خَلْقاً وَخُلْقاً

وَقُدِّسَ فِي الظُّهُورِ وَفِي الْبُطِونِ

A Messenger, thoroughly pure in both his form and character,

sanctified through the loins and wombs of his noble lineage.

وَلاَ يَجْزِي عَلَى سَيْءٍ بِسَيْءٍ

نَعَمْ يَجْزِي عَلَى غِلْظٍ بِلِينِ

He does not repay an evil deed with evil;

rather, he repays harshness with profound gentleness.

وَقَالَ اللهُ فِي الْقُرْآنِ صَلُّوا

عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا يَا أَهْلَ دِينِي

And Allah declared in the Qur'an: "Send blessings

and peace upon him, O people of My faith."

صَلاَةُ اللهِ وَهْوَ أَجَلُّ شَيْءٍ

عَلَى الْمُخْتَارِذِي الْعَقْلِ الرَّزِينِ

The blessings of Allah—which are the most majestic of all things—

be upon the Chosen One, possessor of the most sound and solemn intellect;

عَلَى ذِي الْحِلْمِ وَالْعِلْمِ الْمَتِينِ

عَلَى ذِي الذِّكْرِ وَالسِّرِّ الْمَصُونِ

Upon the master of forbearance and deeply rooted knowledge,

upon the keeper of remembrance and the guarded divine secret;

عَلَى ذِي الْبِشْرِ بَرَّاقِ الثَّنَايَا

عَلَى ذِي النُّورِ وَضَّاحِ الْجَبِينِ

Upon the one of cheerful countenance, with a radiant, shining smile,

upon the bearer of light, possessing a brilliant, glowing brow;

عَلَى غَمْرِ الْمَوَاهِبِ وَالْعَطَايَا

عَلَى مَنْ لاَ يُضَافُ إِلَى ضَنِينِ

Upon the one whose gifts and bestowals flow like an abundant flood,

upon him who could never be associated with the miserly;

عَلَى كَهْفِ الأَرَامِلِ وَاليَتَامَى

وَحَامِلِ ثِقْلِ أَرْبَابِ الدُّيُونِ

Upon the sheltering cave for widows and orphans,

and the bearer of the heavy burdens of those in debt;

عَلَى مَنْ لاَ يُكَدِّرُ مَنْ أَتَاهُ

وَلاَ يُحْصَى بِتَكْدِيرِ الْمَنُونِ

Upon him who never troubles the soul of anyone who comes to him,

nor can his grace be bounded by the distress of mortality;

عَلَى مَنْ قَاتَلَ الْكُفَّارَحَتَّى

عَلاَ دِينُ الْمُهَيْمِنِ كُلَّ دِينِ

Upon him who fought the disbelievers until

the religion of the Supreme Protector rose above every other faith;

عَلَى مَنْ لَيْسَ يَضْجَرُ مِنْ قِتَالٍ

إِذَا اشْتَعَلَتْ لَظَى الْحَرْبِ الزَّبُونِ

Upon him who never wearies in the face of battle,

even when the flames of fierce and ruthless war ignite;

عَلَى مَنْ كَلَّمَتْهُ وُحُوشُ قَفْرٍ

وَلاَذَتْ مِنْهُ بِالْحِصْنِ الْحَصِينِ

Upon him to whom the wild beasts of the barren wasteland spoke,

seeking refuge in him as their most fortified sanctuary;

وَلاَحَ لِضَرْبِهِ الصَّفْوَانَنُورٌ

رَأَى مِنْهُ الْبَعِيدَ مِنَ الْحُصُونِ

And when he struck the solid rock, a blazing light flashed forth,

through which he saw the most distant of fortresses,

كَبُصْرَى وَالْعِرَاقِ وَذَا شَهِيرٌ

لَدَى الأَقْوَامِ مِنْ عَالٍ وَدُونِ

like the palaces of Busra and Iraq—a miracle well-renowned

among all peoples, both the high and the lowly;

وَأَنْزَلَ بِالدُّعَاءِ غَزِيرَ قَطْرٍ

عَلَى مَنْ ضَرَّهُ شُهْبُ السِّنِينِ

And through his prayer, he brought down an abundant, pouring rain

upon those who were devastated by the barren, drought-stricken years;

فَصَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ سَبْتاً إِلَى أَنْ

تَهَدَّمَتِ الدِّيَارُ مِنَ الْهُتُونِ

It poured upon them for a full week, until

the dwellings nearly collapsed from the ceaseless deluge;

فَقَالَ وَقَدْ أَرَادُوا الصَّحْوَ قَوْلاً

بَلِيغاً مُعْشِياً فَهْمَ الْفُطُونِ

Then, as they pleaded for clear skies, he spoke a word—

an eloquent word that dazzles the minds of the brilliantly wise:

حَوَالَيْنَا يَقُولُ وَلاَ عَلَيْنَا

عَلَى الآكَامِ رَبِّي وَالْحُزُونِ

"Around us," he proclaimed, "and not upon us;

let it fall upon the hills, my Lord, and the rugged terrains."

فَأَقْلَعَ عَنْهُمُ يَهْمِي عَلَى مَا

حَوَالَيْهِمْ وَسَلْ غُرَرَ الْمُتُونِ

Thus the storm cleared from above them, pouring instead upon

their surroundings—just ask the most authentic of historical texts!

وَفَاضَ الْكَفُّ مِنْهُ بِكُلِّ فَضْلٍ

كَمَا قَدْ فَاضَ بِالْمَاءِ الْمَعِينِ

And his noble hand overflowed with profound grace,

just as it once overflowed with pure, gushing water;

فَرَوَّى جَيْشَهُ أَلْفاً وَنِصْفاً

وَأَفْضَلَ فَضْلَ هَاتِيكَ الْعُيُونِ

He quenched the thirst of his army of fifteen hundred men,

surpassing even the bounty of natural, flowing springs;

وَحَنَّ الْجِذْعُ لَمَّا بَانَ عَنْهُ

إِلَيْهِ حَنِينَ مَفْقُودِ الْجَنِينِ

And the palm-trunk wept in yearning when he departed from it,

mourning for him like a mother grieving her lost child;

فَقَرَّبَهُ إِلَيْهِ وَكَانَ بَرّاً

رَؤُوفاً حِينَ أَبْدَعَ فِي الرَّنِينِ

So he drew it close to himself, for he was deeply compassionate,

and profoundly merciful as it wailed in sorrow;

وَبَشَّرَهُ بِأَنْ سَيَنَالُ غَرْساً

بِدَارِ الْخُلْدِ مُخْضَرَّ الْفُنُونِ

He gave it the glad tidings that it would be planted

in the Abode of Eternity, with ever-green, flourishing branches;

عَلَى مَنْ لاَ يُحِيطُ بِمَا حَوَاهُ

سِوَى الرَّحْمَانِ جَلَّ مِنَ الْفُنُونِ

Upon him whose vast virtues cannot be fully encompassed

by any save the Most Merciful, from all manner of knowledge;

عَلَى يَعْسُوبِ أَرْوَاحِ الْبَرَايَا

وَأَصْلِ الأَصْلِ وَالِدِ ذِي الْقُرُونِ

Upon the foremost leader of the souls of all creation,

the very root of existence, the father of all generations;

فَذَا الْمَخْلُوقُ مِنْ عِرْضٍ وَجُرْمٍ

تَفَرَّعَ مِنْ سَنَاهُ الْمُسْتَبِينِ

For all of creation, both in its substance and its accidents,

has branched forth from his distinctly manifest light;

وَكُلُّ الْعَالَمِينَ بَنُو سَنَاهُ

وَعَرْشُ اللهِ جَلَّ مِنَ الْبَنِينِ

And all the worlds are but the offspring of his radiance,

while the Throne of Allah is far exalted above having sons;

يَمِيناً بِالذِي أَسْدَى إِلَيْهِ

مُفَضِّلُهُ وَحَسْبُكَ مِنْ يَمِينِ

I swear an oath by the One who bestowed upon him

such great favor—and this is an oath sufficient for you!

كَتَسْبِيحِ الْحَصَا فِي رَاحَتَيْهِ

وَشَقِّ الْبَدْرِ وَالْجِذْعِ الْحَنُونِ

By the glorification of the pebbles resting in his palms,

the splitting of the full moon, and the passionately yearning trunk;

وَرَدِّ الشَّمْسِ لِلْمَوْلَى عَلِيٍّ

وَقَدْ غَرُبَتْ فَصَلَّى عَنْ يَقِينِ

By the returning of the sun for the master Ali,

after it had set, allowing him to pray with absolute certainty;

وَإِشْبَاعِ الْمَلاَ مِنْ مِلْءِ كَفٍّ

وَمَا قَدْ قَلَّ مِنْ شِبْعِ الْبَطِينِ

By the feeding of the multitudes from a mere handful,

satisfying the immense hunger of the people from so very little;

وَمَا قَدْ فَاتَ مِنْهَا الْحَصْرَ نَثْراً

وَأَعْجَزَ كُلَّ ذِي قَلَمٍ وَنُونِ

And by the countless other miracles that defy enumeration,

exhausting every master of the pen and ink;

لَقَدْ أَسْرَى بِهِ ذُو الْعَرْشِ لَيْلاً

إِلَى الأَقْصَى بِرَغْمِ ذَوِي الْمُجُونِ

Indeed, the Lord of the Throne took him on the Night Journey

to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, to the dismay of the insolent deniers;

وَأَرْقَاهُ إِلَى الأَعْلَى وَرَقَّى

مَزِيَّتَهُ لَدَى الْمَلإِ الْمَكِينِ

He elevated him to the Highest Realm, raising

his rank of distinction among the firm, celestial assembly;

فَأَوْحَى وَالذِي أَوْحَى إِلَيْهِ

عَظِيمٌ فَوْقَ تَكْيِيفِ الظُّنُونِ

Then He revealed—and that which He revealed unto him

is deeply profound, far beyond the grasp of human conjecture.

مَلاَذِي يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إنِّي

هَمَى هَمِّي وَأَشْجَتْنِي شُجُونِي

O my refuge, O Messenger of Allah! Truly,

my anxieties have poured forth, and my sorrows have engulfed me;

وَنَفْسِي وَهْيَ لِي أَعْدَى عَدُوٍّ

تُحَارِبنِي فَهَلْ لِي مِنْ مُعِينِ

And my own ego—which is my most bitter enemy—

wages war against me; so is there anyone to come to my aid?

إِذَا أَلْقَتْ إِلَيَّ زِمَامَ طَوْعٍ

فَأَيّاً شِئْتِ يَا دُنْيَايَ كُونِي

If the world tosses me the reins of its obedience, I say:

"Be whatever you wish to be, O my worldly life!

فَإِنْ شِئْتِ الْوِصَالَ فَلاَ تَحِيفِي

عَلَى قَلْبِي وَإِلاَّ فَارِقِينِي

If you desire a connection with me, do not oppress

my heart; and if not, then leave me be."

أَقُولُ لَهَا وَقَدْ جَشَأَتْ وَجَاشَتْ

كَمَوْجِ الْبَحْرِ يَرْجُفُ بِالْسَّفِينِ

I speak to my soul as it churns and rages

like the tempestuous ocean waves that violently shake the ships:

ثِقِي بِاللهِ لَيْسَ لَهُ شَرِيكٌ

وَكُونِي بِالْمَكَارِمِ ذَكِّرِينِي

"Place your absolute trust in Allah, who has no partner,

and continually remind me of the highest, noble virtues;

وَإِنْ أَبْصَرْتِ حُسَّادِي فَلِينِي

وَأَيُّ الدَّهْرِ ذُو لَمْ يَحْسُدُونِي

And if you behold those who envy me, remain gentle and composed;

for at what point in time have I ever been free of their envy?

وَلاَ تَنْسَيْ نَصِيبَكِ مِنْ صَلاَةٍ

عَلَى الْمُخْتَارِ مَعْدُومِ الْقَرِينِ

And do not forget your rightful share of sending blessings

upon the Chosen One, the peerless who has no equal.

عَلَيْهِ صَلاَةُ رَبِّي مَعْ سَلاَمٍ

يَفُوقُ شَذَاهُ نَشْرَ الْيَاسَمِينِ

Upon him be the blessings of my Lord, along with a peace

whose sweet fragrance far surpasses the blooming scent of jasmine,

وَآلِهِ وَالصِّحَابِ وَتَابِعِيهِمْ

شُمُوسِ الْهُدَى آسَادِ الْعَرِينِ

And upon his family, his companions, and all who follow them—

those radiant suns of guidance, the fierce lions of the den.