إِلَيك توجهنا فَلاحَت لَنا البُشرى
وَتَمت لَنا الدُنيا بِجاهك وَالأخرى
To you we headed, good tidings shone for us,
And through your grace this life and the next were perfected.
حَبسنا عَلى حر الهَجير نُفوسنا
لأَنا عَلِمنا أن سنوردها بَحرا
We endured the scorching heat, restraining our souls,
For we knew we would find it a sea.
وَلَم نَصحب المسك الفَتيت لعلمنا
بِكون ثَراكم فَوقَ أَرداننا عطرا
We did not take musk, knowing
That your soil's fragrance surpasses our perfume.
وَلَم نَحمل الدينار علما بِأَننا
سَنلقط مِن حَصباء أَرضكم درا
We did not carry money, knowing
That we would pick up pearls from your land's gravel.
وَما قَصدنا إِلا الحُضور بِحضرة
عَلى عَرش بلقيس سما فَضلها قَدرا
We came only to be present at the court
Of she whose throne fate has exalted.
وَرؤية قَبر قَد تضمن سَيداً
هُوَ البَحر سمته العِباد لَنا حبرا
And to see the tomb containing a master
Whom the devout called for us an ocean of wisdom
مَحل حَوى علما وَجوداً وَسُؤددا
إِلى مُنتَهى الدُنيا تَدوم لَهُ الذِكرى
A place containing knowledge, existence and eternity
To the farthest extent of this world, his memory enduring,
كَريم نجار مِن لُؤي بن غالب
وَصَفوة عَدنان وَمن مضر الحَمرا
A generous carpenter from Lu'ay, son of Ghalib,
The elite of Adnan and Mudar the ruddy,
وَلَما قَصَدناه تَرَكنا عيالنا
وَأَولادنا الأَطفال وَالبَلدة الزورا
When we set out on our way we left behind
Our families, children and trivial home,
إِلى أَن نَزَلنا الخان أَول مَنزل
وَنمنا وَصَلينا بِساحَتِه الظُهرا
Until we arrived at the first station, the Khan,
Slept, prayed in its forenoon,
وَمِن قَبل عَصر قَد شَدَدنا رِحالنا
وَجئنا لبئر النصف وَالرَكب قَد سَرا
Shortly before afternoon we hurried our mounts
And reached the halfway well, the caravan already departed.
وَمن بَعد ذا جئنا إِلى الخان بَعده
وَبِتنا بِهِ وَالنَوم عَن مُقلَتي فرا
After that we came to the next Khan,
And stayed overnight, sleep fleeing my eyelids,
وَلَما بَدا الصُبح المُنير وَأَقبَلَت
كَتائبه تَسعى بِرايته الشَقرا
When dawn rose radiantly and its battalions
Advanced, spreading its blond banner,
نَهَضنا وَرَوَينا جَميع دَوابنا
بلُطف وَصَلَينا بِجانبه الفَجرا
We arose and watered all our beasts gently
And prayed by its side at dawn,
وَسرنا إِلى خان المَحاويل وَالهَوى
لِحب أَبي السبطين يقدمنا شَهرا
Then set out for the Khan of Mahawil, drawn
By love for the Father of the Two Grandsons.
قُمنا بِهِ حَتّى أَتى العَصر فانثنت
إِلى الحلة الفَيحا رواحلنا تَتَرى
We stayed until afternoon came, then our she-camels inclined
Toward the goodly oasis, their leading ropes jingling.
نَزَلنا عَلى قَوم كِرام بِها نَشوا
عَلى الجود وَالأَضياف في دورهم تَقرى
We alighted among noble folk whom we found
Generous with hospitality in their abodes.
وَمِن بَعد ذا سرنا صَباحاً وَعِندنا
مِن الشَوق ما يَستوعب السهل وَالوعرا
After that we set out at morn, and in us
Was longing encompassing plain and rugged land.
وَلَما أَتينا قَبر ذي الكفل وَانجلت
لَنا عَن طَريق القَصد باقعة غَبرا
When we came to Dhu l-Kifl's tomb there stretched out
Before us on our intended way a patch of dust,
نَظَرت تِجاه السائِرين أشعة
تَبين وَيَستخفي لَنا تارة أُخرى
I glanced in the direction the rays were coming
Sometimes clear and sometimes concealed from us.
فَزحزحت عَن عَيني الكَرى وَنَظَرت عَن
نَواظر عَن صَنعا تَلوح لَنا بصرى
I turned my sight from foreboding and looked
From expecting eyes toward Sanaa looming clearly before us.
وَقالَت أَتلك الشَمس أَرخَت ثِيابها
وَأَلقَت عَلَيها مِن أَشعتها سِترا
And I said, “Is that the sun unveiled her raiment
And cast over it from her rays a cloak?
أَم اِنتَشَرَت نار الكَليم لِناظري
عَلى طور سينا وَالفُؤاد بِها أَدرى
Or did the fire of the Burning Bush spread before my sight
On the Mount of Sinai, and my heart knows best?
أَم البَرق في تِلكَ العراص تَلألأَت
لَوامعه حَتّى أَبان لَنا فَجرا
Or is that lightning flickering
In those thickets until it showed us the dawn?”
فَراجَعت خضر القَلب عَن دَرك ما أَرى
يَبين لِعَيني كَي أحيط بِهِ خَبرا
I questioned my verdant heart to fathom what I saw
Appearing to my eyes that I might grasp the news.
فَقالَ إِذا أَخبَرتك اليَوم سره
وَأَنتَ كَليم القَلب لَم تَستَطع صَبرا
He said, “If I tell you the secret today
While you are like a silent heart, you won't be able to show patience.”
فَقُلت وَلَو أَخبَرتَني لَوَجَدتَني
صَبوراً وَلا أعصي لما قُلته أَمرا
I said, “Even if you tell me, you'll find me
Patient, not disobeying what you have commanded.”
فَقالَ هُوَ القَصر المُنيف الَّذي عَلَت
عَلى القبة الخَضراء قُبته الصَفرا
He said, “It is the lofty, splendid palace whose dome
Blue-green, its yellow dome raised over it.
هُوَ المرقد السامي الشَريف الَّذي حَوى
محيا أَبي السبطين وَالغرة الغرا
It is the sublime, noble tomb containing
The tomb of the Father of the Two Grandsons and the honored one.
فالق العَصا في بابه وَأنخ بِه
قلوصك وَانزل عِندَ همته الكُبرى
Throw down your staff at his gate and rein in
Your mount there and dismount at his greatest eminence.
فَهاجَت بِنا نار الغَرام وَقَد جَرَت
مَدامع تصلي نارها وَجنَتي حرا
The fire of passion raged in us and tears flowed
That prayed while their fire scorched my cheeks.
إِلى أَن أَتَت خان العقيل خيولنا
وَبتنا بقرب البئر نستوجب البرا
Until at the Well of ‘Aqil our horses arrived
And we stayed overnight near the well, seeking blessing.
وَلَما رَأينا الفَجر سرنا بسرعة
إِلى بَلدة ضَمت بِها الحَيدر الطهرا
When we saw dawn we hurried
To the town that contains the pure Haydar.
نَزَلنا بِدار السيد المُصطَفى الَّذي
رَأَينا بِها الأَفضال وَالكَرَم الوفرا
We alighted at the house of the master Mustafa
كَريم لَهُ جود غَزير وَراحة
تَصب عَلى الأَضياف مِن وَبلِها قَطرا
Where we saw abundant kindness and ample hospitality
A generous man whose abundant generosity
وَمِنها أَتَينا حَضرة الطهر حَيدر
وَقُمنا عَلى باب وَجدنا بِهِ اليُسرا
Pours upon his guests from his clouds torrents of rain.
From there we came to the sanctuary of the Pure, Haydar,
وَألقَت عَصاها وَاستقر بِها النَوى
وَقَد حَمَدوا عِندَ الصَباح لَها المَسرى
And stood at his door where we found facilitation.
It tossed down its staff and intention settled on it
تَقي نَشا في رَوضة الدين سابِقاً
إِلى الحَق والإسلام كُل الوَرى طرا
While at dawn they praised the one who brought ease.
A Godwary eminent in the garden of religion, surpassing
وَلَم يَرَ شركاً كَرم اللَه وَجهه
عَن الشرك وَالديان طَهره طهرا
All mankind in truth and Islam.
God honored his face, cleansing it
فَدى المُصطَفى إِذ باتَ فَوقَ فِراشه
وَأَعداء دين اللَه قَد أَظهَروا الشرا
Of polytheism and religions, purifying it utterly.
He ransomed the Chosen one when enemies
فَباهى بِهِ الرحمَن جَل جَلاله ال
مَلائكة الأَبرار أكرم بِذا فَخرا
Of God's religion openly displayed evil,
So the Merciful glorified by it, may His majesty be exalted,
وَزَوَّجه الزَهراء فَوقَ سَمائه
وَأنقَدها مِن حُسن ألطافه مَهرا
The angels and the righteous, honoring by this pride.
And coupled him in marriage over his heavens
وَفي يَوم بَدر كَم أَباد بِسَيفه
أَئمة كفر مارسوا الحَرب وَالكُفرا
To the chaste Fatima the splendid, granting her ample bridewealth.
On the day of Badr, how many leaders of unbelief he slew
فَجدل مِنهُم كُل أَروع باسل
وَأصبح يَدعو نَحوه الطائر النسرا
Who waged war and blasphemy with his sword!
He felled every eloquent hero
وَيَوم حنين حينَ فَرَّت كَتائب
عَن المُصطفى وَالمُرتَضى القرم ما فرا
So that the eagle came to call him.
And the day of Hunayn when the Qurayshi troops
فَقام عَلى طَرف البَسالة ثابِتاً
قَوياً وَلَم يَبرح عَن المُجتبى شبرا
Fled from the Chosen One and the Contentious One did not flee
He remained steadfast on the brink of valor, strong,
وَفي غَزوة الأَحزاب أكرم بِه فَتى
لَهُ الوَثبة الشماء وَالصدمة الكُبرى
Not moving a handspan from the Bringer of Good Tidings.
In the battle of the Confederates he honored a bold youth
وَبارزه عمرو فَأرداه عاجلا
وَأَورَده مِن كَأس صارمه خَمرا
With the sublime leap and the greatest blow,
And he challenged their ‘Amr, soon finishing him off
وَمُذ لَمَعت مِن ذي الفقار لِطَرفه
سَنا شُعلة قَد أَورَثَت ظَهره كَسرا
And making him drink from his sword's cup wine—
Ever since the flash of Light Flashed from its edge toward him
تَيَقن أَن المَوت دارَت كُؤوسه
عَلَيه بِلا شَك وَقَد فارَقَ العُمرا
A blaze that bequeathed frailty to his back.
He was sure that the cups of death circled around him
وَرَدت إِلَيهِ الشَمس بَعدَ غُروبها
فَصَلى أَمير المُؤمنين بِها العَصرا
With no doubt, and he relinquished his life—
But the sun returned after its setting for him
وَفي خَيبَر أَعطاه راية نَصره
وَعَممه في كَفه فسَما قَدرا
And he prayed the afternoon prayer with it.
At Khaybar He gave him the banner of victory
فَسارَ بِها وَالمُسلمون وَراءه
فَصادف فَتحاً نالَ في ضمنه نَصرا
And turbaned him with his hand, so he attained destiny,
He set out with it, the Muslims behind him,
وَلَما أَتى لِلباب وَالباب مُرتج
دحاه بِكَف كفت الشَر وَالعُسرا
Achieving a conquest in which he obtained victory.
When he came to the gate that was tightly barred
فَأَصبَح ترساً في يَديه بِقوة
سَماوية بشرى لِمعتقد بشرا
He shoved it with a palm-strike dispelling evil and distress.
It turned in his grip to a shield with heavenly
وَجدل مِنهُم مَرحَباً وَهوَ ضَيغم
وَلَكن مَولانا هُوَ الضَيغم الأَجرا
Power, good news for people of faith.
He fought and felled Marhab who was deploying tricks
وَبَلغ عَن خَير الأَنام بَراءة
فَكَم مِن سقام بَعد تَبليغه أبرا
But our Master is the felling of tricks and snares!
Word reached him of the Best of Mankind's innocence
وَقال الَّذي عَني يبلغ إنما
فَتى هُوَ مِن بَيتي فَكانَ بِها أَحرى
So how many chronic diseases he cured by conveying it!
He who informed me said, “But he
وَمُذ رَمدت عَيناه في خَيبر أَتى
إِلى المُصطفى المُختار خَير الوَرى طرا
Is a youth of my house,” so he had better right.
Since the day his eyes became infected at Khaybar he came
وَمُذ تَفل المختار في الحال فيهما
رنا الحَيدر الكرار عَن مقلة حورا
To the Chosen Bringer of Good Tidings, best of mankind.
And when the Chosen One spat in them both
وَأمن مِن حر وَبَرد فَما رَأى
مَدى عُمره بَرداً مضراً وَلا حَرا
The Haydar the repetition cured his inflamed eyes.
Thereafter he felt neither heat’s harm nor cold's—
وَقَد طَلق الدُنيا ثَلاثاً وَلَو أَتَت
لَهُ بَعد ذا تَسعى لطلقها أخرى
In his lifetime he never felt pernicious cold or heat.
Thrice he divorced this world so if afterward
وَقَد قالَ خَير الخَلق إني مدينة
مِن العلم أَنتَ الباب فاشكر لَنا شكرا
It pursued him he would divorce it again.
The best of mankind said, “I am the city of knowledge
وَمَن كُنتُ مَولاه وَإِن جل قَدره
فَأَنتَ لَهُ مَولى بِذا جاءَت الذكرى
And you are its gate, so give thanks!”
“Whose master I am, though sublime is his worth,
وَإنك مني وَالنُبوة قَد مَضت
كَهرون مِن موسى فارحب بذا صَدرا
Then you are his master,”—by this the tradition came.
“You are from me, and prophethood has passed,
وَإنك أَقضى القَوم فاحكم بِما تَرى
عَلى الملة السمحاء وَالسنة الغرا
Like Harun was from Musa,”—so expand your breast to this!
“You are the most judicious of people, so judge
وَقَد قالَ مُذ آخى الصَحابة كُلهم
لَأَنت أَخي في هَذِهِ الدار وَالأخرى
What you see concerning the tolerant community and the Sunna.”
When all the Companions swore loyalty, he said,
وَأَدخله تَحتَ الكساء وَولده
وَزَوجته حَتّى مَلا ضده ذُعرا
“But you are my brother in this world and the next.”
And he included him, his son and his wife in his cloak
وَلَو باهلوه بِالألى في كِسائه
لَذاقوا وَبالا يدهش العَقل وَالفكر
Until it could not contain his frame’s breadth,
And had they stretched out hands for harm in his wrap
وَإِن حَديث الطَير قَد صَح نَقله
لمرتبة عليا وَمنقبة غرا
They would have tasted a searing torment to shake mind and thought!
The account of the Birds has been reliably conveyed
وَجاءَ وَقَد وَارى التُراب جَبينه
وَكانَ مَغيظاً ضاقَ في حاله صَبرا
To an exalted rank and splendid feat.
He came with dust covering his brow, angry, patience squeezed
فَقالَ لَهُ مُستَرضياً قُم أَيا أَبا
تراب فَقَد أَعلى الإِلَه لَكَ الأَجرا
In his state, and said to him placatingly, “Rise, Father of Dust!
God has raised your reward,” degrees of superiority
مَراتب فَضل لا أطيق لِبعضها
حِساباً وَلا أَقوى لافرادها حَصرا
I cannot compute in sum nor unravel in detail,
O companion of abundant, towering merit by which you ascended
فَيا صاحب الفَضل الجَزيل الَّذي رَقى
بِهِ فلك العَلياء حَتى غَدا بَدرا
To the sublime celestial sphere until you became Full Moon!
We have come to you, O refuge of being and its rain
أَتيناكَ يا غَوث الوُجود وَغَيثه
إِذا اغبرت الخَضراء وَاسوَدت الغبرا
When the green earth grows dusty and blackens with soil!
Confidante of God’s knowledge—that wisdom
وَعَيبة علم اللَه ذا الحكمة الَّتي
عَلى صَفحات الكَون أسطرها تقرا
Written on the leaves of the cosmos readers recite!
Son-in-law of the Messenger of God, the Choicest One Sent,
وَصهر رَسول اللَه أَكرَم مُرسل
وَزَوج البتول الطهر فاطمة الزَهرا
And husband of the chaste virgin Fatima the splendid!
I have come to you trailing my hands and feet, emptied
أَتيتك أَطوي البيد وَالبر مقفر
وَقد رمت الرَمضاء في مُهجَتي جَمرا
By thirsty plains that cast firebrands into my entrails.
An intruder on the threshhold of your gate, standing,
دَخيلاً عَلى أَعتاب بابك واقفاً
أَروم لكسري يا ولي العُلى جَبرا
Hoping from your exalted favors healing of my poverty.
A captive of sins with which the passions chained me
أَسير ذُنوب قَيدتني يَد الهَوى
وَأَنتُم كِرام عِندكُم تنقذ الأَسرى
While you nobles ransom captives.
Poor, needing gifts and your hands’ clouds of generosity
فَقير إِلى أَخذ النَوال وَأَنتُم
غيوث أَيادي جودكم تذهب الفقرا
Dispel poverty. Time garlanded me with sorrows
And has not stopped opposing my hopes, burdening me with woes,
وَقَد ضامَني الدَهر الخؤون وَلَم يَزَل
يُعارض آمالي وَيُرهقني عسرا
I have clung to the vast, swelling glory by which
Those afflicted with tribulations take refuge, so you grant them devotion.
وَقَد لذت بِالجاه العَريض الَّذي بِهِ
تَلوذ أولو البَلوى فَيمنحهم برا
Do not deny a glance from you to a servant who has come to you
Crying in loudest voice, pleading openly!
عَمى نَظرة مِنكُم لعبد أَتى لَكُم
يُنادي بِأَعلى صَوته ضارِعاً جَهرا
Husayn the refuge-seeker from time’s tyrannies desires
Salvation—will you ward his sanctuary and noble lineage, prizing him thereby?
وَذاك الحُسين المُلتجي لحماكم
مِن الدَهر يَبغي مِن حمايتكم نَصرا
He came with panegyric, so accept it by your grace
And adorn him in green robes of your bounties!
فَكونوا لَهُ وَارعوا محل جواره
وَنسبته أكرم بِهَذا لَهُ ذخرا
Bless the Chosen One, may God pray over him
As long as days and nights cycle, with blessings redoubled!
أَتى بِمديح فاقبلوه تَفضلاً
وَحلوه مِن أَفضالكُم حللا خَضرا
And most excellent good pleasure for your sanctuary by which
Guidance spreads its foliage for its courtyard.
عَلى المُصطَفى صَلى الإله مُسلماً
مَدى الدَهر أَضعافاً مُضاعفة تَتَرى
وَأَشرف رُضوان لحضرتك الَّتي
أَقَمت بِها يَهدي لساحتها نَشرا
