THE POEM OF SEEKING FORGIVENESS

- By Sahib-al-Faydah Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse (RA) -

(From his Diwan: Miftah al-‘Atiyyah)

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ الْعَظِيمَ الَّذِي

لَـيْسَ إِلـٰــهٌ غَيْرُهُ يَغْفِرُ

Astaghfiru Allaha al-ʿAẓima al-ladhī 

laysa Ilāhun ghayruhu yaghfiru

I seek forgiveness from Allah the Great!

Besides whom there is no God that can forgive (our sins)!

*

سُبْحَانَهُ الْغَفَّارُ سُبْحَانَهُ

سُبْحَانَهُ السَّتَّارُ عَيْبِيَ يَسْتُرُ

Subḥānahu-l Ghaffāru subḥānahu 

Subḥānahu-s Sattāru ʿaybiya yasturu

Sanctified is He, the Most Forgiving One! How Sanctified!

Sanctified is He, the Concealer of my sins!

*

أَلْبَسَنِي مِنْ سِتْرِهِ سَابِغاً

سُبْحَانَهُ يَعْفُو إِذْ يَقْدِرُ

Albasanī min sitrihi sābighan 

Subḥānahu yaʿafu ʾidh yaqdīru

He covered me with the Garment of His Concealment!

Sanctified is He! He pardons even when he can punish!

*

حادَتْ ظُنُونٌ عَنْكَ يَا بَهْجَتِي

إِذْ كَلَّ عَنْ إِدْرَاكِكَ الْأَبْصُرُ

Ḥādat ẓunūnun ʿanka yā bahjatī 

ʾidh kalla ʿan ʾidrākika al-ʾabṣuru

Lost are our thoughts when pondering of You O my Joy!

As our visions are unable to comprehend You!

*

هذَا عُبَيْدٌ خَائِفٌ مُرْهَبٌ

وَ لَا لَهُ غَيْرُكَ: مَنْ يَنْصُرُ

Hadhā ʿubaydun khāʾifun murhabun 

wa lā lahu ghayruka: man yanṣuru

This is (your) Slave, frightened & fearful (of Your wrath)…

And he has no one to save him but You (o Allah)!

*

وَ هَمُّهُ زَادَ عَلَى وَجْدِهِ

لَوْلَاكَ يَا رَحْمٰـنُ لَا يُنْظَرُ

Wa hammuhu zāda ʿalā wajdihi 

lawlāka yā Raḥmānu lā yunẓaru

And his worries have overwhelmed his passion!

Besides Your Mercy O Most Merciful One, he has no relief!

*

هَبْ لِي حُلُولِي طَيْبَةَ الْمُصْطَفَى

وَ حَجُّ فَرْضٍ مِنْكُمُ تَيْسُرُ

Hab lī ḥulūlī ṭayyibata al-Muṣṭafā 

wa ḥajjun farḍin minkum taysuru

Grant me to visit Taybah (the Purified City) of the Chosen Prophet!

And to perform the obligatory Hajj! All eased through Your Grace!

*

صَلَّى عَلَيْهِ اللهُ مَعَ صَحْبِهِ

وَالْآلِ مَا أَمْطَارُهُ تَمْطُرُ

Ṣallā ʿalayhi Allāhu maʿa ṣaḥbihi 

wa-l ʾāli mā ʾamṭāruhu tamṭuru

May Allah bless him and his Companions…

And his Family, as long as His rains shower (this Earth)! 

*

- آمين -

Fully Translated & Transcribed by 

Imām Fakhruddin Owaisi al-Tijani