I

t’s a warm evening in the small Senegalese village of Medina Baye.

Night prayers have just been completed, and the courtyard and
prayer hall of the mosque are filled with thousands of people
reciting the Qurʾān or poetry of the village’s founder, Shaykh Ibrāhīm
Niāsse, in praise of his eternal beloved, Sayyidinā Muḥammad n.
Others are pacing around the courtyard or sitting down peacefully in
the Rawḍah - where the founder and his family and closest companions
are buried - holding their prayer beads and reciting dhikr of Allāh or
ṣalawāt on the Prophet n, and the air is filled with an intangible and
electrical energy.

Every year during Rabīʿ al-Awwal, the Great Mosque of Medina

Baye is filled to the rafters as people gather to celebrate the Beloved of
God n. The entire village comes alive as the lovers of the Messenger n
arrive from all over the world to mark his blessed birth, and it’s always
a blessing to be amongst them. Then, all of a sudden, the atmosphere
is interrupted as a large white SUV arrives, and a majestically dressed
man is escorted from the passenger seat. Immediately, the crowds of
people in the courtyard of the mosque are drawn to him, and as the
hundreds of people clamour to catch a glimpse of him, he beams a
radiant smile towards the many lovers and admirers of the Prophet n
who love him due to their love for the Prophet n and what he was
about to do to remind them of him n. As he smiles, his pearly white
teeth beaming radiantly and contrasting beautifully with his richly
melanated skin, he proceeds into the mosque surrounded by a group

3
of people melodically reciting the Kalimah al-Tawḥīd “Lā ʾilāha illā-
Allāh.”

This man, is Shaykh Muḥammad al-Amīn Ibrāhīm Niāsse,

affectionately known as ‘Bābā’ - the Arabic term for father - to the
millions of followers of his father, Shaykh al-Islām Ibrāhīm Niāsse,
who was also called ‘Baye’, which means father as well, in his native
language of Wolof. This somewhat shared nickname does not only
reflect the status that the son has inherited from his father, but also the
fact that during the thirty-five years he spent with his father as a son
and student, he has also inherited his characteristics, his knowledge, his
spiritual prowess, and, and specifically his love for the Prophet
Muḥammad n, which is what Shaykh Ibrāhīm prayed for Shaykh
Muḥammad al-Amīn when, after writing him one of the highest ijāzāt
possible, he then wrote: “I entrust it to you as a commitment to serve
this religion and this path until we meet before Allāh and His
Messenger, peace be upon him.”

And then he expressed his love for the Beloved n and his hope that
his son would inherit this from him:

“And I am, as the poet said:

‫ أ� ِه ْ ُي بِدَ ْع ٍد َما َحيَّ ْي ُت َو� ْن أ� ُم ْت‬‎

‫إ‬
‫ك بِدَ ْع ٍد َم ْن يَ ِ ْ ُي بِ َا ب َ ْع ِد ْي‬
ْ ِ ‫ أ� َو‬‎
I am infatuated with a beloved as long as I live, and even if I die,
I entrust my beloved to one who is infatuated with them after me.”

This was a hope that was clearly actualised. This inheritance of the
prophetic love is more evidently manifest every year during Rabīʿ al-

4
Awwal, the month of the Prophet’s n birth, during which Shaykh
Muḥammad al-Amīn, just like his father did before him, will lead
thousands of people in recitation of the poetic praise in this book in
the mosque of his father during the first 11 nights of Rabīʿ al-Awwal,
and then at the annual Mawlid of Gamou on the 12th, which thousands
of people from America to Indonesia will attend. The collection of
poetry begins with the poem composed in praise of the Prophet n by
his uncle ʿAbbās, followed by the other poems written by the luminaries
of this Ummah such as Ḥassān Ibn Thābit, whose poetry was so
appreciated by the Prophet n that after having a minbar built for
himself from which he n would recite the sermon of Friday prayers
every week, he had another minbar in the Prophet’s n mosque just for
Ḥassān to recite his poems. It also contains extracts from the famous
Imām al-Buṣayrī; whose poem in praise of the Prophet n, the Qaṣīdah
al-Burdah, is the most recited poem in the history of mankind and
whose verses once decorated the Prophet’s n mosque and the inner &
outer chambers of his tomb/resting place, and culminates in the
beautifully composed poem of the Mauritanian scholar Muḥammadi
‘Baddī’ Ibn Sīdinā, congratulating the month of Rabīʿ al-Awwal and
detailing the special qualities and attributes of the month, and the one
who was sent to us n in this month as a mercy, guide, and intercessor
in that month.

This compilation is no stranger to the millions-wide community of

Shaykh Ibrāhim, which is spread all the way from his home in the
westernmost point of Africa in Senegal, through the Sahel, crossing
Gambia, Mali, Ghana, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and even up to the
easternmost point of Darfur and Dongola in Sudan. These poems are
also recited as far as America, India, Singapore, Malaysia, and even the
UK, where I became familiar with these poems and memorised them at

5
the feet of Shaykh Muḥammad al-Amīn’s younger brother, Shaykh
Muḥammad al-Makkī, who served as a teacher and father to me in my
formative years and continues to do so until today. He would travel
annually across various countries hosting these same types of gatherings
as his father and brothers before him, where he would recite this poetry
in praise of the Prophet n and elaborate on the details of his life and
Sīrah and characteristics to be able to further strengthen our connection
with him n.

So, this project; being able to compile, translate, and transliterate

this collection of prophetic praise poetry, is a project that is very deep
to my heart. I hope it can aid in spreading the love of the Prophet n
and continuing the legacy of my teachers who have exhausted their
lives in inspiring people to know and love the final Messenger n. I
hope this project can grant access to the thousands of people who
know and love these poems and recite them but are not fortunate
enough to have a mastery of the Arabic language to be able to grasp
some of the deep and beautiful meanings contained in these poems. I
have also included some footnotes to explain certain aspects of the
poem that might be unclear if we solely rely on the translation without
an explanation or commentary.

When Shaykh Ibrāhīm Niāsse wrote his first poem in praise of the
Prophet n, he said:

‫ح ِل َم ْن ثَنَا ُه �ل ٰـه ِْ�ي‬ ْ ِ ْ‫َك ْي َف َمد‬

‫إ‬
ِ‫ُم ْ َن ٌل ِف ْي ِه د ُْون َ َما � ْجَال‬
‫إ‬
Kayfa madḥī li-man thanāhu ilāhī
Munzalun fīhi dūnamā ijmāli

6
 How can I praise the one whom my God has praised,
In his revelation without limit or count?

ْ ِ ْ‫َك ْي َف َمد‬
‫ح ُم َح َّمدً ا َوه َُو ُر ْو ُح‬
َ َ ‫الْ َمدْ حِ أ� ْق ٰوى ُمدَّا ِح ٖه ِف‬
ِ‫كل‬
Kayfa madḥī Muḥammadan wa huwa rūhu
Ul-madḥi aqwā muddāḥihī fī kalāli
How can I praise Muḥammad, who is the soul of praise,
The strongest of those who praise him are unable to do so
adequately?

‫�يْ ِه ِف ْك ِر ْي َمدْ َح ْ َأال ِم ْ ِي َو َل تَ ْعـــ‬

‫إ‬
ِ‫َب ُق ُص ْو ًرا َع ْن د َْر ِك َذاكَ الْ َم َجال‬
Īhi fikrī madḥa al-Amīni wa lā taʿ
Bā quṣuran ʿan darki dhāka al-majāli
Oh thoughts of mine! Praise the Trustworthy One n (al-Amīn) and
do not burden yourself,
with considering your shortcomings in trying to accomplish your
objective in that field.

7
 ‫ك َبعَا‬ ِّ ُ ‫ص ْال‬
ُ َ ‫َك ْي َف � ْذ أ�ن َْت أ� ْق‬
‫إ‬
َ ْ ْ
ِ‫خَا ِمدُ ال ِفك ِر أ�ن َْت ُذ ْو � ْقلل‬
‫إ‬
Kayfa idh anta aqṣaru ul-kulli bāʿā
Khāmidu ul-fikri anta dhū iqlāli
How can you accomplish this, when you are the least accomplished in
learning compared to your peers,
mentally inactive and possessing so little?

‫َك ْي َف ٰل ِك ْن ه َْر َو ْل ت ََطفَّ ْل ل َ ُتلْ ٰفى‬

ِ‫ِ ْف ُ ُج ْوعِ الْ ُمدَّاحِ قَ ْب َل النَّ َوال‬
Kayfa lākin harwal taṭaffal la-tulfā
fī jumūʿi il-muddāḥi qabla an-nawāl
How can you? But, regardless, hurry and solicit what you are able to,
so that you can be counted amongst the other eulogists before they
are rewarded (for their efforts)

‫ُق ْم َوه َْر َو ْل َو ْاستَنْجِ دَ َّن َع ْو َن َر ْب‬

ِ‫ال ِن ْع َم الْ َع ْو ِن َم ْن ِذي الْ َج َلل‬
ِ ِ ‫َم‬
Qum wa harwal wa-astanjidanna ʿawn rabb
Māliki niʿma al-ʿawni man dhī il-jalāli
Stand up, and hasten, and seek help and assistance from your Lord,
The King, who is the Owner of Majesty and the Best source of
support.

8
 In presenting this effort to you all, I share the exact same sentiment.
Allāh has not blessed me yet with the ability to write my own poetry in
praise of the Prophet n, but I do hope that through serving the efforts
of those who have done so before me, I will be able to share in the
barakah and their rewards.

Most of all, I seek the sincere prayers of anyone and everyone who
comes across this work and benefits from it, specifically for the
attainment of sincerity, love, and taqwā, as that is the key to acceptance
of Allāh and all the goodness He prepares for His righteous servants in
this world and the next. May Allāh accept this effort as a humble
contribution to the Ummah and grant us all the ability to follow in the
footsteps of the Prophet Muḥammad n, the one whom we love and
adore more than anything in this world.

In conclusion, I would like to thank you for taking the time to read
this work, and I hope that it will benefit you in your journey towards a
deeper understanding and love for the Prophet n. May Allāh bless
you and your loved ones and grant you success in all your endeavours.
Ameen.

Your brother,

Mustafa Briggs

9
With Shaykh Muhammad al-Amin Niasse

10
With Shaykh Muhammad al-Makki Niasse

11
 ‫ا ألمداح النبوية املودلية‬
‫حسب ترتيب‬
a ‫العالمة �سيدي بدي بن �سيدينا التجاين‬
‫وعىل عادة‬
a ‫�شيخ الإسالم ال�شيخ �إبراهمي عبد ٰ ّالل نياس الكوخلي‬
‫وعنا به يف لياىل شهر ربيع ا ألول املباركة‬

The Prophetic Praise of the Mawlid Season

according to the preparation of Shaykh Baddī ibn Sīdīnā al-Tijānī
and according to the practice of our Shaykh,
The Shaykh of Islām, Shaykh Ibrāhīm ʿAbdullāh Niāsse al-Kawlākhī
May Allāh be pleased with him and with us through him
(which is recited) on the blessed Nights of Rabīʿ al-Awwal

Translated and Transliterated by Mustafa Briggs

Edited by Ali Hussain
 

ِ ّ ٰ ِ‫الس َل ُم عَ ٰل َر ُس ْول‬
‫الل‬ َّ ‫َالْ َح ْمدُ ِ ٰ ّ ِل َو‬
َّ ‫الص َل ُة َو‬
Bismillāhi ir-Raḥmāni ir-Raḥīm
Alḥamdulillāh wa aṣ-ṣalātu wa as-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh
In the name of Allāh, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allāh, and Blessings and peace be upon the
Messenger of Allāh

ʿAbbās ibn ʿAbdul Muṭṭalib1 a said:

‫الظ َللِ َو ِ ْف‬ِّ ‫ِم ْن قَـ ْب ِلهَا ِط ْب َت ِف‬

‫ُمـ� ْس َت ْو َدعٍ َحـ ْي ُث ُ ْي َـص ُف الْ َو َر ُق‬
Min qablihā ṭibta fī iẓ-ẓilāli wa fī
mustawdaʿin ḥaythu yukhṣafu ul-waraqu
Before this age, you were comfortable in the shadows,
and in a place where leaves were gathered.2

1
The Uncle and companion of the Prophet n.
2
The place where leaves were collected is a reference to Paradise, and the fact Ādam q
was carrying the light of the Prophet n with him in Paradise since he was destined to be his
ancestor. “Thus he [Satan] lured them on through deception. And when they tasted of the
tree, their nakedness was exposed to them, and they began to gather together the leaves of
the Garden to cover themselves. And their Lord called out to them, “Did I not forbid you
from that tree, and tell you that Satan is a manifest enemy unto you?” [Qurʾān 7:22]

15
 ٌ َ َ ‫ُ َّث هَـ َب ْط َت الْــب َِل َد َل ب‬
‫ـش‬
‫أ�ن َْت َو َل ُمضْ َغ ٌة َو َل َعـلَ ُق‬
Thumma habaṭta al-bilāda lā basharun
Anta wa lā muḍghatun wa lā ʿalaqu
Then, you descended upon the land but you were not yet a man,
nor a piece of flesh, nor (even) a blood clot.

ْ‫الس ِف ْ َي َوقَد‬
َّ ‫ـب‬ ُ ‫ُم َطه ًَّرا ت َْـر َك‬
‫سا َو أ�ه َ ْٗل الْـغ ََر ُق‬
ً ْ َ ‫أ�لْـ َج َم ن‬
Muṭahharan tarkabu us-safīna wa-qad
aljama nasran wa ahlahū ul-gharqu
Purified, you boarded the Ark when,
Nasr was destroyed and its people were drowned.
3

3
‘Nasr’ is the name of one of the principal idols that was worshiped by the people of Prophet
Nūḥ, who was an ancestor of the Prophet Muḥammad n and therefore carried his light.
The Qurʾān references when the people of Prophet Nūḥ refused to abandon the worship of
Nasr, as mentioned in the Qurʾān: “Do not abandon your idols—especially Wadd, Suwāʿa,
Yaghūth, Yaʿūq, and Nasr.” [Qurʾān 71:23], and so they were drowned due to this, but
Prophet Nūḥ, who was an ancestor of the Prophet Muḥammad n was safe in the Ark, and
carrying the light of the Prophet Muḥammad n with him.

16
 ‫َو َرد َْت نَ َر الْخَـ ِل ْي ِل ُم ْكـ َت َت ًما‬
‫َ ُت ْـو ُل ِفيْ َا َولَ ْـس َت َ ْت َ ِـت ُق‬
Waradta nāra al-Khalīli muktataman
tajūlu fīhā wa lasta taḥtariqu
You were cast into the Fire of the Intimate Friend4, being hidden,
You turned about therein, but you didn’t burn.

‫تُـ ْن َق ُل ِم ْن َصـا ِل ٍب � ٰل َر ِحـ ٍم‬

‫إ‬
‫إ� َذا َم ٰض َعـــالَـ ٌم بَدَ ا َطــ َب ُق‬
Tunqalu min ṣālibin ilā raḥimin
Idhā maḍā ʿālamun badā ṭabaqu
You were continuously transferred from loin to womb,
when one world passed, another era began.

4
Prophet Ibrāhīm q who was also an ancestor of the Prophet Muḥammad n and
therefore carrying his light when he was thrown into the fire.

17
 ‫َح ٰ ّت ْاحـ َت ٰوى بَيْ ُت َك الْ ُمهَ ْي ِم ُن ِم ْن‬
‫ِخ ْن ِد َف َعـلْ َي� آ َء َ ْتـتَ َا النُّ ُط ُق‬
Ḥattā-aḥtawā baytuka al-muhayminu min
khindifa ʿalyāʾa taḥtahā an-nuṭuqu
Then, the Observing Guardian drew your blessed lineage
from Khindif,5
The high peak that was exalted above the mountain peaks.

‫َو أ�ن َْت لَ َّما ُو ِ ْل َت أ� ْش َـرقَ ِت الْـ�أ ْر ُض‬

‫ـــاء ْت بِـ ُن ْو ِركَ ْ ُأالفُ ُـق‬
َ َ‫َوض‬
Wa anta lammā wulidta ashraqati il-ar
ḍu wa ḍāʾat bi-nūrika al-ufuqu
And when you were born, the earth brightened,
And the horizon lit up with your light.6

5
This passage refers to Prophet Muḥammad’s n lineage tracing back to Ibrāhīm through
his son Ismāʿīl, marking the settling of the Abrahamic lineage in the Arabian Peninsula.
The Prophet Muḥammad n is the son of ʿAbdullāh, who is the son of ʿAbdul Muṭṭalib
(Shaybah), son of Hāshim (ʿAmr), son of ʿAbd Manāf (al-Mughīrah), son of Quṣayy
(Zayd), son of Kilāb, son of Murrah; the lineage continues through Kaʿb, Luʾay, Ghālib,
Fihr, Mālik, al-Naḍr, Kinānah, Khuzaymah, and Mudrikah, whose name was ʿĀmir who
was the son of Ilyās, and a woman named Khindif, from the Quḍāʿah tribe, who married
this descendant of Ibrāhīm and Ismāʿīl.
6
On the night he was born, it was reported that an immense light immersed from the
Prophet’s n mother, Āminah and this light emanated from her so intensely that it lit up
the entire house. [Ibn Ḥajar in Fatḥ Al-Bārī] It is also mentioned she could see the castles
and palaces of Busra in Syria due to this light [Ibn Isḥāq].

18
 ‫الض َي� آ ِء َو ِف النُّ ْو ِر‬
ِّ َ‫فنَ ْح ُـن ِ ْف َذاك‬
‫الـر َشا ِد َ ْن َ ِـت ُق‬
َّ ‫َو ُسـ ُب َل‬
Fa naḥnu fī dhāka aḍ-ḍiyāʾi wa fī nū-ri
wa subula ar-rashādi nakhtariqu
And so now we are in that illumination and radiance,
Journeying along the path of guidance.

َ ُ‫َال ٰل ّهُ َّم �إنَّ ن َ ْـس�أل‬

‫ـك ِ َبـا ِه الْ َم ْمدُ ْوحِ ِع ْندَ كَ َوالْ َما ِدحِ أ� ْن تُـ َع ِّظ َم َح َّـظنَا ِم ْن ٰذ ِ َل النُّ ِور‬
‫الض َي� آ ِء‬
ِّ ‫َو‬
َّ ‫َو أ� ْن تَـهْ ِديْنَا � ٰإل َسـ ِب ْي ِل‬
‫الـر َشا ِد‬
Allāhumma innā nasʾaluka bi-jāhi il-mamdūḥi ʿindaka wa
al-mādiḥi an tuʿaẓẓima ḥaẓẓanā min dhālika an-nūri wa aḍ-ḍiyāʾ
Wa an tahdīnā ilā sabīli ir-rashād
Oh Allāh, I sincerely request you, through the esteemed status of the
one praised in your presence and the one who praised him7, to
increase our share of that light and radiance, and to guide us along the
righteous path.

7
This poem was written by ʿAbbās, the uncle of the Prophet n, as narrated by al-Ṭabarānī,
al-Bazzār, and Ibn ʿAbdi il-Barr in Al-Istiʿāb and Ibn al-Qayyim in Zād al-Maʿād. He is
asking due to his status, as well as the status of the Prophet n, as Anas ibn Mālik reported:
“If a drought became threatening, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, may Allāh be pleased with him,
would ask Al-ʿAbbās ibn ʿAbdul Muṭṭalib to supplicate for Allāh to send rain. ʿUmar would
say, “O Allāh, we used to ask our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to supplicate
for rain and You would bless us with rain. Now we ask the uncle of our Prophet to
supplicate for rain, so bless us with rain.” And so it would rain. [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī #1010]

19
 Lisān ad-Dīn Ibn al-Khaṭīb8 said:

‫َي ُم ْص َط ًفى ِم ْن قَ ْب ِل ن َ ْش�أ ِة � آ َد ٍم‬

‫َو ْال َك ْو ُن لَ ْم تُ ْفتَ ْح َ ٗل أ� ْغ َل ُق‬
Yā Muṣṭafān min qabli nashʾati Ādamin
Wa al-kawnu lam tuftaḥ lahū aghlāqu
O Chosen One, before the creation of Adam,
when the locks of the existence of universe had not yet been opened.

‫أ�يَ ُر ْو ُم َم ْخلُ ْو ٌق ثَنَ� آ َءكَ ب َ ْعدَ َما‬

‫أ�ثْ ٰن عَ ٰل أ�خ َْل ِق َك الْخ ََّل ُق‬
A-yarūmu makhlūqun thanāʾaka baʿda mā
Athnā ʿalā akhlāqika al-Khallāqu
How would any creature be able to praise you after,
The Creator Himself has already praised your character.

8
(16 November 1313-1374) an Arab Andalusi polymath, poet, writer, historian,
philosopher, physician and politician from Emirate of Granada in Spain

20
 ‫َال ٰل ّهُ َّم َص ِ ّل عَىل َ�س ِ ّي ِدنَ ُم َح َّم ٍد ال َفا ِت ِح ِل َما أ� ْغ ِل َق‬
‫ص الْ َح ّ ِق ِبلْ َح َ ِق‬ ِ ِ ‫َو الْخ‬
ِ ِ َ‫َات ِل َما َ�س َب َق ن‬
‫صا ِط َك الْ ُم� ْس َت ِق ِمي‬َ ِ ‫َو الْهَا ِدي � َىل‬
‫إ‬
‫َو عَ َل � آ ِ ِل َح َّق قَدْ ِر ِه و ِم ْقدَ ِار ِه ال َع ِظ ِمي‬
Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā Sayyidinā Muḥammad al-Fātiḥi limā ughliqa
wa al-Khātimi limā sabaqa Nāṣiri il-ḥaqqi bi-il-ḥaqqi
wa al-Hādī ilā ṣirāṭika al-mustaqīm
wa ʿalā ālihī ḥaqqa qadrihī wa miqdārihī il-ʿaẓīm
O Allāh, send blessings upon our master Muḥammad, the Opener of
what was closed and the Seal of what came before, the Supporter of
truth with truth, and the Guide to Your straight path, and upon his
family according to the extent of his immense status and measure.

21
 Ḥassān ibn Thābit9 a said:

‫َم ٰت ي َ ْبدُ ِف ادلَّ اجِ الْبَ ِ ْ ِي َج ِب ْي ُن ٗه‬

‫يَلْ ُح ِمثْ َل ِم ْص َباحِ ادلُّ ٰج الْ ُم َت َو ِقّ ِد‬
Matā yabdu fī id-dājī il-bahīmi jabīnuhū
yalḥu mithla miṣbāḥi id-dujjā al-mutawaqqidi
When his face appears in the pitch black darkness,
it is visible like a lit lamp in the twilight.

‫فَ َم ْن َك َن أ� ْو َم ْن َذا يَ ُك ْو ُن َ َأك ْ َح ٍد‬

‫ِن َظا ًما ِل َح ّ ٍق أ� ْو نَ َك ًل ِل ُملْ ِح ِد‬
faman kāna aw man dhā yakūnu ka-Aḥmadin
niẓāman li-ḥaqqin aw nakālan li-mulḥidi
And who was or who could be like Aḥmad,
establishing the truth and punishing the unbelievers.

9
A companion of the Prophet Muḥammad n.

22
 ٌ ِ ‫أ�غَ ُّر عَلَ ْي ِه ِبلنُّ ُب َّو ِة خ‬
‫َات‬
ُ‫الل بُ ْره ٌَان يَلُ ْو ُح َوي َْشهَد‬ِ ّ ٰ ‫ِم َن‬
Agharru ʿalayhi bi in-nubuwwati khātimun
mina-Allāhi burhānun yalūḥu wa yashhadu
He was distinguished with the seal of prophecy,
a clear and witnessed proof from Allāh.

ِ ْ ‫اس النَّ ِ ِ ّب � ٰل‬

‫اس ٖه‬ َ ْ ‫ض ْال ٰ ُل‬ َّ َ ‫َو‬
‫إ‬ ‫ِإ‬
ُ‫� َذا قَا َل ِف الْ َخ ْم ِس الْ ُم َؤ ِ ّذ ُن أ� ْشهَد‬
‫إ‬
Wa ḍamma al-ilāhu-usma an-nabīyi ilā-asmihī
Idhā qāla fī il-khamsi il-muʾadhinu ashhadu
And God added the name of the Prophet to His own name,
All of the five times that the caller to prayer says “I witness”.

23
 ‫َو َش َّق َ ٗل ِم ْن � ْ ِس ٖه ِل ُيجِ َّ ُل‬
‫إ‬
ُ‫فَ ُذو الْ َع ْر ِش َم ْح ُمو ٌد َوه َٰذا ُم َح َّمد‬
Wa shaqqa lahū min ismihī li-yujillahū
Fa-dhū ul-ʿarshi maḥmūdun wa hādhā Muḥammadu
And He extracted his name from His own name to venerate him,
As the Owner of the Throne is praised, and this is Muḥammad
(The Most Praised).

ʿAbdullāh ibn Rawāḥa10 a said:

‫َ ْت ِد ْي ِب ٖه النَّاقَ ُة ْ َأال ْد َم� آ ُء ُم ْع َتجِ ًرا‬

ُّ ‫ِبلْ ُ ْب ِد َكلْ َبدْ ِر َج ٰ ّل ل َ ْي َ َل‬
‫الظ َ ِل‬
Takhadī bihī in-nāqatu ul-admāʾu muʿtajiran
Bi il-burdi ka al-badri jallā laylata aẓ-ẓulmi
The brown she-camel submitted to him,
And in his mantle, he shone like the full moon on a dark night.

10
A companion of the Prophet Muḥammad n.

24
 ‫َو ِ ْف َع َطا ِف ْي ِه أ� ْو أ�ثْنَا ِء بُ ْر َد ِت ٖه‬
‫الل ِم ْن َخ ٍري َو ِم ْن َك َر ِم‬ ُ ّ ٰ ‫َما ي َ ْع َ ِل‬
Wa fī ʿaṭāfīhi aw athnāʾi burdatihī
Mā yaʿlami-illāhu min khayrin wa min karami
Between his two cloaks, or below his shawl,
was such goodness and nobility that only Allāh knows.

Kaʿb ibn Zuhayr11 a said:

‫� َّن َّالر ُس ْو َل ل َ َ�س ْي ٌف يُ� ْس َتضَ � آ ُء ِب ٖه‬

‫إ‬
ُ‫الل َم ْسلُ ْول‬ ِ ّ ٰ ‫ُمهَنَّ ٌد ِم ْن � ُس ُي ْو ِف‬
Inna ar-Rasūla la-sayfun yustaḍāaʾu bihī
muhannadun min suyufi-illāḥi maslūlu
Indeed, the Messenger is a sword through which we are illuminated
An unsheathed Indian blade, among the swords of Allāh.12

11
A companion of the Prophet Muḥammad n.
12
Indian swords in ancient Arabia were seen as the highest quality and most sought-after
swords.

25
 Abū Ṭālib 13 said:

‫َو أ�بْ َي ُض ي ُْست َ ْس َق ٰى الْ َغ َما ُم ب َِو ْ ِج ٖه‬

‫ِث َم ُال الْ َي َتا ٰمى ِع ْص َم ٌة ِل ْ َأل َرا ِم ِل‬
Wa abyaḍu yustasqī il-ghamāmu bi-wajhihī
thimālu ul-yatāmā ʿiṣmatun li il-arāmili
And he is radiantly fair-skinned, and they sought rain from the clouds
through his face14,
A protector for the orphans, a shelter for the widows.

ٍ ِ ‫يَلُ ْو ُذ ِب ٖه الْه َُّلكُ ِم ْن �آلِ ه‬

‫َاش‬
‫فَه ُْم ِع ْندَ ُه ِ ْف ِن ْع َم ٍة َوفَ َو ِاض ِل‬
Yalūdhū bihī il-hullāku min āli Hāshimin
fa-hum ʿindahū fī niʿmatin wa fawāḍili
The destitute from the family of Hāshim seek refuge in him,
For they are with him in blessings and virtues

13
The paternal uncle of the Prophet Muḥammad n who raised him from the age of eight or
ten years old.
14
Abū Ṭālib alluded in this poem to what used to happen since the time of ʿAbdul Muṭṭalib
in the Prophet’s n youth; that when the Prophet n prayed for rain for the Quraysh and
looked up into the sky, it would start raining. Ibn ʿUmar said, “Sometimes I would recall
the words of the poet while I was looking at the face of the Messenger of Allāh, peace be
upon him, on the pulpit praying for rain, and he would not descend until every gutter
flowed, and I remember the poet saying: “And he is radiantly fair-skinned, and they sought

26
 Imām Muḥammad ibn Saʿīd al-Būṣayrī 15said:

‫شيْ ٍك ِ ْف َم َحا�سِ ِن ٖه‬ ِ َ ‫ُم َ َّن ٌه َع ْن‬

‫فَ َج ْوه َُر الْ ُح ْس ِن ِف ْي ِه غَ ْ ُي ُم ْن َق ِس ِم‬
Munazzahin ʿan sharīkin fī maḥāsinihī
Fa jawharu ul-ḥusni fīhi ghayru munqasimi
He is free from a partner in his beautiful qualities,
The very pearl of innate beauty is undivided in him.

‫َد ْع َما ا َّد َع ْت ُه النَّ َص ٰارى ِ ْف ن َ ِب ِ ّ ِي ِم‬

‫َو ْاح ُ ْك ِب َما ِشئْ َت َمدْ ًحا ِف ْي ِه َو ْاحتَ ِ ِك‬
Daʿ mā-addaʿathu un-Naṣārā fī nabiyyihimi
wa-aḥkum bi-mā shiʾta madḥan fīhī wa-aḥtakimi
Leave what the Christians claim about their prophet,
Then say in his praise what you will, but wisely!

rain from the clouds through his face. A protector for the orphans, a shelter for the
widows.” This is the saying of Abū Ṭālib.” [Musnad Aḥmad]
15
Imām al-Buṣayrī (1212–1294) was a Sanhaji Berber poet from Egypt. His magnum opus,
the Qaṣīdah al-Burdah (‘Poem of the Mantle’), in praise of Prophet Muḥammad n, from
which this excerpt is extracted, is one of the most popular poems praising the Prophet n,
and is the most recited poem in the world.

27
 ‫ش ٍف‬ َ َ ‫َوان ْ ُس ْب � ٰل َذا ِت ٖه َما ِشئْ َت ِم ْن‬
‫إ‬
‫َوان ْ ُس ْب � ٰل قَدْ ِرهٖ َما ِشئْ َت ِم ْن ِع َظ ِم‬
‫إ‬
Wa-ansub ilā dhātihī mā shiʾta min sharafin
Wa-ansub ilā qadrihī mā shiʾta min ʿiẓami
Attribute to his essence whatever nobility you wish,
And attribute to his greatness whatever you desire

‫الل لَيْ َس َ ٗل‬ ِ ّ ٰ ِ‫فَ� َّن فَضْ َل َر ُس ْول‬

‫إ‬
‫َح ٌّد فَ ُي ْع ِر َب َع ْن ُه نَ ِطقٌ ِب َف ِم‬
Fa-inna faḍla Rasūli-illāhi laysa lahū
ḥaddun fayuʿriba ʿanhu nāṭiqun bi-fami
For the excellence of the Messenger of Allāh has no limit,
That could be expressed by a human mouth.

28
 ‫ل َ ْو نَ َسبَ ْت قَدْ َر ٗه � آ َيتُ ٗه ِع َظ ًما‬
‫اس ٗه ِح ْ َي يُدْ عٰى د َِار َس ّ ِالر َم ِم‬ ُ ْ ‫أ� ْح َيا‬
Law nāsabat qadrahū āyātuhū ʿiẓaman
Aḥya-asmuhū ḥīna yudʿā dārisa ar-rimami
If his miracles were equivalent to his greatness,
The mere mention of his name would give life to dry bones.

‫لَ ْم ي َ ْم َت ِحنَّا ِب َما تَ ْع َيا الْ ُع ُق ْو ُل ِب ٖه‬

‫ِح ْر ًصا عَلَ ْينَا فَ َ ْل نَ ْرت َْب َولَ ْم نَ ِ ِم‬
Lam yamtaḥinnā bi-mā taʿya al-ʿuqūlu bihī
Ḥirṣan ʿalaynā fa-lam nartab wa lam nahimi
He did not try us with things that were beyond our intellect,
Out of concern for us, so we neither doubted nor strayed

29
 ‫أ� ْع َيا الْ َو ٰرى فَهْ ُم َم ْعنَا ُه فَلَيْ َس يُ ٰرى‬
‫ِف الْ ُق ْر ِب َوالْ ُب ْع ِد ِف ْي ِه غَ ْ ُي ُمنْ َف ِح ِم‬
Aʿya al-warā fahmu maʿnāhu fa-laysa yurā
Fī il-qurbi wa al-buʿdi fīhi ghayru munfaḥimi
Man’s mind is exhausted trying to understand his meaning;
All of them, near or far, appear as if dumbstruck.

‫َكلشَّ ْم ِس ت َْظه َُر ِللْ َع ْينَ ْ ِي ِم ْن بُ ُع ٍد‬

‫الط ْر َف ِم ْن أ� َم ِم‬ َّ ‫ك‬ ُّ ِ ُ‫َص ِغ ْ َي ًة َوت‬
Ka-ash-shamsi taẓharu li il-ʿaynayni min buʿudin
Ṣaghīratan wa tukillu uṭ-ṭarfa min amami
He is like the sun: small to the eye when seen from afar,
But dazzling to the sight when seen close up.

30
 ‫َو َك ْي َف يُدْ ِركُ ِف ادلُّ نْ َيا َح ِق ْي َقتَ ٗه‬
‫قَ ْو ٌم ِن َيا ٌم ت َ َسل َّ ْوا َع ْن ُه ِبلْ ُح ُ ِل‬
Wa kayfa yudriku fī id-dunyā ḥaqīqatahū
Qawmun niyāmun tasallaw ʿanhu bi-il-ḥulumi
How can his reality be grasped in this world,
By sleeping folk, distracted from him by dreams?

ٌ َ ‫فَ َم ْبلَ ُغ الْ ِع ْ ِل ِف ْي ِه أ�ن َّ ٗه ب‬

‫َش‬
ِ ّ ٰ ‫َو أ�ن َّ ٗه خ ْ َُي َخلْ ِق‬
‫الل ُ ِكّهِ ِم‬
Fa-mablaghu ul-ʿilmi fīhi annahū basharun
Wa annahū khayru khalqi-illāhi kullihimi
The extent of our knowledge is that he is a human being –
And that he is the best of Allāh’s creation!

31
 ʿAbd al-Ghanī al-Nāblūsī16 said:

‫َم ْن َذا َّ ِال ْي َما َس�آء قَ ْـط‬

‫َو َم ْن َ ٗل الْ ُح� ْس ٰن فَ َق ْط‬
‫ُم َح َّمدُ الْهَا ِدي َّ ِال ْي‬
‫عَلَ ْي ِه ِج ْ ِبيْ ُل َه َب ْط‬
Man dhā-alladhī mā sāʾa qaṭ,
wa man lahu ul-ḥusnā faqaṭ.
Muḥammadu ul-Hādī illadhī,
ʿalayhi Jibrīlu habaṭ.
Who is the one who never did wrong,
And to whom belongs only goodness and beauty?
Muḥammad, the Guide,
The one to whom Gabriel descended.

16
ShaykhʿAbd al-Ghanī al-Nāblūsī (19 March 1641 – 5 March 1731) was an eminent Sunni
Muslim scholar, poet, and author from Damascus, Ottoman Empire (now Syria), who
wrote over 200 written works. His father Ismāʿīl taught at the Umayyad Mosque and
Damascene madrasas and his great-grandfather, Ismaiʿīl al-Nābūlsī, was the Shāfiʿī Mufti
of Damascus and a teacher of the science of Fiqh (Jurisprudence) at the Umayyad Mosque.

32
 ‫ش‬ ْ َ َ‫َش َل َكلْب‬ ٌ َ ‫ُم َح َّم ٌد ب‬
‫ب َ ْل ه َُو َكلْ َيا ُق ْو ِت ب َ ْ َي الْ َح َج ْر‬
Muḥammadun basharun lā ka al-bashar
bal huwa ka al-yāqūti bayna al-ḥajar
Muḥammad is a human, not like other humans,
Rather, he is like a precious gem among stones.

،‫َال ٰل ّهُ َّم َص ِ ّل عَ ٰل َم ْن فَا ِ ِتيَّ ُت ٗه ِل َب ِديْع ِ ْال َجيا ِد بَ َراعَ ُة ِال� ْستِ ْ َل ْل‬
‫ِإ‬
‫َو َم ْن خَا ِت ِم َّي ُت ٗه بَ َراعَ ُة الْ َمخ َ ِْت َو ْال َكَ ْال‬
Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā man fātiḥiyyatuhū li-badīʿi il-ījād
barāʿatu l-istihlāl
wa man khātimiyyatuhū barāʿatu ul-makhtami wa al-kamāl
O, Allāh, bless the one whose initiation of the beginning of existence
was the best of beginnings, and whose sealing is the best of sealings
and perfection.

33
 ‫سارِكَ َو ِل َس ِان ُح َّج ِت َك َو َع ُر ْو ِس‬ َ ْ �‫َال ٰل ّهُ َّم َص ِ ّل عَ ٰل َ�س ِ ّي ِدنَ ُم َح َّم ٍد َ ْب ِر أ�ن َْوارِكَ َو َم ْع ِد ِن أ‬
ِ َ ‫ضِت َك َو ِط َر ِاز ُم ْل ِك َك َوخ ََز�آئِ ِن َر ْ َح ِت َك َو َط ِريْ ِق‬
‫شيْ َع ِت َك الْ َم َت َ ِّل ِذ‬ َ ْ ‫َم ْملَ َك ِت َك َو� َما ِم َح‬
‫إ‬
‫ عَ ْ ِي أ� ْع َي ِان َخلْ ِق َك الْ ُم َت َق ِّد ِم‬،ْ‫ك َم ْو ُجود‬ ّ ِ ُ ‫السبَ ِب ِ ْف‬ ‫و‬
َّ َ ُ ُ‫د‬ْ ‫و‬ ‫ج‬ ‫و‬ ْ ‫ل‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ي‬ِ ْ َ ‫ع‬ ‫ان‬
ِ َ �‫ إ‬، َ‫ِب َت ْو ِح ْي ِدك‬
‫س‬ ْ ‫ن‬
‫ َص َل ًة َل ُمنْتَ ٰ�ى لَهَا د ُْو َن‬،‫ َص َل ًة تَدُ ْو ُم بِدَ َوا ِم َك َوتَ ْب ٰقى ِب َب َق�آئِ َك‬،‫ِم ْن ن ُْو ِر ِض َي�آئِ َك‬
‫ َص َل ًة تُ ْر ِض ْي َك َوتُ ْر ِض ْي ِه َوتَ ْر ٰض بِ َا َعنَّا َو َع ْن َو ِ َاليْنَا َو أ� ْز َو ِاجنَا َو ُذ ّ ِر َّي ِتنَا َي َر َّب‬،‫ِعلْ ِم َك‬
‫الْ َعالَ ِم ْ َي‬
Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā Sayyidinā Muḥammadin, baḥri anwārika wa
maʿdini asrārika wa lisāni ḥujjatika wa ʿarūsi mamlakatika wa
imāmi haḍratika wa ṭirāzi mulkika wa khazāʾini raḥmatika wa
tarīqi sharīʿatika al-mutaladhidhi bi-tawhīdika, insāni ʿayni il-
wujūd wa as-sababi fī kulli mawjūd, ʿayni aʿyāni khalqika al-
mutaqaddimi min-nūri ḍiyāʾika, ṣalātan tadūmu bi-dawāmika wa
tabqā bi-baqāʾika, ṣalātan lā muntahā lahā dūna ʿilmika, ṣalātan
turḍīka wa turḍīhi wa tardā bihā ʿannā wa ʿan wālidainā wa
azwājinā wa dhurriyyātinā yā Rabba al-ʿālamīn.

34
“O Allāh, bless our master Muḥammad, the ocean of Your lights, the
storehouse of Your secrets, the tongue of Your proof, the bridegroom
of Your dominion, the leader of Your presence, the embodiment of
Your sovereignty, the treasure-house of Your mercy, and the path of
Your law who delights in Your Oneness. He is the human being who
is the essence of existence and the cause of every existing thing. The
essence of Your creation who proceeded from the light of Your
radiance. May Your prayers be upon him a prayer that will perpetuate
as long as You perpetuate and last as long as You last, a prayer that has
no ending beyond Your knowledge, a prayer that will satisfy You and
satisfy him and by which You will be satisfied with us, with our
parents, our wives and our offspring, Oh Lord of all the worlds.

35
 ‫ِ ْل َسا َد ٌة ِم ْن ِع ّ ِز ِ ْه‬
‫أ� ْقدَ ا ُمه ُْم فَ ْو َق الْجِ َبا ْه‬
‫� ْن ل َّ ْم أ� ُك ْن ِمنْ ُ ْم فَ ِ ْل‬
‫إ‬
ِ
‫ب ِب ْم ع ٌّز َو َجا ْه‬ ّ ِ ُ ِ
‫ف ِب َجا ِهه ِْم َو ِع ّ ِز ِ ْه‬
‫َط ّي ِْب لَنَا عَيْ َش الْ َحيا ْه‬
‫َواخ ِ ْْت لَنَا ِبلْخ ْ َِي َي‬
‫َم ْن َّل لَنَا َر ٌّب ِسوا ْه‬
Lī sādātun min ʿizzihim * aqdāmuhum fawqa al-jibbāh
In lam akun minhum falī * bi-ḥubbihim ʿizzun wa jāh
Fa bi-jāhihim wa ʿizzihim * ṭayyib lanā ʿaysha al-ḥayāh
Wa-akhtim lanā bi-il-khayri yā * man lā lanā rabbun siwāh
I have masters whose feet are above our foreheads,
by virtue of their glory,
Even if I am not one of them,
I gain honour and dignity through their love.
By their might and honour,
make our life pleasant for us,
And seal for us with goodness,
O Lord, who has no other lord besides Him.

36
 Baddi ibn Sīdīnā17 said:

ِ َّ ‫تَ ْ ِنئَ ُة‬

ِ ‫الرب ْيع‬
ِ ‫ِب َمدْ َح ِة الشَّ ِف ْيع‬
ِ ‫ِبلْ َم ْن ِط ِق الْ َب ِديع‬
‫أ�بْ ِغ ْي بِ َا ُم َؤ َّم ِ ْل‬
Tahniʾatu ur-rabīʿi
Bi-madḥati ish-shafīʿi
Bi il-manṭiqi il-badīʿi
Abghī bihā muʾammalī
Congratulations on the arrival of Rabīʿ month18,
With praises of the intercessor,
In the most eloquent of speech,
Through it, I wish my hopes and desires shall be fulfilled.

17
Muḥamadi ‘Baddi’ b. Sīdīnā (d. 1264H/1847-1848 CE) was a Mauritanian scholar from
the notable Idaw Ali tribe, and was the student, successor and brother-in-law of Shaykh
Muḥammad al-Ḥāfiẓ b. al-Mukhtār al-ʿAlawī al-Shinqiṭī (d. 1248/1831-1832), who in
turn was a student of Shaykh Aḥmad Tijānī of Fez, Morocco (1735–1815).
18
Rabiʽ al-Awwal or Rabīʿ al-Ūlā or Rabīʿ I, is the third month of the Islamic calendar, and
the month in which Prophet Muḥammad n was born.

37
 ‫َي َربَّنَا َص ِ ّل عَ ٰل‬
‫خ ْ َِي ْ َأالنَ ِم َم ْن عَ ٰل‬
‫الس ٰم َو ِات الْ ُع ٰل‬ َّ ‫عَ ٰل‬
‫ِب ْذ ِن َ ِرب ّ ٖه الْ َع ِ ْل‬
‫ِإ‬
Yā rabbanā sallī ʿalā
Khayri il-anāmi man ʿalā
ʿAlā as-samāwāti il-ʿulā
Bi-idhni rabbihī il-ʿAliy
O our Lord, send blessings upon,
The best of all creation, who rose,
Above the highest of heavens,19
By the permission of his Lord, the Most High.

19
In spiritually and metaphysically in status, and physically during the night of Isrāʾ and
Miʿrāj

38
 ‫أ�ه ًْل بِشَ هْ ِر الْ َم ْو ِ ِل‬
‫الس ْؤ َد ِد‬ ُّ ‫َشهْ ِر الْ ُع ٰل َو‬
‫َشهْ ِر النَّ ِ ِ ّب أ� ْ َح ِد‬
ِ‫َشهْ ِر َ ِرب ْيع ِ ْ َأال َّول‬
Ahlān bi-shahri il-mawlidi
Shahri il-ʿulā wa as-suʾudadi
Shahri in-nabiyyī Aḥmadi
Shahri rabīʿi il-awwali
Welcome to the month of the birth,
The month of exaltedness and eminence,
The month of the Prophet Aḥmad,
The month of the first spring – Rabīʿ al-Awwal.20

20
The name Rabīʿ al-awwal means ‘the first month or beginning of spring’, referring to its
position in the pre-Islamic Arabian calendar.

39
 ِ ‫قَدْ خ َُّص ِب َّ ِلرب ْيع‬
ِ ‫إ� ْذ َك َن َك َّ ِلرب ْيع‬
ِ ‫ِل َأل ْر ِض َوالشَّ ِف ْيع‬
‫ك خ َْط ٍب ُم ْع ِض ِل‬ ِّ ُ ‫ِل‬
Qad khuṣṣa bi ir-rabīʿi
Idh kāna ka ar-rabīʿi
Li il-arḍi wa ash-shafīʿi
Li-kulli khaṭbin muʿḍili.
He was distinguished with Rabīʿi,
For he was like the spring,
A benefactor for the earth and an intercessor,
For every difficult problem.

40
 ِ‫أ�ه ًْل بِشَ هْ ِر الْ َف َرح‬
َ َّ ‫َاب‬
ِ‫التح‬ ِ ‫َشهْ ِر ِذه‬
ِ‫َوفَ ْخ ِرنَ َوالْ َم َرح‬
‫َشهْ ِر النَّ ِ ِ ّب ْ َأالفْضَ ِل‬
Ahlān bi-shahri il-faraḥi
Shahri dhihābi it-tarāḥi
Wa fakhrinā wa al-maraḥi
Shahri in-Nabiyyi il-afḍal
Welcome to the month of joy,
The month of the departure of sorrows,
And our pride and delight,
The month of the best Prophet

41
 ُ ُّ ‫َشهْ ِر الْ َف َل ِح َو‬
‫الس ْو ْر‬
‫َشهْ ٍر ِب ٖه َسا َد ادلُّ ه ْْر‬
‫ش ب َ ْ َي الشُّ ه ُْور‬ ٍ َّ ‫َم َو‬
‫ُمتَ َّوجٍ ُم َكَّ ِل‬
Shahri il-falāḥi wa as-surūri
Shahrin bihī sāda ad-duhru
Muwashshaḥin bayna ash-shuhūri
Mutawwajin mukallali.
The month of prosperity and happiness,
A month that has surpassed any other time,
Adorned among the months,
Crowned and embellished.

42
 ‫أ�ه ًْل بِشَ هْ ِر الْ َفا ِت ِح‬
‫� ْغ َال َق َك ْو ِن الْ َفا ِت ِح‬
‫إ‬
ِ‫َم ْن خ َُّص ِبلْ َف َوات ِح‬
‫َو َح َاز خ ْ ََت الْ ِملَ ِل‬
Ahlān bi-shahri il-fātiḥi
Ighlāqa kawni il-fātiḥi
Man khuṣṣa bi il-fawātiḥi
Wa hāza khatma al-milali
Welcome to the month of the opener,
Who opened the existence of the universe, the victorious,
Who was distinguished with openings,
And attained the seal of all religions.

43
 ِ ِ ‫أ�ه ًْل بِشَ هْ ِر الْخ‬
‫َات‬
ِ ِ َ‫َشهْ ِر ن ِ ٍَّب ق‬
‫اس‬
ِ ِ ‫َوفَا ِت ٍح َوخ‬
‫َات‬
ِ‫و� آ ِخ ٍر َو أ� َّول‬
Ahlān bi-shahri il-khātimi
Shahri Nabiyyin Qāsimi
Wa fātiḥin wa khātimi
Wa ākhirin wa awwali
Welcome to the month of the seal,
The month of the Prophet who distributes21,
the Opener and the Seal,
The last and the first.

21
Allāh’s Messenger n said, “Allāh is the Giver and I am Al-Qāsim (i.e. the distributor).”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī]

44
 ِ ِ َّ‫أ�ه ًْل بِشَ هْ ِر الن‬
‫اص‬
‫ِللْ َح ّ ِق َشهْ ِر ْالآ ِم ِر‬
‫الظا ِه ِر‬ َّ ‫ِبلْ ُع ْر ِف َشهْ ِر‬
‫ك َو ْص ٍف أ� ْكَ ِل‬ ِّ ُ ‫ِب‬
Ahlān bi-shahrin in-nāṣiri
Li il-ḥaqqi shahri il-āmiri
Bi il-ʿurfi shahri iẓ-ẓāhiri
Bi-kulli waṣfin akmali
Welcome to the month of the supporter,
Of truth and the commander of goodness,
The month of the one who manifest,
The most complete and perfect qualities.

45
 ‫أ�ه ًْل بِشَ هْ ِر الْهَا ِد ْي‬
‫ِل َمنْ َ ِج َّالر َشا ِد‬
‫َوقَائِ ٍد َو َحا ِد ْي‬
‫الط ِريْ ِق ْ َأال ْمث َِل‬
َّ ‫� ٰل‬
‫إ‬
Ahlān bi-shahri il-hādī
Li-manhaji ir-rashādi
Wa qāʾidin wa ḥādi
Ilā aṭ-ṭarīqi il-amthali
Welcome to the month of the guide,
To the path of righteousness,
A leader, a guide,
To the most correct path.

46
 ‫أ�ه ًْل بِشَ هْ ِر ال َّ�س ِ ّي ِد‬
‫ِ َأل ْ َح ٍر َو أ� ْس َو ِد‬
‫الس ْؤ َد ِد‬ ُّ ‫َم ْن َح َاز َ�س ْب َق‬
‫ي َ ْو َم ا ْع ِت َذ ِار ُّالر ُس ِل‬
Ahlān bi-shahri is-sayyidi
Li-aḥmarin wa aswadi
Man ḥāza sabqa as-suʾdadi
Yawma-aʿtidhāri ir-rusuli.
Welcome to the month of the Master,
Of red and black,
Who will obtain unprecedented nobility22,
On the day that the Messengers excuse themselves

22
It was narrated that Anas ibn Mālik said, “Muḥammad n told us, “When the Day of
Resurrection comes, the people will surge with each other like waves. They will come to
Ādam and say, “Intercede for us with your Lord.” He will say, “I am not fit for that. Go to
Ibrāhīm for he is the Close Friend of the Most-Merciful.” So they will go to Ibrāhīm, but
he will say, “I am not fit for that. Go to Mūsā for he is the one to whom Allāh spoke
directly.” So they will go to Mūsā but he will say, “I am not fit for that. Go to ʿĪsā for he is
a soul created by Allāh and His Word.” So they will go to ʿĪsā but he will say, “I am not fit
for that. Go to Muḥammad n.”” [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī]

47
 ‫َوقَدْ َك َفاهَا ُكَّهَا‬
‫أ� ْع َب� آ َءهَا َو َكَّهَا‬
‫ِب َق ْو ِ ٖل أ�نَ لَهَا‬
‫ِع ْندَ ا� ْش ِتدَ ا ِد الْ َو َج ِل‬
Wa qad kafāhā kullahā
Aʿbāaʾahā wa kallahā
Bi-qawlihī “Anā lahā”
ʿInda-ashtidādi il-wajali
Yet he fulfilled entirely,
its burdens and its weight,
with his words, “I am the one for that”,
at the time of the most intense fright23.

23
The Prophet n continued and said “So they will come to me and I will say, “I am the one
for that.” Then I will ask my Lord for permission and He will give me permission, and He
will inspire me with words of praise with which I will praise Him, words that I do not know
now.” [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī]

48
 ‫فَ َيا لَهَا ِم ْن خ َُّط ْه‬
‫َج َوابُ ُه ِف الْ ُح َّط ْه‬
‫ِم ْن َ ِرب ّ ٖه َس ْل تُ ْع َط ْه‬
‫َو ْاش َف ْع َ َليْنَا تُ ْق َب ِل‬
Fa yā lahā min khuṭṭah
Jawbuhu fī il-ḥuṭṭah
Min Rabbihī sal tuʿṭah
Wa-ashfaʿ ladaynā tuqbali
How much of a relief,
is the response from his Lord,
“Ask, and you will be granted24,
Intercede before Us; it will be accepted.”

24
The Prophet n continued: “So I will praise Him with those words of praise and I will
prostrate before Him. He will say, “Oh Muḥammad, raise your head. Speak, and
intercession will be granted to you. Ask, and you will be given. Intercede, and your
intercession will be accepted.” I will say, “Oh Lord, my Ummah, my Ummah!” He will say,
“Go and bring forth everyone in whose heart there is faith the weight of a barley-grain.” So
I will go and do that. Then I will come back and praise Him with those words of praise and

49
 ‫أ�ه ًْل بِشَ هْ ِر الْ ُم ْص َط ٰفى‬
‫ك ُم ْص َط ٰفى‬ ّ ِ ُ ‫َص ْف َو ِة‬
‫َوخ ْ َِي َع ْب ٍد قَدْ َص َفا‬
‫ل أ� ْو ُم ْر َس ِل‬ ٍ َ ‫ِم ْن َم‬
Ahlan bi-shahri il-muṣṭafā
Ṣafwati kulli muṣṭafā
Wa khayr ʿabdin qad ṣafā
Min malakin aw mursali
Welcome to the month of al-Musṭafā - The Chosen One,
the chosen from all the elect,
And the best of servants who was purified,
From amongst the angels or the messengers.

I will prostrate before Him. He will say, “Oh Muḥammad, raise your head. Speak, and
intercession will be granted to you. Ask, and you will be given. Intercede, and your
intercession will be accepted.” I will say, “Oh Lord, my Ummah, my Ummah!” He will say,
“Go and bring forth everyone in whose heart there is faith the weight of a small ant or a
mustard-seed.” So I will go and do that. Then I will come back and praise Him with those
words of praise and I will prostrate before Him. He will say, “Oh Muḥammad, raise your
head. Speak, and intercession will be granted to you. Ask, and you will be given. Intercede,
and your intercession will be accepted.” I will say, “Oh Lord, my Ummah, my Ummah!”
He will say, “Go and bring forth from the Fire everyone in whose heart there is faith the
weight of the lightest, lightest grain of mustard-seed.” So I will go and bring them forth.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī]

50
 ‫َو َشهْ ِر خ ْ َِي الْ َخلْ ِق‬
‫َشهْ ِر َ ِج ْي ِل الْ َخلْ ِق‬
‫َشهْ ِر َع ِظ ْ ِي الْ ُخلْ ِق‬
ِ‫ِف الْ ُم ْح َ ِك الْ ُم َ َّنل‬
Wa shahri khayri il-khalqi
Shahri jamīli il-khalqi
Shahri ʿaẓīmi il-khulqi
Fī il-muḥkami il-munazzali
The month of the best of creation,
The month of the most beautiful of creation,
The month of the most perfect in character,
According to the revealed scripture.

51
 ‫َشهْ ِر َّ ِال ْي �آث ََر ٗه‬
‫إ� ٰلهُ ٗه َوا ْختَ َار ٗه‬
‫ِم ْن ُح ِبّ ٖه خ َّ ََي ٗه‬
‫ِع ْندَ انْ ِقضَ � آ ِء ْ َأال َج ِل‬
Shahri illadhī ātharahū
Ilāhuhū wa-akhtārahū
Min ḥubbihī khayyarahū
ʿInda-anqidāʾi il-ajali
The month of the one whom His Lord has preferred,
And chosen for Himself,
From His love, He gave him the choice,
At the end of his appointed term25.

25
ʿĀʾisha reported that when the Prophet n was healthy, he used to say, “No prophet dies
until he is shown his place in Paradise and is then given the choice. When he was sick, while
his head was resting on my thigh, he fell unconscious. Then he came back to consciousness
and fixed his eyes on the ceiling of the house and said: “Oh Allāh, the highest Companion.”
I said (to myself), “So, he is not going to choose us.” I then realized that it was what he used
to tell us when he was healthy. The last words he spoke were: “O Allāh, the highest
Companion.” [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī]

52
 ْ‫َشهْ ِر َّ ِال ْي َما َس� آ َء قَط‬
ْ‫َو َم ْن َ ٗل الْ ُح� ْس ٰن فَ َقط‬
ْ‫عَلَ ْي ِه ِج ْ ِبيْ ُل َه َبط‬
ِّ ُ ‫ِب‬
‫ك ن ُْو ٍر ُم ْع َت ِل‬
Shahri illadhī mā sāʾa qaṭ
Wa man lahū ul-ḥusnā faqaṭ
ʿAlayhi Jibrīlu habaṭ
Bi-kulli nūrin muʿtali
The month of the one who never committed evil,
And only possesses goodness,
Upon him descended Gabriel,
With every lofty light.

53
 ْ َ ‫أ�ه ًْل ِبلَ ْي ِل اثْ َ ْن ع‬
‫َش‬
‫ِف ْي ِه َوي َ ْو ِم ٖه ْ َأالغَ ْر‬
‫الس َح ْر‬َّ ‫َو ِط ْي ِب ٰذ ِ َل‬
‫َون ُْو ِر أ�فْ ِق ٖه الْ َج ِ ْل‬
Ahlan bi-layli ithnay ʿashar
Fīhi wa yawmihī il-aghar
Wa tībi dhālika as-saḥar
Wa nūri ufqihī il-jalī
Welcome to its twelfth night26,
and its radiant day,
the fragrance of that twilight,
and the manifest light on its horizons.

26
The Prophet n was born on the 12th of Rabīʿ al-Awwal according to the majority of
reports.

54
 ‫ك َما َظه َْر‬ ِّ ُ ‫أ�ه ًْل ِب‬
‫ِم ْن خ َِار ٍق يُ ْع ِي الْ ِف َك ْر‬
‫ص‬ ْ َ ‫ِف ْي ِه َك َرفْ ِع ٖه الْ َب‬
‫� ٰإل َم َقا ِم ٖه الْ َع ِ ْل‬
Ahlan bī-kulli mā ẓahar
min khāriqin yuʿyī il-fikar
fīhi ka-rafʿihī il-baṣar
Ilā maqāmihī il-ʿalī
Welcome to everything that had appeared,
Of wonders that dazzle the mind,
Such as the elevation of his vision,
Towards his lofty station27.

27
It is reported Ibn ʿAbbās (c) said that Āminah, the mother of the Prophet n used to
relate, “When I gave birth to the Prophet n, with him came out a light that lit the space
between the east and west. He then fell on the ground, leaning on his hands, took a handful
of soil, grasped it, then raised his head toward Heaven.”

55
 ‫َو َما َر أ�تْ ُه ِم ْن َ َع ْب‬
‫َءا ِمنَ ٌة ِح ْ َي ن ََص ْب‬
‫َ�س َّباب َ ًة ُ َّث ا ْق َ َت ْب‬
‫ب َِس ْجدَ ِة الْ ُم ْبتَ ِ ِل‬
Wa mā raʾat-hu min ʿajab
Āminatun ḥīna naṣab
Sabbābatan thumma-aqtarab
Bi-sajdati il-mubtahili
And what Āminah saw of amazing things,
when he raised his index finger28,
then approached Allāh,
with a humble prostration.

28
It is reported Ibn ʿAbbās (c) said that Āminah (x) used to relate, “I gave birth to
Muḥammad. Immediately he was prostrating, raising his two hands to Heaven as if in
humble supplication.”

56
 ‫َ َك تَدَ ٰ ّل ُّالزه ُْر‬
‫ص‬ُ ْ ‫َ َك تَ َر� آ ٰءى الْ َق‬
ُ ْ ‫ِف ْي ِه َو َح َّل ْال َك‬
‫س‬
ِ‫ِب َّلص َ ِن الْ ُم َجدَّل‬
Kamā tadallā az-zuhru
Kamā tarāʾā al-qasru
Fīhi wa ḥalla al-kasru
Bi iṣ-ṣanami il-mujaddali
Likewise, the light that descended29,
Likewise the castles that were seen in it30,
and the shattering that occurred to the fallen idols31.

29
Ibn Ḥajar said in Fatḥ Al-Bārī, “Among the signs of his prophecy that appeared at his birth
and after his birth was what Al-Ṭabarānī narrated from ʿUthmān ibn Abī il-ʿĀṣ ath-Thaqafī,
from his mother, that she went to Āminah, the mother of the Prophet n and she related
that when she (Āminah) was in labor (i.e. giving birth), “I was looking at the stars getting
closer to me to the point that I thought they would fall on me”; and when she gave birth, a
light came out of her that lit the whole house.”
30
It was narrated from Khālid ibn Maʿdan that the Companions of the Messenger of Allāh n
said: “Oh Messenger of Allāh, tell us about yourself.” He said: “I am the answer to the
prayer my father Ibrāhīm, and the glad tidings of ʿĪsā, and when my mother became
pregnant with me, she saw something as if a light came out of her and illuminated the
palaces of Busra in the land of Syria.” [Sīrah Ibn Hisham] Al-Ṭabarānī narrated that the
Prophet n said: “My mother saw in a dream that there came from between her legs a lamp
that illuminated the palaces of Syria.” [Saḥīḥ al-Jāmiʿ]
31
It is reported that when the Prophet n was born, 360 idols around the Kaʿbah fell and
several people witnessed the falling of the idols, including ʿAbdul Muṭṭalib, the grandfather
of the Prophet n.

57
 ‫َوغَاضَ ِت الْ ِب َح ُار‬
‫َو َجفَّ ِت ْ َأالنْ َ ُار‬
‫ِم ْن أ� ْج ِ ٖل َوالنَّ ُار‬
‫قَدْ ُط ِفئَ ْت ِم ْن َخ َج ِل‬
Wa ghāḍati il-biḥāru
Wa jaffati il-anhāru
Min ajlihī wa an-nāru
Qad ṭufiʾat min khajali
And the lakes dried up,
And the springs and rivers ran dry,32
For his sake, even the fire,
Was extinguished out of shame33.

32
It is reported that on the night the Prophet n was born, the lake of Sāwah, located in Qom
and Hamdān in modern day Iraq, which was vast enough for ships to sail through
completely dried up. [narrated by Imām Bayhaqī]
33
It is reported that the fire worshippers of Persia prior to the arrival of the Prophet n kept
a fire burning for 1000 years. When the Prophet n was born, this fire ceased to burn and
went out. [narrated by Imām Bayhaqī]

58
 ‫َو ِجنُّ ُ ْم ِ ْف نَ َك ِد‬
‫ِل َر ْميِ َا ِب َّلر َص ِد‬
‫َو َع ْ ِزلهَا َع ْن َم ْق َع ِد‬
‫ِم ْن أ� ْج ِل خ ْ َِي ُّالر ُس ِل‬
Wa jinnuhum fī nakadi
Li-ramyiha bir-raṣadi
Wa ʿazaliha ʿan maqʿadi
Min ajli khayri ir-rusuli
The jinn were infuriated,
because of their being pelted in their lurking places,
and their removal from their place of sitting,
on account of the best of Messengers34.

34
Jinn would ascend to the lower sky and attempt to listen to conversations of the angels
positioned at the Kaʿbah, with the intention of hearing about people’s Qadr (divine decree).
“And we have sought [to reach] heaven but found it filled with powerful guards and
burning flames. And we used to sit there in positions for hearing, but whoever listens now
will find a burning flame lying in wait for him”. [Qurʾān 72:8-9]
It is reported that at the time of the Prophet’s n birth, they were stricken with falling stars
and barred from accessing this knowledge and chased away instead by flames and comets.

59
 ‫َو َرن َّ ِة ال�شَّ ْي َط ِان‬
‫َج َرا َع ِظ ْ َي الشَّ ِان‬
‫ض الْ ُ ْبه َِان‬ ِ َ ‫ِم ْن أ� ْو‬
‫ِل ُع ْظ ِم َما ِب ٖه ابْ ُت ِ ْل‬
Wa rannati ish-shayṭāni
Jarā ʿaẓīma ash-shāni
Min awḍaḥi il-burhāni
Li-ʿuẓmi mā bihi-ibtulī
And the screaming of the Devil,
Because of the one who has a mighty affair,
Which was an explanation and a proof,
Of the severity of what he was afflicted with35.

35
It is reported that Iblīs cried loudly four times; first when Allāh declared him as cursed,
second when he was thrown out (of paradise), third when the Prophet n was born and
fourth when Surah al-Fātiḥah was revealed.” [Ibn Kathīr in Al-Bidāyah wa An-Nihāyah]

60
 ِ‫قَدْ َم َّن ُذو ْالفْضَ ال‬
‫ِإ‬
ِ‫ِب�أفْضَ ِل ّ ِالر َجال‬
‫ِ ْف أ�فْضَ ِل الل َّ َي ِ ْال‬
‫ِف الْ َب َ ِل الْ ُم َفضَّ ِل‬
Qad manna dhū ul-ifḍāli
Bi-afḍali ir-rijāli
Fī afḍali il-layāli
Fī il-baladi il-mufaḍḍali
Truly, the Owner of Bounties has bestowed us with,
The best of men,
On the best of nights,
In the most favored of cities36.

36
The Prophet n was born in Makkah, and ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAdiyy reported, “I saw the
Messenger of Allāh, peace and blessings be upon him, while he was standing near Makkah
and saying, “By Allāh, you are the best and most beloved land to Allāh. Had I not been
driven away from you, I would not have left you.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhī #3925]

61
 ‫أ�ه ًْل ِب َي ْو ِم ِع ْي ِد‬
‫َما ِمث ُ ْٗل ِم ْن ِع ْي ِد‬
‫قَدْ َح َّل ِف الْ َم ْولُ ْو ِد‬
‫ِف ْي ِه َم َح َّل ُز َح ِل‬
Aḥlan bi-yawmi ʿīdi
Mā mithluhū min ʿīdi
Qad ḥalla fī il-mawlūdi
Fīhi maḥalla zuḥali
Welcome to the day of celebration,
There is no celebration like it,
Because the one who was born in it,
was raised higher than Zuḥal (Saturn)37.

37
Ancient geocentric cosmology, which included the ancient Greek, Roman, and early
Islamic cosmology, identified seven heavenly bodies with the seven heavens, in order of
ascension from the earth as; the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and then
the highest corresponding with the seventh heaven was Saturn. Hence, the Prophet’s n
station is higher as he passed the seven heavens during the night of Isrāʾ and Miʿrāj, and his
status is the highest status achievable.

62
 ‫َو َسا ِبع ِ الْ ِو َل َد ْة‬
‫السا َد ْة‬ َّ ‫َو َما أ�تَ ُه‬
‫ِل َوفْ ِق َما أ� َرا َد ْه‬
ِ‫إ� ٰلهُ ٗه ِف ْ َأال َزل‬
Wa sābiʿi il-wilādah
Wa mā atāhu us-sādah
Li-wafqi mā arādah
Ilāhuhū fī il-azali
And the seventh day after the birth38,
and the nobility that came to him,
In accordance with the will of
His God in pre-eternity.

38
The day that he was named, as was the tradition of the Arabs to give a child a name seven
days after its birth, this tradition continued into Islām.

63
 ‫أ�ه ًْل ِب َي ْو ِم ُ ِّس ْـي‬
ِ ْ �‫ُم َح َّمدً ا خ ْ ََي إ‬
‫س‬
ِ ْ ‫َر ْم ًزا ِل َم ْع ٰن ْ ِإال‬
‫س‬
‫ِم ْن َج ِّدهٖ ِل َي ْن َج ِل‬
Aḥlan bi-yawmi summī
Muḥammadan khayra ismi
Ramzan li-maʿnā al-ismi
Min jaddihī li-yanjali
Welcome to the day he was named,
Muḥammad, the best of names,
alluding to the meaning of the name,
by his grandfather that he may become prominent.

64
 ‫ِ َب ْم ِد ْ َأال َّو ِل ْينَا‬
‫َ ٗل َو ْالآ ِخ ِريْنَا‬
‫فَ َك َن َذا ي َ ِق ْينَا‬
‫ِم َن ْال َك ِر ْ ِي الْ ُم ْف ِض ِل‬
Bi-ḥamdi il-awwalīnā
lahū wa al-ākhirīnā
fa-kāna dhā yaqīna
mina al-karīmi il-mufḍili
As he was praised by those who came first,
And those who will come later,
And that was certain knowledge,
from the Most Generous and Graceful One.

65
 ‫أ�ه ًْل ِب َي ْو ِم اثْنَ ْ ِي‬
‫َم ْو ِ ِل َث ِن اثْنَ ْ ِي‬
‫س ْال َك ْو ِن‬ ِ ّ ِ ‫َم ْب َع ِث‬
‫َم ْقدَ ِم ٖه الْ ُم َب َّج ِل‬
Aḥlan bī yawmi-ithnayni
Mawlidi thānī-ithnayni
Mabʿathi sirri il-kawni
maqadamihī il-mubajjali
Welcome to the day of Monday - the Second Day39,
The birth of the second of the two,
Sent with the secret of the universe,
The most honored and revered of those who came before.

39
Sunday is the first day of the week in the Islamic Calendar, therefore making Monday the
second day of the week. Muslim (1162) narrated from Abū Qatādah al-Anṣārī (may Allāh
be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allāh n asked about fasting on Mondays and
he said: “On (that day) I was born ...”

66
 ‫أ� ْك ِر ْم بِشَ هْ ِر الْ َع َج ِم‬
‫� ْب ِريْ َل َشهْ ِر ْال َك َر ِم‬
‫إ‬
‫أ�ك ِر ْم ِب� ْرض ال َح َر ِم‬
ْ ِ ‫أ‬ ْ
‫َم ْو ِ ِل خ ْ َِي ُم ْر َس ِل‬
Akrim bi shahri il-ʿajami,
Ibrīla shahri il-karami,
Akrim bi-arḍi il-ḥarami,
Mawlidi khayri mursali
How honored is the non-Arabic month,
April, the month of generosity,
When the Holy Land was blessed,
With the birth of the best of those sent by Allāh40.

40
Rabīʿ al-Awwal in the Year 570 CE when the Prophet n was born corresponds to April in
the gregorian calendar.

67
 ‫أ� ْك ِر ْم ِب َي ْو ِم َص ٰارى‬
‫شْي َن َو ْاستَنَ َارا‬ ِ ْ ‫ِع‬
‫ِل َم ْن َح ٰوى الْ َفخ ََارا‬
ِ‫َو ُغ ْف َر ًة ِم ْن َم ْ ِنل‬
Akrim bi yawmi ṣārā
ʿIshrīna wa-astanārā
Li-man ḥawā al-fakhāra
Wa ghufratan min manzili
How honoured is the twentieth day41,
that was illuminated,
due to the one who encompassed all glory,
And became the ceiling of the abode.

41
The 12th of Rabīʿ al-Awwal, in the year 570 CE when the Prophet n was born corresponds
to the 20th of April.

68
 ‫ِش ال ِنّ َيس ْان‬ ِ َ ‫أ� ْك ِر ْم ب‬
‫َم ْو ِ ِل خ ْ َِي ِان ْ َس ْان‬
‫ُقدْ َو ِة أ�ه ِْل ْ ِأال ْح َس ْان‬
‫َوا ْل َك ِم ِل الْ ُم َكَّ ِل‬
Akrim bi-shari in-nīsān
mawlidi khairi insān
qudwat ahlil-iḥsān
wa al-kāmili il-mukammali
How honoured is the month of Nīsān42,
The birth of the best of humans,
The example for the people of excellence,
And the perfect completed one.

42
Arabic word for April.

69
 ‫قَدْ تَ َّم ِت اللَّئَ ِ ْال‬
‫ِ ْف ِع َّد ِة الل َّ َي ِ ْال‬
‫ِ ْف ِزيْنَ ِة الْ َم َع ِ ْال‬
‫َكلْ َج ْو َه ِر الْ ُم َف َّص ِل‬
Qad tammati il-layālī
fī ʿiddati il-layālī
fī zīnati il-maʿālī
ka al-jawhari il-mufaṣṣali
The (assembly of) pearls have been completed,
in a number of nights,
with an excellent adornment,
like a jewelled centrepiece.

70
 ِ َّ ‫تَ ْ ِنئَ َة‬
ِ ‫الرب ْيع‬
ِ ‫ِب َمدْ َح ِة الشَّ ِف ْيع‬
ِ ‫ِبلْ َم ْن ِط ِق الْ َب ِديْع‬
‫أ�بْ ِغ ْي بِ َا ُم َؤ َّم ِ ْل‬
Tahniʾata ar-rabīʿi
Bi-madḥati ish-shafīʿi
Bi il-manṭiqi il-badīʿi
Abghī bihā muʾammalī
Congratulations on the arrival of Rabīʿ month,
With praises of the intercessor,
In the most eloquent of speech,
Through it, I wish my hopes and desires shall be fulfilled

71
 ‫أ�بْ ِغ ْي بِ َا الْ َج ْم َع ِب ٖه‬
‫ي َ ْو ًما َون َ ْي َل ُق ْ ِرب ٖه‬
‫َوفَضْ َل ُح ِ ّب َ ِرب ّ ٖه‬
‫َو َم ْن ِرضَ ا ُه أ� َم ِ ْل‬
Abghī bihā al-jamʿa bihī
yawman wa nayla qurbihī
wa faḍla ḥubbī rabbihī
wa man riḍāhu amalī
I seek through it to be joined with him,
One day, and to attain nearness to him,
with the grace of the love of his Lord,
the one whose satisfaction is my objective.

72
 ‫َوالْخ ْ ََت ِ ْل ِبلْ ُح� ْس ٰن‬
‫َوالْ َج ْم َع ِ ْل ِف الْ ُح� ْس ٰن‬
‫َ ٰلى الْ َم َق ّ ِر ْالَأ� ْس ٰن‬
‫َم َع َّالرِف ْي ِق ْ َأالفْضَ ِل‬
Wa al-khatma lī bi il-ḥusnā
Wa al-jamʿa lī fī il-ḥusnā
Ladā al-maqarri il-asnā
Maʿa ar-Rafīq il-afḍali
And cause me to have an excellent end,
And gather me in paradise,
At the highest position,
With the best companion.

73
 ‫َو ُك ْن لَّنَا َو ِليَّا‬
‫صا َح ِفيَّا‬ ً ِ َ‫َون‬
‫ش غَ ِو َّي‬ ْ ِ َ ‫َل َ ْنت‬
‫ِ َبا ِه َع ْب ِدكَ الْ َع ِ ْل‬
Wa kun lanā waliyyā,
wa nāṣiran ḥafiyyā,
lā nakhtashī ghawīyyā,
bi-jāhi ʿabdika al-ʿaliyy.
And be for us a Protector,
a Helper who receives us kindly,
that we may not fear any transgressor,
through the status of Your exalted slave..

74
 ‫َص ٰ ّل َو َس َّ َل ْال ٰ ْل‬
‫ِإ‬
‫الص َل ْه‬ َّ ‫عَلَ ْي ِه أ�فْضَ َل‬
‫َما دَا َم َك ْون ُ ٗه ْال ٰ ْل‬
‫ِإ‬
ِ‫ِم ْن أ�ب َ ٍد ِ ّ َل َزل‬
Ṣallā wa sallama al-ilāh
ʿalayhi afḍalaṣ-ṣalāh
mā dāma kawnuhū ul-ilāh
min abadin li-azali
May Allāh send prayers and peace upon him,
with the best of prayers,
as long as He remains God,
from eternity to eternity.

75
 ‫ص ِب ٖه‬ْ َ ‫َو� آ ِ ٖل َو‬
‫َو َز ْو ِج ٖه َو ِح ْ ِزب ٖه‬
‫ك �آلِ ُح ِبّ ٖه‬ ّ ِ ُ ‫َو‬
‫الس َل ِم ْ َأال ْكَ ِل‬ َّ ‫َم َع‬
Wa ālihi wa ṣaḥbihī
wa zawjihī wa ḥizbihī
wa kulli āli ḥubbihī
maʿa as-salāmi il-akmali
And upon his family and his companions,
And his wives, and his followers,
And all those who love him,
With the most perfect peace.

76
 ‫ِ َبا ِهه ِْم َي � ٰلهِ�ي ا ْغ ِف ْر ِللنَّ ِاظ ِمهَا‬
‫إ‬
‫ض ْه‬ َ َ ‫اس ْح ِللْ َق ِارئِ َا َول ِل ْي َح‬
َّ ِ َ ْ ‫َو‬
‫َو ُ َّعه ُْم ِ َب ِف ّ ِي الل ُّ ْط ِف َوا ْك ِفهِ ُم‬
‫ن ََوائِ َب ادلَّ ْه ِر َم َع �آفَا ِت ِه ْال َك ِد َر ْه‬
‫اه َو َ ّع ِْل ِب َّ ِل ْي َطلَ ُب ْو‬ ْ ِ َ‫أ� ِج ْب ُدع‬
‫ِ َبا ِه أ� ْ َحدَ َم ْع أ� ْصَا ِب ٖه الْ ِخ َ َي ْه‬
Bi-jāhihim yā ilāhī-ighfir li-nāẓimihā
Wa-asmāḥ li-qāriʾihā wa li-illadhī ḥaḍarah
Waʿummahum bi-khafīyyi il-luṭfi wa-akfihimu
Nawāʾiba ad-dahri maʿ āfātihī il-kadirah
Ajib duʿāhim wa ʿajjil bi-iladhī ṭalabū
Bi-jāhi Aḥmada maʿ aṣḥābihī il-khiyarah
By their status, O my Lord, forgive the composer of this poem,
And pardon those who recite it, and those who are present,
And cover them with subtle kindness and protect them,
From the afflictions of time and its adversities,
Answer their supplications and swiftly grant them what they request,
By the status of Aḥmad and his blessed companions.

77
 ‫َال ٰل ّهُ َّم َص ِ ّل عَ ٰل َ�س ِ ّي ِدنَ ُم َح َّم ٍد الْ َفا ِت ِح ِل َما أ� ْغ ِل َق‬
‫صالْ َح ّ ِق ِبلْ َح ّ ِق‬ ِ ِ ‫َوالْخ‬
ِ ِ َ‫َات ِل َما �سَ َب َق ن‬
‫صا ِط َك الْ ُم ْ�س َت ِق ْ ِي‬ َ ِ ‫َوالْهَا ِد ْي � ٰل‬
‫إ‬
ِ ْ
‫َوعَ ٰل � آ ِ ٖل َح َّق ق ِر َومقدَ ِار ال َعظ ْ ِي‬
ٖ‫ه‬ ْ ِ ٖ‫ه‬ ْ‫د‬َ
Allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā Sayyidinā Muḥammad al-Fātiḥi limā ughliqa
wa al-Khātimi limā sabaqa Nāṣiri il-ḥaqqi bi-il-ḥaqqi
wa al-Hādī ilā ṣirāṭika al-mustaqīm
wa ʿalā ālihī ḥaqqa qadrihī wa miqdārihī il-ʿaẓīm
O Allāh, send blessings upon our master Muḥammad, the Opener of
what was closed and the Seal of what came before, the Supporter of
truth with truth, and the Guide to Your straight path, and upon his
family according to the extent of his immense status and measure.

‫� ُس ْب َح ٰـ َن َرب ّ َِك َر ِ ّب الْ ِع َّز ِة َ َّعا ي َ ِص ُف ْو َن‬

‫َو َس ٰ ٌل عَ ٰل الْ ُم ْر َس ِل ْ َي‬
‫َوالْ َح ْمدُ ِ ٰ ّ ِل َر ِ ّب الْ ٰعلَ ِم ْ َي‬
Subḥāna Rabbika Rabbi il-ʿizzati ʿammā yaṣifūn.
Wa salāmun ʿalā al-mursalīn.
Wa al-ḥamdulillāhi rabbil-ʿālamīn
Exalted is your Lord, the Lord of might, above what they describe.
And peace upon the messengers.
And praise be to Allāh, Lord of all the worlds.

78