Turkish Religious Music

Peace, one and all…

Here are some beautiful religious songs from Turkey, from a number of different traditions.  Enjoy and may Allah bless all who pass by…

Sedat Ucan: Ilanim Var

Sedat Ucan: Aglaya Aglaya

Dondum Mevlana Gibi

Eyvallah Sahim Eyvallah

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Sham Sufi Qawwali Group

Peace, one and all…

Here’s a really beautiful qawwal I found on You Tube, peformed by a qawwali group from Afghanistan.  Enjoy and may God bless all who pass by.

Sham

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Music and Revelation

Peace, one and all…

Is it possible to lose one’s self completely in a piece of music?  Is it possible to be so utterly overcome by the beauty of sound that we are lifted briefly beyond our normal, workaday selves?

There are songs that make me feel this way.  There are songs which lift me.  There are songs that seem to speak to me so fully that they have, in some sense, become mine.  Perhaps this is why I love qawwali so very much.  Although I don’t understand all of the words, the right song at the right time moves me momentarily beyond myself, into beautiful rosegardens of the soul.  For me, at least, qawwali speak in a deep and powerful tongue, one that exists beyond the words themselves.  Indeed, music itself is that language, that rhythmic speech of the soul.  This is perhaps why it is called qawwali, coming as it does from an Arabic word meaning ‘speech’ or ‘utterance’.  This may also be why qawwali is such a participatory affair (at least in its traditional form), for ‘speech’ requires a ‘hearing’; a mouth requires an ear.

These mysterious qualities of music are, in some ways, like revelation: God’s word must be heard to be known.  Or, in other words, God does not speak without a purpose.  Perhaps this is why some 200 or so Quranic passages begin with the imperative qul (or ‘say’).  Divine revelation necessitates a response: God’s act requires us to re-act.  Thus, the Quran is replete with ways of responding to the descent of revelation.  It speaks of the proper attitude to be adopted: ‘we hear and we obey’.  This is not to compare God’s word with music, though the Quran certainly does have the power to lift the soul to the very highest registers of being.  Rather, it is simply to draw attention to the strong inward pull that both music and revelation exert on the human spirit.

Perhaps the essential difference between them is that revelation descends from God, it is sent down (tanzil) in the words of the Quran, and is thus pure in and of itself.  Music, by contrast, ascends to God and is therefore an inherently human phenomenon.  This is why music contains all the potentialities of the human soul.  Music can be Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan or a beautiful ney solo.  Music can be the vicious racism of Screwdriver or the synthetic pop of Britney Spears et al.  Music can be everything in between those two extremes.  The Quran by contrast does not change.  The Quran is always God’s word, even though human beings (fools that we are) so often put our own limited understandings in the way.  God’s speech is always God’s speech, even though we may hear it all imperfectly, and reflect upon its implications less perfectly still.

May Allah open me to the hidden music of His voice in all the quiet spaces of my soul.

Wa akhiru da’wana an il hamdu lillahi rabbil alameen.

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Sabri Brothers Live

Peace, one and all…

Here’s a very beautiful qawwal by the Sabri brothers, entitled Bhardo Johli Meri.  Enjoy and may Allah make it beneficial.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Mera Koi Nahi hei Tere Siva

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

My Favourite Urdu Naats

Peace, one and all…

My wife found these two excellent naats on You Tube, and so I wanted to share them here.  They are both in Urdu I believe (although I don’t know what the words mean very well).  At any rate, these naats are favourites of my wife’s grandmother and they remind me especially of the early years of my married life.

Qari Waheed Zafar Qasmi: Faslon ko Takalluf Hai humse Agar

Qari Waheed Zafar Qasimi: Zahe Muqadar Huzoor-e-Haq se Salam Aaya

Shaam: Jashne Aamade Rasool

Shaam: Makki Madani

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

SAY Arts

Peace, one and all…

SAY Arts is a newly established organisation dedicated to promoting the Sufi music of India.  They are based in Birmingham, UK and are currently organising a UK Qawwali tour for 2009.

Please do visit the website of this exciting new venture.  May Allah bring this tour to pass and bless this organisation in all its efforts.

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Three Turkish Ilahis

Peace, one and all…

Here are some beautiful Turkish ilahis for us all to enjoy.

Yemen illerinde Veysel Karani

Abdurrahman Önül-Veysel Karani

Abdurrahman Önül Allahu Allah

My favourite rendition of Veysel Karani can be found at Mind, Body, Soul (with thanks and salams to all at the Dergah)

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in Concert

Peace, one and all…

It’s9.30-ish and before I leave for the weekend early tomorrow morning, I wanted to leave a parting gift.  Enjoy.

The first six videos come from a single Qawwali concert (in 1995 I believe). As I understand things, the order follows the traditional Qawwali format. At any rate, the music is beautiful, the poetry profound and the lead singer (Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) is superb! So, enjoy and may Allah bless you for passing by. I’ve also included four bonus tracks.

Section 1: Allah Hoo

Section 2: Allah Hoo

Section 3: Allah Hoo and beginning of Sare Nabian Da Nabi

Section 4: Sare Nabian Da Nabi

Section 5: Sare Nabian Da Nabi

Section 6: End of Sare Nabian Da Nabi and first half of Ali Dha Malang

Bonus Tracks

Yaad-e-Nabi (Part 1)

Yaad-e-Nabi (Part 2)

Yadan Vichre Sajan Diyan Aiya 1 of 2

Yadan Vichre Sajan Diyan Aiya 2 of 2

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Eid Sufi Music

Peace, one and all…

Eid Mubarak!  Welcome to my blog on this, the first day of Eid.  In gratitude to Allah for all that Hu has wrought, here is some beautiful Sufi music from around the world. Enjoy and may Allah bless us all in these trying times.

Marhaban

A.Kirvar’dan Bugün Bize Pir Geldi

Mevlevi Ayini-Naat

Mevlevi Ayini-Son Taksim

Mevlevi Ayini-Baş Taksim-M.Sadreddin Özçimi

Mevlevi Ayini-İlk Peşrev-Sadreddin Özçimi

Mevlevi Ayini-Kuranı Kerim

Halil Necipoğlu – Lebbeyk & Sulatanım Allah

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Sufi Soul: Channel 4 Documentary

Peace, one and all…

Some time ago, I believe, Channel 4 broadcast a programme on Sufism called Sufi Soul (narrated by the historian of the Mughals, William Dalrymple).  Here it is, freshly culled from You Tube. As a bonus, I have also included a short documentary on the weekly drumming ceremony at the shrine of Shah Jamal in Lahore, Pakistan.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

The Sufi Beat of Papu Sain (Part 1)

The Sufi Beat of Papu Sain (Part 2)

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Sabri Brothers Qawwals

Peace, one and all…

I found several qawwals by the Sabri Brothers on You Tube recently, and as they include translations of the lyrics, wanted to share them here.

Chaap Tilak (Part 1)

Chaap Tilak (Part 2)

Piya Ghar Aaya

Zehal-e Miskeen

Shahbaz Qalandar

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Songs of the Saints of God (Part 2)

Peace, one and all…

Following on from a recent post, here are some of the poems of Hazrat Bulleh Shah (a major Sufi poet of the late 17th and 18th centuries).

Bulleh Shah: Ghunghat Chak Lai Sajna Ve (performed by Ustadh Nusrat)

Bulleh Shah: Meri Bukkal de vich chor chor (peformed by Ustadh Nusrat)

Bulleh Shah: Ni Mein Jana Jogi

Bulleh Shah: Saday Val Mukhra Mor

Bulleh Shah: Bullah ki jana mein kon

Bulleh Shah: Raaz Dhiya Gallan (performed by Sher Miandad Khan)

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

I Love Qawwali Music

Peace, one and all…

Ever since I can recall, I have been a lover of music.  Some of my earliest conscious memories are of listening to music (though, now that I am older, I’m a bit embarrassed by liking the Bay City Rollers as a 3 year old)!

I have learned some of my most important lessons and had some of my most profound experiences whilst listening to music.  In my earlier years, I was a DJ and an avid collector of vinyl records (remember those)?  I am listening to music now, as I write these words.

During my life I have listened to and enjoyed a vast range of musical styles.  I grew up listening to the various kinds of music in and beyond my home.  As a teenager (and aspiring DJ), I listened to Hip Hop, Soul, Jazz, Funk, Blues, Reggae, House and countless others.  I had some of my earliest exposures to Islam through music too.

Of late, I have begun to really enjoy Qawwali music, the traditional Sufi music of India and Pakistan.  I enjoy this musical style for a number of reasons.  Firstly, it is very beautiful in its own right (and I place great emphasis on beauty).  Secondly, Qawwali lyrics are most often drawn from the rich and profound poetic literature of Sufism. 

Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, I love Qawwali music because it has a strong experiential quality.  That is, it seems to draw the audience into the performance itself.  There are several examples of this.  Firstly, the poem being sung is generally sung in a call and response style, where the singer recites the first line which the other members of the band then repeat.  Secondly, Qawwali music is often accompanied by strong, rhythmic hand-clapping.  These two elements serve to draw the audience in, prompting them (or me, at any rate) to join.  Moreover, Qawwali music as a spiritual exercise (sema) is also specifically said to be a communication of sorts between the musicians, singers and audience.

Some of my current favourites include the following:

• Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: Allah Hoo; Yad-e Nabi Gulshan Mehka; Rabba Lakh Lakh; Allah, Mohammed, Char Yar; Shams al-Doha; Jewleh Lal
• Sabri Brothers: Saqia Aur Pila; Allah Hi Allah Tan Meir Tar

Praise be to God for the human ability to speak through the language of music.

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

And if this is lacking…

Peace, one and all…

‘Creative powers can just as easily turn out to be destructive. It rests solely with the moral personality whether they apply themselves to good things or to bad. And if this is lacking, no teacher can supply it or take its place’.
(Carl Jung, 1875-1961, Swiss Psychiatrist)

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Ottoman Poetry and Calligraphy

Peace, one and all…

The beautiful calligraphy above is modelled on traditional Ottoman calligraphy and presents the text of a traditional poem.  The text runs thus:

‘Do not say ‘Who will guide me on the path of love?’ Just get on the road and God gives success’.

Ma sha Allah.  Source.

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Between Tides!

Peace, one and all…

Allahu Ackbar!  I’ve just finished the first wave of exam marking.  Al hamdu lillah!  I’ve had to wade through papers on early Islam.  I enjoy teaching, of course, but marking is a very tiring exercise.

So, by way of relaxation, here are some fine examples of Islamic calligraphy.

   

Taken from: elshaarani.com (Ma sha Allah, a very beautiful site).

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

The Carnival of Islam in the West (10)

Peace, one and all…

The latest edition of the Carnival of Islam in the West has just been issued by our worthy sister Aaminah.  As usual (ma sha Allah), this edition is packed with a range of interesting and well-crafted articles, on all sorts of topics.  You will also find a couple of my own (somewhat less worthy) articles.

This carnival really serves a useful purpose, providing (as it does) a window into the thoughts, concerns and creative outpourings of the western Muslim community.  So, a hearty thanks to Hakim Abdullah for getting this project up and running, and a hearty thanks to Aaminah for overseeing this month’s edition to her usual high standards.  May God reward and bless them both.

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman

Whirling Dervishes in Wales!

Peace, one and all…

Shaykh Ahmad Dede, the Shaykh of the Haqqani-Mevlevi tariqa (under the auspices of Maulana Shaykh Nazim al-Haqqani), will be coming to the Llangollen International Eisteddfod on Monday 9th and Tuesday 10th July 2007.  They will be performing a traditional Mevlevi sama’ ceremony, including whirling. 

For those unfamiliar with things Welsh, an Eisteddfod is a traditional festival of literature, music, song and dance.  You find out more about the sama’ ceremony (more here too) and whirling of the Mevlevi tariqa here.

Insha Allah, it will be a beautiful and inspiring event.  With God’s permission, I plan to attend with my family.  So, if you’re going along, we might well bump into each other.

Ma’as salama,
Abdur Rahman