Sultan `Abd al-Hamid’s poem in praise of the Prophet was engraved in the year 1191 (1777 C.E.

) on the walls of
the Prophet’s hujra in his mosque in Madina. The enemies of the Prophet covered up several of the verses
with paint so that they could not be read, sparing what suited them, but the poem has been preserved in other
ways. It can be found in the book Mir’at al-haramayn by Sabri Basha the last Shaykh al-Islam of the Ottoman
state, and the Shaykh of Mecca Ibn `Alawi al-Maliki reproduced it in his recent book Shifa’ al-fu’ad bi ziyarat
khayr al-`ibad (The healing of the heart with the visitation of the best of Allah’s servants). Here is the text in
full, with an asterisk indicating each verse that was painted over:

1.* ya sayyidi ya rasulallahi khudh bi yadi

ma li siwaka wa la alwi `ala ahadi

O my master, O Messenger of Allah, take my hand:

I have none besides you, nor will I pause to rely on anyone but you.

2.* fa anta nur al-huda fi kulli ka’inatin

wa anta sirru al-nada ya khayra mu`tamadi

For you are the light of guidance in everything that exists

and you are the secret of munificence and the best reliance.

3.* wa anta haqqan ghiyathu al-khalqi ajma`ihim

wa anta hadi al-wara lillahi dhi al-madadi

And you are in truth the helper of all creation,

and you are the guide of mortals to Allah, Owner of help.

4. ya man yaqumu maqam al-hamdi munfaridan

li al-wahidi al-fardi lam yulad wa lam yalid

O you who stand on the Station of Praise, singled out

by the One Who is Single, Who is not begotten and does not beget.

5. ya man tafajjarat al-anharu nabi`atan

min isba`ayhi fa rawwa al-jaysha dha al-`adadi

O you from whose fingers rivers burst forth

so that he quenched the thirst of the numerous army.

6.* inni idha samani daymun yurawwi`uni

 aqulu ya sayyida al-sadati ya sanadi

Verily, if I am faced with harm and fearful injustice

I say: O Master of masters, O my support!

7.* kun li shafi`an ila al-rahmani min zalali

wamnun `alayya bi ma la kana fi khaladi

Be my intercessor with the Merciful regarding my mistakes

and grace me with what eludes my heart.

8.* wanzur bi `ayn al-rida li da’iman abadan

wastur bi fadlika taqsiri mada al-amadi

And look upon me always and ever with kind eyes,

and cover with your favor my shortcomings all my life.

9.* wa`tuf `alayya bi `afwin minka yashmuluni

fa innani `anka ya mawlaya lam uhaddi

Kindly bestow on me encompassing forgiveness

for from you, O my master, I was never separated.

10.* inni tawassaltu bi al-mukhtari ashrafi man

raqa al-samawati sirri al-wahid al-ahadi

I have sought as my means the elect one, the noblest of any

that ascended the heavens, the secret of the Unique One –

11. rabbu al-jamali ta`alallahu khaliquhu

fa mithlahu fi jami` al-khalqi lam ajidi

O Lord of beauty! Exalted is Allah Who created him,

for such as him in all creation I have never seen –

12. khayru al-khala’iqi a`la al-mursalina dhuran

dhukhru al-anami wa hadihim ila al-rashadi

 The best of creatures, the apex of Messengers,

the treasure of humankind and their guide to integrity!

13.* bihi iltaja’tu la`allallaha yaghfiru li

hadha al-ladhi huwa fi zhanni wa mu`taqadi

In him I have taken refuge: perhaps Allah will forgive me.

This is what I count on and firmly believe.

14. fa madhuhu lam yazal da’bi mada `umri

wa hubbuhu `inda rabbi al-`arshi mustanadi

Therefore his tireless praise shall never cease to be my task

and love of him sustains me in the presence of the Lord of the Throne.

15. `alayhi azka salatin lam tazal abadan

ma` al-salami bila hasrin wa la `adadi

Upon him the purest of endless blessings without cease

together with greetings that cannot be stemmed nor counted

16. wa al-ali wa al-sahbi ahli al-majdi qatibatin

bahri al-samahi wa ahl al-judi wa al-madadi

And upon his Family and Companions, a glorious folk all,

The ocean of forgiveness, the people of generosity and aid!