أبا الفضلِ أَقبِلْ وارفعِ الصَّوتَ شاكرا

فذلك فَضلُ اللَّهِ أسداهُ وافرا

O Abul Fadl, come closer and raise your voice in gratitude,

For that is Allah's immense grace which He has generously bestowed.

أقمتَ تُراعِي الركبَ حَرَّانَ شَيِّقاً

هَنِيئاً فهذا الركبُ وَافاكَ زائرا

You stood guarding the caravan, always alert and vigilant,

Congratulations - for this caravan has come to visit you.

هنيئاً فقد أُوتيتَ سُؤْلَكَ كُلَّهُ

وَلُقِّيتَ عن قُرْبٍ من السَّعْدِ طائرا

Congratulations, for you have been granted all that you sought,

And found success and good fortune nearby.

إذا ما التمستَ الركبَ أين مكانَهُ

فحيثُ تَرَى نُورَ النُبوَّةِ باهرا

When seeking the caravan, wherever you see the light of prophethood shining bright,

O Abul Fadl come closer, and make the most of this blessed time.

أبا الفضلِ أقِبلْ واقضِهَا من لُبانةٍ

لنفسِكَ تَشفِي منك دَاءً مخامِرا

For yourself, to cure an ailment simmering within.

A beloved went far, enduring years of anguish and inner turmoil,

حَبيبٌ نأى يَطْوِي السِّنينَ وذُو هَوىً

يُعالِجُ وَجداً بين جَنْبَيْهِ ثائرا

Bearing harm upon harm in His path,

Content and turning a blind eye for God's sake.

ويلقى الأذَى بعد الأذى في سبيلِهِ

فَيَرضَى ويُغضِي الجفنَ في اللَّهِ صابرا

Allah be with you O Abbas, here is Muhammad,

Greet him well and speak what you wish heartily and openly.

لَكَ اللَّهُ يا عباسُ هذا مُحَمَّدٌ

فَسَلِّمْ وَطِبْ ما شِئْتَ نَفْساً وخَاطِرا

He came after dragging on many years in migration,

Dragging behind him caravans and armies.

أتى بَعدَ ما جَرَّ السنينَ مُهاجراً

يَجُرُّ السَّرايا خَلفَهُ والعساكِرا

When he saw you, his eyes welled up,

As greetings poured from him, fresh flowers to welcome you.

رَآكَ فَقرَّتْ عَينُهُ وترافدَتْ

تَحيّاتُهُ تَلقَاكَ زُهْراً نَواضِرا

A scent of God's mercy lingers with you two until today,

Your place fragrant with it since that time.

لها عَبَقٌ من رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ لم يَزَلْ

مَكانُكُما منه إلى اليومِ عاطرا

In Mecca, you stood by the weak,

Turning away harm and nurturing bonds.

أقمتَ على المُسْتَضْعَفِينَ بِمَكَّةٍ

تَرُدُّ الأذَى عنهم وَتَرْعَى الأَواصِرا

When they panicked under injustice, you were their shelter,

And when the loyal ones lacked support, you aided them.

إذا فزعوا للظلمِ كنتَ لهم حِمىً

وإن أعوزَ الأنصارُ أَلْفَوْكَ ناصرا

The disbelievers thought you one of them, but in truth,

You intended something else - you were never an unbeliever.

يَظنُّكَ أهلُ الكفرِ منهم وإنّما

أرَدْتَ بهم أمراً وما كُنتَ كافرا

You strengthened the foundations of Islam in their lands

And deceived them about it, until it prevailed.

شددتَ قُوى الإسلامِ بين ربُوعهِم

وخادعتَهم عنه فأَصَبَحَ ظاهرا

You were the eye, with the hand that spreads

Their secrets and exposes their hidden schemes.

وكنتَ له عيناً تُظاهِرُهَا يَدٌ

تُذيعُ خَفَايَاهُم وتَبدِي السَّرائِرا

Supplying the Messenger of Allah with letters full

Of their news, traversing the vast desert.

تُمِدُّ رسولَ اللَّهِ بالكُتْبِ حُفَّلاً

بأنبائهم تَطوي الفِجاجَ سوائرا

A courier, when couriers give up from fatigue,

Who continues steadfastly in his mission without tiring.

بَريدٌ إذا كفَّ البريدُ مِنَ الونَى

مَضَى دائباً في شأنِهِ مُتواتِرا

And when you sought permission to visit him,

He refused - for he and his love did not want you as a neighbor.

وكنتَ إذا استأذَنتَ تبغِي جوارَهُ

أَبَى وَهَواهُ أن يَراكَ مُجاوِرا

And said: "Wait, my uncle, you are a source of hope

For an appointment God will bring at the end."

وقال انتظرْ يا عمِّ إنّكَ مرجأ

إلى موعد يأتي به الله آخرا

With me, God sealed off all the prophets,

Completing those lofty achievements and miracles.

فبي ختم الله النبيين كُلَّهُم

وَتَمَّمَ هاتِيكَ العُلَى والمآثِرا

And I do hope that you will remain in Medina,

As one of those who migrate and join us here.

وَإنّي لأرجو أن تكونَ بيثربٍ

بَقِيَّةَ من يأتِي إلينا مُهاجِرا

It is Allah, so watch, O Abul Fadl, what He has ordained -

Ease after hardship - blessed are those who witness!

هو اللَّهُ فانْظرْ يا أبا الفضلِ ما قَضَى

من اليُسرِ بعد العُسْرِ بُورِكْتَ ناظرا

The gloomy clouds of worries have cleared,

And the faces of life are brightly joyful.

تجلَّتْ دَياجيرُ الهُمومِ ذَميمةً

وأضحتْ وجوهُ العيشِ بِيضاً سَوافِرا

Oh, how many days you tasted the bitterness

Of what the idolaters sowed, crushing sorrows!

ألا رُبَّ يومٍ ذُقْتَ من سُوءِ ما جَنَى

ذَوُو الشِّرْكِ فيه ما يَشُقُّ المرائرا

And nights, when the coward was terrified and anxious,

You spent sleepless, your mind clouded in gloom.

وليلٍ كما اهتاجَ الجبانُ مُفَزَّعٍ

طويتَ دُجاهُ كاسِفَ البالِ ساهرا

As was your way, when they said Muhammad was killed,

And those mocking brought them the false news.

كَدَأْبِكَ إذ قالوا أًصيبَ مُحَمَّدٌ

وقد جاءَهم بالزُّورِ مَن كان سَاخِرا

But when you verified the truth, you set out lively

To kiss the one visiting you, bringing good tidings.

فلمّا عرفتَ الحقَّ أوفيتَ ناهضاً

تُقَبِّلُ مَن وَافَاكَ يُزْجِي البَشَائِرا

And you released him free and unharmed, though he

Remained in dear dignity that amazes noble souls.

وتُرْسِلُهُ حُرّاً طليقاً وإنّه

لفي عِزَّةٍ تُعيي النفوسَ الحرائرا

You set out light and quick on your feet, though never before

Were you able to do the likes of this feat.

نَهضتَ خَفيفَ الجانِبَيْنِ ولم تَكُنْ

على مثلِها من قبلِ ذلكَ قادرا

What pleased the Messenger pleased you, and any harm

Aimed at him, you took upon yourself as harmful.

يَسُرُّكَ ما سَرَّ الرسولَ وما يكن

بهِ من أذىً ألفيتَه لك ضائِرا

You guided Abu Sufyan to regret his soul

And dislike remaining astray for eternity.

هَدَيْتَ أبا سُفيانَ تَرحَمُ نَفسَهُ

وَتَكرَهُ أن يَبْقَى مَدَى الدّهرِ حائرا

You brought him, while the army lay waiting in the night

Preparing for battle, sharpening swords.

وَجِئْتَ بِهِ والجندُ باللّيلِ رَاصِدٌ

يُقَلِّبُ للحربِ الرِّقاقَ البواتِرا

So he became Muslim, pleasing Allah after refusal,

And were it not for you, he would not have left his denial.

فأسلمَ يُرضِي اللَّهَ من بَعدِ نَفْرَةٍ

ولولاكَ لم يبرحْ عن الحقِّ نافرا

In Ibn Hizam and Ibn Warqa there is evidence

Of your merit, for those who remember.

وفي ابن حِزامٍ وابنِ ورقاءَ شاهدٌ

بِما لَكَ من فضلٍ لمن كانَ ذاكرا

Three pillars you turned their hearts

To Allah, enlivening them and hoping for their fate.

ثلاثةُ أقطابٍ صَرَفتَ قُلوبَهُم

إلى اللَّهِ تُحْييهِم وترجو المصائرا

Had they refused, no deterrent would prevent war

Or wrest away its claws and fangs.

ولو أعرضوا لم يَرْدَعِ الحربُ رَادِعٌ

ولم يَنتزِعْ أنيابَهَا والأظافرا

You saved blood which, if freed,

Would have flowed under the banners of invaders.

حقنْتَ دِماءً لو يُخَلَّى سَبيلُها

جَرَتْ تحتَ أعلامِ الغُزَاةِ مَوَائِرا

And so Quraysh were left with no remnants,

And that pride they were used to was ruined.

فأمسَتْ قُرَيْشٌ ما لها من بَقِيَّةٍ

وأَمْسَى الذي اعتادت من العزِّ داثرا

With your good fortune, O Uncle of the Messenger,

Helping hands came one after another, which Muslims see as treasures.

بِيُمْنِكَ يا عمَّ الرسولِ تَتابعَتْ

أيادٍ يراهَا المسلمونَ ذخائرا

And you were before, doing good,

Propping up ancestral ties that had fallen.

وكنتَ امْرأً من قبلِ ذلك مُحسِناً

يُقِيمُ بِجَدْواهُ الجُدُودَ العواثرا

Great, relied on by Quraysh when facing

Affairs that frighten, fearing ruin.

عظيماً تُرَجِّيهِ قريشٌ لِمَا بها

إذا فَزعتْ للأمرِ تَخْشَى الدوائرا

When you serve pilgrims water, you are a master

Teaching the masters of men noble qualities.

وإنّك إذ تَسْقِي الحجيجَ لَسيِّدٌ

يُعَلِّمُ ساداتِ الرجالِ المفاخرا

Uthman deserves one rule, and Malik another -

The rule of one who gives and is most generous.

لعُثْمَانَ ما يَرْضَى ومالكَ غَيرُها

ولايَةُ من يُعطِي وَيبذلُ كابرا

One who forcibly takes the reins

Is not like one who gently takes the reins.

وليس الذي يأتي الخميلةَ غَارِساً

كمثلِ الذي يأتي الخميلةَ هَاصِرا

I am forbidden satisfaction if I criticize Uthman - he

Follows the way of victors, defying competitors.

حُرِمْتُ الرِضَى إن عِبتُ عُثمانَ إنّه

على سُنَّةِ غلباءَ تُعيِي المُكاثرا

From Allah's gifts he has a blessed treasure

With which he establishes the rituals of Allah's faith.

له من عَطَاءِ اللَّهِ كَنزٌ مُباركٌ

يُقيمُ لدينِ اللَّهِ فيه الشعائرا

He is stingy in unlocking the doors of corruption,

And sees glory in this through time eternal.

يَضنُّ بمفتاحِ البنِيَّةِ جُهْدَهُ

ويعرفه مجداً على الدهرِ غابرا

The trust of the Keeper of the House was not given to a traitor

Who wants through it worldly gain, nor to a lewd one.

أمانةُ ربِّ البيتِ لم تُعْطَ خائناً

يُريدُ بها دُنيا ولم تُؤتَ فاجرا

O Abul Fadl, this is what Muhammad loved -

You have succeeded, your arrow still strikes its target.

أبا الفضلِ هذا ما أحَبَّ مُحمَّدٌ

ظفرتَ بهِ لا زالَ سهمُكَ ظافرا

If Allah makes the lands and its people thirsty,

It is in your name that He sends down torrential rain.

إذا أظمأ اللَّهُ البلادَ وأهلَهَا

فَبِاسْمِكَ يَسْقِيهَا الغُيوثَ المواطرا

By my life, you have undisputedly abandoned

Virtues, mentioning which would shake all pulpits.

لعمري لقد غادرتَ غيرَ مُنازَعٍ

مَناقِبَ ذِكراها تَهُزُّ المنابرا

I speak truly - if I forgot your rights

Despite my abilities, I would find no excuse.

صَدقتُكَ إنّي لو تَنَاسَيْتُ حَقَّها

على ما عَنانِي لم أَجِدْ لِيَ عاذرا

Aid me, my Lord, with a breath from You, and guide me

Your way - if among people I stray as a poet.

أعِنِّي بروحٍ منكَ يا ربِّ واهدِني

سَبيلَكَ إنْ أضللتَ في النّاسِ شاعرا

I called you to Islam - uphold its glory

And attain from it what time has spread.

دَعوتُكَ للإسلامِ أُمْسِكُ مَجْدَهْ

وأُدرِكُ منه ما طَوَى الدّهرُ ناشرا