باسمك الله ابتدى

في افتتاحي وفي الختام

In Your name, O God, I begin,

at my opening and at the close.

ولك الحمد سيدي

عد آلائك الجسام

And praise is Yours, my Master,

as many times as Your immense blessings.

والصلاة على النبي

ببركته يحصل المرام

And blessings upon the Prophet;

through his blessing, the desired goal is attained.

احذر احذر أخي تكن

نابعا مذهب اللئام

Beware, beware, my brother, lest you become

a follower of the doctrine of the base.

الموحد عندهم

كل من يأكل الحرام

The monotheist, in their eyes,

is anyone who eats what is forbidden,

والذي يؤذي الورى

والذي يثلب الكرام

and whoever harms humankind,

and whoever slanders the noble.

واتبع سنة النبي

أحمد سيد الأنام

And follow the Prophet's way,

Ahmad, master of humankind,

والصحابه بعده

نعمك الساده الرحام

and the Companions after him,

those excellent, compassionate masters,

والذي سار نحوهم

من ولي ومن إمام

and whoever followed their path,

whether saint or imam.

الموحد عندهم

مسلم مؤمن استقام

The monotheist, in their eyes,

is a Muslim, a believer who has remained upright.

يعبدالله وحده

ماله بالسوى اهتمام

He worships God alone,

with no concern for anything else.

لابرى غير ربه

فانيا فيه في الدوام

He sees none but his Lord,

annihilated in Him forever.

ثم بعد الفنابقا

ثم كم فوق ذا مقام

Then, after annihilation, comes subsistence;

then how many stations lie above this!

همه الله وحده

تاه في حبه وهام

His concern is God alone;

he is lost in love for Him and wanders enraptured.

كل شيء يراه أو

يسمعه يورثه غرام

Everything he sees or

hears awakens ardent love in him.

يذكر الله دائما

في قعود وفي قيام

He remembers God always,

while sitting and while standing,

باللسان وبالجنان

قد هجر طيب المنام

with his tongue and with his heart;

he has forsaken the sweetness of sleep.

يأمر الناس بالتقى

والصلاة وبالصيام

He enjoins people to piety,

and prayer and fasting,

والزكاة وحجهم

والتحابب والإلتئام

and almsgiving and their pilgrimage,

and mutual love and harmony,

والتراحم والنوادد

والتواصل للرحام

and mutual compassion and affection,

and keeping ties with kindred,

والمحاسن كلها

ثم ينهى عن اقتحام

and every virtue.

Then he forbids plunging into

الفواحش كلها

والمآثم والحرام

all shameful deeds,

and sins and what is forbidden.

لا بفظ ولا غليظ

لا ولا يظلم الأنام

He is neither rude nor harsh;

no, nor does he wrong humankind.

أمن الناس شره

في فعال وفي الكلام

People are safe from his evil,

in deeds and in speech.

خيره يرتجونه

للخصوص وللعوام

His goodness they hope for,

the select and the common folk alike.

يبذل النصح للورى

لا بعنف ولا خصام

He offers sincere counsel to humankind,

without harshness or quarrelling.

ماله مطلب سوى

نصرة الحق والسلام

He has no aim other than

supporting the truth—and that is all.

ذا الموحد لا سواه

فافهم القول يا غلام

This is the monotheist, and no other;

so understand these words, O lad.

غربة الدين قد بدت

مثل ما في الخبر تمام

The faith's estrangement has become plain,

exactly as described in the report.

أين من يرحم الغريب

ويقوم أفضل القيام

Where is someone who will pity the stranger

and make the finest stand,

ينصر الدين وأهله

باللسان وبالحسام

defending the faith and its people

with tongue and keen sword,

قبل موتي بحسرتي

واكترابي والإغتام

before I die in my sorrow

and my anguish and grief?

يا إلهي وسيدي ارحم المدنف العليل

يا مهيمن ياسلام

O my God and my Master, have mercy on the languishing, ailing one.

O Guardian, O Peace,

هب لنا عند موتنا

يا كريم أحسن الختام

grant us, when we die,

O Generous One, the best ending.

والصلاة على النبي

بعدها أفضل السلام

And blessings upon the Prophet,

followed by the finest greeting of peace,

وعلى آله الجميع

وعلى صحبه الكرام

and upon all his family,

and upon his noble Companions,

وعلى كل تابع

أمهم أحسن ائتمام

and upon every follower

who sought them out and followed them most faithfully.

ولك الحمد دائما

ما همي المزن والغمام

And praise is Yours forever,

as long as rainclouds and cloudbanks pour rain.