وَحِّدِaffirm the oneness of اللهGod ولاand do not تُشْركْassociate partners بهِwith Him
وَحِّدِ الله ولا تُشْركْ بهِ
إنْif تكنْyou are عبداًa servant مُنيباًpenitent أحداanyone
إنْ تكنْ عبداً مُنيباً أحدا
Affirm God’s oneness, and associate nothing with Him.
Affirm God's oneness, and do not associate with Him—
If you would be a penitent servant, single-hearted.
if you are a penitent servant—anyone.
واتْركِand abandon الأغْيارَothers besides God إنْif كُنتَyou are فتًىa valiant youth
واتْركِ الأغْيارَ إنْ كُنتَ فتًى
نَظرُlooking to الأغيارِothers ياO هذاyou سُدَىfutile
نَظرُ الأغيارِ يا هذا سُدَى
Leave all others behind, if you are truly noble;
Forsake all others, if you are a man of valor;
To gaze toward others, O you, is vanity.
looking to others, O you, is futile.
كمhow many أُناسٍpeople دينهُمْtheir religion دِرْهمُهُمْtheir dirham
كم أُناسٍ دينهُمْ دِرْهمُهُمْ
عبَدواthey worshipped زوجَتهُمْtheir wife والوَلداand the child
عبَدوا زوجَتهُمْ والوَلدا
How many people have made their dirham their religion,
How many people's religion is their dirham!
Worshiping their wives and children.
They worshipped their wife and child.
وحَّدوهُthey affirmed His oneness بِكلامٍwith words ناشئٍarising
وحَّدوهُ بِكلامٍ ناشئٍ
عنfrom فؤادٍa heart غافلheedless طولَthroughout المَدىthe span of time
عن فؤادٍ غافل طولَ المَدى
They professed His oneness with words arising
They affirmed His oneness with words arising
From a heart heedless all its days.
from a heart heedless all its days.
منْwhoever رأىsees الواحدَthe One يَنْسىforgets غيرَهُother than Him
منْ رأى الواحدَ يَنْسى غيرَهُ
كيفَhow لاnot ينسىforget السِّوىall else منwhoever وحَّداaffirmed His oneness
كيفَ لا ينسى السِّوى من وحَّدا
Whoever sees the One forgets all else;
Whoever sees the One forgets all else;
How could one who affirms His oneness not forget what is other?
how could one who affirms His oneness not forget all else?
نحنُwe قومٌa people خُلَّصٌsincere نَعْبُدُهُwe worship Him
نحنُ قومٌ خُلَّصٌ نَعْبُدُهُ
لنْwill not نرىwe see منfrom دونهِapart from Him مُلْتَحداa refuge
لنْ نرى من دونهِ مُلْتَحدا
We are a people made sincere; Him alone we worship,
We are a sincere people who worship Him;
And apart from Him we shall see no refuge.
we shall find no refuge apart from Him.
ماnot قصدْناwe sought غيرَهُother than Him فيin حاجةٍa need
ما قصدْنا غيرَهُ في حاجةٍ
خابَfailed منwhoever للغَيْرِtoward another قلباًa heart قَصَداdirected
خابَ من للغَيْرِ قلباً قَصَدا
Never have we sought another in any need;
We have sought none but Him in any need;
Lost is the one whose heart intends another.
he who turns his heart toward another has failed.
لمdid not نرَwe see التَّأثيرَcausal power للعبدِbelonging to the servant بماin what
لم نرَ التَّأثيرَ للعبدِ بما
يفعَلُdoes العبدُthe servant دَناdrew near أَوor صَعدَاascended
يفعَلُ العبدُ دَنا أَو صَعدَا
We see no power belonging to the servant in whatever
We see no causal power belonging to the servant in what
The servant does, whether descending or ascending.
the servant does, whether he draws near or ascends.
إنَّماonly التَّأثيرُcausal power للهِbelongs to God الَّذيwho
إنَّما التَّأثيرُ للهِ الَّذي
عبدَهُHis servant منfrom عَدَمٍnothingness قَدْindeed أَوجَدَاbrought into being
عبدَهُ من عَدَمٍ قَدْ أَوجَدَا
Power belongs only to God, who
Causal power belongs only to God, who
Brought His servant forth from nothingness.
brought His servant into being from nothing.
هذهthis فيin نَهْجِناour path سيرَتُناour conduct
هذه في نَهْجِنا سيرَتُنا
عنfrom رسولِthe Messenger اللهِGod نَرويwe relate السَّنَدَاthe chain of transmission
عن رسولِ اللهِ نَروي السَّنَدَا
This is our way of life upon our path;
This is our conduct along our path;
From God’s Messenger we transmit its chain.
we relate the chain of transmission from God's Messenger.
وبحمدِand with praise to اللهِGod قَدْindeed هذَّبَناrefined us
وبحمدِ اللهِ قَدْ هذَّبَنا
مَشرَبُthe spiritual wellspring القُطبِthe spiritual Pole المُعَلَّىthe exalted أَحمَدَاAhmad
مَشرَبُ القُطبِ المُعَلَّى أَحمَدَا
By God’s praise, we have indeed been refined
And, praise be to God, we have been refined
By the draught of the exalted Pole, Ahmad—
by the spiritual wellspring of the exalted Pole, Ahmad.
سيِّدُmaster الأَقطابِthe spiritual Poles ياoh أَكرِمْhow noble بهhe is
سيِّدُ الأَقطابِ يا أَكرِمْ به
لهُمُto them فيin كلِّevery عصرٍage سيِّداa master
لهُمُ في كلِّ عصرٍ سيِّدا
Master of the spiritual poles—how noble he is!—
Master of the Poles—oh, how noble he is,
Their master in every age.
as their master in every age!
بحرُهُمْtheir sea قَدْindeed أَخذواthey have drawn منfrom موجِهِhis waves
بحرُهُمْ قَدْ أَخذوا من موجِهِ
كلُّهُمْall of them فيin كلِّevery فنٍّart مورِداa fount
كلُّهُمْ في كلِّ فنٍّ مورِدا
He is their sea; from its waves they have drawn,
He is their sea; from his waves they have drawn,
And all have found in every art a watering place.
all of them, a fount for every art.
أَسدٌa lion لكنْbut إلهيُّdivine الوَحاinspiration
أَسدٌ لكنْ إلهيُّ الوَحا
عبدُهُhis servant فيin الغابِthe thicket يُرديslays الأَسَدَاthe lion
عبدُهُ في الغابِ يُردي الأَسَدَا
A lion—yet divine is his swiftness;
A lion, yet of divine inspiration;
God’s servant in the forest strikes the lion down.
his servant slays the lion in the thicket.
صاحِبُhe of اليدِthe hand فأَعْنِيso I mean مذْsince دَعاhe called
صاحِبُ اليدِ فأَعْنِي مذْ دَعا
جدَّهُhis grandfather جَهراًaloud لهto him مدَّstretched out اليَدَاthe hand
جدَّهُ جَهراً له مدَّ اليَدَا
He of the Hand—I mean that when he called,
He of the hand—I mean, when he called
His grandfather openly stretched the Hand to him.
his grandfather aloud, his grandfather held out his hand to him.
كمhow many قَضىfulfilled اللهُGod بهthrough him حاجاتِناour needs
كم قَضى اللهُ به حاجاتِنا
وقضَىand perished الأَعْداءُthe enemies غَيْظاًin rage حسَدَاout of envy
وقضَى الأَعْداءُ غَيْظاً حسَدَا
How many needs has God fulfilled through him for us,
How many of our needs God has fulfilled through him,
While enemies expired in rancorous envy.
while the enemies perished of rage and envy.
هاشِمِيٌّa Hashimite أَطْلَعَتْbrought forth هِمَّتُهُhis spiritual resolve
هاشِمِيٌّ أَطْلَعَتْ هِمَّتُهُ
لأُوليfor those with الجُحْدِdenial شِهاباًa meteor رَصَدَاlying in wait
لأُولي الجُحْدِ شِهاباً رَصَدَا
A Hashemite whose spiritual aspiration raised
A Hashimite whose spiritual resolve has brought forth
A watchful meteor against those given to denial;
for the deniers a meteor lying in wait.
الحُسَيْنِيُّthe Husayni الكبيرُthe great المُرْتَجىthe one hoped for
الحُسَيْنِيُّ الكبيرُ المُرْتَجى
إنْif دَهىassails باغٍan oppressor وإِنْand if عادٍan aggressor عَدَاattacks
إنْ دَهى باغٍ وإِنْ عادٍ عَدَا
The great Husaynid, the one in whom hope is placed—
The great Husayni, in whom hope is placed,
Should an aggressor threaten him or a transgressor attack.
if an oppressor assails, and if an aggressor attacks.
ذوpossessor of رِحابٍspacious courts يَفِدُcomes as a visitor الأَشْقىthe most wretched لهto him
ذو رِحابٍ يَفِدُ الأَشْقى له
وتَراهُand you see him بعدَafter رَمْشٍa blink سَعَدَاbecame fortunate
وتَراهُ بعدَ رَمْشٍ سَعَدَا
A man of spacious courts, to whom even the most wretched comes;
He of spacious courts, to whom the most wretched comes,
In the blink of an eye, you see him blessed.
and after a blink you see him become fortunate.
لمdid not يَخِبْfail عبدٌa servant طَوىharbored نِيَّتَهُhis intention
لم يَخِبْ عبدٌ طَوى نِيَّتَهُ
مُخلِصاًsincerely فيin حُبِّهِlove for him مُعْتَقِداbelieving
مُخلِصاً في حُبِّهِ مُعْتَقِدا
No servant who set his intention upon him was disappointed,
No servant has failed who harbored his intention,
Being sincere in love for him and firm in faith.
sincere in love for him, firm in belief.
أَنتَyou إِنif أَصبحتَyou have become منamong أَتْباعِهِhis followers
أَنتَ إِن أَصبحتَ من أَتْباعِهِ
قلsay لأَهلِto the people of البَغْيِoppression موتواdie كَمَدَاof anguish
قل لأَهلِ البَغْيِ موتوا كَمَدَا
If you have become one of his followers,
If you have become one of his followers,
Tell the people of tyranny: die of grief.
say to the wrongdoers, 'Die of anguish!'
إِنif تكنْyou are فيin البحرِthe sea منfrom هِمَّتِهِhis spiritual resolve
إِن تكنْ في البحرِ من هِمَّتِهِ
تُلْفِyou will find بينَamong الموجِthe waves منهاfrom it مَدَدَاhelp
تُلْفِ بينَ الموجِ منها مَدَدَا
If you are at sea, through his spiritual resolve
If you are at sea, through his spiritual resolve
You will find amid the waves succor flowing from it.
you will find help from it amid the waves.
كمhow often وكمand how often ناداهُcalled to him عَانٍa captive خائِفٌfearful
كم وكم ناداهُ عَانٍ خائِفٌ
ولهand for him جمرُembers الغَضاthe ghada tree قَدْindeed خَمَدَاdied down
وله جمرُ الغَضا قَدْ خَمَدَا
How many a frightened sufferer has called to him,
How often, how often a fearful captive has called to him,
And the burning coals of the ghada tree have died away.
and for him the embers of ghada wood have died down.
كمhow often وكمand how often حاضَرَهُcame into his presence ذوone with لهفَةٍdistress
كم وكم حاضَرَهُ ذو لهفَةٍ
ردَّrepelled عنهaway from him سِرُّهُhis spiritual secret كَرَّthe charge of العِدىthe enemies
ردَّ عنه سِرُّهُ كَرَّ العِدى
How many a desperate soul has come before him,
How often, how often one in distress has come before him;
And his secret has repelled the enemy’s charge.
his hidden power repelled the enemies' charge from him.
كمhow many لديغٍa stung man فازfound deliverance جمراًa glowing coal سَمُّهُhis venom
كم لديغٍ فاز جمراً سَمُّهُ
ثمَّthen ناداهُcalled to him وحَالاًand at once بَرُداcooled
ثمَّ ناداهُ وحَالاً بَرُدا
How many a snake-bitten man, his venom blazing like embers,
How many a stung man found deliverance, his venom a glowing coal,
Then called to him—and at once it cooled.
then called to him, and at once it cooled.
تاجُthe crown of أَهلِthe people of اللهِGod بلrather أَحمَدُهُمْtheir most praiseworthy
تاجُ أَهلِ اللهِ بل أَحمَدُهُمْ
أَتَرىdo you think كلَّevery ولِيٍّsaint أَحمَدَاAhmad
أَتَرى كلَّ ولِيٍّ أَحمَدَا
Crown of the people of God—indeed, their most praiseworthy;
The crown of God's people—nay, their most praiseworthy;
Could you imagine every saint to be an Ahmad?
do you think every saint is Ahmad?
كلُّناall of us خُدَّامُهُhis servants فيin ذَيلِهِhis robe's hem
كلُّنا خُدَّامُهُ في ذَيلِهِ
قَدْindeed طُويناwe were enfolded فغَدَوْناand so we became سُعَدَاfortunate
قَدْ طُوينا فغَدَوْنا سُعَدَا
We are all his servants, gathered at his hem;
All of us are his servants; in his robe's hem
We have crossed the way and become blessed.
we have been enfolded and thus become fortunate.
ملجَأُrefuge of العَرْجاءِthe lame one مَعْقودُbound اللِّواthe banner
ملجَأُ العَرْجاءِ مَعْقودُ اللِّوا
فارِسُhorseman of الهَيْجاءِbattle كشَّافُdispeller of الرَّدىdeath
فارِسُ الهَيْجاءِ كشَّافُ الرَّدى
Refuge of the afflicted, bearer of the bound standard,
Refuge of the lame one, with banner bound;
Knight of battle, disperser of destruction.
knight of battle, dispeller of death;
عَلَمُthe standard of القَوْمِthe people إِذاwhen الخطبُcalamity دَجاdarkens
عَلَمُ القَوْمِ إِذا الخطبُ دَجا
عَلَوِيُّAlid الشَّأنِrank فيَّاضُoverflowing with النَّداbounty
عَلَوِيُّ الشَّأنِ فيَّاضُ النَّدا
Standard of the people when the crisis darkens,
the people's standard when calamity darkens,
Alid and lofty in station, pouring forth bounty.
Alid in rank, overflowing with bounty.
ذوpossessor of شُؤُنٍdeeds لوif ذَكَرْناهاwe recounted them لهfor him
ذو شُؤُنٍ لو ذَكَرْناها له
لملأْناwe would fill الأَرضَthe earth فيهاwith them عدَدَاin number
لملأْنا الأَرضَ فيها عدَدَا
Were we to recount the deeds that are his,
He has deeds which, were we to recount them,
We would fill the earth with their number.
we would fill the earth with their enumeration.
