أزلت عن الإسلام ما أوجب الشكوى

أزلت عن الإسلام ما أوجب الشكوى

وما ناله ممن يفاجيه بالشكوى

وما ناله ممن يفاجيه بالشكوى

You removed from Islam what gave cause for complaint,

I have removed from Islam what warranted complaint,

and what befell it from those who assailed it unexpectedly with complaints.

And what afflicted those who unexpectedly assail it with complaint,

وقد ألب الشيطان قوما على الهدى

وقد ألب الشيطان قوما على الهدى

أعانوه بالتقوى على الفتك بالتقوى

أعانوه بالتقوى على الفتك بالتقوى

The Devil had rallied a people against guidance;

And Satan has rallied a people against guidance,

they helped him, through piety, to slay piety.

They aided him in sin by means of piety,

وما أثروا في الدين من حيث أنه

وما أثروا في الدين من حيث أنه

ضعيف ولا من حيث أنهم أقوى

ضعيف ولا من حيث أنهم أقوى

They did not harm the faith because it was

And they had no effect upon the religion, whether it was

weak, nor because they were stronger.

Weak, or whether they were more powerful,

ولكن أتاه الخوف من حيث أمنه

ولكن أتاه الخوف من حيث أمنه

وحلت به من أهله هذه البلوى

وحلت به من أهله هذه البلوى

Rather, fear came to it from where it felt secure,

But fear came upon it from where it felt safe,

and this ordeal befell it through its own people.

And this tribulation befell it from its own people.

أتى من رجال ظن فيهم بأنهم

أتى من رجال ظن فيهم بأنهم

له معشر والصنو شيء من الصنوى

له معشر والصنو شيء من الصنوى

It came from men whom it had thought

They were men I thought were a society for it

its own folk; a twin stem is part of kindred stock.

And a portion of its pillars.

تحلوا حلى أهل التقاء وشبهوا

تحلوا حلى أهل التقاء وشبهوا

بمن ليس يلجيه بلوم ولا شكوى

بمن ليس يلجيه بلوم ولا شكوى

They donned the adornments of the pious and were likened

They wore the adornment of the people of piety and resembled

to one whom neither reproach nor complaint can compel.

Those whom no blame or complaint attaches itself to.

يقولون لا شيء سوى الله والذي

يقولون لا شيء سوى الله والذي

أرادوه شيء لا يزاد ولا يروى

أرادوه شيء لا يزاد ولا يروى

They say, “There is nothing but God”; yet what

They say 'nothing except Allah' yet

they intended is something not to be amplified or recounted.

What they intended by it cannot be augmented or satiated.

مقالة حق يبتغى باطل بها

مقالة حق يبتغى باطل بها

وينوى بها للحق أخبث ما ينوى

وينوى بها للحق أخبث ما ينوى

A true saying through which falsehood is sought,

Words of truth by which falsehood is sought

and through which the vilest designs against truth are conceived.

And by which the most evil of intentions is harbored for the truth

رأوا باتحاد العين وهي قضية

رأوا باتحاد العين وهي قضية

بها خودعوا لا يفهمون لها فحوى

بها خودعوا لا يفهمون لها فحوى

They held to the unity of essence—a proposition

They saw tawhid of the eye which is an issue

by which they were deceived, without grasping its import.

By which they were deluded, unable to comprehend its essence,

وما أصلها إلا خبيث من الورى

وما أصلها إلا خبيث من الورى

عن الحق للتعطيل والكفر قد الوى

عن الحق للتعطيل والكفر قد الوى

Its source is none but a vile man among mankind,

Whose origin is nothing but evil from creation

who turned from truth toward denial and unbelief.

In disavowing the truth and inclining to disbelief and atheism.

كتابا تحار العين عمن رأى دهرى

كتابا تحار العين عمن رأى دهرى

يرى الخالق المخلوق جحدا لمن سوى

يرى الخالق المخلوق جحدا لمن سوى

A book that bewilders the eye, from one with a materialist’s outlook [wording uncertain],

A book that dazzles the eye whoever saw this epoch

who sees the Creator as the creature, denying the One who fashioned all.

Sees the Creator as created, belying the One who fashioned.

فسماه مخلوقا وسماه خالقا

فسماه مخلوقا وسماه خالقا

وذلك من حيث الأبوة والبنوى

وذلك من حيث الأبوة والبنوى

So he called him “creature” and called him “creator”,

So he named Him created and named him Creator

and that in terms of fatherhood and sonship.

And that was on the basis of fatherhood and sonship.

وغروا بهذا جاهلين توهموا

وغروا بهذا جاهلين توهموا

بأن له معنى له الغاية القصوى

بأن له معنى له الغاية القصوى

With this they deceived ignorant people who imagined

And they were deceived by this in their ignorance, presuming

that it had a meaning reaching the ultimate limit.

That it has a meaning that has the ultimate end.

أفي الله شك انه غير خلقه

أفي الله شك انه غير خلقه

وهل من له عقل يرى المنشىء النشوى

وهل من له عقل يرى المنشىء النشوى

Is there doubt about God—that He is other than His creation?

Is there any doubt that He is other than His creation?

Does anyone with reason regard the Maker as the thing made?

And does one of sound mind see the Fashioner as fashioned?

إذا كنته فانتف بكفك شعرة

إذا كنته فانتف بكفك شعرة

من الراس وارددها فوالله ما تقوى

من الراس وارددها فوالله ما تقوى

If you are He, pluck a hair with your own hand

If you are able to then remove with your hand a single hair

from your head and put it back; by God, you cannot.

From your head and return it, for by Allah you will not have the strength.

عقول لهم لكن إذا الله كادها

عقول لهم لكن إذا الله كادها

فلا حيلة للمرء فيها ولا عزوى

فلا حيلة للمرء فيها ولا عزوى

They have minds, but when God plots against them,

They had intellects but when Allah decreed oblivion for them,

a person has no remedy for them, nor support.

Then man has no strategy for them and no restoration.

عقول على الدنيا قد انتفعوا بها

عقول على الدنيا قد انتفعوا بها

وأما على الأخرى فخبط على عشوا

وأما على الأخرى فخبط على عشوا

Minds from which they have profited in this world,

Intellects for the worldly life from which they benefited

but as for the hereafter, it is blind flailing.

But as for the next life, they are in confusion and playing blindly.

فيا معشر الحمقاء عودوا إلى الهدى

فيا معشر الحمقاء عودوا إلى الهدى

ولا تقعوا في هوة وعرة المثوى

ولا تقعوا في هوة وعرة المثوى

O company of fools, return to guidance,

So O gathering of fools return to guidance

and do not fall into an abyss, a harsh abode.

And do not fall into the deep dark abyss of the resting place.

وما لكم في الخوض في الخطر الذي

وما لكم في الخوض في الخطر الذي

مخاضته ضر عليكم بلا جدوى

مخاضته ضر عليكم بلا جدوى

What have you to gain by wading into a danger

And what business do you have with plunging into peril, the consequence of which

whose passage brings you harm without benefit?

Is harm upon you without any benefit.

فما بكتاب الله يعتاض مسلم

فما بكتاب الله يعتاض مسلم

فصوصا مقالات الفسوق بها تحوى

فصوصا مقالات الفسوق بها تحوى

No Muslim trades the Book of God

For in the Book of Allah no Muslim contradicts

for the Fusus, which contain doctrines of impiety.

The immoral doctrines in which misguidance is contained.

وهل عرف الإِسلام من رد سمعه

وهل عرف الإِسلام من رد سمعه

عن السنة البيضاء يستمع اللغوى

عن السنة البيضاء يستمع اللغوى

Has anyone known Islam who has turned his hearing

And did Islam know one who turned away his hearing

away from the radiant Sunnah to listen to idle talk?

From the shining white Sunnah and listened to vulgarities?

قبائح أخفوها وأبدوا محاسناً

قبائح أخفوها وأبدوا محاسناً

بها أصبح الشيطان مغو لمن أغوى

بها أصبح الشيطان مغو لمن أغوى

They concealed their vices and displayed virtues,

They concealed abominations and manifested good qualities

through which the Devil became a tempter of those he led astray.

By which Satan was a seductive whisperer to the one led astray.

وأضحوا له كالجند وهو بجمعهم

وأضحوا له كالجند وهو بجمعهم

على نصر مستبشر بالذي يهوى

على نصر مستبشر بالذي يهوى

They became like his soldiers; with their host

And they became troops for him, and he by gathering them

he looks to victory, rejoicing in what he desires.

Was made optimistic for victory in that which he desires.

ثآليل كفر قد أبانت رؤسها

ثآليل كفر قد أبانت رؤسها

فإن هي لم تحسم تداعت بها الادوا

فإن هي لم تحسم تداعت بها الادوا

Warts of unbelief have shown their heads;

Buds of disbelief have raised their heads

if they are not excised, diseases will converge upon them.

So if they are not lopped off, the foundations will collapse because of them.

فمكر النصارى بالهدى لا تضره

فمكر النصارى بالهدى لا تضره

مضرة أهليه إذا كدروا الصفوا

مضرة أهليه إذا كدروا الصفوا

The Christians’ scheming against guidance does not harm it

So the scheming of the Christians will never harm the guidance

as its own people do when they muddy what was clear.

Just as the harm of a man's own family when they disturb his clarity.

فما أطمع الشيطان في أخذ ثاره

فما أطمع الشيطان في أخذ ثاره

وحل عرى الإسلام في كل من أغوى

وحل عرى الإسلام في كل من أغوى

Nothing has made the Devil more eager for his revenge

For Satan does not hope to take revenge

and to loosen Islam’s bonds, among all whom he led astray,

And undo the knot of Islam for all whom he misguided.

كمثل رجالات الفصوص فإنهم

كمثل رجالات الفصوص فإنهم

رموه وهم عند الورى جنده الأقوى

رموه وهم عند الورى جنده الأقوى

than the men of the Fusus, for they

Just like the men of falsehood, indeed they

attacked it, though people deemed them its strongest soldiers.

Pelted him while with people they are his army of strength.

فكادت تميل الناس معهم على الهدى

فكادت تميل الناس معهم على الهدى

وتأخذه عُضواً بأسيافهم عُضوا

وتأخذه عُضواً بأسيافهم عُضوا

The people almost sided with them against guidance

The people were nearly inclined away from the guidance with them

and cut it apart with their swords, limb by limb.

And it would seize a limb with their swords, limb by limb.

فما تقطع الأشجار إلا ببعضها

فما تقطع الأشجار إلا ببعضها

وأخوف أعدا المرء أقربهم مثوى

وأخوف أعدا المرء أقربهم مثوى

Trees are felled only with parts of themselves,

For trees are only chopped down bit by bit

and a man’s most fearsome enemies are those dwelling nearest.

And the most feared enemies of a man are his nearest neighbors.

فيا ابن إسمعيل يا نجل أحمد

فيا ابن إسمعيل يا نجل أحمد

خذ الحمد صفوا من إله السما عفوا

خذ الحمد صفوا من إله السما عفوا

O son of Isma‘il, O scion of Ahmad,

So O son of Ismaa’eel, O son of Ahmad

take pure praise, freely granted, from the God of heaven.

Take pure, wholesome praise from the God of the heavens as a pardon.

لقد خصك البارى بنصرة دينه

لقد خصك البارى بنصرة دينه

واجماع أهل العلم ما اختلفت فتوى

واجماع أهل العلم ما اختلفت فتوى

The Creator has favored you with the defense of His faith,

Indeed, the Creator singled you out with helping His religion

and the scholars’ consensus, with no dissenting ruling.

And the consensus of the people of knowledge - no fatwa differed.

ولو أجمعوا أيام أحمد ما بقى

ولو أجمعوا أيام أحمد ما بقى

لأعداء دين الله خضراء لم تذوى

لأعداء دين الله خضراء لم تذوى

Had they agreed in Ahmad’s days, there would not have remained

And if they were united in the era of Ahmad, nothing would remain

a single unwithered green shoot for the enemies of God’s faith.

For the enemies of the religion of Allah, eternally green and sound.

لقد عملت بالعلم طائفة الهدى

لقد عملت بالعلم طائفة الهدى

وقوّيت أزر الحق بالحق فاستقوى

وقوّيت أزر الحق بالحق فاستقوى

The company of guidance has indeed put knowledge into practice,

You acted with knowledge, the group of guidance

and you strengthened truth’s back with truth, so it grew strong.

And you strengthened the aid of truth with the truth so it was made powerful.

وأرضيت رب العرش في حفظ دينه

وأرضيت رب العرش في حفظ دينه

على الخلق والإسلام كاد بأن يثوى

على الخلق والإسلام كاد بأن يثوى

You pleased the Lord of the Throne by preserving His faith

You pleased the Lord of the Throne in preserving His religion

for creation, when Islam was nearly laid to rest.

Over the creation, and Islam was close to wasting away.

وقد رفع الشيطان بالكفر صوته

وقد رفع الشيطان بالكفر صوته

وكاد بأن يصفى إناء الهدى صفوا

وكاد بأن يصفى إناء الهدى صفوا

The Devil had raised his voice with unbelief,

And Satan had raised his voice with disbelief

and almost drained guidance’s vessel utterly.

And was close to straining the vessel of guidance and emptying it.

فآيسته بالسيف منه وقد دنا

فآيسته بالسيف منه وقد دنا

ومد فقلنا للتناول قد أهوى

ومد فقلنا للتناول قد أهوى

With the sword you made him despair of it, though he had drawn near

So we despaired of him by the sword when he drew near

and stretched out; we said, “He has reached down to seize it.”

And extended, so we said to grasp him, for he had bent down.

وجاءتك خيل الله من كل جانب

وجاءتك خيل الله من كل جانب

ترفعها بالحث غارتك الشعوا

ترفعها بالحث غارتك الشعوا

God’s cavalry came to you from every side,

And the steeds of Allah came to you from every side

your sweeping raid spurring them onward.

Their zeal aroused by your fervor, uniformly mobilized.

نهضت إلى الإسلام تضرب دونه

نهضت إلى الإسلام تضرب دونه

بسيفك لم تشغلك هند ولا علوى

بسيفك لم تشغلك هند ولا علوى

You rose to defend Islam, striking in its defense

You rose to defend Islam, striking in front of it

with your sword; neither Hind nor ‘Alwa distracted you.

With your sword, not distracted by India or the Byzantines.

وأمضيت حكم الله في كل مارق

وأمضيت حكم الله في كل مارق

وألغيت أحكام الغواية والأهوا

وألغيت أحكام الغواية والأهوا

You enforced God’s judgment upon every renegade,

And you executed the judgment of Allah in every apostate

and annulled the rulings of misguidance and passions.

And invalidated the rulings of misguidance and passions.

لقد قرئت فوق المنابر للهدى

لقد قرئت فوق المنابر للهدى

نوافد حكم لا تعارضها دعوى

نوافد حكم لا تعارضها دعوى

From the pulpits were read, in guidance’s cause,

Announcements of the judgment of guidance were read atop the pulpits

binding decrees that no claim could challenge.

Streams whose authority cannot be opposed by any claim.

تزلزل منها جانبا كل باطل

تزلزل منها جانبا كل باطل

وزور وركن الحق أثبت من رضوى

وزور وركن الحق أثبت من رضوى

They shook both sides of every falsehood

By them every falsehood trembles

and fraud, while truth’s pillar stood firmer than Radwa.

While the pillar of truth is more firmly anchored than solid rock.

وولى بها الشيطان يلطم رأسه

وولى بها الشيطان يلطم رأسه

ويجثو عليها الترب من أسفٍ حثوا

ويجثو عليها الترب من أسفٍ حثوا

Because of them the Devil fled, beating his head

And Satan turned away, slapping his head in grief

and heaping dust upon it in grief, handful after handful.

And rubbing dirt upon it vigorously in sorrow.

ونكس حزنا رأسه كل مارق

ونكس حزنا رأسه كل مارق

هنالك لما عاد سكرهم صحوا

هنالك لما عاد سكرهم صحوا

Every renegade lowered his head in sorrow,

And every apostate bowed his head in sorrow when their intoxication cleared

there, when their drunkenness turned to sobriety.

There, when their drunkenness had dissipated and they were sober.

فيا منة بالمن سر بها الهدى

فيا منة بالمن سر بها الهدى

وعمت قلوب المسلمين بها السلوى

وعمت قلوب المسلمين بها السلوى

O what a favor, graciously granted, that gladdened guidance!

So oh bounty for which the guidance was delighted

Through it solace filled the hearts of Muslims.

And the hearts of the Muslims were filled with it and comfort!

ومدت لك الأيدي إلى الله بالدعا

ومدت لك الأيدي إلى الله بالدعا

وفاهت به سراً وجهراً لك الأفوا

وفاهت به سراً وجهراً لك الأفوا

Hands were outstretched to God in prayer for you,

And hands were extended to Allah supplicating for you

and mouths voiced it for you, in secret and aloud.

Privately and openly with prayers for you.

وأيقن مرتاب وأخلص مسلم

وأيقن مرتاب وأخلص مسلم

وآمن مغرور وأفصح ذو النجوى

وآمن مغرور وأفصح ذو النجوى

The doubter gained certainty, and the Muslim became sincere;

And the doubter became convinced, the submitting became sincere,

the deluded believed, and the whisperer spoke plainly.

The deceived became guided, and the normally silent became eloquent.

وأبقيت ذكراً لا يموت وسنة

وأبقيت ذكراً لا يموت وسنة

بها الدين يزهو حين يبدو له زهوا

بها الدين يزهو حين يبدو له زهوا

You left an undying memory and a precedent

And you left a memory that will not die

through which the faith exults when glory appears to it.

And a Sunnah by which the religion will bloom when it appears to it in splendor.

بك الدين منصور وأنت كمثله

بك الدين منصور وأنت كمثله

وجيشك منصور فلا تدع الغزوا

وجيشك منصور فلا تدع الغزوا

Through you the faith is victorious, and you likewise,

By you the religion is victorious and you are like it

and your army is victorious—so do not abandon campaigning.

And your army is victorious so do not abandon warfare.

فقد سهل الباري عليك طريقه

فقد سهل الباري عليك طريقه

فدونك من مرضاته فوق ما تهوى

فدونك من مرضاته فوق ما تهوى

The Creator has made its path easy for you,

For Allah has facilitated for you His path

so take of His good pleasure more than you desire.

So what pleases Him is within your grasp, above what you desire.

ويهنيك أن الله راض وخلقه

ويهنيك أن الله راض وخلقه

وأن لك البشرى وأن لك العفوا

وأن لك البشرى وأن لك العفوا

May you rejoice that God and His creation are pleased,

And congratulations that Allah and His creation are pleased with you

and that glad tidings are yours, and forgiveness is yours.

And that you have the good news, and that for you is pardon.