The Radiant Poem about the Creed of Salaf البيضاء في عقيدة السلف

الْحَمْدُ لِلْعَظِيمِ * الْوَاحِدِ الْكَرِيمِ

All praise belongs to the Magnificent, the One, the Generous.

مُصَلِّيًا مُسَلِّمًا * عَلَى الرَّسُولِ مُكْرِمًا

Sending prayers and peace upon the honoured Messenger.

وَالْآلِ وَالْأَصْحَابِ * وَبَعْدُ يَا أَحْبَابِي

And upon his family and companions. To proceed, Oh my beloved ones,

فَهَذِهِ الْبَيْضَاءُ * مَنْظُومَةٌ حَسْنَاءُ

This is Al-Baida, a beautiful poem,

عَلَى عَقِيدَةِ السَّلَفْ * وَهْيَ النَّجَاةُ لِلْخَلَفْ

Upon the creed of the righteous predecessors (Salaf), and it is salvation for those who come after.

قُرْآنُنَا وَالسُّنَّةْ * بِفَهْمِ خَيْرِ الْأُمَّةْ

Our foundation is the Qur’an and the Sunnah, upon the understanding of the best of the Ummah.

أَكْرِمْ بِهِمْ مِنْ سَلَفِ * فَاعْضَضْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَاقْتَفِ

How noble are those predecessors! So cling firmly to them and follow in their path.

وَكُنْ لَهُمْ مُتَّبِعَا * لَا زَائِغًا مُبْتَدِعَا

And be one who follows them, not one who deviates and invents innovations.

مَنْ رَبُّنَا الرَّحْمَانُ * مَعْبُودُنَا الْمَنَّانُ

Who is our Lord? The Most Merciful, our Worshipped One, the Bestower of favours.

اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْخَلْقِ * يُمِدُّنَا بِالرِّزْقِ

Allah is the Lord of creation; He provides us with sustenance.

وَدِينُنَا الْإِسْلَامُ * مَعْنَاهُ الِاسْتِسْلَامُ

And our religion is Islam, its meaning is submission,

لِلَّهِ طَائِعِينَا * حَقًّا مُوَحِّدِينَا

To Allah in obedience, truly affirming His oneness.

ثُمَّ مَنِ النَّبِيُّ * مُحَمَّدُ الزَّكِيُّ

Then who is the Prophet? Muhammad, the pure and noble one,

مُرْشِدُنَا لِلَّهِ * هُوَ ابْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ

Our guide to Allah; he is the son of Abdullah.

صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ رَبِّي * عَلَى حَبِيبِ الْقَلْبِ

Oh my Lord, send prayers and peace upon the beloved of the heart.

خُلِقْتُ لِلْتَّوحِيدِ * وَطَاعَةِ الْمَجِيدِ

I was created for Tawhid and for obedience to the Most Glorious.

فَأُفْرِدُ الْخَلَّاقَا * بِفِعْلِهِ الرَّزَّاقَا

So I single out the Creator alone, the Provider through His actions

مُدَبِّرٌ وَنَافِعُ * وَمَالِكٌ وَرَافِعُ

The Planner, the Benefactor, the Owner, and the One who raises.

مُعْتَقِدًا إِفْرَادَهْ * بِالْقَصْدِ وَالْعِبَادَةْ

Believing in singling Him out alone in intention and worship,

كَالذَّبْحِ وَالصَّلَاةِ * وَالْحَجِّ وَالزَّكَاةِ

Such as sacrifice and prayer, Hajj and Zakah,

وَالْنَّذْرِ وَالدُّعَاءِ * وَالْخَوْفِ وَالرَّجَاءِ

And vows and supplication, fear and hope.

وَصَرْفُهَا لِغَيْرِهِ * شِرْكٌ خِلَافُ أَمْرِهِ

And directing any of these to other than Him, is shirk, opposing His command.

لَهُ صِفَاتُهُ الْعُلَى * وَاسْمَاؤُهُ الْحُسْنَى بِلَا

To Him belong the Most High Attributes and the Most Beautiful Names, without

تَحْرِيفٍ اَوْ تَعْطِيلِ * تَكْيِيفٍ اَوْ تَمْثِيلِ

Distortion or denial, without asking how or likening Him to creation.

فَرَبُّنَا عَظِيمُ * وَوَجْهُهُ كَرِيمُ

For our Lord is Magnificent, and His Face is Noble.

فُوقَ السَّمَاءِ قَدْ عَلَا * حَقًّا عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى

Above the heavens He rose high, truly established over the Throne.

وَيَنْزِلُ الْغَفَّارُ * إِذَا تَجِي الْأَسْحَارُ

And the Most Forgiving one descends when the last part of the night arrives,

ذُو الْدَّرَجَاتِ الْعُلْيَا * إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا

The Possessor of the highest ranks, to the lowest heaven.

قُرْآنُهُ الْمُرَتَّلُ * كَلَامُهُ الْمُنَزَّلُ

His Qur’an that is recited is His revealed speech,

وَلَيْسَ بِالْمَخْلُوقِ * أَوْ نَاقِصٍ مَلْحُوقِ

And it is not created, nor is deficiency attributed to it.

فَلْتَحْمِيَنْ جَنَابَهْ * وَطَهِّرْنْ رِحَابَهْ

So protect its sanctity and purify its precincts.

وَاحْلِفْ بِرَبِّ الْخَلْقِ * لَا بِالنَّبِي وَالْخَلْقِ

And swear by the Lord of creation, not by the Prophet nor the creation.

وَلَا تَقُلْ مُطِرْنَا * بِالنَّجْمِ أَوْ أَخْصَبْنَا

And do not say: ‘We were given rain by the stars,’ or: ‘We were blessed through them.’

وَرَبُّنَا قَدْ شَاءَا * وَشِئْتَ لَا سَوَاءَا

And say: ‘Our Lord willed, then you willed,’ not making them equal.

وَلَوْ لَدَى التَّعَذُّرِ * لِلذَّنْبِ وَالتَّحَسُّرِ

Even in times of hardship, sin, and regret.

وَالْدَهْرَ لَا تُسَبَّا * وَالرِّيحَ تُؤْذِي الرَّبَّا

And do not curse Time, nor the wind, for that offends the Lord.

أَوْ تَغْلُوَنْ فِي الدِّينِ * أَوْ تُفْرِطَنْ فِي اللِّينِ

Nor be excessive in religion, nor fall into careless laxity.

أَوْ تُطْرِيَنْ نَبِيَّا * أَوْ صَالِحًا وَلِيَّا

Nor exaggerate in praising a prophet or a righteous servant.

أَوْ تَهْزَأَنْ بِاللَّهِ * أَوْ دِينِهِ يَا لَاهِي

Nor mock Allah or His religion, Oh heedless one.

بِالثَّابِتِ التَّبَرُّكِ * وَمَا سِوَاهُ يُتْرَكُ

Seek blessings only through what is authentically established, and whatever is besides that is to be abandoned.

وَجَازَتِ الْوَسِيلَةْ * بِالطَّاعَةِ الْجَلِيلَةْ

And seeking a means [wasilah] is permissible through noble acts of obedience,

وَوَصْفِهِ وَالأَسْمَا * ثُمَّ دُعَاءِ الأَحْيَا

And through His attributes and names, then through the asking the living ones.

وَلَا تَسْأَلْ مَقْبُورَا * أَوْ عِندَهُ الْغَفُورَا

And do not ask one buried in the grave, nor seek from him forgiveness.

وَاجْتَنِبِ التَّمَائِمَا * وَالسِّحْرَ وَالتَّشَاؤُمَا

And avoid amulets, magic, and superstition.

وَلَا تُصَدِّقْ بُرْجَا * وَكَاهِنًا مُعْوَجَّا

And do not believe in horoscopes nor in a crooked fortune-teller.

وَكُنْ جَمِيلَ الظَّنِّ * بِاللَّهِ وَالتَّمَنِّي

And have beautiful hope and expectation in Allah alone.

فَعَالِمُ الْغُيُوبِ * وَغَافِرُ الذُّنُوبِ

For He is the Knower of the unseen, the Forgiver of sins,

وَكَاشِفُ الْكُرُوبِ * وَشَاهِدُ الْقُلُوبِ

The Reliever of hardships, and the Knower of what hearts contain

اللَّهُ دُونَ شِرْكِ * حَقًّا بِغَيْرِ شَكِّ

Allah alone, without any partner, truly and without doubt.

إِسْلَامُنَا السَّعَادَةْ * أَوَّلُهُ الشَّهَادَةْ

Our Islam is true happiness, and its beginning is the testimony:

لَا رَبَّ لَا إِلَهُ * بِالْحَقِّ إِلَّا اللَّهُ

There is no lord and no deity worthy of worship in truth except Allah.

أَعْبُدُهُ بِمَا شَرَعْ * رَسُولُهُ وَمَا مَنَعْ

I worship Him according to what His Messenger legislated, and whatever he forbade,

أَتْرُكُهُ جَمِيعَا * مُصَدِّقًا مُطِيعَا

I abandon entirely, believing and obeying.

وَخَمْسَنَا نُصَلِّي * وَمَا لَنَا نُزَكِّي

We perform our five prayers, and from our wealth we give zakah.

فِي رَمَضَانَ صَوْمُنَا * لَبَيْتِ رَبِّي حَجُّنَا

In Ramadan is our fasting, and pilgrimage to the House of my Lord is our Hajj.

إِيمَانُنَا بِاللَّهِ * الْواحِدِ الْإِلَهِ

Our faith is in Allah, the One true God,

وَ بَعْدُ بِالْمَلَائِكَةْ * وَ كُتْبِهِ الْمُبَارَكَةْ

Then in the angels, and His blessed books,

وَرُسْلِهِ وَالْقَدَرِ * وَيَوْمِهِ الْمُؤَخَّرِ

And His messengers, the Divine Decree, and the Last Day yet to come.

مَلَائِكٌ مِنْ نُورِ * تَعْمَلُ بِالْمَأْمُورِ

Angels created from light, carrying out what they are commanded,

كَخَازِنِ الْجِنَانِ * وَمَالِكِ النِّيرَانِ

Such as the keeper of Paradise and Malik, the keeper of the Fires.

مِيكَالُ إِسْرَافِيلُ * وَخَيْرُهُمْ جِبْرِيلُ

Mikal and Israfil, and the best of them is Jibril.

وَكُتْبُهُ الدُّسْتُورُ * الصُّحْفُ وَالْزَّبُورُ

And His books are the laws: the Scrolls and the Zabur,

تَوْرَاةُ وَالْإِنْجِيلُ * وَهَيْمَنَ التَّنْزِيلُ

The Torah and the Injil, and over them all reigns the Tanzil [Quran].

وَرُسْلُهُ بِالْحَتْمِ * أَفْضَلُهُمْ ذُو الْعَزْمِ

And His messengers with certainty, the best among them are Ulu Al-Azm:

نُوحٌ فَإِبْرَاهِيمُ * وَبَعْدَهُ الْكَلِيمُ

Nuh, then Ibrahim, and after him Al-Kalim [Musa],

وَبَعْدَ عِيسَى الْمُصْطَفَى * أَفْضَلُهُمْ وَالْمُنْتَهَى

And after Isa comes al-Mustafa (the Chosen One), the best of them and the final one.

وَقَدَرُ الْحَكِيمِ * بِعِلْمِهِ الْعَمِيمِ

And the decree of the All-Wise is by His all-encompassing knowledge:

فَكَتْبِهِ الْمُقَدَّرَا * فَشَاءَهُ ثُمَّ بَرَا

Thus He wrote what was decreed, then willed it, then brought it into existence.

نُؤْمِنُ بِالْمُفَصَّلِ * فِي مَا مَضَى وَالْمُجْمَلِ

We believe in the detailed matters of it as well as the general.

وَالدِّينُ يَا إِخْوَانُ * قِمَّتُهُ الْإِحْسَانُ

And the religion, Oh brothers, its highest peak is Ihsan:

أَنْ يُعْبَدَ الإِلَهُ * كَأَنَّنَا نَرَاهُ

That Allah be worshipped as though we see Him,

أَوْ نُوقِنَ الْإِيْقَانَا * بِأَنَّهُ يَرَانَا

And that we hold certainty that He surely sees us.

إِيْمَانِ بِاللِّسَانِ * وَالْقَلْبِ وَالْأَرْكَانِ

Iman is with the tongue, the heart, and the limbs.

يَزِيدُ بِالطَّاعَاتِ * يَقِلُّ بِالزَّلَّاتِ

It increases through acts of obedience and decreases through sins.

وَلْتَحْذَرِ الْإِرْجَاءَا * وَالشِّرْكَ وَالرِّيَاءَا

And beware of Irja, shirk, and showing off.

وَلَا تُكَفِّرْ مُسْلِمَا * بِالذَّنْبِ مَهْمَا عَظُمَا

And do not declare a Muslim a disbeliever because of a sin, no matter how great,

مَا لَمْ يُصِبْ مُكَفِّرَا * وَالْخَارِجِيَّ فَاحْذَرَا

So long as he has not committed an act of disbelief itself, and beware of the Khariji.

نُؤْمِنُ بِالْقِيَامَةِ * وَالْقَبْرِ فِي الْبِدَايَةِ

We believe in the Resurrection, and in the grave at the beginning

سُؤَالِهِ وَضَمَّتِهِ * عَذَابِهِ وَنِعْمَتِهِ

Its questioning and its constriction, its punishment and its bliss.

فَالْبَعْثِ ثُمَّ الْحَشْرِ * عَلَى اخْتِلَافِ الْقَدْرِ

Then in the resurrection and the gathering, with people differing in their ranks.

فَيَشْفَعُ النَّبِيُّ * مَقَامُهُ الْعَلِيُّ

Then the Prophet will intercede, his station is lofty.

فَيُنْشَرُ الْكِتَابُ * وَيَبْدَأُ الْحِسَابُ

Then the records will be spread open, and the reckoning will begin,

بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْمِيزَانِ * وَالْفَضْلِ وَالْغُفْرَانِ

With justice and the scales, along with favour and forgiveness.

نُؤْمِنُ بِالظِّلَالِ * وَالْحَوْضِ وَالْأَهْوَالِ

We believe in the shades, the Pond, and the terrors,

وَالجِسْرِ وَالنِّيْرَانِ * وَالخُلْدِ وَالجِنَانِ

And the bridge, the Fires, eternity, and the Gardens.

وَرُؤْيَةِ الْأَبْرَارِ * بِالْعَيْنِ لِلْجَبَّارِ

And in the believers seeing the Almighty with their own eyes.

نُوحِّدُ الْقَهَّارَا * وَنَتْبَعُ الْمُخْتَارَا

We affirm the oneness of the Almighty, and we follow the Chosen One.

تَعْظِيمُنَا لِلْمُصْطَفَى * بِلَا غُلُوٍّ أَوْ جَفَا

Our reverence for Al-Mustafa is without exaggeration or neglect.

نُؤْمِنُ بِالتَّكْرِيمِ * وَالْحُبِّ وَالتَسْلِيمِ

We believe in honouring, loving, and showing devotion

لَآلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ * وَزَوْجِهِ وَحِزْبِهِ

To his family, his companions, his wives, and his followers.

سُبْحَانَهُ فَضَّلَهُمْ * رَبِّي كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَهُمْ

Glorified is He who favoured them, my Lord, just as He appointed them as successors.

نَكُفُّ عَمَّا شَجَرَا * بَيْنَهُمُ وَمَا جَرَى

We withhold from speaking about the disputes, and conflicts that occurred between them.

نَبَرُّ وَالِدَيْنَا * وَالْعُلَمَا لَدَيْنَا

We are righteous towards our parents, and the scholars among us,

وَالصَّالِحَ الْوَلِيَّا * الْمُؤْمِنَ التَّقِيَّا

As well as the righteous and pious believer, the God-fearing one.

وَنُكْرِمُ الْإِخْوَانَا * وَالْأَهْلَ وَالْجِيرَانَا

And we show honour to our brothers, our families, and our neighbours.

وَنَلْزَمُ الْجَمَاعَةْ * وَالنُّصْحَ وَالإِطَاعَةْ

And we adhere to the Jama’ah, to sincere counsel and obedience

لِأَوْلِيَاءِ الْأَمْرِ * فِي مَنْشَطٍ أَوْ عُسْرِ

To those in authority, in ease and hardship alike,

فِي غَيْرِ مَا عِصْيَانِ * وَلْنَدْعُ لِلْسُّلْطَانِ

So long as it is not in disobedience to Allah, and let us supplicate for the ruler,

وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالِهِمْ * وَالْكَافِرِينَ عَادِهِمْ

Be allies with the muslims, and be enemies to the disbelievers

بِالْحُبِّ وَالإِسْعَافِ * وَالْبُغْضِ وَالإِنْصَافِ

With love and assistance, and with hatred alongside justice.

وَلْتَحْفَظِ اللِّسَانَا * وَطَهِّرِ الْجَنَانَا

And guard your tongue, and purify your heart.

وَاصْبِرْ لِأَجْلِ الْحَقِّ * وَكُنْ جَمِيلَ الْخُلْقِ

Be patient for the sake of the truth, and possess beautiful character:

سَهْلًا حَلِيمًا رَاحِمَا * جَلْدًا كَرِيمًا حَازِمَا

Easy-going, forbearing, merciful, strong, generous, and resolute.

مَكَارِمُ الْأَخْلَاقِ * مَفَاتِحُ الْأَرْزَاقِ

Noble manners are keys to provision,

وَتَرْفَعُ الْإِنْسَانَا * وَتُثْقِلُ الْمِيزَانَا

They elevate a person and make the scale heavy.

تَمَّتْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّي * حَبِيبَةً لِقَلْبِي

It is completed, by the praise of my Lord, beloved to my heart,

حَاوِيَةَ الْأُصُولِ * مَأْمُولَةَ الْقَبُولِ

Containing the foundations of the religion, hopeful of acceptance.

أَحْيَا بِهَا حَيَاتِي * أَرْجُو بِهَا نَجَاتِي

By it I live my life, and through it I hope for my salvation.

يَا رَبِّ يَسِّرْ عِلْمَهَا * وَشَرْحَهَا وَفَهْمَهَا

Oh Lord, make its knowledge easy, as well as its explanation and understanding.

وَارْحَمْ مَنِ اعْتَنَى بِهَا * وَاشْرِكَهُ فِي ثَوَابِهَا

And have mercy upon whoever gives it care, and grant him a share in its reward.

وَالْحَمْدُ لِلْحَمِيدِ * خَاتِمَةُ الْقَصِيدِ

And all praise belongs to the Praiseworthy, this is the ending of the poem.