Kafi ( (Shahmukhi)}}; Hindi: काफ़ी) is a classical form of Sufi poetry, mostly in Punjabi, Sindhi and Seraiki languages and originating from the Punjab and Sindh regions of the Indian subcontinent. Some well-known Kafi poets are Baba Farid, Bulleh Shah, Shah Hussain, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, Sachal Sarmast and Khwaja Ghulam Farid. This poetry style has also lent itself to the Kafi genre of singing, popular throughout South Asia, especially Pakistan and India. Over the years, both Kafi poetry and its rendition have experienced rapid growth phases as various poets and vocalists added their own influences to the form, creating a rich and varied poetic form, yet through it all it remained centered on the dialogue between the Soul and the Creator, symbolized by the murid (disciple) and his Murshid (Master), and often by lover and his Beloved.

The word Kafi is derived from the Arabic ''kafa'' meaning group. The genre is said to be derived from the Arabic poetry genre, ''qasidah'', a monorhyme ode that is always meant to be sung, using one or two lines as a refrain that is repeated to create a mood. Kafi poetry is usually themed around heroic and great romantic tales from the folkfore, often used as a metaphor for mystical truths, and spiritual longing.

Kafi singing

In musical terms, kafi refers to the genre of Punjabi, Sindhi, and Seraiki classical music which utilizes the verses of kafi poets such as Bulleh Shah and Shah Hussein. Kafi music is devotional music, normally associated with the Sufi orders or ''Tariqah'' of Islam in South Asia, and was sung by dervishes or fakirs (Islamic mendicants), solo or in groups, as an offering to their murshid, spiritual guide.

It is characterized by a devotional intensity in its delivery, and as such overlaps considerably with the Qawwali genre. Just like Qawwali, its performances often took place at the dargahs (mausoleums) of various Sufi saints in the region. However, unlike Qawwali, the musical arrangement is much simpler and may only include one harmonium, one tabla, one dholak and a single vocalist. The emphasis remains on the words rather than the music itself, since the central aim of Kafi music is to convey the essence of the mystical lyrics. The central verse is often repeated. There are no fixed styles of singing of Kafi. Traditionally dervishes in Sindh used instruments like ''Yaktaro'', a one-stringed plucked instrument, and wooden clappers, ''chappars'', though many contemporary singers have chosen their own variations

Rise of Kafi singing

Some of the early notable exponents of this form in the 1930s, when classical singing became highly popular, were Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan of the Patiala gharana, who used the dhrupad style in his rendition of Sindhi Kafis, and his contemporary in Sindhi kafi singing, Ustad Allahdino Noonari, who used the fusion form.

Kafi has gained a higher profile in the West in the late 20th century, thanks to the Pakistani singer Abida Parveen, who, like qawwali maestro Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, has performed before Western audiences..

References

Category:Sufi music Category:Sufi poetry Category:Indian poetics Category:Pakistani styles of music Category:Punjabi poetry Category:Pakistani literature

cy:Kafi

name	Bulleh Shah
titles	Spiritual Poet
birth date	1680 C.E.
birth place	Uch, Punjab
death date	1757 C.E.
death place	Kasur, Punjab
venerated in	Islam
influences	Prophets of Islam, Shah Hussain, Sultan Bahu, Shah Sharaf
influenced	Countless Indian Sufi poets
major work	''Incoherence of the Philosophers'', ''The Deliverer From Error''
tradition	Kafi }}

Bulleh Shah (1680–1757) (}}, Hindi: बुल्ले शाह, full name Abdullah Shah) was a Punjabi Sufi poet, a humanist and philosopher.

Early life

Bulleh Shah is believed to have been born in 1680, in the small village of Uch, Bahawalpur, Punjab, in present day Pakistan. His father, Shah Muhammad Darwaish, was a teacher and preacher in a village mosque. Little is known about Bulleh Shah's ancestry except that some of his forebears were migrants from Uzbekistan and that his family claimed direct descent from the prophet Muhammad.

When he was six months old, his parents relocated to Malakwal. His father later got a job in Pandoke, about 50 miles southeast of Kasur. Bulleh Shah received his early schooling in Pandoke and moved to Kasur for higher education. He also received education from Maulana Mohiyuddin. His spiritual teacher was the Qadiri Sufi Shah Inayat Qadiri, who was a member of the Arain tribe of Lahore.

Life

A large amount of what is known about Bulleh Shah comes through legends, and is subjective; to the point that there isn’t even agreement among historians concerning his precise date and place of birth. Some "facts" about his life have been pieced together from his own writings. Other "facts" seem to have been passed down through oral traditions.

Bulleh Shah practiced the Sufi tradition of Punjabi poetry established by poets like Shah Hussain (1538–1599), Sultan Bahu (1629–1691), and Shah Sharaf (1640–1724).

Bulleh Shah lived in the same period as the Sindhi Sufi poet , Shah Abdul Latif Bhatai (1689–1752). His lifespan also overlapped with the Punjabi poet Waris Shah (1722–1798), of Heer Ranjha fame, and the Sindhi Sufi poet Abdul Wahab (1739–1829), better known by his pen-name, Sachal Sarmast (“truth seeking leader of the intoxicated ones”). Amongst Urdu poets, Bulleh Shah lived 400 miles away from Mir Taqi Mir (1723–1810) of Agra.

Poetry Style

The verse form Bulleh Shah primarily employed is called the Kafi, a style of Punjabi, Sindhi and Siraiki poetry used not only by the Sufis of Sindh and Punjab, but also by Sikh gurus.

Bulleh Shah’s poetry and philosophy strongly criticizes the Islamic religious orthodoxy of his day.

A Beacon of Peace

Bulleh Shah's time was marked with communal strife between Muslims and Sikhs. But in that age Baba Bulleh Shah was a beacon of hope and peace for the citizens of Punjab. While Bulleh Shah was in Pandoke, Muslims killed a young Sikh man who was riding through their village in retaliation for murder of some Muslims by Sikhs. Baba Bulleh Shah denounced the murder of an innocent Sikh and was censured by the mullas and muftis of Pandoke. Bulleh Shah maintained that violence was not the answer to violence. Bulleh Shah also hailed the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur as a Ghazi, or "religious warrior", which caused controversy among Muslims of that time.

Humanist

Bulleh Shah’s writings represent him as a humanist, someone providing solutions to the sociological problems of the world around him as he lives through it, describing the turbulence his motherland of Punjab is passing through, while concurrently searching for God. His poetry highlights his mystical spiritual voyage through the four stages of Sufism: Shariat (Path), Tariqat (Observance), Haqiqat (Truth) and Marfat (Union). The simplicity with which Bulleh Shah has been able to address the complex fundamental issues of life and humanity is a large part of his appeal. Thus, many people have put his kafis to music, from humble street-singers to renowned Sufi singers like the Waddali Brothers, Sain Zahoor, Abida Parveen and Pathanay Khan, from the synthesized techno qawwali remixes of UK-based Asian artists to the rock band Junoon.

Modern renderings

In the 1990s Junoon, a rock band from Pakistan, rendered "Bullah Ki Jaana" and "Aleph" ("Ilmon Bas Kareen O Yaar"). In 2004, Rabbi Shergill turned the abstruse metaphysical poem "Bullah Ki Jaana" into a Rock/Fusion song that became popular in India and Pakistan. The Wadali Bandhu, a Punjabi Sufi group from India, have also released a version of "Bullah Ki Jaana" on their album ''Aa Mil Yaar... Call of the Beloved''. Another version was performed by Lakhwinder Wadali and entitled Bullah.

Bulleh Shah's verses have also been adapted and used in Bollywood film songs including "Chaiyya Chaiyya" and "Thayya Thayya" in the 1998 film ''Dil Se'', and "Ranjha Ranjha" in the 2010 film ''Raavan''. The 2007 Pakistani movie ''Khuda Kay Liye'' includes Bulleh Shah's poetry in the song "Bandeya Ho". The 2008 film ''A Wednesday'', included a song titled "Bulle Shah, O Yaar Mere". In 2009 the first episode of the second season of Pakistan's Coke Studio featured a collaboration between Sain Zahoor and Noori, "Aik Alif" while, in June 2010, episode one of the third series featured "Na Raindee Hai" and "Makke Gayaan Gal Mukdi Nahi", performed by Arieb Azhar.

Death

He died in 1757, and his tomb is located in Kasur, present day Pakistan.

Further reading

''Bulleh Shah: the love-intoxicated iconoclast'', by J. R. Puri, Tilaka Raj Shangri. Radha Soami Satsang Beas, 1986

''Great Sufi Poets of The Punjab'', by R. M. Chopra, Iran Society, Kolkata, 1999.

See also

Geeta Vadhera's "Shah Shabad" series - paintings based on the poems of Bulleh Shah

Kasur, the hometown of Bulleh Shah

List of Punjabi language poets

Sufism

Works online

Bulleh Shah poetry

Articles on Bulleh Shah's life and poetry (apna.org)

Bulleh Shah: Poems (English translations) and Biography (poetry-chaikhana.com)

References

External links

Short Biography of Bulleh Shah

Biography of Bulleh Shah

Littérateurs of the Punjabi Language

Complete Punjabi Poetry of Baba Bullhe/Bulleh Shah in Gurmukhi

Category:Pakistani Sufis Category:Indian Sufis Category:Pakistani poets Category:Pakistani spiritual writers Category:Punjabi poets Category:Punjabi people Category:Sufi poets Category:Sufi mystics Category:People from Kasur District Category:Punjabi-language poets Poetry Category:1680 births Category:1757 deaths Category:Pakistani humanists Category:Pakistani people of Uzbekistani descent

ar:بلهي شاه bn:বুল্লা সাহ mr:बुल्ले शाह no:Bulleh Shah pnb:بلھے شاہ ur:بلھے شاہ

, fourth Caliph of Islam|Ali|}}

Name	Hazrat Ali bin Dust bin
Birth name	Ali
Birth date	1964
Birth place	Kabul, Afghanistan
Residence	Jalalabad
Nationality	Afghanistan (Pashai)
Known for	Fighting against Arabs in Toorabora.
Education	PHD in Political sciences
Alma mater	Harwad university near Kabul
Occupation	warlord
Home town	Kashmond, Alingar district, Laghman Province.
Salary	AFN.1000
Height	8 ft
Weight	140 kg
Party	Northern Allience
Religion	Islam
Spouse	Zarina BB
Children	42
Footnotes	}}

Hajji Hazrat Ali bin Bahawal Sheir is a military commander in eastern Afghanistan.

Biography

He was born in 1964 and is an ethnic Pashai.

Hazrat Ali rose to prominence during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. As a commander for Hezb-e Islami Khalis he quickly became an important leader for the Pashai community. Hazrat Ali has also been described as an Afghan Army commander under the Soviet puppet regime.

During the war against the Taliban, Ali is said to have been aligned with Ahmad Shah Massoud. Following the fall of the Taliban Ali joined with two other leaders in the Jalalabad-Tora Bora region, Abdul Qadir and Mohammed Zaman to set up the Eastern Shura, a local provisional government. They were early backers of the first post-Taliban President Hamid Karzai.

The Pak Tribune described Ali as a "gangster" during the Fall 2004 Afghan Presidential election.

The ''Asia Times'' reports that, after the fall of the Taliban, Ali's troops executed hundreds of captured Arab prisoners with the complicity of U.S. special forces.

The ''Asia Times'' also reports that Ali was one of the warlords who allowed Bin Laden to escape from Tora Bora. :''"By the time the merciless American B-52 bombing raids were about to begin, bin Laden had already left Tora Bora - as a number of Afghan mujahideen confirmed to Asia Times Online at the time. They said they had seen him on the other side of the frontline in late November. Hazrat Ali, the warlord and then so-called minister of "law and order" in the Eastern Shura (traditional decision-making council) in Afghanistan, was outsourced by the Pentagon to go after bin Laden and al-Qaeda in Tora Bora. He bagged a handful of suitcases full of cash. He put on a show for the cameras. And significantly, he was barely in touch with the few Special Forces on the ground."

Hamid Karzai appointed Hazrat Ali as the Jalalabad police chief 2003 and was sacked on 2004 due to connection with talibans and some other militant groups. Ali ran for election in the fall of 2005 for election to the Wolesi Jirga, the Afghan Parliament, for a seat from Nangarhar. Ali won a seat for Nangrahar province.

Guantanamo detainees who served under Hazrat Ali

Guantanamo detainee Anwar Khan told his Administrative Review Board that he had fought against the Taliban, under the over-all command of Hazrat Ali. He claimed he had been arrested, and sent to Guantanamo when he was stopped at an American checkpoint and the soldiers were confused as to why he was carrying multiple ID cards.

Guantanamo detainee Awal Gul had been worked, reluctantly, for the Taliban, in administrative positions. He told his Tribunal of making multiple attempts to resign from the positions the Taliban had appointed him to. When the Taliban started to fall he took his chance and enlisted in Hazrat Ali's forces. However, a few months later, Ali forced him to surrender him to American forces.

References

Category:Members of the House of the People (Afghanistan) Category:Living people Category:People from Nangarhar Province Category:History of Nangarhar Province Category:1964 births Category:Pashai people fr:Haji Zaman Ghamsharik

Shah Hussain (1538–1599) was a Punjabi Sufi poet who is regarded as a Sufi saint. He was the son of Sheikh Usman, a weaver, and belonged to the Dhudha clan of Rajputs. He was born in Lahore (present-day Pakistan). He is considered a pioneer of the Kafi form of Punjabi poetry.

Shah Hussain's love for a Brahmin boy called "Madho" or "Madho Lal" is famous, and they are often referred to as a single person with the composite name of "Madho Lal Hussain". Madho's tomb lies next to Hussain's in the shrine.

His tomb and shrine lies in Baghbanpura, adjacent to the Shalimar Gardens. His Urs (annual death anniversary) is celebrated at his shrine every year during the "Mela Chiraghan" ("Festival of Lights").

Kafis of Shah Hussain

Hussain's poetry consists entirely of short poems known as Kafis. A typical Hussain Kafi contains a refrain and some rhymed lines. The number of rhymed lines is usually between four and ten. Only occasionally is a longer form adopted. Hussain's Kafis are also composed for, and have been set to, music deriving from Punjabi folk music. Many of his Kafis are part of the traditional Qawwali repertoire. His poems have been performed as songs by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Abida Parveen, among others.

Here are three examples, which draw on the love story of Heer Ranjha:

''Ni Mai menoon Khedeyan di gal naa aakh'' ''Ranjhan mera, main Ranjhan di, '' ''Khedeyan noon koodi jhak'' ''Lok janey Heer kamli hoi, '' ''Heeray da var chak''

Do not talk of the Khedas to me, mother. I belong to Ranjha and he belongs to me. And the Khedas dream idle dreams. Let the people say, "Heer is crazy; she has given herself to a cowherd."

Another Kafi:

''Sajjan bin raatan hoiyan whadiyaan'' ''Ranjha jogi, main jogiani, kamli kar kar sadiyaan'' ''Maas jhurey jhur pinjer hoya, kadken lagiyaan haddiyaan'' ''Main ayani niyoonh ki janan, birhon tannawan gadiyaan'' ''Kahe Husain faqeer sain da, larr tere main lagiyaan''

The nights are long without my beloved. Since Ranjha became a jogi, I have scarcely been my old self; people everywhere call me crazy. My young flesh is all wrinkled, my bones are a creaking skeleton. I was too young to understand love; and now as the nights swell and merge into each other, I play host to that unkind guest - separation.

''Main vi jaanaan jhok Ranjhan di, naal mere koi challey'' ''Pairan paindi, mintaan kardi, jaanaan tan peya ukkaley'' ''Neen vi dhoonghi, tilla purana, sheehan ney pattan malley'' ''Ranjhan yaar tabeeb sadhendha, main tan dard awalley'' ''Kahe Hussain faqeer namana, sain sunedha ghalley''

I have to go to Ranjha's hut, will someone go with me? I have begged many to accompany me, but I had to set out alone. The river is deep, and the shaky bridge creaks. I am tortured by my wounds, but Ranjha my beloved is the doctor who can cure them. Only my beloved can bring me comfort.

See also

List of Punjabi language poets

Qawwali

References

Further reading

''Great Sufi Poets of The Punjab'', by R. M. Chopra, Iran Society, Kolkata, 1999.

External links

Complete Works of Shah Hussain

Sufis - Wisdom against Violence - Madho Lal Hussain

Category:Pakistani Sufis Category:Sufi saints Category:Punjabi poets Category:Sufi poets Category:Lahore Category:Punjabi-language poets Category:1538 births Category:1599 deaths Category:LGBT Muslims Category:Punjabi people

bg:Шах Хюсеин pnb:شاہ حسین ur:شاہ حسین

name	Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
background	solo_singer
born	October 13, 1948Faisalabad, PunjabPakistan
died	August 16, 1997London, England
instrument	Vocals, harmonium
genre	Qawwali, Ghazal
occupation	Musician
years active	1965–1997
notable instruments	}}

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan ( (Shahmukhi)}}) (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. He was popularly known as ''Shahenshah-e-Qawwali'', meaning ''The King of Kings of Qawwali''.

Born in Faisalabad, Nusrat had his first public performance at age of 16, at his father's chelum. He officially became the head of the family qawwali party in 1971, and was signed by Oriental Star Agencies (OSA), Birmingham, U.K., in the early 1980s. In subsequent years, Khan released movie scores and albums for various labels in Pakistan, Europe, Japan and the U.S. He engaged in collaborations and experiments with Western artists, becoming a well-known world music artist in the process. He toured extensively, performing in over 40 countries.

Biography

Early life and career

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was born on October 13, 1948 in the city of Lyallpur (now Faisalabad), Pakistan. He was the fifth child and first son of Fateh Ali Khan, a musicologist, vocalist, instrumentalist, and Qawwal. Khan's family, which included four older sisters and a younger brother, Farrukh Fateh Ali Khan, grew up in central Lyallpur. He began by learning to play tabla alongside his father before progressing to learn ''Raag Vidya'' and ''Bol Bandish''. He then went on to learn to sing within the classical framework of khayal. Khan's training with his father was cut short when his father died in 1964, leaving Khan's paternal uncles, Mubarak Ali Khan and Salamat Ali Khan, to complete his training. His first performance was at a traditional graveside ceremony for his father, known as chehlum, which took place forty days after his father's death.

In 1971, after the death of Mubarak Ali Khan, Nusrat became the official leader of the family Qawwali party and the party became known as ''Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Mujahid Mubarak Ali Khan & Party''. Khan's first public performance as the leader of the Qawwali party was at a studio recording broadcast as part of an annual music festival organised by Radio Pakistan, known as ''Jashn-e-Baharan''. Khan sang mainly in Urdu and Punjabi and occasionally in Persian, Brajbhasha and Hindi. His first major hit in Pakistan was the song ''Haq Ali Ali'', which was performed in a traditional style and with traditional instrumentation. The song featured restrained use of Nusrat's sargam improvisations.

In 1979, Khan married his first cousin, Naheed (the daughter of Fateh Ali Khan's brother, ''Salamat Ali Khan''); they had one daughter, Nida.

Early in his career, Khan was signed up by Oriental Star Agencies in the U.K. to their Star Cassette Label. OSA sponsored regular concert tours by Nusrat to the U.K. from the early '80s onwards, and released much of this live material on cassette, CD, videotape and DVD.

Later career

In the 1992-93 academic year, Nusrat was a Visiting Artist in the Ethnomusicology department at the University of Washington, Seattle.

Nusrat teamed with Peter Gabriel on the soundtrack to ''The Last Temptation of Christ'' in 1985, with Canadian musician Michael Brook on the albums ''Mustt Mustt'' (1990) and ''Night Song'' (1996), and with Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder in 1995 on two songs for the soundtrack to ''Dead Man Walking''. One of these songs ("The Long Road") was re-used on the soundtrack for Eat, Pray, Love in 2010. Nusrat also contributed to the soundtrack of ''Natural Born Killers''. He composed the music for the 1994 film ''Bandit Queen'' in collaboration with Roger White.

Peter Gabriel's Real World label later released five albums of Nusrat's traditional Qawwali, together with some of his experimental work which included the albums Mustt Mustt and Star Rise. Nusrat provided vocals for The Prayer Cycle, which was put together by Jonathan Elias, but died before the vocals could be completed. Alanis Morissette was brought in to sing with his unfinished vocals. Nusrat also collabrated with Michael Brook to create music for the song 'Sweet Pain' used in the movie ''Any Given Sunday''. He also performed traditional Qawwali before international audiences at several WOMAD world music festivals and the single Dam Mast Qalandar was remixed by electronic trip hop group Massive Attack in 1998.

His album ''Intoxicated Spirit'' was nominated for a Grammy award in 1997 for best traditional folk album.

Khan contributed songs to, and performed in, several Pakistani films. Shortly before his death, he recorded a song each for two Bollywood films, ''Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya'' (in which he also sang the song onscreen) and ''Kachche Dhaage''. He sang the title song of the film, ''Dhadkan''. He also sang ''Saya bhi saath jab chhod jaye'' for Sunny Deol's movie, ''Dillagi''. The song was released only in 1999, two years after Nusrat's death.

Khan contributed the song "Gurus of Peace" to the album ''Vande Mataram'', composed by A.R. Rahman, and released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of India's independence. Rahman, who was a big fan of Khan could not do further songs with him. As a tribute, Rahman later released an album titled ''Gurus of Peace'', which featured "Allah Hoo" by Nusrat. Rahman's 2007 song "Tere Bina" was also done as a tribute to Nusrat.

After his death, the song "Solemn Prayer", on which Nusrat provided vocals, was used on the Peter Gabriel song "Signal to Noise" (on the album Up), and on the soundtrack to the Martin Scorsese film ''Gangs of New York.''

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan holds the world record for the largest recorded output by a Qawwali artist—a total of 125 albums as of 2001.

Death

Khan was taken ill with kidney and liver failure on August 11, 1997 in London, England while on the way to Los Angeles in order to receive a kidney transplant. He died of a sudden cardiac arrest at Cromwell Hospital, London, on Saturday, August 16, 1997, aged 48. His body was returned to Faisalabad, Pakistan and his funeral was attended by the public.

Composition of Nusrat's qawwali party

The composition of Nusrat's ensemble — called a ''party'' (or Humnawa in Urdu) — changed over its 26 years. Listed below is a snapshot of the party, circa 1983:

#Mujahid Mubarak Ali Khan: Nusrat's first cousin, vocals #Farrukh Fateh Ali Khan: Nusrat's brother, vocals and lead harmonium #Rehmat Ali: vocals and second harmonium #Maqsood Hussain: vocals #Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: Nusrat's nephew & pupil, vocals #Dildar Hussain: percussion #Majawar Abbas: mandolin and guitar/chorus, handclapping #Mohammed Iqbal Naqvi: secretary of the party, chorus, handclapping #Asad Ali: chorus, handclapping. Nusrat's cousin #Ghulam Farid: chorus, handclapping #Kaukab Ali: chorus, handclapping

The one significant member of the party who does not appear on this list is Atta Fareed. For many years, he alternated with Rehmat Ali on vocals and second harmonium. He is easily identifiable in videos since he plays the harmonium left-handed.

This snapshot is non-representative in one respect: harmoniums were usually the only instruments. Only rarely were instruments like mandolin or guitar used.

Awards and Titles

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is widely considered to be the most important qawwal in history. In 1987, Khan received the President of Pakistan’s Award for Pride of Performance for his contribution to Pakistani music. In 1995 he received the UNESCO Music Prize. In 1996 he was awarded Grand Prix des Amériques at Montreal World Film Festival for exceptional contribution to the art of cinema. In 2005, Nusrat was awarded the "Legends" award at the UK Asian Music Awards. TIME magazine's issue of November 6, 2006, "60 Years of Asian Heroes", lists him as one of the top 12 Artists and Thinkers in the last 60 years. He also appeared on NPR's 50 Great Voices list in 2010. In August, 2010 he was included in CNN's list of the twenty most iconic musicians from the past fifty years.

Many honorary titles were bestowed upon Nusrat during his 25-year music career. He was given the title of Ustad after performing classical music at a function in Lahore on his father's death anniversary.

Tributes, legacy and influence

Alexandra A. Seno of ''Asiaweek'' wrote:

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.

Jeff Buckley cited Nusrat as a major influence, saying of him "He's my Elvis", and performing the first few minutes of Nusrat's hit "Yeh Jo Halka Halka Suroor Hai" (including vocals) at live concerts. Many other artists have also cited Nusrat as an influence, such as A.R. Rahman, Sheila Chandra, and Alim Qasimov.

Paul Williams picked a concert performance by Nusrat for inclusion in his 2000 book "The 20th Century's Greatest Hits: a 'top-40' list", in which he devotes a chapter each to what he considers the top 40 artistic achievements of the 20th century in any field (including art, movies, music, fiction, non-fiction, science-fiction).

In 2004, a tribute band called (Brooklyn Qawwali Party) (formerly Brook's Qawwali Party) was formed in New York City by percussionist Brook Martinez to perform the music of Nusrat. The 13-piece group still performs mostly instrumental jazz versions of Nusrat's qawwalis, using the instruments conventionally associated with jazz rather than those associated with qawwali.

Films

Documentaries

''Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: le dernier prophète'' (1996). Directed by Jérôme de Missolz.

''Nusrat has Left the Building... But When?'' (1997). Directed by Farjad Nabi. (This 20-minute docudrama focuses on Nusrat's early career.)

''A Voice from Heaven'' (1999). Directed by Giuseppe Asaro. New York, NY: Winstar TV & Video. (This 75-minute documentary, available on VHS and DVD, provides an excellent introduction to Nusrat's life and work.)

''Samandar Main Samandar'' (2007). A documentary aired on Geo TV detailing Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's career.

''The King of Qawalli'' (2009). A short film aired on Dawn News about Nusrat's life and career.

Concert films

''The JVC Video Anthology of World Music and Dance'' (1990). Video 14 (of 30) (South Asia IV). Produced by Ichikawa Katsumori; directed by Nakagawa Kunikiko and Ichihashi Yuji; in collaboration with the National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka. [Tokyo]: JVC, Victor Company of Japan; Cambridge, Massachusetts: distributed by Rounder Records. Features a studio performance by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Party (two Urdu-language songs: a Hamd, and a Manqabat for Khwaja Mu`inuddin Chishti. Filmed in Tokyo, Japan, September 20, 1987, for Asian Traditional Performing Arts).

''Nusrat! Live at Meany'' (1998). Produced by the University of Washington. (87-minute recording of a January 23, 1993 concert at Meany Hall, University of Washington in Seattle, during Nusrat's residency at the Ethnomusicology Program there.)

Live in Concert in the U.K. (DVD, vols. 1-17) [OSA]; recorded between 1983 and 1993; first thirteen listed below:

*Live in Concert in UK (DVD vol. 1)

*Live in Concert (DVD vol. 2)

*Live in Concert (DVD vol. 3)

*Live in UK (DVD vol. 4)

*Live in UK (DVD vol. 5)

*Live in Concert (DVD vol. 6)

*Live in UK (DVD vol. 7)

*Live in UK (DVD vol. 8)

*Live in UK (DVD vol. 9)

*Live in UK (DVD vol. 10)

*Live in UK (DVD vol. 11)

*Digbeth Birmingham 12 November 1983 (DVD vol. 12)

*Digbeth 30 October 1983 (DVD vol. 13)

Akhiyan Udeek Diyan (DVD) [Nupur Audio]

Je Tun Rab Nu Manauna (DVD) [Nupur Audio]

Yaadan Vicchre Sajan Diyan Aayiyan (DVD) [Nupur Audio]

Rang-e-Nusrat (DVD, vols. 1-11) [Music Today]; recorded between 1983 and 1993 (same material as the OSA DVDs)

VHS videotapes, vols. 1-21 [OSA]; recorded between 1983 and 1993 (same material as the OSA DVDs)

*Luxor Cinema Birmingham (VHS vol. 1, 1979)

*Digbeth Birmingham (VHS vol. 2, 1983)

*St. Francis Hall Birmingham (VHS vol. 3, 1983)

*Royal Oak Birmingham (VHS vol. 4, 1983)

*Private Mehfil (Wallace Lawley Centre, Lozells Birmingham, November 1983) (VHS vol. 5)

*Private Mehfil (VHS vol. 6, 1983)

*Natraj Cinema Leicester (VHS vol. 7, 1983)

*Live In Southall (VHS vol. 8)

*Live In Bradford (VHS vol. 9, 1983)

*Live In Birmingham (VHS vol. 10, 1985)

*Allah Ditta Hall (VHS vol. 11, 1985)

*Harrow Leisure Centre (VHS vol. 12)

*University Of Aston (VHS vol. 13, 1988)

*Aston University (VHS vol. 14, 1988)

*WOMAD Festival Bracknell (VHS vol. 15, 1988)

*Live In Paris (VHS vol. 16, 1988)

*Poplar Civic Centre London (VHS vol. 17)

*Imperial Hotel Birmingham (VHS vol. 18, 1985)

*Slough Gurdawara (SHABADS) (VHS vol. 19)

*Imran Khan Cancer Appeal (VHS vol. 20)

*Town Hall Birmingham (VHS vol. 21, 1993)

See also

List of Pakistani musicians

Music of Pakistan

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan albums

Qawwali

References

Additional reading

Baud, Pierre-Alain. ''Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, The Messenger of Qawwali''. Editions Demi-Lune, 2008. (A biography of Nusrat.)

External links

Article with brief 1993 interview (edwebproject.org)

KING OF QAWALI Documentary on You Tube's Dawn news Channel

NPR Audio Report: Nusrat Fate*h Ali Khan: The Voice Of Pakistan

Category:1948 births Category:1997 deaths Category:People from Faisalabad Category:Pakistani male singers Category:Pakistani Shi'a Muslims Category:Pakistani qawwali singers Category:Pakistani music educators Category:Performers of Sufi music Category:Singers with a six octave vocal range Category:Punjabi people Category:Sufi music Category:Qawwali Category:Real World artists Category:Nigar Award winners Category:Harmonium players

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