Lamiyat al-Ajam (Pray My Lord)

Lāmīyat al-‘Ajam, also known as “Pray My Lord”, is an English poem written by the British Muslim scholar Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad, in which he praises the Prophet ﷺ and asks God to bless him. The name of the poem – which literally translates to ”the L-rhyming poem of the foreigner” – references the consistent end rhyme, “—ly”, and is a nod to the famous Arabic poem of the same name by the Persian vizier to the Seljuks, Abū Ismā‘īl Toghrāyī. (A lāmiya is a traditional Arabic qasida rhymed on the letter lām.) The poem was sung in a blues tune by Nader Khan for his second album, Water (2015); Isam B and NEO Hannan have since performed covers.

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Lyrics

Pray my Lord and grant Your blessings always eternally
Upon Muhammad, his companions and his family.

Hold awhile and let me tell of marvels that once appeared
Shattering the cage of reason, hubris and contumely.

On his birth a thousand signs shone from East and shone from West,
Fragrance filled the earth and air, rebel demons turned to flee.

Can such light once have been not, when another creature was?
Can it be Heaven’s intent not to hail him anciently?

Did the angels not revere, as they bowed to Adam’s form,
He who was the purest heir of covenant and family?

Through God’s justice I am lost, my actions give me away
But His mercy to the worlds proclaims hope eternally.

Though I fear my wayward ways, still my confidence is sure
For his pleading in my case liberates me utterly.

If he does not take my hand, what reliance can there be
On my works and on my prayers, offered so distractedly?

And May blessings rest on Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman,
Those who merited the Caliph’s robes, as did great Ali.

And upon the loyal legions who followed after them
Faithful women, faithful men, peace be on them constantly.

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