Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

Nusrat Lost In Improvisations, Radio City Music Hall,New York City

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan,(October 13, 1948 – August 16, 1997) a world-renowned Pakistani musician, was primarily a singer of Qawwali, the devotional music of the Sufis (a mystical tradition within Islam). Considered one of the greatest singers ever recorded, he possessed a six-octave vocal range and could perform at a high level of intensity for several hours.Extending the 600-year old Qawwali tradition of his family, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is widely credited with introducing Sufi music to international audiences.

Quotes about Nusrat

• Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's voice was otherworldly. For 25 years, his mystical songs transfixed millions. It was not long enough .... He performed qawali, which means wise or philosophical utterance, as nobody else of his generation did. His vocal range, talent for improvisation and sheer intensity were unsurpassed.
  • 'Alexandra A. Seno' - Asiaweek 1997

• There are great singers, and then there are those few voices that transcend time. The late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan could not only transcend time, but also language and religion. There was magic when he opened his mouth, a sense of holy ecstasy that was exciting and emotional. It wasn’t uncommon even for Western listeners, who didn’t understand a word he was singing or follow his Sufi traditions, to be moved to tears upon hearing him.
  • 'Chris Nickson '-GlobalRhythm

• ‘He’s my elvis. I idolize Nusrat, he's a god, too’
  • Jeff Buckley on Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

• His voice was a conduit to heaven.
  • 'Aryn Baker' - TIME 2006

• The place where my voice finishes ,nusrat used to start from that place.
  • Sonu Nigam,Tribute To Nusrat

• He used to go and sit by the ocean, and watch it for hours and hours. And one day it occoured to me, that I, as a viewer, am in fact seeing two oceans, for this man himself is an ocean.
  • Javed Akhtar,

• Working with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was the closest I got to god.
  • Sekhar Kapoor

Sourced

• 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

• To be a qawwal is more than being a performer, more than being an artist,One must be willing to release one's mind and soul from one's body to achieve ecstasy through music. Qawwali is enlightenment itself.
  • Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan ,1993, a winter performance at the Gateway Theater in Chicago,Interviewed by Andy Carvin

• Sufi music tries to banish the hatred living within all human beings. It does not belong to any one culture, but to all of us. It stands for bhaichara. The great Sufis have said that there is no value in namaz if your soul is not clean, no value of bathing in the Ganga, if your thoughts are impure. God is to be achieved through love. Mohabbat (love) is the ultimate reality.
  • Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan ,India Jan 24, 1996 Outlook Interview

• I have nothing but dust from the mazars where the beloved of Allah sleep.I transform this dust through my surs into my songs. A recreation , a perennial recitation of the Holy names of Allah, the Holy Prophet(PBUH) and Ali is my heritage. I will pass it on to the next generation. Perhaps Allah likes what I do and He has opened the gates of blessings on me.I love Him. I go far and wide with the name of my Beloved on my lips. To those who do not knowlanguage I chant Allah hoo, I sing of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and sing of Ali, the people are enchanted.I claim no skill, it is because of the great men of Allah, when I was awarded the Grand Prixin Paris Uxi Mufticame to me in thr green room and said that I possessed no skill for the honour and that it was because of saintsand blessings of Allah. He was right. what is man but a handful of dust and what canhe do?

• Myself, I am nothing, If I am anything it is because of my companions. An axe cannot chop wood without its handle. I also cannot do anything without my companions and friends who work with me. They are as important as a thumb is in hand.
• The more honours I am given , the more afraid I become, that I might not slip inthe eyes of my fans. I pray to Allah to preserve me and keep me in his favour. I need his friendship . I do not bother about the disaffections of the times.

• Naheed, my wife and Nida (my daughter) are the two rulers sitting on the throne of my heart. I travel long and wide to extend their empire. But I never forget them. In my heart are two portraits. Whenever I have an opportunity I bend and see them in my heart. The strings of my heart are in their hands. Farrukh and Rahat are my two eyes. I see the world through them. The world looks so beautiful. When these two eyes open it is daylight for me when the close ,the evening strats.

• My father Ustaad Fateh Ali Khan, Ustad Mubarak Ali Khan and Ustad Salamat Ali Khan, his brothers are my spritual gurus. I am their son, their acolyte. It is my duty to preserve and protect the knowledge the music that they gave me. I do a lot of experiments but the base is classical music. i ambound with ragas. I may road around the world and may acquaint myself with the western instuments I never wander from the central point. from the stage of WOMAD and from the studios of Peter Gabriel, I always emerge depths of my own music.

• The musical instuments may be western but my voice never wavers away from my own ragas. it is good to make experiments and I do a lot of them but my thoughts always round the centre and that centre is the tradition of my elders and it is classical music..
  • Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan on release of his biography,1992. Statement was included in the book

Selected Translations

Allah Hoo

maalikul mulk laa shariikaa lahuu
vaahdahuu laa ilaaha illaa huu
Shams Tabrez gar Khudaa talaabii
khusbuukhaaN laa ilaa illa huu

Kaunain kaa masjuud hai maabuud hai tuu
har shai terii shaahid hai ke mash’uud hai tuu
har ek ke lab par hai terii hamd-o-sanaa
har soz meN har saaz meN maujuud hai tuu

You are the Lord of the two worlds, you are to be worshipped
all creations are your witnesses because you are to be witnessed.
On every lip is your praise and eulogy
you are present in all passions and all music.

tere hii naam se har ibtidaa hai
tere hii naam tak har intihaa hai
terii hamd-o-sanaa, alhumdulillah
ke tuu mere Muhammad kaa Khudaa hai

All beginnings begin with your name
and all the [blessings] end with your name.
Your praise is praiseworthy
because you are the God of my Muhammad.

Allah huu Allah huu
Allah huu Allah huu

Sufi mystic chants.

ye zamiin jab na thii, ye jahaaN jab na thaa
chaand suraj na the, aasmaaN jab na thaa
raaz-e-haq bhii kisii par ayaaN jab na thaa
jab na thaa kuch yahaaN, thaa magar tuu hi tuu

The time when there was neither land nor the world
nor moon, sun or the sky,
[and] when truth was not known to anyone.
At that time there was nothing except you.

pahuNche meraaj meN arsh tak Mustafaa
jab na maabuud-o-bande meN pardaa rahaa
tab malaaik ne Hazrat se chhup kar kahaa
saarii maKhluuq meN haq-numaa tuu hii tuu

When Mustafa (another name of Prophet Muhammad) ascended to heavens
[and] when there was no veil between the master and the servant.
Then the angels said secretly to the Prophet
that of all the creations, only he was truth-like.

kyuuN piyaa ibn-e-Haider ne jaam-e-fanaa?
Khaal khichvaa’ii Tabrez ne kyuuN bhalaa?
daar par chaRh kar Mansoor ne kyaa kahaa?
sab banaa ke khilone rahaa tuu hii tuu

Why the son of Haider drank the cup of annihilation?
Why Tabrez agreed to be skinned alive?
What Mansoor said on the gallows?
After making all these toys, you remained the same.

Khaaliq-e-kul hai tuu ismeN kyaa guftuguu
saare aalam ko hai teri hi justujuu
teri jalvaagarii hai ayaaN chahaar-suu
laa shariikaa lahuu, maalik-e-mulk tuu

There is no argument that you are the master of all
[and] the whole world pines for you.
Your splendor is obvious everywhere
No one can be associated to you, you are the master of the world.

har shai tere jamaal kii aaiinaa-daar hai
har shai pukaartii hai tuu parvardigaar hai

Every creation reflect your glory
all creations chant that you are the Lord.

terii rabuubiyat kii adaa ko kamaal hai
tuu rabb-e-qaaynaat hai, tuu laa-zavaal hai

The beauty of your Lordship is perfect
you are the Lord of the Universe, you are without decline.

tuu jo har aan nayii shaan dikhaa detaa hai
diidaa-e-shauq ko hairaaan banaa detaa hai
Daalii Daalii terii takhliiq ke gun gaatii hai
pattaa pattaa terii qudrat kaa pataa detaa hai

You, the one who glows with new radiance every moment
[and] perplex the yearning eyes.
All the branches [of trees] sing praise of your creation
[and] all the leaves lead to your omnipotence.

laa ilaahaa terii shaan yaa! vaadahuu
tuu Khayaal-o-tajassus, tuu hii aarzuu
aaNkh kii roshnii, dil kii aavaaz
thaa bhii tuu, hai bhii tuu, hogaa bhii tuu

There is no one like you and that is your grandeur, O! the unique one
you are the imagination and inquisitiveness, you are the wish
you are the light [and] the voice of heart
you were there, you are there and you will be there.

Ye Jo Halka Halka Suroor

saaqii kii har nigaah pe bal khaa ke pii gayaa
lehroN se kheltaa hu’aa lehraa ke pii gayaa

In awe of every glance of the cup-bearer, I drank
I drank playing with the waves of joy.

ai rahmat-e-tamaam merii har Khataa mu’aaf
maiN intihaa-e-shauq meN ghabraa ke pii gayaa

O all-merciful! Please forgive all my wrongs
I drank confounded by the extreme desire.

piitaa baGhair izn ye kab thii meri majaal
dar-pardaa chashm-e-yaar kii shah paa ke pii gayaa

I do not dare to drink without permission
but the patronage of veiled eyes of my beloved beckoned.

zaahid ye merii shoKhii-e-rindaanaa dekhnaa
rahmat ko baatoN baatoN meN bahlaa ke pii gayaa

O abstinent! Look at the mischievousness of my drinking
I drank by befriending the forgiveness [of God].

uudii uudii ghaataa’eN aatii haiN
mutriboN kii navaa’eN aatii haiN

Purple clouds are over-cast
and the sound of music is all around.

kis ke gesuu khule haiN saavan men
mahkii mahkii havaa’eN aatii hain

Whose tresses are open in the rains?
The winds are perfumed.

aao sah’n-e-chaman meN raqs karen
saaz lekar ghaataa’eN aatii hain

Let us dance in the garden courtyard
the clouds brought music [with them].

dekh kar unkii ankhRiyon ko “Adam”
maikadoN ko havaa’eN aatii hain

After seeing her eyes O Adam!
I can feel the ambience of tavern.

paas rahtaa hai duur rahtaa hai
ko’ii dil meN zaruur rahtaa hai

Near and far, somebody lives
somebody do lives in my heart.

jab se dekhaa hai unkii aaNkhoN ko
halkaa halkaa suruur rahtaa hai

From the time I have seen her eyes
I remain mildly intoxicated.

aise rehte haiN vo mere dil men
jaise zulmat meN nuur rahtaa hai

My beloved lives in my heart, like
light lives in darkness.

ab “Adam” kaa vo haal hai har qadam
mast rahtaa hai chuur rahtaa hai

“Adam” is of such a disposition that at every step
he remains intoxicated and ecstatic.

ye jo halkaa halkaa suruur hai
ye terii nazar kaa qusuur hai
ke sharaab piina sikha diyaa

This mild intoxication
is because of your eyes,
that taught me drinking.

tere pyaar ne terii chaah ne
teri bahkii bahkii nigaah ne
mujhe ek sharaabii bana diyaa

Your love and your longing,
your intoxicating glances
made me a drunkard.

sharaab kaisii, Khumaar kaisaa
ye sab tumharii navaazisheN hai
pilaayii hai kis nazar se tuune
ke mujhko apnii Khabar nahiiN hai

What wine, what intoxication
all this is [due to] your kindness.
You served me [wine] with your eyes such
that I have forgotten myself.

saaraa jahaaN mast, jahaaN kaa nizaam mast
din mast, raat mast, saher mast, shaam mast
mast shiisha, mast subuu, mast jaam mast
hai terii chashm-e-mast se har Khaas-o-aam mast

The whole world is ecstatic, the order of the world is ecstatic.
The day is ecstatic, so is dawn and so is evening.
The glass, cup and wine are all ecstatic.
Because of your intoxicating eyes, everyone and everything is ecstatic.

ye jo saaqii har tarah kii tere maiKhaane meN hai
vo bhii thoRii sii jo in aaNkhon ke paimaane meN hai

Of all the wines you have in your tavern
serve me a little from your eyes.

sab samajhtaa huuN terii ish (??) nazar ai saaqii
kaam kartii hai nazar, naam hai paimaane kaa

I understand your alluring glances
that cause intoxication, instead of wine.

teraa pyaar hai bas merii zindagii

Only your love is my life.

na namaaz aatii hai mujhko na vuzuu aataa hai
sajdaa kar letaa huuN jab saamne tuu aataa haiv

Neither I know prayers nor ablutions,
I prostate whenever you come in front of me.

maiN azal se bandaa-e-ishq huun
mujhe zuhd-o-kufr kaa Gham nahiin
mere sar ko dar teraa mil gayaa
mujhe ab talaash-e-haram nahiin

I am a follower of love since the beginning of life
[and] I do not care for piousness or irreligiousness.
My head has found your house,
now I do not search for the mosque.

merii bandagii hai vo bandagii
jo ba-qaid-e-dair-o-haram nahiiN
mera ek nazar tumheN dekhnaa
baa-Khudaa namaaz se kam nahiiN

My devotion is such devotion
that is not bound by the mosque and the temple.
When I see you once
by God, it is no less than a prayer.

teraa pyaar hai bas merii zindagii

Only your love is my life.

qayaamat meN teraa daaGh-e-muhabbat lekar uThuungaa
terii tasviir us dam bhii kaleje se lagii hogii

On the day of judgment, I would rise with the scars of your love
your image would be clinging to my heart on that day.

kyunkii

because

teraa pyaar hai bas merii zindagii

Only your love is my life.

terii yaad hai merii bandagii
jo terii Khushii, vo merii Khushii
ye mere junuuN kaa hai mo’jizaa
jahaaN apne sar ko jhukaa diyaa
vahaaN maine Kaaba banaa diyaa

Your remembrance is my prayer
[and] your wish is my wish.
This is the miracle of my frenzy
that where ever I prostrated
a mosque was made there.

mere baad kisko sataaoge?'

On whom would you inflict pain after me?

Dil-jaloN se dil-lagii acchii nahiiN
rone vaaloN se haNsii acchii nahiiN
dillagii hii dillagii meN dil gayaa

It is not nice to play with the emotions of sufferers,
it is not good to laugh at the mourners.
I lost my heart in [just in] play.

O! meraa dil gayaa, dil gayaa, dil gayaa

O my heart is gone!

Khudaa ke liye apnii nazroN ko roko varnaa
meraa dil gayaa, dil gayaa, dil gayaa

For God’s sake change your glances, else
my heart is gone.

merii tarah Khudaa kare teraa kisii pe aaye dil
tuu bhii kalejaa thaam ke kahtaa phire ke haaye dil

I pray to God that you also fall in love with someone
and suffer in separation with hands on your heart.

meraa dil gayaa, dil gayaa, dil gayaa

My heart is gone.

dillagii hii dillagii meN dil gayaa
vdil lagaane ka natiijaa mil gayaa
maiN to rotaa huuN ke meraa dil gayaa
tum kyuuN hanste ho tumheN kyaa mil gayaa?

I lost my heart just in fun
and got the measure of falling in love.
I cry because my heart is lost
[but] why do you laugh, what did you get?

acchaa phir…..

Okay then…..

mere baad kisko sataaoge?
mujhe kis tarah se mitaaoge?
kahaaN jaa kar tiir chalaaoge?
merii dostii kii balaayeN lo
mujhe haath uthaa kar du’aaeN do
tumhen ek qaatil banaa diyaa

To whom would you inflict pain after me?
How would you take me out of your life?
Where would you cast those arrow-like glances?
Value my friendship
[that] helped you to gain murderous charm.

mujhe dekho Khvaaish-e-jaan-e-jaaN
maiN vohii huuN “Anwar”-e-niim jaaN
tumheN itnaa hosh thaa jab kahaaN
na chalaao is tarah tum zubaaN
karo meraa shukriyaa meh’rbaaN
tumheN baat karnaa sikhaa diyaa

Watch me, O my desire of life!
I am the same suffering “Anwar”
You were not even in your senses at that time
[so] don’t argue with me in such a manner
[but] offer thanks to me
that I helped you articulate yourself.

Note: Anwar is the name of the poet.

ye jo halkaa halkaa suruur hai
ye terii nazar kaa qusuur hai
ke sharaab piina sikha diyaa

This mild intoxication
is because of your eyes,
that taught me drinking.

Lyrics:Anwar Jogi, Jigar Moradabadi, Abdul Hameed Adam

External links

• Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Lyrics Translations at nusrat.info fansite