Keeping Our Qawwali Tradition Alive

The Qawwali form of Islamic song is practiced in India and Pakistan. qawwali is a form of music practiced by Sufi s to inspire religious devotion and instruction. Sufism is a mystical school of Islamic thought where truth and divine love are achieved through personal experience.

         

                                          

                                        

                                                           History of Sufi music Qawwali

The godfather of Qawwali is said to be Amir Khusru from the 13th century.He was born in mominpur. His father was from Turkey.His father died when he was eight years old. Amir Khusru was so important to the development of qawwali that he is often said to be the inventor of it,a legendary musician, politician and philosopher who mixed elements from Turkey, Persia and India in the creation of a new music.

                                           

                                                               
                                                     
                                                                Guru Nusrat Fateh Ali khan

Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was born on October 13, 1948, in Lyallpur, Pakistan. He learned qawwali from his father.he had the greatest voice ever recorded, he possessed an extraordinary range of vocal abilities and could perform at a high level of intensity for several hours. Extending the 600-year old Qawwali tradition of his family, Khan is widely credited with introducing Qawwali music to international audiences.He is popularly known as "Shahenshah-e-Qawwali meaning "The King of Kings of Qawwali. In 1966, he sang qawwali for the first time publically. He went on to tour internationally, contribute to soundtracks. He died on August 16, 1997, in London, England.

  He was the uncle of famous singer Rahat Ali khan and on one TV show he shared his emotions and said: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan sahab used to always tell me that I have a great memory. I remember as a child, listening to my dada singing some qawaalis would touch me so much that I would go to the washroom and cry. That was the only place in the house where I could be alone. I could not understand the meaning of the words or the raags, but just the sur touched me and would make me cry. I started singing at the age of five. After a little practice, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan sahab (I was his younger brother's son) heard me and he started teaching me and I performed for the first time on my Dada's barsi at the age of 7. I can never play the harmonium like my father, but I learnt to play it from him and try and follow him.

                                                             
                                                            Aziz Mian Qawwal





Tamaam duniya ko dikha baitthe apna jamaalMera waqt aaya to chilman daal diBade badnaseeb the hum, ke qaraar tak na pauhancheDar-e-yaar tak to pauhanche, dil-e-yaar tak na pauhancheYou showed your beauty to the whole world.
When it was my turn, you let the curtain fall.
It was my misfortune, that I could not reach this rest.
I could only reach her door, I could not reach her heart.






Abdul aziz also known as Aziz Mian Mairthi. He was born on 17 April 1942 in Delhi. Aziz Mian is one of the classic qawwal of our history.Aziz Mian urdu qawwalis have captivated his aundience over the decades.Aziz mian Qawal earned pakistan a great name internationaly through his ever new urdu qawwlaies.

He was a great Singer-songwriter, musician(great player of harmonium), poet philosopher, writer, scholar. Aziz Mian Qawwal was one of Pakistan's leading  traditional qawwals and also famous for singing ghazals in a unique style of qawwali. Aziz is still one of the most popular qawwals of South Asia. He holds the record for singing the longest commercially released qawwali (Hashr Ke Roz Yeh Poochhunga) which runs over 115 minutes.

Aziz Mian had three sons Tabraiz, Junaid and imran. They all followed his father and joined the word of sufi music.Tabraiz is however considered to be the closest to his father.Tabraiz also toured North America for a tribute to Aziz Mian Qawwal.

Aziz mian qawwal died in Iran on 6th December 2000. He was invited by the government of Iran to perform on the occasion of Imam Ali's death anniversary. He was buried in Multan.