Qasida engraved inside the Dome of Medina

The possessors of specious adab with the Prophet upon him blessings and peace 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 of our late teacher Shaykh al-Islam fil-Balad al-Haram al-Sharif al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn `Alawi al-Maliki titled Shifa al-Fuad bi-Ziyarati Khayr al-`Ibad (Healing the heart with the visitation of the best of Allahs servants) (Dubai: Dairat al-awqaf, n.d.) p. 203. 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 kainatin 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 daiman 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-khalaiqi 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 iltajatu 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 dabi 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. wal-ali wal-sahbi ahli al-majdi qatibatin bahri al-samahi wa ahl al-judi wal-madadi And upon his Family and Companions, a glorious folk all, The ocean of forgiveness, the people of generosity and aid.