لاdo not تقلsay فيin الشرعthe sacred law معنىa meaning مضمرhidden
لا تقل في الشرع معنى مضمر
ليسnot إلاbut النورlight تحوىcontain الدررthe pearls
ليس إلا النور تحوى الدرر
Do not say the sacred law has a hidden meaning.
Do not imply any hidden meaning in the law
The pearls contain nothing but light.
Only light contains gems
جوهرa jewel أبدعwrought wonders فيهin it القادرthe All-Powerful
جوهر أبدع فيه القادر
جوهرjewel باطنهits interior والظاهرand the exterior
جوهر باطنه والظاهر
A jewel in which the All-Powerful wrought wonders,
An essence created by the All Powerful
jewel within and jewel without.
An essence with an inner and outer self
ليسis not علمknowledge of الحقthe Truth غيرother than الشرعةthe sacred law
ليس علم الحق غير الشرعة
ليسis not غيرother than الحبlove أصلthe root of السنةthe prophetic way
ليس غير الحب أصل السنة
Knowledge of the Truth is nothing but the sacred law;
There is no truth except the law
the root of the Sunnah is nothing but love.
There is no origin of tradition except love
شرعناour sacred law للفردfor the individual مرقاةa ladder to اليقينcertainty
شرعنا للفرد مرقاة اليقين
ترتقيyou ascend منهfrom it مقاماتthe stations of اليقينcertainty
ترتقي منه مقامات اليقين
For the individual, our sacred law is a ladder to certainty;
Our law provides the believer with a ladder of certainty
from it you climb the stations of certainty.
To ascend through stations of certainty
شرعةthe law of الحقthe Truth نظامthe order of الأممnations
شرعة الحق نظام الأمم
ومنand through النظمorder دوامthe endurance of الأممnations
ومن النظم دوام الأمم
The law of the Truth is the order of nations;
The law of truth is the system of nations
and through order comes the endurance of nations.
And from systems comes the continuity of nations
إنindeed فيهin it الأيدstrength ياO منyou who أخلصاhave been sincere
إن فيه الأيد يا من أخلصا
اليدthe hand البيضاءwhite فيهin it والعصاand the staff
اليد البيضاء فيه والعصا
There is strength in it, O you who are sincere;
In it lies aid, O sincere one
in it are the white hand and the staff.
The white hand within it and the staff
قامwas established للإسلامfor Islam بالشرعthrough the sacred law قوامa sustaining foundation
قام للإسلام بالشرع قوام
بدؤهits beginning الشرعthe sacred law وبالشرعand through the sacred law الختامthe culmination
بدؤه الشرع وبالشرع الختام
Through the sacred law, Islam's foundation was established;
It stood for Islam through the law
its beginning is the sacred law, and its culmination is through the sacred law.
Begun with law and ended with law
لكto you أبديI disclose نكتةa subtle point of الشرعthe sacred law المبينmanifest
لك أبدي نكتة الشرع المبين
أنتyou منone who فيin حكمةthe wisdom of الدينthe faith أمينis trustworthy
أنت من في حكمة الدين أمين
To you I disclose a subtle point of the manifest sacred law:
For you is an eternal subtlety of the clear law
you are one entrusted with the wisdom of the faith.
You who are trusted in the wisdom of religion
إنif يعارضopposes ذوone possessing عنادobstinacy مسلماa Muslim
إن يعارض ذو عناد مسلما
فيin أداءthe performance of النفلthe voluntary act ماwhich إنnot لزماwas obligatory
في أداء النفل ما إن لزما
If a stubborn person opposes a Muslim
If an obstinate opponent challenges a Muslim
in performing a voluntary act that was not obligatory,
In performing optional acts that become obligations
صارbecame هذاthis النفلvoluntary act فرضthe obligation of الأمةthe community
صار هذا النفل فرض الأمة
فالحياةfor life الحقtrue عينthe very essence of القدرةpower
فالحياة الحق عين القدرة
that voluntary act becomes the community's duty.
These optional acts become an obligation on the nation
For true life is power itself.
For life is the essence of destiny
وإذاand if جيشan army of عدوan enemy فيin الوغىbattle
وإذا جيش عدو في الوغى
تركabandoned الإعدادpreparation والسلمand peace بغىsought
ترك الإعداد والسلم بغى
And if an enemy army in battle
And if an enemy army wages war
abandons preparations and seeks peace,
He neglects preparation and seeks peace
وقضىand spent أوقاتهits time فيin الدعةease
وقضى أوقاته في الدعة
تاركاleaving aside للحربfor war أخذtaking up العدةequipment
تاركا للحرب أخذ العدة
and spends its time at ease,
And spends his time in leisure
neglecting to take up equipment for war,
Neglecting war and taking equipment
فحرامthen forbidden أخذهseizing it بالبغتةby surprise
فحرام أخذه بالبغتة
قبلbefore أنthat يأخذit takes up كلall الأهبةpreparations
قبل أن يأخذ كل الأهبة
it is forbidden to take it by surprise
It is forbidden to catch him off guard
before it has made every preparation.
Before taking all precautions
سرthe secret of هذاthis الأمرcommand ياO ذاpossessor of البصرinsight
سر هذا الأمر يا ذا البصر
الحياةlife العيشliving بينamid الخطرdanger
الحياة العيش بين الخطر
The secret of this command, O discerning one:
The secret of this matter, O wise one
life is living amid danger.
Life is living between danger
يتحداكit challenges you برضوىwith Radwa العاليهlofty
يتحداك برضوى العاليه
فيin امتحانa trial لقواكfor your powers العاتيةformidable
في امتحان لقواك العاتية
It challenges you with lofty Radwa,
It challenges you to please the Most High
in a trial of your formidable powers,
To test your raging powers
ويناديكand calls to you أنto اقصمbreak ظهرهاits back
ويناديك أن اقصم ظهرها
وبحدand with the edge of السيفthe sword فاصهرthen melt صخرهاits rock
وبحد السيف فاصهر صخرها
and calls to you: Break its back,
And calls on you to break its back
and with the sword's edge, melt its rock.
And with the sword melt its rock
ليسis not كفءa match for الليثthe lion فيin صولتهits onslaught
ليس كفء الليث في صولته
حملa lamb يرجفtrembles فيin ذلتهits abasement
حمل يرجف في ذلته
No match for a lion in its onslaught
The lion in his fierceness has no peer
is a lamb trembling in its abasement.
A trembling mule in its humiliation
إنif حكىimitates الصعوةthe sparrow صقرa falcon كاسرpredatory
إن حكى الصعوة صقر كاسر
فهوthen it كالصعوةlike the sparrow واهfeeble خائرfaint
فهو كالصعوة واه خائر
If a predatory falcon imitates a sparrow,
If a difficult situation is told by a triumphant falcon
it is, like the sparrow, feeble and faint.
It is like the difficulty - alas it has vanished
كتبwrote الشارعthe Lawgiver ربLord of الحكمةwisdom
كتب الشارع رب الحكمة
لكfor you هذاthis اللوحtablet لوحthe tablet of القدرةpower
لك هذا اللوح لوح القدرة
The Lawgiver, Lord of wisdom, has written
The Lawgiver, Lord of Wisdom
for you this tablet, the tablet of power.
Writes this tablet for you - the tablet of destiny
يشحذsharpens العزمresolve بنارwith the fire of العملaction
يشحذ العزم بنار العمل
ويرقيكand raises you لأعلىto the highest منزلstation
ويرقيك لأعلى منزل
It sharpens resolve with the fire of action
It sharpens resolve with the fire of action
and raises you to the highest station.
And takes you to the highest station
وإذاand when تلغبyou grow weary يعطيكgives you القوىstrength
وإذا تلغب يعطيك القوى
ويربىand nurtures منكfrom you طوداa mountain ماnot خوىcrumbled
ويربى منك طودا ما خوى
And when you grow weary, it gives you strength
And if you play around it gives you strength
and makes of you a mountain that never crumbles.
And nurtures in you an unconquerable towering mountain
إنindeed دينthe faith of المصطفىMustafa دينthe faith of الحياهlife
إن دين المصطفى دين الحياه
شرعهhis sacred law للناسfor people قانونthe law of الحياهlife
شرعه للناس قانون الحياه
The faith of Mustafa is the faith of life;
The religion of the Chosen One is the religion of life
his sacred law is the law of life for humankind.
Its law for people is the law of life
إنif تكنyou are أرضاearth يصيركmakes you السماءthe sky
إن تكن أرضا يصيرك السماء
ويربيكand nurtures you كماas الحقthe Truth يشاءwills
ويربيك كما الحق يشاء
If you are earth, it makes you sky,
If you are land it makes you sky
and nurtures you as the Truth wills.
And nurtures you as God wills
يصقلpolishes المرآةthe mirror منfrom صخرrock شديدhard
يصقل المرآة من صخر شديد
وينقىand cleanses الرينrust منfrom قلبthe heart of الحديدiron
وينقى الرين من قلب الحديد
It polishes hard rock into a mirror
It polishes a mirror from solid rock
and cleanses rust from the heart of iron.
And refines the echo from the heart of iron
ضيعforsook القومthe people شعارthe emblem of المصطفىMustafa
ضيع القوم شعار المصطفى
ضيعواthey lost رمزa symbol of بقاءsurvival عرفاwas known
ضيعوا رمز بقاء عرفا
The people have forsaken Mustafa's emblem;
The people lost the banner of the Chosen One
they have lost a well-known symbol of survival.
They lost the symbol of continuity they knew
ذلكthat الغصنbough العسىhardy المعتلىtowering
ذلك الغصن العسى المعتلى
مسلمthe Muslim of الصحراءthe desert ربmaster of الجملthe camel
مسلم الصحراء رب الجمل
That hardy, towering bough—
That strong branch, the staff of
the desert Muslim, master of the camel—
Muslim of the desert, Lord of the Camel
الذيwho البطحاءthe gravelly plain أزكتmade flourish غرسهhis sapling
الذي البطحاء أزكت غرسه
ورياحand the winds of البيدthe deserts ريتwatered نفسهhis soul
ورياح البيد ريت نفسه
whose sapling the gravelly plain made flourish,
Whom the plain made his planted seed vital
and whose soul the desert winds watered,
And the winds of destruction watered his soul
أذبلتهwithered him اليومtoday ريحthe wind of العجمthe Persians
أذبلته اليوم ريح العجم
صيرتهturned him into النايthe reed flute روحthe spirit of العجمthe Persians
صيرته الناي روح العجم
today the Persian wind has withered him;
Today the non-Arab wind weakened it
the Persian spirit has turned him into a reed flute.
And made it the flute of the non-Arab spirit
قاتلslayer of الآسادthe lions ذبحa slaughter victim الغنمthe sheep
قاتل الآساد ذبح الغنم
وطءthe tread of نملants مسهafflicted him بالألمwith pain
وطء نمل مسه بالألم
The slayer of lions has become a sheep for slaughter;
Killer of lions, slaughterer of sheep
the tread of ants has brought him pain.
An ant tread on it with pain
منhe who أذابmelted الصخرrock منthrough تكبيرهhis cry of 'God is greatest'
من أذاب الصخر من تكبيره
راعهfrightened him البلبلthe nightingale فيin تصفيرهits whistling
راعه البلبل في تصفيره
He who melted rock with his cry, 'God is greatest,'
He who melted rock with his exaltation
was frightened by the nightingale's whistling.
A warbler tended to his singing
منhe who علاascended الطودthe mountain سريعاswiftly مصعداclimbing upward
من علا الطود سريعا مصعدا
غلwas shackled بالتكلانby dependence رجلاa foot ويداand a hand
غل بالتكلان رجلا ويدا
He who swiftly climbed the mountain
He who ascended hills swiftly rising
was shackled, hand and foot, by dependence.
His feet and hands bound in chains
منhe whose برىhewed الأعناقnecks ضرباwith blows عضبهhis keen sword
من برى الأعناق ضربا عضبه
يلدمbeats الصدرthe breast ويدمىand makes bleed قلبهhis heart
يلدم الصدر ويدمى قلبه
He whose keen sword hewed necks with its blows
He whose severity severed necks
beats his breast and makes his heart bleed.
With his blow wounds the chest and heart
موقظawakener of الآفاقthe horizons منthrough خطواتهhis footsteps
موقظ الآفاق من خطواته
قيدتwere fettered رجلاهhis two legs فيin خلواتهhis solitary retreats
قيدت رجلاه في خلواته
He whose footsteps roused the horizons
Awakener of horizons with his steps
had his legs fettered in his solitary retreats.
His feet are bound in seclusion
منhe whose أطاعobeyed الناسthe people طراall أمرهhis command
من أطاع الناس طرا أمره
واجتدىand begged for داراDara وكسرىand Kisra برهhis bounty
واجتدى دارا وكسرى بره
He whose command all people obeyed,
He who obeyed people rejecting his order
and whose bounty Dara and Kisra begged for,
And founded a land and broke its expanse
رضىaccepted القنعcontentment with little وأكدىand proved barren جدهhis striving
رضى القنع وأكدى جده
وارتضىand accepted الكديةbeggary عزاas honor جدهhis striving
وارتضى الكدية عزا جده
settled for little, and his striving proved barren;
Content with sufficiency emphasizing his effort
and his striving embraced beggary as honor.
Choosing hardship glorying his effort
شيخناour shaykh أحمدAhmad ممنamong those who فيin قربهhis presence
شيخنا أحمد ممن في قربه
تكسبgains الشمسthe sun سناradiance منfrom قلبهhis heart
تكسب الشمس سنا من قلبه
Our shaykh Ahmad is one of those in whose presence
Our Shaykh Ahmad of those in whose nearness
the sun gains radiance from his heart.
The sun earns brilliance from his heart
قالsaid يوماone day طريدan exile فهمunderstanding
قال يوما طريد فهم
احذرنbeware ياO صاحfriend فكرthe thought of العجمthe Persians
احذرن يا صاح فكر العجم
One day an 'exile from understanding' said [wording unclear]:
He said one day frustrated
Beware, my friend, of Persian thought.
Beware O passionate one the thought of non-Arabs
فكرهمtheir thought إنif كانhad للنجمto the star ارتقىascended
فكرهم إن كان للنجم ارتقى
فهوthen it منfrom سنتناour prophetic way قدindeed مرقاhas departed
فهو من سنتنا قد مرقا
Even if their thought has risen to the stars,
If their thought ascended through the stars
it has departed from our Sunnah.
It has deviated from our way
ياO أخيmy brother فاسمعso listen لهذاto this الرشدright guidance
يا أخي فاسمع لهذا الرشد
استمعlisten to نصحthe counsel of الأمامthe imam المرشدthe guiding one
استمع نصح الأمام المرشد
O my brother, then heed this right guidance;
O brother hear this guidance
listen to the counsel of the guiding Imam.
Listen to the advice of the guiding Imam