زارَ الوزيرُ مَقامَ غوثٍ صُرِّفا

زارَ الوزيرُ مَقامَ غوثٍ صُرِّفا

حيّاً وَميتاً في الوجودِ بلا غفا

حيّاً وَميتاً في الوجودِ بلا غفا

The vizier visited the shrine of a Ghawth, pure and unalloyed—

The minister visited the shrine of a spiritual helper, granted power to act

alive or dead, ever present in this world, untouched by slumber.

in life and death, throughout creation, without slumber:

ذي الصولةِ الحطابِ ليثِ الغابِ طو

ذي الصولةِ الحطابِ ليثِ الغابِ طو

دِ العزِّ بحرِ الفضلِ مصباحِ الوفا

دِ العزِّ بحرِ الفضلِ مصباحِ الوفا

Possessor of sovereign might and eloquent speech, lion of the thicket, moun-

al-Hattab of mighty sway, lion of the forest, mountain

tain of glory, sea of bounty, lamp of fidelity;

of glory, sea of bounty, lamp of fidelity;

فتّاحِ بابِ الكعبةِ الغرّاء إذ

فتّاحِ بابِ الكعبةِ الغرّاء إذ

بَوّابُها لِمُريده أَبدى الجفا

بَوّابُها لِمُريده أَبدى الجفا

opener of the radiant Kaaba’s gate, when

opener of the radiant Kaaba's door, when

its gatekeeper showed coldness to his disciple,

its doorkeeper showed his disciple harshness,

بيدٍ قَدِ اِمتدّت لَها مِن تونسٍ

بيدٍ قَدِ اِمتدّت لَها مِن تونسٍ

وَلِذا ببوّابٍ لِمكّة عرِّفا

وَلِذا ببوّابٍ لِمكّة عرِّفا

with a hand that reached all the way there from Tunis—

with a hand that reached out to it from Tunis;

and thus he became known as the Gatekeeper of Mecca.

and thus he was known as Mecca's doorkeeper.

مَن فرّقَت مِنساتهُ الوادي إلى

مَن فرّقَت مِنساتهُ الوادي إلى

فِرقينِ مُعجزةٌ لِموسى تُصطفى

فِرقينِ مُعجزةٌ لِموسى تُصطفى

He whose staff split the valley into

He whose staff split the valley into

two parts—a miracle ascribed to Moses.

two parts—a miracle worthy of Moses.

وَهوَ الّذي ما أمّه ذو حاجةٍ

وَهوَ الّذي ما أمّه ذو حاجةٍ

إلّا وفازَ بِما يرومُ وَأسعفا

إلّا وفازَ بِما يرومُ وَأسعفا

He is the one whom no needy person ever approached

And he is the one whom no person in need has sought

without attaining what he sought and receiving aid.

without gaining what he desires and receiving aid.

وَمقامهُ الحرمُ الأمينُ لخائفٍ

وَمقامهُ الحرمُ الأمينُ لخائفٍ

لا يَختشي مَن حلّه متخوّفا

لا يَختشي مَن حلّه متخوّفا

His shrine is a safe, inviolable sanctuary for the fearful:

And his shrine is a safe sanctuary for the fearful;

whoever enters it afraid need fear no more.

whoever comes there afraid has nothing to fear.

ما رامَ جبّارٌ حماهُ لِريبةٍ

ما رامَ جبّارٌ حماهُ لِريبةٍ

إلّا وجُدّل دونه أَو كُفكفا

إلّا وجُدّل دونه أَو كُفكفا

No tyrant ever sought its sanctuary for a sinister purpose

No tyrant sought his sanctuary with ill intent

without finding a barrier before it or being driven back.

without being felled before it or repelled.

يا أيّها الغوثُ المديدُ الباعِ قد

يا أيّها الغوثُ المديدُ الباعِ قد

وافاكَ مُلتمسُ الرضا مُتلطّفا

وافاكَ مُلتمسُ الرضا مُتلطّفا

O far-reaching Ghawth whose power extends afar, behold:

O spiritual helper whose reach extends far, indeed,

one courteously seeking your favor has come to you.

a seeker of favor has come to you, gently pleading.

وافاكَ مَن نَفعَ البريّة شأنهُ

وافاكَ مَن نَفعَ البريّة شأنهُ

يَرجو بِكَ النفعَ العميم الأورفا

يَرجو بِكَ النفعَ العميم الأورفا

One has come to you whose concern is the good of all creation,

One whose concern is to benefit humankind has come to you,

hoping through you for the most universal and fullest benefit.

hoping through you for all-embracing benefit in fullest measure.

وافاكَ بِالأهلينَ يرجو فوزَهم

وافاكَ بِالأهلينَ يرجو فوزَهم

بِرضاكَ مُجتدياً لَهم مُستَعطفا

بِرضاكَ مُجتدياً لَهم مُستَعطفا

He has come to you with his family, hoping for their deliverance

He has come to you with his family, hoping for their success

through your favor, begging it for them and pleading for compassion.

through your favor, seeking gifts for them and imploring compassion.

تِلميذُ شَيخك ذي المقامِ الشامخِ ال

تِلميذُ شَيخك ذي المقامِ الشامخِ ال

أَسمى الإِمامِ الشاذليِّ المُقتفى

أَسمى الإِمامِ الشاذليِّ المُقتفى

A disciple of the sheikh whose spiritual station is the most—

A disciple of your shaykh, whose lofty station is the

exalted: Imam al-Shadhili, whose path is followed.

most exalted—Imam al-Shadhili, whose example is followed—

أَحيا طريقَتهُ وَرفّع أهلَها

أَحيا طريقَتهُ وَرفّع أهلَها

وَأقامَ مَسجدهُ وَكرّم واِحتَفى

وَأقامَ مَسجدهُ وَكرّم واِحتَفى

He revived his path and raised up its followers,

revived his spiritual path and raised the standing of its followers,

established his mosque, showed generosity, and offered welcome.

and established his mosque, bestowed honor, and showed reverence.

وَلَه مثابرةٌ عَلى أَورادهِ

وَلَه مثابرةٌ عَلى أَورادهِ

مُستَعطِشاً لِورودها متلهّفا

مُستَعطِشاً لِورودها متلهّفا

And he steadfastly perseveres in his litanies,

And he is steadfast in observing his litanies,

thirsting for their return and yearning ardently.

thirsting to partake of them, yearning eagerly.

فَسلِ الإله لَنا إِطالة عمرهِ

فَسلِ الإله لَنا إِطالة عمرهِ

في غِبطةٍ ومسرّةٍ لن تُصرفا

في غِبطةٍ ومسرّةٍ لن تُصرفا

So ask God on our behalf to prolong his life

So ask God, on our behalf, to prolong his life

in felicity and joy that shall never be withdrawn.

in happiness and joy that will never be taken away.

حاشاكَ تَصرفُه بِدون كرامةٍ

حاشاكَ تَصرفُه بِدون كرامةٍ

يَغدو بِها لزيادةٍ متعرّفا

يَغدو بِها لزيادةٍ متعرّفا

Far be it from you to send him away without a gracious gift

Far be it from you to send him away without a gracious favor

with which he may depart, seeking still greater favor.

with which he may go forth, seeking further bounty.

وَالظنّ أنّك لا تزالُ ضمينهُ

وَالظنّ أنّك لا تزالُ ضمينهُ

في نفسهِ وَالأهل حيثّ تصرّفا

في نفسهِ وَالأهل حيثّ تصرّفا

Our hope is that you will never cease to be his protector,

And we trust that you will remain his guarantor

over himself and his family, wherever he may go;

for himself and his family, wherever he may turn,

وَتكونُ فيه بحقّ شيخكَ وافياً

وَتكونُ فيه بحقّ شيخكَ وافياً

فَهوَ الّذي في ذا الزمانِ له وفى

فَهوَ الّذي في ذا الزمانِ له وفى

and that, by your sheikh’s sacred right, you will prove faithful to him,

and will be faithful toward him, for your shaykh's sake,

for he is the one who in this age has kept faith with him—

for he is the one who has been true to him in this age,

حتّى نَرى تحقيقَ قولِ مؤرّخٍ

حتّى نَرى تحقيقَ قولِ مؤرّخٍ

سرٌّ بهِ الحطّابُ سرَّ المُصطفى

سرٌّ بهِ الحطّابُ سرَّ المُصطفى

until we see fulfilled the chronogrammer’s words:

so that we may see a chronicler's words fulfilled:

“Al-Khattab was gladdened by him; he gladdened the Chosen One.”

“A secret through which al-Hattab gladdened al-Mustafa.”