Background
Ya Imam Ar-Rusli – يا إمام الرسل
O Imam Of All Messengers of Allah ﷺ
Ya Imam Ar-Rusli is one of the most powerful qaṣīdahs (odes) petitioning the Beloved of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. It is sung in almost every part of the world in the popular maqām (melody) known as Bayātī, commonly associated with a feeling of intense joy and love for the beloved. It was written by the great saint and poet, Sayyid Muḥammad Mahdī Ar-Rawwās Ar-Rifā’i (d. 1870 in Baghdād, Irāq), may Allah how him mercy, who describes his connection and yearning to Prophet Muḥammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
This is the most academic rendition of Ya Imam Ar-Rusli to ever be recorded and has the original lyrics from the words of Imam Ar-Rawwās. The solo tunes were carefully composed by Shaykh Abdur Raḥman As-Sāsā, changing the emotions of listeners through various melodic phases before returning to the original Bayātī melody.
It corrects a common mistake in rhythm that spread in the 1980s due to a mismatch between the number of rhythm units in both halves of each line, which should be equal in qaṣidahs. This has commonly resulted in the tune being elongated in the first line half to 14 units in some versions, and 16 units in other versions and hence this correction will help to release any rhythmical tension and anomalies listeners may have previously felt.
Its rhythm, Al-Ithnā Ashar Al-Muḥallā (الإثنىٰ عَشَر المُحَلّىٰ) was composed and played by our teacher, Ustādh Jamāl As-Saqqā, and follows the poetic metre Baḥr al-Madīd (بحر المديد) represented by the following mnemonic: يَا إِمَامَ الرُّسْلِ يَا سَنَدِي * أَنْتَ بَابُ اللهِ مُعْتَمَدِي Yā Imāmar-Rusli yā sanadī O Imām of all messengers of Allah! أَنْتَ سِرُّ الْكَوْنِ سَيِّدُهُ * رُوحُهُ مَوْلَاهُ أَوْحَدُهُ Anta sirrul-kawni sayyiduhū You are the secret of existence, its master, يَا ابْنَ عَبْدِ اللهِ يَا أَمَلِي * يَا مَلَاذَ الْخَائِفِ الْوَجِلِ Ya-bna ‘Abdi-llāhi yā amalī Son of Abd Allah, you are my hope; وَصَلَاةُ اللهِ لَمْ تَزَلِ * لَكَ تُهْدَىٰ مَا دَعَاكَ وَلِىّ Wa-ṣalātu-llāhi lam tazali May blessings from Allah continue to, Lyrics: Sayyid Muḥammad Mahdī Ar-Rawwās Ar-Rifā’ī
fā’ilātun-fā’ilun-fā’ilātun * fā’ilātun-fā’ilun-fā’ilātun
(فَاعِلَاتُنْ فَاعِلُنْ فَاعِلَاتُنْ * فَاعِلَاتُنْ فَاعِلُنْ فَاعِلَاتُنْ).[Arabic, Romanized , English Translation] Ya Imam Ar-Rusli Lyrics
فَبِدُنْيَايَ وَآخِرَتِي * يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ خُذْ بِيَدِي
Anta bābullāhi mu‘tamadī
Fa-bi-duniyāya wa-ākhiratī
Yā Rasūl-Allāhi khudh bi-yadī
You I count to reach Jannah
So in this life, and the hereafter,
Guide me through the way and hold my hand
عَبْدُكُمْ مُدَّتْ لَكُمْ يَدُهُ * مَدَدًا يَا صَاحِبَ الْمَدَدِ
Rūḥuhū mawlāhū awḥaduhū
‘Abdukum muddat lakum yaduhū
Madadan yā ṣāḥibal-madadi
Its soul, the most unique in it, and its leader.
Your servant extends his hands to you,
Seeking help, dear helper of all.
نَظْرَةً يَا أَكْرَمَ الرُّسُلِ * وَبِغَوْثٍ حُلَّ لِي عُقَدِي
Yā malādhal-khā’ifil-wajili
Naẓratan yā akramar-rusuli
Wa-bi-ghawthin ḥulla lī ‘uqadī
The refuge for those shaken by fear.
Noblest of messengers, a glance please!
With your aid, relieve all my difficulties.
ِمَعَ تَسْلِيمٍ مِنَ الْأَزَلِ * يَنْتَهِي حَتَّىٰ إِلَى الْأَبَد
Laka tuhdā mā da‘āka wali
Ma‘a taslīmin minal-azali
Yantahī ḥattā ilal-abadi
Be gifted to you, so long a saint calls upon you.
And may salutations unto you pour
Forever eternity and ever more.
English chorus: Shaykh Sayyid Muḥammad Abul Huda Al-Yaqoubī
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