Harful Alif · حرف الألف

أَبَى الْقَلْبُ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ مُتَيَّمًا
حَلِيفَ غَرَامٍ بِالنَّبِيِّ مُهَيَّمَــــا

Abal qalbu illâ an yakûna mutayyaman
Halîfa gharâmin bi N-Nabiyyi muhayyamâ

The heart refuses anything except to be infatuated, an ally of passionate love for the Prophet, lost in wonder.

أَبِيتُ بِلَيْلِ التِّمِّ سَــهْرَانَ مُنْشِـــــدًا
لِذِكْرِ الَّذِي قَدْ طَابَ بَدْءًا وَمَخْتَمَا

Abîtu bi layli t-timmi sahrâna munchidan
Bi zikril lazî qad tâba bad-an wa makhtamâ

I spend the night of the full moon awake, reciting the remembrance of the one who was pure in beginning and end.

أُسَاجِلُ فِيهِ الْوُرْقَ لَيْلِي وَجِيرَتِي
نِيَامٌ وَجَفْنِي كَالْمَذَانِــبِ مَغْرَمَــــا

Usâjilu fîhil wurqa laylî wa jîratî
Niyâmun wa jafnî kal mazânibi maghramâ

I compete with the doves in my night-long song while my neighbors sleep, my eyelids flowing like streams out of love.

أُنَظِّمُ دُرَّ اللَّفْظِ فِي ذِكْــرِ وَصْفِـــهِ
وَأَحْسِنْ بِوَصْفِ الْبَدْرِ دُرًّا مُنَظَّمَـا

Unazzimu durral lafzi fî zikri wasfihi
Wa ahsin bi wasfil badri durran munazzamâ

I arrange the pearls of speech in describing his attributes; and how beautiful is the description of the Full Moon in arranged pearls.

مُحَمَّدُ مِفْتَاحُ الْفُتُوحَاتِ سَيِّــــدِي
وَخَاتِمُ سِلْكِ الرُّسْلِ خَتْمًا مُقَدَّمَا

Muhammadu miftâhul futûhâti Sayyidî
Wa khâtimu silki r-rusli khatman muqaddamâ

Muhammad is the Key to all Openings, my master, and the Seal of the chain of Messengers—a seal that was foremost.

بِهِ نَالَ كُلُّ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ مَنَالَهُمْ
بِهِ زِينَةُ الْحَضَرَاتِ وَقِّرْ وَعَظِّمَا

Bihi nāla kullu al-anbiyā’i manālahum
Bihi zīnatul-ḥaḍarāti wa qirru wa ‘aẓẓimā

Through him, all the Prophets attained their stations; through him is the beauty of the Divine Presences, so honor and magnify him.

رَسُولٌ مِنَ الْمَوْلَى وَآدَمُ لَمْ يَكُنْ
وَيَبْقَى رَسُولاً دَائِمًا وَمُعَظَّمَـــا

Rasūlun mina al-mawlā wa Ādamu lam yakun
Wa yabqā rasūlan dā’iman wa mu‘aẓẓamā

He was a Messenger from the Lord even before Adam existed, and he remains a Messenger eternally and magnified.

فَـنَشْأَتُهُ كَنْزِيَّةُ الْحَقِّ وَحْدَهُ
لِذَاكَ أَتَانَا قَاسِمًا وَمُقَسَّمَا

Fansha’atuhu kanziyyatul-ḥaqqi waḥdahu
Li dhāka atānā qāsiman wa muqassamā

His origin is from the unique Treasury of Truth; for that reason, he came to us as both the distributor and the distributed.

فَـآيُ جَمِيـعِ الرُّسْلِ آيُ مُحَمَّدٍ
فَمِنْهُ إِلَيْهِ كُلُّ شَأْنٍ مُعَمَّمَــا

Fa āya jamī‘ur-rusuli āya Muḥammadin
Famin-hu ilayhi kullu sha’nin mu‘ammamā

All the signs of the Messengers are but the signs of Muhammad; everything stems from him and returns to him universally.

مَوَاهِبُ رَبِّ الْعَرْشِ طَهَ مُحَمَّدٌ
وَرَحْمَتُهُ وَهْوَ الرَّحِيمُ فَأَكْرِمَــا

Mawāhibu Rabbil-‘arshi Ṭaha Muḥammadun
Wa raḥmatuhu wahwa ar-Raḥīmu fa akrimā

Muhammad Taha is the gift of the Lord of the Throne, and His mercy—he is the merciful, so show him honor.

بَشِيرٌ نَذِيرٌ مُقْسِطٌ وَهْوَ قَاسِـــمٌ
جَوَادٌ كَرِيمٌ بَاسِطُ الْكَفِّ مُنْعِمَـا

Bashīrun naẓīrun muqsitun wa huwa qāsimun
Jawādun karīmun bāsiṭul-kaffi mun‘imā

A bringer of glad tidings, a warner, equitable and a distributor; generous, noble, open-handed and a bestower of favors.

مُقَفًّى أَمِينٌ وَهْوَ فِي الرُّسْلِ مُجْتَبًى
حَبِيبُ إِلَــــهِ الْعَرْشِ بَدْءاً وَمَخْتَمَا

Muqaffan amīnun wa huwa fir-rusli mujtaba
Ḥabību Allāhil-‘arshi bad’an wa mukhtamā

The final successor, the trustworthy, the chosen one among Messengers; the beloved of the Lord of the Throne in beginning and end.

وَأَبْيَضُ يُسْتَسْقَى الْغَمَامُ بِوَجْهِــــهِ
بِهِ نَارَ لَيْلُ الْجَهْلِ إِذْ كَانَ مُظْلِمَا

Wa abyadu yustasqā al-ghamāmu bi-wajhihi
Bihi nāra laylul-jahli idh kāna muẓlimā

He is the fair-faced one by whose countenance the clouds are asked for rain; through him, the night of ignorance was illuminated when it was dark.

قُلُوبَ جَمِيـعِ الْخَلْقِ أَحْيَا بِنُورِهِ
وَأَلْسُنَهُمْ أَحْيَا فَزَكَّى وَعَلَّمَـــا

Qulūba jamī‘il-khalqi aḥyā binūrihi
Wa alsunuhum aḥyā fazakkā wa ‘allamā

He revived the hearts of all creation with his light, and he revived their tongues, purifying and teaching them.

وَوَاللّٰهِ لاَ تُلْفِي لِأَحْمَــدَ ثَانِيًا
فَأَحْمَدُ فَرْدٌ جَوْهَرٌ لَنْ يُقَسَّمَا

Wa wallāhi lā tulfī li-Aḥmadi thānīan
Fa Aḥmadu fardun jawharun lan yuqassamā

By Allah, you will never find a second to Ahmad; for Ahmad is a unique essence (jewel) that cannot be divided.

عَلَيْــــــهِ صَلاَةُ اللّٰهِ ثُـــمَّ سَلاَمُـــــــهُ
مَعَ الْآلِ وَالصَّحْبِ الْكِرَامِ ذَوِي النَّمَا

‘Alayhi ṣalātu Allāhi thumma salāmuhu
Ma‘al-ālī wa aṣ-ṣaḥbi al-kirāmi dhawil-namā

Upon him be the prayer of Allah and then His peace, along with the family and the noble companions of increasing virtue.

فَإِنْ تَسْأَلُونِي عَنْ حَبِيبِي وَسَيِّدِي
فَطَـهَ حَبِيبُ اللّٰهِ مَا الْغَيْرُ مَا وَمَا

Fa in tas’alūnī ‘an ḥabībī wa sayyidī
Fa Ṭaha ḥabību Allāhi mā al-ghayru mā wa mā

If you ask me about my beloved and my master: Taha is the Beloved of Allah, and anything else is simply "naught."

فَوَقْتِي وَسَاعَاتِي صَـرَفْتُ لِذِكْرِهِ
صَلاَةً وَمَدْحًا مِنْهُ قَدْ صِرْتُ جَيْلَمَا

Fa waqtī wa sa‘ātī ṣaraftu li dhikrihi
Ṣalātan wa madḥan min-hu qad ṣirtu jaylamā

I have spent my time and my hours in his remembrance, in prayer and praise, until I have become a "sharp blade" (fully dedicated) through him.

فَمَنْ رَامَ دَرْكِي فِي اشْتِيَاقِ نَبِيِّنَا
فَقَدْ رَامَ أَمْرًا مُسْتَحَالاً مُحَرَّمَـــا

Fa man rāma darkī fī ishtiyāqi nabiyyinā
Faqad rāma amran mustaḥālan muḥarramā

Whoever seeks to reach my level in the longing for our Prophet has sought a matter that is impossible and forbidden.

كَمَنْ رَامَ مَسْكَ الْبَــــدْرِ يَوْمًــا بِأَصْبُـعٍ
وَمَنْ رَامَ عَوْدَ الْأَمْـــسِ يَوْمـــاً وَأَيْوَمَـا

Kam-man rāma maskal-badri yawman bi-aṣbi‘in
Wa man rāma ‘awdal-amsi yawman wa ayyamā

Like one who seeks to touch the full moon with a finger, or one who seeks to bring back yesterday or the days before.

كَمَنْ رَامَ دَرْكَ الْوَصْفِ أَيْضًا قَدْ أَكْثَرُوا
وَلَكِنَّهُمْ قَـــــدْ غَـــــادَرُوا مُتَـــــرَدَّمَــــا

Kam-man rāma darkal-waṣfi aydhan qad aktharū
Wa lakinnahum qad ghādarū mutaraddamā

Like those who sought to encompass his description—they tried much, but they left only "a place already patched" (unable to add more).

فَآثَرْتُ حُبَّ الْمُصْطَفَى دُونَ غَيْرِهِ
وَلَـــوْ أُمَّ كَلْثُـــومٍ وَلَوْ كَانَ مَرْيَمَا

Fa athartu ḥubbal-muṣṭafā dūna ghayrihi
Wa law Ummu Kulthūmin wa law kāna Maryamā

I have preferred the love of the Chosen One above all else, even over Ummu Kulthum or Maryam.

فَـوَاللّٰهِ مَا فِي الْقَلْبِ حَظٌّ لِغَيْرِهِ
فَغَيْرُ رَسُولِ اللّٰهِ لَيْسَ لِتَعْلَمَـــا

Fa wallāhi mā fil-qalbi ḥaẓẓun li-ghayrihi
Fa ghayru Rasūlillāhi laysa li ta‘lamā

By Allah, there is no share in my heart for anyone else; know that there is nothing for me besides the Messenger of Allah.

أَشَارَ إِلَى مُزْنٍ فَسَالَ مُسَرْمَدًا
وَإِذْ رَامَ مَسْكَ الْمَاءِ أَمْسَكَ مُلْهَمَا

Ashāra ilā muznin fa sāla musarmadan
Wa idh rāma maskal-mā’i amsaka mulhamā

He pointed to the rain clouds and they flowed perpetually; and when he wished to hold the water, he held it by divine inspiration.

وَإِنَّ قُرَيْشًا عَيَّبُوهُ وَصَغَّـــــرُوا
وَشُقَّ لَهُ ذَا الْجَوُّ بَـــدْرًا مُعَظَّمَــا

Wa inna Qurayshan ‘ayybūhu wa ṣaggharū
Wa shuq lahu dhal-jawwu badran mu‘aẓẓamā

Though the Quraysh criticized and belittled him, the very atmosphere was split for him by a magnified full moon.

وَرُدَّتْ لَهُ شَمْسٌ بُعَيْــدَ غُرُوبِهَــا
وَإِذْ كَذَّبُـوا قَدْ أَنْزَلَ الْحَقُّ مُحْكَمَا

Wa ruddat lahu shamsun bu‘ayda ghurūbihā
Wa idh kadh-dhabū qad anzalal-ḥaqqu muḥkhamā

The sun was returned for him after its setting; and when they lied, the Truth sent down the decisive Revelation.

وَهَدَّمَ أَحْزَابًا بِرَمْيَــــةِ كَفِّـــهِ
فَيَا عَجَبًا مِنْ رَمْيِتِهِ حِينَ هَدَّمَا

Wa haddama aḥzāban bi ramyat kaffihi
Fa yā ‘ajaban min ramyatihi ḥīna haddamā

He demolished the confederate armies with a single throw of his hand; how wondrous was his throw when it demolished them!

هَدَى اللّٰهُ أَقْوَامًا بِنُورِ خَوَارِقٍ
وَبِالسَّيْفِ يَهْدِي اللّٰهُ مَنْ كَانَ أَجْرَمَا

Hadā Allāhu aqwāman binūri khawāriq
Wa bissayfi yahdī Allāhu man kāna ajramā

Allah guided nations through the light of miracles, and with the sword, Allah guides those who were criminal.

يُفِيدُ عُلُــومًا فَائِضَاتٍ وَمَغْنَمًـا
يُبِيدُ جُيُوشًا لِلضَّلاَلِ عَرَمْرَمَــا

Yufīdu ‘ulūman fā’iḍātin wa maghnamā
Yubīdu juyūshan liḍ-ḍalāli ‘aramramā

He provides overflowing sciences and spiritual spoils; he annihilates the vast armies of misguidance.

فَعَمَّ هُدَاهُ الْأَرْضَ كَرْهًا وَطَاعَةً
فَعُرْبٌ وَعُجْمٌ أَرْشَدَ الْكُلَّ عَمَّمَا

Fa‘amma hudāhu al-arda karhan wa ṭā‘atan
Fa ‘urbun wa ‘ujmun arshadal-kulla ‘ammamā

His guidance encompassed the earth by choice or necessity; he guided both Arabs and non-Arabs universally.

وَحَتَّى أَتَانَا الدِّينُ وَالْعِلْمُ وَالتُّقَى
وَلِلَّهِ شُكْــــــــــرٌ بِالنَّبِيِّ تَحَتَّمَـــا

Wa ḥattā atānā ad-dīnu wal-‘ilmu wat-tuqqā
Wa lillāhi shukrun bin-nabiyyī taḥattamā

Until religion, knowledge, and piety reached us; and gratitude to Allah through the Prophet became an absolute duty.

وَقَدْ صَارَ فِينَا الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَعِنْدَنَا
أَئِمَّةُ عِلْمٍ صَالِحُونَ تَكَرُّمَا

Wa qad ṣāra fīnā al-muslimūna wa ‘indana
A’imatu ‘ilmin ṣāliḥūn takarrumā

Now Muslims have risen among us, and we possess imams of knowledge who are righteous and honorable.

وَفِينَا رِجَالٌ سَابِقُونَ وَعِنْدَنَــــا
لِلْأَقْطَابِ خَتْمٌ هَبْهُ كَنْزًا مُطَلْسَمَا

Wa fīnā rijālun sābiqūn wa ‘indana
Lil-aqṭābi khatmuhub kańzan muṭalsamā

Among us are the foremost men, and with us is the Seal of the "Poles" (Sufi masters)—consider him a hidden, talismanoic treasure.

صَلاَةٌ وَتَسْلِيمٌ عَلَى طَهَ أَحْمَــــدٍ
وَآلٍ وَأَصْحَابٍ صِرَاطًا مُقَوَّمَا

Ṣalātun wa taslīmun ‘alā Ṭaha Aḥmadin
Wa ālin wa aṣḥābin ṣirāṭan muqawwimā

Prayers and salutations be upon Taha Ahmad, and upon the family and companions—the straight and upright path.