Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - The Last Prophet of Qawalli?

sadna,

control thyself!

...perhaps a patriotism and indignation meter...a depth-of-feeling sounder... and visas for alien ideas and mandatory registration with the thought police..

urstruly

``every luloo punjoo from hindus to gays and even people like hamidm``

....... so now i am being lumped in with the horrible hindoos and frigging faggots ... and who are laloo and punjoo? .... oh, well - i am too tired to protest .... perhaps some other day .......how about a little george carlin ? .... but that would be blasphemy - wouldn`t it? ....... it really strikes me as funny that god, as powerful as he claims to be, sould feel threatened by comedians and sophomores .......

........but i do have a serious question: ``If God is so powerful, can He make a rock that is so heavy that He Himself can`t lift it? ``

Asif N.

[Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was a wonderful singer! I love his qawwalies; however I like listening to his original qawallies and I think it was a pity that he started to sing pop versions and rock versions.]

Cannot agree more with you on that. You will never hear any ``Chun Sajnaa`` or ``Saheb Tae`ree Bandi Aan`` or ``Mun Utkiyaa`` or ``Woh Hataa Rahaen Purdah`` or ``Yeh Jo Hulka Hulka Suroor`` or ``Nee Main Jaana Jogi Dae Naal`` on loud speakers or being played by the DJs. I also abhor the pathetic pop versions. They are simply an insult. Disgusting.


[The qawwali was traditionally for a specific purpose only: hamd of Allah Ta`ala, naat and midhat of Sayyedina Rasool Allah sal allahu alayhi wa sallam and manqabat of the awliya e karaam and eswp. of Hazrat Ali karam allah wajhu. Even the love sung of in qawwalies was used as a Sufi metaphor for Divine Love...therefore i think using it as playback for films in hollywood etc. was disrespectful. And I find the idea of people dancing in nightclubs to the tunes of ``Ali Ali Mawla Ali Ali`` offensive.]

Quite True! Specially, when it comes to the last sentence.

[btw, the poem by the author in the beginning of the piece quoted from a nusrat qawwali is SPECIFICALLY for the person of Allah`s Beloved Messenger alayhi salatosalaam and using it for anyone else is disrespectful...]

Here I will disagree. He has just quoted those verses, in his own way - but very explicitly stated his intent. For instance, I read something by Buddha and I do not believe in that belief system. What should I do? If person X has no affiliation with certain belief system, he will obviously interpret the sayings in another way. Here this fellow is just showing his respect and using those verses for the late singer. Before jumping to the conclusion, I will go by the intent than by what`s stated.

Well, there are all kinds of people on the face of earth with their own understanding of things. No matter how shallow they may appear to you, you cannot go and check everyone or can you? Is it worth it?

Re : Sadna #80

``...And the world just lets it happen?``

The Indian armed forces are killing the mostly Muslim unarmed civilians of the IOK, and the world just lets it happen. The world realises that the political mouthpieces of BJP and RSS are inciting the ordinary Hindus into a revolt into eradoicating the Muslim community of this supposedly secular country, yet the world loks the other way. Indian intellectuals like yourself, argue and worry about the ethics behind appreciation of Nusrat Fateh Ali, a dead and bygone entity over those of the living ones in complete denila of all civility and humanity, yet you and your sad ilk are willing to continue to terrorise and subjugate a people because of your fake pride, yes the world still looks on. Aad but true.

Asim

...and oh, voluntary penal servitude called religion...jokes licenses, two references required... copyrights on EEG spikes...

correction-

...as they say on chowk,...

[...``I think Mr. Acharya owes us an explanation...``]

who exactly is `us`? and do these `us` have a copyright or a patent for the use of the word `prophet`? if yes, would they kindly produce it in the court, er...chowk?

this all-muslim, all-the-time, muslim-o-rama (wait,...let me think about the copyright of that word), is really quite a show.

mr acharya doesn`t owe you, as they on chowk, a didly-squat.

- prophet of doom (aka concerned).

Zahra:

I may have over-reacted but given the atmosphere here at Chowk where every luloo punjoo from hindus to gays and even people like hamidm take cheap shots at our ideals- I may have not.

I think Mr. Acharya owes us an explanation.

Re the responses on this thread:

Bureacrats demanding to rubberstamp and grade the shades of personal experience listening to a gifted singer? That too, related to (of all things) the Sufi mystic experience..?

And the world just lets it happen? Whats next, low-peity alarms for when we pray at home? Voice vectorizing for weekly checks on choir singers? Mandatory social security numbers for Naga sadhus? Federal regulation of pheromones?

Sadhana

A Change:

Indeed, this article is an account of personal experiences and likes, but still you do not give a feeling that you ``understand and/or understood`` very well, what was sung by him.

Urstruly:

There is a CD by Nusrat, ``Last Prohphet`` as well. I suggest you check it out on Amazon. Despite the fact, I did not find this piece impressive from any angle; I think you are misreading the intent of the writer. If you misread someone, do not start yelling ``Hindu this`` and ``Hindu that.`` That`s pretty uncouth. The word ``Prophet`` can have many implications. Have not you heard the expression, ``Mecca`` being used amongst Americans? What about ``guru``? pandits? I am waiting for the word ``sufis`` - used when one is in a contemplative mood :-)

I think when you are in a diverse workplace setting, you will frequently hear these words in your surroundings. Personal Experience.

Mr. Acharya:

Indeed, this article is an account of personal experiences and likes, but still you do not give a feeling that you understood very well what was sung by him. My guess.

A Correction:
Khuda ka noor tujh`me hoo-ba-hoo hai`
Khuda hai aur khuda ke baad, tu hai`
[I have really hard time reading ultee pultee poetry].

I hope when you wrote ``subcontinent`` you did not mean, Banglore only. His audio cassettes were readily available in Lahore in all the best music shops and were not lying outside on a Reh`ri at some mazar, before Peter Gabriel intruded. Yes, his picture was not that well advertised in early to late 80s, as it was the voice and the poetry he sang that meant more than anything else. I think you got carried away in your description a little bit. You were trying to portray how he rose or how you found him - but you should have restricted yourself to your part of the world only.

Reading your unimpressive eulogy; I thought of quoting some famous and very well sung numbers. The following includes Amir Khusro[Farsi] and Baba Bulleh Shah`s[Punjabi] poetical verses.

Q1:Nami danam chi manzil bood

Nami danam chi manzil bood shab jaay ki man boodam;
Baharsu raqs-e bismil bood shab jaay ki man boodam.
Pari paikar nigaar-e sarw qadde laala rukhsare;
Sarapa aafat-e dil bood shab jaay ki man boodam.
Khuda khud meer-e majlis bood andar laamakan Khusrau;
Muhammad shamm-e mehfil bood shab jaay ki man boodam.
I wonder what was the place where I was last night,
All around me were half-slaughtered victims of love,
tossing about in agony.
There was a nymph-like beloved with cypress-like form
and tulip-like face,
Ruthlessly playing havoc with the hearts of the lovers.
God himself was the master of ceremonies in that heavenly court,
oh Khusro,where (the face of) the Prophet too was shedding light
like a candle.
(trans. S.A.H.Abidi)

Q2. Zehal-e miskin makun taghaful

Zehal-e miskin makun taghaful, duraye naina banaye batiyan;
ki taab-e hijran nadaram ay jaan, na leho kaahe lagaye chhatiyan.
Shaban-e hijran daraz chun zulf wa roz-e waslat cho umr kotah;
Sakhi piya ko jo main na dekhun to kaise kaatun andheri ratiyan.
Yakayak az dil do chashm-e jadoo basad farebam baburd taskin;
Kise pari hai jo jaa sunaave piyare pi ko hamaari batiyan.
Cho sham’a sozan cho zarra hairan hamesha giryan be ishq aan meh;
Na neend naina na ang chaina na aap aaven na bhejen patiyan.
Bahaqq-e roz-e wisal-e dilbar ki daad mara ghareeb Khusrau;
Sapet man ke waraaye raakhun jo jaaye paaon piya ke khatiyan.
Do not overlook my misery by blandishing your eyes,
and weaving tales; My patience has overbrimmed,
O sweetheart, why do you not take me to your bosom.
Long like curls in the night of separation,
short like life on the day of our union;
My dear, how will I pass the dark dungeon night
without your face before.
Suddenly, using a thousand tricks, the enchanting eyes robbed me
of my tranquil mind;
Who would care to go and report this matter to my darling?
Tossed and bewildered, like a flickering candle,
I roam about in the fire of love;
Sleepless eyes, restless body,
neither comes she, nor any messege.
In honour of the day I meet my beloved
who has lured me so long, O Khusrau;
I shall keep my heart suppressed,
if ever I get a chance to get to her trick.
(trans. M. Rehman)
Source: http://www.angelfire.com/sd/urdumedia/index.html


Q3: Baba Bulleh Shah`s - Kee Janaan Main Koan
http://home.netcom.com/

Harpreet # 10

SSA .. thanks for this excellent post .. #152 ``Lets Destroy The Bamiyan Buddhas!`` was another beauty.

Regards.

[...I think you should have checked this article with a Muslim before sending it in...]

would just a muslim do or would he have to be a ``proud`` muslim?

Hamidm

I have absolutely no problem with what you are syaing; whether you call sai baba your first prophet or Barney the last or Micky Mouse for that matter, as long as you dont call yourself ``Proud`` Muslim. What do we care.

Note to Acharya:

I think you should have checked this article with a Muslim before sending it in. I also object to the two verses you have attributed to NFAK. Such praise is only attributed to one person as Asif has pointed out.