Harful Ba'i · حرف الباء

بُلِيتُ بِحُبِّ الْمُصْطَفَى الْخَتْمِ أَحْمَـــدَا
أَبِي الْكَوْنِ وَالْأَخْلاَقِ فَرْعًا وَمَحْتِـدَا

Bulītu bi-ḥubbil-muṣṭafā al-khatmi Aḥmadā
Abīl-kawni wal-akhlāqi far‘an wa maḥtadā

I have been tested with the love of the Chosen One, the Seal, Ahmad; the father of the universe and of noble character, in both branch and root.

أَتَانِي هَوَاهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَعْرِفَ الْهَـوَى
صُلِيتُ بِنِيرَانِ اشْتِيَاقِيَ أَحْمَـــــدَا

Atānī hawāhu qabla an a‘rifal-hawā
Ṣulītu binīrāni ishtiyāqī Aḥmadā

Passion for him came to me before I even knew what passion was; I have been scorched by the fires of my longing for Ahmad.

عَلِقْتُ بِهِ وَالنَّاسُ فِي سِنَةِ الْكَرَى
تَمَتَّعْتُ مِنْهُ الدَّهْرَ إِذْ كُنْتُ مُفْرَدَا

‘Aliqtu bihi wan-nāsu fī sinatil-karā
Tamatta‘tu min-hud-dahri idh kuntu mufradā

I became attached to him while people were in a deep slumber; I have enjoyed his presence throughout time since I was alone.

وَزُوحِمْتُ فِي هَذَا الزَّمَانِ وَإِنَّنِي
لَفِي غِيرَةٍ مِمَّنْ يَرُومُ مُحَمَّدَا

Wa zuḥimtu fī hādhā az-zamāni wa innanī
Lafī ghayratin mimman yarūmu Muḥammadā

I have been crowded in this time, and indeed, I feel a protective jealousy toward anyone who seeks Muhammad.

وَلَكِنَّنِي جَلَّيْتُ قَبْلَ سِبَاقِهِــــــمْ
وَقَدْ نِلْتُ تَبْرِيزَ الْقُرُونِ لِأَحْمَدَا

Wa lakinnī jallaytu qabla sibāqihim
Wa qad niltu tabrīzal-qurūni li-Aḥmadā

But I have outpaced them before their race even began; I have attained the excellence of the ages for the sake of Ahmad.

وَلِمْ لاَ وَعِزُّ الْعَبْدِ عِزُّ مَلِيكِـــهِ
فَطَوْعُ يَمِينِي الْكَوْنُ عَبْدًا مُسَوَّدَا

Wa limā lā wa ‘izzul-‘abdi ‘izzum-malikihi
Fa ṭaw‘u yamīnī al-kawnu ‘abdan musawwādā

And why not? For the glory of a servant is the glory of his King; thus the universe is subservient to my right hand, like a mastered slave.

أَلاَ يَا رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ فَارْفَعْ شِكَايَتِي
إِلَيْكَ وَحَالِي مَا تَرَى الْعَبْدَ سَوِّدَا

Alā yā Rasūlallāhi fārfa‘ shikāyatī
Ilayka wa ḥālī mā taral-‘abda sawdā

O Messenger of Allah, lift up my complaint to you; you see my state, so make this servant a master.

فَحَاجِي وَحَاجُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَحَلْتُهُ
عَلَيْكَ فَطِبْتُ النَّفْسَ حُرًّا مُسَرْمَدَا

Fa ḥājī wa ḥāju al-muslimīna aḥaltuhu
‘Alayka fa ṭibtun-nafsa ḥurran musarmadā

I have referred my needs and the needs of all Muslims to you; thus my soul has become pleasant, free, and eternal.

زَمَانِيَ طَلْقُ الْوَجْهِ غَيْرُ مُكَدَّرٍ
أَرُوحُ وَأَغْدُو دَائِمًا لَنْ أُكَمَّدَا

Zamānī ṭalqal-wajhi ghayru mukaddarin
Arūḥu wa aghdū dā’iman lan ukammadā

My time is bright-faced and untroubled; I come and go always, never to be grieved.

أُغَادِي الصَّبُوحَ عِنْدَ أَفْضَلِ مُرْسَلٍ
وَمَنْ بِرَسُولِ اللّٰهِ لَمْ يَخْشَ جَلْمَــدَا

Ughādī aṣ-ṣubūḥa ‘inda afḍal mursalin
Wa man bi-Rasūlillāhi lam yakhsha jalmadā

I begin my mornings with the best of Messengers; and he who is with the Messenger of Allah fears no hard stone.

تَوَلَّى رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ أَمْرِي فَلَمْ يَـزَلْ
يُسَاعِدُنِي دَهْرِي فَصِرْتُ مُمَجَّدَا

Tawallā Rasūlullāhi amrī falam yazal
Yusā‘idunī dahrī fa ṣirtu mumajjadā

The Messenger of Allah has taken charge of my affairs, so my time continues to aid me and I have become glorified.

وَإِنَّ اعْتِنَاءَ الْمُصْطَفَى عَيْنُ كِيمِيَا
فَقَدْ صَارَ عَذْبًا مَــــاءُ مِلْحٍ تَعَــوَّدَا

Wa inna i‘tina al-muṣṭafā ‘aynu kīmiyā
Faqad ṣāra ‘adhban mā’un milḥin ta‘awwudā

Truly, the care of the Chosen One is the very essence of alchemy; for salty water that was once undrinkable has become sweet.

وَلاَنَ بَعِيرٌ كَانَ صَعْبًا وَأَيْنَعَتْ
نَخِيلٌ بِعَامٍ بِيرُهُ صَارَ مُزْبِدَا

Wa lāna ba‘īrun kāna ṣa‘ban wa ayn‘at
Nakhīlun bi-‘āmin bīruhu ṣāra muzbidā

Through him, the difficult camel became gentle, and palm trees bore fruit in a single year, and the well became overflowing.

وَأُعْتِقَ سَلْمَانٌ بِشَوْقِ حَبِيبِنَا
وَلاَ تَتَنَاهَى لَوْ مَلَأْتُ الْمُجَلَّدَا

Wa u‘tiqa Salmānun bishawqi ḥabībinā
Wa lā tatanāhā law mala’tul-mujalladā

Salman [al-Farisi] was liberated through the longing of our Beloved; these miracles would not end even if I filled a whole volume.

لِأَنَّ الَّذِي لِلْأَنْبِيَاءِ مِنْ خَـــوَارِقٍ
بِهِ نَالَهَا الْأَرْسَالُ خَيْرًا مُحَشَّدَا

Li-anna alladhī lil-anbiyā’i min khawāriqin
Bihi nālahā al-arsālu khayran muḥashshadā

Because whatever miracles the Prophets possessed, the Messengers only attained them through him, as a gathered goodness.

كَذَاكَ كَرَامَاتٌ لِأَهْلِ وِلاَيَةٍ
فَمِنْهُ أُنِيلُوا مَا أُنِيلُوا لِيُحْمَدَا

Kadhāka karāmātun li-ahlil-wilāyah
Famin-hu unīlū mā unīlū li-yuḥmadā

Likewise, the miracles (karamat) of the saints—it is from him they received whatever they received, so that God may be praised.

أَيَا بَرٌّ يَا كَافِي بِجَـــــاهِ نَبِيِّنَــــا
لِتَرْزُقْ عُبَيْدًا مَا يَرُومُ وَتُرْشِدَا

Ayā barrun yā kāfī bijāhi nabiyyinā
Litarzuqu ‘Ubaydan mā yarūmu wa turshidā

O All-Benign, O Sufficient One, by the rank of our Prophet, grant this little servant what he seeks and guide him.

لِتَكْفِيَ عَنَّا وَاكْفِنَا الدَّهْرَ سَيِّدِي
جَمِيعَ شُرُورٍ قَدْ قَضَيْتَ وَأَيِّدَا

Litakfī ‘annā wa akfinā ad-dahra sayyidī
Jamī‘a shurūrin qad qaḍayta wa ayyidā

Suffice us and protect us throughout time, my Lord, from all the evils You have decreed, and support us.

وَمُدَّ صِفَاتِي مِنْ صِفَاتِكَ سَرْمَدًا
وَكَمِّلْ لِعِرْفَانِي وَعِلْمِي وَسَدِّدَا

Wa mudd ṣifātī min ṣifātika sarmadā
Wa kammil li ‘irfānī wa ‘ilmī wa saddidā

Extend my attributes from Your attributes eternally; complete my gnosis and my knowledge, and direct me aright.

وَتُبْصِرُنِي وَالْمُنْتَمِينَ لِحِزْبِنَــــا
مَنَاهِجَ حَقِّ الْحَقِّ دَهْرًا مُؤَبَّدَا

Wa tubsirunī wal-muntamīn li-ḥizbinā
Manāhija ḥaqqil-ḥaqqi dahran mu’abbadā

Grant me and those belonging to our group insight into the paths of the Absolute Truth for all eternity.

وَتَهْدِيَنَا نَهْـــــجَ الرَّشَـــادِ أَئِمَّــةً
لِأَهْلِ التُّقَى وَالْفَوْزِ جُنْدًا مُجَنَّدَا

Wa tahdīnā nahja ar-rashādi a’immah
Li-ahlit-taqwā wal-fawzi jundan mujannadā

Guide us to the path of rectitude as leaders for the people of piety and success, like a mobilized army.

صَلاَةٌ وَتَسْلِيمٌ عَلَــــى مَنْ سَمَتْ بِـــهِ
جَمِيعُ الْوَرَى وَالصَّحْبِ وَالْآلِ أَحْمَدَا

Ṣalātun wa taslīmun ‘alā man samat bihi
Jamī‘ul-wara wa aṣ-ṣaḥbi wal-ālī Aḥmadā

Prayers and salutations be upon the one through whom all of creation was elevated, and upon the companions and the family of Ahmad.