Wah Wah Ustad Jee

 

(38) Wah Wah Ustad Jee

August '97

by Fazeel Azeez Chauhan

The great master's soul became free from his body a few days ago. We mourn this great loss to humanity. And we send Khan, all our love for giving us so much wealth in the forty nine years he was around us.

I sit and ponder.....listening to one of my favorite Qawalis:

Iss Karam Ka Karun Shukar Kaisay Ada

Jo Karam Mujh Pay Mayray Nabi Kar Diya

I can't help but cry for him, as if he was a dear friend. Because he did give us a lot. He was a guide, a teacher and a light. He lives in a special place in our hearts because he was also a member of our Muslim family. Our brother brought immense honor to our family.

How can I measure and state all the Faiz (benefits) that we received from Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

Do you remember where you were when you heard the news? I didn't believe that he had passed when I saw it on tv last Saturday. I was in shock and denial. Even though I had known for about a year that he was very sick, I didn't want him to go behind the veil so soon. Is that selfish and greedy on my part? No, I think I just love him a lot and wanted him to stick around for a long time.

Since last August, he spent several months here in the Los Angeles area. He used to come to UCLA for treatment and was said to be residing in Santa Monica. And during the last year, I saw him at a few shows. Sometimes I saw him performing and at other times, he was an honorable guest at other artists' shows. I always wanted to meet him but didn't get the opportunity until two months ago.

I was visiting Pakistan and staying in "Data Ki Nagri" Lahore. It was a great honor to visit the shrine of the great saint Data Ali Hajweri:

Na-kasaan Da Peer Kamil

Kamilaan Ra Rahnuma

On the occasion of Data Sahab's Urs, dozens of Qawals paid homage to the great sufi master. As they say, when Aulia-Allah (Enlightened people) become free of their bodies, we should not say that they are dead. Once free from the constraints of a body, the holy souls become even more powerful:

Jin Ki Mehfil Saji Ho

Woh Zaroor Aatay hain

When Khan Sahab concluded the Mehfil-e-Sama at this occasion, I didn't know that two months later, he'd be hanging out with Data Sahab even more. I invited him back to Los Angeles and requested him to sing for a much longer time than his previous show. He just nodded his head saying okay. Okay Khan Sahab, I'm just honored that I got a chance to see you and finally speak to you. You have been speaking to me for so many years through your music. I am truly grateful for what you have given to humanity. We who discovered your music are very lucky. We who speak your language are even more thankful.

You speak of love, passion and humanity. With your message, you were able to change the negative stereotypes that some people have about Islam. At your concerts, you graced us with your mere presence. You made all the people dance with joy, stirring them up with those powerful taals of the tabla . You awakened our souls with the deep vibrations of your melodies. You brought honor, respect and courage to the Muslim people of the world. You reached the top of the world with the Pakistani passport in your pocket and Allah-Hu in your breath and Islam synchronized within your heartbeat. You were truly a Nusrat and Fateh (Victory). And there is no doubt about that.

Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, through your words and music, you teach us to feel alive. You teach us to look, to hear, to discover, to learn, to love, to wonder, to be thankful, to love our pain, to get in touch with the Creator, to enjoy life, to have fun, to honor the thousands of Prophets and Aulia-Allah, to keep Islam in our hearts, to act, to treat other people with love and kindness, and to live as good human beings. Thankyou Ustad Jee for giving us all of this and lots more. We are very grateful to you. We will strive to live up to your example. You are always alive in our hearts. And we promise to keep hearing what you have to say to us so that we can reach higher. I will always love you Ustad Jee!

Thank you South Asian Network

 

(34) Thank You SAN

12-19-96 by Fazeel Chauhan

To Mr. Hamid Khan, South Asian Network

I would like to thank you for all the help you've provided me through SAN over the past four years. For me, South Asian Network has been a place where I can come to and get the precious feeling of belongingness. There are many South Asian people, specially the youth, who are in the same predicament as me. You have been educating and teaching them about Career Development, English, Yoga, Laws, Health issues and Immigration. The greatest benefit I personally gain is through the group discussions on Immigration and Family issues.

South Asians are an extremely new group of people to immigrate to America. Here, we lack the roots or background of a historical presence. Since our numbers are very small and we arrived here very recently, we don't have proper political representation. There is also a lot of misinformation about our people in the media. Those of us who are Muslims are falsely and frequently misrepresented as terrorists who are violent and oppressive toward women. These major issues, combined with the stress of adjusting to the new country and culture can really isolate a person. The fast paced and unfriendly culture of Los Angeles also adds to the difficulties that our people encounter. Often we feel misunderstood, isolated, out of place and longing for a feeling of home.

Really, the only option available to us when we want to be with our community is through religious affiliation. I can go to the Mosque and pray with other Muslims. But there aren't any social activities that take place there. For example, no classes about American culture, English or Career Development are offered. There also aren't any programs like mentoring, personal counseling or group discussions. South Asian Network fills the void for these needs. Most people in our community have not heard of the important services that SAN is providing. It is a fairly new organization, but its vision is very critical for the progress of our community. As more people find out about what SAN is offering, the available funds will increase and so will the services to the community.

Many people like me also lack a family because we immigrated here alone. The sincere people at SAN have given me tremendous support. You have provided me with a lot of understanding through personal attention because of which I don't feel so lost and alone anymore. The volunteers at SAN, like you, give me the greatest respect as a human being. And this makes me feel like I have some worth and that I have something of value to give back to my community. In southern California, it is nearly impossible to find people who genuinely care about other human beings. Everyone is just too busy. But SAN has a different vision, and you embrace me for who I am, rather than judging me. This makes me feel like I belong here. Otherwise, I frequently feel like I am slipping through the cracks of society.

I commend you for having the courage and for taking the time to help our community. I also thank you for teaching me, for educating me and for genuinely caring about me. I am always grateful to you. You can call me to help you with any volunteer work for SAN.

Imran Khan's Cancer Fund-Raiser

 

(29) Imran Khan's Cancer Fund-Raiser

12-2-98

by Fazeel Azeez Chauhan

Some of Pakistan's best artists gathered last Saturday, to raise money for a worthy cause. These celebrities included an acclaimed rock band named Junoon, the most innovative comedian Moin Akhtar and famous Cricketer-turned-politician, Imran Khan. The event was a great success because in a matter of a few hours, around $130,000 was raised for the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital.

The hospital is located in Lahore and is named after Mr. Khan's mother. He talked about the poor conditions of health care in Pakistan. "My mother had colon cancer which is usually one of the easiest type of cancers to detect. But when her simple tests were conducted at three different labs, none of them provided the same results". Only fifty years ago, the country was founded on the basis of Islamic values. But now some people are promoting a new god: money. They illegally produce counterfeit items. From the packaging, it is impossible to tell which box of Gold Leaf cigarettes is fake. In the case of cigarettes, both the real and the fake ones can cause cancer. But what happens when the person with lung cancer requires medical care and can't tell if the medicine he's taking is fake also?

According to Bashir Ahmad the miniature painter, a person with a minor ailment, who walks into a clinic can easily end up being brought out dead. He may receive an injection through a contaminated needle and become infected with the AIDS virus. Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan got infected with Hepatitis in a hospital while going through a kidney dialysis procedure. Hepatitis can usually be contracted in dirty places. According to Islam, cleanliness is half the religion. From Shamans to Hakeems to Doctors, the profession of healing is meant to be sacred. This is a field in which sanitary conditions and purity of medicine is essential. But what can people do when they can't find unadulterated medicines? Patients who would quickly recover if treated with the real medicine, often end up getting sicker because they received impure medicine. Many people suffer from dangerous side effects because medicines have been turned to poison. There are victims in my own family. To get rich quick, the hell bound manufacturers are killing people. They have Muslim names but have forgotten an inevitable meeting with their maker.

Thus the general situation of medical care is hopeless. So Imran Khan's mission is to create a model institution which would raise the standards of medicine in the whole country. SKMC hospital is the only one dedicated solely to cancer treatment in Pakistan. The country's population is over 130 million. Due to widespread uncleanliness, cigarette smoking, poor nutrition and pollution, there are probably a million people suffering from cancer. SKMC hospital is a ray of hope in such a bleak environment.

Imran Khan assured the supporters that "To avoid what happened with his mother for example, lab tests are now being conducted at the hospital which are accurate and reliable. Over the last three years, more than 200,000 patient visits have occurred. The total cost incurred in this process has been $15,000,000. We are so overwhelmed with the quantity of patients that many simply have to be turned away. The hospital was built and is maintained without any help from the government. We are only able to accept patients whose chance of survival is over 50 percent. The treatment is free for 95% of the patients and people come from as far away as Afghanistan. Our purpose is to treat a poor person as a human being. All our patients are treated with equality. Thirty percent of our budget is for purchasing medicines and equipment from outside the country. We have difficulties now because of the Rupee's devaluation".

An introductory video about the hospital, titled "Vision of Hope" was shown. The non-Pakistani director talked about plans to create mobile cancer units. Beloved comedian Mr. Moin Akhtar was said to have played an important role in pioneering the hospital. He is also a big supporter of the Insaaf party to get Mr. Khan elected into government. Most expatriates sadly watch the deterioration of Pakistan and pray that an honest leader would come and put the country back on track. Many would support the elimination of corruption "by any means necessary". Hopefully, Imran Khan will get elected as Prime Minister soon and solve the problems utilizing an honorable and well educated team of assistants. People's skepticism, hopelessness and a sense of failure will be overcome.

Unfortunately, the audience didn't get a chance to enjoy Moin Akhtar's hilarious comedy. He only told a couple of jokes because it was a serious event. Though he was ill, he still hosted the show and said "At one point I did so many shows that I thought I might end up in the Cancer hospital myself. I truly respect Captaan Saheb and will follow his leadership anywhere. Life is a reel which doesn't have a "Rewind" button. Quran stresses that a person should attempt to think about and understand his life. Please help the cancer patients who don't have any place else to go for treatment. Even a one cent donation will help someone in the hospital. I was moved when a little child donated two dollars".

Recitation of the holy Quran was by Mohammad Khan. Opening remarks were by Dr. Mohammad Razaq. The speakers included Dr. Khalid Sheikh, Abubakar Vakil, Dr. Nafees Nagy and Safi Qureshi. Many people crowded around Mr. and Mrs. Imran Khan to chat and take pictures with them. The night was closed by the energizing music of "Junoon". The rock band opened with "Laal Mayree Pat" and their number one hit "Sayyonee". They played all their popular songs for over an hour. The young crowd thoroughly enjoyed their powerful music though the older people started moving further and further away from the ceiling-high speakers. Junoon is probably the best South Asian band in the world. They have been able to cross the political and religious boundaries to become widely accepted even in India. The multi-cultural union of these musicians is highly commendable.

An important lesson learned was that celebrities have a much easier time raising money. A week earlier, the Council on American-Islamic Affairs was pulling teeth to raise $88,000. But Imran Khan, Moin Akhtar and Junoon did not have to say much to get people to empty their pockets. One person even gave a blank check. One volunteer was privately preaching Pakistani patriotism against Indians. The ten years of university education in America was unable to eliminate prejudice. Truth is, no matter which group or sub-group you don't like, human beings have most things in common with each other. We should learn from Cancer which is better than racists, because it has no prejudice. That is why people who are richer and luckier put in a lot of effort to make this humanitarian event a success. We salute all the unsung heroes who put so much time, energy and money to organize the fund raiser to help a group of people who may be less fortunate than us

 

 

Rattle Snake

 

(26) Rattle Snake

4-2-93 by Fazeel Chauhan

When I was in Abbottabad, I was about 15 years old. Still a young boy. One day, my best friend Javed and I were walking to the Cafeteria to get some food. On the side of the road is a "V" shaped water drainage area. It's made of concrete and is like an open pipe, that runs along the road to move the rain water so the area doesn't get flooded.

I heard the movement of some dry leaves. This sound was coming from the drain. I kind of ignored it. But the rattling of the leaves also caught Javed's attention. So we casually walked toward the edge of the road and looked down at the two feet deep drain. In the backs of our minds, we were expecting something "harmless" like a frog or something. But we were shocked and scared to see a big snake there, moving ahead, inside this drain. At this unexpected sight, we panicked. Javed got a rock and tried to hit it with the intention of killing the snake. He was brownish, with some black marks. He was kind of fat and around six or seven feet long. Poor guy, it was not his day. Both Javed and I were scared on one hand, that the snake may bite us. On the other hand, at some level we thought we had to get rid of this pest so that it won't kill anyone else. We threw several rocks at it. Even though we were above it and very close to it, we could not hit him and kept missing. Poor soul, he probably was harmless and just wanted to be left alone.

By now, a few other kids stopped as they were passing by, to see what the excitement was all about. One of them also searched around and found some rocks, which he threw at the snake. Eventually, the snake was hit a couple of times but was not killed. One of the workers showed up and we left the matter to him. I hope the snake was killed and not left injured and in pain like that.

In those days, I thought of all snakes as dangerous and poisonous. In fact I remember a book I had read which talked about famous people who had been killed by different kinds of snakes. But the picture that had been drawn in my mind was not a valid one. Now I've learned that the snake, as all the other animals, has its own beauty and its own purpose. There are many kinds of snakes and most of them are non-poisonous. I have seen serpents which are non-poisonous and are not harmful to humans. In general, the idea about snakes is that they will not bother human beings, unless the human beings bother them first. For example, if a person goes into a cave, which may be a snake's home, he is likely to get bitten if the man happens to stumble on the snake.

Man is the most dangerous animal, a much worse killer than a snake. Don't you agree? We are the ones who kill our own kind, which very few animals do. We are the ones destroying the forests, the oceans, and all the animals and plant life in them. We are the ones polluting the oceans and the land, and even outer space. But... that's a long story in itself....

 

A Public Service Announcement Video about Muslims and Islam

 

(24) A Public Service Announcement Video:

Muslims and Islam

 by Fazeel Chauhan, 1996

Background Music:

Mix of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

Muslims are fun loving and good people. There are One billion Muslim men, women and children all around the world, who believe in the religion of Islam.

Muslims are often stereotyped as terrorists and portrayed as villains in the media. Just like other ethnic groups have been wrongfully stereotyped in the past, such as Native Americans, Jews and African Americans. There is too much misinformation about Muslims and Islam. But the truth is that Muslims are very peaceful and loving human beings who, like many Americans, believe in Jesus, Moses and Abraham as prophets of God.

Approximately one American in a million commits a murder. But that doesn't mean that all Americans are murderers. Similarly, about one in a million Muslims commits a violent act on TV. But that does not mean that all Muslims are violent.

Ask yourself, could a terrorist make something as romantic and as beautiful as the Taj Mahal? No way! The truth is that the Muslim Emperor Shah Jahan made the Taj Mahal as a token of his incredible love for his wife. And there are thousands of other magnificent examples of Muslim architecture and art, all over the world.

Ask yourself, is Aladdin a terrorist? His story is hundreds of years old and is taken from the Arabian book called A Thousand And One Nights. It is the story of Allah-Deen and his magic lamp.

Women are highly respected in Muslim societies. Women have been elected as Prime Ministers in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Turkey.

From the gas in your car to the Arabic Numbers in Mathematics, Muslims continue to provide important contributions to the Global community. Important sports figures like Mohammed Ali, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Hakeem Alajuan represent good role models of Muslims.

We invite you to find out the truth about Muslim people. The Quran and other books on Islam are available at your local library or bookstore. For further information, you can also contact the Islamic Society of Orange County by calling (714)531-1722

Let's cooperate and create a truly Global Community. We can achieve that if we treat all human beings with respect, no matter what color, gender or religion

 

 

Bandit Queen

by Fazeel Aziz Chauhan

(Published in Pakistan Link  ~  8-7-95)

 
"Bandit Queen" is the name of a new Indian movie. It is a true story based on the life of a famous woman named Phoolan Devi. At one point in time, the film was banned in India because of its controversial content. The movie is not just about Phoolan Devi, however, because it deals with some of the deep social issues of India and Pakistan. This is a very remarkable and socially conscious movie, which makes the viewer look inside. For the Desi viewer, the reality of this movie is hard to accept.
The film opens with an image of a young eleven year old girl. She stares right into your eyes and tells you in a powerful and assertive voice "Yes, I am Phoolan Devi..." At the end of the sentence was a common curse word. This was very unexpected and really grabbed my attention. A young, cute, innocent little girl is not supposed to talk like that. It made me sit up in my seat and I wondered "What was that." From the beginning, the movie was very disturbing. But this ugly discomfort had a very strong and positive effect on my psyche.
Another nice touch in "Bandit Queen" was that Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was the music composer. There was a haunting song which was sung by a child. Khan kept the music in its raw form and gave it a rough edge. Even the music was packaged in a very real way. This movie represents one of those very rare occasions when the film medium has been used to present the truth to people. Almost all Pakistani and Indian movies show us a romanticized view of life. Like tv, movies can become a drug that we use to escape from real life. We've all seen enough of these movies about fictitious characters who live in a nonexistent world, that we start expecting our real lives to be like that too. But when real life strikes us over the head, it is a very disappointing experience. Films and tv can be very powerful and motivating tools if we want to bring a positive change in the world. That is one reason why this is such an awesome movie.
In Bandit Queen, there were issues which were absolutely the truth but these were hard to swallow. The ugly realities of our society were very difficult to accept. I found myself sitting at the Nuart Theatre in Santa Monica. Almost everybody in the audience was American and there were hardly any Desi people. This made it worse. My first reaction was that I don't want Americans to see all these evil things about my culture. It will give them another excuse to discriminate and belittle us. But if our own society will not acknowledge these problems in our culture, then it might take outside observers to convince us that hey, this behavior is not right.
So what was so disturbing in this movie? It exposed the worst kind of child abuse. It slapped me to show me the severe oppression of women. It demonstrated how rich people can take poor people for granted and make their lives so cheap. It shouted of how human beings who don't have enough money or status are treated worse than animals. It screamed with the pain of women who have no choices and who have to live their whole lives like prisoners and slaves. It makes you sick about the class system which exists in both India and Pakistan.
The movie really shook me up. It woke me up and reminded me of the society that I come from. It showed me who I am. It made me realize the truths about myself and my people, which I didn't want to accept. It showed me the suffering of the masses of India and Pakistan. It reminded me of the raw, blunt and painful prejudice that my people have. Prejudice against how others look, against women, against the poor and against people who have a lower class. It is very powerful movie. If enough of us see it, then making positive changes in our society will become easier. You will realize that there are a lot of things you want to change. You will feel like taking some action to help somebody. And maybe you will follow through and do something to stop the oppression, injustice, prejudice, and other crimes against humanity. What do you feel?

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in Los Angeles, 1996

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan '96

by Fazeel Aziz Chauhan

(Published in Pakistan Link ~ September '96)

In August, I had the honor of seeing Khan in concert twice.The man is responsible for making Qawali music popular around the world. He has truly had a profound influence on my life. I traveled to Berkeley with my father and noticed the majority of the audience was Caucasian. Knowing that being a Muslim is considered a crime in America, I was very happy and proud to see that they had come to appreciate a Pakistani Muslim. I realized that it was an extremely rare occasion where the man being admired by Americans was mine, the music was mine and the heritage he represented was mine. That makes us feel proud. Outside that auditorium, there isn't a large place we can call our own. The overt and covert pressures of society can force a person to not be himself. But at Khan's shows we felt free to walk, dress, talk and act in our own true and natural way.

In Los Angeles, the tension in the air may have been due to the open racism here. But Pakistani youth danced in ecstacy, free and proud. Some demonstrated their power and rebellion by taking off their shirts. We usually hear nothing good about Muslims from the dominant society. Khan has broken through those barriers, forcing the listeners to take a second look at Muslims. His music is on the soundtracks of Last Temptation of Christ, Bandit Queen, Natural Born Killers and Dead Man Walking. He has albums with Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, and Michael Brooks.
Khan sings many Qawalis about Allah and Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). In addition, he sings about the lives of many Saints who can serve as real heroes. For example, one of the many Qawalis praising Hazrat Ali talks about his courage stating:
Ali was victorious in all battlefields
Khayber still trembles upon hearing his name
When I sit in my car and plug in one of Khan's tapes, it takes me to another world. There, I get wisdom, courage, and joy. And I am ready to face whatever comes my way.
Professor Tayyab says "It is not that WE are trying to be like THEM. The truth is, THEY are trying to be like US". They steal ideas from the East, re-package them and label them as "Western". Why is it "cool" for Sting and Robert Plant to wear our Kurta or Sherwani, but when we wear our own clothes, it's frowned upon as if it's unacceptable like a crime?

Khan Rocks the Pyramid

Khan Rocks the Pyramid

by Fazeel Aziz Chauhan

(Published in Pakistan Link 9-19-95)

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan should be in the next Memorex commercial. In one of their old TV ads, a woman is shown singing in a high pitch and she causes a glass to break with her powerful voice. But in the new commercial, Khan saheb should be shown causing an avalanche on K-2.

After watching Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's concert in L.A. on Saturday, I wonder if there is a better male vocalist in the world. Is there another example like the great Khan, whose family's musical legacy is hundreds of years old? He took the stage of the Pyramid Arena at Cal State Long Beach in front of a restless audience. They had been anxiously waiting for this concert since the date was announced about three months ago.

Several people bought their tickets in advance from TicketMaster and experienced very long delays at the Will Call window. Some were angry but strangely, this anger was only surface level and very temporary. There was a special feeling in the air. Under similar circumstances, at any other concert, tempers would have been flaring and cursing and fighting would have occurred. But these people who had come to hear Khan were different. They were quiet and mellow. They complained mostly because they were anxious to get inside and dive into the magical ambience Khan had created under the Pyramid. Inside and out, there was a general warm feeling of peace and joy.

According to Khan, Qawali started about eight hundred years ago in the area which is now Afghanistan. A Qawal is a man singing a Qawl. A Qawl is a saying. I suppose it's literally similar to the word Rap. The great difference is that in Rap music, someone is usually making a social or political statement and usually the feeling is harsh. On the other hand, Qawals go to the furthest depths of the soul and sing about Islamic spirituality, creating a state of delicious ecstasy.

The lyrics being sung are usually hundreds of years old and were written by various spiritual leaders. Many of these pious men were Sufi and are also referred to as "Pir" and "Faqeer". They are great men who make incredible sacrifices to reach enlightenment through meditation, Zikr and other means. The spiritual poets often write about their intoxication in the love for Allah and his Prophet Mohammed. The powerful words were obtained as precious gifts after paying the great price of annihilating the self. These spiritual leaders distributed these gifts among their followers. When Qawals sing these words, the music literally transforms the audience into a trance. Since its inception, this enlightening music has helped expose people to the message of Islam.

Some Muslims feel strongly against the involvement of Islam with music, dance and Sufism. However, one might say that the Azan, recitations of Quran and Naat are also forms of music. The Whirling Dervishes of Turkey use dance as a tool in their quest for enlightenment. Chanting and Zikr have a rhythmic element and are also used as tools to meditate, concentrate, contemplate and to detach from the self. Any tool can be misused so we should not throw away the baby with the bath-water. Indeed Allama Iqbal practiced Sufism too.

It was very moving to see thousands of people gathered under the Pyramid to hear the message to their soul. There is a theory among the practitioners of Transcendental Meditation that if 1 percent of the people of a city gather together and meditate for an hour, they can cause a positive change in the entire population of the city. There was something definitely magical that happened at the Pyramid on Saturday and many of us could not put the feelings into words.

The thirsty ears and hungry eyes awaited the great Khan for hours. When he arrived, a crowd of reporters swarmed him on the way backstage. He took the stage with eight of his "Humnawa". They included four background singers, three other alternating singers, two harmonium player and Dildar Hussain with his heart pounding tabla beats.

The musicians sat down on the ground in the form of a crescent, facing the audience, and Khan began with the famous "Allahu". The crowd immediately responded with loud approvals of joy. Allahu is a common mantra used in the practice of Zikr. Thus five thousand people began a collective meditation of 75 minutes. The audience clapped along with the musicians and responded to the entrancing verses with roars of pleasure.

Lots of people shouted their requests during the brief pauses. Khan responded with the next Qawali "Iss Karam Ka Karun Shukr Kaisay Ada". It means: How do I give thanks for this blessing? The next Qawali lit the Pyramid on fire. "Ali Da Malang" caused people to get up and start dancing. Lights were turned on so that everybody could see this great moment of celebration. People started showering Khan with money when he sang "Mera Piya Ghar Aya". There were scores of non-Desi people in the audience and they could not understand why people were throwing money at Khan. But we all understood something that was much more deeper. This was one of the rarest occasions in life when people of all colors, religions, cultures, countries, classes and races were brought together in a peaceful celebration of the human spirit. The vibes of truth were in the air.

"Mast Nazron Say Allah Bacha-ay" caused more people to dance. In Pakistan, people are freely allowed to dance to Qawali and it can put them in a state of trance or "Mast". Unfortunately, people dancing near the stage were told to stop by two large wrestlers. Khan continued with some moving verses that caused the crowd to go wild. Soon it was intermission and people rushed to grab the Desi food. There were a lot of smiles under the pyramid. The concert had brought many young people. For example, there were a lot of Desi young women who appeared very westernized. They are usually not seen at Desi shows because they probably relate more to western music. They were the proof that Khan can bring together all kinds of people. Especially those of us who migrated here at a young age or were born here and have trouble formulating our identities. Khan provides a deeper meaning, especially for those who experience conflicts of belongingness.

Another 75 minute long meditation started after the intermission. Khan sang two short versions of "Sanson Ki Mala Pay Simroon May Pi Ka Naam" and "Mitr Pyaray Noo Haal Mureedan Da Kehna". The latter is a very beautiful piece about followers or "Mureeds" of a spiritual teacher or "Pir". Khan sang powerful sequences of scale tones, waving his hands and arms in circular motions, pointing up, going back and forth, from very low to very high pitches, arriving at a big crescendo that caused loud responses from the listeners. The listeners appeared more like seekers and Khan handed out cup-fulls of intoxicating melodies and enlightening lyrics for their souls.

Some people shouted to request "Gorakh Dhanda" and Khan's keen ear again somehow picked it up out of the joyful noise. When he sang "Jhoolay Jhoolay Laal Dam Must Qalandar", several people went out of control. Many of them danced in their seats and in the aisles. The dancing continued for the rest of the evening. Khan spoke only two sentences during the whole show. And then came time to say goodbye. People gave a long standing ovation and expressed how happy they were. What great gifts Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan gave to the people that night! He gave them love, peace and joy. And most importantly, he fed their spiritually starving souls. There is no bigger service to mankind than that

Khan Rocks the Pyramid

(as published in Pakistan Link, Los Angeles, 9-19-95)
by Fazeel Aziz Chauhan


Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan should be in the next Memorex commercial. In one of their old TV ads, a woman is shown singing in a high pitch and she causes a glass to break with her powerful voice. But in the new commercial, Khan saheb should be shown causing an avalanche on K-2.
After watching Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's concert in L.A. on Saturday, I wonder if there is a better male vocalist in the world. Is there another example like the great Khan, whose family's musical legacy is hundreds of years old? He took the stage of the Pyramid Arena at Cal State Long Beach in front of a restless audience. They had been anxiously waiting for this concert since the date was announced about three months ago.

Several people bought their tickets in advance from TicketMaster and experienced very long delays at the Will Call window. Some were angry but strangely, this anger was only surface level and very temporary. There was a special feeling in the air. Under similar circumstances, at any other concert, tempers would have been flaring and cursing and fighting would have occurred. But these people who had come to hear Khan were different. They were quiet and mellow. They complained mostly because they were anxious to get inside and dive into the magical ambience Khan had created under the Pyramid. Inside and out, there was a general warm feeling of peace and joy.

According to Khan, Qawali started about eight hundred years ago in the area which is now Afghanistan. A Qawal is a man singing a Qawl. A Qawl is a saying. I suppose it's literally similar to the word Rap. The great difference is that in Rap music, someone is usually making a social or political statement and usually the feeling is harsh. On the other hand, Qawals go to the furthest depths of the soul and sing about Islamic spirituality, creating a state of delicious ecstasy.

The lyrics being sung are usually hundreds of years old and were written by various spiritual leaders. Many of these pious men were Sufi and are also referred to as "Pir" and "Faqeer". They are great men who make incredible sacrifices to reach enlightenment through meditation, Zikr and other means. The spiritual poets often write about their intoxication in the love for Allah and his Prophet Mohammed. The powerful words were obtained as precious gifts after paying the great price of annihilating the self. These spiritual leaders distributed these gifts among their followers. When Qawals sing these words, the music literally transforms the audience into a trance. Since its inception, this enlightening music has helped expose people to the message of Islam.

Some Muslims feel strongly against the involvement of Islam with music, dance and Sufism. However, one might say that the Azan, recitations of Quran and Naat are also forms of music. The Whirling Dervishes of Turkey use dance as a tool in their quest for enlightenment. Chanting and Zikr have a rhythmic element and are also used as tools to meditate, concentrate, contemplate and to detach from the self. Any tool can be misused so we should not throw away the baby with the bath-water. Indeed Allama Iqbal practiced Sufism too.

It was very moving to see thousands of people gathered under the Pyramid to hear the message to their soul. There is a theory among the practitioners of Transcendental Meditation that if 1 percent of the people of a city gather together and meditate for an hour, they can cause a positive change in the entire population of the city. There was something definitely magical that happened at the Pyramid on Saturday and many of us could not put the feelings into words.

The thirsty ears and hungry eyes awaited the great Khan for hours. When he arrived, a crowd of reporters swarmed him on the way backstage. He took the stage with eight of his "Humnawa". They included four background singers, three other alternating singers, two harmonium player and Dildar Hussain with his heart pounding tabla beats.

The musicians sat down on the ground in the form of a crescent, facing the audience, and Khan began with the famous "Allahu". The crowd immediately responded with loud approvals of joy. Allahu is a common mantra used in the practice of Zikr. Thus five thousand people began a collective meditation of 75 minutes. The audience clapped along with the musicians and responded to the entrancing verses with roars of pleasure.

Lots of people shouted their requests during the brief pauses. Khan responded with the next Qawali "Iss Karam Ka Karun Shukr Kaisay Ada". It means: How do I give thanks for this blessing? The next Qawali lit the Pyramid on fire. "Ali Da Malang" caused people to get up and start dancing. Lights were turned on so that everybody could see this great moment of celebration. People started showering Khan with money when he sang "Mera Piya Ghar Aya". There were scores of non-Desi people in the audience and they could not understand why people were throwing money at Khan. But we all understood something that was much more deeper. This was one of the rarest occasions in life when people of all colors, religions, cultures, countries, classes and races were brought together in a peaceful celebration of the human spirit. The vibes of truth were in the air.

"Mast Nazron Say Allah Bacha-ay" caused more people to dance. In Pakistan, people are freely allowed to dance to Qawali and it can put them in a state of trance or "Mast". Unfortunately, people dancing near the stage were told to stop by two large wrestlers. Khan continued with some moving verses that caused the crowd to go wild. Soon it was intermission and people rushed to grab the Desi food. There were a lot of smiles under the pyramid. The concert had brought many young people. For example, there were a lot of Desi young women who appeared very westernized. They are usually not seen at Desi shows because they probably relate more to western music. They were the proof that Khan can bring together all kinds of people. Especially those of us who migrated here at a young age or were born here and have trouble formulating our identities. Khan provides a deeper meaning, especially for those who experience conflicts of belongingness.

Another 75 minute long meditation started after the intermission. Khan sang two short versions of "Sanson Ki Mala Pay Simroon May Pi Ka Naam" and "Mitr Pyaray Noo Haal Mureedan Da Kehna". The latter is a very beautiful piece about followers or "Mureeds" of a spiritual teacher or "Pir". Khan sang powerful sequences of scale tones, waving his hands and arms in circular motions, pointing up, going back and forth, from very low to very high pitches, arriving at a big crescendo that caused loud responses from the listeners. The listeners appeared more like seekers and Khan handed out cup-fulls of intoxicating melodies and enlightening lyrics for their souls.

Some people shouted to request "Gorakh Dhanda" and Khan's keen ear again somehow picked it up out of the joyful noise. When he sang "Jhoolay Jhoolay Laal Dam Must Qalandar", several people went out of control. Many of them danced in their seats and in the aisles. The dancing continued for the rest of the evening. Khan spoke only two sentences during the whole show. And then came time to say goodbye. People gave a long standing ovation and expressed how happy they were. What great gifts Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan gave to the people that night! He gave them love, peace and joy. And most importantly, he fed their spiritually starving souls. There is no bigger service to mankind than that