Harful Kaaf · حَرْفُ الْكَافِ

كَأَنِّي لَــدَى خَيْرِ الْأَنَــامِ وَقَدْ مَلَــكْ
فُؤَادِي وَذَاتِي أَبْتَغِي حَضْرَةَ الْمَلِكْ

Ka-annī lada khayri al-anāmi wa-qad malak
Fu’ādī wa-dhātī abtaghī ḥaḍrata al-Malik

It is as if I am in the presence of the Best of Mankind, who has taken possession of my heart and my essence, while I seek the Presence of the [Divine] King.

أُجَاوِرُهُ فِي رَوْضَــةِ الْخُلْدِ مَادِحًــا
خَلاَئِقَهُ وَسْطَ الْحَجِيجِ وَمَنْ نَسَــكْ

Ujāwiruhu fī rawḍati al-khuldi mādiḥan
Khalā’iqahu wasṭa al-ḥajīji wa-man nasak

I reside near him in the Garden of Eternity, praising his character amidst the pilgrims and those performing rites.

أُحَــاوِرُهُ بِالشِّعْــــــرِ أَغْـــدُو مُسَلِّمًــا
عَلَى أَحْمَدٍ أَشْكُو شُؤُونِي إِلَى الْمَلِــكْ

Uḥāwiruhu bish-shi‘ri aghdū musalliman
‘Alā Aḥmada ashkū shu’ūnī ila al-Malik

I converse with him through poetry, rising to greet him; I greet Ahmad while complaining of my affairs to the King.

نَبِيَّ الْـهُـدَى غَيْثَ الْوَرَى خَيْرَ مُرْسَلٍ
فَسَلْ خَالِقِي تَخْلِيصَ قَلْبِي مِنَ الْحُلَكْ

Nabiyya al-hudā ghaytha al-warā khayra mursalin
Fasal khāliqī takhlīṣa qalbī mina al-ḥulak

O Prophet of Guidance, rain of the creation, best of Messengers! Ask my Creator to rescue my heart from the darkness.

طَرِيــدَ جِنَايَـــاتٍ أَتَيْــــتُ مُلَطَّخًـــا
وَأَسْتَغْفِـــــرُ اللّٰهَ الْعَلِيــمَ لِمَـــا دَرَكْ

Ṭarīda jināyātin ataytu mulaṭṭakhan
Wa-astaghfiru Allāha al-‘Alīma limā darak

An exile of crimes, I have come stained; and I seek forgiveness from Allah, the Knower, for what has occurred.

فَيَا رَبِّ فَاغْفِرْ لِي وَتُبْ وَاسْتُرَنْ وَهَبْ
هِدَايَــةَ عَبْــــــدٍ بَــــدِّلِ السُّـــوءَ يَا مَلِــكْ

Fa-yā rabbi faghfir lī wa-tub was-turan wa-hab
Hidāyata ‘abdin baddili al-sū’a yā Malik

O my Lord! Forgive me, accept my repentance, cover me, and grant guidance to a servant—change the evil [within me], O King!

وَتَمْحُو بِيَ الْأَضْلاَلَ وَالشِّرْكَ سَالِكًا
سَبِيلَ رَسُــــولِ اللّٰهِ لاَ أَخْتَشِــي دَرَكْ

Wa-tamḥū biya al-aḍlāla wal-shirka sālikan
Sabīla Rasūli Allāhi lā akhtashī darak

Erase through me the misguidance and polytheism, as I walk the path of the Messenger of Allah, fearing no pursuit.

وَتُخْرِجُ سِينًــا بَعْـــدَ دَالٍ مِــنْ أَرْضِنَـــا
وَبَاءٍ ، وَحَارِبْ ، مَنْ تُحَارِبْ فَقَدْ هَلَكْ

Wa-tukhriju Sīnan ba‘da Dālin min arḍinā
Wa-Bā’in, wa-ḥārib man tuḥārib faqad halak

And remove the "S" after the "D" from our land [D-S, likely referring to colonial or antagonistic figures], and "B" [B-R-Y, likely a local antagonist]; fight whoever You fight, for they are surely destroyed.

فَأَنْتَ الَّــذِي دَمَّرْتَ نَمْرُوذَ جَاعِـــلاً
خَلِيلاً خَلِيلاً فَاعْتَلَى فَوْقَ مَـــنْ مَلَكْ

Fa-anta al-ladhī dammarta Namrūdha jā‘ilan
Khalīlan khalīlan fa-’talā fawqa man malak

For You are the One who destroyed Nimrod, making [Ibrahim] a beloved friend who rose above all who possessed power.

وَأَغْرَقْتَ فِي الْقُلْزُومِ فِرْعَوْنَ إِذْ طَغَى
وَكَلَّمْتَ مُوسَى فَاسْتَنَارَ بِـــهِ الْفَلَـــــكْ

Wa-aghraqta fī al-Qulzūmi Fir‘awna idh ṭaghā
Wa-kallamta Mūsā fastanāra bihi al-falak

And You drowned Pharaoh in the Red Sea when he transgressed; and You spoke to Moses, through whom the celestial sphere became illuminated.

وَأَخْزَيْتَ أَعْدَاءَ الْمَسِيحِ وَقَدْ عَـــلاَ
بِإِذْنِكَ هَاتِيـــكَ السَّمَـــاءَ مَعَ الْحُبُــكْ

Wa-akhzayta a‘dā’a al-Masīḥi wa-qad ‘alā
Bi-idhnika hātīka al-samā’a ma‘a al-ḥubuk

And You disgraced the enemies of the Messiah (‘Isa), as he ascended by Your permission to that heaven with its orbits.

وَأَخْزَيْتَ فِهْرًا يَــوْمَ بَدْرٍ وَخَنْـــدَقٍ
وَفَتْحٍ وَأَعْلَيْتَ الَّذِي مَنْسَكِي نَسَــكْ

Wa-akhzayta Fihran yawma Badrin wa-khandaqin
Wa-fatḥin wa-a‘layta al-ladhī mansakī nasak

And You disgraced the Fihr (Quraysh) on the day of Badr and the Trench and the Conquest; and You elevated the one through whom my rites are performed.

خَلَــــتْ سُنَّــــةُ اللّٰهِ الْجَلِيـــلِ جَلاَلُــهُ
وَلَسْتَ تَــرَى تَبْدِيلَهَــا إِذْ هُوَ الْمَلِكْ

Khalat sunnatu Allāhi al-jalīli jalāluhu
Wa-lasta tarā tabdīlahā idh huwa al-Malik

The Sunnah of Allah, the Majestic, has passed; and you shall find no change in it, for He is the King.

وَأَهْلِكْ كَبِيرَ الْقَوْمِ بِالرُّومِ وَاكْفِنَــا
مَكَائِــدَهُ كَـادَ الشَّرِيعَــةَ وَالنُّسُـــكْ

Wa-ahlik kabīra al-qawmi bir-Rūmi wak-finā
Makā’idahu kāda al-sharī‘ata wal-nusuk

Destroy the great one among the people in Rome [or colonial powers] and protect us from his plots; he plotted against the Sharia and the rites.

وَأَهْلِكْ عَدُوِّي أَخْزِهِ وَامْحُ ذِكْرَهُ
أَمِتْهُ سَرِيعًا بَعْــدَ أَنْ سِتْرُهُ هُتِــكْ

Wa-ahlik ‘aduwwī akhzihi wam-ḥu dhikrahu
Amit-hu sarī‘an ba‘da an sitruhu hutik

Destroy my enemy, disgrace him, and erase his mention; cause him to die quickly after his cover has been torn.

تُحَـــارِبُ مَدَّاحَ الرَّسُولِ خَدِيمَـــــهُ
لَعَمْرِي لَكَ الْوَيْلاَتُ وَيْلُ الَّذِي مَعَكْ

Tuḥāribu maddāḥa al-Rasūli khadīmahu
La-‘amrī laka al-waylātu waylu al-ladhī ma‘ak

You fight the praiser of the Messenger, his servant? By my life, woe to you and woe to the ones with you!

فَــإِنَّ رَسُـــولَ اللّٰهِ حَامِـــي ذِمَـــــارِهِ
وَهُو مُصْطَفَى مِنْ نُورِهِ الْعَرْشُ وَالْفَلَكْ

Fa-inna Rasūla Allāhi ḥāmī dhimārihi
Wa-huwa Muṣṭafā min nūrihi al-‘arshu wal-falak

For the Messenger of Allah is the protector of his honor; he is the Chosen One, from whose light the Throne and the spheres were made.

وَأَشْهَـــــدُ أَنَّ اللّٰهَ لاَ رَبَّ غَيْـــرُهُ
فَلَيْـــسَ لَـــهُ كُفْؤٌ بِبَـــرٍّ وَلاَ فُلُـــكْ

Wa-ash-hadu anna Allāha lā rabba ghayruhu
Falaysa lahu kuff’un bi-barrin wa-lā fuluk

I bear witness that Allah—there is no Lord but He; He has no equal on land or in ships.

وَأَنَّ رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ أَحْمَـــدَ نَاصِـــحٌ
فَقَدْ بَلَّغَ الْهَــادِي الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ الْمَلَكْ

Wa-anna Rasūla Allāhi Aḥmada nāṣiḥun
Faqad ballagha al-Hādī al-ladhī anzala al-Malak

And that the Messenger of Allah, Ahmad, is a sincere counselor; the Guide has conveyed what the Angel sent down.

وَجَاهَــدَ خَيْرُ النَّاسِ أَدَّى أَمَانَــةً
وَمَهَّدَ دِينًا وَاضِحًا عِنْدَ مَنْ مَسَكْ

Wa-jāhada khayru al-nāsi addā amānatan
Wa-mahhada dīnan wāḍiḥan ‘inda man masak

The best of mankind struggled and fulfilled the trust; he paved a clear religion for whoever holds fast.

وَهَلْ أَبْصَرَتْ عَيْنَــاكَ يَوْمًا كَهَدْيِـهِ
أَتَحْسِبُ دِينًا غَيْرَ مَا الْمُصْطَفَى سَلَكْ

Wa-hal abṣarat ‘aynāka yawman ka-hadyihi
A-taḥsibu dīnan ghayra mā al-Muṣṭafā salak

Have your eyes ever seen anything like his guidance? Do you think there is any religion other than that which the Chosen One walked?

دَعُونِي مِنَ التَّثْلِيثِ وَالشِّرْكِ وَاعْبُدُوا
إِلَـهًــا بَــرَا لاَ لاَ شَرِيكَ لِمَـــنْ مَلَــكْ

Da‘ūnī mina al-tathlīthi wal-shirki wa‘budū
Ilāhan barā lā lā sharīka liman malak

Leave me from the Trinity and polytheism, and worship a God who created—no, there is no partner for the One who possesses all.

فَلَبَّيْـــكَ مَوْلاَنَــا لَكَ الْحَمْـــــدُ كُلُّــهُ
لَكَ الْمُلْكُ وَالنَّعْمَا جَمِيعًا وَذَاكَ لَكْ

Fa-labbayka mawlānā laka al-ḥamdu kulluhu
Laka al-mulku wal-na‘mā jamī‘an wa-dhāka lak

Here I am, O our Master! To You belongs all praise; to You belongs the sovereignty and all blessings—that is Yours.

وَخَيْرُ رَسُولٍ خَيرُ مَنْ وَطِئَ الثَّرَى
مُحَمَّدٌ الْهَــادِي إِمَامِي لَــدَى الْحُلَـــكْ

Wa-khayru Rasūlin khayru man waṭi’a al-tharā
Muḥammadun al-Hādī imāmī lada al-ḥulak

The best Messenger is the best who ever trod the earth; Muhammad the Guide, my Imam in times of darkness.

أَيَـا سَيِّــــدِي نَجْـــلَ الْعَوَاتِــكِ أَحْمَدًا
فَكُــنْ لِي شَفِيعًا لاَ يَرَى مَأْثَمِي مَلَكْ

Ayā sayyidī najla al-‘awātiki Aḥmadā
Fakun lī shafī‘an lā yarā ma’thamī malak

O my Master, son of the noble women, Ahmad! Be an intercessor for me so that no angel sees my sin.

وَأَنتَ شَفِيــــــعُ الْخَلْـــقِ أَنْتَ مُحَمَّــدٌ
لِوَا الْحَمْدِ فِي كَفَّيْكَ يَا خَيْرَ مَنْ نَسَـــكْ

Wa-anta shafī‘u al-khalqi anta Muḥammadun
Liwā al-ḥamdi fī kaffayka yā khayra man nasak

You are the intercessor of creation, you are Muhammad; the Banner of Praise is in your hands, O best of those who perform rites.

وَكُنْ لِي شَفِيعًا فِي حَيَاتِي وَسِيلَتِي
فَإِنِّيَ تَيْـــــمٌ بِالْكَبَائِـــــرِ قَـــدْ هَلَــكْ

Wakun lī shafī‘an fī ḥayātī wasīlatī
Fa-inniya taymun bil-kabā’iri qad halak

Be an intercessor for me in my life, my means [of approach]; for I am a captive who has perished through major sins.

عَلَى أَنَّنِي إِنْ جَلَّ جُرْمِي فَإِنَّنِـــي
أُحِبُّكَ بَلْ حَتَّى أُحِـبُّ الَّذِي مَعَــكْ

‘Alā annanī in jalla jurmī fa-innanī
Uḥibbuka bal ḥattā uḥibbu al-ladhī ma‘ak

Even though my crime is great, I love you; indeed, I even love those who are with you.

وَذِكْـــرُ سَجَايَـــاكَ الْكَرِيمَـــةِ مَنْطِقِــي
أَرَى لِيَ ذِكْرَ الْمُصْطَفَى الْحَجَّ وَالنُّسُـكْ

Wa-dhikru sajāyāka al-karīmati manṭiqī
Arā liya dhikra al-Muṣṭafā al-ḥajja wal-nusuk

Mentioning your noble traits is my speech; I see the mention of the Chosen One as my Hajj and my rites.

تَجَرَّدْتُ مِــــنْ أَلْبَاسِ حُـــبِّ سِوَائِــهِ
أَرَى حُجَّتِي حُبَّ الْأَمِينِ لَدَى الْمَلِــكْ

Tajarradtu min albāsi ḥubbi siwā’ihi
Arā ḥujjatī ḥubba al-Amīni lada al-Malik

I have stripped myself of the garments of loving any besides him; I see my proof as the love of the Trustworthy One before the King.

أَطُوفُ وَقَلْبِي بِالْحَبِيـــــــبِ مُعَلَّـــقٌ
وَأَسْعَى كَأَنِّي خَلْفَ أَحْمَدَ فِي نُسُــكْ

Aṭūfu wa-qalbī bil-ḥabībi mu‘allaqun
Wa-as‘ā ka-annī khalfa Aḥmada fī nusuk

I perform Tawaf while my heart is attached to the Beloved; and I run (Sa‘y) as if I am behind Ahmad in the rites.

بِخَيْفِ مِنًى وَالْمَشْعَرِ الْفَخْمِ مَطْلَبِي
سُلُوكُ طَرِيقٍ كَــانَ أَحْمَدُ قَـدْ سَلَكْ

Bi-khayfi Minan wal-mash‘ari al-fakhmi maṭlabī
Sulūku ṭarīqin kāna Aḥmadu qad salak

At the Khayf of Mina and the Magnificent Station (Mash‘ar), my quest is to walk the path that Ahmad had walked.

أَجِي عَرَفَـــاتٍ كَانَ فِيهَـــا مُحَمَّــــدٌ
يَرُوحُ وَيَغْــدُو ضَاحِيًا يَعْبُــدُ الْمَلِكْ

Ajī ‘Arafātin kāna fīhā Muḥammadun
Yarūḥu wa-yaghdu ḍāḥiyan ya‘budu al-Malik

I come to Arafat where Muhammad used to be, going and coming in the forenoon, worshipping the King.

وَإِنَّ مُـــرَادِي وَالسَّفَاهَةُ كَاسْمِهَـــا
أَمُرُّ بِهَــا حَسْبِي لِــذَا أَرْكَبُ الْفُلُـكْ

Wa-inna murādī wal-safāhatu kasmihā
Amurru bi-hā ḥasbī lidhā arkabu al-fuluk

And indeed my desire—and "foolishness" is like its name [likely referring to a place or trial]—I pass through it, sufficient for me, thus I board the ship.

لِـــذَاكَ أَرَى خَيْـــرَ الْبِلاَدِ جَمِيعِهَــا
مَدِينَةَ خَيْرِ النَّاسِ قَلْبِي بِهَــا مُلِـــكْ

Lidhāka arā khayra al-bilādi jamī‘ihā
Madīnata khayri al-nāsi qalbī bi-hā mulik

Therefore, I see the best of all lands as the city of the best of mankind; my heart is possessed by her.

تَــرَى مَرْقَدَ الْهَادِي وَتُلْفِي رُبُوعَهُ
رُبُوعًا لَهُ أَمْسَى خَدِيمًا بِهَا الْمَلَـــكْ

Tarā marqada al-Hādī wa-tulfī rubū‘ahu
Rubū‘an lahu amsā khadīman bi-hā al-malak

You see the resting place of the Guide and find his dwellings; dwellings where the Angel has become a servant.

عَلَيْــــــهِ صَــــلاَةُ اللّٰهِ ثُـــمَّ سَلاَمُــهُ
فَتُنْقِذُنِي مِنْ كُلِّ ضِيقٍ وَمِنْ ضَنَــكْ

‘Alayhi ṣalātu Allāhi thumma salāmuhu
Fa-tunqidhunī min kulli ḍīqin wa-min ḍanak

Upon him be the prayer of Allah and then His peace; may it rescue me from every narrowness and distress.

عَلَيْـــــهِ صَــــلاَةُ اللّٰهِ ثُــــمَّ سَلاَمُــهُ
فَيُشْكَرُ سَعْيِي عِنْدَ طَــهَ وَمَنْ مَلَــكْ

‘Alayhi ṣalātu Allāhi thumma salāmuhu
Fa-yush-karu sa‘yī ‘inda Ṭāhā wa-man malak

Upon him be the prayer of Allah and then His peace; may my effort be appreciated by Taha and the One who possesses all.

عَلَيْــــهِ صَــــلاَةُ اللّٰهِ ثُـــمَّ سَلاَمُــهُ
فَتَقْضِي شُؤُونِي كُلَّهَا مَالِكَ الْمُلُـــكْ

‘Alayhi ṣalātu Allāhi thumma salāmuhu
Fa-taqḍī shu’ūnī kullahā Māliku al-Muluk

Upon him be the prayer of Allah and then His peace; may You fulfill all my affairs, O Owner of the Sovereignty.

عَلَيْـــهِ صَــــلاَةُ اللّٰهِ ثُــــمَّ سَلاَمُـــهُ
وَآلٍ وَأَصْحَابٍ هُــدَاةً لَنَـــا تَرَكْ

‘Alayhi ṣalātu Allāhi thumma salāmuhu
Wa-ālin wa-asḥābin hudātan lanā tarak

Upon him be the prayer of Allah and then His peace; and upon the family and companions, the guides whom he left for us.