وجه العزم واسع خير المساعي — Mufti Fathallah

وَجِّهِ العَزمَ وَاِسعَ خَيرَ المَساعي

بِاِجتِهادٍ إِلى حِمى الأَوزاعي

Set your resolve and pursue the noblest endeavor,

with diligence toward the sanctuary of al-Awza‘i.

ثُمّ زُر بُقعةً لَقَد حَلَّ فيها

تَلقها الدّهرَ من أجلِّ البقاعِ

Then visit a place where he has dwelt;

you will ever find it among the noblest places.

الإِمامُ الجَليلُ في كُلّ وَقتٍ

نالَ لِلتابِعين حُسن اِتّباعِ

The venerable imam, at all times,

attained excellence in following the Successors.

الفَقيهُ المُحَدّثُ الفردُ حِفظاً

الصّدوقُ الثّبتُ البصيرُ الواعي

The jurist, the hadith scholar, unrivaled in memorization,

the truthful, reliable, discerning, perceptive one;

ثِقَةُ الدّهرِ حافِظٌ وَخَبير

مُتقِنٌ ضابِطٌ وَعالي السماعِ

his age’s trusted authority, a memorizer of traditions and an expert,

accomplished, precise, and eminent in oral transmission.

صاحِب المَذهَبِ الشّهيرِ اِشتِهارا

مِثل شَمسِ الضّحى بِدونِ نِزاعِ

Master of the renowned school, whose fame is

like the forenoon sun, beyond dispute.

قُطب غَوثٍ وَعارف قَد تَسامى

بَحر عِلمٍ وَلا اِمتِرا ذو اِتّساعِ

A spiritual pole of succor, and a mystic risen high,

an ocean of knowledge, without doubt, of vast expanse.

شاطِئ البحرِ رامَ فيهِ مقاماً

نالَ فيهِ المقامَ حُسنَ اِرتِفاعِ

On the seashore he sought a dwelling;

there he attained a station of noble elevation.

حِصنُ بَيروتَ سورُها العالِ لَولا

هُ لَآلَت إِلى الرَّدى وَالضّياعِ

Beirut’s fortress, its lofty wall—were it not for

him, it would have come to destruction and loss.

سَيِّدي مِنك نَظرة لِعُبَيدٍ

أَضجَعَتهُ الهُموم أيّ اِضّجاعِ

My master, a glance from you for a humble servant,

whom worries have laid low—utterly laid low.

قَد دَهاهُ مِنَ الخطوبِ مُلِمٌّ

بِكَ يَرجو لَه سريع اِندِفاعِ

Indeed, an affliction among calamities has befallen him;

through you he hopes for its swift removal.

وَتَبدّى عَبدُ اللَّطيفِ وَقيعاً

في حِماكَ السّامي وَخدنِ اِتّضاعِ

And ‘Abd al-Latif has appeared, stricken,

in your exalted sanctuary, a companion of humility.

فَاِنْصُرَنْهُ حاشاكَ مَولايَ حاشا

أَن يُرَى بِالمُضامِ أَو بِالمُضاعِ

So surely aid him—far be it from you, my lord, far be it,

that he should be seen wronged or forsaken.

وَعَلَيكَ الرِّضا رِضاء إِلَهي

يَتوالى الزّمانَ دونَ اِنقِطاعِ

And upon you be favor—the favor of my God,

continuing throughout time without interruption,

ما نَسيمٌ سَرى وَأَطرَبَ ورقٌ

فَوقَ غُصنٍ بِأَحسنِ الأَسجاعِ

as long as a breeze wafts and gray doves give delight

atop a bough with the loveliest rhyming calls.