Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - The Last Prophet of Qawalli?
Aporup Acharya March 10, 2001
#11 Posted by Ras Siddiqui on March 11, 2001 11:18:00 am
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was the best vocal ambassador of the South Asian Arts that the region has sent to the West to date.
It is tragic for Pakistan that his life ended so early.
I had the opportunity to listen to him perform live on a number of occasions and to meet him twice. For a vocalist-singer he was a man of few words.
I still listen to his Qawwalis and get inspiration from them.
Devotion,love and worship of God can be a joyful experience. Nusrat`s Qawwalis reflected this experience.
Ras
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#10 Posted by Harpreet on March 11, 2001 10:50:39 am
I would like to recount a few memories I have of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
In 1993 he was invited by the Ramgharia Gurdwara in Slough, west London, to perform Qawwali and Shabad. When I arrived with my family, quite early, the hall was filling up. By the time Ustad-ji and his party began, people were literally hanging off the windows to hear him sing. They performed for almost three hours, bringing to sound and melody the poetry of Baba Bulleh Shah, Bhagat Farid, Bhagat Kabir, Bhagat Ravi Das, Guru Nanak, singing directly from the Guru Granth Sahib. It was almost impossible to move as not only Sikhs but Hindus and Pakistanis had travelled, it seemed, from across the whole of west London to hear him. I use this word advisedly... the evening was transcendent. We felt honoured that such a great artist and a true Sufi soul had come to our Gurdwara in west London.
I managed to make my way through the crowd to the front to give darshan. He looked at me and nodded his head.
He was presented with a ceremonial kirpan (sword) afterwards, and he said how honoured he was to have performed in the house of the Guru. He ate langar and left.
Later that evening my Grandfather told me about how, in the old days, Muslim singers would regularly perform in Gurdwaras in Punjab. It was not an unusual feature of life. The spirit of Sufism, which pervades the Guru Granth Sahib, is the lifeblood and inspiration of the Qawallis.
In August 1997, Channel 4 in Britain were holding a series of programmes to mark the 50th anniversary of Indian and Pakistani independance. On this particular evening, they had a series of concerts: Lata Mangeshkar live in Bombay : A compendium of flashy Hindi-pop : and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan live in Manchester, recorded on his recent British tour. They were on late, starting about 11pm so my father bought some blank videotapes and told me to record the concerts.
My mum heard the news of his death on the radio in the afternoon. They started to play his music in remembrance. I sat and listened for a little while, then my friend called round and we went to the pub. We discussed for all of two minutes the sadness of his death, and the twisted coincidence of his dying afew hours before a concert of his was to be shown on TV. I came home later, slightly drunk, put the video tape in the machine & pressed record.
When the concert started I was dozing off. Watching him I felt only slightly melancholic, still a little disbelieving, a little sad.
Ustad-ji came on stage. The alaap of Allah Hoo, his family`s signature Qawaal seeped out, in that itinerant, seekers, gravelly rise voice of his, underscored and echoed by his party.
They interviewed him in-between the songs. My mother said she liked him because he seemed like a gentle person. He spoke softly, in Punjabi, and was humble about his talents and his music. It was eerie as he chatted amiably about his religion, his music, his life. He was alive less than 24 hours ago.
In his Qawallis, he would make reference to the Masjid, the Mandir, the Gurdwara. He evoked the ambience and idioms of rural Punjabi life. He would sing about Mohammed, about Ali, then sing a love song. His voice rumbled with humility, then ecstasy. It was about the tenderness of Allah, his love for the Prophet. About the individual relationship between man and God, a spirit that imbued everything.
He talked about the transcendence he experienced in singing, about how he sometimes hypnotised himself, until he was unaware of his own existence. It was at these moments that he felt closest to God.
He also sang in chaste Punjabi about the immensity of love. A Qawaal like ``Kali Kali Zulfoon`` made me want to close my eyes and dream. His music was like a river of surmounting intensity, reverberations and echoes. To me, he seemed like a chronicler of the folk idioms and sensibility of the land of five rivers.
My Grandfather told me that Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was the greatest Punjabi soul. He said that his music was redolent of the Sufi values and the dusty plains of the Punjab. He said that is why he was so loved by Sikh people.
The Punjabi singer Malkit Singh held an Akhand Paath (reading from the holy book) in a Gurdwara in Birmingham in memory of Nusrat. One man said we should not allow such things for a Pakistani, that a Muslim should not be remembered in the house of the Guru. Somebody responded to him, quoted a verse of Kabir, to put him in his place. It was profound and the objector scurried off, chastened. I cant remember what it was. All I recall is that it was raining when I left the temple.
regards
Harpreet
In 1993 he was invited by the Ramgharia Gurdwara in Slough, west London, to perform Qawwali and Shabad. When I arrived with my family, quite early, the hall was filling up. By the time Ustad-ji and his party began, people were literally hanging off the windows to hear him sing. They performed for almost three hours, bringing to sound and melody the poetry of Baba Bulleh Shah, Bhagat Farid, Bhagat Kabir, Bhagat Ravi Das, Guru Nanak, singing directly from the Guru Granth Sahib. It was almost impossible to move as not only Sikhs but Hindus and Pakistanis had travelled, it seemed, from across the whole of west London to hear him. I use this word advisedly... the evening was transcendent. We felt honoured that such a great artist and a true Sufi soul had come to our Gurdwara in west London.
I managed to make my way through the crowd to the front to give darshan. He looked at me and nodded his head.
He was presented with a ceremonial kirpan (sword) afterwards, and he said how honoured he was to have performed in the house of the Guru. He ate langar and left.
Later that evening my Grandfather told me about how, in the old days, Muslim singers would regularly perform in Gurdwaras in Punjab. It was not an unusual feature of life. The spirit of Sufism, which pervades the Guru Granth Sahib, is the lifeblood and inspiration of the Qawallis.
In August 1997, Channel 4 in Britain were holding a series of programmes to mark the 50th anniversary of Indian and Pakistani independance. On this particular evening, they had a series of concerts: Lata Mangeshkar live in Bombay : A compendium of flashy Hindi-pop : and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan live in Manchester, recorded on his recent British tour. They were on late, starting about 11pm so my father bought some blank videotapes and told me to record the concerts.
My mum heard the news of his death on the radio in the afternoon. They started to play his music in remembrance. I sat and listened for a little while, then my friend called round and we went to the pub. We discussed for all of two minutes the sadness of his death, and the twisted coincidence of his dying afew hours before a concert of his was to be shown on TV. I came home later, slightly drunk, put the video tape in the machine & pressed record.
When the concert started I was dozing off. Watching him I felt only slightly melancholic, still a little disbelieving, a little sad.
Ustad-ji came on stage. The alaap of Allah Hoo, his family`s signature Qawaal seeped out, in that itinerant, seekers, gravelly rise voice of his, underscored and echoed by his party.
They interviewed him in-between the songs. My mother said she liked him because he seemed like a gentle person. He spoke softly, in Punjabi, and was humble about his talents and his music. It was eerie as he chatted amiably about his religion, his music, his life. He was alive less than 24 hours ago.
In his Qawallis, he would make reference to the Masjid, the Mandir, the Gurdwara. He evoked the ambience and idioms of rural Punjabi life. He would sing about Mohammed, about Ali, then sing a love song. His voice rumbled with humility, then ecstasy. It was about the tenderness of Allah, his love for the Prophet. About the individual relationship between man and God, a spirit that imbued everything.
He talked about the transcendence he experienced in singing, about how he sometimes hypnotised himself, until he was unaware of his own existence. It was at these moments that he felt closest to God.
He also sang in chaste Punjabi about the immensity of love. A Qawaal like ``Kali Kali Zulfoon`` made me want to close my eyes and dream. His music was like a river of surmounting intensity, reverberations and echoes. To me, he seemed like a chronicler of the folk idioms and sensibility of the land of five rivers.
My Grandfather told me that Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was the greatest Punjabi soul. He said that his music was redolent of the Sufi values and the dusty plains of the Punjab. He said that is why he was so loved by Sikh people.
The Punjabi singer Malkit Singh held an Akhand Paath (reading from the holy book) in a Gurdwara in Birmingham in memory of Nusrat. One man said we should not allow such things for a Pakistani, that a Muslim should not be remembered in the house of the Guru. Somebody responded to him, quoted a verse of Kabir, to put him in his place. It was profound and the objector scurried off, chastened. I cant remember what it was. All I recall is that it was raining when I left the temple.
regards
Harpreet
#9 Posted by Naqshbandi on March 11, 2001 10:22:15 am
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.
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.
Despite this quibble in his later years his death was tragic and may Allah give him jannat. He could bring one to ecstasy with his songs about the Beloved Nabi alayhi salaam esp. his rendition of Hazrat Pir Mihr Ali Shah`s kalaam in his qawwali ``Saaray nabiyaan da Nabi too Imam sohniya!``
Subhan ALLAH.
(Originally qawwali was called sama` and sung WITHOUT musical instruments as an accompaniment; this is the way that Hazrat Nizam uddeen Awliya and the other mashaikh e azaam have permitted it.)
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..
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.
Despite this quibble in his later years his death was tragic and may Allah give him jannat. He could bring one to ecstasy with his songs about the Beloved Nabi alayhi salaam esp. his rendition of Hazrat Pir Mihr Ali Shah`s kalaam in his qawwali ``Saaray nabiyaan da Nabi too Imam sohniya!``
Subhan ALLAH.
(Originally qawwali was called sama` and sung WITHOUT musical instruments as an accompaniment; this is the way that Hazrat Nizam uddeen Awliya and the other mashaikh e azaam have permitted it.)
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..
#8 Posted by Naqshbandi on March 11, 2001 10:22:15 am
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.
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.
Despite this quibble in his later years his death was tragic and may Allah give him jannat. He could bring one to ecstasy with his songs about the Beloved Nabi alayhi salaam esp. his rendition of Hazrat Pir Mihr Ali Shah`s kalaam in his qawwali ``Saaray nabiyaan da Nabi too Imam sohniya!``
Subhan ALLAH.
(Originally qawwali was called sama` and sung WITHOUT musical instruments as an accompaniment; this is the way that Hazrat Nizam uddeen Awliya and the other mashaikh e azaam have permitted it.)
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.
Despite this quibble in his later years his death was tragic and may Allah give him jannat. He could bring one to ecstasy with his songs about the Beloved Nabi alayhi salaam esp. his rendition of Hazrat Pir Mihr Ali Shah`s kalaam in his qawwali ``Saaray nabiyaan da Nabi too Imam sohniya!``
Subhan ALLAH.
(Originally qawwali was called sama` and sung WITHOUT musical instruments as an accompaniment; this is the way that Hazrat Nizam uddeen Awliya and the other mashaikh e azaam have permitted it.)
#7 Posted by scout on March 11, 2001 5:03:46 am
Urstruly #1,
tsk tsk, what`s happening to you buddy?
the guy used the phrase ``last prophet`` in a literary/comparative context, not a religious one.
tsk tsk, what`s happening to you buddy?
the guy used the phrase ``last prophet`` in a literary/comparative context, not a religious one.
#6 Posted by scout on March 11, 2001 5:03:46 am
Urstruly #1,
tsk tsk, what`s happening to you buddy?
the guy used the phrase ``last prophet`` in a literary/comparative context, not a religious one.
tsk tsk, what`s happening to you buddy?
the guy used the phrase ``last prophet`` in a literary/comparative context, not a religious one.
#5 Posted by scout on March 11, 2001 2:31:51 am
``Something about a ``from-the-depths-of-the-being`` sound like Nusrat`s has more appeal for me that the sanitised, synthesised song of popular culture.``
Another such artist is Iqbal Bano. I can`t get enough of her voice.
Another such artist is Iqbal Bano. I can`t get enough of her voice.
#4 Posted by hamidm on March 11, 2001 2:31:51 am
urstruly
``I object to your use of word `last prophet` in the title. That was just another meanspirited, pathetic hindu attempt to insult us``
.... talk about muslims being schizophrenic - maybe shankar can help.....
... even though hindoos are horrible creatures, always out to get the faithful where it hurts, i am sure that in this case the author used the word `` prophet`` in its literary generic form - guru, pundit, high-priest, the great poobah ......
........ so lighten up and lets not get all tangled up in our shorts - that`s what bad religion will do to you - tangles you up in your shorts ........ as far as prophets go, i am a little miffed that someone decided to put an end to their coming and going .... if we ever needed a prophet it is now - how bad do things have to get before allah changes his mind ? ... and maybe he will ..... just because he said he won`t do it again doesn`t mean he can`t .... after all he is the great poobah and can do as he pleases ..... as a matter of fact he might already be here ..... have you ever looked into steve tyler`s eyes ?
``I object to your use of word `last prophet` in the title. That was just another meanspirited, pathetic hindu attempt to insult us``
.... talk about muslims being schizophrenic - maybe shankar can help.....
... even though hindoos are horrible creatures, always out to get the faithful where it hurts, i am sure that in this case the author used the word `` prophet`` in its literary generic form - guru, pundit, high-priest, the great poobah ......
........ so lighten up and lets not get all tangled up in our shorts - that`s what bad religion will do to you - tangles you up in your shorts ........ as far as prophets go, i am a little miffed that someone decided to put an end to their coming and going .... if we ever needed a prophet it is now - how bad do things have to get before allah changes his mind ? ... and maybe he will ..... just because he said he won`t do it again doesn`t mean he can`t .... after all he is the great poobah and can do as he pleases ..... as a matter of fact he might already be here ..... have you ever looked into steve tyler`s eyes ?
#2 Posted by Studebaker on March 11, 2001 2:31:51 am
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#1 Posted by Urstruly on March 10, 2001 9:23:01 pm
Mr. Acharya!
I object to your use of word `last prophet` in the title. That was just another meanspirited, pathetic hindu attempt to insult us. So typical of you herbivours.
I object to your use of word `last prophet` in the title. That was just another meanspirited, pathetic hindu attempt to insult us. So typical of you herbivours.
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