أقبل فتلك ديار يثرب تقبل — Ahmad Muharram

أقبِلْ فتلك دِيارُ يَثربَ تقبل

يَكفيكَ من أشواقها ما تَحمِلُ

Come forward: there are Yathrib's dwellings coming to meet you.

The longing they bear is enough for you.

طالَ التّلَوُّمُ والقلوبُ خوافقٌ

يهفو إليكَ بها الحنينُ الأطولُ

The waiting has been long, and hearts are fluttering;

within them, long-drawn yearning flutters toward you.

القومُ مُذ فارقتَ مكّةَ أعينٌ

تأبى الكرَى وجَوانحٌ تَتململُ

Since you left Mecca, the people have been eyes

that refuse sleep, and restless breasts.

يُتطلّعون إلى الفجاج وقولُهُمْ

أفما يُطالِعُنا النبيُّ المُرسَلُ

They peer toward the mountain passes, saying:

Will the Prophet sent forth not appear before us?

أقبلتَ في بِيضِ الثّيابِ مُباركاً

يُزجي البشائرَ وجهُكَ المتهلِّلُ

You came in white garments, blessed;

your beaming face brings glad tidings.

يا طِيبَ ما صَنَعَ الزُّبيرُ وَطَلحةٌ

ولَصَنعُكَ الأوفى أجلُّ وأفضلُ

How fine was what al-Zubayr and Talha did!

Yet your fuller deed is greater and better.

خفَّ الرِجالُ إليكَ يَهتفُ جمعهُم

وقلوبُهم فَرَحاً أخفُّ وأعجلُ

The men hastened toward you, their throng calling out;

their hearts, for joy, were lighter and swifter.

هي في رِكَابِكَ ما بها من حاجةٍ

إلا إليكَ وما لها مُتحوَّلُ

They follow in your train, needing nothing

but you, with nowhere else to turn.

هَجرتْ مَنازِلَها بِيثربِ وَانْتَحتْ

أُخرى بِمكةَ دُورُها ما تُؤهَلُ

They left their dwellings in Yathrib and sought

others in Mecca, whose houses stand uninhabited.

وفدان هذا من ورائِكَ يرتَمي

عَجِلاً وهذا من أمامِكَ يَنسِلُ

Two delegations: this one rushes from behind you

in haste, while that one speeds ahead of you.

انْظُر بني النّجَارِ حَولك عُكّفاً

يَرِدُونَ نُورَك حِينَ فَاضَ المنهلُ

Look at Banu al-Najjar gathered devotedly around you,

coming to drink your light as the watering-place overflows.

لم يُنزِلوكَ على الخُؤولةِ وحدَها

كلُّ المواطنِ للنّبوّةِ مَنزلُ

They did not lodge you merely through maternal kinship;

every place is a dwelling for prophethood.

نزلوا على الإسلام عندَك إنّه

نَسَبٌ يَعُمُّ المُسلِمينَ ويَشملُ

They joined you on the footing of Islam, for it is

a kinship encompassing and embracing all Muslims.

ما للديارِ تَهزُّها نَشَواتُها

أهي الأناشيدُ الحِسانُ تُرتَّلُ

What ails the dwellings, shaken by their ecstasies?

Is it the lovely anthems being chanted?

رفَّتْ نَضارتُها وطابَ أريجُها

وتردّدتْ أنفاسُها تَتسلسَلُ

Their freshness quivered, and their fragrance grew sweet;

their breaths echoed, flowing one after another.

فكأنّما في كلِّ مَغنىً رَوضةٌ

وكأنّما في كلِّ دارٍ بُلبُلُ

It is as though every dwelling held a garden,

and every house a nightingale.

هُنَّ العذارَى المؤمناتُ أقمنَهُ

عِيداً تُحيّيهِ الملائِك من عَلُ

It is the believing maidens who have made it

a festival greeted by angels from on high.

في مُوكبٍ للهِ أشرقَ نورهُ

فيه وقام جلالهُ يَتمثَّلُ

In a procession for God, His light shone

within it, and His majesty stood revealed.

جَمعَ النَبيِّينَ الكِرَام فآخذٌ

بيدِ الإمامِ وعائذٌ يتَوسَّلُ

It gathered the noble prophets: one takes

the leader's hand, another seeks refuge and pleads.

يَمشِي به الرُّوحُ الأمينُ مُسلِّماً

وجبينُه بفمِ النبيِّ مُقَبَّلُ

The Trustworthy Spirit walks with him, offering greetings,

his forehead kissed by the Prophet's lips.

إيهٍ بني النجَّارِ إنَّ محمَّداً

لأَشدُّ حُبّاً لِلَّتي هي أجْمَلُ

Ah, Banu al-Najjar! Muhammad

surely loves most what is fairest.

خلُّوا سبيلَ اللهِ ما لرسولِه

عمَّا أعدَّ من المنازلِ مَعْدِلُ

Leave God's path clear; His Messenger has

no turning aside from the dwellings He has prepared.

ذَهبتْ مَطيّتُه فقيل لها قِفي

هذا مَناخُكِ لستِ ممّن يَجهلُ

His mount went on, and she was told: Stop!

This is your resting-place; you are not one who is ignorant.

النَّاسُ في طَلَبِ الحياةِ وها هنا

سِرٌّ لها خافٍ وكنزٌ مُقفَلُ

People pursue life, and here

lies its hidden secret and a locked treasure.

أعطِي أبا أيّوب رَحْلَكِ وَاحْمَدِي

من أمرِ ربّكِ ما يجيءُ ويَفعلُ

Give Abu Ayyub your saddle, and praise

whatever comes and takes effect by your Lord's command.

ودَعِي الزّمامَ لأسعدِ بن زُرارةٍ

فإليهِ بعد اللهِ أَمْرُكِ يُوكَلُ

And leave the rein to As'ad ibn Zurara,

for after God, your charge is entrusted to him.

لمَّا حملتِ الحقَّ أجمعَ والهدى

أمسى بحبلِ اللهِ حَبلُكِ يُوصَلُ

Since you carried all truth and guidance,

your rope has come to be joined to God's rope.

يتنافسُ الأنصارُ فِيك وما دروا

لِمنِ المفازُ وأيُّهُمْ هو أوّلُ

The Ansar vie for you, not knowing

whose the prize will be, or which of them comes first.

هِيَ كيمياءُ الحقِّ لولا أنّها

تَهدِي العقولَ لَخِلتُها لا تُعقَلُ

This is truth's alchemy; were it not that it

guides minds, I would think it beyond understanding.

دُنيا من العجبِ العجابِ ودولةٌ

يَهوِي النُّضارُ بها ويعلو الجَندلُ

A world of wondrous wonders, and a realm

where gold sinks and stones rise.

أرأيت أهل الكهف لولا سرها

هل كان يكرم كلبهم ويُبجَّلُ

Have you considered the People of the Cave? But for its secret,

would their dog have been honored and revered?

شكراً أبا أيوب فُزتَ بنعمةٍ

فيها لنفسِكَ ما تُريدُ وتسأَلُ

Thanks, Abu Ayyub: you have won a blessing

containing all your soul desires and asks.

ما مِثلُ رِفْدِكَ في المواطنِ كلِّها

رِفدٌ يُضاعَفُ أو عطَاءٌ يُجزَلُ

No bounty in any place can match yours,

however multiplied, nor any gift made lavish.

للهِ دارُكَ من مَحلَّةِ مُؤْمِنٍ

نَزلَ الحِمَى فيها وحَلَّ المعقلُ

What a house is yours, by God—a believer's dwelling!

The sanctuary alighted there, and the stronghold settled.

نَزَلَ النبيُّ بها فحلَّ فِناءَها

مَجدٌ يُقيمُ وسؤددٌ ما يرحلُ

The Prophet lodged there, and into its courtyard came

abiding glory and honor that never departs.

مجدُ النُّبوَّةِ في ضيافةِ ماجِدٍ

سَمحِ القِرى يُسدِي الجزيلَ ويبذلُ

The glory of prophethood is the guest of a noble man,

generous in hospitality, bestowing abundant gifts.

وَسِعَتْ جِفانَ المُطعمين جفانُه

كرماً فما يأبى ولا هِيَ تبخلُ

His bowls encompassed the bowls of all who feed others

in generosity: he never refuses, nor do they stint.

أضفى على السَّعدينِ بُرْدَ سماحةٍ

فاهتزَّ جُودُهُما وأقبلَ يرفلُ

He draped the two Sa'ds in a mantle of generosity;

their bounty stirred and came forth trailing its robes,

جذلانَ مُحتفلاً يقرّب منهما

للهِ ما يرضَى وما يتقبَّلُ

joyful and celebrating, offering from them

to God what He approves and accepts.

جَعلَ القِرَى سَبباً إلى رضوانِه

والبِرُّ والإيمانُ فيما يَجعَلُ

He made hospitality a path to His good pleasure,

and righteousness and faith are among what He appoints.

يا زيدُ من صنع الثَّريدَ وما عسى

ترجو بما حَملتْ يداك وتأمُل

O Zayd, who made the tharid, and what might you

hope and wish for through what your hands carried?

بعثتك أمُّك تبتغي في دينها

ما يبتغي ذو الهمَّةِ المتعمِّلُ

Your mother sent you, seeking through her faith

what a diligent person of resolve seeks.

شكر النّبيُّ لها وأطلق دعوةً

صعدت كما شقَّ الفضاءَ مُجلجِلُ

The Prophet thanked her and uttered a prayer;

it rose as a thunderclap cleaves the sky.

أطيب بتلك هديّةً يسعى بها

في اللّهِ ساعٍ بالجلال مُظلَّلُ

How lovely a gift, carried along

for God's sake by a bearer shaded with majesty!

لو أنَّها وُزِنَتْ بدنيا قيصرٍ

رَجحتْ وأين من الخِضَمِّ الجدولُ

Were it weighed against Caesar's worldly realm,

it would outweigh it; what is a brook beside the ocean?

هي إن عييت بوصفها ما يُجْتنَى

من نعمةِ الإسلامِ لا ما يُؤكلُ

If I falter in describing it, it is what is reaped

from Islam's blessing, not what is eaten.

ما في جهادكِ أمَّ زيدٍ ريبةٌ

نار الوغى احتدمت وأنتِ الجحفلُ

There is no doubt about your striving, mother of Zayd;

battle's fire blazed fiercely, and you were the army.

شَرَعٌ سرابيلُ الحروب وما اكتسى

من سابغاتِ الخيرِ من يتسربلُ

Equal are the tunics of war and the garments donned

from goodness's ample armor by whoever robes himself.

يا معشر الأنصارِ هل لي عندكم

نادٍ يَضُمُّ النابغين ومحفلُ

O company of the Ansar, is there among you for me

a gathering embracing the gifted, an assembly?

عندي لشاعركم تحيةُ شاعرٍ

يَسِمُ القوافِيَ وسمه يَتنخَّلُ

I have for your poet a poet's greeting,

one who stamps his rhymes, carefully choosing his stamp.

تنميهِ في دُنيا البيانِ رَوائعٌ

منها رواكدُ ما تَرِيمُ وجُفَّلُ

Masterpieces exalt him in the world of eloquence,

some settled, never stirring, others racing away:

الثّاوياتُ على هُدىً من ربّها

والسّابحاتُ السّائحاتُ الجُوَّلُ

the abiding ones, guided by their Lord,

and the swimming, wandering, roaming ones.

شُغِلَتْ بها الدُّنيا وما هي بالتّي

تُعْنَى بدنيا الجاهلين وتُشغَلُ

The world is engrossed in them, but they are not

concerned or occupied with the world of the ignorant.

تأبى القرارَ بكلّ وادٍ مُمحِلٍ

وتحلُّ بالوادي الذي لا يُمحلُ

They refuse to settle in any barren valley

and dwell in the valley that never grows barren.

حسّانُ أبلغُ من يقول وليس لي

منه إذا ادّعَتِ المصاقعُ مِقْوَلُ

Hassan is the most eloquent speaker; I have no

voice beside his when master orators stake their claims.

أنتم قضيتم للنَّبيِّ ذمامه

ونصرتُمُ الحقَّ الذي لا يُخذلُ

You fulfilled the Prophet's right to your protection

and supported the truth that is never forsaken.

وصنعتُمُ الصّنعَ الجميل كرامةً

لمهاجرين همُ الفريقُ الأمثلُ

You performed the beautiful deed in honor

of emigrants who are the finest company.

فعرفتُ موضعكم وكيف سما بكم

مجدٌ لكم في المسلمين مؤثَّلُ

I recognized your standing, and how you were uplifted

by glory firmly rooted among the Muslims.

وأذعتُه نبأً لكم ما مثله

نبأٌ يُذاعُ ولا حديثٌ يُنقلُ

I proclaimed it as news of you, unmatched by

any tidings broadcast or report passed on.

القومُ قومُ اللهِ ملء دياركم

وكأنهم بديارهم لم يرحلوا

The people, God's people, fill your dwellings,

as though still in their own homes, never having departed.

الدينُ يعطفُ والسماحةُ تحتفِي

والحبُّ يرعَى والمروءةُ تكفلُ

Religion shows compassion, and generosity welcomes;

love cares, and noble character protects.

والله يشكرُ والنّبيُّ بغبطةٍ

والشركُ يصعقُ والضلالةُ تذهلُ

God gives thanks, and the Prophet rejoices;

polytheism is thunderstruck, and error is stunned.

دِينُ الهدى والحقِّ في أعراسِه

والجاهليَّةُ في المآتم تُعوِلُ

The religion of guidance and truth holds its wedding festivities,

while pagan ignorance wails at mourning gatherings.

إن هالها الحَدثُ الذي نُكِبَتْ به

فلسوف تُنكَبُ بالذي هو أهولُ

If the event that struck it has terrified it,

it will surely be struck by something more dreadful.

زُولي مُعطِّلةَ العقولِ فمنَ قَضى

أنّ البصائرَ والعقولَ تُعطَّلُ

Vanish, you who disable minds! Who decreed

that insight and reason should be disabled?

ألقِي السِّلاحَ فما لخصمكِ دافعٌ

ودَعِي الكِفاحَ فما لجندِكِ موئِلُ

Cast down your weapons: none can repel your foe.

Abandon the struggle: your army has no refuge.

أزرَى بكِ الفشلُ المبرّحُ وارتمى

بِحُماتكِ القَدرُ الذي لا يفشَلُ

Agonizing failure has debased you, and

unfailing destiny has hurled itself at your defenders.

السَّهلُ يصعبُ إن تواكلتِ القُوى

والصعبُ إن مَضتِ العزائمُ يسهلُ

The easy grows difficult when forces rely on one another;

the difficult grows easy when resolutions press onward.

أرسى المعاقلِ مؤمنٌ لا نفسُه

تهفو ولا إيمانُه يتزلزلُ

Firmest of fortresses is a believer whose soul does not

waver, nor does his faith shake.

هذا النْذيرُ فإن أبيتِ سوى الأذى

فالأرضُ بالدّمِ لا محالةَ تُغسلُ

This is the warning; if you insist on nothing but harm,

the earth will inevitably be washed with blood.

علقت بِمَقْتَلِكِ السّهامُ وما عسى

يَبقَى الرَّمِيُّ إذا أُصِيبَ المَقتَلُ

Arrows have lodged in your vital spot; how could

the target survive once that fatal point is struck?

الله أكبرُ كلُّ زُورٍ يَنقضِي

مَرَّ السَّحاب وكلُّ إفكٍ يبطُلُ

God is greatest! Every falsehood passes away

like passing clouds, and every lie comes to nothing.

المسجد الثَّاني يُقامُ بيثربٍ

ومحمدُ الباني يَجِدُّ ويَعملُ

The second mosque is being built in Yathrib,

and Muhammad, the builder, works diligently and labors.

عَمّارُ أنتَ لها وليس ببالغٍ

عُليا المراتبِ مَن يَكِلُّ وَيَكْسَلُ

Ammar, you are equal to it; no one reaches

the highest ranks who tires and grows lazy.

إن يَثْقُلِ العِبءُ الذي حُمِّلتَهُ

فَلما يُحمَّلُ ذو التَّباعةِ أثقلُ

If the burden you were made to bear weighs heavily,

heavier still is what one bearing responsibility must carry.

ماذا بَلغت من السَّناءِ على يدٍ

أدنَى أنامِلها السِّماكُ الأعزلُ

What heights of radiance you reached through a hand

whose lowest fingertip is al-Simak the Unarmed!

مَسَحتْه ظهراً مِنكَ طالَ مُنيفهُ

حتَّى تَمنَّى لو يكونكَ يذبُلُ

It stroked your back, whose lofty height grew

until Yadhbul wished that it could be you.

هذا رسولُ الله ِ في أصحابِه

لا يَشتكِي نَصَباً ولا يَتمهَّلُ

Here is God's Messenger among his companions,

neither complaining of fatigue nor slowing down.

يَأتِي ويذهبُ بينهم فَمُلَثَّمٌ

بالتُّربِ يَغْشَى وَجْهَهُ ومُكَلَّلُ

He comes and goes among them: one is veiled

in dust covering his face, another crowned with it,

مِن كلِّ قَوّامٍ على أثقالِه

سامٍ له ظهرٌ أشمُّ وكَلْكَلُ

each a steadfast bearer of his burdens,

lofty, with a proud back and breast.

ما كان أحسنَها مقَالةَ راجزٍ

لو كان يَعرفُ حُكمَها المُتَمثِّلُ

How fine that rajaz poet's saying would have been,

had the one quoting it understood its import!

هَتفَ الإمامُ بها فَراحَ يُعيدها

ثُمَّ انْثَنى مُتَلَطِّفَاً يَتَنصَّلُ

The leader called it out and began repeating it,

then turned back gently, excusing himself.

عمّارُ يا لكَ إذ تُلامُ ويا لَهُ

مِن ذِي مُحافظةٍ يَلومُ ويَعذِلُ

Ammar, alas for you when blamed! And what a man he is—

one guarding his honor, who reproaches and rebukes!

هِجْتَ ابنَ مَظعونٍ فأقبلَ غاضباً

حَنِقاً يجيش كما يَجيشُ المِرْجَلُ

You roused Ibn Maz'un, and he came angrily,

furious, seething as a cauldron seethes.

ولقد يَحيدُ عن التُّرابِ إناقةً

مَن لا يَحيدُ عن الضِّرابِ ويَنْكُلُ

One may shun the dust out of fastidiousness

without shunning combat or shrinking back.

مَهْلاً أبا اليقظانِ قِرنُكَ باسلٌ

وأخوكَ في جِدِّ الوغَى لا يَهْزِلُ

Gently, Abu al-Yaqzan: your match is brave,

and your brother does not jest in earnest battle.

ولئن أهابَ اللُّه يَالَ مُحمّدٍ

صُونوا الحِمَى لَهْوَ الأشدُّ الأبسلُ

And if God calls, 'O people of Muhammad,

guard the sanctuary!' he is surely the strongest and bravest.

السَّيفُ يَعْجَزُ أن يَنالَ غِرارُه

ما ليس يَعجزُ أن ينالَ المِعْوَلُ

The sword's edge cannot attain

what the pickaxe can attain.

إيهٍ أبا بكرٍ ظَفِرتَ بصفقةٍ

شَتَّى مَغانِمُها لمن يَتأَمَّلُ

Ah, Abu Bakr! You have won a bargain

whose gains are varied for whoever reflects.

القومُ عند إبائهم وسَخَائِهم

لو يبذلونَ نفوسَهُم لم يَحفِلوا

The people remain true to their pride and generosity;

were they to give their lives, they would not care.

لا يقبلون لحائِطٍ ثمناً ولا

يَبغونَها دُنيا تُذَمُّ وتُرذَلُ

They accept no price for an orchard, nor

seek it as worldly gain, censured and despised.

اللّهُ يَطلُبُهُ لِنُصرةِ دينِهِ

والدّينُ هُم أنصارُه ما بّدلوا

God asks for it to support His religion,

and they are that religion's helpers, never changed.

قالوا أَمِنَّا يا محمدُ يُبتغَى

ما ليس يَخلقُ بالأُباةِ ويجملُ

They said: Is it from us, Muhammad, that you seek

what neither befits nor becomes the unbowed?

إنّا لعمرِ اللَّهِ نَعرِفُ حَقَّهُ

ونُعِزُّ مِلَّته التي نتملَّلُ

Indeed, by God's life, we know His due

and cherish His creed, which we profess.

نُعطِي اليتيمين الكِفَاءَ وإن هما

أَبيا ونَتَّبِعُ التي هي أنبلُ

We will compensate the two orphans, even if they

refuse, and follow the nobler course.

خُذْ ما أردتَ فلن نبيعكَ مسجداً

يَدعوهُ فيه مُكَبّرٌ ومهلِّلُ

Take what you wish: we will never sell you a mosque

where callers invoke Him, magnifying Him and proclaiming His oneness.

هو رَبُّنا إن نالنا رِضوانُه

فلنا المثوبةُ والجزاءُ الأكملُ

He is our Lord; if His pleasure reaches us,

ours is the reward and the fullest recompense.

إيهٍ أبا بكرٍ خَليلُكَ مُطرِقٌ

يأبى وأنتَ بما يُريدُ مُوَكَّلُ

Ah, Abu Bakr! Your friend has bowed his head;

he refuses, and you are entrusted with what he wants.

لابدَّ من ثمنٍ يَكونُ أداؤُهُ

حَكَماً يُطاعُ وشِرعة ما تُهمَلُ

There must be a price, its payment becoming

an obeyed ruling and a law never neglected.

لولا الرسولُ وما يُعلِّمُ قومَه

جَهل المحجّةَ ظالمٌ لا يَعدِلُ

Were it not for the Messenger and what he teaches his people,

a wrongdoer who acts unjustly would miss the clear path.

وإذا قَضَى أمراً فما لقضائهِ

رَدٌّ ولا في غيرِهِ مُتعلَّلُ

When he decrees a matter, his decree admits

no reversal, nor any recourse in something else.

الحقُّ ما شَرَعَ النبيُّ وباطلٌ

ما يدَّعِي المرتابُ والمتأوّلُ

Truth is what the Prophet prescribes, and false is

what the doubter and the interpreter assert.

لا بدّ من ثمنٍ ولستَ بواجدٍ

في القومِ من يَضِحُ الصّوابُ فَيَغفلُ

There must be a price, and you will not find

among the people one who neglects what is clearly right.

أمر الرسولُ به فدونك أدّهِ

ولأنت صاحبُهُ الكريمُ المفضلُ

The Messenger ordered it; see to it, pay it,

for you are his generous, beneficent companion.

يا باذِلَ الأموالِ نِلتَ ببذلِها

ما لم يَنَلْ في المسلمين مُموِّلُ

O giver of wealth, through giving it you attained

what no wealthy man among the Muslims attained.

أتبعتَ نفسَكَ ما ملكتَ فمهجةٌ

تَنهالُ طيّعةً وكَفُّ تَهطلُ

You followed your self-giving with all you owned: a soul

freely pouring forth, and a hand raining gifts.

أَذِّنْ بِلاَلُ لكَ الوَلاَيةُ لم تُتَحْ

لِسوَاكَ إذ تدعو الجموع فَتُقبِلُ

Call to prayer, Bilal! The office is yours; it was not granted

to anyone else, as you call the crowds and they come.

اللَّهُ أَلبَسَكَ الكرامَةَ وَاصْطَفَى

لك ما يُحبُّ المؤمنُ المتوكِّلُ

God clothed you in honor and chose

for you what the trusting believer loves.

يا طولَ ما عُذِّبتَ فيه فلم تَمِلْ

تَبغِي الّتي اتَّبعَ الغُواةُ المُيَّلُ

Oh, how long you were tortured for Him, yet did not swerve

to seek the way followed by the wavering misguided!

أَحَدٌ إلهُكَ ما كَذبتَ وما لمن

يرجو النّجاةَ على سواهُ مُعَوَّلُ

One is your God; you did not lie, and whoever

hopes for salvation has no reliance on anyone but Him.

أرِني يَدَيْكَ أفِيهما لِأُمَيَّةٍ

وِردٌ من الموتِ الذُّعافِ مُثمَّلُ

Show me your hands: do they hold for Umayya

a potent draught of swift-killing death?

لَلسَّيفُ سَيفُ اللَّهِ أَهْوَلُ موقعاً

من صَخرةٍ تُلقَى وحبلٍ يُفتَلُ

Surely the sword, God's sword, is more dreadful in its stroke

than a rock hurled down or a rope twisted.

لك في غدٍ دَمُه إذا التقتِ الظُّبى

تحتَ العَجاجةِ والرِّماحُ الذُّبَّلُ

His blood is yours tomorrow, when sword-edges meet

beneath the dust cloud, and the slender spears clash.

أذِّنْ فإنَّ الدِّينَ قامَ عَمُودُه

وَرَستْ جَوانبُهُ فما يَتَقَلقَلُ

Call to prayer, for the religion's pillar has risen,

its sides stand firm, and it does not shake.

هَبَطَ الجزيرةَ فاحتوى أطرافَها

وَانْسَابَ في أحشائِها يَتَغَلْغَلُ

It descended upon the peninsula and encompassed its bounds,

flowing into its depths and penetrating deeply.

فكأنما طردَ السوائمَ ضيغمٌ

وكأنما ذعرَ الحمائمَ أجدلُ

It is as though a lion drove away the grazing herds,

and a falcon frightened the doves.

خَفَّ الرجالُ إلى الصَّلَاةِ وإِنَّها

لأَجلُّ ما تَصِفُ الصّفوفُ المُثَّلُ

The men hastened to prayer, and it

is surely the noblest thing the exemplary ranks display.

عَنَتِ الوجوهُ فراكِعٌ متخشعٌ

يخشى الإلهَ وساجِدٌ مُتَبَتِّلُ

Faces bowed: one bows in humility,

fearing God, and another prostrates in devotion.

صَلُّوا بني الإسلامِ خَلفَ نبيِّكم

وخُذوا بما شَرَعَ الكتابُ المنزَلُ

Pray, sons of Islam, behind your Prophet,

and follow what the revealed Book prescribes.

اللَّهُ أيَّدكم به وأمدَّكم

منه بنورٍ ساطعٍ ما يأفلُ

God strengthened you through it and supplied you

from it with a radiant light that never sets.

آثرتُمُ السَّننَ السويَّ فجدُّكم

يَعلو وجَدُّ ذوي العَمايةِ يَسفُلُ

You chose the straight way, so your fortune

rises, while the fortune of the blind falls.

هل يَستوِي الجمعانِ هذا صاعدٌ

يبني وهذا ساقطٌ يَتهيَّلُ

Are the two groups equal? This one ascends,

building, while that one falls, collapsing in heaps.

يتَألّفون على الهَوى وقلوبُهم

شَتَّى يَظلُّ شَعاعُها يتزيّلُ

They unite around caprice, while their hearts

are scattered, their fragments continually falling apart.

نَصرٌ على نصرٍ وفتحٌ بعده

فتحٌ يَغيظُ المشركينَ مُحجَّلُ

Victory upon victory, and conquest followed by

a radiant, white-marked conquest that enrages the idolaters.

إنَّ امرأً جمحتْ به أهواؤُه

من بعدِ ما وضَح الهُدى لَمُضلَّلُ

Indeed, a man whose passions run wild with him

after guidance has become clear is surely misled.

الحقُّ بابُ اللَّهِ هل من داخلٍ

طُوبَى لمن يَبغِي الفَلاحَ فيدخلُ

Truth is God's gate: is there anyone entering?

Blessed is whoever seeks success and enters.