لو أن عذالي لوجهك أسلموا — Ibn Hajar Al Asqalani

لَو أَنَّ عُذَّالي لِوَجهِكَ أَسلَموا

لَرَجَوتُ أني في المَحَبةِ أسلَمُ

If my reproachers submitted to your face,

I would hope to be safer in love.

كَيفَ السَبيلُ لِكَتمِ أسرارِ الهَوى

وَلِسانُ دَمعي بِالغَرامِ يُترجمُ

How can the secrets of passion be concealed,

when the tongue of my tears interprets my ardent love?

لامَ العَواذِلُ كُلَّ صادٍ لِلّقا

وَمَلامُهُم عَينُ الخَطا إن يَعلَموا

The reproachers blamed everyone thirsting for a meeting;

their reproach is error itself, if only they knew.

لَم يَعلَموا بِمَن الهَوى لَكِنَّهُم

لاموا لعلمهمُ بِأني مُغرَمُ

They did not know whom I loved, yet they

reproached me because they knew I was love-struck.

لامُوا ولَمَّا يأتِهِم تأويلُ ما

لامُوا عَلَيهِ لأنهم لَم يَفهَموا

They reproached me, though no explanation had yet reached them of what

they reproached me for, because they did not understand.

إِن أَبْرَموني بِالمَلامِ فَإنَّ لي

صَبراً سَيَنقُضُ كُلَّ ما قَد أَبْرَمُوا

If they wear me down with reproach, I have

a patience that will unravel all they have bound fast.

ما شاهَدُوا ذاكَ الجَمالَ وَقَد بَدَا

فَأنا الأَصَمُّ عَن المَلامِ وَهُم عَمُوا

They have not seen that beauty, though it has appeared;

so I am deaf to reproach, while they are blind.

وَلَئِن دَرَوا أني عَشِقتُ فَإنهُ

لِهَوى القُلوبِ سَريرَةٌ لا تُعلَمُ

And even if they know that I have loved, still

the passion of hearts has a secret that cannot be known.

وَالصَمتُ أَسلَمُ إِن لَحَوني في الهَوى

لَكِنَّ قَلبي بِالجَوى يَتَكَلَّمُ

Silence is safer if they reproach me for love,

yet my heart speaks through love's anguish.

وَلَقَد كَتَمتُ هَواكَ لَكِنْ مُقلَتي

شَوقاً إلى مَغناكَ ليسَتْ تكتمُ

I have indeed concealed my love for you, but my eye

does not conceal its longing for your dwelling.

أبكي عَقيقاً وهو دَمعي وَالغَضَا

وهو الذي بينَ الجَوانِحِ يُضْرَمُ

I weep carnelian, which is my tears; and the ghada wood

is what is kindled between my ribs.

وَالدَمعُ في ربعِ الأحبةِ سائِلٌ

يا وَيحَهُ مِن سائِلٍ لا يُرحَمُ

Tears flow in the beloveds' dwelling;

alas for that supplicant who is shown no mercy!

وَحَديثُ وَجدِي في هَواكَ مُسَلسَلٌ

بِالأوليَّةِ مِن دُموعٍ تُسجمُ

The tale of my yearning in your love is an unbroken chain,

beginning with tears that pour down.

يا عاذِلي إني جُنِنتُ بحُبّهم

وإلى سِوى أَوطانِهِم لا أعزِمُ

O my reproacher, I have gone mad with love for them,

and I resolve to go nowhere but their homelands.

ولئن عَزَمتُ عَلى السُّلُوِّ فَلَيسَ لي

يوماً عَلى ذاكَ الجُنونِ مُعَزّمُ

Even if I resolve to forget, I have no

exorcist who can ever cure that madness.

وهمُ الأحِبَّةُ إِن جَفَوا أو واصلوا

وَالقَصدُ إِن أَشقَوا وَإِن هُمْ نَعَّمُوا

They are the beloveds, whether they shun me or maintain union,

and my goal, whether they torment me or grant me bliss.

إِن واصَلوا فالليلُ أبيَضُ مُشرِقٌ

أَو قاطَعوا فالصُّبحُ أسودُ مُظلِمُ

If they maintain union, night is white and radiant;

if they sever ties, morning is black and dark.

واللَيلُ يَظلمني فيُظلِمُ بعدهم

لَكِن عُذولي في هواهُمْ أَظلَمُ

Night wrongs me, growing dark after their departure,

but my reproacher is more unjust about my love for them.

وَالصُبحُ يُشرِقني بِغربِ مَدامِعٍ

لَم تَحك نوءَ الفَيضِ مِنها الأَنجُمُ

Morning chokes me with a torrent of tears,

whose flooding downpour the stars have never matched.

أحبابَنا كَم لي عَلَيكُم وَقفَةً

وعليَّ وَصلُكُم الحَلالُ مُحَرَّمُ

Our beloveds, how often have I stood waiting for you,

while your lawful union is forbidden to me!

يا هاجِري وحياة حُبِّكَ مِتُّ مِن

شَوقي إلَيك تَعيشُ أنتَ وَتَسلَمُ

O you who forsake me, by the life of your love, I have died of

my longing for you; may you live and be safe.

جِسمي أخَفُّ مِن النَّسيم نَحافَةً

وثَقُلتُ بِالسُقمِ المُبَرِّحِ مِنكُمُ

My body, in its thinness, is lighter than the breeze,

yet I am weighed down by the tormenting sickness you have caused.

إِن كانَ ذَنبي الإنقطاع فحُبُّكُم

باقٍ وَأنتُم في الحَقيقَةِ أنتُمُ

If my fault is keeping away, my love for you

endures, and you, in truth, are still yourselves.

لَم يُنس أفكاري قَديمُ عُهودِكُم

إلا حَديثُ المُصطَفى المُستَغنَمُ

Nothing has made my thoughts forget your old pledges

except the treasured sayings of the Chosen One.

آثارُ خَير المُرسَلينَ بِها شِفا

داءِ الذُّنوبِ لِخائِفٍ يَتَوَهَّمُ

The traditions of the best of messengers contain a cure

for the disease of sins, for one who fears and is apprehensive.

هوَ رحمَةٌ للناسِ مُهداةٌ فَيا

ويحَ المعانِدِ إنهُ لا يرحَمُ

He is a mercy bestowed upon humankind; so alas

for the obstinate opponent: he will not be shown mercy.

نالَ الأمانَ المؤمِنونَ بِهِ إذا

شُبَّتْ وُقوداً للطُّغاة جَهَنَّمُ

Through him the believers attain safety when

Hell is kindled into a blaze for the tyrants.

اللَهُ أَيَّدَهُ فَليسَ عَن الهَوى

في أمرِهِ أو نَهيهِ يتَكَلَّمُ

God has strengthened him, so it is not from desire

that he speaks in his commands or prohibitions.

فَليَحذَرِ المَرءُ المخالِفُ أمرَهُ

مِن فِتنَةٍ أو مِن عَذابٍ يُؤلِمُ

Let the person who disobeys his command beware

of a trial or a painful punishment.

ذو المعجِزاتِ الباهِراتِ فَسَلْ بها

نُطقَ الحَصى وبهائماً قَد كلّموا

He possesses dazzling miracles; inquire about them:

the speech of pebbles, and beasts that have spoken.

حُفِظَتْ لِمَولِدِهِ السَّماءُ وبُشِّرَتْ

فالماردُونَ بِشُهْبِها قَد رُجِّمُوا

Heaven was guarded for his birth and given glad tidings;

the rebellious devils were pelted with its shooting stars.

وَبِهِ الشَياطينُ اِرتَمَت واِستأيسَت

كُهّانُها مِن عِلمِ غيبٍ يَقدُمُ

Through him the devils were driven off, and despaired

their soothsayers of knowing the unseen to come.

إيوانُ كسرى اِنشقّ ثُمَّ تَساقَطَت

شُرفاتُهُ بَل قادَ رُعباً يُهدَمُ

Kisra's vaulted hall split apart, then fell

its battlements; indeed, it brought terror as it was demolished.

والماءُ غاضَ وَنارُ فارِسَ أُخمِدَت

مِن بَعدِ ما كانَت تُشَبُّ وَتُضرَمُ

The water receded, and Persia's fire was extinguished,

after it had been kindled and stoked.

هَذا وآمنةٌ رأت ناراً لَها

بُصرى أَضاءَت وَالدياجي تُظلَمُ

Along with this, Aminah saw a fire by which

Busra was lit while the dark nights deepened.

وَبليلَةِ الإِسراءِ سارَ بِجِسمِهِ

والروحُ جِبريلُ المطهَّرُ يخدِمُ

On the night of the Night Journey, he traveled bodily,

while the Spirit, purified Gabriel, served him.

صَلّى بِأملاكِ السَما وَالأنبِيا

ولهُ عَليهم رِفعَةٌ وَتقدُّمُ

He led heaven's angels and the prophets in prayer,

and over them he has exalted rank and precedence.

وعلا إِلى أن جازَ أَقصى غايَةٍ

للغَيرِ لا تُرجى وَلا تتوهَّمُ

He ascended until he passed the furthest limit,

which others cannot hope for or imagine.

ولقابِ قَوسَينِ اعتَلا لَمَّا دَنَا

أو كانَ أدنى وَالمهَيمنُ أعلَمُ

He rose to two bow-lengths as he drew near,

or was nearer still; the Guardian knows best.

يا سَيّدَ الرُّسل الذي آياتُهُ

لا تَنقَضِي أبداً ولا تتَصَرَّمُ

O master of the messengers, whose signs

never end and never cease,

ماذا يَقولُ المادِحُونَ ومَدحُكُم

فَضلاً بهِ نَطَقَ الكِتاب المحكَمُ

what can those who praise say, when your praise

has been proclaimed, as a grace, by the definitive Book—

المُعجِزُ الباقي وإِنْ طالَ المَدى

ولأِبلَغ البُلَغاءِ فهوَ المُفحِمُ

the enduring miracle, however long time passes,

which silences even the most eloquent speakers?

الأمرُ أعظَمُ مِن مقالَةِ قائلِ

إن رَقَّقَ الفُصَحاءُ أَو إِن فَخَّموا

The matter is greater than any speaker's utterance,

whether the eloquent speak delicately or grandly.

مِن بَعضِ ما أُعطِيتَ خَمسُ خَصائِصٍ

لَم يُعطَها الرُّسلُ الذينَ تقَدَّمُوا

Among what you were given are five distinctions

not given to the messengers who came before.

جُعِلَتْ لكَ الأرضُ البَسِيطَةُ مَسجِداً

طُهراً يُصَلِّي الناسُ أو يتَيَمَّمُوا

The broad earth was made a place of prayer for you,

a means of purification, where people pray or perform dry ablution.

ونُصِرتَ بالرُّعبِ المرَوِّعِ قلبَ مَنْ

عاداكَ مِن شَهر فَأصبَحَ يُهزَمُ

You were aided by terror that frightened the heart of whoever

opposed you, from a month's distance, and so was routed.

وَأعيدَتِ الأنفالُ حِلًّا بعدَ أن

كانَتْ مُحَرَّمَةً فطابَ المَغْنَمُ

War spoils were made lawful again, after

they had been forbidden, and the booty became wholesome.

وبُعِْثتَ للثَّقَلَين تُرشِدُهم إِلى الد

دينِ القَويم وَسَيفُ دينِكَ قَيِّمُ

You were sent to humankind and jinn, guiding them to

the upright religion; your religion's sword is its guardian.

وخُصِصْتَ فَضْلاً بالشَّفاعَةِ في غَدٍ

فالمسلمونَ بفَضلِها قَد عُمِّمُوا

As a special grace, you were singled out for intercession on the morrow,

and all Muslims have been encompassed by its grace.

ومَقامُكَ المحمودُ في يَوم القَضَا

حَيثُ السَّعِيدُ مُنَاه نَفسٌ تَسلَمُ

And at your Praiseworthy Station on the Day of Judgment,

when the fortunate one's wish is a soul kept safe,

يَحبوكَ رَبُّكَ مِن مَحامِدِهِ التي

تُعطَى بِها ما تَرتَجيهِ وتَغْنَمُ

your Lord bestows on you some of His praises, which

win you what you hope for and bring you gain.

ويَقول قُل تُسْمَع وسَل تُعْطَ المُنَى

واشفَعْ تُشَفَّعْ في العُصَاةِ لِيُرحَمُوا

He says: 'Speak and be heard; ask and be given your wishes;

intercede, and your intercession for sinners will be accepted, so they may receive mercy.'

فهُناك يَغبِطُكَ الوَرَى وَيُساءُ مَنْ

جَحَدَ النُّبُوَّةَ إذ يُسَرُّ المسلِمُ

Then all creatures will envy your fortune, and sorrow will befall whoever

denied prophethood, while the Muslim rejoices.

يا مَنْ لَهُ سُنَنٌ وَآثارٌ إذَا

تُلِيَتْ يَرى الأَعمى ويَغْنَى الُمعدمُ

O you whose practices and traditions, when

recited, let the blind see and the destitute grow rich,

صَلّى عليكَ وَسَلَّمَ اللهُ الذي

أعلاكَ ما لَبَّى الحَجِيجُ وأحرَمُوا

may God bless you and grant you peace—He who

exalted you—as long as pilgrims answer the call and enter consecration.

وعلى قَرابَتِك المُقَرَّرِ فَضلُهُمْ

وعلى صَحابَتِكَ الَّذينَ هُمُ هُمُ

And upon your kin, whose excellence is established,

and upon your companions, who are truly themselves.

جادُوا عَلَوا ضاؤوا حَمَوا زانُوا هَدَوا

فَهُمُ على السِّتِّ الجِهاتِ الأَنجُمُ

They were generous, rose high, shone, protected, adorned, and guided;

they are the stars in all six directions.

نَصَروا الرسُولَ وجاهَدَوا مَعَهُ وفي

سُبلِ الهُدَى بَذَلُوا النُّفوسَ وأسلَمُوا

They aided the Messenger and struggled alongside him, and in

the paths of guidance gave their lives and submitted.

والتَّابِعِين لَهُم بإحسَانٍ فَهُمْ

نقَلَوُا لِمَا حَفِظُوهُ مِنهُمْ عَنهُمُ

And upon those who followed them in goodness, for they

transmitted what they had preserved from them, on their authority.

وأَتَى على آثارِهِمْ أتباعُهُمْ

فتَفَقَّهُوا فيما رَوَوْا وتَفَهَّمُوا

Their followers came in their footsteps,

gaining deep knowledge of what they narrated and understanding it.

هُمْ دَوَّنُوا السُّنَنَ الكِرامَ فنَوَّعُوا

أبوابَها لِلطَّالِبِينَ وقَسَّمُوا

They recorded the noble traditions, diversifying

their chapters for students and dividing them.

وأَصَحُّ كُتْبِهُمُ على المَشهُورِ ما

جَمَعَ البُخارِي قال ذاكَ المُعْظَمُ

The most authentic of their books, by common account, is what

al-Bukhari compiled—so said the great majority.

وتَلَاه مُسلِمٌ الذي خَضَعَتْ لَهُ

في الحِفظِ أعنَاقُ الرِّجال وسَلَّمُوا

Then came Muslim, before whom bowed

men's necks in memorization, and they acknowledged his mastery.

فَهُما أَصَحُّ الكُتْبِ فيما يُحتَكى

إلا كِتاب اللهِ فَهْوَ مُقَدَّمُ

These two are the most authentic books, as is related,

except for God's Book, which takes precedence.

قُلْ لِلمُخالِفِ: لا تُعانِد إنَّهُ

ما شَكَّ في فَضلِ البُخارِي مُسلِمُ

Tell the dissenter: 'Do not be obstinate; indeed,

no Muslim has doubted al-Bukhari's excellence.'

رَسَمَ المُصَنَّفَ بالصَّحِيحِ وكُلُّ ذي

لُبٍّ غَدَا طَوعًا لِمَا هُوَ يَرسُمُ

He titled his compilation 'The Authentic,' and every person of

sound mind became obedient to what he set down.

هذا يَفُوقُ بِنَقدِهِ وبِفِقهِهِ

لا سِيَّما الأبواب حِينَ يُتَرْجِمُ

This one excels in his critical scrutiny and his jurisprudence,

especially when he gives the chapters their headings;

وأبو الحُسَينِ بِجَمعِهِ وبِسَردِهِ

فالجَمعُ بَينَهُما الطَّريقُ الأَقوَمُ

and Abu al-Husayn excels in his collection and ordered narration.

Combining the two is the straightest path.

فجَزَاهُما اللهُ الكَرِيمُ بِفَضلِهِ

أجرًا بِنَاءُ ثَنَائِهِ لا يُهدَمُ

So may God the Generous, by His grace, reward them both

with a reward whose edifice of praise will never fall.

ثم الصَّلاةُ على النَّبيِّ فإنَّهُ

يُبدَا بِهِ الذِّكرُ الجَمِيلُ ويُختَمُ

Then blessings upon the Prophet, for he is the one

with whom beautiful remembrance begins and ends.

يا أيُّها الرَّاجُونَ فَضلَ شَفَاعَةٍ

مِن أحمَدٍ صَلُّوا عليهِ وسَلِّمُوا

O you who hope for the grace of intercession

from Ahmad, invoke blessings and peace upon him.