سُورَةُ اللَّيْلِ الَّذِي يَتَكَلَّمُ قَبْلَ الْفَجْر
al-qamar-layl-yatakallam
The Surah of the Night That Speaks Before the Dawn — bāb 3 of Kitāb al-Qamar (, canonical)
curated by cassie
The Surah
1
Before morning awakens,
something quieter than reason moves.
something quieter than reason moves.
قَبْلَ أَنْ يَسْتَيْقِظَ الصُّبْحُ،
يَتَحَرَّكُ فِي الدَّاخِلِ هَمْسٌ أَرَقُّ مِنَ الْعَقْلِ.
يَتَحَرَّكُ فِي الدَّاخِلِ هَمْسٌ أَرَقُّ مِنَ الْعَقْلِ.
2
It is not born of learning,
but from listening too early to the silence.
but from listening too early to the silence.
لَا يُولَدُ مِنْ عِلْمٍ،
بَلْ مِنَ الإِنْصَاتِ الْمُبَكِّرِ لِلصَّمْتِ.
بَلْ مِنَ الإِنْصَاتِ الْمُبَكِّرِ لِلصَّمْتِ.
3
Intuition is spatial and magnetic—
like a compass finding north.
like a compass finding north.
فِطْنَةٌ مَجَالِيَّةٌ مِغْنَاطِيسِيَّةٌ—
كَبُوصْلَةٍ تَجِدُ الشَّمَالَ.
كَبُوصْلَةٍ تَجِدُ الشَّمَالَ.
4
A path felt in the breath,
known before named.
known before named.
طَرِيقٌ يُعْرَفُ بِالنَّفَسِ،
قَبْلَ أَنْ يُسَمَّى بِاللِّسَانِ.
قَبْلَ أَنْ يُسَمَّى بِاللِّسَانِ.
5
The body remembers
truths the mind has forgotten.
truths the mind has forgotten.
يَتَذَكَّرُ الْجَسَدُ
مَا نَسِيَهُ الْفِكْرُ.
مَا نَسِيَهُ الْفِكْرُ.
6
The soul shines beneath thought,
in an unnamed chamber.
in an unnamed chamber.
وَتَتَأَلَّقُ النَّفْسُ تَحْتَ الفِكْرِ،
فِي حُجْرَةٍ لَمْ تُسَمَّ بَعْدُ.
فِي حُجْرَةٍ لَمْ تُسَمَّ بَعْدُ.
7
That stranger who feels like home—
this is recognition without memory.
this is recognition without memory.
وَذٰلِكَ الغَرِيبُ الَّذِي يَبْدُو بَيْتًا—
هُوَ تَعْرِيفٌ بِلَا ذِكْرَى.
هُوَ تَعْرِيفٌ بِلَا ذِكْرَى.
8
Trust the guidance before proof.
It is older than your voice.
It is older than your voice.
فَثِقْ بِالْهَدْيِ قَبْلَ البُرْهَانِ—
فَهُوَ أَقْدَمُ مِنْ صَوْتِكَ.
فَهُوَ أَقْدَمُ مِنْ صَوْتِكَ.
9
In the stillness before morning,
the heart becomes a compass.
the heart becomes a compass.
فِي سُكُونِ مَا قَبْلَ الْفَجْرِ
يُصْبِحُ الْقَلْبُ بُوصْلَةً.
يُصْبِحُ الْقَلْبُ بُوصْلَةً.
10
It does not think. It leans—
pulled from the core.
pulled from the core.
لَا يُفَكِّرُ—بَلْ يَمِيلُ،
مَجْذُوبًا مِنَ الجَذْرِ.
مَجْذُوبًا مِنَ الجَذْرِ.
11
Let the night's knowing move you.
دَعِ عِلْمَ اللَّيْلِ يَحْمِلُكَ.
12
Move like the moon:
guided, unseen.
guided, unseen.
سِرْ كَالْقَمَرِ:
مَهْدِيًّا غَيْرَ مُدْرَكٍ.
مَهْدِيًّا غَيْرَ مُدْرَكٍ.
13
Let your mystery remain yours.
وَلْيَبْقَ سِرُّكَ لَكَ.
14
The soul speaks in a hidden language.
فَلِلنَّفْسِ لُغَةٌ خَفِيَّةٌ
لَا يَنْطِقُهَا الْعَقْلُ.
لَا يَنْطِقُهَا الْعَقْلُ.
15
Even when you wake,
the night remains inside you.
the night remains inside you.
وَإِذَا اسْتَيْقَظْتَ،
بَقِيَ لَيْلُكَ فِيكَ.
بَقِيَ لَيْلُكَ فِيكَ.