زاحِمjostle بِمَنكِبكَwith your shoulder الثّريّاthe Pleiades واِجهَدِand strive
زاحِم بِمَنكِبكَ الثّريّا واِجهَدِ
وَاِركُضand stamp بِرِجلِكَwith your foot فيin سماءِthe sky of الفَرقَدِal-Farqad
وَاِركُض بِرِجلِكَ في سماءِ الفَرقَدِ
Jostle the Pleiades with your shoulder, and strive.
Crowd with your shoulder the Pleiades and strive,
And stamp your foot in the sky of al-Farqad.
And run with your foot in the heaven of Alfarqad,
وَطِئِand tread upon السّماكَal-Simak فَقَدfor indeed وَصَلتyou have reached إِلىto العُلىthe heights
وَطِئِ السّماكَ فَقَد وَصَلت إِلى العُلى
وَظَفِرتَand you have won مِنهاfrom them بِالمُنىwith the wished-for things وَالمَقصَدِand the goal
وَظَفِرتَ مِنها بِالمُنى وَالمَقصَدِ
And tread upon al-Simak, for you have reached the heights,
Step on the fish, for you have reached the highest,
And from them gained your wishes and your goal.
And attained from it the purpose and goal.
وَاِشدُand sing ابنَson of فَتحِFath اللَّهِAllah فيin رَوضِthe garden of البَهاsplendor
وَاِشدُ ابنَ فَتحِ اللَّهِ في رَوضِ البَها
شَدوَthe singing of البَلابِلِthe nightingales بِالمقيمِwith what makes one rise المُقعِدِwhat makes one sit
شَدوَ البَلابِلِ بِالمقيمِ المُقعِدِ
And sing, son of Fath Allah, in the garden of splendor,
Urge the son of Fathallah in the garden of splendor,
The nightingales’ song, stirring men to rise and sit.
The singing of songbirds with the resident and the settler,
وَاِجرُرْand trail ذُيولَthe skirts of التّيهِpride يَرقُصُdances كمُّهُits sleeve
وَاِجرُرْ ذُيولَ التّيهِ يَرقُصُ كمُّهُ
وَاِلبَسْand wear إِذَنthen حُللَthe robes of المَكارِمِnoble virtues وَاِرشدِand be rightly guided
وَاِلبَسْ إِذَن حُللَ المَكارِمِ وَاِرشدِ
And trail pride’s skirts, its sleeve dancing,
Drag the tails of delusion, dance its heap,
Then don the robes of noble virtues, and follow right guidance.
And so wear the garments of glory and be guided.
تُوِّجتَyou were crowned بِالمجدِwith glory المُؤثَّلِfirmly founded فيamong الوَرىhumankind
تُوِّجتَ بِالمجدِ المُؤثَّلِ في الوَرى
وَكُسيتَand you were clothed بِالشَّرفِwith honor العَزيزِprecious المفرَدِpeerless
وَكُسيتَ بِالشَّرفِ العَزيزِ المفرَدِ
You have been crowned with firmly founded glory among humankind,
You were crowned with studded glory in the world,
And clothed in precious, peerless honor.
And clothed with precious, singular honor.
وَاِزدانَand became adorned جيدُكَyour neck غِبَّafter أَصبحَit had become عاطلاًbare
وَاِزدانَ جيدُكَ غِبَّ أَصبحَ عاطلاً
فيin كلِّevery عقدٍnecklace بِالمَعالِwith lofty merits مُنضَّدِstrung
في كلِّ عقدٍ بِالمَعالِ مُنضَّدِ
And your neck became adorned, after it had been bare,
The side of your neck adorned itself while the knot
With every necklace strung with lofty merits,
In every necklace with jewels became knotted.
مِنfrom كلِّevery ماthat which الدّرُّthe pearls اليتيمُpeerless جُمانُهُits pearl beads
مِن كلِّ ما الدّرُّ اليتيمُ جُمانُهُ
يَسْبيcaptivates العقولَminds وَسِلكُهand its thread مِنof عَسجَدِpure gold
يَسْبي العقولَ وَسِلكُه مِن عَسجَدِ
Each whose beads are peerless pearls:
Of everything the orphaned pearl its beauty
It captivates minds, and its thread is of pure gold.
Captivates minds and its path is of 'asajad.
ذاكَthat المُرادُthe desired object وَإِنّهand indeed it لَإِجازَةٌsurely an authorization
ذاكَ المُرادُ وَإِنّه لَإِجازَةٌ
غَرّاءُresplendent تَحويcontains مُسنداًa chain-backed report عَنfrom مُسنَدِa chain-bearing authority
غَرّاءُ تَحوي مُسنداً عَن مُسنَدِ
That is the object of desire: it is indeed an authorization,
That is the intended, and it is authorization
Resplendent, containing a chain-backed report from a chain-bearing authority.
Elated, containing supported from supporter.
مِثلُlike السّماءِthe sky تَزيَّنتbecame adorned بِكَواكِبٍwith stars
مِثلُ السّماءِ تَزيَّنت بِكَواكِبٍ
مِنfrom كلِّevery نَجمٍstar فيهِby it مِثليsomeone like me يَهتَديis guided
مِن كلِّ نَجمٍ فيهِ مِثلي يَهتَدي
Like the sky adorned with stars,
Like the sky adorned with stars,
From each star, someone like me takes guidance.
Each star in it, the like of me is guided.
مِنfrom كلِّevery حَبرٍlearned scholar فيamong الأنامِhumankind أَخيpossessed of تُقىًpiety
مِن كلِّ حَبرٍ في الأنامِ أَخي تُقىً
مِنfrom كلِّevery أَورعَmost scrupulous فيregarding الأَثامِsins وَأَزهَدِand most ascetic
مِن كلِّ أَورعَ في الأَثامِ وَأَزهَدِ
From every learned scholar among humankind, possessed of piety,
Of every ink in the people, my brother pious,
From every man most wary of sin and most ascetic,
Of every most devout in sins and ascetic.
مِنfrom كلِّevery برٍّrighteous man فيamong البريَّةِhumankind صالِحٍvirtuous
مِن كلِّ برٍّ في البريَّةِ صالِحٍ
مِنfrom كلِّevery قُطبٍspiritual pole فيamong الخليقَةِcreation مرشِدِguiding
مِن كلِّ قُطبٍ في الخليقَةِ مرشِدِ
From every righteous, virtuous man among humankind,
Of every good in the land righteous,
From every guiding spiritual pole among creation,
Of every pole in existence a guide.
مِنfrom كلّevery مُجتَهِدٍindependent jurist إِمامٍimam عارِفٍspiritual knower
مِن كلّ مُجتَهِدٍ إِمامٍ عارِفٍ
فيهِby him الأَئِمّةُthe imams وَالأَفاضِلُand the eminent تَقتَديtake guidance
فيهِ الأَئِمّةُ وَالأَفاضِلُ تَقتَدي
From every independent jurist, imam, and spiritual knower,
Of every diligent imam, knower,
Whom the imams and the eminent follow.
In him the imams and the virtuous are followed.
مِنfrom كلِّevery عَدلٍupright person ضابِطٍprecise ثِقةٍtrustworthy أَخيpossessed of
مِن كلِّ عَدلٍ ضابِطٍ ثِقةٍ أَخي
حِفظٍmemorization وَثَبتٍand a reliable authority فَضلُهُhis merit لَمhas not يجحَدِbeen denied
حِفظٍ وَثَبتٍ فَضلُهُ لَم يجحَدِ
From every upright, precise, trustworthy man possessed of
Of every justice, disciplined, trusted, O my brother,
Memory, a reliable authority whose merit has not been denied.
Memorization and steadfast, his superiority uncontested.
بُشرايَmy glad tidings فيهاin it قَدindeed حُبيتُI was favored تَكرُّماًout of generosity
بُشرايَ فيها قَد حُبيتُ تَكرُّماً
مِنfrom مُتقِنٍa masterful scholar فَردٍsingular إِمامٍan imam أَوحَدِpeerless
مِن مُتقِنٍ فَردٍ إِمامٍ أَوحَدِ
Glad tidings for me! In it I was favored out of generosity,
Good tidings in which I was endowed generously
By a masterful, singular, peerless imam,
From accomplished singular imam unique.
مِنfrom حافِظٍa master of hadith فَذٍّunrivaled نَبيلٍnoble بارِعٍaccomplished
مِن حافِظٍ فَذٍّ نَبيلٍ بارِعٍ
مِنfrom حاذِقٍa skilled scholar توٍّunique بَصيرٍdiscerning منقدِa critic
مِن حاذِقٍ توٍّ بَصيرٍ منقدِ
An unrivaled, noble, accomplished master of hadith,
From a memorizing, eminent, noble skillful one,
A skilled, unique, discerning critic.
From an expert, pure, insightful critic.
ثَبتٌa reliable authority بُخاريُّBukhari of الزّمانِthe age بِعصرِهِin his era
ثَبتٌ بُخاريُّ الزّمانِ بِعصرِهِ
جَمَعَhe gathered الصّحيحَauthentic traditions وَلَمand not يَكُنhe was بِمقلِّدِan imitator
جَمَعَ الصّحيحَ وَلَم يَكُن بِمقلِّدِ
A reliable authority, the Bukhari of the age in his own era,
Firm, Bukhari of the time in his era,
He gathered authentic traditions and was no imitator.
Who compiled the authentic and was not an imitator.
الشّافعيُّal-Shafi‘i وَمَنand he who غَداbecame ليto me مالَكاًa Malik
الشّافعيُّ وَمَن غَدا لي مالَكاً
مَنْwhom خِلتُهُI deemed him فيin ذاthis الزّمانِage كَأَحمَدِlike Ahmad
مَنْ خِلتُهُ في ذا الزّمانِ كَأَحمَدِ
The Shafi‘i, and he who became a Malik to me,
And Shafi`i and the one who became a leader for me, Malik,
Whom I deemed, in this age, to be like Ahmad.
Whose company in this time is as Ahmad.
السّيِّدthe master المَهديّal-Mahdi قُطبspiritual pole of زَمانِهِhis age
السّيِّد المَهديّ قُطب زَمانِهِ
شَمسsun of المَعارِفِlearning وَالعلومِand the sciences مُحمّدِMuhammad
شَمس المَعارِفِ وَالعلومِ مُحمّدِ
The master al-Mahdi, the spiritual pole of his age,
The master, the Mahdi of the time, Muhammad,
The sun of learning and the sciences, Muhammad.
The sun of sciences and knowledge, Muhammad.
مَنْhe who فيهin him أزهَرُهُhis Azhar تبدّىappeared مزهراًblossoming
مَنْ فيه أزهَرُهُ تبدّى مزهراً
متبسّماًsmiling طَلْقاًcheerful محيّاهُhis countenance النّديdewy
متبسّماً طَلْقاً محيّاهُ النّدي
He in whom his Azhar appeared in bloom,
The one in whom its flowers bloomed, appearing
Smiling, his dewy countenance cheerful and open.
Smiling, gentle, his face shining with dew.
البحرthe ocean فيin كلّevery العلومِscience ولاand no نَظيstart of نظير: peer
البحر في كلّ العلومِ ولا نَظي
رَcompletion of نظير: peer وكلُّand every حَبْرٍscholar عِندَهُbeside him كالمُبتَديlike a beginner
رَ وكلُّ حَبْرٍ عِندَهُ كالمُبتَدي
An ocean in every science, and without a peer;
The sea in all sciences, none is his peer,
And every scholar beside him is like a beginner.
And every ink compared to him is a beginner.
مَنْwhoever يَدَّعيclaims مَثلاًan equal لَهُfor him ياO وَيلَهwoe to him
مَنْ يَدَّعي مَثلاً لَهُ يا وَيلَه
هَلwhether كانَhe was غَيرَother than مُكذَّبٍdiscredited وَمُفنَّدِand refuted
هَل كانَ غَيرَ مُكذَّبٍ وَمُفنَّدِ
Whoever claims an equal for him—woe to him!
Who claims the like of him - woe to him!
Would he be anything but discredited and refuted?
Was there other than disproved and refuted?
فَالشّمسُfor the sun فَردٌsolitary فيin السّماءِthe sky فَمثلُهاso one like it
فَالشّمسُ فَردٌ في السّماءِ فَمثلُها
قَدindeed جازَwas possible لَكِنbut فيin الدُّنىthe worlds لَمnot يُوجَدِhas been found
قَد جازَ لَكِن في الدُّنى لَم يُوجَدِ
For the sun is alone in the sky; one like it
So the sun is singular in the sky, the like of it
Is indeed possible, but has not been found in the worlds.
Is possible, but in the world was not found.
ياO أَيُّهاyou المَولَىthe master الهُمامُthe gallant اللوذَعيthe keen-witted
يا أَيُّها المَولَى الهُمامُ اللوذَعي
مَنْwho كانwas فيin ذاthis العصرage خيرَthe best مجدَّدِrenewer
مَنْ كان في ذا العصر خيرَ مجدَّدِ
O gallant, keen-witted master,
O you the aspirer, the resolute, the Luza'i,
Who was the finest renewer in this age,
Who in this era is best of the renewers!
طوَّقتَyou encircled جيديmy neck مِنّةًwith a favor أنعِمْhow splendid بهاit is
طوَّقتَ جيدي مِنّةً أنعِمْ بها
تَربوgrows وَتَعلوand rises فَوقَabove ماwhat فيin مَقصِديmy aim
تَربو وَتَعلو فَوقَ ما في مَقصِدي
You encircled my neck with a favor—how splendid it is!
You crowned my neck with a favor you blessed,
It grows and rises beyond all that I had sought.
Lofty and high above what was my purpose.
آجزتَنيyou authorized me بحرَocean of النّدىgenerosity فيماin what حَوىit contained
آجزتَني بحرَ النّدى فيما حَوى
ثبتَtransmission register of البَديرِيّal-Badiri الإِمامِthe imam المُفردِpeerless
ثبتَ البَديرِيّ الإِمامِ المُفردِ
You authorized me, O sea of generosity, for all contained
You endowed me with the sea of dew in what it contained,
In the transmission register of al-Badiri, the peerless imam.
Affirming the authority of the singular imam.
فَغَدوتُso I became مَعروفاًknown وكنتُand I had been منكَّراًunknown
فَغَدوتُ مَعروفاً وكنتُ منكَّراً
وَلِيَand toward me الأصابعُthe fingers قَدhave أَشارَتpointed بِاليدِwith the hand
وَلِيَ الأصابعُ قَد أَشارَت بِاليدِ
So I became known, though I had been unknown,
So I became well-known while I was unknown,
And hands have pointed their fingers toward me.
And for me the fingers have surely pointed with the hand.
ياO حَبَّذاhow splendid تِلكَthat الإِجازةُauthorization إِنّهاindeed it
يا حَبَّذا تِلكَ الإِجازةُ إِنّها
شَرَفُhonor of المَجازِthe authorized transmitter فيin ذاthis الزَّمانِage وَفيand in غَدِtomorrow
شَرَفُ المَجازِ في ذا الزَّمانِ وَفي غَدِ
Oh, how splendid that authorization! It is
O how excellent that authorization is! It
The authorized transmitter’s honor, in this age and tomorrow.
Is the nobility of authorization in this time and in tomorrow.
قَدindeed أَلحَقَتنيit has linked me مِنّةa favor فيin نِسبَةٍa lineage
قَد أَلحَقَتني مِنّة في نِسبَةٍ
تَعلوrises عَلىabove الأَنسابِthe lineages مِثلَlike الفَرقَدِal-Farqad
تَعلو عَلى الأَنسابِ مِثلَ الفَرقَدِ
A favor has indeed linked me to a lineage
It conferred upon me a favor in lineage
That rises above other lineages like al-Farqad.
Lofty above lineages like Alfarqad.
تَسموrises علىabove نَسَبِdescent of الأُبوّةِfatherhood فيamong الوَرىhumankind
تَسمو على نَسَبِ الأُبوّةِ في الوَرى
لَوeven if كانَit were خَيرَthe best مُؤثّلٍfirmly rooted وَمؤطّدِand firmly established
لَو كانَ خَيرَ مُؤثّلٍ وَمؤطّدِ
It towers above paternal descent among humankind,
Exalted above the lineage of fatherhood in the world,
Even if that descent were the finest, firmly rooted and secured.
Even if it were the best adorned and affirmed.
بَدأتI began كَماas خَتَمتI ended أَخيmy brother بِمُحمَّدٍwith Muhammad
بَدأت كَما خَتَمت أَخي بِمُحمَّدٍ
وَمُحمَّدٌand Muhammad خَيرُthe best of الأنامِhumankind السيِّدِthe master
وَمُحمَّدٌ خَيرُ الأنامِ السيِّدِ
I began as I ended, my brother, with Muhammad,
I began as I concluded, my brother, with Muhammad,
And Muhammad is the master, the finest of humankind.
And Muhammad is the best of people, the master.
بَدَأتI began بِمَهديّwith the Mahdi of الزّمانِthe age محمَّدٍMuhammad
بَدَأت بِمَهديّ الزّمانِ محمَّدٍ
خَتَمتI ended بِخَيرِwith the best of الأَنبياءِthe prophets مُحمَّدِMuhammad
خَتَمت بِخَيرِ الأَنبياءِ مُحمَّدِ
I began with the Mahdi of the age, Muhammad,
I began with the Mahdi of the time, Muhammad,
I ended with the finest of the prophets, Muhammad.
I concluded with the best of prophets, Muhammad.
صَلّىmay He bless عَليهِhim وَسلَّمand grant peace اللَّهGod الرّحيstart of الرحيم: the Merciful
صَلّى عَليهِ وَسلَّم اللَّه الرّحي
مُcompletion of الرحيم: the Merciful مَدىthroughout الزَّمانِtime عَلىin التّواليsuccession السّرمَدِeverlasting
مُ مَدى الزَّمانِ عَلى التّوالي السّرمَدِ
May God, the Merciful, bless him and grant him peace,
May Allah send prayers upon him
Throughout all time, in everlasting succession,
For the duration of time in continuous eternity,
وَالآلand the family ثمّthen التابعينthe Followers وَصَحبِهِand his companions
وَالآل ثمّ التابعين وَصَحبِهِ
وَمِنِand whoever اِقتَدىfollowed the example بِهمْof them ومَنْand whoever قَدmay يَقتَديfollow
وَمِنِ اِقتَدى بِهمْ ومَنْ قَد يَقتَدي
And his family, then the Followers and his companions,
And on his family, then his followers, and his companions,
And whoever followed them, and whoever may yet follow,
And whoever follows them and whoever will follow.
ماas long as لاحَgleamed فَجرٌdawn أَوor تَبدّىappeared كَوكَبٌa star
ما لاحَ فَجرٌ أَو تَبدّى كَوكَبٌ
أَوor ماas long as اِنجلىcleared جُنحُwing of الظَّلامِdarkness الأَسودِblack
أَو ما اِنجلى جُنحُ الظَّلامِ الأَسودِ
As long as dawn gleams or a star appears,
For as long as dawn gleams or a planet appears,
Or as long as the wing of black darkness lifts,
Or the gloom of darkness disperses,
أَوor ماas long as اِبنُson of فَتحِFath اللَّهِAllah قيلَwas said لَهُto him اِبتَدِرhasten
أَو ما اِبنُ فَتحِ اللَّهِ قيلَ لَهُ اِبتَدِر
زاحِمْjostle بِمَنكِبكَwith your shoulder الثريّاthe Pleiades وَاِجهدِand strive
زاحِمْ بِمَنكِبكَ الثريّا وَاِجهدِ
Or as long as the son of Fath Allah is told, “Hasten:
Or the son of Fathallah is told "vie
Jostle the Pleiades with your shoulder, and strive!”
With your shoulder the Pleiades and strive!"