واللهُ يعلمُ ما أقولُ فإنهُ

واللهُ يعلمُ ما أقولُ فإنهُ

جَهدُ الأليَّةِ من حنيفٍ راكعِ

جَهدُ الأليَّةِ من حنيفٍ راكعِ

And God knows what I say, for it is

And Allah knows what I say, for it is

the most solemn oath of an upright monotheist bowing in prayer.

The effort of the submissive from a kneeling Hanif.

ما إن عصيتُكَ والغُواةُ تُمِدُّني

ما إن عصيتُكَ والغُواةُ تُمِدُّني

أسبابها إلا بنيَّةِ طائعِ

أسبابها إلا بنيَّةِ طائعِ

I did not disobey you—while the wayward supplied me

I did not disobey You, though the transgressors supply me,

with the means to do so—except with an obedient man's intent.

Except with the intention of the obedient.

فعَلوتُ حتى لم يكن عن مثلِهِ

فعَلوتُ حتى لم يكن عن مثلِهِ

عفوٌ ولم يشفَع لَديكَ بشافعِ

عفوٌ ولم يشفَع لَديكَ بشافعِ

So far did I overreach that, for the like of it,

So I persisted until there was neither

there was no pardon, and no intercessor pleaded with you,

Pardon for the like of it, nor did an intercessor intercede for me before You,

إلا العلوَّ عن العقوبةِ بعدما

إلا العلوَّ عن العقوبةِ بعدما

ظفِرَت يداكَ بمُستَكينٍ خاضعِ

ظفِرَت يداكَ بمُستَكينٍ خاضعِ

save your rising above punishment, after

Except the self-restraint from punishment after

your hands had overcome a humbled, submissive man.

Your hands had seized a lowly, submitting man.

ورحَمتَ أطفالاً كأفراخِ القطا

ورحَمتَ أطفالاً كأفراخِ القطا

وحنينَ والهةٍ كقوسِ النازعِ

وحنينَ والهةٍ كقوسِ النازعِ

And you had mercy on children like sandgrouse chicks,

And You had mercy on children like chicks of pigeons

and the lament of a distraught woman, bent like an archer's bow.

And the tenderness of a mother whose bowstring is removed.

نفسي فداؤكَ إن تَضِلَّ معاذري

نفسي فداؤكَ إن تَضِلَّ معاذري

وألوذُ منكَ بفضلِ حلمٍ واسعِ

وألوذُ منكَ بفضلِ حلمٍ واسعِ

My soul be your ransom, should my excuses miss their mark;

I ransom my soul to You, if my excuses go astray,

and I seek refuge from you in the bounty of your ample forbearance.

And I seek refuge in You through abundant patience and clemency.