Rule 1: 1. The simple perfect as a pluperfect
When a clause is already marked as earlier than the main verb, by لَمَّا when, بَعْدَ أَنْ after, حَيْثُ where, or by a relative pronoun, Arabic is content with the plain perfect and leaves had to the English translator.
جَلَسَ الْوَزِيرُ حَيْثُ جَلَسَ السَّفِيرُ.
jalasa l-wazīru ḥaythu jalasa s-safīru
The minister sat where the ambassador had sat.
لَمَّا وَصَلْنَا إِلَى الْمَطَارِ أَقْلَعَتِ الطَّائِرَةُ.
lammā waṣalnā ila l-maṭāri aqlaʿati ṭ-ṭāʾiratu
When we had reached the airport, the plane took off.
بَعْدَ أَنْ صَافَحَ الْمُسْتَقْبِلِينَ رَكِبَ سَيَّارَتَهُ.
baʿda an ṣāfaḥa l-mustaqbilīna rakiba sayyāratahu
After he had shaken hands with those receiving him he got into his car.
زَارَ الْمُسْتَشْفَى الَّذِي تَبَرَّعَتْ لَهُ أُمُّهُ بِمَالِهَا.
zāra l-mustashfa lladhī tabarraʿat lahu ummuhu bi-mālihā
He visited the hospital to which his mother had donated her money.