Abarkun Badaa

(Harful ‘Ayn)
Ikseerus-Sa‘aadat fee Mad-hi Sayyidis-Saadaat

Composed By: Shaykh Al-Haj Ibrahim bn Al-Haj AbduLlahi Niasse

Ikseerus-Sa‘aadat fee Mad-hi Sayyidis-Saadaat
(The Elixir of Good Fortune on Extolling the Leader of Leaders)
Dawaaween As-sitt (Six Anthologies)

Translated with comments:

Abdulwahab Olukade (Kishky)

Transliterated:
Abdullahi Thani Zainul Inyass

Reviewed and Compiled by:

Irshadul Ummah Committee, Tijaniyyah Muslim Students’ Association of Nigeria,
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (2020).
 This poem was composed by Shaykhul Islam Alhaj Ibrahim Niasse Al-Kaulakhee, and it
comprehensively gives the attributes and qualities of the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬. It was narrated
that Shaykh Ibrahim was in his house one day contemplating on the great personality of
the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬as usual. It was cloudy and then a lightning struck, the brightness
therefrom reminded him of the brightness of the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬so he (Shaykh Ibrahim)
started crying profusely. Then he picked his writing materials and wrote this blessed
poem of thirty-three (33) lines.

‫بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم‬

Bismi-Llaahi Rahmaani Raheem
In Allah's name, Most-Compassionate, Most-Merciful

‫ـــع يَلْ َمــــــ ُع ف**َ َهبْ ِني ا ْم َرأ ً ِإ ْذ يَلْ َم ُع الْب َ ْر ُق ي َ ْد َمـــ ُع‬ ْ َ
ِ ‫أب َ ْر ٌق ب َ َدا ن َ ْح َو ال َم َرا ِب‬
Abarqun badaa nahwa l maraabi‘i yalma‘u ** Fahabni -mra-an idh yalma‘u l barqu yadma‘u
1. Is it a streaking lightning that shinned forth from the direction of the
Maraabi‘1? Consider me as one whose tears flow when the lightning sparks.

‫عة َ الْ َحي ِ ت َ ْه َج ُع‬ َ ‫صبَابَــة ً ** َو َرقْ َرا َق َد ْم ٍع‬

َ ‫سا‬ َ ‫ت‬ َ ‫ل َ َم ْح‬
َ ْ‫ت ِب َو ْه ٍن َوي‬
َ ‫ك ِه ْج‬
Lamahta biwahnin wayka hijta sobaabatan ** Wa raqraaqa dam-‘in saa'ata l hayyi tahja‘u
2. You shined dimly, agitating my passionate desire and causing me to cry
profusely while the neighbourhood is fast asleep.

‫عـــــة ٌ َوت ََو ُّجـــ ُع‬

َ ‫ـت ** َول َ ْم يَبْ َق ِإال َّ ل َ ْو‬
ْ ‫ض‬َ ‫ي ق َ ْد َم‬
َ ‫الصبَا َو ْه‬ َ ‫تُذَ ِك ُر أَي‬
ِ ‫َّام‬
Tudhakkiru ayyaamas-sibaa wah-ya qad madot ** Wa lam yabqa illaa law‘atun wa tawajju‘u
3. You reminded (me) of childhood memories which have faded, leaving
nothing but burning desire and throbbing pain.

َ ِ‫سَقَى اللّٰه ُ أ َ ْرضا ً بِالْ َمدِين َــ ِة إِن َّ َهــــا ** َم َحطُّ ِر َحا ٍل فِي ِه خ َْرق‬
‫ي ي ُْرقَـــــ ُع‬
Saqaa-llahu ar'don bil madeenati innahaa ** Mahattu rihaalin feehi kharqiya yurqa‘u
4. May Allah irrigate the land of Madeenah, verily, it is the terminus of
(spiritual) travellers. It is where my brokenness was mended.

‫ار بِ َها تُلْف َى الْ َم َرا ِف ُق أ َ ْج َمـــــ ُع‬

ٌ َ ‫ـــــو أ َ ِمينُــــه ُ ** ِدي‬
َ ‫ب الل ّٰ ِه َو ْه‬
ِ ‫ار َحبِي‬
ُ َ ‫ِدي‬
Diyaaru habeebi-llahi wah-wa ameenuhu ** Diyaarun bihaa tulfaa l maraafiqu ajma‘u
5. The abode of the beloved of Allah who is the trustworthy one, an abode
wherein all benefits are acquired.

‫عى َو َم ْرت َ ُع‬ ِ ‫َاره ُ ِل ْلق َ ْل‬

ً ‫ب َم ْر‬ ُ ‫ام الْفُــــــ َؤا ُد ِب ُح ِبـــ ِه ** َوت َ ْذك‬
َ ‫ار ِل َم ْن َه‬
ٌ َ ‫ِدي‬
Diyaarun li-man haama l fu’aadu bi-hubihi ** Wa tadh’kaaruhu lil-qalbi mar‘an wa marta‘u
6. The abode of whom my heart is passionately in love with and whose
commemoration is a pasturage and comfort for the heart.

1
Pl. of Marba‘u. Meaning places where people resided during spring.

2 | 6
 ‫ار ِل َم ْن فِي الْ َخلْ ِق يُعْ ِطي َوي َ ْمن َ ُع‬
ٌ َ ‫ار ِِل َ ْعلَى الْ َخلْ ِق ُخلْقًــا َو ِخلْقَـــة ً ** ِدي‬
ٌ َ ‫ِدي‬
Diyaarun li-a‘la l khalqi khulqan wa khilqatan ** Diyaarun liman fi l khalqi yu‘utee wa yamna‘u
7. The abode of the most exalted (of all) creation, in innate character and
outward disposition. The abode of the one who grants the creations and
denies (at will).

َ ‫ص ْه ًرا َو ِن ْسبَة ً ** َو ِعلْ ًما َوآ َداب ًا َوأ َ ْتقَى َوأ َ ْخ‬
‫شــ ُع‬ ً ْ‫َوأ َ ْك َر ِم ِه ْم نَف‬
ِ ‫سا َو‬
Wa akramihim nafsan wa sihran wa nisbatan ** Wa ‘ilman wa aadaban wa atqaa wa akh-sha‘u
8. The noblest of them (all) in spirit, as an in-law, in ancestry, knowledge,
manners, piety and obedience.

‫ي فِيـــ ِه تَقَلُّـــ ُع‬

ُ ‫فَق َ ْد كَا َن َخي ُْر الْ َخلْ ِق ف َ ْخ ًما ُمف َ َّخ ًما ** َوذُو هَيْب َ ٍة َوالْ َم ْش‬
Faqad kaana khayru l khalqi fakhman mufakh-khaman ** Wa dhu haybatin wa l mashyu feehi
taqallu‘u
9. Indeed, the best of creation is a person of sublimity and magnificence.
He is a person of awe 2 and when he walks, he advances outwards elegantly 3.

‫َوأ َ ْزهَ ُر ل َ ْو ٍن أ َ ْدعَ ُج الْعَي ِْن ت َْزدَ ِري ** بِعَي ِْن َم ًهى ِعنْدَ الْخ َِميل َ ِة ت َْرت َــــــ ُع‬
Wa az-haru lawnin ad-‘aju l ‘ayni tazdaree ** Bi-‘ayni mahaa ‘inda l khamiilati tar-ta‘u
10. He has a fair-skin complexion 4 . His large eyes with jet-black pupils
belittles the beauty of the eyes of the antelope that grazes in the
woodland.

َ ‫ب الشَّفْ ِر َوا ِس ٌع ** َج ِبي ُن َرسُو ِل الل ّٰ ِه َوالْ ُخلْـــــ ُق أ َ ْو‬

‫ســـ ُع‬ ُ َ‫عي ٍْن أ َ ْهد‬
َ ‫َوأَنْ َج ُل‬
Wa anjalu ‘aynin ahdabu sh-shafri waasi‘un ** Jabeenu rasuuli-llahi wa l khulqu aw -sa‘u
11. He has bold eyeballs and long eyelashes. The messenger of Allah has a
broad brow and yet his character is more profound.

َ ‫ج َوأَقْن َى َو ْجـــــــه ُ طَــــه َ ُمــدَ َّو ٌر ** َو ِل ْحيَتُه ُ كَثًّـــا َو‬

‫صـــــــد ٌْر ُم َوسَّـــ ُع‬ ُّ َ‫أَز‬
Azajju wa aqnaa waj-hu Ta-ha mudawwarun ** Wa lihyatuhu kath-than wa sodrun muwassa‘u
12. His eyebrows are full 5, his nose is protracted and slender6. Ta-ha’s face
is slightly oval 7 his beard is thick 8 and (his) chest is broad.

2
When seen from a distance. Aliy bn Abi Talib (RA) said: “Whoever unexpectedly saw him, would stand in
awe of him. And whoever accompanied him and got to know him would love him. And those who described
him would always say “I have never seen anyone before him or after him, who was like him”.
3
Lowering his head as if descending from a height.
4
Whitish skin with a reddish tinge.
5
Also extended like bows.
6
Upraised in the middle with an accurate tip.
7
Not long nor round.
8
Dense with hair well levelled - not scattered here and there.

3 | 6
 ‫ــــد طَـــه َ الْ ُم َرفَّــ ُع‬
ِ َ ‫ضخَا ٌم َو َربْ ُع الْق‬
ِ ** ُ ‫َو َمنْ ِكبُه ُ أ َ ْع ِظـــــ ْم ِبـــ ِه َو ِعظَا ُمــــه‬
Wa mankibuhu a‘zim bihi wa ‘izaamuhu ** Dikhaamun warab -‘u l qaddi Ta-ha l muraffa‘u
13. What a magnificent shoulder he has and strong bones. The exalted Ta-
ha is of moderate height9.

‫ار تَلْ َمــــ ُع‬ َ ْ‫ت َو ْاِلَن‬

ُ ‫ــــو‬ ٍ ‫ب َرا َحا‬
ُ ‫عبْـــــ ٌل ذ َِراعُـــه ُ ** ُم َر َّح‬
َ ‫عبْ ٌل َو‬
َ ٌ‫ضد‬ َ ‫كَذَا‬
ُ ‫ع‬
Kadhaa ‘adudun ‘ablun wa ‘ablun dhiraa‘uhu ** Murahhabu raahatin wa l anwaaru talma‘u
14. Thus, his arms were large and strong. He has wide palms and (his) light
beams.

‫ِيس ِم َن الْ َخ ْل ِق أ َ ْرفَـــــ ُع‬

ٍ ‫ع ِظي ُم ك ََراد‬ ٍ َّ‫ط َرافٍ َوغَي ُْر ُمشَــــــذ‬
َ ** ‫ب‬ ْ َ ‫سائِ ُل أ‬
َ ‫َو‬
Wa saa’ilu atraafin wa ghayru mushadh-dhabin ** Azeemu karaadeesin mina l khalqi arfa‘u
15. His fingers are long and not pruned (or short). He has great joints, and
is excellently moulded among all creation.

‫ــــــر ِق يَلْ َمـــ ُع‬

ْ َ ‫ب غَ َم ٍام أ َ ْو لَكَالْب‬
ٍ ‫ــــــم يَنْ َج ِلـــي ** كَ َح‬ ُ ‫َوأ َ ْشن‬
َ َّ‫َب ثَغْ ٍر ِإ ْن تَبَس‬
Wa ashnabu thaghrin in-tabassama yanjalee ** Ka habbi gamaamin aw la ka l barqi yalma‘u
16. His teeth are very white. They glitter whenever he smiles, just like
hailstones or like flashes of lightening.

‫ت ف َ ْه َو ي َ ْخشَ ُع‬
ٌ ‫ض طَ ْرفٍ سَا ِك‬
ُ ِ‫ــــر ت ََر ُّجــ ٌل ** َوخَاف‬ ْ ُ‫َوهَا َمتُه ُ ع‬
ٍ ْ‫ظ َمـــى ِلشَع‬
Wa haamatuhu uzmaa li-sha‘rin tarajjulun ** Wa khaafidu tar'fin saakitun fah-wa yakh-sha‘u
17. He had a big head (not tiny) and his hair was wavy 10. He lowers his gaze
and is mostly silent in devotion (to God).

‫ص َل َوالْ َح َّق ي َ ْر ِج ُع‬

ْ َ ‫ــــر ** َو ِإ ْن قَا َل قَا َل الْف‬
ٍ ُّ‫صـــولَــــة ٌ بِتَفَك‬
ُ ‫َوأ َ ْحزَ انُــــه ُ َم ْو‬
Wa ah-zaanuhu mawsuulatun bi tafakkurin ** Wa in qaala qaala l fasla wal haqqa yar -ji‘u
18. His sobriety is for contemplation (of God) and whenever he speaks, he
speaks in an unambiguous, convincing and satisfactory manner. He
reiterates the truth.

ُ ‫ص َحاب ًا َوالْ َمالَئِــــ‬

‫ك تَتْبَــــ ُع‬ ِ ‫َويَنْظُ ُر ل َ ْحظا ً َو ْه َو ِل ْْل َ ْر‬
ِ ‫ض غَا ِلب ًـا ** يَسُو ُق‬
Wa yanzuru lahzan wah-wa lil-ardi ghaaliban ** yasuuqu sihaaban wa l malaa’iku tatba‘u
19. He looks by casting a glance, but in most cases, towards the ground
(lowering his gaze). He leads the companions and angels follow behind.

‫ار يَبْـــدُو َويَلْ َمـــ ُع‬

َ َ ‫َو ِجـــيدُ َرسُو ِل الل ّٰ ِه ي ُ ْشبِــه ُ دُ ْميَـــة ً ** ِإذَا ف َ َّر َق ْاِل َ ْشع‬
Wa jeedu rasuuli-llahi yushbihu dumyatan ** Idhaa farraqa l ash‘aara yabduu wa yalma‘u
20. The neck of the Apostle of Allah was unparalleled in beauty whenever
he parted his hairs, it shines and beams.

9
Neither is he boringly tall nor is he repulsively short but tends towards tallness in an appropriate manner.
10
Neither curly nor straight.

4 | 6
 ‫ع ْرفُه ُ ** ف َ ِمثْ َل َرسُو ِل الل ّٰ ِه ل َ ْم ي َ ْحظَ َم ْج َمــــ ُع‬ ُ ‫ون َوالْ ِم ْس‬
َ ‫ك‬ ِ ُ ‫َوكَاللُّؤْ ل ُ ِؤ الْ َم ْكن‬
Wa kal-lu’-lu’i l maknuuni wal miski ‘arquhu ** Fa-mithla rasuuli-llahi lam yahza majma‘u
21. He resembles well-guarded pearls and his sweat smells musk. The like
of the messenger of Allah, no place or person has ever hosted.

‫اس أ َ ْش َج ُع‬
ِ َّ ‫اس أ َ ْسخَى ب َ ْل ِم َن الن‬
ِ َّ ‫َوأ َ ْحل َ ُم َخلْـــــــ ِق الل ّٰ ِه أ َ ْعـــدَ ُل َخلْ ِقـــ ِه ** ِم َن الن‬
Wa ahlamu khalqi-llahi a‘dalu khalqihi ** Mina n-naasi askhaa bal mina n-naasi ashja‘u
22. He is the most forbearing of all men, the fairest among the creation,
the most generous and the bravest of all.

‫ب ي َ ْرقَـــ ُع‬ ْ َّ ‫ـــو ِللث‬

ِ ‫ــــو‬ َ ‫ــــف نَعْلَـــه ُ ** َويَقْطَ ُع ل َ ْح ًما َو ْه‬
ُ ‫ص‬ ِ ‫َوي َ ْخدُمُ ِل ْْل َ ْه ِليـــــ َن ي َ ْخ‬
Wa yakhdumu li l ahleena yakhsifu na‘lahu ** Wa yaqta‘u lahman wah-wa li'th-thawbi yarqa‘u
23. He was always at the service of his household, repaired his own shoes.
He helped to butcher the meat and mended his clothes.

‫ب ِللْ َم ْولَى إِلَى الْ َح ِق ي َ ْر ِجـــــ ُع‬ ْ ‫أَشَدُّ َحيَا ًء َو ْه َو يَأْتِــــــي ِل َم‬
ِ ْ‫ـــن دَعَـــا ** َويَغ‬
ُ ‫ض‬
Ashaddu hayaa-an wah-wa ya'tee liman da-‘aa ** Wa yaghdobu lil-mawlaa ilaa-l haqqi yarji‘u
24. He is highly bashful (much more than a maiden), nevertheless he did
honour invitations. His anger is for Allah and he returns to Allah in all
affairs.

ِ ‫ب الْ َوقْـــ‬
‫ت ي َ ْشبَـــ ُع‬ ِ ‫ـــو َحـــال َ ** َول َ ْم تُلْ ِف ِه فِي غَا ِلــ‬
ْ َ ‫َول َ ْم يَت ََو َّر ْع عَ ْن َحال َ ٍل َول‬
Wa lam yatawarra‘ ‘an halaalin wa law halaa ** Wa lam tulfihi fee ghaalibi l waqti yashba‘u
25. He is modest in seeking from lawful things even when they are alluring.
You never find him most times eating to his fill.

‫اجــــال ً يَتَقَلَّـــ ُع‬

ِ ‫ـــارا َو ِحينًــــا َر‬
ً ‫ـــرة ً ** ِح َم‬ َ ‫َب أ َ ْحيَانًــــا َج‬
َّ ‫ــــوادًا َو َم‬ ُ ‫َوي َ ْرك‬
Wa yarkabu ah-yaanan jawaadan wa marratan ** Himaaran wa heenan raajilan yataqalla‘u
26. At times, he rode on a steed and sometimes on a donkey. In some cases,
he trekked11.

‫ات ت ُ ْرفَــــــ ُع‬ ْ َ ‫س أَقْ َواما ً َو ْاِل‬

ُ ‫ص َو‬ ُ ‫يــب فَا ِئـــ ٌح ** ي ُ َجا ِل‬
ُ ‫الط‬ ِ ‫ك ِفي الْ َم ْلب‬
ِ ‫ُوس َو‬ َ ‫كَذَ ِل‬
Kadhaalika fil malbuusi wat-teebu faahihun ** Yujaalisu aqwaaman wa l aswaatu turfa‘u
27. He is moderate (and humble) in his dressing and he always applies scent
(perfume). He sits amidst people while their voices are raised loudly.

11
With strides like someone descending from a height not too slow and not too fast.

5 | 6
 ‫اب َملْكًا قَطُّ فَالشَّأ ْ ُن أ َ ْرفَـ ُع‬
َ َ‫ــــرة ً ** َو َما ه‬
َّ ‫ـــــف َم‬
ُ ‫ح أ َ ْحيَانًــــا ي َُو ِل‬
ُ َ‫َوي َ ْمز‬
Wa yamzahu ahyaanan yu-allifu marratan ** Wa maa haaba mulkan qattu fash-sha'nu arfa‘u
28. At times he joked with good sense of humour and forged relationship
(with people). He never stood for once, in awe of any tyrant. His affair 12 is
indeed greater.

‫َو َما َحق َّ َر الْ ِم ْس ِكي َن ي َ ْدعُـو َج ِميع َ ُهـ ْم ** َوبِالل ّٰ ِه َم ْولَى الْ َخلْ ِق ذَا الْ ُخلْ َق ي َ ْج َم ُع‬
Wa maa haqqara l miskeena yad-‘uu jemee‘a-hum ** Wa billahi mawla l khalqi dha l khalqi yaj'ma‘u
29. He never looked down upon the indigent, he associated with them. By
Allah, The Lord of creation, all creation was assembled (under his banner).

‫صه ُ َم ْن ِللْ َخالَئِــــ ِق يَنْف َــــ ُع‬ َّ ‫َوأ َ ْك َر َمه ُ الْ َم ْولَى أ َ َجـــــ َّل ك ََرا َمــــ ٍة ** َو َخ‬
َ ‫ص‬
Wa akramahu l mawlaa ajalla karaamatin ** Wa khassasahu man li l khalaa’iqi yanfa‘u
30. (Allah) The Absolute Master dignified and earmarked him as a sole
benefactor for creation.

ْ ُ ‫علَى الْغ‬
‫ص ِن ت َ ْس َج ُع‬ ْ َّ ‫ـــار ٌق ** َوغَن‬
ٌ ‫ت َح َما َم‬
َ ‫ات‬ ِ ‫ش‬ َ ‫صـالَة ُ الل ّٰ ِه َمــــــــا ذَ َّر‬
َ ‫علَيْ ِه‬
َ
Alayhi salaatul-laahi maa dharra shaariqun ** Wa gannat hamaamaatun ala l ghusni tasja‘u
31. May blessing and peace of Allah be upon him whenever the sun shines
and whenever pigeons chant and coo on tree branches.

‫ف أ َ ْم َداحا ً َوي َ ْشــدُو َوي َ ْس َجـــ ُع‬

ُ ‫سا َح ِة الَّذِي ** ي ُزَ ْخ ِر‬
َ ‫ع ْن‬
َ ‫ضيْ ُم الدَّ ْه ِر‬
َ ‫َو َما ُر َّد‬
Wa maa rudda daymu d-dahri ‘an saahatil-ladhee ** Yuzakhrifu amdaahan wa yashduu wa yasja‘u
32. And whenever evil continues to be repelled from the domain of the one
who composes and sings beautiful eulogy (of the prophet SAW)13.

‫ـــع يَلْ َمـــ ُع‬ َ ‫ــــو الْ َم‬

ِ ‫ــرا ِب‬ ْ َ ‫ــــو ِل شَ ِيـــ ٍق ** أَب‬
َ ‫ــر ٌق بَــدَا ن َ ْح‬ ْ َ ‫ب َمدَى ق‬ ْ َ ‫َوآ ٍل َوأ‬
ٍ ‫ص َحا‬
Wa aalin wa as-haabin madaa qawli shayyiqin ** Abarqun badaa nah'wa l maraabi‘i yalma‘u
33. May the blessing include his household and his companion as long as an
ardent lover says: O you brilliant light of streaking lightning shinning forth
in the direction of the Maraabi‘.

12
His status and spiritual state (Sallallahu alayhi wa Sallama) is greater than that of someone who can be
frightened by anybody.
13
The author of this poetic piece- Shaykh Ibrahim Nyass (d.1975)

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