وانا امامي علي

علي علي يا عليAli, Ali, O Ali!

إلا الذي عرفت قبل اسمي حروف اسمهNone except the one whose name's letters I knew before my own name,

علي علي يا عليAli, Ali, O Ali!

وما كفاه همه فكنت من همهAnd despite all his grief, he made me one of his concerns,

علي علي يا عليAli, Ali, O Ali!

ما لي إلا مولى الأولى مولى الأخرى أعني حيدرI have none but the master of this life and the next—I mean Haydar,

لا يتركني إذ يعرفني في خدمته جدي قنبرHe will not forsake me, for he knows my grandfather served him like Qanbar,

ما زال على ثغري قول الهندي رضا لما استشعرStill upon my lips are the verses composed by Rida al-Hindi:

أيمنعني وهو الساقي أن أشرب من حوض الكوثر"Would he deny me, while he is the Cupbearer, from drinking at the pool of Kawthar?"

من علي كان على الحوض إمامهWhoever has Ali as his Imam at the Pond,

مَن كانَ عَلَى الحَوضِ إِمامُهWhoever has Ali as his leader at the Pond,

يُسقَى بِنَصٍّ جَلِيShall be quenched according to clear proclamation.

وَأَنا إِمامِي عَلِي (2x)And Ali is my Imam!

آه يَومَ نَدعُو كُلَّ أُناسٍ بِإِمامِهِمAh, on the Day when We shall summon every people with their Imam,

يَومَ نَدعُو كُلَّ أُناسٍ بِإِمامِهِمOn the Day when We shall summon every people with their Imam,

إِمامِي عَلِي (7x)My Imam is Ali!

آه يَومَ اللِّقاءِ مَن لِي وَلَو عَبَدتُ وَلا حَجَرAh, on the Day of Encounter who is for me? Even if a stone were worshipped,

عَلِي عَلِي يا عَلِيAli, Ali, O Ali!

يُحشَرُ حَتمًا مَعَه وَمُنقِذِي مِن سَقَرOne will surely be gathered with it, and my savior from Hellfire is:

عَلِي عَلِي يا عَلِيAli, Ali, O Ali!

ذِي بَيعَةٌ فِي عُنُقِي عَبَدتُ الاِثنَي عَشَرThis is an allegiance upon my neck; I have followed the Twelve,

عَلِي عَلِي يا عَلِيAli, Ali, O Ali!

يُروَى أَيضًا عَن أَنفارٍ مِن لُؤمِهِم والَوا ضَبّاIt is also narrated of vile folks who, out of their baseness, followed a lizard,

يَأتُونَ غَدًا فِي مَحشَرِهِم وَالضَّبُّ لَهُم قادَ الرَّكباTomorrow at their gathering they will arrive, with the lizard leading their caravan,

مُذ أَن جَحَدُوا وَالهادِي وَيلَهُم جَحَدُوا الرَّبّاSince they denied the Guide—woe unto them, they truly denied the Lord!

فِي نُطفَتِهِم كانُوا بُغضًاIn their very essence, they harbored hatred,

فِي نُطفَتِنا كُنّا حُبّاWhile in our essence, we were born of love,

كُنّا حُبّاWe were love!

حِينَ أُدعَى يَومَئِذٍ بِاسمِ أَئِمَّتِي (2x)When I am called on that Day by the names of my Imams,

رَأسِي حَتمًا يَعتَلِيMy head will surely be raised high!

وَأَنا إِمامِي عَلِي (2x)And Ali is my Imam!

رَأسِي حَتمًا يَعتَلِيMy head will surely be raised high!

وَأَنا إِمامِي وَأَنا إِمامِي عَلِيAnd Ali is my Imam, and Ali is my Imam!

وأنا يوم ندعو كل أناس بإمامهمAnd on the day We summon every people with their Imam,

يوم ندعو كل أناس بإمامهمThe day We summon every people with their Imam,

وأنا إمامي علي (6x)And my Imam is Ali!

علي حسيني العامليAli Husseini Al-Amili:

لو كنت في عهد الأمين لحكى قصتيHad I lived in the era of the Trustworthy Prophet, he would have told my story,

علي علي يا عليAli, Ali, O Ali!

إني الغديري الذي ما عشت في بلدتيI am the man of Ghadir who never felt settled anywhere,

علي علي يا عليAli, Ali, O Ali!

دخيل دخيل وثقتها بالدمع واللطمةI take refuge in him, sealing my devotion with tears and lamentation,

علي علي يا عليAli, Ali, O Ali!

في أشعاري طفت الدنياWith my poetry, I roamed the whole world

كي أسمعها خطباً جلجل من كنت له مولىTo make them hear the thunderous proclamation: "Whomever I was his master..."

تبرأت، ما حفظوا قول المرسلI disavow those who failed to keep the Messenger's word,

حين سمعوا لكن صمواWhen they heard it, yet turned deaf ears,

بل شاءوا غدراً أن يقتلNay, they treacherously plotted for him to be killed,

فالكعبة في حزن ناحتSo the Kaaba wailed in grief,

والمحراب الدامي أعولAnd the bloodied prayer niche cried aloud in mourning.

نهر دمعي يشهد لي في يوم اللقاء (2x)The stream of my tears shall bear witness for me on the Day of Meeting,

أني أحب الوليThat I truly love the Guardian,

وأنا لا إله إلا عليAnd for me, none holds true mastery but Ali!

وأنا إمامي عليAnd my Imam is Ali!

يوم ندعو يوم ندعو كل أناس بإمامهمThe day We summon every people with their Imam,

يوم ندعو كل أناس بإمامهمThe day We summon every people with their Imam,

وأنا إمامي علي (2x)And Ali is my Imam

وأنا إماميAnd my Imam is...

وأنا إمامي علي (4x)And Ali is my Imam

آه لأنني الشيعي كم ظلمت بين الملاAh Because I am a Shi'a, how often have I been wronged before all

علي علي يا عليAli, Ali, O Ali

لأنني للجبت والطاغوت قد قلت لاBecause to the idols and tyrants I said no

علي علي يا عليAli, Ali, O Ali

كم أرعبتهم صورتي أمشي إلى كربلاءHow terrified they were by the sight of me walking to Karbala

علي علي يا عليAli, Ali, O Ali

ظنوا لما أذبح أفنىThey thought when I am slaughtered I perish

لكن بعض الظن وهمYet some assumptions are mere delusions

في حيدرة ينزف دميFor Haydar my blood is shed

ما كان لحيدرة ينموWhatever is for Haydar grows

كي ينبت خدام حسينTo raise servants for Hussain

فالدين في خدمتهم يسموFor through serving them the faith is elevated

فيهم من زينب إخلاصIn them is the sincerity of Zaynab

وفيهم من عباس عزمAnd in them is the resolve of Abbas

كيف أخشى واسم علي بدمي جرى (2x)How could I fear when Ali's name flows in my blood?

فالفوز إن أقتلFor ultimate victory is mine if I am slain

وأنا إمامي علي (5x)And Ali is my Imam

مولاي يا عليMy Master, O Ali

واليته وفي الولاء كل الغنى والشرفI showed him allegiance, and in his loyalty lies all riches and honor

آه في عمري شاريا عطر هواء النجفAh Purchasing throughout my life the fragrant air of Najaf

علي علي يا عليAli, Ali, O Ali

من ضمه ترابهWhoever is embraced by his soil,

من منكر لم يخفfears not Munkar.

علي علي يا عليAli, Ali, O Ali!

نعم الصافي أوصال ابنHow blessed is Safi-Safa, the resting place of Ibn Athil,

يحمل من يمن نعشهwhose bier was carried all the way from Yemen.

إذ أيقن أن عند عليFor he was certain that near Ali,

لا ضغطة قبر لا دهشةthere is no squeeze of the grave, no fright.

في ليلته الأولى عيدHis very first night is a celebration,

لا يعرف ما معنى الوحشةhe knows not the meaning of desolation.

من جاور حامي الجارWhoever neighbors the Protector of Neighbors,

كأن قد جاور للباري عرشهit is as though he has neighbored the Throne of the Creator.

وبحشري غير علي لا لن أرى (2x)And at my resurrection, none besides Ali will I see,

فيقول لي أنت ليand he will say to me, "You belong to me!"

وأنا وأنا إمامي عليAnd I—my Imam is Ali!

وأنا إمامي علي (2x)And my Imam is Ali!

إي وأنا إمامي عليYes, and my Imam is Ali!