وحُدِّثَنا عن حارثِ الأَعورِ الذي

وحُدِّثَنا عن حارثِ الأَعورِ الذي

نُصدّقه في القولِ منه وما يَروي

نُصدّقه في القولِ منه وما يَروي

And we were told on the authority of Harith al-A‘war, whom

Tell us about Harith al-A'war, whom

we trust in what he says and what he relates,

We believe in his words, whatever he narrates,

بأنّ رسولَ الله نفسي فِداؤه

بأنّ رسولَ الله نفسي فِداؤه

وأهلي ومالي باتَ طوى الحشا يَطوي

وأهلي ومالي باتَ طوى الحشا يَطوي

that the Messenger of God—may my soul be his ransom,

That the Messenger of Allah, myself I sacrifice for him,

and my family and my wealth—spent the night with an empty belly, going hungry,

And my family and wealth, spent the night hungry under the Hisha,

لِجوعٍ أَصابَ المصطفى فاغتدى إلى

لِجوعٍ أَصابَ المصطفى فاغتدى إلى

كَريمتهِ والناسُ لاهونَ في سهوِ

كَريمتهِ والناسُ لاهونَ في سهوِ

for hunger had struck the Chosen One; so he went in the morning to

Due to hunger that afflicted the Chosen One, so he went

his noble daughter, while the people were idling in heedlessness.

To his noble wife, while people were heedless in negligence,

فصادَفَها وابني عليٍّ وبعلَها

فصادَفَها وابني عليٍّ وبعلَها

وقد أطرقوا من شدّة الجوعِ كالنضوِ

وقد أطرقوا من شدّة الجوعِ كالنضوِ

Then he found her, Ali’s two sons, and her husband,

So he met her and the two sons of Ali and her husband,

with their heads bowed from severe hunger, like a worn-out mount.

Who were bowed down from the severity of hunger like ostriches.

فقال لها يا فَطمُ قومي تناولي

فقال لها يا فَطمُ قومي تناولي

ولم يك فيما قالَ يَنطِقُ بالهزوِ

ولم يك فيما قالَ يَنطِقُ بالهزوِ

Then he said to her: O Fatimah, rise and take

So he said to her, "O Fatima, get up and bring

—and in what he said, he was not speaking in jest—

What I say, and he did not speak jestingly,

هديَّةَ ربّي إنّه مُترحِّمٌ

هديَّةَ ربّي إنّه مُترحِّمٌ

فقامت إلى ما قال تُسرعُ في الخَطوِ

فقامت إلى ما قال تُسرعُ في الخَطوِ

the gift of my Lord; indeed, He is merciful.

A gift from my Lord, He is Compassionate,

So she rose and went toward what he had spoken of, hastening her steps.

So she got up for what he said, hastening in her steps.

فجاءت عليها اللهُ صلّى بجفنةٍ

فجاءت عليها اللهُ صلّى بجفنةٍ

مكوّمةٍ باللحمِ جُزواً على جُزوِ

مكوّمةٍ باللحمِ جُزواً على جُزوِ

Then she came—may God bless her—with a large bowl,

So she came to him, may Allah send blessings upon her, with a bowl

heaped with meat, piece upon piece.

Filled with meat, portions over portions.

فَسمّوا وظلّوا يَطعَمون جَميعُهم

فَسمّوا وظلّوا يَطعَمون جَميعُهم

فَبخبِخْ لهم نفسي الفداءُ وما أحوي

فَبخبِخْ لهم نفسي الفداءُ وما أحوي

Then they invoked God’s name and went on eating, all of them.

So they named it and they all started eating,

So say ‘Bravo!’ to them—may my soul and all I possess be their ransom!

My soul is sacrificed for them, and what I contain.

فقال لها ذاك الطعامُ هديّةٌ

فقال لها ذاك الطعامُ هديّةٌ

من اللهِ جبريلٌ أتاني به يَهوي

من اللهِ جبريلٌ أتاني به يَهوي

Then he said to her: That food is a gift

So he said to her, "That food is a gift

from God; Gabriel came to me with it, descending swiftly.

From Allah, Gabriel brought it swooping down to me.

ولم يكَ منه طاعِماً غيرُ مرسلٍ

ولم يكَ منه طاعِماً غيرُ مرسلٍ

وغيرُ وصيٍّ خصّه اللهُ بالصَّفوِ

وغيرُ وصيٍّ خصّه اللهُ بالصَّفوِ

And none ate of it save a messenger

And none has eaten from it except a messenger

and a designated successor whom God had distinguished with purity.

Or successor, whom Allah singled out for purity."