Harful Faa · حَرْفُ الْفَاءِ

شَكَـــرْتُ الْقَدِيــرَ الْمَالِــــكَ الْمُتَصَرِّفَــا
عَلَى حُبِّ مَحْبُوبِ الْجَلِيلِ الَّذِي اصْطَفَى

Shakartu al-Qadīra al-Mālika al-Mutaṣarrifā
‘Alā ḥubbi maḥbūbi al-Jalīli al-ladhī-ṣṭafā

I thanked the Powerful, the King, the Disposer of affairs, for the love of the Beloved of the Majestic, the Chosen One.

تَطَوَّفْتُ فِي الْآفَاقِ وَالْحَالُ إِنَّنِــي
أُكَابِدُ شَوْقًـــا مِنْــهُ نَوْمِي تَخَوَّفَــا

Taṭawwaftu fī al-āfāqi wal-ḥālu innanī
Ukābidu shawqan minhu nawmī takhawwafā

I wandered the horizons while I was enduring a longing that made sleep fear me.

لَقَدْ أَسْهَرَ الْحُـــبُّ الْقَدِيـمُ أَسِيـرَهُ
وَعَـــذَّبَ قَلْبًــا لَمْ يَــزَلْ مُتَشَوِّفَـا

Laqad ashara al-ḥubbu al-qadīmu asīrahu
Wa-‘adhdhaba qalban lam yazal mutashawwifā

An ancient love has kept its captive awake and tormented a heart that remains ever-yearning.

يُخَيِّلُ دُورَ الْحِبِّ سَلْعًا وَطَيْبَــةً
وَسَلْ عَنْ أَرِيسٍ لاَ دِيَارٍ بِأَوْجَفَا

Yukhayyilu dūra al-ḥibbi Sal‘an wa-Ṭaybatan
Wa-sal ‘an Arīsin lā diyārin bi-Awjafā

He imagines the dwellings of the Beloved at Sal' and Medina; ask about Aris, not the houses at Awjafa.

وَوَادِي عَقِيــقٍ وَالنَّقَا وَرُبُوعِهَــا
وَكَاظِمَةٍ وَانْحُ الْبَقِيـــعَ الْمُشَرَّفَــا

Wa-wādī ‘Aqīqin wal-Naqā wa-rubū‘ihā
Wa-Kāẓimatin wan-ḥu al-Baqī‘a al-musharrafā

And Wadi al-Aqiq, al-Naqa, and their quarters; and Kazima, and head toward the honored Baqi.

خَلِيلَيَّ قُولاَ لِي إِذَا مَا صَدَقْتُمَــا
قِفَا نَبْكِ تِلْكَ الدُّورَ خَلِّ قِفَنْ قِفَا

Khalīlayya qūlā lī idhā mā ṣadaqtumā
Qifā nabki tilka al-dūra khalli qifan qifā

My two companions, tell me if you are truthful; "Stand and let us weep over those dwellings," leave aside "Stop, let us stop."

قِفَا وَاذْكُرَاهَا قَدْ سَبَانِي جَمَالُـهَا
وَلَمْ يُسْلِنِي مَنْ قَدْ جَفَا أَوْ تَلَطَّفَا

Qifā wadh-kurāhā qad sabānī jamāluhā
Wa-lam yuslinī man qad jafā aw talaṭṭafā

Stand and remember them, for their beauty has captivated me; neither those who were harsh nor those who were kind made me forget.

فَتِلْكَ دِيَـــارٌ حَلَّهَا النُّورُ أَحْمَـدٌ
فَطَابَتْ بِمَنْ كُلَّ الْخَلاَئِقِ شَرَّفَا

Fatilka diyārun ḥallahā al-nūru Aḥmadu
Fa-ṭābat bi-man kulla al-khalā’iqi sharrafā

Those are the dwellings where the Light, Ahmad, settled; they became pleasant through the one who honored all of creation.

فَذَاكَ بِهِ أَصْلُ الْوُجُودِ وَجُــودُهُ
مَعَ الْكُلِّ إِذْ أَعْطَى وَزَادَ وَنَيَّفَــا

Fadhāka bi-hi aṣlu al-wujūdi wa-jūduhu
Ma‘a al-kulli idh a‘ṭā wa-zāda wa-nayyafā

Through him is the origin of existence, and his generosity is with everyone, as he gave, increased, and excelled.

عَلَيْــــهِ صَــلاَةُ اللّٰهِ ثُــمَّ سَلاَمُـهُ
أَنَالُ مُرَادِي عِنْدَ أَحْمَدَ مَنْ صَفَا

‘Alayhi ṣalātu Allāhi thumma salāmuhu
Anālu murādī ‘inda Aḥmada man ṣafā

Upon him be the prayer of Allah and then His peace; I attain my desire with Ahmad, the one who is pure.

عَلَيْهِ مَعَ الْآلِ الْكِــرَامِ وَصَحْبِــهِ
صَــلاَةٌ وَتَسْلِيــمٌ وَكُلِّ الَّــذِي قَفَـا

‘Alayhi ma‘a al-āli al-kirāmi wa-ṣaḥbihi
Ṣalātun wa-taslīmun wa-kulli al-ladhī qafā

Upon him, along with the noble family and his companions, be prayer and peace, and upon all who followed.