الاوَّلِ بِلا أَوَّل كَانَ قَبْلَهُ،

al-awwali bilā awwal kāna qablahu

The First, without there being a first before Him

وَ الاخِر بِلاَ آخِر يَكُونُ بَعْدَهُ

wal-ākhiri bilā ākhir yakūnu ba‘dahu

And the Last, without there being a last after Him

الَّذِي قَصُرَتْ عَنْ رُؤْيَتِهِ أَبْصَارُ النَّاظِرِينَ

alladhī qaṣurat ‘an ru’yatihi abṣāru an-nāẓirīn

The One whom the eyes of those who look cannot perceive

وَ عَجَزَتْ عَنْ نَعْتِهِ أَوهامُ اَلْوَاصِفِينَ

wa ‘ajazat ‘an na‘tihi awhāmu al-wāṣifīn

And the imaginations of describers fall short of His description

ابْتَدَعَ بِقُدْرَتِهِ الْخَلْقَ اَبتِدَاعَاً،

ibtada‘a biqudratihi al-khalqa ibtidā‘an

By His power, He originated creation from nothing

وَاخْتَرَعَهُمْ عَلَى مَشِيَّتِهِ اخترَاعاً،

wa ikhtara‘ahum ‘alā mashīyatihi ikhtirā‘an

And He invented them according to His will

ثُمَّ سَلَكَ بِهِمْ طَرِيقَ إرَادَتِهِ،

thumma salaka bihim ṭarīqa irādatihi

Then He led them on the path of His will

وَبَعَثَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ مَحَبَّتِهِ

wa ba‘athahum fī sabīli maḥabbatihi

And dispatched them in the way of His love

لايَمْلِكُونَ تَأخِيراً عَمَا قَدَّمَهُمْ إليْهِ

lā yamlikūna ta’khīran ‘ammā qaddamahum ilayhi

They have no power to delay what He has brought them to

وَلا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ تَقَدُّماً إلَى مَا أَخَّرَهُمْ عَنْهُ،

wa lā yastaṭī‘ūna taqadduman ilā mā akhkhara-hum ‘anhu

Nor can they advance to what He has held them back from

وَ جَعَلَ لِكُلِّ رُوْح مِنْهُمْ

wa ja‘ala likulli rūḥin minhum

And He made for every soul among them

قُوتَاً مَعْلُوماً مَقْسُوماً مِنْ رِزْقِهِ

qūtan ma‘lūman maqsūman min rizqihi

A known sustenance apportioned from His provision

لاَ يَنْقُصُ مَنْ زادَهُ نَاقِصٌ،

lā yanquṣu man zādahu nāqiṣ

What He increases is not diminished by any who take

وَلاَ يَزِيدُ مَنْ نَقَصَ منْهُمْ زَائِدٌ

wa lā yazīdu man naqaṣa minhum zā’id

And what He decreases is not added to by any who add

ثُمَّ ضَرَبَ لَهُ فِي الْحَيَاةِ أَجَلاً مَوْقُوتاً،

thumma ḍaraba lahu fil-ḥayāti ajalan mawqūtan

Then He set for him in life a fixed term

وَ نَصَبَ لَهُ أَمَداً مَحْدُوداً،

wa naṣaba lahu amadan maḥdūdan

And established for him a limited span

يَتَخَطَّأُ إلَيهِ بِأَيَّامِ عُمُرِهِ،

yatakhatta ilaihi bi-ayyāmi ‘umrihi

He proceeds towards it with the days of his life

وَيَرْهَقُهُ بِأَعْوَامِ دَهْرِهِ،

wa yarhaquhu bi-a‘wāmi dahrīhi

And he is driven to it with the years of his age

حَتَّى إذَا بَلَغَ أَقْصَى أَثَرِهِ،

ḥattā idhā balagha aqṣā atharihi

Until, when he reaches the furthest extent of his trace

وَ اسْتَوْعَبَ حِسابَ عُمُرِهِ،

wa istaw‘aba ḥisāba ‘umrihi

And completes the measure of his years

قَبَضهُ إلَى ما نَدَبَهُ إلَيْهِ

qabaḍahu ilā mā nadabahu ilayhi

He seizes him to that which He has summoned him

مِنْ مَوْفُورِ ثَوَابِهِ أَوْ مَحْذُورِ عِقَابِهِ،

min mawfūri thawābihi aw maḥdhūri ‘iqābihi

Either to His abundant reward, or to His feared punishment

لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَساءُوا بِمَا عَمِلُوا

li-yajziyal-laḏīna asā’ū bimā ‘amilū

So that He may recompense those who did evil for what they did

وَ يَجْزِىَ الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا بِالْحُسْنَى

wa yajziyal-laḏīna aḥsanū bil-ḥusnā

And reward those who did good with the best

عَدْلاً مِنْهُ تَقَدَّسَتْ أَسْمَآؤُهُ،

‘adlan minhu taqaddasat asmā’uhu

As justice from Him—sacred are His Names

وَتَظَاهَرَتْ ألاؤُهُ،

wa taẓāharat ālā’uhu

And His blessings are manifest

لاَ يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ

lā yus’alu ‘ammā yaf‘al wa hum yus’alūn

He is not asked about what He does, but they will be asked

وَالْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِي لَوْ حَبَسَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ مَعْرِفَةَ

wal-ḥamdu lillāhi alladhī law ḥabasa ‘an ‘ibādihi ma‘rifata

And praise belongs to Allah, who if He withheld from His servants the knowledge

حَمْدِهِ عَلَى مَا أَبْلاَهُمْ مِنْ مِنَنِهِ الْمُتَتَابِعَةِ

ḥamdihi ‘alā mā ablāhum min minnihi al-mutatābi‘ah

Of praising Him for the continuous favors He bestowed upon them

وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِن نِعَمِهِ الْمُتَظَاهِرَة

wa asbaga ‘alayhim min ni‘amihi al-mutazāhirah

And the numerous blessings He spread upon them

لَتَصرَّفُوا فِي مِنَنِهِ فَلَمْ يَحْمَدُوهُ

lataṣarrafoo fī minanihi falam yaḥmadūhu

They would use His bounties but not praise Him

وَتَوَسَّعُوا فِي رِزْقِهِ فَلَمْ يَشْكُرُوهُ،

wa tawassa‘ū fī rizqihi falam yashkurūhu

And widen themselves in His provision, but not thank Him

وَلَوْ كَانُوا كَذلِكَ لَخَرَجُوا مِنْ حُدُودِ الانْسَانِيَّةِ

wa law kānū kaḏālika lakharaǧū min ḥudūd al-insāniyyah

And had they been such, they would have left the bounds of humanity

إلَى حَدِّ الْبَهِيمِيَّةِ،

ilā ḥadd al-bahīmiyyah

And reached the level of animality

:فَكَانُوا كَمَا وَصَفَ فِي مُحْكَم كِتَابِهِ

fakānū kamā waṣafa fī muḥkam kitābihi

And they would be as He has described in His mighty Book

( إنْ هُمْ إلا كَالانْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلا )

in hum illā kal-an‘ām bal hum aḍallu sabīlā

“They are nothing but as cattle, rather they are further astray from the path”

وَالْحَمْدُ لله عَلَى مَا عَرَّفَنا من نفسه

wal-ḥamdu lillāhi ‘alā mā ‘arrafanā min nafsihi

And all praise to Allah for what He made us know of Himself

وَأَلْهَمَنَا مِنْ شُكْرِهِ

wa alhāmanā min shukrihi

And for inspiring us to thank Him

وَفَتَحَ لَنَا من أبوَابِ الْعِلْمِ بِرُبُوبِيّته

wa fataḥa lanā min abwābil-‘ilmi birubūbiyyatihi

And for opening to us the doors of knowledge of His Lordship

وَدَلَّنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الاِخْلاَصِ لَهُ فِي تَوْحِيدِهِ

wa dallanā ‘alayhi mina al-ikhlāṣi lahu fī tawḥīdihi

And guiding us to Him through sincerity in His Oneness

وَجَنَّبَنا مِنَ الالْحَادِ وَالشَّكِّ فِي أَمْرِهِ،

wa jannabanā minal-ilḥādi wash-shakki fī amrihi

And sparing us from atheism and doubt in His command

حَمْداً نُعَمَّرُ بِهِ فِيمَنْ حَمِدَهُ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ

ḥamdan nu‘ammaru bihi fīman ḥamidahu min khalqihi

A praise by which we live among those of His creation who praised Him

وَنَسْبِقُ بِـهِ مَنْ سَبَقَ إلَى رِضَاهُ وَعَفْوِهِ

wa nasbiqu bihi man sabaqa ilā riḍāhu wa ‘afwihi

And overtake those who hastened to His pleasure and pardon

حَمْداً يُضِيءُ لَنَا بِهِ ظُلُمَاتِ الْبَرْزَخِ

ḥamdan yuḍī’u lanā bihi ẓulumāti al-barzakh

A praise that illuminates for us the darkness of the grave

وَيُسَهِّلُ عَلَيْنَا بِهِ سَبِيلَ الْمَبْعَثِ

wa yusahhilu ‘alaynā bihi sabīlal-mab‘ath

And eases for us the path of resurrection

وَيُشَرِّفُ بِهِ مَنَازِلَنَا عِنْدَ مَوَاقِفِ الاشْهَادِ

wa yusharrifu bihi manāzilana ‘inda mawāqifil-ashhād

And honors our places at the stations of witnesses

يَوْمَ تُجْزَى كُلُّ نَفْس بِمَا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لا يُظْلَمُونَ

yawma tujzā kullu nafsin bimā kasabat wa hum lā yuẓlamūn

On the day when every soul will be recompensed for what it earned, and they will not be wronged

(يَوْمَ لاَ يُغْنِي مَوْلىً عَنْ مَوْلىً شَيْئاً وَلاَ هُمْ يُنْصَرُونَ)

yawma lā yughni mawlā ‘an mawlā shay’an wa lā hum yunṣarūn

The day when no relative shall avail another in anything, nor shall they be helped

حَمْداً يَرْتَفِعُ مِنَّا إلَى أَعْلَى عِلِّيِّينَ

ḥamdan yartafi‘u minnā ilā a‘lā ‘illiyyīn

A praise that rises from us to the highest of ‘Illiyīn

فِي كِتَاب مَرْقُوم يَشْهَدُهُ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ،

fī kitābin marqūm yash-haduhu al-muqarrabūn

In a written book witnessed by those brought near

حَمْداً تَقَرُّ بِهِ عُيُونُنَا إذَا بَرِقَت الابْصَارُ

ḥamdan taqarru bihi ‘uyūnunā idhā bariqat al-abṣār

A praise with which our eyes will be delighted when the eyes stare in fear

وَتَبْيَضُّ بِهِ وُجُوهُنَا إذَا اسْوَدَّتِ الابْشَارُ،

wa tabyaḍḍu bihi wujūhuna idhā iswad-datil-abshār

And with which our faces will shine when faces are darkened

حَمْداً نُعْتَقُ بِهِ مِنْ أَلِيمِ نار الله

ḥamdan nu‘taqu bihi min alīmi nārillāh

A praise by which we are freed from the painful fire of Allah

الى كَرِيمِ جِوَارِ اللهِ

ilā karīmi jiwaari allāh

Into the noble neighborhood of Allah

حَمْداً نُزَاحِمُ بِهِ مَلاَئِكَتَهُ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ

ḥamdan nuzāḥimu bihi malā’ikatahu al-muqarrabīn

A praise by which we jostle with His nearest angels

وَنُضَامُّ بِـهِ أَنْبِيآءَهُ الْمُـرْسَلِيْنَ

wa nuḍāmmbihi anbiyā’ahu al-mursalīn

And join with His sent prophets

فِي دَارِ الْمُقَامَةِ الَّتِي لا تَزُولُ

fī dār al-muqāmati allatī lā tazūl

In the abode of permanence that never fades

وَمَحَلِّ كَرَامَتِهِ الَّتِي لاَ تَحُولُ

wa maḥalli karāmatihi allatī lā taḥūl

And in His place of honor that never changes

وَالْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِي اخْتَارَ لَنَا مَحَاسِنَ الْخَلْقِ

wal-ḥamdu lillāhi allathee ikhtāra lanā maḥāsina al-khalq

And praise be to Allah, who chose for us the best forms

وَأَجرى عَلَيْنَا طَيِّبَاتِ الرِّزْقِ

wa ajrā ‘alaynā ṭayyibāti ar-rizq

And made flow upon us the wholesome provisions

وَجَعَلَ لَنَا الفَضِيلَةَ بِالْمَلَكَةِ عَلَى جَمِيعِ الْخَلْقِ

wa ja‘ala lanā al-faḍīlata bil-malakāti ‘alā jamī‘il-khalq

And granted us superiority with domination over all creatures

فَكُلُّ خَلِيقَتِهِ مُنْقَادَةٌ لَنَا بِقُدْرَتِهِ،

fa kullu khalīqatihi munqādatun lanā biqudratihi

So that all His creation is made submissive to us by His power

وَصَآئِرَةٌ إلَى طَاعَتِنَا بِعِزَّتِهِ

wa ṣā’iratan ilā ṭā‘atinā bi‘izzatihi

And responsive to our obedience by His might

وَالْحَمْدُ لله الَّذِي أَغْلَقَ عَنَّْا بَابَ الْحَّاجَةِ إلاّ إلَيْهِ

wal-ḥamdu lillāhi alladhī aghlaqa ‘annā bāba al-ḥājati illā ilayhi

And praise be to Allah, who closed from us the door of need except towards Him

فَكَيْفَ نُطِيقُ حَمْدَهُ أَمْ مَتَى نُؤَدِّي شُكْرَهُ؟ لا، مَتى؟

fa kayfa nuṭīqu ḥamdahu am matā nu’addī shukrahu? lā, matā?

So how can we bear His praise, or when shall we fulfill His thanks? Never, when?

وَالْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِي رَكَّبَ فِينَا آلاَتِ الْبَسْطِ

wal-ḥamdu lillāhi alladhī rakkaba fīnā ālāti al-basṭ

And praise be to Allah, who placed within us the means of expansion

وَجَعَلَ لَنَا أدَوَاتِ الْقَبْضِ،

wa ja‘ala lanā adawāti al-qabḍ

And made for us the tools of contraction

وَمَتَّعَنا بِاَرْواحِ الْحَياةِ

wa matta‘anā bi-arwāḥi al-ḥayāh

And delighted us with the spirits of life

وَأثْبَتَ فِينَا جَوَارِحَ الْأعْمَال

wa athbata fīnā jawāriḥa al-a‘māl

And established within us the limbs of action

وَغَذَّانَا بِطَيِّبَاتِ الرِّزْقِ ،

wa ghadānā bi-ṭayyibāti ar-rizq

And nourished us with the wholesome provisions

وَأغْنانَا بِفَضْلِهِ

wa aghnāna bi-faḍlihi

And enriched us with His bounty

وَأقْنانَا بِمَنِّهِ

wa aqnāna bi-mannihi

And granted us sufficiency by His grace

ثُمّ أَمَرَنَا لِيَخْتَبِرَ طاعَتَنَا،

thumma amaranā li-yakhtabira ṭā‘atanā

Then He commanded us to test our obedience

وَنَهَانَا لِيَبْتَلِيَ شُكْرَنَا

wa nahānā li-yabtaliya shukranā

And forbade us to try our gratitude

فَخَالَفْنَا عَنْ طَرِيْقِ أمْرِهِ

fa khālafnā ‘an ṭarīqi amrihi

But we opposed the way of His command

وَرَكِبْنا مُتُونَ زَجْرهِ

wa rakibnā mutūna zajrihi

And we mounted upon the backs of His prohibitions

فَلَم يَبْتَدِرْنَابِعُقُوبَتِه وَلَمْ يُعَاجِلْنَا بِنِقْمَتِهِ

falam yabtadirnā bi-‘uqūbatihi walam yu‘ājilnā bi-niqmatihi

Yet He did not hasten us with His punishment, nor rush upon us with His vengeance

بَلْ تَانَّانا بِرَحْمَتِهِ تَكَرُّماً، وَانْتَظَرَ مُراجَعَتَنَا بِرَأفَتِهِ حِلْماً.

bal tānānā bi-raḥmatihi takarruman, wa-intaẓara murāja‘atanā bi-ra’fatihi ḥilman

Rather, He deferred us with His mercy graciously, and waited for our return with compassion patiently

وَالْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِي دَلَّنَاعَلَى التَّوْبَةِ

wal-ḥamdu lillāhi alladhī dallanā ‘alā at-tawbah

And praise be to Allah, who guided us to repentance

الَّتِي لَمْ نُفِدْهَا إلاّ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ،

allatī lam nufid’hā illā min faḍlihi

Which we would not have attained except by His grace

فَلَوْ لَمْ نَعْتَدِدْ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ إلاّ بِهَا

fa law lam na‘tidid min faḍlihi illā bihā

If we counted nothing of His grace except it

لَقَدْ حَسُنَ بَلاؤُهُ عِنْدَنَا،

laqad ḥasuna balā’uhu ‘indanā

Indeed His trial would be beautiful for us

وَ جَلَّ إحْسَانُهُ إلَيْنَا،

wa jalla iḥsānuhu ilaynā

And His beneficence great upon us

وَ جَسُمَ فَضْلُهُ عَلَيْنَا

wa jasuma faḍluhu ‘alaynā

And His favor immense upon us

فَمَا هكذا كَانَتْ سُنَّتُهُ فِي التَّوْبَةِ لِمَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَنَا

famā hakadhā kānat sunnatuhu fi at-tawbati liman kāna qablana

For such was not His custom in repentance with those who were before us

لَقَدْ وَضَعَ عَنَّا مَا لا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ،

laqad waḍa‘a ‘annā mā lā ṭāqata lanā bihi

Indeed, He has lifted from us that which we had no strength to bear

وَلَمْ يُكَلِّفْنَا إلاّ وُسْعاً،

walam yukallifnā illā wus‘an

And imposed upon us only what is within our capacity

وَ لَمْ يُجَشِّمْنَا إلاّ يُسْراً

walam yujashshimnā illā yusran

And burdened us with nothing but ease

وَلَمْ يَدَعْ لاَحَـد مِنَّا حُجَّةً وَلاَ عُذْراً

walam yada‘ li-aḥadin minnā ḥujjatan wa lā ‘udhrā

And He left no proof nor excuse for anyone among us

فَالْهَالِكُ مِنَّا مَنْ هَلَكَ عَلَيْهِ

fal-hāliku minnā man halaka ‘alayh

So the doomed among us is he who perishes against Him

وَ السَّعِيدُ مِنَّا مَنْ رَغِبَ إلَيْهِ

was-sa‘īdu minnā man raghiva ilayh

And the happy among us is he who turns in desire toward Him

وَ الْحَمْد للهِ بِكُلِّ مَا حَمِدَهُ بِهِ

wal-ḥamdu lillāhi bikulli mā ḥamidahu bihi

And praise be to Allah with every praise with which

أدْنَى مَلائِكَتِهِ إلَيْهِ

adnā malā’ikatihi ilayhi

The nearest of His angels to Him

وَ أَكْرَمُ خَلِيقَتِهِ عَلَيْهِ

wa akramu khalīqatihi ‘alayh

And the noblest of His creatures from Him

وَأرْضَى حَامِدِيْهِ لَدَيْهِ

wa arḍā ḥāmidīhi ladayh

And the most pleasing of those who praise Him before Him

حَمْداً يَفْضُلُ سَآئِرَ الْحَمْدِ

ḥamdan yafḍulu sā’ira al-ḥamd

A praise that excels all other praise

كَفَضْلِ رَبِّنا عَلَى جَمِيعِ خَلْقِهِ

kafaḍli rabbinā ‘alā jamī‘ khalqihi

Like the superiority of our Lord over all His creation

ثُمَّ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ مَكَانَ كُلِّ نِعْمَة لَهُ عَلَيْنَا

thumma lahu al-ḥamdu makāna kulli ni‘matin lahu ‘alaynā

Then His is the praise in place of every blessing He has given us

وَ عَلى جَمِيعِ عِبَادِهِ الْمَاضِينَ وَالْبَاقِينَ

wa ‘alā jamī‘i ‘ibādihi al-māḍīna wal-bāqīn

And upon all His servants, those past and those remaining

عَدَدَ مَا أَحَاطَ بِهِ عِلْمُهُ مِنْ جَمِيعِ الْاشْيَآءِ

‘adada mā aḥāṭa bihi ‘ilmuhu min jamī‘il-ashyā’

According to the number encompassed by His knowledge of all things

وَ مَكَانَ كُلِّ وَاحِدَة مِنْهَا عَدَدُهَا أَضْعافَاً مُضَاعَفَةً أَبَداً سَرْمَداً إلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ

wa makāna kulli wāḥidatin minhā ‘adaduha aḍ‘āfan muḍā‘afatan abadan sarmadan ilā yawmil-qiyāmah

And in place of each one of them multiplied times, forever, endlessly, until the Day of Resurrection

حَمْداً لاَ مُنْتَهَى لِحَدِّهِ

ḥamdan lā muntahā liḥaddihi

A praise without limit to its boundary

وَ لا حِسَابَ لِعَدَدِهِ

wa lā ḥisāba li‘adadihi

No reckoning for Its number

وَ لاَ مَبْلَغَ لِغَايَتِهِ

wa lā mablagha lighāyatihi

No reaching of its goal

وَ لا انْقِطَاعَ لاَمَدِهِ

wa lā inqiṭā‘ li-amadihi

And no end to its duration

حَمْدَاً يَكُونُ وُصْلَةً إلَى طَاعَتِهِ وَعَفْوِهِ

ḥamdan yakūnu wuṣlatan ilā ṭā‘atihi wa ‘afwihi

A praise that may be a means to His obedience and pardon

وَ سَبَباً إلَى رِضْوَانِهِ

wa sababān ilā riḍwānihi

And a cause for His pleasure

وَذَرِيعَةً إلَى مَغْفِرَتِهِ

wa ẓarī‘atan ilā maghfiratihi

And a way to His forgiveness

وَ طَرِيقاً إلَى جَنَّتِهِ

wa ṭarīqan ilā jannatihi

And a path to His Garden

وَخَفِيْراً مِنْ نَقِمَتِهِ

wa khafīran min niqmatihi

And a shield from His wrath

وَ أَمْناً مِنْ غَضَبِهِ

wa amnan min ghaḍabihi

And a security from His anger

وَ ظَهِيْراً عَلَى طَاعَتِهِ

wa ẓahīran ‘alā ṭā‘atihi

And an aid to His obedience

وَ حَاجِزاً عَنْ مَعْصِيَتِهِ

wa ḥājizan ‘an ma‘ṣiyatihi

And a barrier against disobedience to Him

وَعَوْناً عَلَى تَأدِيَةِ حَقِّهِ وَ وَظائِفِهِ

wa ‘awnan ‘alā ta’diyati ḥaqqihi wa waẓā’ifihi

And a support in fulfilling His right and duties

حَمْداً نَسْعَدُ بِهِ فِي السُّعَدَاءِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَآئِهِ

ḥamdan nas‘adu bihi fi-s-su‘adā’i min awliyā’ihi

A praise by which we may be among His happy friends

وَنَصِيرُ بِهِ فِي نَظْمِ الشُّهَدَآءِ بِسُيُوفِ أَعْدَائِهِ

wa naṣīru bihi fī naẓmi-sh-shuhadā’i bisuyūfi a‘dā’ihi

And by which we may join the martyrs in line, by the swords of His enemies

إنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ

innahū waliyyun ḥamīd

Indeed, He is the Praiseworthy Guardian