Balagha l-‘Ulā bi-Kamālihi

Balagha l-‘Ulā bi-Kamālihi (بلغ العلا بكماله) is an Arabic quatrain (rubā‘ī) attributed to the great Persian poet Saadi of Shiraz. These celebrated lines, composed in praise of the Prophet ﷺ, appear as a poetic fragment (qiṭ‘a) in the introduction to Saadi’s renowned collection of stories, Gūlistān (The Rose Garden). According to tradition, Saadi composed the first three lines and then paused, unable to find a fitting conclusion. That night, he saw the Prophet ﷺ in a dream, who completed the poem by revealing its fourth and final line. The poem is cherished across the Muslim world as a succinct and luminous tribute to the beauty and majesty of God’s Final Messenger ﷺ. It is often sung as a chorus in various qasidas, naats and qawwalis.

Lyrics

بَلَغَ الْعُلَا بِكَمَالِهِ
كَشَفَ الدُّجَىٰ بِجَمَالِهِ
ِحَسُنَتْ جَمِيعُ خِصَالِه
صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ

Balaghal–‘ulaa bi-kamaalihi
Kashafad–dujaa bi-jamaalihi
Ḥasunat jamee‘u khiṣaalihi
Ṣalloo ‘alayhi wa-aalihi

He reached the highest station by his perfection.
He dispelled darkness by his beauty.
Beauteous are all of his qualities.
So send blessings upon him and his Family!

Audio Samples

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