Chapter 1
فِي ذِكْرِ عِشْقِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ
The Love for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ
In this chapter Allamah Busiri R.A. speaks of his love for The Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He tries to conceal this love and who his beloved is. For this reason, he has not mentioned the name of The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, directly in the whole chapter. By mentioning places and things close to Madinah, he alludes to The Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Due to this excessive love and devotion for The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he has become completely restless, thus exposing this love to everyone.
| ثُمَّ الصَّلَاةُ عَلَى الْمُخْتَارِ فِيْ الْقِدَمِ | اَلْحَمْدُ ِللهِ مُنْشِيْ الْخَلْقِ مِنْ عَدَمِ |
| Praise be to the one who was chosen by Allah since eternity | All praise be to Allah, the Creator of mankind from nothingness |
| عَلَى حَبِيْبِيكَ خَيْرٍ الْخَلْقِ كُلِّهِمِ | مَوْلاَىَ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ دَائِمًا اَبَدًا |
| Your most beloved, creation’s greatest entirely | My master, bless and salute always and for evermore |
| مَزَجْتَ دَمْعًا جَرٰى مِن مُّقْلَةٍ بِدَمِ | أَمِنْ تَذَ كُّرِ جِيْرَ انٍ بِذِي سَلَمٍ |
| That you have mixed blood in tears that flow from eyes steadily? | Is it from thinking of neighbors’ past in Dhu Selemi |
| وَ أَوْمَضَ الْبَرْقُ في الظَّلْمَاءِ مِنْ إِضَمِ | أَمْ هَبَّتِ الرّ ِيْحُ مِنْ تِلْقَاءِ كَاظِمَةٍ |
| And lightning flashing from Idum in the dark that you see? | Or blowing of wind from the direction of Kazimah, |
| وَمَا لِقَلْبِكَ إِنْ قُلْتَ اسْتَــفِقْ يَهِمِ | فَمَا لِعَيْنَيْكَ إِنْ قُلْتَ اكْفُفَا هَمَتَا |
| And with your heart: when you say, “Be sane!” it acts crazily? | So what is wrong with your eyes: when you say “Stop!” they just weep? |
| مَّا بَيْنَ مُنْسَجِمٍ مِّنْهُ وَمُضْطَرِمِ | أَيَحْسَبُ الصَّبُّ أَنَّ الْحُبَّ مُنْكَتِمٌ |
| Between a downpour from it and being so fiery? | Does one so lovestruck imagine love is concealable, |
| وَلاَ أَرِقْتَ لِذِ كْرِ الْبَانِ وَالْعَلَمِ | لَوْ لاَ الْهَوٰى لَمْ تُرِقْ دَمْعًا عَلَى طَلَلٍ |
| At the remains, nor lost sleep over the mount or the tree. | If not for passion, you would have never burst into tears |
| بِهِ عَلَيْكَ عَدُولُ الدَّمْعِ وَالسَّقَمِ | فَكَيْفَ تُنْكِرُ حُبًّا بَعْدَمَا شَهِدَتْ |
| Against you true witnesses of tears and infirmity. | So how do you still deny a love to which testified |
| مِّثْلَ الْبَهَارِ عَلَى خَدَّيْكَ وَالْعَنَمِ | وَأَثْبَتَ الْوَجْدُ خَطَّي عَبْرَةٍ وَّضَنًى |
| Like branches of dogwood, red, and daffodils, yellowy? | When grief has fixed on your cheeks canals of tears and malaise |
| وَالْحُبُّ يَعْتَرِضُ اللَّذَّاتِ بِالأَلَمِ | نَعَمْ سَرٰى طَيْفُ مَنْ أَهْوٰى فَأَرَقَّنِي |
| How love repels all delights and comforts with agony! | Yes, sights of my love have come at night and kept me awake; |
| مِّنِّي إِلَيْكَ وَلَوْ أَنْصَفْتَ لَمْ تَلُمِ | يَا لاَئِمِي في الْهَوَى الْعُذْرِيِّ مَعْذِرَةً |
| From me to you—but if you were true, you’d not censure me. | You critic of love so passionate, an apology |
| عَنِ الْوُشَّاةِ وَلاَ دَائِي بِمُنْحَسِمِ | عَدَتْكَ حَالِي و لاَ سِرِّي بِمُسْتَتِرٍ |
| From haters, nor is there any end to my malady. | May you be spared what I bear—my secret isn’t concealed |
| إِنَّ الْمُحِبَّ عَنِ الْعُذَّالِ في صَمَمِ | مَحَضْتَنِي النُّصْحَ لـٰكِن لَّسْتُ أَسْمَعُهُ |
| The lover is deaf to all of those who speak critically. | You’ve offered me true advice, but simply, I hear it not; |
| وَالشَّيْبُ أَبْعَدُ في نُصْحٍ عَنِ التُّهَمِ | إِنِّي اتَّهَمْتُ نَصِيحَ الشَّيْبِ في عَذَلِي |
| Although gray hair with advice is less in dubiety. | I’ve even doubted gray hair’s advice when it censures me; |
Chapter 2
فِي مَنْعِ هَوَى النَّفْسِ
Restraining Lust and Carnal Desires
In this chapter, Allamah Busiri R.A. mentions two reasons for restraining of lust and carnal desires. Firstly, a person falls in love due to lust and carnal desires. After mentioning love in the first chapter, he now mentions restraining lust and carnal desires. He also mentions that his entire life has been spent in sin. He sincerely regrets what he has done and repents to Allah ﷻ. Secondly: Restraining lust and carnal desires is essential for gaining love for The Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The love which has for The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, is a pure love and can only be attained by purifying oneself of lust and carnal desires.
| مِنْ جَهْلِهَا بِنَذِيرِ الشَّيبِ وَالْهَرِمِ | فَإِنَّ أَمَّارَتِي بِالسُّوءِ مَا اتَّعَظَتْ |
| To all the warning of graying hair and seniority. | My evil ego, in its stupidity, paid no heed |
| ضَيْفٍ أَلَمَّ بِرَأْسِي غَيْرَ مُحْتَشَمِ | وَلاَ أَعَدْتُّ مِنَ الْفِعْلِ الْجَمِيلِ قِرٰى |
| A guest who showed at my head, bereft of timidity. | And hasn’t set out a spread of pleasing actions to host |
| كَتَمْتُ سِرًّا بَدَا لِي مِنْهُ بِالْكَتَمِ | لَو كُنْتُ أَعْلَمُ أَنِّي مَا أُوَقِّرُهُ |
| -den using hair colorant his first appearance to me. | And had I known that I’d fail to honor him, I’d have hid- |
| كَمَا يُرَدُّ جِمَاحُ الْخَيْلِ بِاللُّجُمِ | مَن لِّي بِرَدِّ جِمَاحٍ مِّنْ غَوَايَتِهَا |
| Just as a bit bridles horses in their obstinacy? | Who’s there for me to control the fight of its wandering— |
| إِنَّ الطَّعَامَ يُقَوِّي شَهْوَةَ النَّهِمِ | فَلاَ تَرُمْ بِالْمَعَاصِي كَسْرَ شَهْوَتِهَا |
| Food only intensifies the craving of gluttony. | So do not count on offenses to get rid of its lust; |
| حُبِّ الرِّضَاعِ وَإِنْ تَفْطِمْهُ يَنْفَطِمِ | وَالنَّفْسُ كَالطِّفْلِ إِنْ تُهْمِلْهُ شَبَّ عَلَى |
| In love with suckling; but wean it, and it’s weaned finally. | The ego is like a baby: leave it and it grows up |
| إِنَّ الْهَوٰى مَا تَوَلَّى يُصْمِ أَوْ يَصِمِ | فَاصْرِفْ هَوَاهَا وَحَاذِرْ أَنْ تُوَلِّيَهُ |
| When whim’s empowered, it kills or damages markedly. | So fight its whim, and beware of giving power to it; |
| وَّإِنْ هِيَ اسْتَحْلَتِ الْمَرْعٰى فَلا تُسِمِ | وَرَاعِهَا وَهِيَ في الأَعْمَالِ سَائِمَةٌ |
| And if the pasture you find it fancies, don’t let it be. | And shepherd it carefully as it is grazing in deeds; |
| مِنْ حَيْثُ لَمْ يَدْرِ أَنَّ السَّمَّ في الدَّسَمِ | كَمْ حَسَّنَتْ لَذَّةً لِّلْمَرْءِ قَاتِلَةً |
| While blind to the poison in the gravy so savory! | How many times it’s convinced a man of killer delights— |
| فَرُبَّ مَخْمَصَةٍ شَرٌّ مِّنَ التُّخَمِ | وَاخْشَ الدَّسَائِسَ مِنْ جُوْعٍ وَّمِنْ شِبَعٍ |
| Starvation at times is even worse than satiety. | Beware the ambush of being hungry and being full; |
| مِنَ الْمَحَارِمِ وَالْزَمْ حِمْيَةَ النَّدَمَ | وَاسْتَفْرِغِ الدَّمْعَ مِنْ عَيْنٍ قَدِ امْتَلَأَتْ |
| Keep in the shelter of pure repentance unceasingly. | And void of tears eyes that have been stuffed with forbidden things. |
| وَإِنْ هُمَا مَحَضَاكَ النُّصْحَ فَاتَّهِمِ | وَخَالِفِ النَّفْسَ وَالشَّيْطَانَ وَاعْصِهِمَا |
| And if they give true advice to you, still look skeptically. | And contradict both the Self and Devil, and disobey! |
| فَأَنْتَ تَعْرِفُ كَيْدَ الْخَصْمِ وَالْحَكَمِ | وَلاَ تُطِعْ مِنْهُمَا خَصْمًا وَلاَ حَكَمًا |
| You’re well aware of a lawyer’s and a foe’s treachery. | And do not settle with either as your lawyer or foe; |
| لَّقَدْ نَسَبْتُ ِبهِ نَسْلاً لِّذِي عُقُمِ | أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ مِنْ قَوْلٍ بِلاَ عَمَلٍ |
| I have ascribed by it to a sterile man progeny. | I ask for pardon from God for empty word with no deed; |
| وَمَا اسْتَقَمْتُ فَمَا قَوْلِي لَكَ اسْتَقِمِ | أَمَرْتُكَ الْخَيْرَ لـٰكِن مَّا ائْتَمَرْتُ بِهِ |
| I’m not upstanding, so who am I to tell you to be? | I’ve ordered you to do good, but have ignored it, myself; |
| وَلَمْ أُصَلِّ سِوٰى فَرْضٍ وَّلَمْ أَصُمِ | وَلاَ تَزَوَّدْتُّ قَبْلَ الْمَوْتِ نَافِلَةً |
| I haven’t prayed, haven’t fasted, but the compulsory. | I haven’t packed extra deeds in preparation for death; |
Chapter 3
فِي مَدْحِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ
The Praises of The Messenger ﷺ
After claiming his love in the first chapter, and how to attain it, in the second Allamah Busairi R.A. begins the praises of The Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He openly declares his love and shows the great qualities and prefect character of The Messenger of Allah ﷺ. While showing his love he also shows the unrestricted and unlimited love which Allah ﷻ has ability Allamah Busairi R.A. has for The Messenger of Allah ﷺ. When Allah ﷻ has praised the beloved Prophet ﷺ, then why should he and all of us also not try to excel in our praises and love for The Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
| أَنِ اشْتَكَتْ قَدَمَاهُ الضُّرَّ مِن وَّرَمِ | ظَلَمْتُ سُنَّةَ مَنْ أَحْيَى الظَّلاَمَ إِلَى |
| Until his feet had complained of swelling up painfully; | I’ve violated the way of him who livened the dark, |
| تَحْتَ الْحِجَارَةِ كَشْحًا مُّتْرَفَ الأَدَمِ | وَشَدَّ مِنْ سَغَبٍ أَحْشَاءَهُ وَطَوٰى |
| Beneath a hard stone a waist whose skin is so velvety. | And out of hunger, would bind his abdomen and would wrap |
| عَن نَّفْسِهِ فَأَرَاهَا أَيَّمَا شَمَمِ | وَرَاوَدَتْهُ الْجِبَالُ الشُّمُّ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ |
| A way to bait him, so he true loftiness let them see. | The lofty mountains made into gold for him tried to be |
| إِنَّ الضَّرُورَةَ لاَ تَعْدُوا عَلَى الْعِصَمِ | وَأَكَّدَتْ زُهْدَهُ فِيهَا ضَرُورَتُهُ |
| For never are protectees assaulted by poverty. | His “poverty” only strengthened his disinterest in them; |
| لَوْلاهُ لَمْ تَخْرُجِ الدُّنْيَا مِنَ الْعَدَمِ | وَكَيْفَ تَدْعُوا إِلَى الدُّنْيَا ضَرُورَةَ مَنْ |
| If not for him, the whole world would not have been made to be. | For verily need never prevails (overpowers) the infallible |
| حَسُنَتْ جَمِيْعُ خِصَالِهِ صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ | بَلَغَ الْعُلَى بِكَمَالِهِ كَشَفَ الدُّجَى بِجَمَالِهِ |
| Beautified were all his characteristics, Blessings be upon him and his family | He reached the highest place through his perfection, he drove out the darkness through his beauty |
| عَلَى حَبِيبِكَ خَيْرِ الْخَلْقِ كُلِّهِمِ | مَولايَ صَلِّ وسَلِّمْ دَائِمًا أَبَدًا |
| Your most beloved, creation’s greatest entirely | My master, bless and salute always and for evermore |
| وَالْفَرِيْقَيْنِ مِنْ عَرَبٍ وَّمِنْ عَجَمِ | مُحَمَّدٌ سَيِّدُ الْكَوْنَيْنِ وَالثَّقَلَيْنِ |
| Both groups: the Arabs and the non-Arab community; | Muhammad ﷺ the master of both worlds and both beings and |
| أَبَرَّ في قَوْلِ لاَ مِنْهُ وَلاَ نَعَمِ | نَبِيُّنَا الآمِرُ النَّاهِي فَلاَ أَحَدٌ |
| No one more true in his saying no or yes than is he. | Our prophet, who is commander and forbidder—there is |
| لِكُلِّ هَوْلٍ مِّنَ الأهْوَالِ مُقْتَحِمِ | هُوَ الْحَبِيبُ الَّذِي تُرْجٰى شَفَاعَتُهُ |
| At every horror to hit— yes, every calamity. | He is the loved one whose intercession we’re hopeful of, |
| مُسْتَمْسِكُونَ بِحَبْلٍ غَيْرِ مُنْفَصَمِ | دَعَا إِلَى اللهِ فَالْمُسْتَمْسِكُونَ بِهِ |
| Are gripping rope that will never fray for eternity. | He has invited to God, so all who grip onto him |
| اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ وَزِدْ وَبَارِكْ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ | |
| O Allah, bless and grant peace, increase and bestow blessings upon him and his family | |
| وَّلَمْ يُدَانُوهُ في عِلْمٍ وَلاَ كَرَمِ | فَاقَ النَّبِيِّيْنَ فِي خَلْقٍ وَّفي خُلُقٍ |
| They don’t approach him in knowledge or in gen’rosity. | He tops the prophets in both appearance and character; |
| غَرْفًا مِّنَ الْبَحْرِ أَوْ رَشْفًا مِّنَ الدِّيمِ | وَكُلُّهُمْ مِّن رَّسُولِ اللهِ مُلْتَمِسٌ |
| A sip from down-pouring rain or handful scooped from the sea. | And all of them are receiving from Allah’s Messenger |
| مِن نُّقْطَةِ الْعِلْمِ أَوْ مِنْ شَكْلَةِ الْحِكَمِ | وَوَاقِفُونَ لَدَيهِ عَنْدَ حَدِّهِمِ |
| A dot of knowledge or mark from words of sagacity. | And all are standing before him at their own limits fixed: |
| ثُمَّ اصْطَفَاهُ حَبِيبًا بَارِىءُ النَّسَمِ | فَهُوَ الَّذِي تَمَّ مَعْنَاهُ وَصُورَتُهُ |
| Picked as the love of the Maker of all humanity. | He is the one with perfected essence and outward form; |
| فَجَوهَرُ الْحُسْنِ فِيهِ غَيرُ مُنْقَسَمِ | مُنَزَّهٌ عَنْ شَرِيكٍ في مَحَاسِنِهِ |
| Yes, undivided in him is beauty’s whole entity. | Beyond a partner in his so beautiful qualities; |
| وَاحْكُمْ بِمَا شِئْتَ مَدْحًا فِيهِ وَاحْتَكَمِ | دَعْ مَا ادَّعَتْهُ النَّصَارٰى في نَبِيِّهِم |
| And give to him any praise you wish, and praise sensibly. | Avoid what Christians have claimed about their own messenger; |
| وَّانْسُبْ إِلىَ قَدْرِهِ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ عِظَمِ | وَانْسُبْ إِلَى ذَاتِهِ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ شَرَفٍ |
| Ascribe to his stature what you wish of immensity. | Ascribe to his person what you wish of nobility; |
| حَدٌّ فَيُعْرِبُ عَنْهُ نَاطِقٌ بِفَمِ | فَإِنَّ فَضْلَ رَسُولِ اللهِ لَيسَ لَهُ |
| That any speaker could ever verbalize orally. | Indeed, Allah’s Messenger’s perfection has no frontier |
| أَحْيَى اسْمُهُ حِينَ يُدْعٰى دَارِسَ الرِّمَمِ | لَوْ نَاسَبَتْ قَدْرَهُ آيَاتُهُ عِظَمًا |
| When called, would give life to bones decayed to nihility. | And were his marvels to match his worth in greatness, his name, |
| حِرْصًا عَلَينَا فَلَمْ نَرْتَبْ وَلَمْ نَهِمِ | لَمْ يَمْتَحِنَّا بِمَا تَعْيَ الْعُقُولُ بِهِ |
| And so, we haven’t faced any doubt or perplexity. | He tried us not, from concern, with things that boggle the mind; |
| لِلْقُرْبِ وَالْبُعْدِ فِيهِ غَيرُ مُنْفَحِمِ | أَعْيَ الْوَرٰى فَهْمُ مَعْنَاهُ فَلَيْسَ يُرٰى |
| So near or far, one not dumbstruck by it you will not see. | Conceiving his meaning has exhausted the universe; |
| صَغِيرَةً وَّتَكِلُّ الطَّرْفُ مِنْ أَمَمِ | كَالشَّمْسِ تَظْهَرُ لِلْعَينَينِ مِنْ بُعْدٍ |
| And would impair any vision when in proximity. | Much like the sun: from afar it does appear small to eyes, |
| قَومٌ نِّيَامٌ تَسَلَّوا عَنْهُ بِالْحُلُمِ | وَكَيفَ يُدْرِكُ في الدُّنْيَا حَقِيقَتَهُ |
| Begin to grasp in the present world his reality! | And how could people asleep, distracted from him by dreams, |
| وَأَنَّهُ خَيرُ خَلْقِ اللهِ كُلِّهِمِ | فَمَبْلَغُ الْعِلْمِ فِيهِ أَِنَّهُ بَشَرٌ |
| And is the best of Allah’s creation, entirely. | The peak of knowledge about him is that he is a man |
| فَإِنَّمَا اتَّصَلَتْ مِن نُّوْرِهِ بِهِمِ | وَكُلُّ آيٍ أَتَى الرُّسُلُ الْكِرَامُ بِهَا |
| Have come to them from the NUR of Ahmad exclusively. | And all the marvels the noble messengers have conveyed |
| يُظْهِرْنَ أَنْوَارَهَا لِلنَّاسِ في الظُّلَمِ | فَإِنَّهُ شَـمْسُ فَضْلٍ هُمْ كَوَاكِبُهَا |
| Reflecting its lights in darknesses to humanity. | He is the Sun of esteem, to which they are as if moons: |
| هَا الْعَالَمِينَ وَأَحْيَتْ سَآئِرَ الأُمَمِ | حَتَّى إِذَا طَلَعَتْ في الْكَونِ عَمَّ هُدَا |
| And gave life to all the nations, universally | Until when the sun rose his light spread |
| بِالْحُسْنِ مُشْتَمِلٍ بِالْبِشْرِ مُتَّسِمِ | أَكْرِمْ بِخَلْقِ نَبِيٍّ زَانَهُ خُلُقٌ |
| Enveloped by handsomeness, distinguished by jollity! | How grand the form of a Prophet brightened by character, |
| وَالْبَحْرِ في كَرَمٍ وَّالدَّهْرِ في هِمَمِ | كَالزَّهْرِ في تَرَفٍ وَّالْبَدْرِ في شَرَفٍ |
| The ocean in giving, and all time in tenacity. | Like flowers in fineness, the full moon in ascendancy, |
| في عَسْكَرٍ حِينَ تَلْقَاهُ وَفي حَشَمِ | كَأَنَّهُ وَهُوَ فَرْدٌ في جَلالَتِهِ |
| An army and entourage, because of his majesty. | When he’s alone and you meet him, he is like one amid |
| مِن مَّعْدِنَى مَنْطِقٍ مِّنْهُ وَمُبْتَسَمِ | كَأَنَّمَا اللُّؤْلُؤُ الْمَكْنُونُ في صَدَفٍ |
| Do seem to be pearls preserved within their shells preciously. | From treasure chests of his eloquence and his beaming grin |
| طُوبَى لِمُنْتَشِقٍ مِّنْهُ وَمُلْتَثِمِ | لاَ طِيبَ يَعْدِلُ تُرْبًا ضَمَّ أَعْظُمَهُ |
| For him who sniffs it or kisses it what felicity! | No scent compares to the earth embracing his blessed form; |