لمن ربع بأكناف المصلى — Yousif Alnabhani

لِمَن رَبعٌ بأكناف المصلّى

عَلا السبعَ العُلا شرفاً وفضلا

Whose is the dwelling on the outskirts of al-Musalla,

surpassing the seven high heavens in honor and excellence?

رَعاهُ اللَّه منيةَ كلّ نفسٍ

وَحيّا اللَّه تربته وأعلى

May God guard it, the desire of every soul,

and may God bless its soil and exalt it.

وَبلّغ مِن غَوادي السحبِ عنّي

قبابَ قُبا بسيلِ القطرِ سؤلا

And convey on my behalf, through the morning clouds,

a plea to Quba's domes in a torrent of rain.

وَدامَ على العقيقِ عهاد غيثٍ

تُروّى دوحهُ سَلماً وأثلا

May recurring rains endure over al-Aqiq,

watering its great trees, salam-acacias and tamarisks.

وَلا برحَ النسيمُ على العوالي

يجرُّ هناكَ فوقَ النجمِ ذيلا

May the breeze never cease over al-Awali,

trailing its hem there over the herbage.

وَحيّا اللَّهُ من أُحدٍ محبّاً

حَبيباً لن يملَّ ولن يُملّا

And may God bless a loving one from Uhud,

beloved, who will neither weary nor be wearisome,

قَريرَ العينِ ضحّاك الثنايا

قَريباً لا يزالُ الدهرَ جذلا

content of eye, with ever-smiling teeth,

nearby, forever joyful.

فَيا ركبَ الحجازِ فدتكَ نفسي

تَحمّل ما يخفُّ عليكَ حَملا

O caravan of the Hijaz, may my soul ransom you:

bear a burden that is light for you.

مَتى جُزتَ النَقا وَربوعَ سَلعٍ

وَجئتَ أعزّ أرضِ اللَّه أَهلا

When you pass an-Naqa and the dwellings of Sal',

and reach God's land with the noblest inhabitants,

فَبادِر بِالسجودِ عَلى ثَراها

وَأدّ بلثمهِ فَرضاً وَنَفلا

hasten to prostrate upon her soil,

and by kissing it perform an obligation and a voluntary act.

وَخُذ علمَ الهَوى لا عن كتابٍ

وَلا تَختَر منَ الأبوابِ فصلا

Take the knowledge of love, not from a book,

nor select a section from its chapters.

وَبلّغ طيبةً وَالساكنيها

رسائلَ مِن مليءُ الشوقِ تُملى

Convey to Tayba and those dwelling in her

letters dictated by one full of longing.

يَظلُّ فؤادهُ للجزعِ يصبو

وَيهوى بِاللِوى ماءً وظلّا

His heart keeps yearning for al-Jiz',

and loves water and shade at al-Liwa.

وَحيِّ بِها الحرارَ فإنّ ذوقي

يَراها مِن رياضِ الشامِ أحلى

Greet her lava fields, for my taste

finds them sweeter than the gardens of al-Sham.

أُحبّ لأجلِ ذاتِ النخلِ نخلاً

بِها وحِجارةً فيها ورملا

For the sake of the palm-filled city, I love palms

there, and stones within her, and sand.

وَأَهواها وأَهوى لابَتَيها

وَأَهوى أرضَها حَزناً وسَهلا

I love her, and I love her two lava fields,

and love her land, rugged and level.

وَأَهوى كلّ مَنسوبٍ إليها

وَإِن لم تَرضني للوصلِ أهلا

I love everything associated with her,

even if she does not deem me worthy of union.

أَراها مُنيتي وهوى فؤادي

إِذا هويَ السِوى هنداً وليلى

I see her as my desire and my heart's beloved,

when others love Hind and Layla.

هيَ العذراءُ يَهديني هَواها

إِذا ما الغيرُ بالعذراء ضلّا

She is the maiden; her love guides me

while others go astray through a maiden.

لَقد شَغلَت فؤادي عَن سواها

وَلَم تَترك له بالغيرِ شُغلا

She has occupied my heart to the exclusion of all else,

leaving it no concern for another.

وَكنتُ هويتُ قبلَ اليوم جملاً

فَأَنستني هوى جُملٍ وجُملا

Before today, I had been in love with Juml,

but she made me forget love for Juml, and Juml herself.

وَلا عجبٌ إذا حلّت بقلبي

فإنّ بِها رسولَ اللَّه حلّا

There is no wonder if she dwells in my heart,

for God's Messenger dwelt within her.

محمّدٌ المُصفّى مِن قريشٍ

خيار العربِ خير الناسِ أصلا

Muhammad, the chosen one from Quraysh,

the choicest of the Arabs, the best of people in ancestry.

تنقّلَ نورهُ في خيرِ قومٍ

وَأَشرف مَعشرٍ أُنثى وَبعلا

His light passed onward among the best of people,

and the noblest company, women and husbands alike.

تفرّعَ عَن أصولٍ ثابتاتٍ

علَت كلّ الورى أصلاً وفصلا

It branched from firmly established roots,

surpassing all creation in origin and distinction,

إِلى أَن حلّ أنجبَ كلِّ أُنثى

وَخيرَ عقائلِ الأنجابِ فَحلا

until it dwelt in the noblest of all women

and the finest of noble scions as a sire.

وَكَم ظَهرت لهُ آياتُ صدقٍ

تدلُّ عَلى الهُدى مُذ كانَ حَملا

How many signs of truth appeared for him,

pointing to guidance since he was a fetus!

فَلَولاه لَما نُصرت طيورٌ

أَبابيلٌ وجيشُ الفيلِ فُلّا

But for him, birds would not have been granted victory—

birds in flocks—nor would the elephant army have been routed.

وَلَمّا أَن أتى بَشراً سَويّاً

وَأجملَ كلّ خلقِ اللَّه شَكلا

And when he came as a well-formed human being,

the fairest in form of all God's creation,

بَدا مِن أمِّه نورٌ أراها

قصورَ الشامِ ظاهرةً تجلّى

a light appeared from his mother and showed her

the palaces of al-Sham, plainly revealed in its shining.

بَراهُ اللَّه أَوفى الناسِ نيلاً

وَأفضلَ خلقهِ ذاتاً ونُبلا

God created him the most bountiful of people,

and the best of His creation in essence and nobility.

وَلَم يوجِد لهُ في العلمِ مِثلاً

وَلَم يخلُق له في العدل عدلا

He brought into being no equal to him in knowledge,

and created no equal to him in justice.

وَأَعطاهُ علومَ الغيبِ حتّى

كأنّ الدهرَ بين يديه يُجلى

He gave him knowledge of the unseen until

all time seemed unveiled before him.

وَحليةُ ذاتهِ أبهى حليٍّ

بِها الرحمنُ جمّله وحلّى

His being's adornment is the fairest of adornments,

with which the All-Merciful beautified and adorned him.

وَمِن كلِّ المناقبِ قد حباهُ

خِصالاً أحرزت للسبقِ خصلا

And from every excellence He granted him

traits that secured the prize of preeminence.

بِها سادَ الورى شَيخاً وكهلاً

وَأروعَ يافعاً وأغرّ طفلا

Through them he surpassed creation, old and middle-aged,

a magnificent youth and a radiant child.

فَضائلُ لَو قُسمنَ على البرايا

لَما أبقينَ بينَ الخلقِ نذلا

Virtues which, if shared among all beings,

would leave no base soul among creation.

أَجلُّ الناسِ أَفراداً وجمعاً

وَخيرُ الخلقِ أَبعاضاً وكُلّا

The greatest of people, singly and together,

and the best of creation, in part and as a whole.

حُلاهُ في الزبورِ وسفرِ شعيا

وَفي التوراةِ والإنجيلِ تُتلى

His attributes are in the Psalms and the book of Isaiah,

and are recited in the Torah and the Gospel.

تَنبّأ قبلَ آدمَ وهو ختمٌ

فَيا للَّه ختمٌ جاء قبلا

He was a prophet before Adam, yet he is the seal:

O God, a seal that came first!

وَسادَ جميعَ رسلِ اللَّه قدماً

فَكانَ السيّد السندَ الأجلّا

He was master of all God's messengers of old,

the lord, the support, the most exalted.

وَصلّى ليلةَ الإسراءِ فيهم

فَجلّى في الرسالةِ حينَ صلّى

He prayed among them on the night of the Night Journey,

and excelled in messengership when he prayed.

أَنافَ بليلةِ المِعراجِ قَدراً

عَلى كلِّ الوَرى علواً وسفلا

On the night of the Ascension he rose in rank

above all creation, high and low.

عَلا السبعَ العلا والرسلُ فيها

وَجاوَزها إِلى أعلى فأعلى

He rose above the seven high heavens, with the messengers within,

and passed beyond them, higher and higher.

رَأى المولى بلا شبهٍ ومثلٍ

وَلا كيفٍ تعالى اللَّه جلّا

He saw the Lord, without resemblance or likeness,

without any 'how'—God is exalted and majestic.

وَلمّا كان منه كقاب قوسٍ

بحقٍّ أحرزَ القِدحَ المعلّى

And when he was as close to Him as a bow's span,

he rightly secured the arrow of the highest prize.

تأمّل كونهُ كالقاب قرباً

وَأدنى إذ دنا لمّا تدلّى

Consider his nearness, like a bow's span,

and nearer, as he drew close when he descended.

وَجبريلُ الأمينُ يقول حدّي

هُنا لا أستطيعُ القربَ أصلا

And faithful Gabriel said: My limit

is here; I cannot draw nearer at all.

تَجِده قَد علا العالينَ قدراً

وَلا يعلوهُ إلّا اللَّه فضلا

You find him above the exalted in rank,

with none but God surpassing him in excellence.

وَفي يومِ القيامةِ سوف يبدو

لهُ شرفُ الشفاعةِ قد تجلّى

And on the Day of Resurrection there will appear

his honor of intercession, made manifest.

يُحيلُ المُرسلونَ عليه فيها

فَيظهرُ أنّه بالفضلِ أولى

The messengers will refer it to him,

and it will be clear that he is worthiest in excellence.

وَكَم مِن مُعجزاتٍ باهراتٍ

كَثيراتٍ بها الهادي اِستقلّا

And how many dazzling miracles,

numerous, were uniquely the Guide's!

تَوالَت آيُها فالبعضُ يتلو

سواهُ كثرةً والبعض يُتلى

Their signs came in succession; some follow

others in abundance, while others are recited.

كَلامُ اللَّه أبهرُها وأبهى

وَأعلاها وَأغلاها وأحلى

God's word is their most dazzling and fairest,

their highest, dearest, and sweetest.

إِذا مرّ المكرّرُ من سواهُ

فِبالتكرارِ قَد يَحلو ويَحلى

While other words grow bitter through repetition,

it grows sweeter and fairer when repeated.

جَديداً لم يَزل في الناسِ مهما

مَضى يَبلى الزمانُ ولَيس يبلى

It remains fresh among people, however much

time passes: time wears out, but it does not.

دَعا المولى فشقَّ البدرَ وَحياً

وردَّ الشمسَ للمولى فصلّى

He called upon the Lord and swiftly split the full moon,

and returned the sun for the master, who then prayed.

وَكَم شهدَ الجمادُ له بحقٍّ

كأنَّ اللَّه قَد أعطاه عقلا

How often inanimate things truly bore witness to him,

as though God had given them reason!

سَعت شجَرٌ إليهِ شاهداتٍ

وعادَت فاِستوت سَرحاً ونخلا

Trees hastened to him, bearing witness,

then returned and stood upright as spreading trees and palms.

وَسلّمتِ الحجارة مُفصحاتٍ

وَجذع النخلِ حنّ حنينَ ثَكلى

Stones greeted him in clear speech,

and the palm trunk moaned like a bereaved mother.

وَظلّله الغمام ومالَ فيءٌ

وَأعجبُ منه عرجونٌ تدلّى

Clouds shaded him, and shade bent toward him,

and stranger still, a palm stalk hung down.

وَليسَ لِشخصهِ في الأرض ظلٌّ

وهل أَحدٌ رأى للنورِ ظلّا

His person cast no shadow on the earth:

has anyone ever seen light cast a shadow?

دَعتهُ غزالةٌ فيها وثاقٌ

فحلّاها بنعمتهِ وحلّا

A doe in bonds called to him,

so he adorned her with his favor and released her.

وَأفصحَ بالشهادةِ فيه ضبٌّ

وذلّ الفحلُ والسرحان دلّا

A desert lizard clearly bore witness to him,

the bull camel submitted, and the wolf pointed the way.

ونسجُ العنكبوتِ بغار ثورٍ

غَدا لعزائمِ الكفّار فصلا

The spider's weaving at the cave of Thawr

became a barrier to the unbelievers' designs.

بِرأسِ الغارِ بيضةُ ذاتِ طوقٍ

وَقتهُ منَ العدا بيضاً ونبلا

At the cave's mouth, a ring-necked dove's egg

shielded him from foes, swords, and arrows.

وَطرفُ سُراقةٍ بالخسفِ صارَت

لهُ الغبراءُ حتّى تابَ كَبلا

And Suraqa's steed, as it sank beneath the ground,

found the dusty earth a shackle until he repented.

وَمسّ الضرعَ مِن شاةٍ عناقٍ

وأُخرى حائلٍ فحلبنَ سَجلا

He touched the udder of a young she-goat,

and another barren one, and they yielded buckets of milk.

وَما باِسمٍ دعا الرحمن إلّا

أَجاب دعاءهُ بالحال فعلا

Never did he call upon the All-Merciful by a name without

His answering his prayer immediately, in deed.

وَما قطّ اِستهلّ لحبس غيثٍ

بِأيسرِ دعوةٍ إلّا اِستهلّا

Never, when rain was withheld, did he seek its pouring

with the simplest prayer without its pouring down.

وَربّ قليلِ مالٍ أو طعامٍ

بهِ الجيشُ اِكتفى شُرباً وأكلا

And many a small stock of goods or food

sufficed the army for drinking and eating.

وَكَم ذا مِن مَريضٍ قد شفاهُ

وَلو شلّت جوارحهُ وسلّا

How many sick people he healed,

even with limbs paralyzed and bodies wasted!

إِذا ما بلّ ذا داءٍ بريقٍ

يُرى في حال بلّته أبلّا

Whenever he moistened a sick one with saliva,

at the moment of moistening, that one was seen restored.

أَلَم يبلغكَ ما فعلَت رقاهُ

بِطرفِ قتادةٍ إذ سالَ سيلا

Have you not heard what his healing prayers did

to Qatada's eye when it flowed out?

شَفى برضابهِ عَينَي عليٍّ

فَيا عَجباً لريقٍ صارَ كحلا

With his saliva he healed both eyes of Ali:

what a marvel—saliva becoming kohl!

عَسيبُ النخلِ صارَ له حُساماً

وَسيفُ عكاشةٍ قد كانَ جذلا

A palm-frond stalk became a cutting sword for him,

and Ukkasha's sword had once been a piece of wood.

وَكان لصحبهِ الأبطال حصناً

حَصيناً في الوغا والسلم ظلّا

For his heroic companions he was a fortress,

secure in battle, and a shelter in peace.

شَديدُ البطشِ ذو عزمٍ قويٍّ

وَقلبٍ لا يَخالُ الهولَ هولا

Mighty in striking, possessed of strong resolve,

and a heart that did not think terror terrifying.

فَكَم جمعَ العِدا جَمعاً صحيحاً

فَكسّر جَمعهم أسراً وقتلا

How often the foes assembled a solid host,

and he shattered their host by capture and killing!

وَصارعهُ رُكنانة وهو ليثٌ

فَعادَ بصرعهِ في الحال وعلا

Ruknana wrestled him, himself a lion,

but, thrown by him, at once became an ibex.

وَفي بدرٍ بقبضتهِ رَماهم

فَشتّت بالحَصى للقومِ شَملا

At Badr he cast a handful at them,

and with pebbles scattered the people's ranks.

وَأَودى بعدُ في أُحدٍ أُبَيٌّ

بِحربتهِ كَما أنباه قبلا

Later, at Uhud, Ubayy perished

by his spear, as he had foretold to him.

وَلَو وَقَعَت عَلى رضوى محَتهُ

وَلَو وَقعت على ثهلانَ هلّا

Had it struck Radwa, it would have effaced it;

had it struck Thahlan, it would have brought it down.

إِشارتُه بيومِ الفتح خرّت

بِها الأصنامُ كالأعداءِ قَتلى

At his gesture on the day of the Conquest, down fell

the idols, like enemies slain.

بِبغلتهِ غَزا غطفانَ يوماً

فَلَم يترُك لَهم إِبلاً وخيلا

One day he rode his mule to campaign against Ghatafan,

leaving them neither camels nor horses.

فَكَم مِن هامةٍ بالسيفِ طُرّت

وَكَم ذا من دمٍ بالترب طُلّا

How many heads were severed by the sword,

and how much blood spilled unavenged upon the dust!

أَبادَ الجاهليّة والأعادي

فَلَم يترُك أبا جهلٍ وجهلا

He destroyed the age of ignorance and the enemies,

leaving neither Abu Jahl nor ignorance.

وَأوقعَ باليهودِ وَفي تبوكٍ

أذلَّ الرومَ حينَ غَزا هِرَقلا

He struck the Jews, and at Tabuk

humbled the Byzantines when he campaigned against Heraclius.

وَلَم ينفكَّ يَغزو الناسَ حتّى

تَولّاهم وأمرُ الكفرِ ولّى

He never ceased campaigning against people until

he held sway over them and unbelief's power departed.

أَتاهُ وهوَ مثلُ السيفِ حدّاً

فَلَم يَعبأ بهِ حاشا وكلّا

It came at him, sharp as a sword,

but he paid it no heed—far from it, never!

رَماهُ بالردى طَوراً وطوراً

عَلاهُ بالهدى حتّى اِضمحلّا

At times he struck it with death, and at times

overcame it with guidance, until it vanished.

شَريعتهُ هَدت برّاً وبحراً

وَعمّ ضياؤها حزناً وسهلا

His law guided land and sea,

and its light spread over rugged ground and plain.

هيَ الشمسُ المُينرةُ في البرايا

ومِن عجبٍ غدَت للناس ظلّا

It is the radiant sun among all beings,

yet wondrously it became a shade for people.

عَلت في كلِّ أرضٍ كلّ دينٍ

وَدينُ اللَّه يعلو ليس يعلى

It rose above every religion in every land,

and God's religion rises and is never surpassed.

أَيا خيرَ الأنام بكلّ خيرٍ

وَخيرَ خيارهم نَسباً ونسلا

O best of all beings in every goodness,

best of their finest in lineage and offspring!

إِذا جارَ الزمانُ على أناسٍ

أَتَوك فعادَ ذاك الجور عَدلا

When time wronged some people,

they came to you, and that wrong became justice.

وَإِن بخلَ الغمامُ بطلّ غيثٍ

هَمَت يُمناك للعافين وبلا

And if the clouds withheld even a drizzle of rain,

your right hand poured torrents upon those seeking bounty.

لَقَد فقتَ الورى في كلِّ وصفٍ

جَميلٍ واِنفردتَ علاً وعقلا

You have surpassed all creation in every

beautiful quality, unequaled in eminence and reason.

فَلَم يخلُق لكَ الرحمن شبهاً

وَلَم يخلُق لك الرحمنُ مثلا

The All-Merciful created none resembling you,

and the All-Merciful created none equal to you.

وَنوعُ الإنسِ أشرفُ كلّ نوعٍ

لأنّك منهمُ يا نور شكلا

Humankind is the noblest of every kind,

because you belong to them in form, O Light.

وَرُسلُ اللَّه سادوا الخلق طرّاً

وَفاقوا العالمينَ هدىً وفضلا

God's messengers became masters of all creation,

surpassing all beings in guidance and excellence.

وَإنّك خيرُهم نَفساً وديناً

وَأَتباعاً وأصحاباً وأهلا

And you are their best in person and religion,

in followers, companions, and family.

وَأَكثرُهم هُدىً وأعزّ جاهاً

وَأَطولهم علاً وأجلُّ طولا

The greatest in guidance and mightiest in standing,

the loftiest in eminence and greatest in bounty.

فَقَد سُدتَ الورى علواً وسفلا

مَلائكةً وأنباءً ورسلا

You have mastered all creation, high and low,

angels, prophets, and messengers.

أَيا مَن قد تمنّى كلّ تاجٍ

يكونُ برجلهِ للنعلِ نَعلا

O you for whom every crown has wished

to be a sole beneath the sandal on his foot!

وَخير الناسِ يَرضى أن تراهُ

للثمِ ترابِ تلك النعلِ أهلا

The best of people is content that you deem him

worthy of kissing the dust of that sandal.

لَقَد شرّفتني في النوم فضلاً

بِتَقبيلي يداً منكُم وَرِجلا

By your grace you honored me in sleep,

by letting me kiss a hand and a foot of yours.

َلَولا أن يُقال لقلت ما لي

مثيلٌ لا أرى لي اليوم مثلا

Were it not for what might be said, I would say: I have no

equal; today I see none like me.

وَما قَصدي اِفتخارٌ غير أنّي

لِشُكرك أَنتقي معنىً وقولا

My aim is not boasting, but I

choose meaning and words to thank you.

وَمَهما كانَ شُكراني جليلاً

فقَد جاءَت مواهبُكم أجلّا

However great my gratitude may be,

your gifts have proved greater.

وَلستُ بِحاجةٍ للمدحِ لكن

لَنا حاجٌ وليسَ سواكَ مولى

I have no need of praise, yet

we have needs, and no patron but you.

وَلَم تنفكّ للرحمنِ سيفاً

وَقَد يُستحسنُ السيفُ المحلّى

You have never ceased to be a sword for the All-Merciful,

and an adorned sword is admired.

وَمَهما كنتَ أنت فأنت عبدٌ

وَعزَّ اللَّه مَولانا وجلّا

Whatever you may be, you are a servant,

and God, our Master, is mighty and exalted.