Wake from your heedlessness O my eyes awake
Long you have slumbered so now my eyes awake.
Azrail’s intention is your soul to take.
Wake from your heedlessness O my eyes awake
Long you have slumbered so now my eyes awake.
This world is not your home, soon it melts away.
Even were all seven climes under your sway
Throne and dominion and glory pass away
Wake from your heedlessness O my eyes awake
Long you have slumbered so now my eyes awake.
Here is Murad your slave, all his sins erase!
Forgive my errors and all my burden raise,
Raise me in the shade of Ahmad’s flag of praise.
Wake from your heedlessness O my eyes awake
Long you have slumbered so now my eyes awake.
Uyan ey gözlerim gafletten uyan
Uyan uykusu çok gözlerim uyan
Azrail’in kastı canadır inan
Uyan ey gözlerim gafletten uyan
Uyan uykusu çok gözlerim uyan
Maqām: Muhayyer Kürdi
Commentary: This piece was composed by a renowned 17th century Ottoman Polish scholar and musician, Wojciech Bobowski (1610- 1675) who embraced Islam and adopted the name Ali Ufki Bey. Sultan Murad IV (r. 1623-1640) employed Ali Ufki in his court as a language interpreter and musical composer. He assembled hundreds of classical Ottoman songs and applied Western staff notations to them for the first time in a work entitled Majmuah-e Saz u Soz (Anthology of Instrumental and Vocal Music). The lyrics for this particular song, which are ascribed to sultan Murad III (1546-1595), express the poet’s remorse for having slept through the dawn prayer.
The first line of the poem reads, “Wake from your heedlessness O my eyes awake!”
*The musical portion preceding the Turkish verse is a new section composed by Sami Yusuf.
Music by Ali Ufki
Words by Sultan Murad III
English translation by Dr. Tim Winter (Abdal Hakim Murad)
*Special thanks to Dr. Savaş Barkçin for additional backing vocals.
Performed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Recorded at Andante Studios
(Kurdish)
Yā Rasūla l-Lāh
O Messenger of God,
Yā shay Medina
O Prince of Medina
Har kas ‘ashgta
Don’t break the heart of the one
Dili mashkina
Who loves you and is crazed for you
Bechmam Madīna, beīsem bepā wā
I will go to Medina and openly express to the Prophet
Arza bam bedas Rasūl-a-Allāh wā
My inner heart-felt desire to serve Him
[Kurdish (refrain)]
Yā Rasūla l-Lāh
O Messenger of God,
Yā shay Medina
O Prince of Medina
Har kas ‘ashgta
Don’t break the heart of the one
Dili mashkina
Who loves you and is crazed for you
(Arabic)
Yā Rasūla l-Lāh
O Messenger of Allāh
Qalbī mushtāq
My heart is longing
Li-l-Madīnah
For Medina
Yā Ḥabība l-Lāh
O Beloved of Allah
Kullī ’ashwāq
All my earnings
Li-l-Madīnah
Are for Medina
Li-Nabīyi l-Lāh
For the Prophet of Allah
Muddat bi-r-rajā’ ’ayādīnā
Our hands are extended in hope
Mā taruddanā yā Rasūla l-Lāh khā’ibīna
O Messenger of Allah, our beloved,
do not us send back empty-handed
(Kurdish)
Yā Rasūla l-Lāh, Bawanem, Nawet chand khowsha*
O Messenger of God, How beautiful is your name
‘Araghet golah bawanem, Būnet wa nawsha
The blessed beads of sweat from your luminous body, smell of flowers
Har wak hājiyān bawānem, La dowr baytu l-Lāh bawanem
Like the pilgrims who circumambulate the House of God
O my all, my beloved
Bīm ba dawrī to ‘azīzam,
I’d circle around you, my dearest one,
Yā Nabī, Yā Shafī’
O Prophet of God, O Intercessor!
Dastgāh: Shūr (Avaze Abū ‘Atā)
Commentary: This beautiful song comes from the Kurdish Qadiri zawiyas (Sufi centers) of Western Iran. It is a traditional devotional piece expressing love of the Prophet and longing to visit Medina. The original words are in Kurdish but additional verses in Persian, Turkish and Arabic have been added. The traditional khānghāh daf rhythm of “Ḥay Allah, Ḥay Allah” is incorporated into this piece with a time signature of 10/8.
*This section (till the Kurdish refrain) is an entirely new composition added by Sami Yusuf with words by Payam Azizi.
Words by Mohamed Azizi (Kurdish)
Additional Kurdish words by Payam Azizi
Arabic words by Dr. Imed Nsiri.
Music: Traditional Islamic (from Kurdistan region)
Additional composition by Sami Yusuf
Performed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Recorded at Andante Studios
Ṣallū ‘alayhi shafī’ l-’ummah
Send salutations upon him, the intercessor of the Muslim nation
Bi dhikri r-Rasūl tushḥadhu l-himmah
By mentioning the messenger we sharpen our zeal
Yā Rabbi bi-jāhin Nabī ’azihi l-ghummah
O God, for the sake of the prophet, clear the adversity
Ṣallū ‘ala l-Hādi l-Bashīr*
Send salutations upon The Guide and Bearer of good tidings
Ḥabībī l-Badri l-Munīr
My beloved the luminous full moon
Shafī’ī ‘inda l-Qadīr
My intercessor with the All-Powerful
Ṣallū ‘alayhi
Send salutations upon him!
Ṣallū bi-’aḥla l-kalām
Send salutations upon him with the sweetest of words!
Ṣallū ‘ala l-badri t-tamām
Salutations upon him, the full-moon
Rasūlī, khayri l-’anām
My messenger, the best of mankind!
Dastgāh: Shūr
Commentary: This is the second part of “Ya Rasul Allah”. We split the song over two tracks for easier listening.
*This is a new section (till the refrain) composed by Sami Yusuf with words provided by Dr. Imed Nsiri.
Words by Dr. Imed Nsiri
Music: Traditional Islamic (from Kurdistan region)
Additional composition by Sami Yusuf
Performed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Recorded at Andante Studios
A humble slave am I of an almighty Lord.
No work is too hard for that One who’s adored.
But though I’m a beggar who cannot afford
To claim any strength, sure and strong is my Lord.
He says, where He wills, when He wishes a thing,
just “Be”, and it is, by the might of a King.
The ruler whose edicts and wise rulings bring
All blessings and grace by the might of a King.
I haven’t got the force,
No strength between my sides
Why feel such remorse
when the Maker provides?
I haven’t got the force,
No strength between my sides
Why feel such remorse
when the Maker provides?
Ana ‘abdu Rabbī lahū qudratun
A humble slave am I of an almighty Lord.
Yahūnu bihā kullu ’amrin ‘asīr
No work is too hard for that One who’s adored.
Fa-’in kuntu ‘abdan ḍa‘īfa l-quwā
But though I’m a beggar who cannot afford
Fa-Rabbī ‘alā kulli shay’in qadīr
To claim any strength, sure and strong is my Lord.
Minnī ash ‘alayā wa ana ‘abadun mamlūk
I’m but a humble slave, what should I worry about?
Wa-l-’ashyā’ maqaḍīya mā fi t-taḥqīqi shukūk
All affairs are ordained, of this there is no doubt
Rabbī nāẓir fiyā wa ana naẓarī matrūk
My Lord sees everything, while my sight leaves much out
Fi l-’arḥām wa l-’aḥshā’ min nuṭfa ṣawwaranī
In the womb, He formed me from a drop
Ana mā lī fiyāsh, ash ‘alayā minnī
I haven’t got the force, No strength between my sides
Aqliq mir-rizqī lāsh, wa-l-Khāliq yarzuqnī
Why feel such remorse when the Maker provides?
Allāhumma ṣalli ‘ala l-Muṣṭafā, ḥabībnā Muḥammad ‘alayhi s-salām
O Allah, send your blessings on The Chosen One
Our beloved Muhammad, Peace be upon him
I’m safe in the shade of his all-knowing height
And no strength have I — His all power and might.
So glory to God, his bounty shining bright,
All gratitude and praise are His due and His right.
He says, where He wills, when He wishes a thing,
just “Be”, and it is, by the might of a King.
The ruler whose edicts and wise rulings bring
All blessings and grace by the might of a King.
Maqām: ‘Ajam
Commentary: Written by the Moroccan poet Sidi Othman ibn Yahya Cherki (known as “Sidi Bahloul Cherki”) in the 17th century, the qaṣidah (ode) “Fiyyashiyya” became a standard classic of the Maghrebi genre of malhoun— a genre of Sufi music popular amongst tradesmen in the urban centers of what is today Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. Sidi Bahloul was a member of the Harraqi zawiya of Tetouan in northern Morocco, and his poetry, especially this qaṣidah, continues to be chanted by the members of his Shadhili-Darqawi-Harraqi Tariqah to this day. It has become one of the best-known and loved traditional songs amongst Moroccans from all walks of life. The inclusion of tanbour and daf gives this new arrangement a Persian or Khorasani touch. We have also added English lyrics to the song (English lyrics and translation provided by Dr. Tim Winter).
Words & Music: Sidi Othman ibn Yahya Cherki (Traditional Moroccan/Islamic)
English translation by Dr. Tim Winter (Abdal Hakim Murad)
Performed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Tanbour performed by Seyed Ali Jaberi
Dafs performed by Seyyed Mohammad Jaberi
Recorded @ Crosstown Studios & Andante Studios
Wa ṣalli ‘ala l-Hādī, ḥabībī jaddi l-Hasanayn
Salutations upon our Guide, the beloved, the grandfather of Hasan and Hussein
Rasūlī ma’danu l-jūdi, Imāmu l-Ḥaramayn
My prophet, the quintessence of generosity,
the Imam (leader) of the Two Holy Mosques
Nabīyinā khayru man yamshī ‘ala l-qadamayn
Our prophet is the best of those who walk on two legs
Yā ‘āshiqīn ṣallū ‘ala sayyidi l-kawnayn
O You who love him, send salutations upon the master of the two worlds
Ṣalla l-Lāhu ‘alayhi wa-ālihī, wa aṣḥābihi l-mayāmīn
Salutations of God upon him, his family, and his blessed companions
Yā Nabī
O Prophet
Ṣalla l-Lāhu ‘alayhi wa-ālihī wa-‘ala aṣḥābihi
Salutations of God be upon him, his family and auspicious companions
Lā mithluhū ’aḥadun, lā mathīla lak
You have no match, no one can compare
Yā Rasūlī, yā Habībī, yā Malādhī, yā Bashīrī
O my prophet, O my beloved, O sanctuary, O bearer of good tidings
’Anir ṭarīqī bi-jāhi Ṭāhā
Enlighten my path O God, for the sake of Taha
’Ataytu ḥimak ’arjū riḍāk
I came to Your sanctuary, hoping for Your approval
Ṣalli ‘ala l-’Amīn
Salutations upon The Trustworthy
Sayyidī, Sayyidu l-’awwalīn wa-l-ākhirīn
My master and the master of the first and the last
Yā Nabī
O Prophet
Ṣalawātu l-Lāh
Blessings of God
Wa Salāmu l-Lāh
And His Peace
Ṣalla l-Lāhu ‘alayhi
Be upon him
Raag: Kafi
Commentary: This song, written in honor of the great Indian saint and founder of the Chishti order, Mu‘in ad-Din Chishti (d. 1236), was composed by the Sabri brothers from a compilation of poems and melodies of the Chishti order. The music and lyrics have been modified in this rendition: the words are sung entirely in Arabic about the love for the blessed Prophet (pbuh), his household and companions.
Words by Dr. Imed Nsiri
Music: Traditional Islamic (Indian Subcontinent)
Performed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Recorded at Andante Studios
I am walking, burning, burning,
Love has stained my heart with yearning,
Neither crazy nor discerning –
Come, see, what love has done to me.
Gel gör beni beni aşk neyledi
Derde giriftar eyledi
Come, see, what love has done to me.
One day like the winds I’m blowing,
One day like the roads I’m going,
One day like the floods I’m flowing.
Come, see, what love has done to me.
Take my hand and keep me staying –
Take me else, to You conveying,
No more tears, for laughs I’m praying.
Come, see, what love has done to me.
Walking round with Majnun’s madness,
Seeing Her in dreams my gladness,
Waking up again in sadness.
Come, see, what love has done to me.
I am Yunus, poor and stricken,
From my exile my steps quicken,
Head to toe I hurt and sicken.
Come, see, what love has done to me.
Ben yürürüm yane yane
I am walking, burning, burning,
Aşk boyadı beni kane
Love has stained my heart with yearning,
Ne akilem ne divane
Neither crazy nor discerning –
Gel gör beni aşk neyledi
Derde giriftar eyledi
Come, see, what love has done to me.
Come, see, what love has done to me.
Maqām: Segāh
Commentary: “Ben Yürürüm Yane Yane” is a Sufi song that is popular throughout Turkey and the Balkans. The poem was written by the poet and Sufi mystic, Yunus Emre, who lived in central Anatolia in the 13th century, and it has been sung in the ceremonies of many different Sufi orders in Turkish-speaking lands for hundreds of years. Yunus Emre’s poetry conveys the human longing and love for the Divine, and it continues to be a source of inspiration for composers of Sufi music today. This English rendition, a direct translation of the original Turkish, has been slightly modified from the original melody (introductory music composition and arrangement only) and is sung partially in the original Turkish. English lyrics and translation provided by Dr. Tim Winter.
Words & Music: Traditional (words by Yunus Emre)
Performed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Recorded at Andante Studios
Dam mast Qalandar mast mast
The drunk Qalandar*, in his drunken state**
Iko vird hai dam dam Ali Ali
(Has) Only one chant – Ali, in every breath
Sakhi Lal Qalandar mast mast
The generous red-robed Qalandar, in his drunken state (a reference to the 12thcentury sufi saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar)
Jhoole Lal Qalandar mast mast
(Another reference to Lal Shahbaz Qalandar)
Akhi ja malanga tu Ali Ali Ali akhi ja malanga
Oh my brother, keep saying Ali, Ali, Ali; keep on saying
Akhi ja malanga sach ape mun len ge
Oh my brother, Go on saying, they will (themselves) accept the truth
Aj ne te kal saray Ali Ali can ge
If not today then tomorrow everyone will repeat Ali, Ali
Rab ne kinne shaan banaye
God has blessed countless (people)
Be karma Te karm kamaye
He has even blessed the wretched
Jeda vi Tere dar Te Aaye
Whoever comes to your doorstep
O na kaddivi khaali jaye
Never returns empty-handed
Shana uchiyaan teria Peera
Oh teacher (referring to Ali) with lofty grace
Hovan door haneriyaan Peera
May the darkness (within me) be purged, Oh teacher
Aasan he ba teriya Peera
I have pinned my (very many) hopes in you, Oh teacher
Soon arzaa aj meeriya Peera
Grant my requests today, Oh teacher
Raag: Kafi
Commentary: This song, which has been popular in the Indian subcontinent for centuries, is based on a poem by the Chisti Sufi and musical genius, Amir Khusro, which was later modified by the great Panjabi Sufi poet Bulleh Shah. The song’s lyrics honor and revere (but do not worship) ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, to whom virtually all Sufi orders trace their lineage, as well as the famous 12th century Sufi saint of Sindh, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.
*A Qalandar is a type of wandering Sufi or dervish who would often live in the wilderness and wear tattered clothes. Lal Shahbaz Qalandar was one such Sufi.
**Drunkenness here refers not to intoxication from alcohol, but to the ecstatic state of remembrance of God. As the famous verse of the Egyptian Sufi poet Ibn al-Farid says:
“In remembrance of the beloved, we drank wine; we were drunk with it even before the creation of the vine.”
Words: Amir Khusro & Bulleh Shah
Music: Traditional Islamic (Sufi Qawali)
Performed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Recorded at Andante Studios
I only knew love when I knew love of Thee,
I sealed up my heart against Thy enemy.
I stood long in converse with Thee, who doth see
My heart’s inner secrets, but Thou I don’t see.
My love is twin loves, yet the twain are for Thee,
The first’s for Thy love, and the other’s for Thee.
And as for the first, which is love of Thy love:
Remembrance complete, not distracted from Thee.
‘Araftul-hawā mudh ‘araftu hawāk
Wa-’aghlaqtu qalbī ‘alā man ‘ādāk
I only knew love when I knew love of Thee,
I sealed up my heart against Thy enemy.
And as for the second: my true love of Thee,
I see Thou as present in all that I see.
All praise to Thy name, and no praises for me,
For Thine is the glory in all unity.
‘Araftul-hawā mudh ‘araftu hawāk
Wa-’aghlaqtu qalbī ‘alā man ‘ādāk
I only knew love when I knew love of Thee,
I sealed up my heart against Thy enemy.
’Uḥibbuka ḥubbayni, ḥubba l-hawā
Wa-ḥubban li-’annaka ’ahlu l-lidhāk
My love is twin loves, yet the twain are for Thee,
The first’s for Thy love, and the other’s for Thee.
Fa-’amma l-ladhī huwa ḥubbul-hawā
Fa-shughlī bi-dhikrika ‘an man siwāk
And as for the first, which is love of Thy love:
Remembrance complete, not distracted from Thee.
Wa-’amma l-ladhī ’anta ’ahlu l-lahu
Fa-lastu ’ara l-kawna ḥattā ’arāk
And as for the second: my true love of Thee,
I see Thou as present in all that I see.
Fa-la l-ḥamdu fī dhā wa-lā dhāka lī
Wa-lākin laka l-ḥamdu fī dhā wa-dhāk
All praise to Thy name, and no praises for me,
For Thine is the glory in all unity.
Maqām: Nahāwand
Commentary: This most famous poem of the 8th century female Sufi saint of Iraq, Rabi‘a al-‘Adawiyyah, has been set to music many times, but this Andalusian melody fits the tone and rhythm of the poem beautifully. The inclusion of the tanbour and daf add a Persian influence to the piece. English lyrics and translation provided by Dr. Tim Winter.
Words: Rabi‘a al-‘Adawiyyah
Music: Traditional Islamic (Andalusian)
Performed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Recorded at Andante Studios
Ey ‘Āsheqān, Ey ‘Āsheqān
Amad gahe waṣlo leqa
Az āsemān āmad nedā
Key mahrūyān aṣ-ṣalā
O lovers, O lovers, the time of union and meeting has come
A calling from Heaven proclaimed, “Moon-faced ones, it is time to pray!”
Ḥay Allāh, Hu Allāh, Yā Allāh
Ey sarkhoshān, Ey sarkhoshān
Amad ṭarab dāman keshan
Begrefte ma zanjīre ū
Begrefte ū dāmāne mā
O divinely intoxicated ones, the joyously whirling One has arrived;
The chains of His curls have captured us and the yearning of our hearts have captured Him.
Amad sharābe ātashīn
Ey Dīve gham konjī neshīn
Ey jane marg-andīsh ro
Ey sāqīye bāqī darā
The fiery wine has come, demon of grief, off to a corner!
Leave O death-pondering soul, O immortal Saqi, come through!
Ey haft gardūn maste to
Mā mohreyi dar daste to
Ey haste mā az haste to
Dar ṣad hezārān marḥabā
O by whom the seven vaults are enraptured,
We are but a bead in your hands
Our being is by your being, a thousand hails!
Ey bānge naye khosh-samar
Dar bānge to ṭa’me shekar
Āyad marā sham-o sahar
Az bānge to būye vafā
O sound of the reed with sweet stories
In your sound is the taste of sugar
From your sound, comes the fragrance of fidelity day and night!
Bāre degar āghāz kon
Ān pardehā rā sāz kon
Bar jomle khūbān nāz kon
Ey Āftābe khosh leqā
Begin once more and tune those notes!
Display your charm to the good souls,
O fair-faced sun!
Dastgāh: Shūr (Avaz-e Abū ‘Atā)
Commentary: This beautiful piece comes from the Khanqahs (Sufi centers) of the Qadiriya-Talebani Tariqah in Kirkuk, Iraq. The original poem (“Mosalmanan”) was written in Persian approximately 200 years ago by Shaykh Abdul Rahman Khales (Shaykh of the Qadiriya-Talebani Sufi order). However, the lyrics of this rendition come from Mawlana Jalal ad-Din Balkhi’s (“Rumi”) Divān-i Kabir (Ghazal 34). The daf “Ḥay Allah” maqām is used in the first half of this piece followed by Maqām Haddādī (both traditional khanghāh rhythms).
*God’s name, “al-Ḥayy” (“The Living”), is often chanted by Sufis in spiritual sessions because it permeates all life and attracts the blessings of God who is the source of all life. The name “Ḥayy” is also the beginning of each breath we take. Without “al-Ḥayy”, all would perish. The name Allāh is the all-comprehensive name of God that contains within it all the meanings and significance of all the other Divine Names. The “Hu” is derived from “Huwa” (He) and expresses the divine Essence (al-dhāt al-ilāhiyya) which can neither be grasped nor encompassed by anything other than Itself.
Words by Mawlana Jalal ad-Din Balkhi’s (“Rumi”) Divān-i Shams
Music: Traditional Islamic (from Kurdistan region)
Performed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Recorded at Andante Studios
Ṣalla l-Lāhu ‘alā Ṭāhā
Khayri l-khalqi wa-’aḥlāhā
God’s blessings be upon Taha,
Best of creation and the sweetest
Khayru l-khalqi huwa l-hādī
Nūru l-kawni bihi bādī
Best of [God’s] creation, he’s the guide
The light of existence shines through him
‘Amma n-nāsa bi-’irshādi
’Azka l-khalqi wa-’arḍāhā
He encompassed all mankind with his guidance
Purest of creation and the most pleasing
Nūru l-Lāhi l-mutaqaddim
Qabla l-khalqi l-muta‘allim
The first light of God
He was taught before all other creation
Badru n-nūri l-mutalaththim
Hādi l-khalqi li-Mawlāhā
The veiled light of the full moon
Guiding creation to its Lord
Ba‘da s-sidrati qad sārā
Wa-ra’a l-ḥaqqa wa-’anwārah
Beyond the Sidra* he walked
And saw The Truth and His Lights
Waqafa r-ruḥu wa-ma sārā
Idhhab waḥdaka yā Ṭāhā
The Spirit (Jibra’il) stopped and did not continue
[saying] go on alone Taha
Irża l-Lāha bi-l-ālāf
‘an ’ahli l-bayti l-’ashrāf
May God be pleased with his intimates
from his noble family
Wa-l-’aṣhābi ’ūli-l-’insāf
Nālu l-khulda wa-suknāhā
And his companions, the people of justice
Who gained eternity and its dwelling
Malīḥun lawnuhū**
Kahīlun ṭarfuhū
Jamīlun na‘tuhū
Ṣalla l-Lāhu ‘alā Ṭāhā
Of fine complexion
His eyes, dark and wide
Of beautiful face
The guide, with whom God is satisfied
Qamarīyun wajhuhū
Bahīyun shakluhū
‘Aẓīmun khuluquhū
Ṣalla l-Lāhu ‘alā Ṭāhā
His face is like the moon
His form is resplendent
His character is mighty
Taha, the chosen one
Rahīmun qalbuhū
Ṣadūqun wa‘duhū
‘Amīmun jūduhū
Māḥin muntaqā
His heart is kind,
His promises are kept
His generosity is vast
The effacer (of sins), the chosen one
Ṣalātu Rabbī
Ma‘a s-salāmi
‘Alā Muhammad
Zaynu l-’asāmī
The blessings of my Lord
And His peace
Upon Muhammad
The most beautiful of names
Maqām: Bayātī
Commentary: “Ṣalla l-Lāhu ‘alā Ṭāhā” was written by the Sudanese/Egyptian Shaykh Salih al-Ja’fari (d. 1979) who taught and lived at the famous al-Azhar University in Cairo and was also the Imam of the al-Azhar mosque. He was a Sufi shaykh in the lineage of Ahmad ibn Idris of Fez (d. 1837) and a prolific author of works on the Qur’an, Hadith, Islamic law and Sufism. He also wrote a celebrated collection of poetry, from which this song is taken. The end section incorporates the blessed names of the Prophet (pbuh) taken from the Diwan of the famous Moroccan Sufi saint Imam Mohammed Al-Jazuli’s (d. 1465), Dala’il al-Khayrat.
*The Sidra is a reference to the “Lote tree of the furthest boundary” (sidrat al-muntahā) mentioned in the Qur’an (53:14) and described by the Prophet on his night journey to heaven (mi’rāj). The sidra marks the outer boundaries that separate the created world (‘ālam al-khalq) from the spiritual world of the divine command (‘ālam al-amr).
**This section is an original composition with words provided by Mohammed Ali El Oumari and Abdel Ilah Ikhal. The inspiration behind the melody comes from an old Kurdish folk song heard by Sami Yusuf when he was a child.
Words by Shaykh Salih al-Ja’fari
Music: Traditional Islamic (unknown provenance)
Performed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Recorded at Andante Studios
[Urdu:]
Yā Ḥayyu Yā Qayyūm
O the Ever-Living, The Ever-Lasting One!
Yā Raḥīmu Yā Raḥmān
O the Most-Merciful, the Beneficent
Yā ‘Ādilu Yā Mannān*
O the Just One, O the Bestower (of blessings)
Yā Ḥāfiẓu Yā Sattār
O the Protecting One, the Concealing One
Yā Wāhidu Yā Ghaffār
O the Only-One, the Forgiver
Yā Māliku Yā Razzāq
O the One who owns everything, who provides for everyone
Tu khāliq-e- har khallāq
You are the Creator of all creators
Har rāz tujhe ma‘lūm
You know every secret
Yā Ḥayyu Yā Qayyūm
O the Ever-Living, the Ever-Lasting One!
Be misl hai to la-raib
You are the quintessence of certainty
Tu pak hai to be-aib
You are pure and immaculate
Tu zist ka hai unwan
All life begins from You
Tu sakhir-e-har udwan
You are the Subduer of all enemies
Teri zat hai azz-o-jal
Your being is eternal
Tu har mushkil ka hal
You are the solution to every problem
Har samt hai teri dhum
You are known all over
Raag: Ahir Bhairav
Commentary: Although the exact origins of this qawwali are unknown, it is sometimes sung to revere the 12th century Sufi saint, Fariduddin Masud Ganjshakar (or Baba Farid) of the Indian subcontinent. A direct descendant of the second caliph of Islam, ‘Umar ibn Khattab, his poetry is also included in the Guru Granth Sahib — the most sacred scripture of Sikhism. Not only are the verses of this qawwali based on his teachings, but the opening verse of the qawwali, “Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum” were the last words Baba Farid uttered. It is related that on the 5th of Muharram, in the year 1266 (according to the Gregorian calendar), Baba Farid became unconscious after the ‘Isha (evening) prayer. When he regained his consciousness, he inquired of those present, “Have I offered my ‘Isha prayer?” Although those present answered in the affirmative, Baba Farid replied, “Let me offer it once more for I may not get another chance.” So, he performed ablution again and offered the ‘Isha prayer a second time. Then he fell unconscious once again. On regaining consciousness, he once more performed his ablution and said the ‘Isha prayer for a third time. Whilst still in prostration, he uttered, “Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum”, and his soul left his body. That is why, for hundreds of years, this qawwali has been sung at the death anniversary of Baba Farid.
*In the original version, the word used here was “Dayyān” but this has been replaced to “Mannān” (The Bestower).
Words & Music: Traditional Islamic (Indian Subcontinent)
Performed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Recorded at Andante Studios
Ṣalli yā Rabbi thumma sallim ‘alā man
So pray my Lord and bestow blessings upon him
Huwa li-l-khalqi raḥmatun wa-shifā’un
Who is for all mankind, a grace and a healing
Wa-‘ala l-āli wa-ṣ-ṣaḥābati jam‘an
So also on his fair Companions and kinsmen
Ma tazayyanat bi-n-nujūmi s-samā’u
With blessings that abide like the sky’s lofty ceiling.
So pray my Lord and bestow blessings upon him
Who is for all mankind, a grace and a healing
So also on his fair Companions and kinsmen
With blessings that abide like the sky’s lofty ceiling.
Accept and pity them as my intercessor
Upon the day when all need an intercessor.
And in this gloomy age keep me and my people
For in our day our power has grown faint and feeble.
For in these times the faith is once more a stranger
Thus did you once foretell, the decent in danger.
So catch us lest we fall in the pit of peril
For on this day we tire, after blunder and quarrel.
Maqām: Sīkāh-‘Ajam (with allusions to Rāst)
Commentary: The lyrics of this song come from portions of the thousand-verse Hamziyya (poem rhyming in hamza) of the renowned Palestinian scholar Yusuf Nabahani (d. 1932). It describes the Prophet’s life and character and is frequently recited during Mawlid celebrations to commemorate the Prophet’s (pbuh) birthday. The melody sung here is inspired by group chants of the Shadhili-Darqawi-‘Alawi Sufi Order in Mostaghanem, Algeria. The melody has been slightly modified to fit the English lyrics (which are a translation of the original Arabic). English lyrics and translation provided by Dr. Tim Winter.
Words by Yusuf Nabahani
Music: Traditional Algerian
Performed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Recorded at Andante Studios
Inna fi l-jannati nahran min laban
Surely, a river of milk flows in heaven,
Li-‘Aliyyin wa-Ḥusaynin wa-Ḥasan
For Ali, Husayn and Hasan.
Kullu man kāna muḥibban lahumu
And all those who have love for these three,
Yadkhulu l-jannata min ghayri ḥazan
shall enter the garden with no misery.*
Ḥubbu ahlil-bayti farḍun ‘indanā
For us, love of the Prophet’s family is a duty,
Wa-bi-hādha l-ḥubbi lā nakhsha l-miḥan
And with a love like that, we fear no difficulty
Maqām: Bayātī
Commentary: This is a beautiful love song in praise of the blessed family of the Prophet (Ahl al-Bayt). The four principle rivers of paradise (water, date wine, honey, and milk) go back to Prophetic descriptions of paradise. The poem is inspired by these early traditions. It is of unknown provenance, though it may originate from Morocco or Andalusia. The earliest known reference to this piece dates back to the 17th century, though it may have been composed earlier. Although this piece is traditionally performed a cappella and without harmony, it has been rearranged and modified with minor vocal harmonies for this recording.
*In Islamic orthodoxy, love alone is not sufficient to gain entry into paradise. This verse is a pious, poetic hyperbole that is not to be taken literally.
Words & Music: Traditional (most likely of Moroccan-Andalusian origin)
Performed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Recorded at Andante Studios
Dastgāh – Maqām: Maqām Tarz with allusions to Dastgāh Shūr
Commentary: This piece, the only original composition on the album, takes as its structure the traditional maqām and dastgāh musical systems. Within this framework, the music evokes both power in its dynamic rhythms and beauty in its interwoven melodies. An echo of the Sufi samā’, the ceremony of listening and remembrance, can be heard in the resonant “Allah Hu”.
Music: Sami Yusuf
Performed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Recorded at Andante Studios
Dam mast Qalandar mast mast
The drunk Qalandar*, in his drunken state**
Iko vird hai dam dam Ali Ali
(Has) Only one chant – Ali, in every breath
Sakhi Lal Qalandar mast mast
The generous red-robed Qalandar, in his drunken state (a reference to the 12thcentury sufi saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar)
Jhoole Lal Qalandar mast mast
(Another reference to Lal Shahbaz Qalandar)
Akhi ja malanga tu Ali Ali Ali akhi ja malanga
Oh my brother, keep saying Ali, Ali, Ali; keep on saying
Akhi ja malanga sach ape mun len ge
Oh my brother, Go on saying, they will (themselves) accept the truth
Aj ne te kal saray Ali Ali can ge
If not today then tomorrow everyone will repeat Ali, Ali
Rab ne kinne shaan banaye
God has blessed countless (people)
Be karma Te karm kamaye
He has even blessed the wretched
Jeda vi Tere dar Te Aaye
Whoever comes to your doorstep
O na kaddivi khaali jaye
Never returns empty-handed
Shana uchiyaan teria Peera
Oh teacher (referring to Ali) with lofty grace
Hovan door haneriyaan Peera
May the darkness (within me) be purged, Oh teacher
Aasan he ba teriya Peera
I have pinned my (very many) hopes in you, Oh teacher
Soon arzaa aj meeriya Peera
Grant my requests today, Oh teacher
Raag: Kafi
Commentary: This song, which has been popular in the Indian subcontinent for centuries, is based on a poem by the Chisti Sufi and musical genius, Amir Khusro, which was later modified by the great Panjabi Sufi poet Bulleh Shah. The song’s lyrics honor and revere (but do not worship) ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, to whom virtually all Sufi orders trace their lineage, as well as the famous 12th century Sufi saint of Sindh, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar.
*A Qalandar is a type of wandering Sufi or dervish who would often live in the wilderness and wear tattered clothes. Lal Shahbaz Qalandar was one such Sufi.
**Drunkenness here refers not to intoxication from alcohol, but to the ecstatic state of remembrance of God. As the famous verse of the Egyptian Sufi poet Ibn al-Farid says:
“In remembrance of the beloved, we drank wine; we were drunk with it even before the creation of the vine.”
Words: Amir Khusro & Bulleh Shah
Music: Traditional Islamic (Sufi Qawali)
Performed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Recorded at Andante Studios
Maqām: Muhayyer Kürdi
Commentary: This piece was composed by a renowned 17th century Ottoman Polish scholar and musician, Wojciech Bobowski (1610- 1675) who embraced Islam and adopted the name Ali Ufki Bey. Sultan Murad IV (r. 1623-1640) employed Ali Ufki in his court as a language interpreter and musical composer. He assembled hundreds of classical Ottoman songs and applied Western staff notations to them for the first time in a work entitled Majmuah-e Saz u Soz (Anthology of Instrumental and Vocal Music). The lyrics for this particular song, which are ascribed to sultan Murad III (1546-1595), express the poet’s remorse for having slept through the dawn prayer.
The first line of the poem reads, “Wake from your heedlessness O my eyes awake!”
Music by Ali Ufki
Performed and arranged by Sami Yusuf
Recorded at Andante Studios
What is music and why is there so much of the enchantment of love in it?
Music is the secret of love and love is the secret of God.
—Qutb ad-Din Bakhtiar Kaki
13th Century Chishti Shaykh from Delhi
The Islamic tradition has been animated by music since its inception. The musical recitation of the Qur’an has given birth to many other profound musical traditions, which have spread the barakah—or blessed presence of the Divine—throughout the world and across the centuries. This album is a collection of gems from the rich mines of these various traditions, carefully strung together to create a musical journey from Andalusia to the Indian subcontinent and across several hundred years of history. However, these traditions of Islamic music are not meant to take the listener back in time, but rather from time to the Eternal. This music echoes, not only with the cosmic “music of the spheres,” but also with the original Divine call and human response, which the Qur’an describes:
When your Lord brought forth from the children of Adam and their descendants from their loins, He made them bear witness to their own souls: “Am I not your Lord?” They said: “Yes! we bear witness.” (7:172)
Sages and saints through the ages have described traditional Islamic music as the reverberation of this primordial “call and response,” which calls us back to the “time before time” when we were with God. As Rumi writes:
The sages have said these melodies,
We took from the rolling spheres,
The faithful say that paradise,
Turns noises to sweets for our ears
Once, when we were all parts of Adam
We heard these songs in paradise.
Although body’s clay made us forget them
In our memories, their echoes reside
Oh, Music is the lovers’ food
Who hold in mind the thought of meeting
The fire of love flares up through songs
Like blazes lit from kindling
—Rumi (Mathnawi, IV, 733)
Those whose hearts still long for that time out of time will find much to appreciate in this album. In a world that is increasingly noisy and chaotic, the music and lyrics of this album—drawn from centuries of Sufi traditions—offer a window onto an inner oasis of peace and harmony. What makes traditional Islamic music truly Islamic is not merely the lyrics or the faith of the performer, but rather the presence of the same Divine grace that emanates from the Qur’an and the person of the Prophet—the barakah muhammadiyah. This barakah can be seen in the great masterpieces of Islamic architecture and calligraphy and heard in the arresting beauty of the adhaan (call to prayer), in the beautiful recitation of the Qur’an, and in the various traditions of sacred music represented here.
Sami Yusuf’s latest work is a humble turn to these traditions of sacred music, marked by a profound love for and presence of the Divine. We hope that this album serves as an introduction to the barakah of Islamic music—the sound of the perennial love and longing for our Creator and eternal home. As Hafiz, perhaps the most musical of all poets, writes:
مطرب عشق عجب ساز و نوایی دارد
نقش هر نغمه که زد راه به جایی دارد
عالم از ناله عشاق مبادا خالی
که خوش آهنگ و فرح بخش صدايى دارد
Love’s musician has such wonderful harmony and melody
Every song is a path to a place to be found
May the world never be empty of the cry of lovers
Because it has such a sweet and joyful sound
—Hafiz
CRITICAL PRAISE
“Sami Yusuf’s music has two major characteristics that we cannot find in any other examples of traditional music in our time. Its nostalgic and seemingly sad melody narrates the story of our separation from our roots. If Rumi complains of this pain of separation through the reed, Sami resonates that pain by his soothing voice and penetrating music. But Sami doesn’t stop there. Like Rumi’s musician who played before a drunken Turk and narrated the mysteries of man’s covenant with God, Sami’s music also takes the audience to the presence of the blessed Prophet Muhammad, and ultimately through him to divine presence. In the ugly world that we live today, with each song Sami opens a new door to heaven. I do not know of any type of musician in our time who combines these qualities with a noble soul and the utmost degree of humility as Sami Yusuf does.” — Mohammad H. Faghfoory, Professor and Director, Graduate Program in Islamic Studies, George Washington University.
“Sami Yusuf’s music profoundly illustrates that it is at the point of the transcendent that all things come together. Hence his new album, Barakah, beautifully echoes the words of Khalil Gibran when he wrote, “Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife.” Barakah takes us into that deeper dimension where we understand that we are all one.” — Rev. Canon Paul-Gordon Chandler, President/Founder, CARAVAN
“Sami Yusuf’s Barakah is a remarkable achievement – a powerful engagement with Turkish, Persian, Arabic and Indian music and poetry, united by vivid artistry and spiritual vision.” — Carl W. Ernst, Kenan Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
“Sami Yusuf is in a long line of artistic treasures of the Islamic civilization. He is a gifted singer and an accomplished musician who draws from the deep well of sacred sounds that help lighten the load of this world. Our community is fortunate to have such an ambassador in a time when our faith’s beauty is often veiled by the ignorance of those furthest from it. His latest album Barakah is a powerful antidote to the current malevolent misrepresentations of the real fruits of Islamic civilization.” — Hamza Yusuf, Islamic Scholar
“In this album Ustadh Sami Yusuf brings back some of the masterpieces of traditional Islamic music. When I listened to it, it calmed and then silenced, my soul, and left me yearning to go and pray—which I think was precisely the goal.” — Ghazi bin Muhammad, Chief Advisor to King Abdullah II for Religious and Cultural Affairs and Personal Envoy of King Abdullah II
“The soul is stirred, elevated and inspired by Sami Yusuf’s glorious music in this wonderful new album so aptly named Barakah.
His exquisite voice, the sonorous harmonies, the lovely accompanying images, but above all the aspiration for all that is Godly and goodly, highlight the nobility and beauty of Islam and at the same time emphasize the Divine presence and purpose that transcends all differences and unite all who aspire for true holiness. May his music bring the message of God’s peace and love to all so that humanity may live accordingly.” — Rabbi David Rosen KSG CBE, International President, Religions for Peace
“Sami’s new album offers a unique showcase for the diverse and mighty sounds of Islamic civilisation” — Dr Tim Winter, Lecturer in Islamic Studies, University of Cambridge, and Dean of the Cambridge Muslim College.
“Transporting! Brings tears to ones eyes because the beauty is too much for the soul to bear without overflowing!! Traveling through such a spiritual and timeless universe of music in glorification…” — Virginia Gray Henry, Director of interfaith publishing house Fons Vitae.
“One of the most beautiful things I have ever heard.” — Dr. Umar Abd-Allah, American Muslim scholar and founder of the Nawawi Foundation.
“Sami Yusuf’s new album is a stunning display of talent as he seeks to remind us of our spiritual life in God. His vocal expertise, poetic renditions of song in praise, declare the glory of the Divine and in doing so, reminds all of their abilities to seek Him in our world.” — Father Nabil Haddad, priest in the Melkite Greek Catholic and director of the Jordanian Interfaith Coexistence Research Center (JICRC) in Amman, Jordan.
“When we hear Sami Yusuf’s stunning music, when we hear his voice singing the names of God, we are drawn into a deeper spirituality. I give thanks that Sami is using his talents to glorify the one God in this way.” — Bishop Dr. Munib Younan, President of the Lutheran World Federation.
“Sami’s beautiful music resonates with the soul, echoes with mind and vibrates with body.
His albums uncover the wonders and beauty of faith in the Divine, especially as manifested by the Quran, the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad and the Islamic tradition. His new album Barakah takes one out of the worldly afflictions and pains to the timeless peace, tranquility and inner happiness in closeness to the Almighty, the Merciful. I am sure this album, like its predecessors, will touch the hearts of millions.
Sami: May God embrace you with His Barakah.” — Emeritus Professor, President of Foundation for Science, Technology & Civilisation, UK (Founder of MuslimHeritage.com and www.1001inventions.com).
“At a time when there is so much anger and hatred being expressed in the world, Sami Yusuf’s new album offers us an insight into a deeply spiritual world. His Britishness is the key, weaving English, Persian and Arabic into a carpet which transports us to a dimension where the saints and the mystics inhabit. As one of Morocco’s greatest teachers reminds us “If a person came to know the bliss within his soul, he would shed a tear of joy with every breath he took.’ This is Sami’s musical world.” — Peter Sanders, Photographer/Artist