نبي براهُ اللَّه مِن نَورِهِ الأَسمى

نبي براهُ اللَّه مِن نَورِهِ الأَسمى

وَلا عَرش مَوجود وَلا حادث يُسمى

وَلا عَرش مَوجود وَلا حادث يُسمى

A prophet whom God created from His most exalted light,

The Prophet, whom Allah created from His most exalted light,

when no Throne existed, nor any created thing was named.

Before there was a Throne or named occurrence,

وَأبدع كل الكائِنات لِأَجلِهِ

وَأبدع كل الكائِنات لِأَجلِهِ

ليَجلو عَلَيها مظهر الرَّحمَة العُظمى

ليَجلو عَلَيها مظهر الرَّحمَة العُظمى

And He brought all beings into existence for his sake,

And created all beings for his sake,

so that the manifestation of supreme mercy might shine upon them.

So that the appearance of great mercy would shine upon them,

وَخصصَه مِنهُ بِما شاءَ مِنّةً

وَخصصَه مِنهُ بِما شاءَ مِنّةً

وَأَودَعهُ سِرّاً وَوسَّعَه عِلما

وَأَودَعهُ سِرّاً وَوسَّعَه عِلما

And He singled him out with what He willed from Himself, as a favor,

And singled him out with what He willed as a blessing,

And He placed a secret within him and broadened his knowledge.

And endowed him with a secret and broadened his knowledge,

وَأشهده ذاتاً وَعرفه حلىً

وَأشهده ذاتاً وَعرفه حلىً

وَمكنهُ قُرباً وَصرمه حكما

وَمكنهُ قُرباً وَصرمه حكما

And He let him witness the Essence and acquainted him with its attributes,

And witnessed him as an essence and adorned him with wisdom,

And He established him in nearness and made him resolute in judgment.

And brought him near and strengthened him with judgment,

وَنبّأه قدماً فَأَعظم بِفاتحٍ

وَنبّأه قدماً فَأَعظم بِفاتحٍ

نبوته لِلأَنبياء غَدَت خَتما

نبوته لِلأَنبياء غَدَت خَتما

And He made him a prophet from of old—how great an inaugurator,

And informed him of old so his prophethood

whose prophethood became a seal for the prophets!

Became the seal for all prophets,

وَأرسله فَضلاً إِلى الخَلق كلهم

وَأرسله فَضلاً إِلى الخَلق كلهم

وَأسبغ في إِرسالِهِ الفَضل وَالنّعما

وَأسبغ في إِرسالِهِ الفَضل وَالنّعما

And He sent him, as a grace, to all creation,

And sent him as a grace to all people,

And in sending him He lavished bounty and blessings.

And poured out grace and blessing in sending him,

وَأفرده بِالأَولية مُطلقاً

وَأفرده بِالأَولية مُطلقاً

بِكُلِّ كَمال لا يرامُ لَهُ مَرمى

بِكُلِّ كَمال لا يرامُ لَهُ مَرمى

And He singled him out for absolute primacy,

And singled him out with absolute priority,

with every perfection, whose utmost limit is beyond reach.

With every perfection that has no limit,

وَفي العَهد يَوم الذر تَقديمه جَلا

وَفي العَهد يَوم الذر تَقديمه جَلا

عَلاه عَلى الأَعيانِ قاطِبة حَتما

عَلاه عَلى الأَعيانِ قاطِبة حَتما

And in the covenant on the Day of Motes, his precedence revealed

And on the day of the Covenant his precedence was lofty,

his exaltation above every being, assuredly.

Above all beings entirely without doubt,

وَفي قسم المَولى لَهُ بِحياتِهِ

وَفي قسم المَولى لَهُ بِحياتِهِ

آجل نَظراً تَلقاهُ أَوفرهم قَسما

آجل نَظراً تَلقاهُ أَوفرهم قَسما

And in the Lord's oath in his honor, by his life,

And in the apportioning of life by the Master

cast your gaze: you will find him allotted the fullest share,

He received the longest share observantly,

وَأَعلاهُم قَدراً وَأَشرَفهُم عُلا

وَأَعلاهُم قَدراً وَأَشرَفهُم عُلا

وَأَكرَمهُم جاهاً وَأَثبَتهُم عزما

وَأَكرَمهُم جاهاً وَأَثبَتهُم عزما

And highest of them in rank, and noblest in eminence,

And the highest in rank, the noblest in glory,

And most honored of them in standing, and firmest in resolve,

The most generous in status, the firmest in resolve,

وَأَرفَعهُم ذِكرا وَأَعظَمهُم تُقىً

وَأَرفَعهُم ذِكرا وَأَعظَمهُم تُقىً

وَأَوسَعهُم عِلماً وَأَجوَدهُم فهما

وَأَوسَعهُم عِلماً وَأَجوَدهُم فهما

And loftiest of them in renown, and greatest in piety,

The greatest in mention, the most reverent in piety,

And broadest of them in knowledge, and finest in understanding,

The broadest in knowledge, the most generous in understanding,

وَأَعدَلهُم حُكما وَأَرجَحَهُم نُهىً

وَأَعدَلهُم حُكما وَأَرجَحَهُم نُهىً

وَأَحسَنهُم خلقاً وَأَكثَرهُم حلما

وَأَحسَنهُم خلقاً وَأَكثَرهُم حلما

And fairest of them in judgment, and soundest in intellect,

The most just in rule, the soundest in guidance,

And finest of them in character, and greatest in forbearance,

The best in manners, the most forbearing in patience,

وَأَكمَلهُم ذاتاً وَأَطهَرهُم حلى

وَأَكمَلهُم ذاتاً وَأَطهَرهُم حلى

وَأَجمَلهُم وَجهاً وَأَشرَفهُم جِسما

وَأَجمَلهُم وَجهاً وَأَشرَفهُم جِسما

And most perfect of them in essence, and purest in qualities,

The most perfect in being, the purest in adornment,

And most beautiful of them in face, and noblest in body,

The most beautiful in face, the noblest in body,

وَأَعظَمَهُم بَأساً وَأَمنَعَهُم حِمىً

وَأَعظَمَهُم بَأساً وَأَمنَعَهُم حِمىً

وَأَصدَقهُم قيلا وَأَحمَدَهُم إسما

وَأَصدَقهُم قيلا وَأَحمَدَهُم إسما

And greatest of them in might, and most impregnable in sanctuary,

The mightiest in valor, the staunchest in protection,

And truest of them in speech, and most praiseworthy in name.

The most truthful in speech, the most praised in name,

وَحَسبكَ بُرهاناً عَلى ذاكَ أَنَّهُ

وَحَسبكَ بُرهاناً عَلى ذاكَ أَنَّهُ

بهم لَيلة الإِسراء قاطِبَة أَمّا

بهم لَيلة الإِسراء قاطِبَة أَمّا

And sufficient proof for you of that is that he

And it suffices as proof of that, that with him one night

led them all in prayer on the night of the Night Journey.

On the Night Journey, altogether,

وَقامَ مَقاماً لَم يَقم غَيرهم بِهِ

وَقامَ مَقاماً لَم يَقم غَيرهم بِهِ

مَكيناً بِقاب القُرب مُستَعملاً حَزما

مَكيناً بِقاب القُرب مُستَعملاً حَزما

And he stood in a station none besides them had occupied,

He stood in a place none other stood,

firmly established at a bow's span of nearness, exercising resolve.

With sure footing in the Abode of Nearness, resolute,

وَشاهد آيات الإِلَه وَما لَها

وَشاهد آيات الإِلَه وَما لَها

بِسعدى عَن المَقصود كَلا وَلا سلمى

بِسعدى عَن المَقصود كَلا وَلا سلمى

And he beheld God's signs, and was not distracted

And witnessed the signs of God, which have

by Suʿdā from his purpose—no, nor by Salmā.

No swerving from the goal, neither right nor left,

وَخَصص في يَوم الجَزا بِشَفاعة

وَخَصص في يَوم الجَزا بِشَفاعة

تَعم بِحُسناها إِذا قَلقوا غَما

تَعم بِحُسناها إِذا قَلقوا غَما

And he was singled out on the Day of Recompense for an intercession

And he was singled out on the Day of Requital with an intercession

that embraces all in its goodness when they are distraught with grief.

That will encompass with its beauty when they are anxious,

وَحَشر جَميع الرُّسل تَحتَ لِوائِهِ

وَحَشر جَميع الرُّسل تَحتَ لِوائِهِ

فَلِلّه ما أَسناه مَجداً وَما أَسما

فَلِلّه ما أَسناه مَجداً وَما أَسما

And all the messengers were gathered beneath his banner:

And all the messengers will be marshalled under his banner,

so praise be to God—how splendid he is in glory, and how exalted!

So to God belongs praise for how excellent His glory and grace,

وَلَولا ضِياه لاحَ في وَجه آدم

وَلَولا ضِياه لاحَ في وَجه آدم

لَما أَمَر الأَملاك أَن يَسجدوا لزما

لَما أَمَر الأَملاك أَن يَسجدوا لزما

And had his radiance not shone in Adam's face,

And were it not for his light shining on Adam’s face,

He would not have commanded the angels to prostrate themselves as a duty,

The angels would not have been commanded to bow down on their knees,

تَحية إِعظام لِمَجد مُحَمد

تَحية إِعظام لِمَجد مُحَمد

نَبي الهُدى الماحي بِأَنواره الظلما

نَبي الهُدى الماحي بِأَنواره الظلما

a salutation of reverence for Muhammad's glory,

Greetings of reverence for the glory of Muhammad,

the Prophet of guidance, who effaces the darkness with his lights.

The Prophet of guidance who blotted out darkness with his lights,

عَلَيهِ مِن الرَّحمَن أَزكى صَلاتهِ

عَلَيهِ مِن الرَّحمَن أَزكى صَلاتهِ

صَلاة بِحَق الحَق تستهلك الوَهما

صَلاة بِحَق الحَق تستهلك الوَهما

Upon him be the Most Merciful's purest blessing,

Upon him from the Merciful be His most pure prayers,

a blessing that, by the truth of the Real, utterly consumes illusion,

A prayer in truth of the Truth that consumes illusions,

مَدى الدَّهر ما اِنهَلَّت سَحائب وَصلِهِ

مَدى الدَّهر ما اِنهَلَّت سَحائب وَصلِهِ

وَوافى غياث اللَّه بِالمننِ العُظمى

وَوافى غياث اللَّه بِالمننِ العُظمى

throughout all time, as long as the clouds of his communion pour down,

For as long as existence, whenever its clouds poured blessing and prayers,

and God's succor arrives with the greatest favors.

And the succor of God brought magnificent favors,