Founding statements and reflections.

أَهْلَ بْلاكْبِيرْنَ، قَدْ جِئْنَا فَحَيُّونَا وَزَيِّنُوا الْأَرْضَ رَيْحَانًا وَنَسْرِينَا

O people of Blackburn—we have come, so welcome us near, Adorn the earth with fragrance—sweet basil and blossoms sincere.

هُوَ الْغَرَامُ الَّذِي قَدْ جَاءَ يَحْمِلُنَا فَوْقَ الْغَمَامِ، وَحَرُّ الشَّوْقِ يُدْنِينَا

It is love that has carried us, lifting us high above the cloud, While the fire of longing draws us close, fervent and unbowed.

إِنِّي أَتَيْتُ، وَفِي صَنْعَاءَ ذَاكِرَتِي مَهْدُ الْعُرُوبَةِ، تَأَرِيخًا وَتَكْوِينَا

I have come, with Ṣanʿāʾ alive within memory’s embrace, Cradle of Arab legacy—of history, origin, and place.

أَمَا تَرَوْنَ عَلَى وَجْهِي مَلَامِحَهَا؟ أَمَا تَرَوْنَ سِمَاتٍ لِلْيَمَانِينَا؟

Do you not see upon my face her traces clearly drawn? Do you not glimpse the marks of Yemen, where I belong?

فَإِنْ مَرَرْتَ بِأَرْضٍ، سَلْ مَآثِرَهَا، فِي كُلِّ فَتْحٍ لَهَا، كُنَّا الْمَيَامِينَا

If you pass through any land, then ask it of its tale, In every conquest it recalls—we stood where hearts don’t fail.

فَأَرْضُ قُرْطُبَةٍ، لَا شَكَّ تَذْكُرُنَا، وَغِرْنَاطَةُ الْمَجْدِ لَنْ تَنْسَى أَيَادِينَا

Cordoba remembers us—of that there is no doubt, And Granada of glory still recalls what we brought about.

ثُمَّ السَّلَامُ عَلَى كُلِّ الَّذِينَ أَتَوْا وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَغْشَاهُمْ مَلَايِينَا

Then peace upon all those who came from every distant land, And Allah’s mercy cover them in waves both vast and grand.

جَمِيلَةٌ هذِهِ السَّاعَاتُ تَجْمَعُنَا بِمَنْ نُحِبُّ، فَمَا أَحْلَى تَلَاقِينَا!

Beautiful are these hours that gather us as one, With those we love—how sweet the meeting we’ve begun.

فَسَاجِدٌ قَدْ دَعَانَا الْيَوْمَ مُحْتَسِبًا، أَعَادَ ذِكْرَى أَحادِيثِ الْكَرِيمِينَا

For Sajid called us forth today with sincerity and aim, Reviving noble gatherings, restoring honour’s flame.

وَأَظْهَرَ الْوُدَّ بِالْأَصْحَابِ مُحْتَفِيًا، وَمَا أَتَيْنَاهُ إِلَّا مُسْتَجِيبِينَا

He showed his warmth to ahl al-ʿilm with welcome rich and wide, And we came forth in answer, with pride.

وَكُلُّ مَنْ حَضَرُوا — لِلَّهِ دَرُّهُمُ — سَنُّوا لَنَا سُنَّةً بِالْخَيْرِ تُحْيِينَا

All who gathered—may Allah reward them in full measure— Set for us a living example that revives enduring treasure.

مِنْ كُلِّ نَاحِيَةٍ قَدْ جَاءَ كَابِرُهُمْ أَتَى شُيُوخٌ، وَطُلَّابٌ، وَمُفْتُونَا

From every land their kibār came forth in noble array, Scholars, students, muftis—all answering the call this day.

سِنْدٌ، وَهِنْدٌ، وَإِفْرِيقٌ، وَمِنْ عَرَبٍ، وَالْكُرْدُ، وَالإِنْجِلِيزُ، جَاءُوا مُلَبِّينَا

From Sind and Hind, from Africa, from Arab lands they came, Kurds and English side by side—all answering the same.

أَتَى رِجَالٌ لَهُمْ فِي الْخَيْرِ بَصْمَتُهُمْ، قَوْمٌ كِرَامٌ، وَأعلامٌ مُرَبُّونَا

Men whose mark in goodness endures, whose athar will remain, Noble souls, distinguished figures, nurturers of the chain.

سَلِ الْعُلُومَ، فَمِنْ بَحْرِ الْهُدَى غَرَفُوا قَدْ فَسَّرُوا الْوَحْيَ قُرْآنًا وَمَسْنُونَا

Ask the sciences about them—from guidance they have drawn, They have given tafsīr to the revelation—Qur’an and Sunnah borne.

فَوْقَ الْمَحَارِيبِ صَوْتُ الْحَقِّ مُنْبَعِثٌ اللهُ أَكْبَرُ تَرْدِيدًا وَتَلْحِينَا

Above the prayer-niches rises truth, its voice both clear and strong, “Allāhu Akbar” echoes forth in cadence and in song.

سَلِ الْمَنَابِرَ عَنْهُمْ، فَهْيَ تَعْرِفُهُمْ، مِنْهَا أَقَامُوا عَلَى الْحَقِّ الْبَرَاهِينَا

Ask the pulpits well about them—for they know them true, From them were raised the proofs of truth, firm and ever due.

تَبَارَكَ اللهُ! مَا أَحْلَى تَجَمُّعَنَا أَضْفَى لِدَعْوَتِنَا عِزًّا وَتَمْكِينَا

Blessed is Allah—how sweet this gathering we behold, Granting strength and dignity to our daʿwah more precious than gold.

فَيَا شُيُوخًا لَكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مَرْتَبَةٌ، أَعْلَتْ مَنَارَ الْهُدَى فِي كُلِّ نَادِينَا

O scholars—you who hold rank within this noble dīn, You raised the light of guidance high in every place and scene.

لَا تُفْسِدُوا الصَّفَّ بِالتَّفْرِيقِ، وَانْتَهِجُوا دَرْبَ الإِخَاءِ، وَلَا تَصْغُوا لِوَاشِينَا

Do not divide the ranks through ikhtilāf or whispered blame, Walk the path of brotherhood—ignore the voice of shame.

فَأَنْتُمُ قُوَّةٌ، دَوْمًا بِوَحْدَتِكُمْ، فَوَحِّدُوا الصَّفَّ لِلْأَحْبَابِ دَاعِينَا

For you are strength in unity, a quwwah none can break, So gather hearts as one again—for the Ummah’s sake.

إِنَّ اللِّقَاءَ الَّذِي كُنَّا نُؤَمِّلُهُ، قَدْ حَقَّقَ اللهُ بَعْضًا مِنْ أَمَانِينَا

This meeting we had longed to see has now come into sight, Allah fulfilled some hopes we carried into this night.

مَاذَا سَتَنْظِمُ أَشْعَارِي إِذَا كَتَبَتْ؟ وَمَا عَسَاهَا تُوَفِّي لِلْمُحِبِّينَا؟

What can my verses truly hold, what words can shiʿr bring? What can they fulfil for those whose praises I now sing?

فَإِنَّنِي الْيَوْمَ، مَهْمَا صُغْتُ قَافِيَةً، يَظَلُّ شِعْرِيَ فِي التَّصْوِيرِ مَغْبُونَا

For even if I craft each line with care and measured art, My poetry falls short of what resides within the heart.

فَلَا أُلَامُ إِذَا أَجْهَدْتُ قَافِيَتِي، فَالشِّعْرُ يَعْجِزُ أَنْ يُبْدِيَ الْمَضَامِينَا

So I am not to be blamed if my rhyme strives in vain, For poetry cannot reveal all meanings it contains.

ثُمَّ الصَّلَاةُ عَلَى الْهَادِي الشَّفِيعِ، وَمَنْ عَمَّ الْمَدَى فَضْلُهُ، خَيْرِ النَّبِيِّينَا

Then blessings upon the Guide, the intercessor true, Whose faḍl spans all horizons—the best of prophets we knew.