إلى الغاية القُصوى وإن شِئْتَ فَازْدَدِ

إلى الغاية القُصوى وإن شِئْتَ فَازْدَدِ

وما يك من صعبٍ فذلِّلْ وَمَهِّدِ

وما يك من صعبٍ فذلِّلْ وَمَهِّدِ

Toward the utmost goal—and if you wish, go further.

To the utmost goal, and if you wish, go beyond

And whatever difficulty there may be, subdue it and smooth the way.

And make easy whatever is difficult, and pave the way

هي الهمّةُ أشتدَّت فما من هَوادةٍ

هي الهمّةُ أشتدَّت فما من هَوادةٍ

وإن خِيفَ شرُّ الحادثِ المُتشدِّدِ

وإن خِيفَ شرُّ الحادثِ المُتشدِّدِ

It is resolve, grown fierce; there is no relenting,

With strong determination, nothing can hinder it

even if the harm of a relentless calamity is feared.

Even if the worst misfortune comes knocking

إلى المظهر الأسمى فما لكَ دُونه

إلى المظهر الأسمى فما لكَ دُونه

مَعاجٌ ولا للصّحبِ من مُتردَّدِ

مَعاجٌ ولا للصّحبِ من مُتردَّدِ

Toward the loftiest manifestation—short of it you have

To the highest vision, you have nothing less than it

no turning aside, nor have your companions room to waver.

No hurdle, no hesitating companion

إلى ما وَراءَ العزمِ إن لاح مَطلبٌ

إلى ما وَراءَ العزمِ إن لاح مَطلبٌ

هُنالكَ أو شَاقَ المُنَى وجهُ مَقْصِدِ

هُنالكَ أو شَاقَ المُنَى وجهُ مَقْصِدِ

Toward what lies beyond resolve, if some goal appears

To what's beyond resolve, if an aspiration emerges

there, or a destination's prospect kindles hope.

There, or the path is arduous and the goal intended

بنا ظَمَأٌ يا فتحُ ما حان مَوْعِدٌ

بنا ظَمَأٌ يا فتحُ ما حان مَوْعِدٌ

من الوِرد إلا ارتدَّ عنه لِمَوْعِدِ

من الوِرد إلا ارتدَّ عنه لِمَوْعِدِ

We thirst, O Fath: no appointed time arrives

We thirst, O Opener, the time has come

for drinking but our thirst turns from it to another.

For the roses, unless one turns away from the appointment

تطاولَ حتّى ما يَبِلُّ غليلَه

تطاولَ حتّى ما يَبِلُّ غليلَه

سوى الموردِ الأقصى فَكبِّرْ وأوردِ

سوى الموردِ الأقصى فَكبِّرْ وأوردِ

It has lasted so long that nothing slakes its burning

Reaching til no more thirst remains

except the farthest watering place; proclaim God's greatness and lead us to water.

Except at the furthest spring, so exalt and give drink

أَتَفْهَقُ بالرِيِّ الحياضُ لأهلها

أَتَفْهَقُ بالرِيِّ الحياضُ لأهلها

ونحن نُعاني غُلَّةَ الحائمِ الصَّدِ

ونحن نُعاني غُلَّةَ الحائمِ الصَّدِ

Do the pools brim with refreshment for their people,

The meadows overflow for their people

while we endure the burning thirst of a parched wanderer circling water?

While we suffer the darkness of the lost

أَغِثنا بِشرْبٍ كالذي ذاق قومُنا

أَغِثنا بِشرْبٍ كالذي ذاق قومُنا

فكان لهم نُوراً به الرُّوحُ تهتدي

فكان لهم نُوراً به الرُّوحُ تهتدي

Relieve us with a draught like that our people tasted,

Quench us with a drink, like the one our people tasted

which became a light for them by which the spirit is guided.

And for them it was a light, guiding their souls

له قَطَراتٌ من سنا الوحيِ أشرقتْ

له قَطَراتٌ من سنا الوحيِ أشرقتْ

من الحُسنِ إشراقَ الجُمانِ المُنَضَّدِ

من الحُسنِ إشراقَ الجُمانِ المُنَضَّدِ

It has drops from revelation's radiance that shone

It has drops from the fountain of revelation that shone

in beauty like the gleam of strung pearls.

With the brilliance of a strung pearl necklace

تُطالِعُ آفاقَ الحياةِ وتنتحي

تُطالِعُ آفاقَ الحياةِ وتنتحي

ثَواقِبَ ترمي كلَّ أُفقٍ بفَرقَدِ

ثَواقِبَ ترمي كلَّ أُفقٍ بفَرقَدِ

They look out upon life's horizons and move onward,

Surveying the horizons of life and picking

as piercing lights, casting a polar star upon every horizon.

The fruits of each horizon with separation

بهاتيك فاهْدِ القومَ يا فتحُ واتّخذ

بهاتيك فاهْدِ القومَ يا فتحُ واتّخذ

لهم في ذُراها مَصْعَداً بعد مَصْعدِ

لهم في ذُراها مَصْعَداً بعد مَصْعدِ

With those, guide the people, O Fath, and choose

With these, guide the people, O Opener, and take

for them, among their peaks, one upward path after another.

For them in its lights an ascent after ascent

أَراهم حَيارَى لا يُصيبون هادياً

أَراهم حَيارَى لا يُصيبون هادياً

وفيهم كتابُ اللهِ يا فتحُ فاشْهدِ

وفيهم كتابُ اللهِ يا فتحُ فاشْهدِ

I see them bewildered, unable to find a guide,

I see them perplexed, unable to find a guide

though God's Book is among them, O Fath—bear witness.

While with them is Allah's book, O Opener, so witness

تباركتَ رَبِّي أنت علَّمتنا الهُدى

تباركتَ رَبِّي أنت علَّمتنا الهُدى

تباركتَ من هادٍ أمينٍ ومُرشِدِ

تباركتَ من هادٍ أمينٍ ومُرشِدِ

Blessed are You, my Lord; You taught us guidance.

Blessed are You, my Lord, You taught us guidance

Blessed are You as a trustworthy guide and instructor.

Blessed is the trusted guide and mentor

فتى الفتحِ هذا ما وَرِثْتَ من التُّقَى

فتى الفتحِ هذا ما وَرِثْتَ من التُّقَى

عَنِ المُورِثينا كُلَّ مجدٍ وسُؤدُدِ

عَنِ المُورِثينا كُلَّ مجدٍ وسُؤدُدِ

Young man of al-Fath, this is the piety you inherited

Opener, this is what you inherited of piety

from those who bequeathed us all glory and eminence.

From those who bequeathed to us all glory and dowry

أرى كُلَّ مِيراثٍ جَليلٍ مُحبَّباً

أرى كُلَّ مِيراثٍ جَليلٍ مُحبَّباً

ولا مثلَ ميراثِ النبيِّ مُحمَّدِ

ولا مثلَ ميراثِ النبيِّ مُحمَّدِ

I find every noble inheritance dear,

I see every sublime inheritance beloved

but none like the legacy of the Prophet Muhammad.

And nothing compares to the inheritance of Prophet Muhammad

فذلك كَنزُ الدَّهرِ مَن يَكُ جاهلاً

فذلك كَنزُ الدَّهرِ مَن يَكُ جاهلاً

فعندكَ عِلمُ العبقريَّ المُسَدَّدِ

فعندكَ عِلمُ العبقريَّ المُسَدَّدِ

For that is the treasure of the ages; if anyone is ignorant,

That is the treasure of time, who can be ignorant of it

then you possess the knowledge of a rightly guided genius.

When you possess the knowledge of the rightly guided genius

أقِمْ مِن بناءِ الله كلَّ مُهَدَّمٍ

أقِمْ مِن بناءِ الله كلَّ مُهَدَّمٍ

إذا القومُ هَدُّوا كلَّ عالٍ مُمرَّدِ

إذا القومُ هَدُّوا كلَّ عالٍ مُمرَّدِ

Rebuild every ruined part of God's edifice,

Rebuild all that is demolished, of Allah's creation

when the people tear down every lofty, smoothly finished building.

When people demolish each towering rebel

أَلستَ ترى القوم الذين تألَّبوا

أَلستَ ترى القوم الذين تألَّبوا

على دينهِ من خارجيٍّ ومُلحِدِ

على دينهِ من خارجيٍّ ومُلحِدِ

Do you not see the people who have banded together

Do you not see the people who gang up

against His religion, Kharijites and atheists alike?

Against His religion, outsiders and atheists

أرى أمّةً تأْبَى على كُلّ مُصلِحٍ

أرى أمّةً تأْبَى على كُلّ مُصلِحٍ

وتُلقِي بأيديها إلى كلّ مُفْسِدِ

وتُلقِي بأيديها إلى كلّ مُفْسِدِ

I see a nation that defies every reformer

I see a nation refusing every reformer

and yields its hands to every corrupter.

And casting its hands to every corrupter

مُبدَّدَةَ الأهواءِ لم تَسْتَقِمْ على

مُبدَّدَةَ الأهواءِ لم تَسْتَقِمْ على

سبيلٍ ولم تَأخُذْ برأيٍ مُوَحَّدِ

سبيلٍ ولم تَأخُذْ برأيٍ مُوَحَّدِ

Scattered in its desires, it has not held steadily to

Scattered desires, not steadfast on

a path, nor embraced a unified view.

A path, nor taking to unified counsel

لِكلِّ فريقٍ سامريٌّ يُضلُّه

لِكلِّ فريقٍ سامريٌّ يُضلُّه

بعجلٍ تراهُ العينُ في كلّ مَشْهَدِ

بعجلٍ تراهُ العينُ في كلّ مَشْهَدِ

Every faction has a Samiri who leads it astray

Every group has a Samaritan misleading it

with a calf the eye beholds in every scene.

With a calf you see in every scene

كأنّك إذ تبغِي الهُدى أو تقودُها

كأنّك إذ تبغِي الهُدى أو تقودُها

إلى الحقِّ ترميها بِصَمّاءَ مُؤيِدِ

إلى الحقِّ ترميها بِصَمّاءَ مُؤيِدِ

It is as though, when you seek guidance or lead it

As if when you seek guidance or lead them

toward the truth, you strike it with a pitiless, crushing calamity.

To truth, you cast them into pitfalls of aid

أَعِدْها إلى الإسلامِ إن كنت تبتغي

أَعِدْها إلى الإسلامِ إن كنت تبتغي

لها الرُّشْدَ واصْرِفْها عن الغَيِّ والدَّدِ

لها الرُّشْدَ واصْرِفْها عن الغَيِّ والدَّدِ

Bring it back to Islam, if you seek

Return them to Islam if you seek for them

right guidance for it, and turn it from error and frivolity.

Righteousness, and turn them from mischief and harm

أهَبْتَ بها رُدِّي عِنَانكِ وارْجِعي

أهَبْتَ بها رُدِّي عِنَانكِ وارْجِعي

فان يَكُ منها مَرجِعٌ فكأَنْ قَدِ

فان يَكُ منها مَرجِعٌ فكأَنْ قَدِ

You called to it: 'Draw back your reins and return!'

You roamed with them, now rein in your reins and turn back

And if it can return, it is as though it has already done so.

For if there is a return from them, it's as if new

دعوتُك ربّي فارزُقِ الفتحَ أُمَّةً

دعوتُك ربّي فارزُقِ الفتحَ أُمَّةً

يُريها سجايا الفاتحين فَتَقْتدي

يُريها سجايا الفاتحين فَتَقْتدي

I called upon You, my Lord: grant al-Fath a people

I called You, my Lord, so grant the Opener a nation

to whom al-Fath may show the conquerors' virtues, so they follow their example.

That shows him the attributes of the openers, and follows

بَنَى كلُّ جيّاشِ القُوى وَوَهتْ يدي

بَنَى كلُّ جيّاشِ القُوى وَوَهتْ يدي

فما أنا بالباني ولا بالمُجدِّدِ

فما أنا بالباني ولا بالمُجدِّدِ

Everyone brimming with strength has built, while my hand has weakened;

Each boiling cauldron of powers bubbled and overflowed

so I am neither builder nor renewer.

I am neither the builder nor the restorer

لكَ الأمرُ ما رُشْدُ الشُّعوبِ إذا غَوَتْ

لكَ الأمرُ ما رُشْدُ الشُّعوبِ إذا غَوَتْ

عَليَّ ولا أمرُ الممالكِ في يدي

عَليَّ ولا أمرُ الممالكِ في يدي

Command is Yours; the guidance of peoples, when they stray, is not

The command is Yours, for the guidance of nations, if misled,

my charge, nor is the rule of kingdoms in my hand.

And the rule of kingdoms is not in my hands