Harful Alif · حَرْفُ الْأَلِف

أَطَيْفٌ سَرَى أَمْ أَنَّ رَكْبِـــيَ يَمَّمَــا
مَوَاطِنَ خَيْرِ النَّاسِ لِلسَّيْرِ صَمَّمَــا

A-ṭayfun sarā am anna rakbiya yammamā
mawāṭina khayri-n nāsi li-s sayri ṣammamā

Is it a phantom that traveled by night, or has my caravan headed toward the dwellings of the best of mankind, determined to journey?

وَهَلْ يَا تُرَى أَنِّي أُنِيـــخُ بِبَابِـــهِ
وَأَمْشِـــي بِتَأْدِيبٍ لِطَـــهَ مُسَلِّمَــا

Wa hal yā turā annī unīkhu bi-bābihi
wa amshī bi-ta’dībin li-Ṭāhā musallimā

And will I, perchance, kneel my mount at his door and walk with discipline toward Taha, offering my greetings?

أُنَاجِـــــي أَمِيــــنَ اللّٰهِ خَــازِنَ سِــرِّهِ
وَمُعْطِي ذَوِي الْفَاقَاتِ كَنْزًا وَمَغْنَمَا

Unājī amīna-llāhi khāzina sirrihi
wa muʿṭī dhawī-l fāqāti kanzan wa maghnamā

Intimately praying to the Trustworthy one of Allah, the treasurer of His secret, and the giver of treasures and spoils to the needy.

أُنَادِيـــهِ طَـــــهَ مُنْحَمِنَّـــا مُحَمَّــدًا
أَتَاكَ خَدِيمٌ شَائِبُ الْفَـــوْدِ مُعْدِمَـــا

Unādīhi Ṭāhā munḥaminnā Muḥammadā
atāka khadīmun shā’ibu-l fawdi muʿdimā

I call upon him: Taha, our Bestower, Muhammad; a servant has come to you with graying temples, utterly destitute.

أَأَذْكُـــرُ حَالِــــي أَمْ كَفَــــاكَ فَإِنَّمَــا
تَكَرَّمْتَ لِي مِنْ قَبْلُ مَا كُنْتَ مُلْزَمَا

A-adhkuru ḥālī am kafāka fa-innamā
takarramta lī min qablu mā kunta mulzamā

Shall I mention my state, or is it enough for you? For you were generous to me before even when you were not obligated.

مَكَارِمُ أَهْلِ الْجُــــودِ فِيــــكَ تَجَمَّعَـــتْ
فَقَدْ عِشْتَ أَسْخَى النَّاسِ بَلْ دُمْتَ أَكْرَمَا

Makārimu ahli-l jūdi fīka tajammaʿat
fa-qad ʿishta askhā-n nāsi bal dumta akramā

The noble traits of the people of generosity gathered in you; you lived as the most liberal of people, rather you remained the most noble.

وَجِئْتُكَ عَبْدًا ضَارِعًــــا مُتَشَبِّثًــــا
فَأَوْلِ الْتِفَاتًا خَادِمًــــا جَاءَ مُغْرَمَــا

Wa ji’tuka ʿabdan ḍāriʿan mutashabbithan
fa-awli-ltifātan khādiman jā’a mughramā

I have come to you as a pleading servant, clinging fast; so grant a glance to a servant who has come infatuated.

مُحِبًّا فَقِيرًا سَائِـــلاً جَاءَ شَاعِــــرًا
يَجُوبُ الْفَيَافِي حَازَ شَيْبًا وَمَهْرَمَا

Muḥibban faqīran sā’ilan jā’a shāʿiran
yajūbu-l fayāfī ḥāza shayban wa mahramā

A lover, poor and asking, has come as a poet, traversing the wildernesses, having attained gray hair and old age.

فَإِنَّكَ خَيْرُ النَّاسِ مِــنْ خَيْرِ أُمَّــــةٍ
إِلَى خَيْرِ مَوْلًى قَدْ دَعَوْتَ مُعَمِّمَــا

Fa-innaka khayru-n nāsi min khayri ummatin
ilā khayri mawlan qad daʿawta muʿammimā

For you are the best of people from the best of nations; you have called everyone toward the best Master.

فَسُدْتَ الْوَرَى عَبْــــدَ الْإِلَــهِ شَفِيعَنَـــا
لِوَا الْحَمْدِ فِي كَفَّيْكَ ، أَعْلَى وَأَعْظَمَا

Fa-sudta-l warā ʿabda-l ilāhi shafīʿanā
liwā-l ḥamdi fī kaffayka aʿlā wa aʿẓamā

You mastered all creation, O servant of God, our intercessor; the Banner of Praise is in your hands, most high and most great.

لِظِلِّـــكَ يَأْوِي الْأَنْبِيَــــاءُ وَكُلُّهُــمْ
يَرَاكَ أَبًا لِلْكُلِِّ أَوْفَــــى وَأَرْحَمَــا

Li-ẓillika ya’wī-l anbiyā’u wa kulluhum
yarāka aban li-l kulli awfā wa arḥamā

In your shade, the prophets seek refuge, and all of them see you as a father to all, most fulfilling and most merciful.

فَجَاهٌ كَهَـــذَا لَمْ يَضِقْ عَنْ خَدِيمِــهِ
فَكُنْ لِي شَفِيعًا بَلْ أَجِرْنِي تَكَرُّمَــا

Fa-jāhun ka-hādhā lam yaḍiq ʿan khadīmihi
fa-kun liy shafīʿan bal ajirnī takarrumā

A status like this is not too narrow for his servant; so be my intercessor, rather protect me as an act of nobility.

إِذَا اسْتَوْجَبَ الْخُدَّامُ عِتْقًا مُعَجَّــــــلاً
لَدَى الشَّيْبِ أَحْجُو أَنَّ عِتْقِي تَحَتَّمَـا

Idhā-stawjaba-l khuddāmu ʿitqan muʿajjalan
ladā-sh shaybi aḥjū anna ʿitqī taḥattamā

If the servants deserve an immediate manumission in their old age, I deem that my manumission has become mandatory.

فَكُنْ لِي رَسُولَ الْعَالَمِيـــنَ مُحَمَّـــدًا
فَإِنِّي خَدِيمٌ عَـــاشَ فِيــــكَ مُهَيَّمَـــا

Fa-kun liy rasūla-l ʿālamīna Muḥammadā
fa-innī khadīmun ʿāsha fīka muhayyamā

So be Muhammad for me, the Messenger of the worlds; for I am a servant who lived dazed in love with you.

أَتَيْتُكَ شَرْخًـــا ثُمَّ كَهْــــلاً وَإِنَّنِـــي
أَتَيْتُكَ شَيْخًـــــا لاَ يَــــزَالُ مُتَيَّمَـــا

Ataytuka sharkhan thumma kahlan wa innanī
ataytuka shaykhan lā yazālu mutayyamā

I came to you in my youth, then as a middle-aged man, and indeed I have come to you as an old man who is still infatuated.

غَرَامِي وَتَهْيَامِي وَوَجْدِيَّ رُفْقَتِـــي
وَقَدْ بَاتَ شِعْرِي عَنْ سِوَاكَ مُحَرَّمَا

Gharāmī wa tahyāmī wa wajdī rufqatī
wa qad bāta shiʿrī ʿan siwāka muḥarramā

My love, my dazed yearning, and my ecstasy are my companions; and my poetry has become forbidden regarding anyone else but you.

إِلَيْكَ وَإِلاَّ فَالرَّكَائِـــبُ لَـــمْ تَسِــرْ
لِسَانِيَ طَلْقٌ فِيــكَ وَالْكُـــلُّ نُوَّمَــا

Ilayka wa illā fa-r rakā’ibu lam tasir
lisānī ṭalqun fīka wa-l kullu nuwwamā

Toward you—otherwise the mounts would not have traveled; my tongue is eloquent regarding you while everyone else is asleep.

بِغَانَــةَ وَالْأَحْيَا رُقُودٌ وَلَمْ يَــزَلْ
فُـؤَادِي بِتُرْبِ الْـهَاشِمِيِّ مُخَيِّمَـا

Bi-Ghānā wa-l aḥyā ruqūdun wa lam yazal
fu’ādī bi-turbi-l hāshimiyyi mukhayyimā

In Ghana, while the neighborhoods were slumbering, my heart never ceased camping in the dust of the Hashemite.

أُخَاطِبُهُ بِالشِّعْــــرِ وَالْقَلَمِ الَّـــذِي
يُقَرِّبُ أَقْصَى مَا أُكِنُّ مُتَرْجِمَـــا

Ukhāṭibuhu bi-sh shiʿri wa-l qalami-l ladhī
yuqarribu aqṣā mā ukinnu mutarjimā

I address him with poetry and with the pen that brings near the furthest of what I conceal, acting as a translator.

بِبَرٍّ وَبَحْرٍ قَـــدْ بَعَثْــــتُ مَدَائِحِــي
وَذَا الْيَوْمُ أَشْدُو فِي الْـهَـوَا مُتَجَمْجِمَا

Bi-barrin wa baḥrin qad baʿathtu madā’iḥī
wa dhā-l yawmu ashdū fī-l hawā mutajamjimā

By land and by sea, I have sent my praises; and today I sing in the air, speaking clearly.

أُخَاطِبُهُ بِالْمَـــدْحِ وَهْـــــوَ بِطَيْبَـــةٍ
وَإِنِّي أَرَى الْبَيْتَ الْعَتِيقَ الْمُحَرَّمَا

Ukhāṭibuhu bi-l madḥi wa huwa bi-Ṭaybatin
wa innī arā-l bayta-l ʿatīqa-l muḥarramā

I address him with praise while he is in Tayba (Medina), and I see the Ancient, Sacred House (the Kaaba).

أُلاَحِــــظُ رُكْنَيْــــهِ أَمَـــسُّ مُقَبِّــلاً
أَشُمُّ مَكَانًا شَمَّهُ الْبَــــدْرُ مُحْرِمَـــا

Ulāḥiẓu ruknayhi amassu muqabbilan
ashummu makānan sham-mahu-l badru muḥrimā

I observe its two corners, touching and kissing; I smell the place that the Full Moon (the Prophet) smelled while in Ihram.

بِزَمْزَمَ فَوْقَ الْبِئْرِ مِنْ بَطْنِ مَكَّــةٍ
أُنَاشِدُ مَــدْحَ الْـهَاشِمِــي مُتَرَنِّمَـــا

Bi-Zamzama fawqa-l bi’ri min baṭni Makkatin
unāshidu madḥa-l hāshimī mutarannimā

At Zamzam, above the well in the heart of Mecca, I recite the praise of the Hashemite, chanting melodies.

بِمُلْتَــــزَمٍ وَالْمُسْلِمُــــونَ دَوِيُّهُـــمْ
بِذِكْرٍ وَتَكْبِيرٍ تَرَى الْكُلَّ أَحْرَمَـا

Bi-multazamin wa-l muslimūna dawiyyuhum
bi-dhikrin wa takbīrin tarā-l kulla aḥramā

At the Multazam, while the Muslims' murmur rises with remembrance and Takbir, you see everyone in Ihram.

فَمَنْ لِي بِإِلْمَـــامٍ بِطَيْبَــــةَ بِالنَّقَــا
مَقَرِّ رَسُولٍ جَا أَخِيــــرًا مُقَدَّمَـــا

Fa-man liy bi-ilmāmin bi-Ṭaybata bi-n Naqā
maqarri rasūlin jā akhīran muqaddamā

Who will grant me a visit to Tayba, to al-Naqa, the residence of a Messenger who came last but is foremost?

مَرَادِ أَمِيـــــنِ اللّٰهِ مَرْكَـــزِ سِرِّهِ
بِهَا انْتَصَرَ الْإِسْلاَمُ أَعْلَى وَأَفْخَمَا

Marādi amīni-llāhi markazi sirrihi
bi-hā-ntaṣara-l islāmu aʿlā wa afkhamā

The desire of the Trustworthy one of Allah, the center of his secret; through it, Islam was victorious, most high and most magnificent.

بِهَا ظَلَّ جِبْرِيـــلُ الْأَمِيــــنُ مُوَاظِبًــا
وَمُسْتَخْدَمًا فِي شَأْنِ مَنْ جَاءَ مَخْتَمَا

Bi-hā ẓalla Jibrīlu-l amīnu muwāẓiban
wa mustakhdaman fī sha’ni man jā’a makhtamā

In it, the trustworthy Gabriel remained constant, employed in the service of the one who came as the Seal.

عَلَيْـــكَ صَـــــلاَةُ اللّٰهِ ثُــــمَّ سَلاَمُـــهُ
مِنَ الْعَبْدِ إِبْرَاهِيــمَ شَوْقًا وَمَغْرَمَـــا

ʿAlayka ṣalātu-llāhi thumma salāmuhu
mina-l ʿabdi Ibrāhīma shawqan wa maghramā

Upon you be the blessings of Allah and then His peace, from the servant Ibrahim, out of longing and infatuation.

عَلَيْـــكَ صَــــلاَةُ اللّٰهِ ثُــــمَّ سَلاَمُـــهُ
قَوِيُّ رَجَـــــاءٍ بَــــلْ أَتَى مُتَسَلِّمَـــا

ʿAlayka ṣalātu-llāhi thumma salāmuhu
qawiyyu rajā’in bal atā mutasallimā

Upon you be the blessings of Allah and then His peace; one strong in hope, rather he has come surrendering.

عَلَيْـــكَ صَــــلاَةُ اللّٰهِ ثُــــمَّ سَلاَمُـــهُ
فَفَرِّجْ كُرُوبَ الْمُسْلِمِيـــنَ وَعَمِّمَـــا

ʿAlayka ṣalātu-llāhi thumma salāmuhu
fa-farrij kurūba-l muslimīna wa ʿammimā

Upon you be the blessings of Allah and then His peace; so relieve the distress of the Muslims and make it general.

عَلَيْــــكَ صَــــلاَةُ اللّٰهِ ثُـــــمَّ سَلاَمُـــهُ
وَمِنْكَ إِيَابِي مُصْطَفَى الْكَوْنِ مُكْرَمَا

ʿAlayka ṣalātu-llāhi thumma salāmuhu
wa minka iyābī muṣṭafā-l kawni mukramā

Upon him be the blessings of Allah and then His peace; and from you is my return, O Chosen of the universe, honored.

عَلَيْــــــكَ صَـــلاَةُ اللّٰهِ ثُـــمَّ سَلاَمُـــهُ
فَيُرْزَقُ وَفْدِي مِنْـــكَ أَوْبًا وَمَغْنَمَـــا

ʿAlayka ṣalātu-llāhi thumma salāmuhu
fa-yurzaqu wafdī minka awban wa maghnamā

Upon you be the blessings of Allah and then His peace; may my delegation be granted a return and spoils from you.

عَلَيْـــكَ صَـــــلاَةُ اللّٰهِ مَا قَالَ مُغْرَمٌ
أَطَيْفٌ سَرَى أَمْ أَنَّ رَكْبِــــيَ يَمَّمَــا

ʿAlayka ṣalātu-llāhi mā qāla mughramun
a-ṭayfun sarā am anna rakbiya yammamā

Upon him be the blessings of Allah as long as an infatuated one says: Is it a phantom that traveled by night, or has my caravan headed?