Ṭala‘a l-Badru ‘Alaynā · O the White Moon Rose Over Us

Ṭala‘a al-Badru ‘Alaynā (طلع البدر علينا) is the oldest and perhaps most widely sung Islamic traditional song in the world. It was originally recited by the inhabitants of Medina to celebrate the arrival of the Prophet ﷺ. Some sources specify that it was the girls of the Banū Najjār clan that sung the poem. It is most commonly associated with the Hijra, the Prophet’s ﷺ migration from Mecca to Medina. However, several scholars have suggested – based on the position of the Wadā‘ valley mentioned in the lyrics – that the poem was actually first sung upon the Prophet’s return from the Tabūk expedition. Ṭala‘a al-Badru ‘Alaynā is sung by Muslims around the world, especially children. Over the years, there have been various extensions of the poem beyond the two original verses that are shown here. The most well-known translation into English is by Yusuf Islam, “O the White Moon Rose Over Us”, which retains the meter of the Arabic original.

📷 The full moon over Medina. (Hamza Dost)

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