أَلفٌ أَميرُ المُؤمِنين عَلِيُّ

أَلفٌ أَميرُ المُؤمِنين عَلِيُّ

باء بِهِ ركنُ اليَقينِ قَوِيُّ

باء بِهِ ركنُ اليَقينِ قَوِيُّ

Alif: Ali, Commander of the Faithful.

Alif: Ali is Commander of the Faithful.

Bāʾ: through him the pillar of certainty stands strong.

Bāʾ: through him the pillar of certainty is strong.

تاءُ تَوى أَعدائِهِ بِحُسامِهِ

تاءُ تَوى أَعدائِهِ بِحُسامِهِ

ثاءٌ ثوى حيثُ السماك مُضِيُّ

ثاءٌ ثوى حيثُ السماك مُضِيُّ

Tāʾ: by his sword his enemies find their final abode.

Tāʾ: his enemies perished by his keen sword.

Thāʾ: he came to rest where al-Simāk shines.

Thāʾ: he dwelt where al-Simak shines.

جيمٌ جَرى في خيرِ أَسباقِ العلى

جيمٌ جَرى في خيرِ أَسباقِ العلى

حاءٌ حوى العَلياءَ وَهو صَبِيُّ

حاءٌ حوى العَلياءَ وَهو صَبِيُّ

Jīm: in glory’s finest races, he ran ahead.

Jīm: he ran in the finest races for eminence.

Ḥāʾ: he encompassed sublimity while still a boy.

Ḥāʾ: he attained eminence while still a boy.

خاءٌ خَبت حسّادُهُ من خوفِهِ

خاءٌ خَبت حسّادُهُ من خوفِهِ

دالٌ دَرى ما لَم يَحُز أَنسيُّ

دالٌ دَرى ما لَم يَحُز أَنسيُّ

Khāʾ: his enviers were cowed by fear of him.

Khāʾ: his enviers were quenched by fear of him.

Dāl: he knew what no mortal ever attained.

Dāl: he knew what no human had attained.

ذالٌ ذُؤابَةُ مجدِهِ فَوق السُهى

ذالٌ ذُؤابَةُ مجدِهِ فَوق السُهى

راءٌ رَوِيُّ فخارِهِ علويُّ

راءٌ رَوِيُّ فخارِهِ علويُّ

Dhāl: the crest of his glory rises above al-Suhā.

Dhāl: the crest of his glory is above al-Suha.

Rāʾ: the reciter of his glories is an ʿAlid.

Rāʾ: the rhyme of his glory is lofty.

زايٌ زَوى وَجهَ الضَلالَةِ سيفُهُ

زايٌ زَوى وَجهَ الضَلالَةِ سيفُهُ

سينٌ سَبيلُ يَقينِهِ مَرضِيُّ

سينٌ سَبيلُ يَقينِهِ مَرضِيُّ

Zāy: his sword swept error away from his face.

Zāy: his sword turned aside the face of error.

Sīn: the path of his certainty is well pleasing.

Sīn: the path of his certainty is approved.

شينٌ شَأى أَمَدَ المُجاري سَبقُهُ

شينٌ شَأى أَمَدَ المُجاري سَبقُهُ

صادٌ صِراطُ الدينِ منهُ سَوِيُّ

صادٌ صِراطُ الدينِ منهُ سَوِيُّ

Shīn: his precedence outstripped the furthest reach of every rival.

Shīn: his lead outstripped the rival racer's furthest reach.

Ṣād: through him, religion’s path is straight.

Ṣād: through him the path of religion is straight.

ضادٌ ضِياءُ شموسِهِ نورُ الوَرى

ضادٌ ضِياءُ شموسِهِ نورُ الوَرى

طاءٌ طَريقُ علومِمِ نَبَوِيُّ

طاءٌ طَريقُ علومِمِ نَبَوِيُّ

Ḍād: the radiance of his suns is the light of all creation.

Ḍād: his suns' radiance is the light of humankind.

Ṭāʾ: his path in knowledge is prophetic.

Ṭāʾ: the path of [his] knowledge is prophetic.

ظاءٌ ظَلامُ الشكِ عَنهُ زائِلٌ

ظاءٌ ظَلامُ الشكِ عَنهُ زائِلٌ

عينٌ عَرينُ أُسودِهِ محمِيُّ

عينٌ عَرينُ أُسودِهِ محمِيُّ

Ẓāʾ: the darkness of doubt recedes from him.

Ẓāʾ: the darkness of doubt has departed from him.

ʿAyn: the den of his lions is inviolate.

ʿAyn: the den of his lions is protected.

غينٌ غرارُ حسامِهِ حَتف العدى

غينٌ غرارُ حسامِهِ حَتف العدى

فاءٌ فَسيحُ الراحتَينِ سخيُّ

فاءٌ فَسيحُ الراحتَينِ سخيُّ

Ghayn: his sword’s keen edge is death to the foe.

Ghayn: his keen sword's edge is the doom of foes.

Fāʾ: broad of both palms, he is generous.

Fāʾ: broad of both palms, he is generous.

قافٌ قَفا طرقَ النَبِيِّ المُصطَفى

قافٌ قَفا طرقَ النَبِيِّ المُصطَفى

كافٌ كَريمُ المُنتَمى قرشي

كافٌ كَريمُ المُنتَمى قرشي

Qāf: he followed the paths of the Chosen Prophet.

Qāf: he followed the paths of the Prophet, the Chosen One.

Kāf: noble in lineage, a Qurashī.

Kāf: noble of lineage, he is a Qurashi.

لامٌ لقاحُ الحَربِ مَحروس الذرى

لامٌ لقاحُ الحَربِ مَحروس الذرى

ميمٌ مَنيعُ الجانِبَينِ تقيُّ

ميمٌ مَنيعُ الجانِبَينِ تقيُّ

Lām: the begetter of war, his heights stand guarded.

Lām: war's begetter, his heights well guarded.

Mīm: unassailable on either side, God-fearing.

Mīm: impregnable on both flanks, God-fearing.

نونٌ نَقِيُّ الجيبِ مَرفوعُ البنا

نونٌ نَقِيُّ الجيبِ مَرفوعُ البنا

واوٌ وَصيُّ المُصطَفى مَهدِيُّ

واوٌ وَصيُّ المُصطَفى مَهدِيُّ

Nūn: pure of heart, his edifice raised high.

Nūn: pure of bosom, his edifice raised high.

Wāw: the Chosen Prophet’s designated heir, rightly guided.

Wāw: the Chosen One's appointed successor, rightly guided.

هاءٌ هديَّةُ رَبِّهِ لِنَبِيِّهِ

هاءٌ هديَّةُ رَبِّهِ لِنَبِيِّهِ

ياءٌ يُقيمُ الدينَ وَهو رضيُّ

ياءٌ يُقيمُ الدينَ وَهو رضيُّ

Hāʾ: his Lord’s gift to His Prophet.

Hāʾ: his Lord's gift to His Prophet.

Yāʾ: he upholds the faith and is well pleasing.

Yāʾ: he upholds religion and is well-pleasing.

أَهدى اِبنُ عَبّادٍ إِلَيهِ هذِهِ

أَهدى اِبنُ عَبّادٍ إِلَيهِ هذِهِ

غَرّاءَ لم يَفطَن لها شيعيُّ

غَرّاءَ لم يَفطَن لها شيعيُّ

Ibn ʿAbbād offered him this composition—

Ibn Abbad offered him this—

a radiant one no Shiʿi had ever conceived.

a radiant poem no Shiite had thought of.

يَرجو بِها حُسنَ الشَفاعَةِ عِندَهُ

يَرجو بِها حُسنَ الشَفاعَةِ عِندَهُ

حَسَنُ الوَلاءِ موحِّدٌ عَدليُّ

حَسَنُ الوَلاءِ موحِّدٌ عَدليُّ

Through it he hopes for gracious intercession with him,

Through it he hopes for gracious intercession from him,

true in allegiance, a monotheist, an adherent of divine justice.

true in allegiance, a monotheist devoted to divine justice.

أَبرَزتُها مِثلَ العَروسِ بديهَةً

أَبرَزتُها مِثلَ العَروسِ بديهَةً

فَليَبتَدِر لِنَشيدِها الكوفِيُّ

فَليَبتَدِر لِنَشيدِها الكوفِيُّ

I brought it forth extempore, like a bride;

I brought it forth like a bride, extempore;

so let the Kufan hasten to chant it.

so let al-Kufi hasten to chant it.