‘Mast Qalandar’ (featuring Rahat Fateh Ali Khan) is now out!

Posted on April 7th, 2016

Exciting News: Sami Yusuf has teamed up with Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan to release his rendition of the legendary Qawwali ‘Mast Qalandar’.

BUY the single here:  http://smarturl.it/MastQalandar

 

Mast Qalandar – Lyrics 

 

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

 

Commentary: This song, which has been popular in the Indian subcontinent for centuries, is based on a poem by the Chishti 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

 

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