Fortress of the Muslim
Fortress of the Muslim
حصن المسلم
When something that pleased him happened to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, or he received joyful news, he would fall prostrate in gratitude to Allah, Blessed and Exalted.
Place your hand on the part of your body that hurts and say “In the name of Allah” three times. Then say seven times: “I seek refuge in Allah and His power from the evil of what I feel and fear.”
If one of you sees something about his brother, himself, or his wealth that he admires [let him pray for blessing for it], for the evil eye is real.
There is no deity but Allah.
Translation notes
لا إلهَ إلاّ اللّهُ
The witness adds “worthy of worship,” an interpretive gloss not present in the Arabic wording.
Should this gloss be noted in editorial review?
In the name of Allah, and Allah is the Greatest. [O Allah, from You and to You.] O Allah, accept it from me.
I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah, which neither the righteous nor the wicked can surpass, from the evil of what He created, made, and brought forth; from the evil of what descends from the sky and what ascends into it; from the evil of what He brought forth on earth and what emerges from it; from the evil trials of night and day; and from the evil of every visitor at night, except one who comes with good. O Most Merciful.
Translation notes
أَعُوذُ بكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِي لَا يُجَاوِزُهُنَّ بَرٌّ ولَا فَاجرٌ مِنْ شّرِّ مَا خَلقَ، وبَرَأَ وذَرَأَ، ومِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وِمنْ شَرِّ مَا يَعْرُجُ فيهَا، ومِن شَرِّ مَا ذَرَأَ في الأَرْضِ ومِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا، وِمنْ شَرِّ فِتَنِ اللَّيْلِ والنَّهارِ، ومِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ طارِقٍ إِلَّا طَارِقاً يَطْرُقُ بخَيْرٍ يَا رَحْمَنُ
The phrase lā yujāwizuhunna literally says that neither a righteous nor a wicked person goes beyond the words; the witness interprets this as neither being able to overcome them.
Which English rendering best preserves the phrase without importing a theological interpretation?
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: By Allah, I seek the forgiveness of Allah and repent to Him more than seventy times a day.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: O people, repent to Allah, for I repent to Him one hundred times a day.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Whoever says, “I seek forgiveness from Allah the Magnificent, besides whom there is no deity, the Living, the Sustainer, and I repent to Him,” Allah will forgive him, even if he fled from the battlefield.
Translation notes
وَإِنْ كَانَ فَرَّ مِنَ الزَّحْفِ
The English witness specifies deserting the army ranks; the Arabic expression refers to fleeing from the advance or battle.
Should an editor choose “battle” or “battle ranks” for al-zahf?
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The Lord is nearest to the servant in the last part of the night. If you are able to be among those who remember Allah at that hour, then be among them.”
Translation notes
أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الرَّبُّ مِنَ الْعَبْدِ
The witness says “the Lord comes closest,” while this source says “the Lord is nearest,” without an explicit verb of coming.
Should the witness wording be flagged as a theological interpretive expansion?
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The servant is nearest to his Lord when prostrating, so increase your supplication.”
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Something comes over my heart, and I seek the forgiveness of Allah one hundred times a day.”
Translation notes
.وَقَالَ صلى الله عليه وسلم: إِنَّهُ لَيُغَانُ عَلَى قَلْبِي وَإِنِّي لأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ فِي الْيَوْمِ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ.
The verb yughānu is difficult to render directly; the witness paraphrases it as a burden caused by not seeking forgiveness, while the Arabic states the experience and then mentions seeking forgiveness.
Which established English rendering of yughānu should be used here?
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said that whoever says Glory be to Allah and praise be to Him one hundred times in a day will have his sins wiped away, even if they are like the foam of the sea.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said that whoever says there is no deity but Allah alone, without partner; His is the dominion and the praise, and He has power over all things, ten times will be like one who freed four persons from the descendants of Ishmael.
Translation notes
كَانَ كَمَنْ أَعْتَقَ أَرْبَعَةَ أَنْفُسٍ مِنْ وَلَدِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ
The witness specifies receiving the reward for freeing four slaves, while this Arabic wording says he is like someone who freed four persons.
Should the witness reward gloss be kept out of the translation or marked as interpretive?
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Two phrases are light on the tongue, heavy on the scales, and beloved to the Most Merciful: Glory be to Allah and praise be to Him; glory be to Allah the Magnificent.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: For me to say Glory be to Allah, praise be to Allah, there is no deity but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest is dearer to me than everything over which the sun rises.
Translation notes
مِمَّا طَلَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ الشَّمسُ
The witness adds the explanatory gloss “the whole world,” which is not explicit in the source wording.
Should that gloss remain editorial rather than be included in translation?
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: Is any one of you unable to earn one thousand good deeds each day? One of those sitting with him asked how one of us could earn one thousand good deeds. He replied that he glorifies Allah one hundred times, and one thousand good deeds are recorded for him or one thousand sins are erased from him.
Whoever says, “Glory be to Allah the Magnificent and praise be to Him,” will have a date palm planted for him in Paradise.