فَواتِحُ الفَتْحِ تُنْبِي عَنْ تَوَالِيهِ
لَقَدْ تَمَهَّدَ مُلْكٌ أَنْتَ وَالِيهِ
The keys to conquest herald its continuance,
A kingdom prepared for you as its heir.
في ذِمَّةِ الغَيْبِ مِنها ما تُشاهِدُهُ
يَهْدِيهِ صُبْحٌ وإِمْسَاءٌ يُنَاغِيهِ
In the charge of the unseen are things you witness,
Lit by dawn and dusk vying to guide it.
تَزْدَادُ حُبّاً وَلَمْ تَجْعَل زِيَارَتَها
غِبّاً وكَمْ زائِرٍ يُقْلَى تَمَادِيهِ
Your love for it grows though you do not make
Its absence remote, however many visitors suffer from overstaying.
أمَّتْ إمَامَ الهُدى غُرّاً مُحجَّلَةً
كَأَنَّمَا في تَبَارِيها مَذاكِيهِ
The Imam of Guidance has bedecked his noble steed
As if its embellishments are its bridle straps.
يَغْشَى البَسِيطَةَ مِنْ أَنْوارِها وَضَحٌ
مِلءُ الزَّمانِ بِها تُجْلَى غَوَاشِيهِ
A clarity covers the plain from its lights
Filling time with it, its far horizons illuminated.
قَادَ الخَليقَةَ مِنْ بُعْدٍ ومِن كَثبٍ
نَحْوَ الخَلِيفَةِ إِسجَاحٌ يُوالِيهِ
It has led creation, from afar and near,
To the Caliph in submission thronging about him.
فَلِلْمغَارِب مِنْ تأمِيلِ دَوْلَتهِ
ما لِلمَشَارِقِ مِنْ نُعْمَى لِراجِيهِ
So the West has from the favor of its rule
What the East has of blessings for those hopeful of it.
لا أُفْقَ إِلا أَقاصِيهِ وَإِنْ شَحَطَتْ
فِي دينِها بِهُداه مِنْ أَدَانِيهِ
No horizon but the furthest extremities of it
And if it crosses swords in His religion from its nearby.
عَلَى خلافَتِهِ الإِجْمَاعُ مُنْعَقدٌ
فحَاضِرُ الخَلقِ طَوعاً مِثلُ بَادِيهِ
There is consensus on his Caliphate
So the present company of people are obedient to him whether far or near.
كُلٌّ يُلَبِّي نِدَاءَ الرشْد مِنْ أمَمٍ
كَمَا أهَابَ لنَادِيهِ مُنَادِيهِ
Each nation answers the summons maturely
As the caller gave voice in goodly manner.
مُسْتَولِياتٍ بِمَولانَا الأحَقِّ عَلَى
غَاياتِ كُلِّ نَجاحٍ مِنْ مبَادِيهِ
By virtue of our Master the Truest Claimant
Upon the apex of every path to triumph from the start.
بُشْرَى سِجِلماسَة أعْطَتْ مَقَادَتَها
يَدَيْ إِمامٍ مُعَاطِيها أَيَادِيهِ
The good tidings Songhai yielded up its reins
To the hands of an Imam unfailing in his righteous works.
وفِي الدِّيانَةِ أَسبَابُ القِيامِ بِها
فأَقْبَلَتْ عِنْدَها الدنْيا تُوافِيهِ
In religion lies the means to stand by it
So the world hastened to concur with him.
عَلَيهِ للَّهِ في حُكْمِ الإمَامَةِ أَن
يَرعَى مَحارِمها واللَّه راعِيهِ
To care for its sanctities is his duty before God in leadership
And God suffices as his Keeper.
أَفاضَ رَحمَتَهُ فَانفَضَّ مَعشَرُها
إِلَيهِ مِن حَولِ فَظِّ القَلبِ قاسِيهِ
He let loose his mercy so its fellow dissidents dispersed
Around the harsh-hearted with steely purpose.
تَضِجُّ مِنْهُ نَواحِيهِ بِآيَةِ مَا
تَضُخُّ فِي الغَيْثِ أَنْسَافاً مَنَاحِيهِ
Its regions pulse with signs like gushing clouds surge with showers.
And he grew certain the Truth would conquer him
وَقَدْ تَيَقَّنَ أَنَّ الحَقَّ غَالِبُهُ
لمَّا تَبَيَّنَ مَيْناً فِي دَعَاوِيهِ
When he saw his authority manifest in his claims.
The Righteous Mahdi no sooner rose spreading
مَا أَصْبَحَ القَائِمُ المَهْدِيُّ نَاشِرَهُ
مِنَ الهِدَايَةِ أَمْسَى وَهْوَ طاوِيهِ
Guidance but night enshrouded its unfolding.
He sought victory over Rome in his denominations—
بِالرُّومِ رَامَ انتِصَاراً في مَذَاهِبهِ
أَلَيْسَ ما قَدْ رآهُ مِنْ تَعَامِيهِ
Can he not see that from their accord?
Neither ravine nor lifeline counsels him
لا حَيّ وادِيهِ عَنْ وِدٍّ يُواكِبُهُ
وَلا الحَياةُ بِمَا يُنْجِي تُنَاجِيهِ
Nor does life with what saves speak familiarly to him.
God’s wisdom is nothing but flawless,
وَحِكْمَةُ اللَّهِ لَيْسَتْ غَيرَ مُحْكَمَةٍ
مَا الجَورُ مُوجِبُهُ فالعَدْلُ نَافِيهِ
Inasmuch as injustice occasions it, justice negates it.
Though night may mantle the horizons gloomily,
وَاللَّيْلُ إِنْ جَلَّلَ الآفاقَ ظُلْمَتُهُ
وَرَاءهُ نُورُ إِصْباح يُوارِيهِ
Behind it shines the light of dawn that hides it.
To God belongs bounty then to Yahya without cease
للَّهِ ثُمَّ لِيَحيَى المَنُّ متَّسِقاً
عَلَى الأَنامِ بِما تُولِي مَسَاعِيهِ
Upon mankind for what will make his efforts thrive.
Dominions everywhere made up his war booty,
أَمَا المَمَالِكُ شَتَّى مِنْ غَنَائِمهِ
أَما المُلوك جَميعاً مِنْ مَوالِيهِ
Monarchs one and all his partisans.
Good fortune counters on his behalf whoever opposes him—
يُقَابِلُ السَّعْدُ عَنْهُ مَنْ يُنَاصِبُهُ
فَما صَوارِمُهُ أَو مَا عَوالِيهِ
What blades of his, his columns lofted high?
God established power for him and propped him up—
بَنَى لَهُ اللَّهُ سُلطَاناً وَشَيَّدَهُ
مَنْ ذا يُضَعْضِعهُ واللُّهُ بَانِيهِ
Who undermines him with God as his builder?
To rule by the Chosen Guiding Friend no glory boasts
لِلْمُلكِ بِالمُرتَضَى الهَادِي مُفاخَرةٌ
لَمْ تَبْدُ مِنهُ بِهَادِيهِ ورَاضِيهِ
Without initiator or satisfied approver.
Eh, from inborn eminence he gained it, never claimed
إيهٍ عَن الشَّرفِ العَادِي أحْرَزَهُ
فَما ادَّعَتْهُ وَلا كَادَتْ أَعَادِيهِ
By contender nor vied for by envier.
It suffices that Abū Ḥafṣ his ancestor
كَفَاهُ أَنَّ أَبَا حَفْصٍ لهُ سَلَفٌ
وَأَنَّ سَالِفَ نَصْرِ اللَّهِ كَافِيهِ
And preceding victory-helper God suffices as his supply.
An Imam of justice courted by his humility
إِمامُ عَدْلٍ تَدَانَى مِنْ تَواضُعِهِ
والنَّجْمُ في مُرْتقَاهُ لا يُدانِيهِ
With the star in its heights no peer to him.
High-stepping the sphere up past the celestial orbits
رَاقِي الرِّواقِ علَى الأَفْلاكِ صَاعِدُهُ
فَمَنْ يُعَالِيهِ فَرداً في مَعَالِيهِ
So who sublimes him singly in his lofty places?
Since he stood for religion and the world, protecting them,
مُذْ قَامَ للدِّينِ والدنْيَا بِنَصْرِهِما
قَامَت علَى الشِّرْكِ تَنْعَاهُ نَواعِيهِ
His allies rose against unbelief suppressing its paths.
Conquest is third in carrying out his desire—
الفَتْحُ ثَالِثُ مَا تُمْضِي إِرَادَتُهُ
وَالحَزْمُ أَوَّلُه والعَزْمُ ثَانِيهِ
Resolve its first and intention its second.
Passionate for war yet his sword ever
صادٍ إِلَى الحَربِ لَكِنْ سَيْفُهُ أَبَداً
رَيَّانُ مِن دَمِ قالِيهِ بِقَانِيهِ
Is wet with noble Roman blood by his hand’s spilling.
Whenever enemies’ banners loom into view
إِذَا تَراءى العِدَى رَاياتِهِ نَخِبَتْ
قُلوبُهُم بِبَئِيسِ القَلبِ مَاضِيهِ
Minds fail before craven hearts proceeding.
And if he countermands driving them back divine decree is his
وَإنْ تَوَخَّى رَداهُم فَالقَضاءُ لَهُ
إِلَى انقِضَائِهِم رِدْءٌ يُؤاخِيهِ
To their defeat—a covering enfolds him.
By your honor, fairness and grace are stirred
بِحرمِكَ العُرفُ وَالعِرْفانُ مُعتَلِجٌ
إِنْ يَسْتَشِطْ غَضَباً فَالحِلمُ شَاطِيهِ
If wrath is provoked then patience smoothes it.
He hurls unions of supple and coral verse,
بِاللؤلُؤِ الرطبِ والمرجَانِ يقْذِفُ مِنْ
أَسْجاعِهِ نَاثِراً أَوْ مِنْ قَوافِيهِ
Lavish in its prose and rhymes.
Its necklaces pass hands for days
ثَنَتْ قَلائِدُهُ الأَيَّامَ حَالِيَةً
حَتَّى الليالِي حُلِيٌّ مِنْ لآلِيهِ
Till nights are adornment of its jewels.
His epoch gilds what immortalizes him—
لِدَهْرِهِ حَبْرَةٌ ممَّا يُحَبِّرُهُ
فَمِنْ أمَانيهِ أَنْ تُتْلَى أَمَالِيهِ
Among his wishes lies having his oeuvre recited.
In him strange wonders so should wonders return
فيهِ البَدِيعُ فَلَوْ عادَ البَديعُ رَأَى
حَتْماً علَى مِثْلِهِ خَتْماً علَى فِيهِ
Surely wonders return to close on the likes of him.
If the lofty excused me I would claim dawn’s spell
ولَوْ تُسامِحُنِي العَليَاءُ قُلتُ صَبا
سحْرُ البَيَانِ إلَيْهِ دُونَ صَابِيهِ
To it beyond its charms the poetry of youth.
Alas, among princes is no peer to him,
هَيْهاتَ مَا فِي المُلوكِ الصِّيدِ مُشْبِهُهُ
أَنَّى تَرَاهُم وَإنْ حَاكَوْا مُحَاكِيهِ
However they may pattern themselves as his copiers.
Poetry was ennobled only when ennobled by
لَمْ يَشْرُف الشِّعر إِلا حِينَ شَرَّفَهُ
نَظْماً لِعَالِيهِ أَوْ سَمعْاً لِغَالِيهِ
Composing his glory or hearing his elite.
What heights can praise reach from any ruler
وَمَا عَسَى تَبْلُغُ الأَمْداحُ مِنْ مَلِكٍ
أَقْصَى نِهَايَتِها أَدْنَى تَنَاهِيهِ
When its ultimate ends fall short of its aspirations?
Time donned fine garb but has doffed it
تَقَيَّلَ الدهْرُ مَنْحاهُ الكَرِيمَ فَقَد
رَاقَتْ حُلاهُ وَقَد رَقَّتْ حَوَاشِيهِ
Its situation grave as are its situations.
