Harfun Nuun · حَرْفُ النُّونِ

نَوَالُ رَسُولِ اللّٰهِ أَصْبَـــحَ وَاكِفَـــا
عَلَيَّ مَتَى أَمْسَيْتُ بِالْمَدْحِ وَاصِفَا

Nawālu Rasūli Allāhi aṣbaḥa wākifā
‘Alayya matā amsaytu bil-madḥi wāṣifā

The bounty of the Messenger of Allah has become a pouring rain upon me, whenever I spend my evening describing him in praise.

فَجُودُ رَسُولِ اللّٰهِ بِالْبَذْلِ سَائِـــــلٌ
وَأُلْفَى عَلَى أَبْوَابِهِ الدَّهْرَ عَاكِفَـا

Fa-jūdu Rasūli Allāhi bil-badhli sā’ilun
Wa-ulfā ‘alā abwābihi al-dahra ‘ākifā

The generosity of the Messenger of Allah in giving is like a flowing stream, and I am found forever at his doors in a state of devotion.

فَإِنِّيَ رَاضٍ شَاكِـــــرُ الْقَلْبِ دَائِمًـــا
وَلَمْ يُغْنِنِي نَيْلٌ عَنِ الْوَصْلِ عَارِفَـا

Fa-inniya rāḍin shākiru al-qalbi dā’iman
Wa-lam yughninī naylun ‘an al-waṣli ‘ārifā

For I am satisfied, forever grateful in heart; and no gift has sufficed to distract me—as a gnostic—from seeking union.

وَلَسْــــتُ بِأَهْــــلٍ أَنْ أَنَالَ كَرَامَــةً
وَلَكِنَّ خَيْرَ الْخَـلْقِ سَــادَ الْغَطَارِفَــا

Wa-lastu bi-ahlin an anāla karāmatan
Wa-lakinna khayra al-khalqi sāda al-ghaṭārifā

I am not worthy of attaining any miracle, but the Best of Creation is the master of all noble chiefs.

وَإِنِّي أَتَانِي حُبُّــــهُ قَبْــــلَ نَشْأَتِــي
صَرَفْتُ تَلِيدَ الْحُـــبِّ فِيهِ وَطَارِفَــا

Wa-innī atānī ḥubbuhu qabla nash’atī
Ṣaraftu talīda al-ḥubbi fīhi wa-ṭārifā

Indeed, his love came to me before my very existence; I have spent both my ancient and my new love upon him.

إِذَا هَامَ أَقْرَانِي بِمَيْلَـــــى وَتَنْـــدَمٍ
أَهِيمُ بِهِ حِينًـــــا وَوَقْتًـــا وَآنِفَـــا

Idhā hāma aqrānī bi-Maylā wa-Tandamin
Ahīmu bihi ḥīnan wa-waqtan wa-ānifā

If my peers are infatuated with "Mayla" or "Tandam," I am infatuated with him at every moment, every time, and even before.

وَإِنْ سَهِرَ الْعُبَّادُ فِي دَرْسِ حِزْبِهِـــمْ
فَحِزْبِي هُيَامِي فِي سَنَا الْبَــدْرِ غَارِفَا

Wa-in sahira al-‘ubbadu fī darsi ḥizbihim
Fa-ḥizbī huyāmī fī sanā al-badri ghārifā

If the worshippers stay awake reciting their litanies, my litany is my infatuation with the brilliance of the Full Moon, scooping from his light.

أُسَاجِلُ فِيهِ الْوُرْقَ شَوْقًا مُرَاعِيًـــا
نُجُومَ السَّمَا لَيْلِي وَأُسْبِــلُ وَاكِفَــا

Usājilu fīhi al-wurqa shawqan murā‘iyan
Nujūma al-samā laylī wa-usbilu wākifā

I compete with the pigeons in longing for him, watching the stars of the sky through my night while my tears pour down.

فَلَمْ أَرَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الصَّبَابَةِ مِثْلَ مَنْ
يُعَانِي لِمَا عَانَيْتُ بَلْهَ السَّفَاسِفَـــا

Fa-lam ara min ahli al-ṣabābati mithla man
Yu‘ānī limā ‘ānaytu balha al-safāsifā

I have not seen among the people of passion anyone who suffers what I suffer—far beyond those trivial loves.

زَفِيرِي وَدَمْعِي يَشْفِيَانِي كِلاَهُمَا
وَإِنِّي عَلَى ذَا فِي جِنَانِـيَ قَاطِفَـا

Zafīrī wa-dam‘ī yashfiyānī kilāhumā
Wa-innī ‘alā dhā fī jināniya qāṭifā

My sighs and my tears both heal me; despite this state, I am picking fruits within my own paradise.

فَعِـزٌّ بِــــــذُلٍّ لَـــــذَّةٌ بِمَــــرَارَةٍ
وَأَلْتَذُّ إِنْ غَيْرِي يُقَاسِي الْمَتَالِفَا

Fa-‘izzun bi-dhullin ladh-dhatun bi-marāratin
Wa-altadh-dhu in ghayrī yuqāsī al-matālifā

It is honor through humility, and pleasure through bitterness; I find delight while others endure only destruction.

بِيُمْنِ رَسُولِ اللّٰهِ كَهْفِــــي وَمَلْجَئِي
وَمَنْ سَادَ مَنْ نَالُوا الْعَطَايَا النَّفَانِفَا

Bi-yumni Rasūli Allāhi kahfī wa-malja’ī
Wa-man sāda man nālū al-‘aṭāyā al-nafānifā

By the blessing of the Messenger of Allah, my cave and my refuge; the one who surpassed all who received vast and noble gifts.

عَلَيْــــهِ صَــــلاَةُ اللّٰهِ ثُـــمَّ سَلاَمُـــهُ
وَآلٍ وَأَصْحَابٍ أَنَالُــوا الْعَوَارِفَــا

‘Alayhi ṣalātu Allāhi thumma salāmuhu
Wa-ālin wa-asḥābin anālū al-‘awārifā

Upon him be the prayer of Allah and then His peace, and upon the family and companions who attained deep spiritual knowledge.