Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Sally Prestgard
Is it you I'm saying "ditto" to or is it Karen? Oh well, it fits for both
of you. You're both pretty amazing.
Sally
"raindog" <rain...@home.com> wrote in message
news:efBcSvHEAHA.245@cppssbbsa04...
Raindog Glimpse at Sufism, using an Edgar+ script
Photo Credit: Chris Rainier
This photo was scanned from an old Life magazine (the Fall 1997 Special
Millennium Edition) It depicts a Tuareg Nobleman and a mosque in Timbuktu's
shifting sands.
The article accompanying the photo reads as follows:
Fourteenth century Africans would be astounded to discover Mali is now one
of the world's poorest countries. In it's day, Mali's empire was one of the
largest in the world, ruled by an emperor whose lavish adventure helped
spread Islam across West Africa and literally put sub-Saharan Africa on the
map in Europe and the Middle East. Mansa Musa embarked on a holy pilgrimmage
to Mecca in 1324 with such opulent flourish that awestruck Egyptian writers
were still recounting it 200 years later. Legend has it that Musa traveled
across the Sahara with about 60,000 men, including 12,000 slaves. He brought
80 camels loded with 300 pounds of gold each, which he gave away so freely
in Cairo that it took years for the price of gold to recover. Architects and
poets he brought back with him from Arabia built distinctive mosques, some
of which survived for centuries, and helped establish Timbuktu as a center
for Islamic schooling.
In the end, Musa's brazen advertisement of riches served to make Africa's
interior a more desirable target for European exploration and conquest.
"When I sing for God, I feel myself in accord with God, and the house of
God, Mecca, is right in front of me. And I worship. When I sing for
Mohammed, peace be upon him, our prophet, I feel like I am sitting right
next to his tomb, Medina, and paying him respect and admitting to myself
that I accept his message." - Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, May 1997.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
He was the Bob Marley of Pakistan. He was the Elvis of the East,the
Pavarotti of Asia, and was considered as one of the greatest Qawwals in the
world. Qawwali music is the devotional music of the Sufis, sung in Urdu,
Punjabi or Persian. The lyrics are in praise of Allah (God), his Prophet
(Mohammed), his friend (Ali) and other Muslim Saints. It is inspirational
and mystical music intended to elevate the sprit, bringing both the listener
and singer closer to Allah (God).
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was by far was the most famous and internationally
recognised musician that Pakistan has ever produced. Considered by many as
having the most beautiful singing voices in the world, NFAK gained
recognition in the West after collaborating with popular rock musicians
Peter Gabriel and Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was born and raised in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Though
born into one of Pakistan's most revered family of Qawwals - devotional Sufi
singers with a lineage stretching back 700 years - it was his father Ustad
Fateh Ali Khan's wish that Nusrat pursue a professional path. A doctor,
perhaps. Music was too unstable a vocation, and a medical career would see
his son financially secure. Ustad had caught the young Nusrat eavesdropping
outside his Qawwali classes and practicing what he'd overheard, but he
followed his father's orders and was eventually accepted as a student of
medicine. Then, in 1964, Ustad died. Ten days after his death he appeared to
his son in a dream, asking him to continue the Qaawali line after all.
Nusrat declined, his father touched his throat and he discovered that he
was, indeed, possessed of the gift. A year later Nusrat had devoted himself
to Qawwali full time, listening to recordings by his father and uncles and
then creating an idiosyncratic style, his inspired voice updating Qawwali to
suit the times.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan toured internationally with his musicial ensemble and
was credited with introducing the art of qawwali to international audiences
as well as to the young people of Pakistan. In 1987, he was awarded the
President's Pride-of-Performance award for his contribution to Pakistani
music. Recordings of Nusrat and his ensemble can be found on JVC, Real World
(with Peter Gabriel), the soundtrack recording of the movie "Dead Man
Walking" (with Eddie Vedder), and numerous other commercial labels.
Khan passed away August 1997.
Translation of song: Mera Piya Ghar Aaya
The rising dust on the horizon fragnates my heart
Perhaps a devoted suitor is approaching on horseback.
I was told tonight That you were coming, my Love!
I lay down my head in sacrifice on the path
Which you will tread on.
In only coming once you stole
The heart, religion and patience of Khusrau.
Whatever will happen if you come in this way Two or three times more?
I was told tonight That you were coming, my Love!
'Ibaaraatuhum shattaa wa-husnuka waahid
Wa-kullun ilaa dhaaka al-jamaali yushiir'
Their expressions are manifold and Your loveliness is one
And everyone points to that beauty
Quoted by Shaykh 'Abd al-Halim Mahmud, former Shaykh al-Azhar
Sufism: an Introduction
Islam is the youngest of the great world religions, and although most people
associate it primarily with the Middle East, its one billion adherents can
be found in every part of the globe. It's basic tenet: faith in one,
supreme, omnipotent God (Allah), who has revealed His will throughout
history to human beings--first through the Jewish prophets (Abraham, Isaac,
etc.), then through Jesus, and finally and definitively through the Prophet
Muhammed (570-622 CE). The revelations given through Muhammed were written
down as the Qur'an ("Recitation," literally of Allah's word). The Quran
reveals Allah's will for human beings and the way that they should live, and
for Muslims has the importance that Christians ascribe to the person of
Jesus Christ. There are five ritual actions required of all believers that
are so central to Islam that they are called the 5 "Pillars":
Profession of Faith--that Allah is the only God, and that Muhammed is his
final Prophet.
Required Prayers--five times a day.
Almsgiving--to support the poor in the community.
Fasting during the month of Ramadan.
Pilgrimage to Mecca (at least once in one's lifetime, if one is able to do
so.)
These are the basic practices of Islam, and anyone who keeps these is
considered a good Muslim. Yet from the earliest days of Islam, there were
Muslims who were not just satisfied with "doing the minimum" to SERVE Allah,
but who were hungering for some direct and personal communion with Allah.
They were, for want of a better word, mystics. At the beginning these
seekers stressed an ascetic life: prayer, fasting, celibacy, repentence,
meditations on the Day of Judgment, and reading the Qur'an for hidden
guidance. Not surprisingly, given this dour ascetic tone, it remained a very
small group at first. The movement took a qualitative shift with the
influence of Rabi'a (d. 801 CE), who stressed not only detachment from the
world and obedience to Allah, but passionate love of Allah. Beginning with
Rabi'a, Sufis began to conceptualize of Allah not only as a judge and
master, but as a friend, companion, and confidante, and Sufism developed
into a mass movement.
Thus, SUFISM, also spelt Sufiism, is the mystical Islamic belief and
practice in which Muslims seek to find the truth of divine love and
knowledge through direct personal experience of God. It consists of a
variety of mystical paths that are designed to ascertain the nature of man
and God and to facilitate the experience of the presence of divine love and
wisdom in the world.
About the Photo Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Lyric Translation Sufism View
Main Screen
kk
kk
;-)
m a m s e l l e
love it, shel
you always teach me something <g>
thanks!
"raindog" <rain...@home.com> wrote in message
news:efBcSvHEAHA.245@cppssbbsa04...
Bill Scott
years ago, and travelling to Cairo more recently. There is a lot of Sufi activity yet in Egypt.
Brilliant post!! Thanks.
--
Bill
e-mail me at: bill...@redrivernet.com
Web Site: http://www.lettermanstationery.homepage.com
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"raindog" <rain...@home.com> wrote in message news:efBcSvHEAHA.245@cppssbbsa04...
Raindog Glimpse at Sufism, using an Edgar+ script
Photo Credit: Chris Rainier
Tudy
Tudy
hellunzelluf
to the music with pleasure.
Thank you Raindog, for sharing this. It must have been a lot of work. I
appreciate that.
Helen J
=======
pola
gorgeous, Sheila. And an excellent job on documentation too.
Pola
"raindog" <rain...@home.com> escribió en el mensaje
Bill Scott
returned by my server.
--
Bill
e-mail me at: bill...@redrivernet.com
Web Site: http://www.lettermanstationery.homepage.com
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"Annie" <age...@belsouth.net> wrote in message news:OW8sGAL...@cppssbbsa02.microsoft.com...
The road to Tehran for Bill Scott