The Legend that was Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan...

[MIG]

Another Great Khan to honour us with his talents was the greatest exponent of the art of Qawwali, The Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

Sadly he died in what I would say was the prime of his career, but his music lives on.

In the early 1990s I listened to him the first time and the Qawwali was Allah Hoo and life was never the same again - I was addicted to his very special brand of music.

Later in 1997 ( I think ), I had the honour and privilege to see this man perform live in Toronto - it was an experience I will cherish forever.

An interesting bit of folklore doing the round in Toronto at that time was as follows:

"During one of his concerts, a man overcome by the power of his music, accidentally slipped and fell on the stage from one of the stands! NFK stopped singing and waited until people were able to pick him up. Once it was clear that all was Ok, he started singing again. The man, now placed on a stretcher, started to move with the rythm once again !!"

Amazing NFK and thanks for providing this and many generations after us, the gift of your voice - truly a gift from Allah!


So Ustad in your own words ...

"Sanu Ek Pal Chain Na Aawe, Sajna Tere Bina’’

 

[catwoman]

A great singer indeed, hope he rests in peace. I have to admit, I'm not too keen on qawali but love some of his songs especally Dam Mast Kalender.

 

[MIG]

A great singer indeed, hope he rests in peace. I have to admit, I'm not too keen on qawali but love some of his songs especally Dam Mast Kalender.

There you go - you call it a song - I will call it Qawwali ! ( unless you are referring to some remix )

 

[catwoman]

Song, qawali - same thing..both are part of music.

 

[waquas_uk]

i love NFAK qawali hes got a great voice i could sit there listening 2 him all day.

his remixs are good no wer near his qawali

 

[waquas_uk]

some of my favs tumhedilagi, Allah Hoo, heeray mein jogi, yeh jo halka halka saroor hai, and many more

 

[Oxy]

Mera Ustad!

He is buried in the same cemetary as my grandfather in Faisalabad (which was his hometown).

A legend. Proud to own a dozen or so of his CD's.

The Live Qawaali...nothing beats it. The modern day collaborations were good as it showed how many differnt genres he had 'infiltrated'.

 

[Schiller]

Loved his works!!!

Some very very memorable songs though I think he passed away at the rt moment, he probably would have gone downhill from there, considering the last 1 or 2 albums, i feel

though when it comes to qawwali, id still go with aziz mian

 

[MIG]

I dont like Aziz Mians voice - its kinda , the urdu phrase is "phat gayee hai "


NFK had a very strong voice and the fact is whatever he sung - that voice was distinctive enough by itself to make the lyrics irrelevant !

 

[w4s1m786]

the guy was pure class, still tunes are still flowing in bollywood, my av tune of his is afreen afreen

 

[Schiller]

"I dont like Aziz Mians voice - its kinda , the urdu phrase is "phat gayee hai "


while that is a fair pt migsy but he nonetheless, i think, sang marvellously, he had a good pitch and carried the song brilliantly throughout without letting the excitement of song die out

 

[w4s1m786]

doese anyone like attah ullah khan? i think he was very goos some of his remix are really nice aswell

 

[Officer Barbrady]

Along with his qawwali (Allah hoo is certainly one of those that stand out), local songs (he had songs as well migtator!) he also did some work with western musicians which is also good stuff.

 

[MIG]

songs !! Eeekk - I was listening to one on a local radio station about Dulha Dulhan - the lyrics were really bad ( typical Indian movie stuff ) but his voice was so brilliant that it just shines through everything

 

[MecnunK]

Yeah Nusret was good with an excellent command over the notes, one of the few peopel I have heard that had control from end of the spectrum to the other howwever Aziz Mian rocks!! and is my most fav. I felt Nusret should'nt have gone too commercial with doing tracks for Indian films etc..and he started coming out with innane songs in the end.

Atta Ullah did some good stuff early in his career but petered out..besdies he only sang good when he had had a few

 

[Oxy]

He did some forgettable stuff for Pak movies towards the end.

But Ill let him off for that!

 

[Rana Banana]

did u know that after he died his wife had a dream she saw him but she saw his tongue moving around his face this was because allah had punished because he sang songs for bollywood and indian films thats what he told his wife in her dream and then she told people in birmingham not to buy any of his cds or cassetes because they are wrong
i heard this story about 4 years ago

 

[Oxy]

...must be true if you heard it.

 

[Rana Banana]

should be true i don't want people saying that i'm making rumors just ask people who live in birmingham

 

[MIG]

did u know that after he died his wife had a dream she saw him but she saw his tongue moving around his face this was because allah had punished because he sang songs for bollywood and indian films thats what he told his wife in her dream and then she told people in birmingham not to buy any of his cds or cassetes because they are wrong
i heard this story about 4 years ago

Sounds and feels awful - Rana Banana Bhai - pls dont post stuff like this unless you have a sure source - Music to some is Haram - period - why should singing for Bollywood actresses make it extra bad ?

 

[Officer Barbrady]

Yes that was a report in the famous urdu press (I heard a somewhat different version) . Rubbish yes but it sells..

He did have some good Pak songs...Wohi Khuda hay, Is duniya kay ghum (one of my favorites) etc

 

[MIG]

should be true i don't want people saying that i'm making rumors just ask people who live in birmingham

This Birmingham seems to be a happening place - lots of little stories come out from there.....

 

[MecnunK]

I remember Tauba from one of his lat albums and that was the only good qawalli/song on the entire album but it was very good. I have even heard must calunder in nightclubs the one remixed by massive attack but if Peter Gabriel works witha guy whose language and words he cannot understand then it's fair to assume the guy is something special indeed.

 

[robosapien]

Dam Mast Kalender=ab bas kar bandar

 

[SM]

he had a few decent Qawwali

 

[robosapien]

my favourite album of his was "night songs".

 

[waquas_uk]

his nephew is very good aswell

oh yeah i forget earlier sanson ki mala is my fav song of nfak

 

[Big Daddy]

about his wifes dream , even i read it , back in the day when i was in pakistan , it came in jung , and she appealed to his music lovers , that refrain from listening to his music,
i dont kno however how true this was . hope he rests in peace though , ameen

 

[entralinks]

One of the persons I've hated the most in my life.

 

[Officer Barbrady]

One of the persons I've hated the most in my life.

Who Nusrat? Why?

 

[Hussain]

he actually made his debut well before he was recognized as a heavy weight in this field .


tht happened when he got better sponsors + better coverage and recording facilities
not to forget his break through emcomium

"Dam a Dam MAst Qalandar "

 

[Hash]

a true Pakistani legend.

I love Qawalli and Nustrat Fateh Ali was simply breath taking. I have a couple of his CDs and I've played them to a couple of my white university housemates and they were impressed by the power of his music.

Don't understand the fundos who have to start spreading rumours about him (not aiming this at the people who posted above, but the people who started this) and I certainly wouldn't trust the Jang newspaper as a particularly reliable source given that it is 'The Sun' of Pakistan minus the page 3.

 

[waquas_uk]

i think im the only 18 yr old in uk who like nfak

 

[Gasherbrum]

http://www.matteela.com/nusrat/

don't know if the movie clip still works though.

what control khan sahab possessed.

 

[w4s1m786]

nfak is still a legend

 

[Hussain]

i think im the only 18 yr old in uk who like nfak

u ve got company here +

 

[Saj]

an absolutely awesome singer whom I had the pleasure of meeting and watching sing live a couple of times.

No long journey in my car is ever completed without a couple of Nusrats qawallis.

 

[MecnunK]

He wa salos on teh soundtrack to Natural born killers I think.

Entra why you hate him?

 

[Awesome Anjum]

i think im da only y10 who Loves nfak

the best ever ! top voice- gr8 songs - my fave is akhiyan udeek diyan and kina sona tenu rub ne bania

 

[Schiller]

and on soundtrack of dead man walking

his night songs with michael something were brilliant I thought

 

[Officer Barbrady]

He wa salos on teh soundtrack to Natural born killers I think.

Yes he was. 'Taboo' with Peter Gabriel is quite amazing. He worked with Eddie Vedder as well.

 

[Schiller]

though veder did better than him (though music was nfa's i think) in the sond 'a long road' brilliant song

 

[Awesome Anjum]

did u know that after he died his wife had a dream she saw him but she saw his tongue moving around his face this was because allah had punished because he sang songs for bollywood and indian films thats what he told his wife in her dream and then she told people in birmingham not to buy any of his cds or cassetes because they are wrong
i heard this story about 4 years ago

Sounds and feels awful - Rana Banana Bhai - pls dont post stuff like this unless you have a sure source - Music to some is Haram - period - why should singing for Bollywood actresses make it extra bad ?

I heard this story aswell but I think its complete bullcrap.

 

[Waqar's inswinging yorker]

muhammad ali the boxer was also a fan of his,

 

[Guest]

I had the chance to meet the great man a few years before his death. My cousin's husband promoted some of his concerts at the Barbican, in London. Derek Pringle was a fan. I think he was introduced to it by Salim Malik.

Anyway I've had the pleasure to spend some time with a number of high profile Pakistanis- Javed, Imran, Jahanghir, Jansher, Salim Malik, Wasim, Waqar, Aamir Sohail, Younis Ahmed, Saeed Ahmed.

Of the lot NFK had the most charisma. Both him and Jahanghir were the most humble. I especially enjoyed his collaboration with Javed Akhter (Afreen) in his latter years, however nothing can beat his earlier qwwali repertoire. It was always my wish to have him play at my wedding even if it was for only 5mins. Allah (swt) had other ideas.
"Sanu Ek Pal Chain Na Aawe, Sajna Tere Bina’’ indeed.

 

[entralinks]

I do not like qawalis is one reason. Second its like making fun of Islam. Also the way of singing them is just aweful, 9 people are shouting at one time maybe trying to say to one another 'Stop shouting!'. There is no organisation. In islamic qawalis they do at times go overboard when praising a sahabi or nabi, just like poetry. And the badest part is people think listening to qawalis is Islamically good.


Now I know you all will jump on me, so let me say my last good bye first.


F*** off everyone!

 

[MIG]

Ok everyone JUMP on ENTRA...... \BF/

 

[pakdesi]

did u know that after he died his wife had a dream she saw him but she saw his tongue moving around his face this was because allah had punished because he sang songs for bollywood and indian films thats what he told his wife in her dream and then she told people in birmingham not to buy any of his cds or cassetes because they are wrong
i heard this story about 4 years ago

Sounds and feels awful - Rana Banana Bhai - pls dont post stuff like this unless you have a sure source - Music to some is Haram - period - why should singing for Bollywood actresses make it extra bad ?

I heard this story aswell but I think its complete bullcrap.

i heard it differently i was in faisalabad when he passed away i didnt go to his janazah but ,what i heard was that after a while they decided to move his b body to lahore and when they dug up the grave they saw his toungue wrapped arounnd him and fire coming out so they just closed it again ,and ulama said that is the azab for singing and music ,ONLY ALLAH KNOWS F ITS TRUE but i haerd it from many people

 

[Hash]

pakdesi- that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard in my life

 

[badxhah]

MIG bahi u live in TO where ?

 

[pakdesi]

ALLAH KNOWS IF ITS TRUE AS I HAVNT SEEN IT WITH MY OWN EYEZ BUT I have HERAD IT FROM PPL

 

[MIG]

ALLAH KNOWS IF ITS TRUE AS I HAVNT SEEN IT WITH MY OWN EYEZ BUT I have HERAD IT FROM PPL

Bhai PAKDESI, people exaggerate as well !

 

[Geordie Ahmed]

ALLAH KNOWS IF ITS TRUE AS I HAVNT SEEN IT WITH MY OWN EYEZ BUT I have HERAD IT FROM PPL

Bhai PAKDESI, people exaggerate as well !

Not Pakistanis tho

 

[Nakhuda]

Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan had a wonderful voice but i found many of the lyrics in his Qawwali's to be sheer blasphemy for he often used non-Islamic words probably in order to be more acceptable to the Hindu's and Sikh's hoping it'll give him entrance to Bollywood.However i've never heard about his grave being dug-up by some Mullah who is then greeted with fire and his tongue wrapped around him for surely digging up a grave is a major sin in the first place.My favourite Qawwals were the Sabri Brothers because there Qawwali's were more meaningful and deeper then Nusrat's and they also had more knowledge of Arabic and Farsi unlike Nusrat who prided himself on the Hindu rag!

 

[Awesome Anjum]

Fantastic artist and amazing singer. I don't think I'll ever tire of listening to his Qawwalies. To the chap above me, I disagree with the 'hindu rag' comment. Many muslims have mastered what you refer to as the 'hindu' rag (Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali, Ustad Ghulam Mustafa, Ustad Amanat Ali etc), and secondly I'm not sure how Hindu it is. Most of these raags were invented by Hazrat Amir Khusro, a Muslim. Furthermore, during Nusrats major years of activity, the Bollywood music had declined to such an extent (and still is declining) that I do not think that there are many Indian film goers who would appreciate raag.

 

[Talisa]

I think he was amazing and I love his voice.
I don't understand the language but i did get someone to translate for me and found the words very moving.

 

[UP]

When ever I'm in stress or not feeling well I always listen to his qawalis and I cant tell you in words how much relax I feel after lisening to his music....I have so many of his songs in my iPod and I never get tired of them. What a musician he was

 

[lilFlip]

Masha'Allah!!

His voice is mystical, its magical! What an artist.

Can't stop listening his Qawwalis!

 

[MenInG]

Today is his death anniversary

 

[Arham_PakFan]

The greatest ever.His voice was ethereal.

I still listen to his songs.

 

[Free Hit]

There will never be another NFAK or anyone even close to his level.

Amazing!!!

 

[Vegitto1]

The power of his voice remains unmatched!

 

[Mueez]

Legend.

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Best ever. No one like him.

 

[shaaik]

He probably would have been more famous than Michael Jackson if his medium was English. To me, he's the best singer the world would ever see..

 

[Fahdi]

There are many renditions of his songs but none can match his brilliance.

 

[sjahmed23]

I remember one time going to speak with a VP of the company I used to work at. He was an Indian who moved to the US in the 80s and moved up the ranks eventually leading a deparment of 1,300 employees. During the meeting we had some small talk and I was surprised to learn how big of a NFAIK he was and pretty much kept talking about his favorite songs.

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Best ever!

Aqal mai jo ghir gaya la intahaa kyun hua
jo samajh mai aa gaya phir wo Khuda kyun kr hua

 

[Justcrazy]

his nephew is very good aswell

oh yeah i forget earlier sanson ki mala is my fav song of nfak

Nusrat Fateh Sahab was unique .

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

<3

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

The above image from this sufi qawwali..

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

40 percent of comments on NFAKs qawaliis are from Indians. Surprising as the Urdu in most qawaliis is not easy to understand most of the times. Nevertheless a pleasant surprise

 

[ChuckLee]

Legend

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Nfak singing bhajjan by Mira Bai.

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

 

[Sachin136]

Aaj ke music ka kya class hain.

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Aaj ke music ka kya class hain.

Listen this version too brother.

 

[Zeeraq]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Remembering iconic qawwali maestro Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan on his birth anniversary. Popularly known as "Shahenshah-e-Qawwali", the legend of Pakistan’s greatest singer lives on and so do his qawwalis. &#55356;&#56821;&#55356;&#56816;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NFAK?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NFAK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NusratFatehAliKhan?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NusratFatehAliKhan</a> &#55356;&#57276; <a href="https://t.co/Yq0UATtkW6">pic.twitter.com/Yq0UATtkW6</a></p>— Govt of Pakistan (@pid_gov) <a href="https://twitter.com/pid_gov/status/1051014631282667520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[RogerBao]

40 percent of comments on NFAKs qawaliis are from Indians. Surprising as the Urdu in most qawaliis is not easy to understand most of the times. Nevertheless a pleasant surprise

This was the last Bollywood song/appearance by NFAK. Movie was released on 15 Aug 1997, he died the next day. Probably got the heart attack after watching himself with that bozzo Bobbly Deol & other clowns (except Aishwarya though).

I do not like qawalis is one reason. Second its like making fun of Islam. Also the way of singing them is just aweful, 9 people are shouting at one time maybe trying to say to one another 'Stop shouting!'. There is no organisation. In islamic qawalis they do at times go overboard when praising a sahabi or nabi, just like poetry. And the badest part is people think listening to qawalis is Islamically good.

It seems except for Quranic recitations, music & musical instruments are haram.

https://islamqa.info/en/5000

 

[shaaik]

Best ever!

Aqal mai jo ghir gaya la intahaa kyun hua
jo samajh mai aa gaya phir wo Khuda kyun kr hua

One of my favs too.