يَا خَيْرَ مَنْ يَمَّمَ الْعَافُونَ سَاحَتَهُ

سَعْيًا وَفَوْقَ مُتُونِ الْأَيْنُقِ الرُّسُمِ

O best of those to whose courtyard seekers turn to

Hastening on foot or the backs of strong camels!

وَمَنْ هُوَ الْآيَةُ الْكُبْرَى لِمُعْتَبِرٍ

وَمَنْ هُوَ النِّعْمَةُ الْعُظْمَى لِمُغْتَنِمِ

O Greatest Sign for those who contemplate!

O Supreme Grace for those who seek to gain!

سَرَيْتَ مِنْ حَرَمٍ لَيْلًا إِلَى حَرَمٍ

كَمَا سَرَى الْبَدْرُ فِي دَاجٍ مِنَ الظُّلَمِ

You journeyed by night, from Sanctuary to Sanctuary

as the full moon travels through the pitch black sky.

وَبِتَّ تَرْقَى إِلَى أَنْ نِلْتَ مَنْزِلَةً

مِنْ قَابِ قَوْسَيْنِ لَمْ تُدْرَكْ وَلَمْ تُرَمِ

That night you ascended till you reached a station

Of Two Bows’ Length—one never attained or hoped for!

وَقَدَّمَتْكَ جَمِيعُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ بِهَا

وَالرُّسْلِ تَقْدِيمَ مَخْدُومٍ عَلَى خَدَمِ

There all the Prophets and Emissaries gave you precedence,

As a master is given precedence by those who serve him.

وَأَنْتَ تَخْتَرِقُ السَّبْعَ الطِّبَاقَ بِهِمْ

فِي مَوْكِبٍ كُنْتَ فِيهِ الصَّاحِبَ الْعَلَمِ

You traversed the seven heavens with them [behind you]

In a procession wherein you were the standard-bearer.

حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ تَدَعْ شَأْوًا لِمُسْتَبِقٍ

مِنَ الدُّنُوِّ وَلَا مَرْقًى لِمُسْتَنِمِ

Until your proximity left no space for the avid seeker,

Nor any higher summit for one seeking elevation.

خَفَضْتَ كُلَّ مَقَامٍ بِالْإِضَافَةِ إِذْ

نُودِيتَ بِالرَّفْعِ مِثْلَ الْمُفْرَدِ الْعَلَمِ

You surpassed all other stations in comparison

When acclaimed on high as ‘The Matchless and Eminent’–

كَيْمَا تَفُوزَ بِوَصْلٍ أَيِّ مُسْتَتِرٍ

عَنِ الْعُيُونِ وَسِرٍّ أَيِّ مُكْتَتَمِ

So that you might triumph through a tryst hidden

From sight. How hidden a secret that was!

فَحُزْتَ كُلَّ فَخَارٍ غَيْرَ مُشْتَرَكٍ

وَجُزْتَ كُلَّ مَقَامٍ غَيْرَ مُزْدَحَمِ

So you received every glory without rival

And gained every station alone, unbeset.

وَجَلَّ مِقْدَارُ مَا وُلِّيتَ مِنْ رُتَبٍ

وَعَزَّ إِدْرَاكُ مَا أُولِيتَ مِنْ نِعَمِ

How glorious is the worth of the ranks you were given

How difficult it is to grasp the graces conferred!

بُشْرَى لَنَا مَعْشَرَ الْإِسْلَامِ إِنَّ لَنَا

مِنَ الْعِنَايَةِ رُكْنًا غَيْرَ مُنْهَدِمِ

Glad tidings for us, O people of Islam,

For we have an indestructible pillar of divine care.

لَمَّا دَعَا اللهُ دَاعِينَا لِطَاعَتِهِ

بِأَكْرَمِ الرُّسْلِ كُنَّا أَكْرَمَ الْأُمَمِ

When Allah named the one who called us to obey Him

The Noblest of Emissaries, we became the noblest of nations!