رَأَيتُ المَسجِدَ الجامِ

عَ قُفّاعَةَ إِبليسِ

I saw the great mosque, the pedestal of Iblis,

I beheld the Congregational Mosque

Built by God and lofty towers uncursed,

As nothing but the snare of Satan.

بَناهُ اللَهُ وَالطالِ

عُ بُرجٌ غَيرُ مَنحوسِ

In it the beasts of mankind gathered in the guise of the devout,

God built it when the ascendant star

When they went to the prayer-mat, people of harm and kissing,

Was a constellation free of ill omen.

بِهِ خِلتُ ظِباءَ الإِن

سِ في أَقبَحِ مَأنوسِ

So many hearts in the courtyard, wounded and tormented,

Therein I fancied the gazelles of mankind

We roused legions of locusts in the path of waywardness,

In the most incongruous of settings.

إِذا راحوا عَلى العُشّا

قِ أَهلِ الضَرِّ وَالبوسِ

A legion for 'Ammar and a legion for 'Abdus,

When they turn toward their lovers,

And for 'Amr leader of the banner - no, moneybag -

Those people of anguish and misery,

فَكَم في الصَحنِ مِن قَلبٍ

كَليمِ الجُرحِ مَخلوسِ

You meet them with reverence, glorification and sanctification,

How many a heart within the courtyard

And they meet us with mocking, frowning and contortion,

Is wounded deep and stolen away!

بَعَثنا في سَبيلِ الغَي

يِ أَفواجَ الكَراديسِ

So my Lord, to You the complainants, the wandering strays.

We sent forth, upon the path of error,

Regiments of crowded battalions.

فَكُردوسٌ لِعَمّارٍ

وَكُردوسٌ لِعَبدوسِ

A detachment assigned to 'Ammar,

And a detachment assigned to 'Abdus.

وَعَمروٍ صاحِبُ الرايَ

ةِ لا بَل دِرهَمَ الكيسِ

And 'Amr is the bearer of the banner—

Nay, rather the bearer of the coin-purse.

تُلاقيهِم بِإِعظامٍ

وَإِجلالٍ وَتَقديسِ

You meet them with high exaltation,

With reverence and sanctification;

وَيَلقَونا مِنَ التيهِ

بِتَكليحٍ وَتَعبيسِ

Yet they meet us with haughty pride,

With grimacing and frowning faces.

فَيا رَبُّ إِلَيكَ المُش

تَكى تيهُ الطَواويسِ

So, O Lord, unto You is the complaint

Of the arrogance of these peacocks.