In Praise of the Prophet (saw) - Rasool (SAW) ki Tareef Mein - "Arsh e Azam Ka Dulha"

At the beginning of Ramazan it feels so appropriate to sing praise of Rasool Allah (SAW).

What a fabulous recital of this naatia kalam by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. So calm, so collected and yet so absorbed in the qaseeda.

Reference is made to the Arsh (mighty throne) of Allah which is said to rest on eight thousand pillars. The distance between two of the pillars is supposed to be three million miles. Dulha is reference to the Groom (of the heavens) for Muhamamad (SAW). The poetry is flowery as is the norm in naats and the vocabulary used is typically sweet in Urdu. The true magic is in the devotion and love for the Devine of course.

Arsh-e-Azam Ka Dulha from Tasawwuf on Vimeo.

Arsh-e-Azam Ka Dulha Bardee Cheez hai

Azmat-e-Shah e Wala Bardi Cheez hai
Arsh-e-Azam ka Dulha Bardi Cheez hai

Jalte hein Jibrael ke par Jiss Maqaam per
Uski Haqeeqaton se Shanasa Wohi to hai
Arsh-e-Azam ka Dulha Bardi Cheez hai

Ibn-e-Yaqoob ko Allah ne Surat bakhshi
Har Nabi ko koi Izzat koi Azmat bakhshi
Aur Eisa ko Masihae ki Dolat bakhshi
Mere Sarkar ko Bepardah Ziarat bakhshi
Arsh-e-Azam ka Dulha Bardi Cheez hai

Yoon to Sare Nabi Mohtaram hein magar
Arsh-e-Azam ka Dulha Bardi Cheez hai
Yoon to Eisa bhi hein Moosa bhi hein Yusuf bhi magar
Arsh-e-Azam ka Dulha Bardi Cheez hai

Aey Farishton, wo Sultan-e-Mairaj hein
Yun jo Daikho gay, Hairan ho jao ge
Zulf Tafseer-e-Wallail bun jaye gi
Chehra Quran Sara Nazar aaye ga
Arsh-e-Azam ka Dulha Bardi Cheez hai

Alam Usay Sajda karey
Arsh-e-Bareen dar per Jhuke
Shah-e-Arab Mehboob-e-rab
Kiss Shan ka Mehmaan hai
Arsh-e-Azam ka Dulha Bardi Cheez hai

Azmat-e-Shah-e-Wala Bardi Cheez hai
Arsh-e-Azam ka Dulha Bardi Cheez hai
Rahbar-e-Deen-o-Dunya Bardi Cheez hai
Shan-e-Sarkar-e-Badha Bardi Cheez hai

Dono Alam ka Aaqa Bardi Cheez hai
Dono Alam ka Aaqa Mohammad Kamli Aala

Imam-ul-Mursalin Kahiyeh ke Mehboob-e-Khuda Kahiyeh
Gunaahgaro ki Khatir Shafa-e-Rooz-e-Jaza Kahiyeh
Khuda ne Khud Pukara hai Imam-ul-Musralin keh ker
Zabaan per Naam jab Aaye to Phir Salle Ala kahiyeh

Darood un per Salaam un per Nabuwwat Khatam un per
Unhein Shams-ud-Doha Kahiyeh, Unhein Badr-ud-Duja Kahiyeh
Muhammad Kamliwala, Dono Alam ka Aaqa Muhammad Kamliwala

Muhammad Mustafa ko Zaat-e-haq ka Aina Kahiyeh
Unhe ko Ibtida Kahiyeh, Unhi ko Intiha Kahiyeh
Muhammad Kamliwala, Dono Alam ka Aaqa Muhammad Kamliwala

Wo har Tareef se Afzal Wo har Tauseef se wala
Shah-e-her-do-Sara Kahiyeh ke Mehboob-e-Khuda Kahiyeh
Muhammad Kamliwala, Dono Alam ka Aaqa, Muhammad Kamliwala

Shams-ud-Doha Badr-ud-Duja, Noor-ul-Huda Khair-ul-Wara
Wo Azmat-e-Insaan Hai, Wo Zeenat-e-Quran Hai
Muhammad Kamliwala, Dono Alam ka Aaqa, Muhammad Kamliwala

Izzat-o-Jah-o-Sarwat Koi Shai Nahi
Sare Aalam ki Daulat Koi Shai Nahi
Taaj o Takht o Hakomat Koi Shai Nahi
Raaj Walon ki Naimat Koi Shai Nahi
Kamliwale ka Sadqa Bardi Cheez hai

Mat dehr ke sagan-e-kamina se Bheek Maang
Har waqt Tajdar-e-Madina se Bheek Maang
Bardi Cheez hai, Kamliwale ka Sadqa Bari Cheez hai

Chand Taron Mei yeh Shan-o-Shouqat Kahan
Ghuncha-o-Gul Mein Aise Haqiqat Kahan
Lal-o-Gauhar ki Yeh Qadr-o-Qeemat Kahan
Meri Loh-e-Jabeen ki yeh Qismat Kahan

Mere dawar Mujhe aur Kya Chahiyeh, iss Se Barhh Ker Mujhe aur Kya Chahiyeh
Aey Munawwar Mujhe aur Kya Chaiyeh, Roz-e-Mehshar Mujhe Kya Chahiyeh

Mustafa ka Sahara Bardi Cheez hai
Bekason ko Bhala aur Kya Chaiyeh,
Astan-e-Habib-e-Khuda Chaiyeh
Aik Jabeen-e-Aqidat ko Kya Chaiyeh, Naqsh-e-Pa Habib-e-Khuda Chaiyeh
Aik Gunahgar ko Aur Kya Chaiyeh, Shah-e-Qounain ka Aasra Chaiyeh
Mustafa ka Sahara Bardi Cheez hai

Kashti ki Baat Hai na Kinare ki Baat hai
Ke Nakhuda ke Sahare ki Baat hai
Hum se Gunahgaro ki Bakhsish Baroz-e-Hashar
Aaqa ke Aik Adna Ishare ki Baat hai

Mustafa ka Sahara Bardi Cheez hai

Mere Haal per Kisi ka yeh Karam Nahi to kya hai
Jahan na o Dagmagai Waheen aa gaya Kinara
Mujhe Aap se Hai Nisbat to Jahan-e-Rang o bo Mein
Mujhe Kya Gharaz ke Dhondo Kisi Ghair ka Sahara
Mustafa ka Sahara Bardi Cheez hai

Aey Sahib-e-Kashti Fikr na ker Sarkar Madad ko Ain ge
Toofano ke Rukh Phir Jate Hein Jab Unki Inayat Hoti hai
Mustafa ka Sahara Bardi Cheez hai

Roz-e-Mehshar Mujhe aur Kya Chaiyeh
Mustafa ka Sahara Bardi Cheez hai

Azmat-e-Shah-e-Wala Bardi Cheez hai
Azmat-e-Shah-e-Wala Bardi Cheez hai

Qaul by Ghulam Farid and Maqbool Sabri

These were the qawwals I heard first at the age of seven in the 60s. It was an as though I had made an instant connection with the qawwali form. Wide-eyed, I sat next to my father, about six feet away from the singers in the farshi mehfil. Tried my best to stay awake till late into the night as the magical evening of qawwali progressed from one climax to another, until finally my head fell into abajan's lap and I dropped off to sleep. The cast had been set then though, and it came back to me in these later years with a passion.

This Qaul is pure beauty. Sung in a pure classical andaaz. Packed with such feeling and, just as it should be, the qawwals recite with abandon. They are totally lost in it and obviously feeding of each other as well as the audience.

Surili yeh awaaz, uss shoaq ki si, illahi yeh jalsa kahan ho raha hai...wah wah wah pure bliss.

"mera jism ek rabab ki tarha hai, har rag taaron ki tarah hai, aur sab mein sey sirf teri awaaz nikalti hai" - Amir Khusrau

original words - "Tan Rabab Man ki Giri, so Ragein Bhaee sab Taal. Yeh Rom Rom Surdes hai so Bajet Naam Tehaar".

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ramazam mubarak to all.

Aug 14 or Aug 15 - Chalte Chalte

Chalte Chalte Choor Badan Hai, Pairon Mein Laakhon Chhaaley hein
Hum ko daikho, Kitni Thakan Hai, Phir Bhi Hosh Sambhaley Hein

Sirf Sahar Ki Aas Mein Jab Tum, Aakhir Shab Tak Jaagey Ho
So Mat Jaana, Jaagney Waalon, Iss ke Baad Ujaaley Hein

Poetry - Seemab Akbarabadi
Recital - Qawwal Bahauddin Saheb

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wonder when this was sung and who is the person giving daad. perhaps meer can shed some light on that. he is going a bit over in the his praise at the beginning, though it is mostly nice to see a listener so excited.

in any case the style of singing is so full of fun especially considering the words.

i wish that i could see the ujaalaa on the horizon for pakistan though

Says Bulleh, who knows who I am!

Bulleya Ki Jaana Maen Kaun

Says Bulleh, who knows who I am!

Riaz Ali Khan



I am not in the mosque of the believer,
Nor in false rites.
I am not in the pure or the impure.
Neither Moses nor Pharaoh.
Says Bulla, who knows who I am!

I am not in the vedas or holy books,
Not in drug or wine.
Not in the drunkards wasted intoxication,
Not in wakefulness or sleep.
Says Bulla, who knows who I am!

I am not in sorrow nor in joy,
Neither in clean nor unclean.
I am not water, I am not earth,
I am not fire, I am not air.
Says Bulla, who knows who I am!

I am not from Arabia or Lahore,
Nor from India or Nagaur.
Neither a hindu or muslim from Peshawar,
Nor do I live in Nadaun.
Says Bulla, who knows who I am!

I cannot be unearthed in the mysteries of religion.
I was not born of Adam and Eve.
I am not the name I assume.
I am not in stillness, not in movement.

Finally, I only know myself.
I cannot know any other.
Who could be wiser than I?
Bulla asks, who then, stands here?
Says Bulla, who knows who I am!

Translation by Sunam Kashyap (http://www.apnaorg.com/poetry/english/bullah/poem7.htm)

Workshop on Qawwali and Sufi Music at Delhi, India

Dear friends

Ektara, a group of media and arts professionals, invites applications to participate in a 4-weeks practical workshop on the appreciation of Qawwali and Sufi music, to be held in Delhi from October 3 to 31, 2009.

This workshop is open for anyone interested in learning to appreciate Sufi poetry, music and Qawwali better. The participants do not have to have a prior knowledge or training of music, nor is there an age-bar. The course would comprise of about 12 sessions of 2 hours each (mostly in English, but with some Hindustani) to be conducted at a central location of Delhi (in an around the region of Nizamuddin dargah) with a couple of heritage walks around the historical monuments. The course would also focus on the poetic and musical heritage of the city of Delhi, especially the repertoire of poets such as Amir Khusrau. The sessions would be conducted by practicing musicians, well known scholars, and members of Ektara group, and would comprise of illustrated lectures, live music demos, video screenings, guided visits to the dargah, listening sessions and more. By the end of 3 weeks, the participants would hopefully be able to better appreciate the nuances of Sufi music, poetry, and Qawwali and its historical context. Ektara would also provide a certificate of participation, besides various printed or multimedia materials related to the content of the course.

For registration and further details, please visit www.ektara.org or contact us via email or phone. For those registering early (before 30^th August 2009) there will be a concession in the registration fees.

http://www.ektara.org

Email: ektaraindia@email.com, saeed.yousuf@gmail.com

Kindly forward this message to others who may be interested. Thanks