# Harful Alif · حَرْفُ الْأَلِف

From [Ad-Dawaawiinu s-Sitta · الدواوين الست](https://qasaaid.zayfir.app/app/qasaaid/691f292bc02b144934a4ec1f) by [Sheikh Ibrahim Nyass](https://qasaaid.zayfir.app/app/authors/69172463686829cc1d041df5)

**1.** 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?

**2.** 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?

**3.** 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.

**4.** 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.

**5.** 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.

**6.** 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.

**7.** 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.

**8.** 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.

**9.** 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.

**10.** 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.

**11.** 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.

**12.** 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.

**13.** 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.

**14.** 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.

**15.** 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.

**16.** 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.

**17.** 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.

**18.** 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.

**19.** 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.

**20.** 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.

**21.** 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).

**22.** 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.

**23.** 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.

**24.** 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.

**25.** 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?

**26.** 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.

**27.** 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.

**28.** 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.

**29.** 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.

**30.** 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.

**31.** 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.

**32.** 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.

**33.** 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?

Source: https://qasaaid.zayfir.app/app/qasaaid/691f292bc02b144934a4ec1f/book/69c537196441e1c596212efe/chapter/69c538316441e1c596212f07