Harful ‘Ayn · حرف العين

أَبَرْقٌ بَدَا نَحْوَ الْمَرَابِـــعِ يَلْمَــــــعُ
فَهَبْنِي امْرَأً إِذْ يَلْمَعُ الْبَرْقُ يَدْمَـــعُ

A-barqun badā naḥwa al-marābiʿi yalmaʿu
Fahabnī imra’an idh yalmaʿu al-barqu yadmaʿu

Is that a flash of lightning gleaming toward the dwellings, or am I a man who weeps whenever the lightning shines?

لَمَحْتَ بِوَهْنٍ وَيْكَ هِجْتَ صَبَابَــةً
وَرَقْرَاقَ دَمْعٍ سَاعَةَ الْحَيِّ يَهْجَعُ

Lamaḥta bi-wahnin wayka hijta ṣabābatan
Wa-raqrāqa damʿin sāʿata al-ḥayyi yahjaʿu

You caught a glimpse in the darkness—woe to you!—you have stirred a deep longing and flowing tears while the tribe is asleep.

تُذَكِّرُ أَيَّامَ الصِّبَا وَهْيَ قَدْ مَضَـتْ
وَلَمْ يَبْقَ إِلاَّ لَوْعَـــــةٌ وَتَوَجُّـــعُ

Tudhakkiru ayyāma al-ṣibā wahya qad maḍat
Wa-lam yabqa illā lawʿatun wa-tawajjuʿu

You remind me of the days of youth that have passed away, leaving nothing behind but burning grief and aching pain.

سَقَى اللّٰهُ أَرْضاً بِالْمَدِينَــةِ إِنَّهَــــا
مَحَطُّ رِحَالٍ فِيهِ خَرْقِيَ يُرْقَـــــعُ

Saqā Allāhu arḍan bi-l-Madīnati innahā
Maḥaṭṭu riḥālin fīhi kharqī yurqaʿu

May Allah water the land of Medina, for it is the station where my broken state is mended and my needs are met.

دِيَارُ حَبِيبِ اللّٰهِ وَهْـــــوَ أَمِينُــــهُ
دِيَارٌ بِهَا تُلْفَى الْمَرَافِقُ أَجْمَـــــعُ

Diyāru ḥabībi Allāhi wahwa amīnuhu
Diyārun bihā tulfā al-marāfiqu ajmaʿu

The home of the Beloved of Allah and His trustworthy one, the home where all comforts and benefits are found.

دِيَارٌ لِمَنْ هَامَ الْفُــــــؤَادُ بِحُبِّـــهِ
وَتَذْكَارُهُ لِلْقَلْبِ مَرْعًى وَمَرْتَعُ

Diyārun liman hāma al-fu’ādu bi-ḥubbihi
Wa-tadhkāruhu lil-qalbi marʿan wa-martaʿu

The home of the one for whose love the heart wanders, whose remembrance is a lush pasture and meadow for the soul.

دِيَارٌ لِأَعْلَى الْخَلْقِ خُلْقًــا وَخِلْقَـــةً
دِيَارٌ لِمَنْ فِي الْخَلْقِ يُعْطِي وَيَمْنَعُ

Diyārun li-aʿlā al-khalqi khulqan wa-khilqatan
Diyārun liman fī al-khalqi yuʿṭī wa-yamnaʿu

The home of the loftiest of creation in character and form, the home of him who gives and withholds among mankind.

وَأَكْرَمُهُمْ نَفْسًا وَصِهْرًا وَنِسْبَةً
وَعِلْمًا وَآدَابًا وَأَتْقَى وَأَخْشَعُ

Wa-akramahum nafsan wa-ṣihran wa-nisbatan
Wa-ʿilman wa-ādāban wa-atqā wa-akhshaʿu

The most noble of them in soul, kinship, and lineage, and the most knowledgeable, mannered, God-fearing, and humble.

فَقَدْ كَانَ خَيْرُ الْخَلْقِ فَخْمًا مُفَخَّمًا
وَذُو هَيْبَةٍ وَالْمَشْيُ فِيـــهِ تَقَلُّـــعُ

Faqad kāna khayru al-khalqi fakhman mufakhkhaman
Wa-dhū haybatin wa-l-mashyu fīhi taqalluʿu

The Best of Creation was grand and majestic, possessing awe, and his gait was vigorous as if descending a slope.

وَأَزْهَرُ لَوْنٍ أَدْعَجُ الْعَيْنِ تَزْدَرِي
بِعَيْنِ مَهًى عِنْدَ الْخَمِيلَةِ تَرْتَــــــعُ

Wa-azharu lawnin adʿaju al-ʿayni tazdarī
Bi-ʿayni mahan ʿinda al-khamīlati tartaʿu

Fair-skinned and deep-eyed, he puts to shame the eyes of a wild doe grazing near a thicket.

وَأَنْجَلُ عَيْنٍ ، أَهْدَبُ الشَّفْرِ ، وَاسِعٌ
جَبِينُ رَسُولِ اللّٰهِ وَالْخُلْـــــقُ أَوْسَـــعُ

Wa-anjalu ʿaynin, ahdabu al-shafri, wāsiʿun
Jabīnu Rasūli Allāhi wa-l-khulqu awsaʿu

Large-eyed with long lashes and a broad forehead—yet the character of the Messenger of Allah was even broader.

أَزَجُّ وَأَقْنَى وَجْـــــــهُ طَــــهَ مُــدَوَّرٌ
وَلِحْيَتُهُ كَثًّـــا وَصَـــــــدْرٌ مُوَسَّـــعُ

Azajju wa-aqnā wajhu Ṭāhā mudawwarun
Wa-liḥyatuhu kathan wa-ṣadrun muwassaʿu

With arched brows and a curved nose, Taha's face was round, his beard was thick, and his chest was expansive.

وَمَنْكِبُهُ أَعْظِـــــمْ بِـــهِ وَعِظَامُــــهُ
ضِخَامٌ وَرَبْعُ الْقَــــدِّ طَـــهَ الْمُرَفَّــعُ

Wa-mankibuhu aʿẓim bihi wa-ʿiẓāmuhu
Ḍikhāmun wa-rabʿu al-qaddi Ṭāhā al-muraffaʿu

How great were his shoulders and his large bones; Taha was of a sturdy, upright, and moderate height.

كَذَا عَضُدٌ عَبْلٌ وَعَبْـــــلٌ ذِرَاعُـــهُ
مُرَحَّبُ رَاحَاتٍ وَالْأَنْــــوَارُ تَلْمَــــعُ

Kadha ʿaḍudun ʿablun wa-ʿablun dhirāʿuhu
Muraḥḥabu rāḥātin wa-l-anwāru talmaʿu

His upper arms and forearms were muscular, his palms were wide, and lights gleamed from his presence.

وَسَائِلُ أَطْرَافٍ وَغَيْرُ مُشَــــــذَّبٍ
عَظِيمُ كَرَادِيسٍ مِنَ الْخَلْقِ أَرْفَـــــعُ

Wasā’ilu aṭrāfin wa-ghayru mushadhdhabin
ʿAẓīmu karādīsin min al-khalqi arfaʿu

His fingers were long and graceful, his joints were large, and he was the most exalted of all creation.

وَأَشْنَبُ ثَغْرٍ إِنْ تَبَسَّــــــمَ يَنْجَلِـــي
كَحَبِّ غَمَامٍ أَوْ لَكَالْبَــــــرْقِ يَلْمَـــعُ

Wa-ashnabu thaghrin in tabassama yanjalī
Ka-ḥabbi ghamāmin aw la-ka-l-barqi yalmaʿu

His teeth were bright, and when he smiled, they appeared like hailstones or like the gleaming lightning.

وَهَامَتُهُ عُظْمَـــى لِشَعْــــرٍ تَرَجُّــلٌ
وَخَافِضُ طَرْفٍ سَاكِتٌ فَهْوَ يَخْشَعُ

Wa-hāmatuhu ʿuẓmā li-shaʿrin tarajjulun
Wa-khāfiḍu ṭarfin sākitun fahwa yakhshaʿu

His head was large with well-groomed hair, and he often lowered his gaze in silent, humble devotion.

وَأَحْزَانُــــهُ مَوْصُـــولَــــةٌ بِتَفَكُّــــرٍ
وَإِنْ قَالَ قَالَ الْفَصْلَ وَالْحَقَّ يَرْجِعُ

Wa-aḥzānuhu mawṣūlatun bi-tafakkurin
Wa-in qāla qāla al-faṣla wa-l-ḥaqqa yarjiʿu

His sorrows were constant and linked with deep reflection; when he spoke, he spoke with decisive and truthful words.

وَيَنْظُرُ لَحْظاً وَهْوَ لِلْأَرْضِ غَالِبًـا
يَسُوقُ صِحَابًا وَالْمَلاَئِــــكُ تَتْبَــــعُ

Wa-yanẓuru laḥẓan wahwa lil-arḍi ghāliban
Yasūqu ṣiḥāban wa-l-malā’iku tatbaʿu

He looked mostly toward the ground, leading his companions while the angels followed in his wake.

وَجِـــيدُ رَسُولِ اللّٰهِ يُشْبِــهُ دُمْيَـــةً
إِذَا فَرَّقَ الْأَشْعَارَ يَبْـــدُو وَيَلْمَـــعُ

Wa-jīdu Rasūli Allāhi yushbihu dumyatan
Idha farraqa al-ashʿāra yabdu wa-yalmaʿu

The neck of the Messenger of Allah was as elegant as a statue's; when he parted his hair, it would appear and shine.

وَكَاللُّؤْلُؤِ الْمَكْنُونِ وَالْمِسْكِ عَرْفُهُ
فَمِثْلَ رَسُولِ اللّٰهِ لَمْ يَحْظَ مَجْمَــــعُ

Wa-ka-l-lu’lu’i al-maknūni wa-l-miski ʿarfuhu
Fa-mithla Rasūli Allāhi lam yaḥẓa majmaʿu

His scent was like hidden pearls and fragrant musk; no gathering ever enjoyed a presence like that of the Messenger of Allah.

وَأَحْلَمُ خَلْـــــــقِ اللّٰهِ أَعْـــدَلُ خَلْقِـــهِ
مِنَ النَّاسِ أَسْخَى بَلْ مِنَ النَّاسِ أَشْجَعُ

Wa-aḥlamu khalqi Allāhi aʿdalu khalqihi
Min al-nāsi askhā bal min al-nāsi ashjaʿu

The most forbearing and just of Allah’s creation, the most generous of people, and indeed the bravest of them.

وَيَخْدُمُ لِلْأَهْلِيـــــنَ يَخْصِــــفُ نَعْلَـــهُ
وَيَقْطَعُ لَحْمًا وَهْـــوَ لِلثَّــــوْبِ يَرْقَـــعُ

Wa-yakhdumu lil-ahlīna yakhṣifu naʿlahu
Wa-yaqṭaʿu laḥman wahwa lil-thawbi yarqaʿu

He served his family, mended his own sandals, cut the meat, and patched his own garments.

أَشَدُّ حَيَاءً وَهْوَ يَأْتِــــــي لِمَـــنْ دَعَـــا
وَيَغْضَبُ لِلْمَوْلَى إِلَى الْحَقِّ يَرْجِـــــعُ

Ashaddu ḥayā’an wahwa ya’tī liman daʿā
Wa-yaghḍabu lil-mawlā ila al-ḥaqqi yarjiʿu

He was the most intense in modesty yet answered whoever called him, and he only grew angry for the sake of the Truth.

وَلَمْ يَتَوَرَّعْ عَنْ حَلاَلٍ وَلَـــوْ حَـــلاَ
وَلَمْ تُلْفِهِ فِي غَالِــبِ الْوَقْـــتِ يَشْبَـــعُ

Wa-lam yatawarraʿ ʿan ḥalālin wa-law ḥalā
Wa-lam tulfihi fī ghālibi al-waqti yashbaʿu

He did not refrain from what was lawful even if it was sweet, yet he was rarely found eating to fullness.

وَيَرْكَبُ أَحْيَانًــــا جَــــوَادًا وَمَـــرَّةً
حِمَـــارًا وَحِينًــــا رَاجِــــلاً يَتَقَلَّـــعُ

Wa-yarkabu aḥyānan jawādan wa-marratan
Ḥimāran wa-ḥīnan rājilan yataqalluʿu

He sometimes rode a horse, sometimes a donkey, and sometimes he walked briskly on foot.

كَذَلِكَ فِي الْمَلْبُوسِ وَالطِّيــبُ فَائِـــحٌ
يُجَالِسُ أَقْوَاماً وَالْأَصْوَاتُ تُرْفَــــــعُ

Kadhalika fī al-malbūsi wa-l-ṭību fā’iḥun
Yujālisu aqwāman wa-l-aṣwātu turfaʿu

So it was with his clothing while his fragrance wafted; he sat with all people even when voices were raised.

وَيَمْزَحُ أَحْيَانًــــا يُوَلِّـــــفُ مَــــرَّةً
وَمَا هَابَ مَلْكًا قَطُّ فَالشَّأْنُ أَرْفَـعُ

Wa-yamzaḥu aḥyānan yuwallifu marratan
Wa-mā hāba malkan qaṭṭu fa-l-sha’nu arfaʿu

He joked at times to bring hearts together, and he never feared a king, for his station was far more exalted.

وَمَا حَقَّرَ الْمِسْكِينَ يَدْعُـو جَمِيعَهُـمْ
وَبِاللّٰهِ مَوْلَى الْخَلْقِ ذَا الْخَلْقَ يَجْمَعُ

Wa-mā ḥaqqara al-miskīna yadʿū jamīʿahum
Wa-bi-llāhi mawlā al-khalqi dhā al-khalqa yajmaʿu

He never belittled the poor and invited them all, and through Allah, the Lord of creation, he gathers the people.

وَأَكْرَمَهُ الْمَوْلَى أَجَـــــلَّ كَرَامَــــةٍ
وَخَصَّصَهُ مَنْ لِلْخَلاَئِــــقِ يَنْفَــــعُ

Wa-akramahu al-mawlā ajalla karāmatin
Wa-khaṣṣaṣahu man lil-khalā’iqi yanfaʿu

His Lord honored him with the greatest of honors and singled him out as the one who benefits all of creation.

عَلَيْهِ صَـلاَةُ اللّٰهِ مَــــــــا ذَرَّ شَـــارِقٌ
وَغَنَّتْ حَمَامَاتٌ عَلَى الْغُصْنِ تَسْجَعُ

ʿAlayhi ṣalātu Allāhi mā dharra shāriqun
Wa-ghannat ḥamāmātun ʿala al-ghuṣni tasjaʿu

Upon him be the blessings of Allah as long as the sun rises and the pigeons coo upon the branches.

وَمَا رُدَّ ضَيْمُ الدَّهْرِ عَنْ سَاحَةِ الَّذِي
يُزَخْرِفُ أَمْدَاحاً وَيَشْــدُو وَيَسْجَـــعُ

Wa-mā rudda ḍaymu al-dahri ʿan sāḥati al-ladhī
Yuzakhrifu amdāḥan wa-yashdū wa-yasjaʿu

May the hardships of time be repelled from the one who embellishes these praises and chants these verses.

وَآلٍ وَأَصْحَابٍ مَدَى قَــــوْلِ شَيِّـــقٍ
أَبَــرْقٌ بَــدَا نَحْــــوَ الْمَــرَابِـــعِ يَلْمَـــعُ

Wa-ālin wa-aṣḥābin madā qawli shayyiqin
A-barqun badā naḥwa al-marābiʿi yalmaʿu

And upon his Family and Companions, as long as a longing soul says: "Is that a flash of lightning gleaming toward the dwellings?"