- CONGRATULATIONS TO IBRAHIM……

 هَنِيئًا لِإِبرَاهِيمَ-

(HANĪ'ĀN LI-IBRĀHĪM) 

A Poem by Shaykh al-Islam Ibrahim Niasse (RA) welcoming

the beloved month of Rabi al-Awwal

هَنِيئًا لِإِبرَاهِيمَ لَاحَ هِلَالُهُ  *  هِلَاَلٌ بَدَا لِلنَّاظِرِينَ جَمَالُهُ

 Hanī’ān  li-Ibrāhīma lāha hilāluhu ** Hilālun badā li-n nāzirīna jamāluhu

Congratulations to Ibrahim! His (favourite) Crescent has been seen!

A Crescent who’s beauty is apparent to every onlooker!

 

هَلَاَلُ رَبِيعٍ جَاءَ فِيهِ مُحَمَّدٌ  *  فَتَمَّ لَنَا الْبُشْرَى وَ عَمَّ نَوَالُهُ

Hilālu rabī’in fīhi jā’a Muhammadun ** fatamma lanā-l bushrā wa ‘amma nawāluhu 

It’s the Crescent of the month in which Muhammad (SAW) came to us!

Completing our joy…and covering us all in his grace!

 

لِأفْضَلِ أرْضٍ حَلَّ أَفْضَلُ مرْسَلِ  *  بِأفْضَلِ يَوْمٍ فَاسْتَبَانَ كَمَالُهُ

Li-afdali ardin halla afdalu mursalin ** bi-afdali yawmin fāstabāna kamāluhu 

In the best of places, arrived the best of prophets!

On the best of days………Reflecting his perfection!

 

قَدِ اخْتِيرَ مِنْ كُلِّ الْعَوَالِمِ أَصْلُهُ  *  كَمَا اخْتِيرَ وَاُخْتِيرَتْ لِذَاكَ فِعَالُهُ

Qadi-khtīra min kulli-l ‘awālimi asluhu ** kamā-khtīra wa-khtīrat li-dhāka fi’āluhu 

His noble ancestry was (Divinely) selected amongst all mankind…

And so was he selected and all his (noble) actions as well!

 

مُحَمَّدُ مُخْتَارٌ وَ آدَمُ طِينَةٌ  *  مُحَمَّدُ يَوْمَ الْبَعْثِ رَاقٍ خِصَالُهُ

Muhammadu Mukhtārun wa Ādamu tīnatun ** Muhammadu yawma-l ba’asi rāqa khisāluhu 

Indeed, Muhammad (SAW) was chosen when Adam was still clay!

And his qualities will shine on the Day of Resurrection too!

 

مُحَمَّدُ نُورُ الْخَلْقِ وَ هُوَ مُحَمَّدٌ * عَظِيمٌ عَظِيمُ الْخُلْقِ تَمَّ جَلَاَلُهُ

Muhammadu Nūru-l khalqi wa-huwa Muhammadun ** ‘Azīmun ‘azīmu-l khulqi tamma jalāluhu

Muhammad (SAW) is the Light for all Creation and he is the one praised (by all)!

A great one, of great character, whose majesty is complete!

عَلَيْهِ صَلَاَةُ اللهِ ثُمَّ سَلَامُهُ   *  يَزُولُ عَذَابٌ آنَ مِنْكَ زَوَالُهُ

 ‘Alayhi salātu-llahi thumma salāmuhu ** yazūlu ‘adhābun āna minka zawāluhu

May the Blessing and Peace of Allah be upon him!

And may (Your) punishment be removed (from us)….for it’s time of removal has come!

 

عَلَيْهِ صَلَاَةُ اللهِ ثُمَّ سَلَامُهُ  *  يَتِمُّ لِبَرْهَامَ الْحَقِيرِ وِصَالُهُ

‘Alayhi salātu-llahi thumma salāmuhu ** yutimmu li-Bar’hāma-l haqīri wisāluhu 

May the Blessing and Peace of Allah be upon him!

And may the humble Barham attain union (with his beloved)!

 

عَلَيْهِ صَلَاَةُ اللهِ ثُمَّ سَلَامُهُ  *  يُبِيدُ عَدُوَّ الدِّينِ مِنْكَ قِتَالُهُ

 ‘Alayhi salātu-llahi thumma salāmuhu ** yubīdu ‘aduwwa-d dīni minka qitāluhu

May the Blessing and Peace of Allah be upon him!

And may the enemy of our Faith be destroyed by Your war (on him)!

 

عَلَيْهِ صَلَاَةُ اللهِ ثُمَّ سَلَامُهُ  *  يَكُونُ عَدُوِّي شُدَّ مِنْكَ وَبَالُهُ

 ‘Alayhi salātu-llahi thumma salāmuhu ** yakūnu ‘aduwwī shudda minka wabāluhu

May the Blessing and Peace of Allah be upon him!

And may Your wrath pour hard upon my enemy as well!

 

عَلَيْهِ صَلَاَةُ اللهِ ثُمَّ سَلَامُهُ  *  مَتَى لاَحَ مِنْ فَوْقِ السَّمَاءِ هِلَالُهُ

 ‘Alayhi salātu-llahi thumma salāmuhu ** matā lāha min fawqi-s samā’i hilāluhu

May the Blessing and Peace of Allah be upon him!

As long as his Crescent (of Rabi al-Awwal) appears upon the horizons!

 

عَلَيْهِ صَلَاَةُ اللهِ ثُمَّ سَلَامُهُ   *  بِهَا خُصِّصَ الأَصْحَابُ طُرًّا وَآلُهُ

 ‘Alayhi salātu-llahi thumma salāmuhu ** bihā khussisa-l as’hābu turrān wa āluhu

May the Blessing and Peace of Allah be upon him!

And especially upon all his Companions and Family!

    *

 (From his Diwan entitled Salwat al-Shujun fi Mad’hi n-Nabi il-Ma’mun i.e. Consoling the Sorrows by praising of the Trusted Prophet)

Translated by Imam Fakhruddin bin Ahmad al-Tijani