قصيدة البُردة
الكواكب الدرية في مدح خير البرية — الإمام شرف الدين البوصيري (ت 696هـ)
أشهر قصائد المديح النبوي على الإطلاق، نظمها الإمام البوصيري رحمه الله بعد أن أصابه الفالج، فرأى النبي ﷺ في المنام يمسح على وجهه ويلقي عليه بردته، فقام وقد شُفي. سارت بها الركبان وشُرحت مئات الشروح وتُرجمت إلى لغات العالم.
Qaṣīdat al-Burda — Imam Sharaf ad-Dīn al-Būṣīrī
The most renowned poem of prophetic eulogy ever composed, it was penned by Imam al-Busiri, may Allah have mercy on him. He wrote it after being afflicted with paralysis, following a dream in which he saw the Prophet ﷺ stroking his face and casting his mantle upon him, whereupon he awoke completely cured. This poem has since traveled far and wide, inspiring hundreds of commentaries and being translated into numerous languages across the globe.
أمِنْ تذَكُّرِ جيرانٍ بذي سلمِ
مزجتَ دمعاً جرى من مقلةٍ بدمِIs it from the remembrance of neighbors dwelling in Dhi Salam that you have mingled tears, flowing from your eye, with blood?
أمْ هبَّتِ الريحُ من تلقاءِ كاظمةٍ
وأوْمَضَ البَرْقُ في الظلْماءِ مِنْ إضَمِOr did the wind blow from the direction of Kadhimah, and lightning flash in the deep darkness from Idham?
فما لعينيكَ إن قلتَ اكففا هَمَتا
ومَا لِقَلْبِك إنْ قُلْتَ اسْتَفِقْ يَهِمِWhat ails your eyes that they pour forth when you bid them cease, and what ails your heart that it yearns when you command it to awaken?
أَيَحْسَبُ الصَّبُّ أنَّ الحُبَّ مُنْكتِمٌ
ما بَيْنَ مُنْسَجِم منهُ ومضطَرِمِDoes the enamored one truly believe that love can be concealed, given the tears that flow from him and the fire that burns within?
لولاَ الهَوَى لَمْ تُرِقْ دَمْعاً عَلَى طَلَلٍ
ولا أرقتَ لذكرِ البانِ والعَلمِHad it not been for love, you would not have shed tears over desolate ruins, nor would you have been sleepless at the mention of the Ban tree or the mountain peak.
فكيفَ تُنْكِرُ حُبَّا بعدَ ما شَهِدَتْ
بهِ عليكَ عدولُ الدَّمْعِ والسَّقَمHow then can you deny a love, when the just witnesses of your tears and your sickness have testified against you?
وَأثْبَتَ الوجْدُ خَطَّيْ عَبْرَةٍ وضَنًى
مِثْلَ البَهارِ عَلَى خَدَّيْكَ والعَنَمِAnd passion has etched two lines of tears and emaciation upon your cheeks, resembling the yellow Bahar flower and the red Anam berries.
نعمْ سرى طيفُ من أهوى فأرقني
والحُبُّ يَعْتَرِضُ اللَّذاتِ بالأَلَمِIndeed, the phantom of my beloved visited me at night, keeping me sleepless, for love invariably interposes pain amidst all pleasures.
يا لائِمِي في الهَوَى العُذْرِيِّ مَعْذِرَةً
منِّي إليكَ ولو أنصفتَ لم تلُمِO you who blame me for my chaste love, I offer you my apology, though if you were truly fair, you would not find fault.
عَدَتْكَ حالِيَ لا سِرِّي بمُسْتَتِرٍ
عن الوُشاةِ ولادائي بمنحسمِMy state has become manifest to you; my secret is not hidden from the tale-bearers, nor is my malady curable.
مَحَّضَتْنِي النُّصْحَ لكِنْ لَسْتُ أَسْمَعُهُ
إنَّ المُحِبَّ عَن العُذَّالِ في صَمَمِYou offered me sincere counsel, yet I do not hear it, for indeed, the lover is deaf to the words of his censurers.
إني اتهمتُ نصيحَ الشيبِ في عذلٍ
والشَّيْبُ أَبْعَدُ في نُصْحٍ عَنِ التُّهَمI even suspected the counsel of old age when it reproached me, yet old age is the furthest from suspicion in its advice.
فإنَّ أمَّارَتي بالسوءِ مااتعظتْ
من جهلها بنذيرِ الشيبِ والهرمِFor my soul, which incites to evil, was not admonished, due to its ignorance of the warning brought by old age and decrepitude.
ولا أَعَدَّتْ مِنَ الفِعْلِ الجَمِيلِ قِرَى
ضيفٍ المَّ برأسي غير محتشمِNor did it prepare any hospitality of good deeds for the guest of old age that visited my head without shame.
لو كنت أعلم أني ما أوقره
كتمت سرا بدا لي منه بالكتمHad I known that I would not honor this guest, I would have concealed the secret of its arrival that became apparent to me.
من لي بِرَدِّ جماحٍ من غوايتها
كما يُرَدُّ جماحُ الخيلِ باللجمِWho can help me curb its wildness and delusion, just as the wildness of horses is curbed with reins?
فلا تَرُمْ بالمعاصِي كَسْرَ شَهْوَتِها
إنَّ الطعامَ يُقَوِّي شهوةَ النهمِTherefore, do not seek to break its desires through sins, for indeed, food only strengthens the appetite of the glutton.
والنفسُ كالطفلِ إن تهملهُ شَبَّ على
حُبِّ الرَّضاعِ وإنْ تَفْطِمْهُ يَنْفَطِمAnd the soul is like a child: if you neglect it, it will grow up loving to suckle, but if you wean it, it will be weaned.
فاصرفْ هواها وحاذرْ أنْ تُوَلِّيَهُ
إنَّ الهوى ما تولَّى يُصمِ أوْ يَصمِTherefore, turn away its desires and beware of giving it authority, for indeed, desire, once given authority, will either deafen or destroy.
وَراعِها وهيَ في الأعمالِ سائِمةٌ
وإنْ هِيَ اسْتَحْلَتِ المَرْعَى فلا تُسِمAnd tend to it while it grazes freely in deeds, but if it finds the pasture sweet, do not allow it to graze further.
كَمْ حَسَّنَتْ لَذَّةٍ لِلْمَرءِ قاتِلَةً
من حيثُ لم يدرِ أنَّ السُّمَّ في الدَّسَمِHow many a deadly pleasure has adorned itself for a person, who knew not that the poison lay hidden within its allure.
وَاخْشَ الدَّسائِسَ مِن جُوعٍ وَمِنْ شِبَع
فَرُبَّ مَخْمَصَةٍ شَرٌّ مِنَ التُّخَمِBeware of the insidious dangers lurking in both hunger and satiety, for often the perils of deprivation are more severe than those of overindulgence.
واسْتَفْرِغ الدَّمْعَ مِنْ عَيْنٍ قد امْتَلأتْ
مِنَ المَحارِمِ وَالْزَمْ حِمْيَةَ النَّدَمِLet tears flow profusely from an eye that has gazed upon forbidden things, and steadfastly observe the abstinence born of sincere regret.
وخالفِ النفسَّ والشيطانَ واعصهما
وإنْ هُما مَحَّضاكَ النُّصحَ فاتهمOppose your lower self and Satan, disobeying them both, and even if they offer you what seems to be sincere counsel, regard it with suspicion.
وَلا تُطِعْ منهما خَصْماً وَلا حَكمَاً
فأنْتَ تَعْرِفُ كيْدَ الخَصْمِ والحَكمِDo not obey either of them, neither as an adversary nor as a judge, for you are well aware of the cunning of both the opponent and the arbiter.
أسْتَغْفِرُ الله مِنْ قَوْلٍ بِلاَ عَمَلٍ
لقد نسبتُ به نسلاً لذي عقمِI seek Allah’s forgiveness for words unaccompanied by deeds, for by such I have ascribed progeny to one who is barren.
أمرتكَ الخيرَ لكنْ ماائتمرتُ بهِ
وما استقمتُ فماقولي لك استقمِI commanded you to do good, yet I did not heed my own counsel, nor did I remain steadfast, so how can I bid you to be upright?
ولا تَزَوَّدْتُ قبلَ المَوْتِ نافِلةً
ولَمْ أُصَلِّ سِوَى فَرْضٍ ولَمْ أَصُمِI did not gather any supererogatory provisions before death, nor did I perform any prayers beyond the obligatory, nor did I fast.
ظلمتُ سُنَّةَ منْ أحيا الظلامَ إلى
أنِ اشْتَكَتْ قَدَماهُ الضُّرَّ مِنْ وَرَمI have wronged the practice of him ﷺ who kept the nights alive in worship until his feet complained of pain from swelling.
وشدَّ مِنْ سَغَبٍ أحشاءهُ وَطَوَى
تحتَ الحجارةِ كشحاً مترفَ الأدمِAnd he ﷺ tightened his entrails from hunger, and beneath stones, he ﷺ bound a flank of soft skin, accustomed to ease.
وراودتهُ الجبالُ الُشُّمُّ من ذهبٍ
عن نفسهِ فأراها أيما شممِThe towering mountains of gold tempted him ﷺ regarding his soul, yet he ﷺ demonstrated to them the utmost nobility and disdain for worldly riches.
وأكَّدَتْ زُهْدَهُ فيها ضرورتهُ
إنَّ الضرورةَ لاتعدو على العصمِHis very need confirmed his asceticism towards them, for true necessity does not overcome those who are divinely protected.
وَكَيفَ تَدْعُو إلَى الدُّنيا ضَرُورَةُ مَنْ
لولاهُ لم تخرجِ الدنيا من العدمِAnd how could the necessity of him ﷺ ever incline him towards this world, without whom the world itself would not have emerged from non-existence?
محمدٌ سيدُّ الكونينِ والثَّقَلَيْنِ
والفريقينِ من عُربٍ ومن عجمِMuhammad ﷺ is the master of the two worlds, of jinn and mankind, and of the two peoples, Arabs and non-Arabs.
نبينَّا الآمرُ الناهي فلا أحدٌ
أبَرَّ في قَوْلِ «لا» مِنْهُ وَلا «نَعَمِ»Our Prophet ﷺ is the one who commands and forbids, and no one is more truthful in his pronouncements of "no" or "yes" than he ﷺ.
هُوَ الحَبيبُ الذي تُرْجَى شَفَاعَتُهُ
لِكلِّ هَوْلٍ مِنَ الأهوالِ مُقْتَحَمِHe ﷺ is the beloved whose intercession is sought for every terror among the dreadful calamities that must be confronted.
دعا إلى اللهِ فالمستمسكونَ بهِ
مستمسكونَ بحبلٍ غيرِ منفصمِHe ﷺ called to Allah, and those who hold fast to him ﷺ are indeed holding fast to an unbreakable rope.
فاقَ النبيينَ في خلْقٍ وفي خُلُقٍ
ولمْ يدانوهُ في علمٍ ولا كَرَمِHe ﷺ surpassed all prophets in both physical creation and noble character, and none could approach his ﷺ eminence in knowledge or generosity.
وكلهمْ من رسول اللهِ ملتمسٌ
غَرْفاً مِنَ البَحْرِ أوْ رَشْفاً مِنَ الدِّيَمِAnd all of them, the prophets, sought from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ a mere scoop from his ocean or a sip from his abundant rains.
وواقفونَ لديهِ عندَ حَدِّهمِ
من نقطةِ العلمِ أومنْ شكلةِ الحكمِAnd they stand before him ﷺ at their appointed limit, deriving from him ﷺ but a dot of knowledge or a single diacritical mark of wisdom.
فهْوَ الذي تَمَّ معناهُ وصُورَتُه
ثمَّ اصطفاهُ حبيباً بارىءُ النَّسمِHe ﷺ is the one whose essence and form were perfected, whom the Creator of souls then chose as His beloved.
مُنَّزَّهٌ عن شريكٍ في محاسنهِ
فَجَوْهَرُ الحُسْنِ فيهِ غيرُ مُنْقَسِمَHe ﷺ is purified from any partner in his virtues, for the very essence of beauty within him is indivisible.
دَعْ ما ادَّعَتْهُ النَّصارَى في نَبيِّهِمِ
وَاحكُمْ بما شِئْتَ مَدْحاً فيهِ واحْتَكِمِDisregard what the Christians claimed about their prophet, and then judge as you wish in his praise, and be decisive in your judgment.
وانْسُبْ إلى ذاتِهِ ما شِئْتَ مِنْ شَرَفٍ
وَانْسُبْ إلى قَدْرِهِ ما شِئْتَ منْ عِظَمِAttribute to his being ﷺ whatever honor you wish, and ascribe to his status whatever greatness you desire.
فإن فضلَ رسولِ اللهِ ليسَ لهُ
حَدٌّ فيُعْرِبَ عنه ناطِقٌ بفَمِFor the excellence of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has no limit that a speaker could articulate with his mouth.
لو ناسبتْ قدرهُ آياتهُ عظماً
أحيا اسمهُ حينَ يُدعى دارسَ الرِّممِIf his miracles matched his immense status, his very name, when invoked, would revive decayed bones.
لَمْ يَمْتَحِنَّا بما تعْمل العُقولُ بِهِ
حِرْصاً علينا فلمْ ولَمْ نَهَمِOut of solicitude for us, he ﷺ did not test us with matters that minds struggle to comprehend, thus we were neither confused nor bewildered.
أعيا الورى فهمُ معانهُ فليس يُرى
في القُرْبِ والبعدِ فيهِ غير منفحِمِThe understanding of his meanings exhausted all creation, so none is seen, whether near or far, but is overwhelmed by his essence.
كالشمسِ تظهرُ للعينينِ من بُعُدٍ
صَغِيرَةٍ وَتُكِلُّ الطَّرْفَ مِنْ أممٍHe ﷺ is like the sun, which appears small to the eyes from afar, yet tires the gaze when viewed up close.
وكيفَ يُدْرِكُ في الدُّنْيَا حَقِيقَتَهُ
قومٌ نيامٌ تسلَّوا عنهُ بالحُلُمِAnd how can people who are asleep, distracted from him ﷺ by dreams, ever grasp his true reality in this world?
فمبلغُ العلمِ فيهِ أنهُ بشرٌ
وأنهُ خيرُ خلقِ اللهِ كلهمِThe utmost extent of knowledge concerning him ﷺ is that he is a human being, and that he is the best of all Allah's creation.
وَكلُّ آيِ أَتَى الرُّسْلُ الكِرامُ بها
فإنما اتَّصلتْ من نورهِ بهمِAnd every sign that the noble messengers brought forth was, in truth, connected to them through his light ﷺ.
فإنهُ شمسٌ فضلٍ همْ كواكبها
يُظْهِرْنَ أَنْوارَها للناسِ في الظُلَمFor he ﷺ is the sun of excellence, and they are its stars, which reveal their lights to people amidst the darkness.
أكرمْ بخلقِ نبيٍّ زانهُ خُلُقٌ
بالحُسْنِ مُشْتَمِلٍ بالبِشْرِ مُتَّسِمِHow noble is the creation of a Prophet ﷺ adorned with such character, encompassing all beauty and marked by cheerfulness!
كالزَّهرِ في تَرَفٍ والبَدْرِ في شَرَفٍ
والبَحْر في كَرَمٍ والدهْرِ في هِمَمِHe ﷺ is like the flower in tenderness, the full moon in honor, the sea in generosity, and time itself in high resolve.
كأنهُ وهو فردٌ من جلالتهِ
في عَسْكَرٍ حينَ تَلْقاهُ وفي حَشَمِAs if he ﷺ, though alone, due to his majesty, appears to be amidst an army and retinue when one encounters him.
كَأَنَّما اللُّؤْلُؤُ المَكْنونُ في صَدَفِ
من معدني منطقٍ منهُ ومبتسمِIt is as if the hidden pearl within its shell emanates from the two mines of his speech ﷺ and his smile.
لا طِيبَ يَعْدِلُ تُرْباً ضَمَّ أَعْظُمَهُ
طُوبَى لِمُنْتَشِقٍ منهُ ومُلْتَئِمNo fragrance can equal the dust that embraced his bones ﷺ; blessed is he who inhales from it and clings to it.
أبان مولدهُ عن طيبِ عُنصرهِ
يا طِيبَ مُبْتَدَإٍ منه ومُخْتَتَمِHis birth ﷺ revealed the purity of his essence; O, how pure is his beginning and his end!
يومٌ تفرَّسَ فيهِ الفرسُ أنهمُ
قد أنذروا بحلولِ البؤسِ والنقمِIt was a day when the Persians foresaw that they had been warned of the advent of misery and vengeance.
وباتَ إيوانُ كسرى وهو منصدعٌ
كشملِ أصحابِ كسرى غيرَ ملتئمِThe Iwan of Khosrow spent that night cracked and shattered, much like the scattered assembly of his companions, never to be reunited.
والنَّارُ خامِدَةُ الأنفاس مِنْ أَسَفٍ
عليه والنَّهرُ ساهي العين من سدمِThe sacred fire, as if sighing in sorrow, lay extinguished over him, while the river, dull-eyed with grief, seemed to dry up.
وساء ساوة أن غاضتْ بحيرتها
ورُدَّ واردها بالغيظِ حين ظمىَSawa was distressed when its lake dried up, and those who came to drink were turned away in frustration, their thirst unquenched.
كأنَّ بالنارِ مابالماء من بللٍ
حُزْناً وبالماءِ ما بالنَّارِ من ضرمِIt was as if the fire, in its sorrow, possessed the dampness of water, and the water, in its grief, held the consuming blaze of fire.
والجنُّ تهتفُ والأنوار ساطعةٌ
والحَقُّ يَظْهَرُ مِنْ مَعْنىً ومِنْ كَلِمThe jinn were heard shouting, and brilliant lights shone forth, as the Truth began to manifest through both its profound meaning and its spoken words.
عَموُا وصمُّوا فإعلانُ البشائرِ لمْ
تُسْمَعْ وَبارِقَةُ الإِنْذارِ لَمْ تُشَمYet they were blind and deaf, so the announcement of glad tidings went unheard, and the flashing warning remained unperceived.
مِنْ بَعْدِ ما أَخْبَرَ الأقْوامَ كاهِنُهُمْ
بأَنَّ دينَهُمُ المُعْوَجَّ لَمْ يَقُمِThis was after their own soothsayers had informed the people that their crooked religion would no longer stand.
وبعدَ ما عاينوا في الأفقِ من شُهُبٍ
منقضةٍ وفقَ مافي الأرضِ من صنمِAnd after they had witnessed shooting stars in the horizon, falling in accordance with the idols being cast down on Earth.
حتى غدا عن طريقِ الوحيِ مُنهزمٌ
من الشياطينِ يقفو إثرَ منهزمِUntil, from the path of divine revelation, the devils were utterly routed, one fleeing in the wake of another.
كأَنُهُمْ هَرَباً أبطالُ أَبْرَهَةٍ
أوْ عَسْكَرٌ بالحَصَى مِنْ رَاحَتَيْهِ رُمِيIn their flight, they were like the heroes of Abraha, or an army pelted with pebbles from his ﷺ palms.
نَبْذاً بهِ بَعْدَ تَسْبِيحِ بِبَطْنِهما
نَبْذَ المُسَبِّحِ مِنْ أحشاءِ مُلْتَقِمِThey were cast out, after having glorified God within his ﷺ palms, just as the glorifier was cast from the entrails of the swallower.
جاءتْ لدَعْوَتِهِ الأشجارُ ساجِدَةً
تَمْشِي إليهِ عَلَى ساقٍ بِلا قَدَمِThe trees came to his ﷺ call, prostrating, walking towards him on their trunks without feet.
كأنَّما سَطَرَتْ سَطْراً لِمَا كَتَبَتْ
فروعها من بديعِ الخطِّ في اللقمِIt was as if their branches had inscribed a line of exquisite calligraphy upon the ground, marking their path.
مثلَ الغمامةِ أنىَسارَ سائرةٌ
تقيهِ حرَّ وطيسٍ للهجيرِ حميLike a cloud, it moved wherever he ﷺ walked, shielding him from the intense heat of the scorching midday sun.
أقسمتُ بالقمرِ المنشقِّ إنَّ لهُ
مِنْ قَلْبِهِ نِسْبَةً مَبْرُورَةَ القَسَمِI swear by the split moon, for it bears a relation to his ﷺ heart, an oath truly fulfilled.
ومَا حَوَى الغارُ مِنْ خَيْرٍ ومَنْ كَرَم
وكلُّ طرفٍ من الكفارِ عنه عميAnd what goodness and generosity the cave contained, yet every eye of the disbelievers was blind to it.
فالصدقُ في الغارِ والصديقُ لم يرِما
وَهُمْ يقولونَ ما بالغارِ مِنْ أَرمِThe Truth ﷺ and the Truthful One (Abu Bakr) remained steadfast in the cave, while the disbelievers declared that no one was within its confines.
ظَنُّوا الحَمامَ وظَنُّو العَنْكَبُوتَ على
خيْرِ البَرِيَّةِ لَمْ تَنْسُجْ ولمْ تَحُمThey thought the pigeons and the spider, over the best of creation, had neither woven nor hovered to protect him.
وقايةُ اللهِ أغنتْ عن مضاعفةٍ
من الدروعِ وعن عالٍ من الأطمِThe protection of God sufficed, rendering redundant any doubled shields or lofty fortresses.
ما سامني الدهرُ ضيماً واستجرتُ بهِ
إلاَّ استلمتُ الندى من خيرِ مُستلمِNever has time inflicted hardship upon me and I sought refuge in him ﷺ, but that I received generosity from the best of those in whom one seeks refuge.
لاتنكرُ الوحيَ من رؤياهُ إنَّ لهُ
قَلْباً إذا نامَتِ العَيْنانِ لَمْ يَنمِDo not deny the revelation that came through his ﷺ visions, for he possessed a heart that remained vigilant even when his eyes were closed in sleep.
وذاكَ حينَ بُلوغٍ مِنْ نُبُوَّتِهِ
فليسَ يُنْكَرُ فيهِ حالُ مُحْتَلِمِThis occurred at the very dawn of his ﷺ prophethood, so the state of one who dreams (in a worldly sense) cannot be attributed to his visions.
تَبَارَكَ الله ما وحْيٌ بمُكْتَسَبٍ
وَلا نَبِيٌّ عَلَى غَيْبٍ بِمُتَّهَمِBlessed be Allah, for revelation is not something acquired through effort, nor is a prophet ever to be suspected of falsehood concerning the unseen.
كَمْ أبْرَأَتْ وَصِبا باللَّمْسِ راحَتهُ
وأَطْلَقَتْ أرِباً مِنْ رِبْقَةِ اللَّمَمِHow many ailing individuals did his ﷺ blessed palm heal with a mere touch, and how many afflicted by madness did it release from their binding chains.
وأحْيَتِ السنَةَ الشَّهْبَاءَ دَعْوَتُهُ
حتى حَكَتْ غُرَّةً في الأَعْصُرِ الدُّهُمِHis ﷺ supplication revived the barren, drought-stricken year, until it shone like a radiant white blaze amidst the darkest ages.
بعارضٍ جادَ أو خلتَ البطاحَ بها
سيبٌ من اليَمِّ أو سيلٌ من العرمِWith a generous cloud, the valleys were so inundated that one might have thought them filled with a surge from the sea or a torrent from the dam of Al-Arem.
دعني ووصفي آياتٍ له ظهرتْ
ظهورَ نارِ القرى ليلاً على علمِAllow me to describe the manifest signs that appeared for him ﷺ, shining forth like the village fires seen at night upon a mountain peak.
فالدرُّ يزدادُ حُسناً وهو منتظمٌ
وليسَ ينقصُ قدراً غير منتظمِFor pearls increase in beauty when they are strung together, yet their inherent worth does not diminish when they are unstrung.
فما تَطاوَلُ آمالُ المَدِيحِ إلى
ما فيهِ مِنْ كَرَمِ الأَخْلاَقِ والشِّيَمِThus, the aspirations of praise fall short of encompassing the full extent of his ﷺ noble character and sublime dispositions.
آياتُ حقٍّ من الرحمنِ محدثةٌ
قَدِيمَةٌ صِفَةُ المَوْصوفِ بالقِدَمThese are signs of truth from the Most Merciful, newly revealed, yet they embody the ancient attribute of the One described as Eternal.
لم تقترنْ بزمانٍ وهي تخبرنا
عَن المعادِ وعَنْ عادٍ وعَنْ إرَمِThey are not bound by any specific time, yet they inform us of the Hereafter, and of the ancient peoples of 'Ad and Iram.
دامَتْ لَدَيْنا فَفاقَتْ كلَّ مُعْجِزَةٍ
مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ إذْ جاءتْ ولَمْ تَدُمِThey have endured with us, thus surpassing every miracle of previous prophets, which appeared but did not last.
مُحَكَّماتٌ فما تبقينَ من شبهٍ
لذي شقاقٍ وما تبغينَ من حكمِThey are decisive and clear, leaving no room for doubt for any disputant, nor do they seek any further judgment.
ما حُورِبَتْ قَطُّ إلاَّ عادَ مِنْ حَرَبٍ
أَعْدَى الأعادي إليها مُلقِيَ السَّلَمِNever were they ﷺ (or his message/Quran) fought against, but that the most hostile of enemies returned from battle, submitting in peace.
رَدَّتْ بلاغَتُها دَعْوى مُعارِضِها
ردَّ الغيور يدَ الجاني عن الحُرمِIts ﷺ eloquence repelled the claims of its opponents, just as a zealous protector wards off the hand of an aggressor from the sacred.
لها مَعانٍ كَمَوْجِ البَحْر في مَدَدٍ
وفَوْقَ جَوْهَرِهِ فِي الحُسْنِ والقِيَمِIts ﷺ meanings are as expansive as the waves of the sea, yet transcend the beauty and value of its very essence.
فما تُعَدُّ وَلا تُحْصَى عَجَائبُها
ولا تُسامُ عَلَى الإكثارِ بالسَّأَمِIts ﷺ wonders cannot be counted or enumerated, nor does it ever become tiresome despite frequent recitation.
قرَّتْ بها عينُ قاريها فقلت له
لقد ظفِرتَ بِحَبْلِ الله فاعْتَصِمِThe eye of its reciter finds solace in it, so I said to him, "You have indeed grasped the rope of Allah, so hold fast to it."
إنْ تَتْلُها خِيفَةً مِنْ حَرِّ نارِ لَظَى
أطْفَأْتَ نارَ لَظَى مِنْ وِرْدِها الشَّبمِIf you recite it out of fear of the scorching heat of Hellfire, you will extinguish the flames of Hell with its cooling recitation.
كأنها الحوضُ تبيضُّ الوجوه به
مِنَ العُصاةِ وقد جاءُوهُ كَالحُمَمِIt is as if it were the (Prophet's ﷺ) Basin of Kawthar, by which the faces of sinners, who approached it like blackened coals, are made radiant.
وَكالصِّراطِ وكالمِيزانِ مَعدِلَةً
فالقِسْطُ مِنْ غَيرها في الناس لَمْ يَقُمِHis justice is like the Straight Path and the Balance in its equity, for without it, righteousness among people would not be established.
لا تعْجَبَنْ لِحَسُودٍ راحَ يُنكِرُها
تَجاهُلاً وهْوَ عَينُ الحاذِقِ الفَهِمِDo not marvel at an envious one who proceeds to deny these virtues out of feigned ignorance, even though he is the very essence of the discerning and sagacious.
قد تنكرُ العينُ ضوء الشمسِ من رمدٍ
ويُنْكِرُ الفَمُّ طَعْمَ الماء منْ سَقَمIndeed, the eye may deny the sun's radiance due to an ailment, and the mouth may reject the taste of water because of sickness.
ياخيرَ من يَمَّمَ لعافونَ ساحتَهُ
سَعْياً وفَوْقَ مُتُونِ الأَيْنُقِ الرُّسُمِO best of those whose sacred precinct the seekers of bounty have journeyed towards, whether on foot or atop the backs of swift, branded she-camels.
وَمَنْ هُو الآيَةُ الكُبْرَى لِمُعْتَبِرٍ
وَمَنْ هُوَ النِّعْمَةُ العُظْمَى لِمُغْتَنِمِAnd who is the greatest sign for one who contemplates, and who is the most magnificent blessing for one who seeks to gain.
سريتَ من حرمٍ ليلاً إلى حرمِ
كما سرى البدرُ في داجٍ من الظلمِYou journeyed by night from one sacred sanctuary to another, just as the full moon traverses through the profoundest gloom.
وَبِتَّ تَرْقَى إلَى أنْ نِلْتَ مَنْزِلَةً
من قابِ قوسينِ لم تدركْ ولم ترمِAnd you continued to ascend through the night until you attained a station of "two bow-lengths" or nearer, a height neither reached nor even aspired to by any other.
وقدَّمتكَ جميعُ الأنبياءِ بها
والرُّسْلِ تَقْدِيمَ مَخْدُومٍ عَلَى خَدَمAnd all the Prophets and Messengers presented you forward in that ascent, a precedence accorded to a master over his servants.
وأنتَ تخترق السبعَ الطِّباقَ بهمْ
في مَوْكِبٍ كنْتَ فيهِ صاحِبَ العَلَمِAnd you pierced through the seven layered heavens with them, in a majestic procession where you were the bearer of the standard.
حتى إذا لَمْ تَدَعْ شَأْواً لمُسْتَبِقٍ
من الدنوِّ ولا مرقيً لمستنمِUntil you left no aspiration for any contender in closeness, nor any ascent for one seeking to climb higher.
خفضتَ كلَّ مقامٍ بالإضافة إذ
نُودِيتَ بالرَّفْعِ مِثْلَ المُفْرَدِ العَلَمYou diminished every other station by comparison when you were called to such an exalted rank, like a singular, distinguished banner.
كيما تفوزَ بوصلٍ أيِّ مستترٍ
عن العيونِ وسرٍّ أيِ مُكتتمِSo that you might achieve a union, however veiled from all eyes, and a secret, however profoundly concealed.
فَحُزْتَ كلَّ فَخَارٍ غيرَ مُشْتَرَكٍ
وجُزْتَ كلَّ مَقامٍ غيرَ مُزْدَحَمِThus, you acquired every glory that was uniquely yours, and you transcended every station that remained uncrowded.
وَجَلَّ مِقْدارُ ما وُلِّيتَ مِنْ رُتَبٍ
وعزَّ إدْراكُ ما أُولِيتَ مِنْ نِعَمِAnd magnificent was the measure of the ranks with which you were entrusted, and beyond comprehension were the blessings bestowed upon you.
بُشْرَى لَنا مَعْشَرَ الإسلامِ إنَّ لنا
من العنايةِ رُكناً غيرَمنهدمِGlad tidings for us, the community of Islam, for indeed we possess, through divine solicitude, an indestructible pillar.
لمَّا دعا الله داعينا لطاعتهِ
بأكرمِ الرُّسلِ كنَّا أكرمَ الأممِWhen Allah called our summoner (the Prophet ﷺ) to His obedience, through the noblest of Messengers, we became the most honored of nations.
راعتْ قلوبَ العدا أنباءُ بعثتهِ
كَنَبْأَةٍ أَجْفَلَتْ غَفْلاً مِنَ الغَنَمِThe tidings of his mission struck terror into the hearts of the enemies, like a sudden alarm that startles heedless sheep.
ما زالَ يلقاهمُ في كلِّ معتركٍ
حتى حَكَوْا بالقَنا لَحْماً على وضَمHe ﷺ continued to confront them in every battlefield, until they resembled, by the spears, meat laid upon a butcher's block.
ودوا الفرار فكادوا يغبطونَ بهِ
أشلاءَ شالتْ مع العقبانِ والرَّخمِThey yearned for escape and almost envied the scattered remains that were borne aloft by eagles and vultures.
تمضي الليالي ولا يدرونَ عدتها
ما لَمْ تَكُنْ مِنْ ليالِي الأَشْهُرِ الحُرُمِThe nights passed, and they knew not their count, unless they were among the nights of the sacred months.
كأنَّما الدِّينُ ضَيْفٌ حَلَّ سَاحَتَهُمْ
بِكلِّ قَرْمٍ إلَى لحْمِ العِدا قَرِمIt was as if the Religion itself, a guest, had found its abode in their midst, accompanied by every mighty warrior, fiercely eager for the flesh of their adversaries.
يَجُرُّ بَحْرَ خَمِيسٍ فوقَ سابِحَةٍ
يرمي بموجٍ من الأبطالِ ملتطمِHe ﷺ leads forth a sea-like army, mounted on swift steeds, casting forth waves of clashing heroes.
من كلِّ منتدبٍ لله محتسبٍ
يَسْطو بِمُسْتَأْصِلٍ لِلْكُفْرِ مُصطَلِمEach one is a champion dedicated to God, seeking His reward, who strikes with a weapon that uproots and utterly destroys disbelief.
حتَّى غَدَتْ مِلَّةُ الإسلام وهْيَ بِهِمْ
مِنْ بَعْدِ غُرْبَتِها مَوْصُولَةَ الرَّحِمUntil, through their efforts, the faith of Islam, after its period of estrangement, became firmly established and connected by ties of kinship.
مكفولةً أبداً منهم بخيرٍ أبٍ
وخير بعلٍ فلم تيتم ولم تئمِForever safeguarded by them, as if by the best of fathers and the best of husbands, it was neither orphaned nor left without a protector.
هُم الجِبالُ فَسَلْ عنهمْ مُصادِمَهُمْ
ماذا رأى مِنْهُمُ في كلِّ مُصطَدَمThey are like mountains, so inquire of their adversaries what they encountered from them in every clash of battle.
وسل حُنيناً وسل بدراً وسلْ أُحُداً
فُصُولَ حَتْفٍ لهُمْ أدْهَى مِنَ الوَخَمAnd ask Hunayn, and ask Badr, and ask Uhud, for they bear witness to chapters of doom that befell their foes, more dreadful than any pestilence.
المصدري البيضَ حُمراً بعدَ ما وردت
من العدا كلَّ مُسْوَّدٍ من اللممِThey are those who stained their white swords crimson after they had met every dark-haired foe from among the enemies.
وَالكاتِبِينَ بِسُمْرِ الخَطِّ مَا تَرَكَتْ
أقلامهمْ حرفَ جسمٍ غبرَ منعجمِAnd they are the scribes who, with their brown spears, wrote such a script that their pens left no part of a body unpierced.
شاكي السِّلاحِ لهم سيمى تميزهمْ
والوردُ يمتازُ بالسيمى عن السلمِHeavily armed, they possess a distinguishing mark, just as the rose is distinguished by its unique features from the acacia tree.
تُهدى إليكَ رياحُ النصرِ نشرهمُ
فتحسبُ الزَّهرَ في الأكمامِ كلَّ كميThe winds of victory carry their fragrance to you, making you perceive every warrior as a blossoming flower within its sheath.
كأنهمْ في ظهورِ الخيلِ نبتُ رُباً
مِنْ شِدَّةِ الحَزْمِ لاَ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الحُزُمUpon the backs of their horses, they appear as firmly rooted as plants on hills, by virtue of their unwavering resolve, not merely the strength of their saddles.
طارت قلوبُ العدا من بأسهمِ فرقاً
فما تُفَرِّقُ بين البهم والبُهمِThe hearts of their enemies fled in terror from their might, becoming so bewildered that they could not distinguish between the weak and the strong.
ومن تكنْ برسول الله نصرتُه
إن تلقهُ الأُسدُ في آجامها تجمِAnd whoever is granted victory by the Messenger of God ﷺ, should lions encounter him in their lairs, they would fall silent in awe.
ولن ترى من وليٍّ غير منتصرِ
بهِ ولا مِنْ عَدُوّ غَيْرَ مُنْقصمِAnd you shall never witness an ally of his ﷺ who is not victorious through him, nor an enemy who is not utterly vanquished.
أحلَّ أمَّتَهُ في حرزِ ملَّتهِ
كاللَّيْثِ حَلَّ مَعَ الأشبال في أجَمHe ﷺ settled his community securely within the sanctuary of his faith, just as a lion settles with its cubs in a dense thicket.
كمْ جدَّلَتْ كلماتُ اللهِ من جدلٍ
فيهِ وكم خَصَمَ البُرْهانُ مِنْ خَصِمِHow many disputes were settled by the words of God concerning him ﷺ, and how many adversaries were vanquished by clear proof!
كفاكَ بالعِلْمِ في الأُمِيِّ مُعْجِزَةً
في الجاهليةِ والتأديبِ في اليتمِSufficient for you as a miracle is the knowledge found in the illiterate Prophet ﷺ, amidst an era of ignorance, and his perfect discipline despite his orphanhood.
خَدَمْتُهُ بِمَديحٍ أسْتَقِيلُ بِهِ
ذُنُوبَ عُمْرٍ مَضَى في الشِّعْرِ والخِدَمI have served him ﷺ with this praise, through which I seek forgiveness for the sins of a lifetime spent in poetry and serving others.
إذ قلداني ما تُخشى عواقبهُ
كَأنَّني بهما هَدْيٌ مِنَ النَّعَمFor they (poetry and service) burdened me with consequences whose outcome I fear, as if, because of them, I am a sacrificial animal.
أطَعْتُ غَيَّ الصِّبَا في الحَالَتَيْنِ ومَا
حصلتُ إلاَّ على الآثامِ والندمِI yielded to the folly of youth in both its phases, and from it, I reaped naught but sins and remorse.
فياخسارةَ نفسٍ في تجارتها
لم تشترِ الدِّينَ بالدنيا ولم تَسُمِOh, what a profound loss for a soul in its worldly trade, for it neither purchased faith with the transient world nor even made an offer for it.
وَمَنْ يَبِعْ آجِلاً منهُ بِعاجِلِهِ
يَبِنْ لهُ الغَبْنُ في بَيْعِ وَفي سَلَمِAnd whoever trades his eternal hereafter for his fleeting worldly gain, the profound loss shall become evident to him in every transaction, be it immediate or deferred.
إنْ آتِ ذَنْباً فما عَهْدِي بِمُنْتَقِضٍ
مِنَ النبيِّ وَلا حَبْلِي بِمُنْصَرِمِShould I commit a sin, my covenant with the Prophet ﷺ remains unbroken, nor is my bond with him ever severed.
فإنَّ لي ذمةً منهُ بتسميتي
مُحمداً وَهُوَ الخَلْيقِ بالذِّمَمِIndeed, I hold a pledge of protection from him ﷺ by virtue of my name being Muhammad, and he ﷺ is truly the most deserving of upholding such covenants.
إنْ لَمْ يَكُن في مَعادِي آخِذاً بِيَدِي
فضلاً وإلا فقلْ يازَلَّةَ القدمِIf he ﷺ does not graciously take my hand on the Day of Return, then indeed, one might lament, "Oh, what a grievous stumble!"
حاشاهُ أنْ يحرمَ الرَّاجي مكارمهُ
أو يرجعَ الجارُ منهُ غيرَ محترمِFar be it from him ﷺ to deny his noble graces to one who hopes, or for a seeker of his protection to return without honor.
ومنذُ ألزمتُ أفكاري مدائحهُ
وَجَدْتُهُ لِخَلاصِي خيرَ مُلْتَزِمAnd ever since I committed my thoughts to his ﷺ praises, I have found him to be the most excellent guarantor for my salvation.
وَلَنْ يَفُوتَ الغِنى مِنْهُ يداً تَرِبَتْ
إنَّ الحَيا يُنْبِتُ الأزهارَ في الأكَمِAnd his ﷺ abundant generosity shall never fail to reach a hand that is impoverished, for indeed, the life-giving rain causes flowers to bloom even upon the hills.
وَلَمْ أُرِدْ زَهْرَةَ الدُّنْيا التي اقتطَفَتْ
يدا زُهيرٍ بما أثنى على هرمِI did not seek the fleeting blossom of this world, such as that which Zuhayr plucked by virtue of his praises for Haram.
يا أكرَمَ الخلق مالي مَنْ أَلُوذُ به
سِوَاكَ عندَ حلولِ الحادِثِ العَمِمِO most noble of creation, I have no one to whom I can turn for refuge but you ﷺ when widespread calamities descend upon us.
وَلَنْ يَضِيقَ رَسولَ الله جاهُكَ بي
إذا الكريمُ تَحَلَّى باسْمِ مُنْتَقِمِAnd your exalted station, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, shall not be constrained by my presence, even when the All-Generous Lord adorns Himself with the attribute of the Avenger.
فإنَّ من جُودِكَ الدنيا وَ ضَرَّتها
ومن علومكَ علمَ اللوحِ والقلمِFor from your ﷺ boundless generosity emanates both this world and the hereafter, and from your ﷺ profound knowledge springs the knowledge of the Preserved Tablet and the Pen.
يا نَفْسُ لا تَقْنَطِي مِنْ زَلَّةٍ عَظُمَتْ
إنَّ الكَبائرَ في الغُفرانِ كاللَّمَمِO my soul, do not despair over a sin, however great it may be, for indeed, in the vastness of divine forgiveness, even major transgressions are akin to minor faults.
لعلَّ رحمةَ ربي حين يقسمها
تأتي على حسب العصيانِ في القسمِPerhaps my Lord's mercy, when He distributes it, will be apportioned according to the measure of disobedience in its division.
ياربِّ واجعل رجائي غير منعكسٍ
لَدَيْكَ وَاجعَلْ حِسابِي غَيرَ مُنْخَزِمِO Lord, let my hope in You remain unthwarted, and let my reckoning be unimpaired.
والطفْ بعبدكَ في الدارينَِّ إن لهُ
صبراً متى تدعهُ الأهوالُ ينهزمِAnd be gentle with Your servant in both worlds, for his patience, when confronted by terrors, swiftly crumbles.
وائذنْ لِسُحْبِ صلاةٍ منكَ دائمةٍ
على النبيِّ بمنهلٍّ ومنسجمِAnd grant permission for clouds of perpetual blessings from You to descend upon the Prophet ﷺ, flowing abundantly and continuously.
ما رَنَّحَتْ عَذَباتِ البانِ ريحُ صَباً
وأطْرَبَ العِيسَ حادي العِيسِ بِالنَّغَمِAs long as the east wind sways the slender branches of the Ban tree, and the camel driver enchants the camels with his melodious song.