أمَدائِحٌ لِي فِيكَ أمْ تَسْبِيحُ

لوْلاكَ ما غَفَرَ الذنوبَ مَدِيحُ

My praise for you, is it glorification or hymning?

Without you, praise would not forgive sins.

حُدِّثْتُ أنَّ مَدَائِحي فِي المصطفى

كفَّارَةٌ لِيَ وَالحَدِيثُ صَحِيحُ

I was told that my praises of Mustafa

Are atonement for me, and this is true.

أرْبِحْ بِمَنْ أهْدَى إليه ثَنَاءَهُ

إنَّ الكريمَ لَرَابِحٌ مَرْبُوحُ

Profit through the one whose praise you have guided,

Indeed the generous profits from the profited.

يا نَفْسُ دُونَكِ مَدْح أحْمَدَ إنَّهُ

مِسْكٌ تَمَسَّكَ ريحُهُ والرُّوحُ

O my soul, apart from you is the praise of Ahmad, it is

A perfume whose scent the spirit and soul have clung to.

وَنَصِيبُكِ الأوْفَى مِنَ الذِّكْرِ الذي

منه العَبيرُ لِسَامِعِيهِ يَفوحُ

Your greatest share of the remembrance whose

Fragrance emanates to its listeners.

إنَّ النبيَّ محمداً مِنْ رَبِّه

كَرَماً بكلِّ فضيلةٍ مَمْنُوحُ

Indeed the Prophet Muhammad was from his Lord

Generously endowed with every virtue.

اللَّهُ فَضَّلَهُ وَرَجَّحَ قَدْرَهُ

فَلْيَهْنِهِ التَّفْضيلُ وَالتَّرْجِيحُ

God favored him and made great his worth,

So excellence and preference become him.

إنْ جاءَ بعْدَ المُرسلينَ فَفَضْلُهُ

مِنْ بعدِه جاءَ المَسيحُ وَنُوحُ

If he came after the messengers, his superiority

After him came Christ and Noah.

جاؤُوا بِوَحْيهِمُ وَجاءَ بِوَحْيِهِ

فكأنَّه بين الكواكبِ يُوحُ

They came with their revelation and he came with his revelation

As if he were a bright star amongst the stars.

أنّى يُكَيِّفُها امرؤٌ وَيَحُدُّها

بالقولِ وهْيَ لِذَا الوُجُودِ الرُّوحُ

How can a man limit it and define it

With words when it is the spirit of existence itself?

رَدتْ شهادَتَهُ أناسٌ ما لهمْ

طَعْنٌ عليه بها ولا تَجْرِيحُ

Some people rejected his testimony though they had

No criticism or rebuke against it.

ولقدْ أتى بالبيّناتِ صَحِيحَة

لو أنَّ ناظِرَ مَنْ عصاهُ صحيحُ

He certainly brought clear proofs

Had the observer of those who disobeyed been sound.

عَرَفُوهُ مَعْرِفَةَ اليَقِينِ وأنْكَرُوا

إنَّ الشَّقِيَّ إلى الشقاء جَموحُ

They knew him with the recognition of certainty yet denied,

Indeed the wretched are impetuous to misery.

فأَبَادَ مَنْ أبْدَى مُخَالَفَة لهُ

فالسَّيْفُ مِنْ تَعَبِ الخِلافِ قَرِيحُ

So he destroyed those who showed defiance to him

For the sword from the hardship of dissent is a relief.

وَجَلا ظلامَ الظُّلْمِ لَمَّا أوْمَضَتْ

وَمَضَتْ لديْه صحائفٌ وَصَفيحُ

The darkness of injustice receded when

Parchments and sheets flowed to him.

شيئانِ لا يَنْفِي الضلالَ سِواهُما

نُورٌ مُفاضٌ أوْ دَمٌ مَسْفُوحُ

Two things dispel misguidance apart from them:

An outpouring light or spilled blood.

عَجَباً لَهُم لِم يُنْكِرُونَ نُبُوَّةً

ثَبَتَتْ وَلم يُنْفَخْ بآدَمَ رُوحُ

Strange that they deny prophecy

Though Adam's spirit was not yet breathed.

ما لي اشْتَغَلْتُ بِزَجْرِهِمْ فكأنني

بينَ الطَّوائفِ طارقٌ مَنْبُوحُ

Why should I busy myself with rebuking them as though I

Were a fault-finder amongst the sects?

لا تُتْعِبَنَّ بِذِكْرِهِمْ قَلْبَاً غَدا

ولهُ بِذِكْرِ مُحمَّدٍ تَرْوِيحُ

Do not fatigue a heart tomorrow with mention of them

And find solace for it in mentioning Muhammad.

وَانْشُرْ أحاديثَ النَّبيِّ فكلُّ ما

تَرْوِيهِ مِنْ خَبَرِ الحَبيبِ مَليحُ

Spread the accounts of the Prophet for all you

Relay of the news of the Beloved is beautiful.

وَاذكُر مَناقِبَه الَّتي أَلفاظُها

ضَاقَ الفضاءُ بِذِكرِها وَاللوحُ

And mention his virtues whose expressions

The heavens and tablets fell short of containing.

أَعَجبتَ أنْ غَدَتِ الغمامةُ آيَةً

لِمُحَمَّدٍ يَغْدُو بها وَيَرُوحُ

Are you astonished that the cloud became a sign

For Muhammad, going early and returning?

أو أن أتَتْ سَرْحٌ إليه مُطِيعَةً

فكأَنَّما أتَتِ الرِّياضَ سُرُوحُ

Or that horses came to him obediently

As if orchards came to meadows?

ولِمَنْبَعِ المَاءِ المَعِينِ براحَةٍ

رَاح الحَصَى وَلهُ بها تَسْبيحُ

And for the spring whose aid brought relief

The pebbles flowed to it praising.

أوْ أنْ يحِنَّ إليه جِذْعٌ يابِسٌ

شَوْقاً وَيَشْكُو بَثَّهُ وَيَنُوحُ

Or that a withered trunk inclined

Longingly, complaining of its affliction and grieving,

حتى دَنا منه النبيُّ وَمَنْ دَنا

منه نأَى عَنْ قَلْبِهِ التَّبْريحُ

Until the Prophet drew near to it and whoever drew near to him

Melancholy distanced from his heart?

وَبأنْ يُكَلِّمَهُ الذِّرَاعُ وكيفَ لا

يُفْضِي إليه بِسِرِّهِ وَيَبُوحُ

And that the arm spoke to him - how then could it not

Unburden its secret and confide to him?

وَبِأنْ يَرَى الأعْمَى وَتَنْقَلِبَ العَصا

سَيْفاً وَيَحْيا المَيتُ وهْوَ طَرِيحُ

And that the blind could see, and the stick turned

Into a sword, and the dead lived though prone?

وَبأنْ يُغاثَ الناسَ فيه وقد شكَوْا

مَحْلاً لِوَجْهِ الأرضِ منه كُلُوحُ

And that people gained succor through him though they had complained

Of a place on the earth that had become barren for them?

وَبأنْ يَفِيضَ لهُ وَيَعْذُبَ مَنْهَلٌ

قَدْ كانَ مُرَّاً ماؤُه المَنْزُوحُ

And that a spring overflowed fresh water for him

Though its water had once been bitter and foul?

يا بَرْدَ أَكْبادٍ أصابَ عِطاشَها

ماءٌ بِريق مُحَمَّدٍ مَجْدُوحُ

O coolness for parched livers which

The meadow of Muhammad's illumination quenched!

صَلّى عليه اللَّهُ إنَّ صَلاتَهُ

غَيْثٌ لِعِلَّاتِ الذُّنوبِ مُزِيحُ

May God send blessings upon him, indeed His blessings

Are rain dispelling the illnesses of sins.

أسْرَى الإله بِجِسْمِهِ فكأنهُ

بَطَلٌ عَلَى مَتنِ البُرَاق مُشِيحُ

He traveled by night with his body so it was as if

He were a hero riding Al-Buraq with haste.

وَدَنَا فلا يَدُ آمِلٍ مُمْتَدَّةٌ

طَمَعَاً وَلا طَرْفٌ إليهِ طَموحُ

He drew near so no hopeful hand stretched

Greedily, no eye looked to Him aspiringly,

حتى إذا أوْحَى إِلَيهِ اللَّه ما

أَوحى وحانَ إِلى الرُّجوع جُنوحُ

Until God revealed to him what

He revealed, and the time to return drew near.

عادَ البُراقُ بهِ وَثَوْبُ أديمِهِ

لَيْلاً بماء حَيائِه مَنْضوحُ

Al-Buraq returned with him, and his garment of leather

Was perfumed that night with his bashfulness.

فَذَرُوا شَياطِينَ الأُلى كَفَرُوا به

يُوحُوا إليهم ما عسَى أنْ يُوحوا

So leave the devils who disbelieved in him

Suggesting to them whatever they may suggest.

تاللَّهِ ما الشُّبُهاتُ مِنْ أَقوالِهِمْ

إِلَّا كما يَتَحَرَّكُ المَذْبُوحُ

By God, their alleged ambiguities about him

Are but as the convulsions of the slaughtered.

كمْ بَيْنَ جِسْمٍ عَدَّلَتْ حَرَكَاته

رُوحٌ وَعُودٍ مَيَّلَتْهُ الرِّيحُ

What comparison between a body whose movements

Are animated by a spirit, and wood the wind sways?

وَلا النَبيُّ مُحَمَّدٌ وَعُلُومُه

لَمْ يُعْرَفِ التَّحْسِينُ وَالتَّقْبِيحُ

The Prophet Muhammad and his knowledge -

Perfection and imperfections were not yet recognized.

عَقَدَ الإلهُ به الأُمورَ فَلَمْ يَكُنْ

لِسِواهُ إمْسَاكٌ وَلا تَسريحُ

God entrusted affairs to him so none but him

Could undertake or relinquish.

ضَلَّ الَّذينَ تَأَلَّهوا أحبَارهم

ليُحَرِّمُوا وَيُحَلِّلُوا وَيُبِيحُوا

Those who deified their rabbis went astray

To prohibit, permit, and legitimize.

يا أمَّةَ المُختار قَدْ عُوفِيتُمُ

مما ابْتُلُوا وَالمُبْتَلَى مَفضوحُ

O chosen nation, you have been compensated

For what you suffered, and the afflicted are disgraced.

فاسْتَبْشِرُوا بِشِرا الإِله وَبَيْعِكمْ

منه فميزانُ الوفاءِ رَجِيحُ

So receive good tidings of God's trade with you

In it the scale of loyalty is weighty.

وتَعَوَّضوا ثَمَنَ النُّفوس مِنَ الهدَى

فمِنَ الهُدَى ثَمَنُ النُّفَوسِ رَبِيحُ

And make up for the price of your souls through guidance

For through guidance the price of souls profits.

يا منْ خَزَائِنُ جُودِهِ مملوءَةٌ

كَرَماً وبابُ عطائِه مَفْتُوحُ

O You whose treasuries of generosity are full,

Generosity, whose door of giving is open!

نَدْعُوكَ عَنْ فَقْرٍ إليكَ وحاجَةٍ

وَمَجَالُ فضلِكَ لِلْعُفَاةِ فَسِيحُ

We call on You in poverty and need,

And Your favor is ample to pardon transgressors.

فاصْفَحْ عَنِ العَبْدِ المُسِيءِ تَكَرُّماً

إنَّ الكريمَ عَنِ المُسِيءِ صَفُوحُ

So pardon the sinful servant out of generosity,

The generous pardons the sinner.

وَاقبلْ رسولَ اللَّهِ عُذرَ مُقَصِّرٍ

هُوَ إنْ قَبِلْتَ بِمَدْحِكَ المَمْدُوحُ

Accept the Messenger of God's apology for the deficient,

He through Your praise of the praised reaches sufficiency.

فِي كلِّ وَادٍ مِنْ صِفَاتِكَ هائمٌ

وَبِكلِّ بَحْرٍ مِنْ نَدَاكَ سَبُوحُ

Roaming in every valley of Your attributes, swimming

In every sea of Your bounty.

يَرْتاحُ إنْ ذُكِرَ الحِمَى وعَقِيقه

وأراكُه وثُمامُه والشِّيحُ

He finds rest if the Sanctuary and its stones are mentioned,

And seeing You, and Your bush, and creeper.

شَوْقاً إلى حَرَمٍ بَطَيْبَةَ آمِنٍ

طَابَتْ بذلكَ رَوْضَةٌ وضرِيحُ

Yearning for a holy precinct, blessed and secure,

Its meadow and tomb perfumed through that.

إني لأرْجُو أنْ تَقَرَّ بِقُرْبِهِ

عَيْني ويُؤْسَى قَلْبِيَ المَجْرُوحُ

I hope that through its nearness

My eye will find rest, and my wounded heart consoled.

فاكْحَلْ بِطيْفٍ منه طَرْفاً جَفْنُه

بِدُمُوعِهِ حتى يَرَاهُ قَرِيحُ

So delight an eye whose lids

Have been stained with its tears until the watcher sees.

فلقدْ حَباني اللَّهُ فيكَ مَحَبَّةً

قَلبي بها إلا عليكَ شَحِيحُ

God has granted me a love for you in which

My heart is miserly to all but you.

دَامَتْ عَلَيك صلاتُه وسلامُه

يَتْلُو غَبُوقَهُمَا لَدَيْكَ صبُوحُ

May His prayers and peace upon you last,

Their ardor accompanied at your side by the zealous.

ما افْتَرَّ ثغْرٌ للأَزاهِرِ أَشْنَب

وانْهَلَّ دَمْعٌ للسَّحَابِ سَفُوحُ

No blooming flowers smile, no pouring clouds weep,

As long as the horizons of meadows burst forth.