ترفَّعْelevate yourself عنabove محاوَرَةِdebating الأَعاديthe enemies
ترفَّعْ عن محاوَرَةِ الأَعادي
ودَعْهمand leave them باضْطِرابٍin agitation واتِّقادِand burning
ودَعْهم باضْطِرابٍ واتِّقادِ
Rise above debating enemies,
Rise above debating with enemies,
and leave them in agitation and burning fury.
And leave them in turmoil and inflammation.
ورُحْand go للحقِّon the Truth مستنِداًrelying أَميناًsecure
ورُحْ للحقِّ مستنِداً أَميناً
فأَمرُfor the decree of اللهِGod جارٍruns its course فيamong العِبادِthe servants
فأَمرُ اللهِ جارٍ في العِبادِ
And go, relying on the Truth, secure,
And set out for the truth, relying faithfully,
for God's decree runs its course among His servants.
For God's command runs among the servants.
ودعْand leave نُصْحَcounseling الحَسودِthe envious man وزِدْهُand increase his طَرْحاًdismissal
ودعْ نُصْحَ الحَسودِ وزِدْهُ طَرْحاً
متىwhen انحَطَّstepped down الحَسودُthe envious man عنfrom العِنادِobstinacy
متى انحَطَّ الحَسودُ عن العِنادِ
Give up counseling the envious man, and cast him farther away—
And leave the advice of the envious and discard it more,
when has the envious man ever stepped back from obstinacy?
Whenever the envious descends into stubbornness.
وخذand take لكfor yourself فيin ظَلامِthe darkness of اللَّيْلِthe night باباًa doorway
وخذ لك في ظَلامِ اللَّيْلِ باباً
إلىto الرَّحمنِthe All-Merciful عنout of حسنِsound اعْتِمادِreliance
إلى الرَّحمنِ عن حسنِ اعْتِمادِ
And take for yourself, in the darkness of night, a doorway
And take for yourself in the darkness of night a door,
to the All-Merciful, with sound reliance.
To the Merciful, from the goodness of dependence.
وقلْand say ياO فاطِرَOriginator of الأَشياءِall things إِنِّيindeed I
وقلْ يا فاطِرَ الأَشياءِ إِنِّي
دعوتُكَI called upon You بانْكِسارٍwith brokenness واعْتِقادِand conviction
دعوتُكَ بانْكِسارٍ واعْتِقادِ
And say: O Originator of all things, I
And say, "O Creator of things, I
have called upon You in brokenness and conviction.
Have called upon You with humility and belief."
ولازِمْand cleave to حضرَةَthe presence of المُخْتارِthe Chosen One قلباًin heart
ولازِمْ حضرَةَ المُخْتارِ قلباً
وكنْand be فيat بابِهِhis door مُلْقىsurrendered القِيادِthe reins
وكنْ في بابِهِ مُلْقى القِيادِ
And cleave in heart to the Chosen One's presence,
And accompany the presence of the Chosen One in heart,
and be at his door with your reins surrendered.
And be at his door, submitting to destiny.
فللمولَىfor the Lord has تَعالىexalted is اللهُGod سِرٌّa secret
فللمولَى تَعالى اللهُ سِرٌّ
سريعٌswift فيهin it جبرٌrestoration للمُنادِيfor the caller
سريعٌ فيه جبرٌ للمُنادِي
For the Lord—exalted is God—has a secret,
For the Master, exalted is Allah, has a secret,
swift-working, with restoration for the one who calls.
Swift in it, is obligatory for the caller.
وللمُخْتارِand the Chosen One has أَحمدَAhmad خارِقاتٌmiracles
وللمُخْتارِ أَحمدَ خارِقاتٌ
علىthrough مرِّthe passing of الدُّهورِthe ages بكلِّin every نادِassembly
على مرِّ الدُّهورِ بكلِّ نادِ
And the Chosen One, Ahmad, has miracles,
And for the Chosen One, Ahmed, are miracles,
through the passing ages, in every assembly.
Throughout the ages, in every corner.
وكمand how many منof هِمَّةٍa resolve منهfrom him تبدَّتْappeared
وكم من هِمَّةٍ منه تبدَّتْ
أَلانَsoftened جَلالُهاits majesty عزمَthe resolve of الصِّلادِthe hard rocks
أَلانَ جَلالُها عزمَ الصِّلادِ
And how often a resolve appeared from him,
And how much determination appeared from him,
whose majesty softened the resolve of solid rocks.
That softened the hardness of resolute determination.
ومنand among عَجَبٍwonders يُحيطُsurrounds الكربَdistress نقصٌdecline
ومن عَجَبٍ يُحيطُ الكربَ نقصٌ
وموجُand the wave of اللُّطْفِkindness دوماًalways بازْدِيادِincreasing
وموجُ اللُّطْفِ دوماً بازْدِيادِ
And wondrously, distress is hemmed in by decline,
And from the wonders that surrounds distress, a deficiency,
while the wave of kindness is ever swelling.
And the wave of kindness is ever increasing.
فكمfor how often هجمَattacked العِدىthe foes طَيْشاًrecklessly وجهلاًand ignorantly
فكم هجمَ العِدى طَيْشاً وجهلاً
ورامواand they sought بالهَوانِwith humiliation أَجَلَّthe noblest هادِguide
وراموا بالهَوانِ أَجَلَّ هادِ
For how often the foes attacked, reckless and ignorant,
So often the enemies attacked foolishly and ignorantly,
and sought to humble the noblest guide.
And they sought dishonor for the greatest guide.
فصابَرَهُمْso he patiently endured them بحكمَتِهِwith his wisdom قَليلاًa little while
فصابَرَهُمْ بحكمَتِهِ قَليلاً
فبادُواso they perished وهوwhile he فيin الأَكْوانِall creation بادِmanifest
فبادُوا وهو في الأَكْوانِ بادِ
So he patiently endured them in his wisdom a little while;
So he was patient with them for a little while,
then they perished, while he is manifest throughout creation.
And they perished while he remains in existence.
وتمَّand was perfected لهfor him العُلىexalted rank دُنياin this world وأُخْرىand the next
وتمَّ له العُلى دُنيا وأُخْرى
وهمand they بالخِزْيِin disgrace فيin سوءِthe evil of المَعادِthe final return
وهم بالخِزْيِ في سوءِ المَعادِ
And exalted rank was perfected for him, in this world and the next,
And supremacy in this world and the next was completed for him,
while theirs is disgrace in a woeful final return.
While they are in misery in the evil consequence.
طغَوْاthey transgressed بعِنادِهِمْin their obstinacy بغياًunjustly عليهagainst him
طغَوْا بعِنادِهِمْ بغياً عليه
وغمَّرَهُمْand he overwhelmed them حَناناًtenderly بالأَيادِيwith favors
وغمَّرَهُمْ حَناناً بالأَيادِي
They transgressed in their obstinacy, wronging him,
They rebelled stubbornly seeking to oppress him,
and he tenderly overwhelmed them with favors.
And he covered them gently with his hands.
وسُقْماًand affliction عامَلوهُthey treated him بكلِّwith every قطعٍseverance
وسُقْماً عامَلوهُ بكلِّ قطعٍ
وعامَلَهُمْand he treated them بأَنْواعِwith kinds of الوِدادِaffection
وعامَلَهُمْ بأَنْواعِ الوِدادِ
And they dealt him affliction, severing every bond,
The sickness they treated him with in every manner of severance,
while he treated them with every kind of affection.
He treated them with all kinds of affection.
أرادَwished لهُمْfor them هُدًىguidance وشَريفَand a noble حالٍstate
أرادَ لهُمْ هُدًى وشَريفَ حالٍ
وردُّواand they were returned بالغَوايَةِthrough error للمِهادِto the resting place
وردُّوا بالغَوايَةِ للمِهادِ
He wished them guidance and a noble state,
He wanted guidance and noble stature for them,
but through error they were returned to their resting place.
And they returned with misguidance to the abyss.
وأَسبَلَand he let fall فوقَهُمْover them أَذيالَthe hems of عفوٍpardon
وأَسبَلَ فوقَهُمْ أَذيالَ عفوٍ
وقدand indeed فَجَرواthey transgressed بزُورٍwith falsehood وانْتِقادِand faultfinding
وقد فَجَروا بزُورٍ وانْتِقادِ
And he let fall over them the hems of pardon,
And he let down over them the hems of pardon,
though they had transgressed with lies and faultfinding.
Although they burst out with falsehood and criticism.
ترُدُّretorts بأَلسُنِwith tongues منهُمْof theirs تَمادَتْwent too far
ترُدُّ بأَلسُنِ منهُمْ تَمادَتْ
عليهagainst him بنهجِalong the course of جُرْأَتِهاtheir audacity حِدادِsharp-edged
عليه بنهجِ جُرْأَتِها حِدادِ
Retorting with tongues of theirs that went too far
Tongues among them went too far,
against him, sharp-edged in their brazen course.
Against him in a way of daring animosity.
كأنَّas though الحقَّthe truth لمdid not يظهرْappear لديهمbefore them
كأنَّ الحقَّ لم يظهرْ لديهم
ولمand did not يفزَعْhasten لنُوقِto the she-camels of الدِّينِreligion حَادِa camel-driver
ولم يفزَعْ لنُوقِ الدِّينِ حَادِ
As though the truth had not appeared before them,
As if the truth did not appear to them,
and no camel-driver had hastened to religion's she-camels.
And the zealous guide of religion was not alarmed.
وقامَand he arose بأَمرِat the command of بارِئِهِhis Creator وَحيداًalone
وقامَ بأَمرِ بارِئِهِ وَحيداً
وأَحْزابُand the factions of الضَّلالَةِerror كالجَرادِlike locusts
وأَحْزابُ الضَّلالَةِ كالجَرادِ
And he arose alone at his Creator's command,
And he carried out the order of his Maker alone,
while the factions of error were like locusts.
While the parties of misguidance were like locusts.
رَأَوْهُthey saw him بالنَّقائِضِin contradictory terms وهوwhile he زاكٍpure
رَأَوْهُ بالنَّقائِضِ وهو زاكٍ
نزيهٌuntainted ناهِجٌwalking نهجَthe path of السَّدَادِuprightness
نزيهٌ ناهِجٌ نهجَ السَّدَادِ
They viewed him in contradictory terms, though he was pure,
They saw him with opposites while he was pure,
untainted, walking the path of uprightness.
Righteous, following the path of integrity.
وراحَand he went forth لربِّهِto his Lord يدعوcalling بعزمٍwith resolve
وراحَ لربِّهِ يدعو بعزمٍ
شديدٍfirm مثلماjust like السَّبعِthe seven الشِّدَادِmighty ones
شديدٍ مثلما السَّبعِ الشِّدَادِ
And he went forth calling to his Lord with resolve,
And he went to his Lord invoking with firm,
firm as the seven mighty heavens.
Severe determination, like the fierce lion.
فبلَّدَهُمْso he confounded them وصيَّرَهُمْand made them حَيارىbewildered
فبلَّدَهُمْ وصيَّرَهُمْ حَيارى
وتاهُواand they wandered فيthrough المَهامِهِtrackless wastes والبِلادِand lands
وتاهُوا في المَهامِهِ والبِلادِ
So he confounded them and left them bewildered,
So he confused them and made them bewildered,
and they wandered through trackless wastes and lands.
And they wandered lost in the huge, desolate lands.
وطهَّرَand he purified أَنفُساًsouls فزكَتْso they grew pure بنورٍthrough a light
وطهَّرَ أَنفُساً فزكَتْ بنورٍ
إِلهِيٍّdivine وزادٍand provision خيرِthe best of زَادِprovision
إِلهِيٍّ وزادٍ خيرِ زَادِ
And he purified souls, which grew pure through a light
And he purified souls so they became righteous with a
divine, and with provision—the best of provision.
Divine light and ample provision of good provision.
وجرَّدَهُمْand he dispatched them علىagainst الأَعداءِthe enemies جُنْداًas troops
وجرَّدَهُمْ على الأَعداءِ جُنْداً
رأَوْاthey saw أَعيادَهُمْtheir feast-days زَمَنَthe time of الجِهادِthe struggle
رأَوْا أَعيادَهُمْ زَمَنَ الجِهادِ
And he dispatched them as troops against the enemies;
And he prepared them against the enemies as an army,
they saw their feast-days in the time of battle.
They saw their enemies in the time of holy war.
تنظَّمَwas formed جيشُهُمْtheir army منfrom كلِّevery قرْمٍchampion
تنظَّمَ جيشُهُمْ من كلِّ قرْمٍ
عَظيمِmighty in الجَاشِcourage ذيpossessed of شمَمٍproud spirit جَوادِgenerous
عَظيمِ الجَاشِ ذي شمَمٍ جَوادِ
Their army was formed from every champion,
Their army was organized from every brave tribe,
mighty in courage, proud-spirited and generous,
Great in courage, with the spirit of a noble steed.
مَتينِsteadfast in شَهامَةٍgallantry وكبيرِand great of قلبٍheart
مَتينِ شَهامَةٍ وكبيرِ قلبٍ
وقدand indeed منعَkept العُيونَthe eyes عنfrom الرُّقادِsleep
وقد منعَ العُيونَ عن الرُّقادِ
firm in gallantry and great of heart,
Sturdy in boldness and great in heart,
who had kept his eyes from slumber.
Who forbade sleep to the eyes.
يصولُhe charges بسطْوَةِwith the might of الهاديthe Guide هِزَبْراًas a lion
يصولُ بسطْوَةِ الهادي هِزَبْراً
يَهابُfears هُجومَهُhis attack قلبُthe heart of الجَمادِlifeless matter
يَهابُ هُجومَهُ قلبُ الجَمادِ
He charges with the Guide's might, a lion;
Roaring with the ferocity of the guiding lion,
the heart of lifeless matter fears his assault.
Its attack makes the inanimate heart tremble in fear.
جليلmajestic in الطَّوْرِbearing ذيpossessed of خطرٍeminence عظيمٍgreat
جليل الطَّوْرِ ذي خطرٍ عظيمٍ
بعيدِfar-reaching in المنتهَىattainment عاليhigh of النِّجادِthe sword-belt
بعيدِ المنتهَى عالي النِّجادِ
Majestic in bearing, of great eminence,
Majestic in manner, of tremendous danger,
far-reaching in attainment, lofty of sword-belt.
Far-reaching, of high ambition.
إِذاwhen انْعَقَدَgathers العَجاجُbattle-dust سَطاhe strikes بعزمٍwith resolve
إِذا انْعَقَدَ العَجاجُ سَطا بعزمٍ
يُثيرُrouses الموتَdeath فيin نَهْزِthe rush of الطِّرادِthe charge
يُثيرُ الموتَ في نَهْزِ الطِّرادِ
When battle-dust gathers, he strikes with resolve,
When the fray grew tumultuous, it attacked with resolve,
rousing death in the rush of the charge.
Stirring up death in the striking of the pursuer.
تولَّهَbecame enthralled بالرَّسولِby the Messenger الطُّهرِthe pure one قلباًin heart
تولَّهَ بالرَّسولِ الطُّهرِ قلباً
ولمand did not يحفَاْcare بزَيْنَبَfor Zaynab أَوor سُعادِSu‘ad
ولم يحفَاْ بزَيْنَبَ أَو سُعادِ
His heart was enthralled by the pure Messenger,
He made them devoted to the pure Messenger in heart,
and he paid no heed to Zaynab or Su‘ad.
And did not care for Zainab or Su`ad.
تقلَّدَgirded himself فيin المَعارِكِbattles أَيَّwhat a عَضْبٍkeen blade
تقلَّدَ في المَعارِكِ أَيَّ عَضْبٍ
وطارَand flew علىupon ابنَةِa daughter of الضُّمْرِthe lean ones الجِيادِnoble steeds
وطارَ على ابنَةِ الضُّمْرِ الجِيادِ
In battles he girded on a keen blade indeed,
He took up in battles whatever anger,
and flew upon a daughter of lean, noble steeds.
And flew upon the daughter of unbreakable determination.
وأَرجَعَand he returned بيضَهُhis white blades للغِمْدِto the sheath حُمراًred
وأَرجَعَ بيضَهُ للغِمْدِ حُمراً
وقدand indeed مزَجَhe mingled البياضَwhiteness معwith السَّوَادِblackness
وقد مزَجَ البياضَ مع السَّوَادِ
And he returned his white blades to the sheath, red,
And he returned his sword to its sheath red,
having mingled white with black.
Having mixed the white with the black.
وردَّدَand moved back and forth رمْحَهُhis spear قَلَماًas a pen تولَّىthat took up
وردَّدَ رمْحَهُ قَلَماً تولَّى
دِماءَthe blood of الخصمِthe enemy نَقْعاًpooled كالمِدادِlike ink
دِماءَ الخصمِ نَقْعاً كالمِدادِ
And he wielded his spear back and forth, a pen that took up
And he returned his spear to being a pen when he turned
the enemy's blood, pooled like ink.
To the blood of the enemy dripping like ink.
لقدindeed هجَرَforsook المَضاجِعِthe beds حزبُthe company of طَهَTaha
لقد هجَرَ المَضاجِعِ حزبُ طَهَ
فلمso did not يعبأْcare بواعِثَةِfor what causes السُّهادِsleeplessness
فلم يعبأْ بواعِثَةِ السُّهادِ
Indeed, Taha's company forsook their beds,
Indeed, the party of Taha deserted beds,
and cared nothing for what caused their sleeplessness,
And did not care for the incentives of sleep.
لدينِfor the religion of اللهِGod لاnot لنَوالfor gaining دُنياthis world
لدينِ اللهِ لا لنَوال دُنيا
فصارَso became الدِّينُthe religion مرفوعَraised العِمادِthe pillar
فصارَ الدِّينُ مرفوعَ العِمادِ
for God's religion, not for worldly gain,
For the religion of God, not for the attainment of world,
so the faith's pillar was raised high.
So religion became upheld.
فعزْمُfor the resolve of محمَّدٍMuhammad أَعلاهُraised it دهراًfor all time
فعزْمُ محمَّدٍ أَعلاهُ دهراً
بحِصْنٍwithin a fortress قامَstanding بالرُّكْنِon the support المُشادِwell-built
بحِصْنٍ قامَ بالرُّكْنِ المُشادِ
For Muhammad's resolve raised it for all time,
And the resolve of Muhammad raised it for ages,
within a fortress standing on a firmly built support.
With a fortress built on the erected pillar.
فلاso do not تُهْضَمْbe crushed بزَفْرَةِby the sigh of ذيone with ضَلالٍmisguidance
فلا تُهْضَمْ بزَفْرَةِ ذي ضَلالٍ
كَذوبٍlying بالخَيالِwith fantasy البحتِsheer عَادِassailing
كَذوبٍ بالخَيالِ البحتِ عَادِ
So do not be crushed by a misguided man's sigh—
So do not be shaken by the snorting of one astray,
a liar, assailing with sheer fantasy.
Lying with pure imagination.
وخذْand take ذَيْلَthe hem of الرَّسولِthe Messenger مدًىalways عِصاماًas a binding cord
وخذْ ذَيْلَ الرَّسولِ مدًى عِصاماً
وطبْand be glad قلباًin heart ولوeven if عَدَتِattack العَوادِيthe assailants
وطبْ قلباً ولو عَدَتِ العَوادِي
And take the Messenger's hem as your enduring lifeline,
And take the Messenger's tail as a staff of support,
and be glad at heart, though assailants charge.
And bandage the heart even if misfortunes return.
فإنَّfor indeed النَّارَthe fire تزفُرُbreathes fiercely رأْسَthe beginning of ليلٍa night
فإنَّ النَّارَ تزفُرُ رأْسَ ليلٍ
وذيلَand at the end of اللَّيْلِthe night تُحْسَبُit is counted فيamong الرَّمادِthe ashes
وذيلَ اللَّيْلِ تُحْسَبُ في الرَّمادِ
For fire breathes fiercely at night's beginning,
For fire snarls at the head of night,
and by night's end it is counted among the ashes.
And the tail of night is counted as embers.
وقدand may تَعلوrise high السَّنابِلُthe ears of grain بعضَpart of يومٍa day
وقد تَعلو السَّنابِلُ بعضَ يومٍ
وتقطَعُهاand cut them السَّنابِكُthe hooves بالحَصادِat harvest
وتقطَعُها السَّنابِكُ بالحَصادِ
And the ears of grain may rise high for part of a day,
And stalks of grain may rise one day,
but hooves cut them down at harvest.
Then are cut down by the sickles in harvest.
فرَبُّfor the possessor of القلبِthe heart محفوظُsafeguarded in المَزاياthe virtues
فرَبُّ القلبِ محفوظُ المَزايا
ورَبُّand the possessor of النَّفسِthe lower self موجوعُwounded in الفُؤادِthe heart
ورَبُّ النَّفسِ موجوعُ الفُؤادِ
For the man of the heart has his virtues safeguarded,
For the Lord of the heart preserves hidden qualities,
while the man of the lower self is wounded at heart.
And the Lord of the soul agonizes the heart.
وإِنَّكَand indeed you بعدَafter هذاthis فيunder ضَمانيmy guarantee
وإِنَّكَ بعدَ هذا في ضَماني
ولوْeven if هامَroamed العدوُّthe enemy بكلِّin every وَادِvalley
ولوْ هامَ العدوُّ بكلِّ وَادِ
And after this, you are under my guarantee,
And after this, you are in my protection,
even if the enemy roams through every valley.
Even if the enemy wanders in every valley.
وَثيقَةُthe warrant of ماwhat أَقولُI say لهاit has اتِّصالٌa connection
وَثيقَةُ ما أَقولُ لها اتِّصالٌ
بِهادٍto a guide عنfrom عَظيمِone mighty in الأَمرِcommand هَادِa Guide
بِهادٍ عن عَظيمِ الأَمرِ هَادِ
The warrant for what I say is linked
My pledge of what I say has a connection,
to a guide, from a Guide mighty in command,
To a guide, from the Magnificent Commander Guide.
تعالىexalted is He عنabove مُماثَلَةِresembling البَراياcreated beings
تعالى عن مُماثَلَةِ البَرايا
لهto Him belongs كلُّall التَّصرُّفِgovernance فيover العِبادِthe servants
له كلُّ التَّصرُّفِ في العِبادِ
exalted above all likeness to created beings;
Exalted above resembling creatures,
His is all governance over His servants.
To Him belongs all disposal over the servants.