Harful Khaa · حرف الخاء

صَــلاَةٌ وَتَسْلِيــمٌ بِطِيبٍ مُضَمَّــخُ
يَؤُمُّكَ مِمَّنْ دَارُهُ الْيَـــــوْمَ كَوْلَـــخُ

Ṣalātun wa-taslīmun bi-ṭībin muḍammakhu
Ya’ummuka mimman dāruhu al-yawma Kawlakhu

Prayers and salutations, steeped in the finest perfume, Are directed toward you from one whose home today is Kaolack.

يَؤُمُّكَ يَا خَيْـرَ الْبَرِيَّــــــةِ إِذْ نَــأَتْ
دِيَارِي وَحَالَتْ عَنْكَ تَيْمَاءُ سَرْبَخُ

Ya’ummuka yā khayra al-bariyyati idh na’at
Diyārī wa-ḥālat ‘anka Taymā’u sarbakhu

They seek you out, O Best of Creation, even though my lands Are far away, and the desolate deserts of Tayma stand between us.

وَأَذْكُرُ أَرْضًا مَسَّ جِلْدِي تُرَابُهَـا
وَدَبَّتْ حُمَيَّاهَا وَصِرْتُ أُؤَرِّخُ

Wa-adhkuru arḍan massa jildī turābuhā
Wa-dabbat ḥumayyāhā wa-ṣirtu u’arrikhu

I remember a land whose dust once touched my skin; Its "intoxication" (spiritual fervor) crept through me, and I began to record those moments.

بِطَيِّبِ أَيَّــــــامٍ بِجَنَّــــةِ طَيْبَـــةٍ
وَتَذْكَارُهَا عِنْدِي أَلَذُّ وَأَرْسَـخُ

Bi-ṭayyibi ayyāmin bi-jannati Ṭaybatin
Wa-tadhkāruhā ‘indī aladhdhu wa-arsakhu

The beautiful days spent in the garden of Tayba (Medina)— The memory of them is, to me, the sweetest and most deeply rooted.

أَلاَ يَا رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ جُدْ لِي بِعَوْدَةٍ
لِسَلْعٍ فَتُحْيِينِي رَوَائِـحُ تَضْمَــخُ

Alā yā Rasūla Allāhi jud lī bi-‘awdatin
Li-Sal‘in fa-tuḥyīnī rawā’iḥu taḍmakhu

O Messenger of Allah, grant me the favor of a return To Sal' (a mountain in Medina), so that its fragrant scents may revive me.

إِلَيْكَ رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ أَشْكُو فَإِنَّنِـــي
عَرَتْنِي شُؤُونٌ مَسُّهُنَّ مُـوَرِّخُ

Ilayka Rasūla Allāhi ashkū fa-innanī
‘Aratnī shu’ūnun massuhunna muwarrikhu

To you, O Messenger of Allah, I complain, for indeed Matters have beset me whose touch leaves a deep, lasting mark.

وَإِنِّيَ أَسْتَسْقِي لِأَرْضِي وَأَرْتَجِي
بِعَلْيَاكَ يَا ذَا الْغَوْثُ مَا هُوَ أَشْمَـخُ

Wa-inniya astasqī li-arḍī wa-artajī
Bi-‘alyāka yā dhā al-ghawthi mā huwa ashmakhu

I seek rain for my land, and I hope— Through your high standing, O Succor—for that which is most lofty.

عَلَيْكَ صَـــلاَةُ اللّٰهِ ثُــــمَّ سَلاَمُـــهُ
فَإِنَّكَ مَلْجَا الْخَلْقِ إِنَّكَ مُصْـــرِخُ

‘Alayka ṣalātu Allāhi thumma salāmuhu
Fa-innaka malja’u al-khalqi innaka muṣrikhu

Upon you be the prayers of Allah and then His peace, For you are the refuge of creation; you are the one who answers the cry for help.

عَلَيْكَ صَـــــلاَةُ اللّٰهِ ثُــمَّ سَلاَمُــهُ
فَتُشْرِقُ مِنْ ضَوْءِ الْمَدِينَةِ كَوْلَخُ

‘Alayka ṣalātu Allāhi thumma salāmuhu
Fa-tushriqu min ḍaw’i al-Madīnati Kawlakhu

Upon you be the prayers of Allah and then His peace, So that Kaolack may shine with the light reflecting from Medina.

عَلَيْكَ مَدَى الْأَيَّامِ بَدْءًا وَمَخْتَمًا
صَلاَةٌ وَتَسْلِيمٌ بِطِيبٍ مُضَمَّــخُ

‘Alayka madā al-ayyāmi bad’an wa-makhtaman
Ṣalātun wa-taslīmun bi-ṭībin muḍammakhu

Upon you, throughout all days, from beginning to end, Be prayers and salutations, steeped in the finest perfume.