سَل قاهِرَ الفُرسِ وَالرومانِ هَل شَفَعَت
لَهُ الفُتوحُ وَهَل أَغنى تَواليها
Ask the conqueror of the Persians and Romans, did his conquests avail him,
Or his successive triumphs enrich him?
غَزى فَأَبلى وَخَيلُ اللَهِ قَد عُقِدَت
بِاليُمنِ وَالنَصرِ وَالبُشرى نَواصيها
He waged war until his steed was worn,
And the steeds of God were tethered,
يَرمي الأَعادي بِآراءٍ مُسَدَّدَةٍ
وَبِالفَوارِسِ قَد سالَت مَذاكيها
With good fortune, victory, and glad tidings dangling from their bridles.
He shoots his foes with unerring shafts,
ما واقَعَ الرومَ إِلّا فَرَّ قارِحُها
وَلا رَمى الفُرسَ إِلّا طاشَ راميها
And with his brave warriors their souls are spilled.
He never met the Romans but their champion fled,
وَلَم يَجُز بَلدَةً إِلّا سَمِعتَ بِها
اللَهُ أَكبَرُ تَدوي في نَواحيها
Nor shot at the Persians but their archer missed.
He never took a town but "God is Greatest!" rang out,
عِشرونَ مَوقِعَةً مَرَّت مُحَجَّلَةً
مِن بَعدِ عَشرٍ بَنانُ الفَتحِ تُحصيها
Echoing from its corners.
Twenty pitched battles in the space of ten years,
وَخالِدٌ في سَبيلِ اللَهِ موقِدُها
وَخالِدٌ في سَبيلِ اللَهِ صاليها
Easy to number for those who count his victories.
Khalid ever urging them on in the way of God,
أَتاهُ أَمرُ أَبي حَفصٍ فَقَبَّلَهُ
كَما يُقَبِّلُ آيَ اللَهِ تاليها
Khalid ever praying in the way of God.
The command of Abu Bakr came to him and he kissed it,
وَاِستَقبَلَ العَزلَ في إِبّانِ سَطوَتِهِ
وَمجدِهِ مُستَريحَ النَفسِ هاديها
As if kissing the verses of God as they were recited.
He welcomed seclusion at the height of his power and glory,
فَاِعجَب لِسَيِّدِ مَخزومٍ وَفارِسِها
يَومَ النِزالِ إِذا نادى مُناديها
With a spirit content in the guidance of his Master.
How amazing that the lord of Makhzum and its bravest man,
يَقودُهُ حَبَشِيٌّ في عِمامَتِهِ
وَلا تُحَرِّكُ مَخزومٌ عَواليها
On the day of battle, should be led by a Habashi in his turban,
While Makhzum stirs not from his place!
أَلقى القِيادَ إِلى الجَرّاحِ مُمتَثِلاً
وَعِزَّةُ النَفسِ لَم تُجرَح حَواشيها
He casts leadership to Jarrah in willing obedience,
While pride of soul remains uninjured.
وَاِنضَمَّ لِلجُندِ يَمشي تَحتَ رايَتِهِ
وَبِالحَياةِ إِذا مالَت يُفَدّيها
He joins the ranks, marching beneath the flag,
And, if life inclines, sacrifices it.
وَما عَرَتهُ شُكوكٌ في خَليفَتِهِ
وَلا اِرتَضى إِمرَةَ الجَرّاحِ تَمويها
He harbors no doubts about his successor,
Nor prefers his own command, tempting as it was.
فَخالِدٌ كانَ يَدري أَنَّ صاحِبَهُ
قَد وَجَّهَ النَفسَ نَحوَ اللَهِ تَوجيها
For Khalid knew that his companion
Had turned his soul towards God in utter devotion.
فَما يُعالِجُ مِن قَولٍ وَلا عَمَلٍ
إِلّا أَرادَ بِهِ لِلناسِ تَرفيها
He does not condemn or advocate any word or deed,
Save with the desire to comfort people.
لِذاكَ أَوصى بِأَولادٍ لَهُ عُمَراً
لَمّا دَعاهُ إِلى الفِردَوسِ داعيها
Therefore he charged Umar about his children
When he summoned him to Paradise at his death;
وَما نَهى عُمَرٌ في يَومِ مَصرَعِهِ
نِساءَ مَخزومَ أَن تَبكي بَواكيها
And Umar forbade the women of Makhzum to weep loudly
At his passing, it is said, contradicting the wish of our friend,
وَقيلَ خالَفتَ يا فاروقُ صاحِبَنا
فيهِ وَقَد كانَ أَعطى القَوسَ باريها
Though he was the greatest archer of them all.
But Umar feared the Muslim's passion for him
فَقالَ خِفتُ اِفتِتانِ المُسلِمينَ بِهِ
وَفِتنَةُ النَفسِ أَعيَت مَن يُداويها
And the temptation of self too strong to cure.
They blamed him, misunderstanding his intention,
هَبوهُ أَخطَأَ في تَأويلِ مَقصِدِهِ
وَأَنَّها سَقطَةٌ في عَينِ ناعيها
Though it was but a slip in the eyes of the censor;
So excellent a judge is not faulted for his errors,
فَلَن تَعيبَ حَصيفَ الرَأيِ زَلَّتُهُ
حَتّى يَعيبَ سُيوفَ الهِندِ نابيها
Nor are the bent swords of India reproached for their curves.
By God, in the matter of the son of Walid, he did not follow whim,
تَاللَهِ لَم يَتَّبِع في اِبنِ الوَليدِ هَوىً
وَلا شَفى غُلَّةً في الصَدرِ يَطويها
Nor assuage any malice hidden in his breast.
Rather, he saw an opinion and followed it,
لَكِنَّهُ قَد رَأى رَأياً فَأَتبَعَهُ
عَزيمَةً مِنهُ لَم تُثلَم مَواضيها
With a resolution that was unshakeable.
He did not hesitate to obey the Master,
لَم يَرعَ في طاعَةِ المَولى خُؤولَتَهُ
وَلا رَعى غَيرَها فيما يُنافيها
Nor consider others alongside Him.
In flogging his son while the whip seized him,
وَما أَصابَ اِبنَهُ وَالسَوطُ يَأخُذُهُ
لَدَيهِ مِن رَأفَةٍ في الحَدِّ يُبديها
He showed no pity in carrying out the limit.
The One who acquitted Al-Farouq purified him
إِنَّ الَّذي بَرَأَ الفاروقَ نَزَّهَهُ
عَنِ النَقائِصِ وَالأَغراضِ تَنزيها
Of defects and evil tendencies completely.
That is the temperament modeled from Paradise,
فَذاكَ خُلقٌ مِنَ الفِردَوسِ طينَتُهُ
اللَهُ أَودَعَ فيها ما يُنَقّيها
Into which God placed whatever would perfect it.
No arrogance dwells there, no wrong accompanies it,
لا الكِبرُ يَسكُنُها لا الظُلمُ يَصحَبُها
لا الحِقدُ يَعرِفُها لا الحِرصِ يُغويها
No rancor knows it, no greed tempts it.
