سَل قاهِرَ الفُرسِ وَالرومانِ هَل شَفَعَت

سَل قاهِرَ الفُرسِ وَالرومانِ هَل شَفَعَت

لَهُ الفُتوحُ وَهَل أَغنى تَواليها

لَهُ الفُتوحُ وَهَل أَغنى تَواليها

Ask the conqueror of the Persians and Romans: did they intercede

Ask the conqueror of the Persians and Romans, did his conquests avail him,

For him, those conquests—and did their succession avail him?

Or his successive triumphs enrich him?

غَزى فَأَبلى وَخَيلُ اللَهِ قَد عُقِدَت

غَزى فَأَبلى وَخَيلُ اللَهِ قَد عُقِدَت

بِاليُمنِ وَالنَصرِ وَالبُشرى نَواصيها

بِاليُمنِ وَالنَصرِ وَالبُشرى نَواصيها

He waged war and fought valiantly; God's steeds had

He waged war until his steed was worn,

Their forelocks bound with good fortune, victory, and glad tidings.

And the steeds of God were tethered,

يَرمي الأَعادي بِآراءٍ مُسَدَّدَةٍ

يَرمي الأَعادي بِآراءٍ مُسَدَّدَةٍ

وَبِالفَوارِسِ قَد سالَت مَذاكيها

وَبِالفَوارِسِ قَد سالَت مَذاكيها

He strikes his enemies with well-directed plans,

With good fortune, victory, and glad tidings dangling from their bridles.

And with horsemen whose mature steeds streamed forth.

He shoots his foes with unerring shafts,

ما واقَعَ الرومَ إِلّا فَرَّ قارِحُها

ما واقَعَ الرومَ إِلّا فَرَّ قارِحُها

وَلا رَمى الفُرسَ إِلّا طاشَ راميها

وَلا رَمى الفُرسَ إِلّا طاشَ راميها

He never engaged the Romans but their full-grown steed fled,

And with his brave warriors their souls are spilled.

Nor assailed the Persians but their archer missed his mark.

He never met the Romans but their champion fled,

وَلَم يَجُز بَلدَةً إِلّا سَمِعتَ بِها

وَلَم يَجُز بَلدَةً إِلّا سَمِعتَ بِها

اللَهُ أَكبَرُ تَدوي في نَواحيها

اللَهُ أَكبَرُ تَدوي في نَواحيها

And he never passed through a town without your hearing there

Nor shot at the Persians but their archer missed.

“God is greatest!” resounding through its quarters.

He never took a town but "God is Greatest!" rang out,

عِشرونَ مَوقِعَةً مَرَّت مُحَجَّلَةً

عِشرونَ مَوقِعَةً مَرَّت مُحَجَّلَةً

مِن بَعدِ عَشرٍ بَنانُ الفَتحِ تُحصيها

مِن بَعدِ عَشرٍ بَنانُ الفَتحِ تُحصيها

Twenty battles passed, white-fetlocked,

Echoing from its corners.

After ten; the fingers of conquest count them.

Twenty pitched battles in the space of ten years,

وَخالِدٌ في سَبيلِ اللَهِ موقِدُها

وَخالِدٌ في سَبيلِ اللَهِ موقِدُها

وَخالِدٌ في سَبيلِ اللَهِ صاليها

وَخالِدٌ في سَبيلِ اللَهِ صاليها

And Khalid, in God's cause, kindled their fires;

Easy to number for those who count his victories.

And Khalid, in God's cause, braved their flames.

Khalid ever urging them on in the way of God,

أَتاهُ أَمرُ أَبي حَفصٍ فَقَبَّلَهُ

أَتاهُ أَمرُ أَبي حَفصٍ فَقَبَّلَهُ

كَما يُقَبِّلُ آيَ اللَهِ تاليها

كَما يُقَبِّلُ آيَ اللَهِ تاليها

Abu Hafs's command came to him, and he kissed it,

Khalid ever praying in the way of God.

As their reciter kisses the verses of God.

The command of Abu Bakr came to him and he kissed it,

وَاِستَقبَلَ العَزلَ في إِبّانِ سَطوَتِهِ

وَاِستَقبَلَ العَزلَ في إِبّانِ سَطوَتِهِ

وَمجدِهِ مُستَريحَ النَفسِ هاديها

وَمجدِهِ مُستَريحَ النَفسِ هاديها

And he received dismissal at the height of his power

As if kissing the verses of God as they were recited.

And glory, his soul at ease and tranquil.

He welcomed seclusion at the height of his power and glory,

فَاِعجَب لِسَيِّدِ مَخزومٍ وَفارِسِها

فَاِعجَب لِسَيِّدِ مَخزومٍ وَفارِسِها

يَومَ النِزالِ إِذا نادى مُناديها

يَومَ النِزالِ إِذا نادى مُناديها

Then marvel at Makhzum's lord and its knight,

With a spirit content in the guidance of his Master.

On the day of combat, when its herald calls:

How amazing that the lord of Makhzum and its bravest man,

يَقودُهُ حَبَشِيٌّ في عِمامَتِهِ

يَقودُهُ حَبَشِيٌّ في عِمامَتِهِ

وَلا تُحَرِّكُ مَخزومٌ عَواليها

وَلا تُحَرِّكُ مَخزومٌ عَواليها

An Abyssinian leads him by his turban,

On the day of battle, should be led by a Habashi in his turban,

And Makhzum does not stir its spearheads.

While Makhzum stirs not from his place!

أَلقى القِيادَ إِلى الجَرّاحِ مُمتَثِلاً

أَلقى القِيادَ إِلى الجَرّاحِ مُمتَثِلاً

وَعِزَّةُ النَفسِ لَم تُجرَح حَواشيها

وَعِزَّةُ النَفسِ لَم تُجرَح حَواشيها

He handed the reins to al-Jarrah in obedience,

He casts leadership to Jarrah in willing obedience,

And his self-respect remained unwounded at its edges.

While pride of soul remains uninjured.

وَاِنضَمَّ لِلجُندِ يَمشي تَحتَ رايَتِهِ

وَاِنضَمَّ لِلجُندِ يَمشي تَحتَ رايَتِهِ

وَبِالحَياةِ إِذا مالَت يُفَدّيها

وَبِالحَياةِ إِذا مالَت يُفَدّيها

And he joined the army, marching beneath its banner,

He joins the ranks, marching beneath the flag,

And if it drooped, he would redeem it with his life.

And, if life inclines, sacrifices it.

وَما عَرَتهُ شُكوكٌ في خَليفَتِهِ

وَما عَرَتهُ شُكوكٌ في خَليفَتِهِ

وَلا اِرتَضى إِمرَةَ الجَرّاحِ تَمويها

وَلا اِرتَضى إِمرَةَ الجَرّاحِ تَمويها

And no doubts assailed him about his caliph,

He harbors no doubts about his successor,

Nor did he accept al-Jarrah's command as a pretense.

Nor prefers his own command, tempting as it was.

فَخالِدٌ كانَ يَدري أَنَّ صاحِبَهُ

فَخالِدٌ كانَ يَدري أَنَّ صاحِبَهُ

قَد وَجَّهَ النَفسَ نَحوَ اللَهِ تَوجيها

قَد وَجَّهَ النَفسَ نَحوَ اللَهِ تَوجيها

For Khalid knew that his companion

For Khalid knew that his companion

Had turned his soul wholly toward God.

Had turned his soul towards God in utter devotion.

فَما يُعالِجُ مِن قَولٍ وَلا عَمَلٍ

فَما يُعالِجُ مِن قَولٍ وَلا عَمَلٍ

إِلّا أَرادَ بِهِ لِلناسِ تَرفيها

إِلّا أَرادَ بِهِ لِلناسِ تَرفيها

So he undertakes no speech or action

He does not condemn or advocate any word or deed,

Without intending through it to bring people ease.

Save with the desire to comfort people.

لِذاكَ أَوصى بِأَولادٍ لَهُ عُمَراً

لِذاكَ أَوصى بِأَولادٍ لَهُ عُمَراً

لَمّا دَعاهُ إِلى الفِردَوسِ داعيها

لَمّا دَعاهُ إِلى الفِردَوسِ داعيها

For that reason Khalid entrusted his children to Umar,

Therefore he charged Umar about his children

When Paradise's summoner called him to it.

When he summoned him to Paradise at his death;

وَما نَهى عُمَرٌ في يَومِ مَصرَعِهِ

وَما نَهى عُمَرٌ في يَومِ مَصرَعِهِ

نِساءَ مَخزومَ أَن تَبكي بَواكيها

نِساءَ مَخزومَ أَن تَبكي بَواكيها

Nor, on the day of Khalid's death, did Umar

And Umar forbade the women of Makhzum to weep loudly

Forbid the women of Makhzum to weep in mourning.

At his passing, it is said, contradicting the wish of our friend,

وَقيلَ خالَفتَ يا فاروقُ صاحِبَنا

وَقيلَ خالَفتَ يا فاروقُ صاحِبَنا

فيهِ وَقَد كانَ أَعطى القَوسَ باريها

فيهِ وَقَد كانَ أَعطى القَوسَ باريها

And it was said: “O Faruq, you opposed our companion

Though he was the greatest archer of them all.

Concerning him, though he had given the bow to its carver.”

But Umar feared the Muslim's passion for him

فَقالَ خِفتُ اِفتِتانِ المُسلِمينَ بِهِ

فَقالَ خِفتُ اِفتِتانِ المُسلِمينَ بِهِ

وَفِتنَةُ النَفسِ أَعيَت مَن يُداويها

وَفِتنَةُ النَفسِ أَعيَت مَن يُداويها

So he said: “I feared the Muslims' infatuation with him;

And the temptation of self too strong to cure.

And the soul's temptation has baffled whoever would cure it.”

They blamed him, misunderstanding his intention,

هَبوهُ أَخطَأَ في تَأويلِ مَقصِدِهِ

هَبوهُ أَخطَأَ في تَأويلِ مَقصِدِهِ

وَأَنَّها سَقطَةٌ في عَينِ ناعيها

وَأَنَّها سَقطَةٌ في عَينِ ناعيها

Suppose he erred in interpreting his intent,

Though it was but a slip in the eyes of the censor;

And that it was a lapse in the eyes of whoever denounced it:

So excellent a judge is not faulted for his errors,

فَلَن تَعيبَ حَصيفَ الرَأيِ زَلَّتُهُ

فَلَن تَعيبَ حَصيفَ الرَأيِ زَلَّتُهُ

حَتّى يَعيبَ سُيوفَ الهِندِ نابيها

حَتّى يَعيبَ سُيوفَ الهِندِ نابيها

Then his lapse will no more disgrace a man of sound judgment

Nor are the bent swords of India reproached for their curves.

Than a blade that fails to cut disgraces the swords of India.

By God, in the matter of the son of Walid, he did not follow whim,

تَاللَهِ لَم يَتَّبِع في اِبنِ الوَليدِ هَوىً

تَاللَهِ لَم يَتَّبِع في اِبنِ الوَليدِ هَوىً

وَلا شَفى غُلَّةً في الصَدرِ يَطويها

وَلا شَفى غُلَّةً في الصَدرِ يَطويها

By God, he followed no whim in dealing with Ibn al-Walid,

Nor assuage any malice hidden in his breast.

Nor slaked a burning thirst he concealed within his breast.

Rather, he saw an opinion and followed it,

لَكِنَّهُ قَد رَأى رَأياً فَأَتبَعَهُ

لَكِنَّهُ قَد رَأى رَأياً فَأَتبَعَهُ

عَزيمَةً مِنهُ لَم تُثلَم مَواضيها

عَزيمَةً مِنهُ لَم تُثلَم مَواضيها

But he had formed a judgment and followed it

With a resolution that was unshakeable.

With his own resolve, its keen blades never nicked.

He did not hesitate to obey the Master,

لَم يَرعَ في طاعَةِ المَولى خُؤولَتَهُ

لَم يَرعَ في طاعَةِ المَولى خُؤولَتَهُ

وَلا رَعى غَيرَها فيما يُنافيها

وَلا رَعى غَيرَها فيما يُنافيها

In obedience to the Lord, he paid no heed to his maternal kinship,

Nor consider others alongside Him.

Nor to other ties in anything that conflicted with that obedience.

In flogging his son while the whip seized him,

وَما أَصابَ اِبنَهُ وَالسَوطُ يَأخُذُهُ

وَما أَصابَ اِبنَهُ وَالسَوطُ يَأخُذُهُ

لَدَيهِ مِن رَأفَةٍ في الحَدِّ يُبديها

لَدَيهِ مِن رَأفَةٍ في الحَدِّ يُبديها

Nor did his son, as the whip struck him,

He showed no pity in carrying out the limit.

Receive any mercy from him during the prescribed punishment.

The One who acquitted Al-Farouq purified him

إِنَّ الَّذي بَرَأَ الفاروقَ نَزَّهَهُ

إِنَّ الَّذي بَرَأَ الفاروقَ نَزَّهَهُ

عَنِ النَقائِصِ وَالأَغراضِ تَنزيها

عَنِ النَقائِصِ وَالأَغراضِ تَنزيها

Indeed, He who created al-Faruq kept him free

Of defects and evil tendencies completely.

Entirely from flaws and selfish motives.

That is the temperament modeled from Paradise,

فَذاكَ خُلقٌ مِنَ الفِردَوسِ طينَتُهُ

فَذاكَ خُلقٌ مِنَ الفِردَوسِ طينَتُهُ

اللَهُ أَودَعَ فيها ما يُنَقّيها

اللَهُ أَودَعَ فيها ما يُنَقّيها

Such is a character whose clay is from Paradise;

Into which God placed whatever would perfect it.

God placed within it what purifies it.

No arrogance dwells there, no wrong accompanies it,

لا الكِبرُ يَسكُنُها لا الظُلمُ يَصحَبُها

لا الكِبرُ يَسكُنُها لا الظُلمُ يَصحَبُها

لا الحِقدُ يَعرِفُها لا الحِرصِ يُغويها

لا الحِقدُ يَعرِفُها لا الحِرصِ يُغويها

No arrogance dwells in it; no injustice keeps it company;

No rancor knows it, no greed tempts it.

No rancor knows it; no greed seduces it.