Qasida Al Burda · قصيدة البردة

By Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Sa'id al-Busiri

The Qasida Al-Burda (The Poem of the Mantle), known as The Burda, is a poem in praise of The Prophet ﷺ. It was composed by Al Busiri in the 7th century Hijri and is one of the most widely recited and memorised poems in the world. The actual title of the poem is The Celestial Lights in Praise of the Best of Creation (الكواكب الدرية في مدح خير البرية)

Opening verses

أَمِنْ تَذَكُّرِ جِيرَانٍ بِذِي سَلَمِ
مَزَجْتَ دَمْعًا جَرَى مِنْ مُقْلَةٍ بِدَمِ

Amin tadhakkuri jīrānin bi dhī salami
Mazajta damʿan jarā min muqlatin bidami

Is it from remembering neighbours at Dhū Salam That you shed tears admixed with blood from your eyes?

أَمْ هَبَّتِ الرِّيحُ مِنْ تِلْقَاءِ كَاظِمَةٍ
وَأَوْمَضَ البَرْقُ فِي الظَّلْمَاءِ مِنْ إِضَمِ

Am habbatir rīhu min tilqāʾi kādhimatin
Wa awmaḍal barqu fīẓ ẓulmāʾi min iḍami

Or because wind has blown from the direction of Kāẓima And lightning has flashed in the dark of Iḍam?