*Celebrating 25 Years of Islamic Na’at Groups: A Legacy of Iman and Culture*

Allah be thanked abundantly for the visionary El-Sheikh Syed Mubarik Ali Shah Jilani, who, 25 years ago today, established the Islamic Na’at Groups. His dream was simply profound: to inspire Muslims to compose and recite hamdo naat in praise of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala and His Chosen Rasool, Nabi Muhammad Al-Mustafaa (peace be upon his noble countenance) without borrowing tunes from non-Muslim / unislamic sources and without the use of haram/forbidden instruments. 

At a time when Islamic culture was struggling and many traditions were being buried by the dunya (worldly people), El-Sheikh Syed Mubarik Ali Shah Jilani’s efforts offered a lifeline. He envisioned a community where an-Nasheed al-Islamia, poetry, and devotion could flourish side by side, nurturing the spiritual and artistic talents of every generation.

Today, his vision has blossomed beyond imagination. American children can be found reciting Quran Shareef, poetry and also nasheed written by their peers, celebrating the beauty of Islamic culture and heritage. What was once distant and inaccessible is now alive in the hearts of young Muslims, who are readily expressing their faith through art and language.

The impact of these 25 years cannot be overstated. Islamic Na’at Groups have not only preserved a sacred tradition—they have revived a sense of identity, like the Sahabi Hasan bin Thabit, and connection to ancestors whose voices were attempted to be silenced by other's words who write history to fit their narrative. Through each poem and nasheed, children learn more than words; they inherit values, spirituality, and a living link to the Rasool of Allah's teachings (peace be upon his noble countenance).

As we celebrate this milestone, we honor not just a founder but a movement that continues to inspire hearts and minds. May Allah bless El-Sheikh Syed Mubarik Ali Shah Jilani abundantly for his vision, and may the next generations continue to carry this legacy forward with the same devotion, creativity, and love for Allah and His beloved Rasool ﷺ.

Alhamdulillah for 25 years of nasheed, poetry, and community. سبحان الله!

Sufi Chant 2025

05 صلى الله عليه وسلم

Hadra in Ibn Arabi Mosque

Written by: Ahmad Nur Horton and Abdul Qadeer Ahmad.

Eternal Love

Just Tryna - YoungDeen

Madad Ya Muhammad Mustafa!

Writers: Saad Shakir and Muslihudeen Abdul-Qayyum

Hook:
At a peak over the valleys of forgetfulness,
As all below me reaches up to distract me from this bliss,
The clouds below, the murkiest of waters
Under me,
If I fall for these mysteries I’ll never be content,

The questions they are falling,
No answers that involve them,
Decending from desire,
Curiosity my calling,

Once again into the haze
Innocent but I’m afraid,
Possibilities are endless
And I’m insisting to divulge

There’s a forest in my gaze,
And temptation every corner
Was descending a mistake,
Though I am learning worldly order

So where was i?
At the reflecting pool when my reflection dies, Confusion is the only clarity to know but not be
seen
or heard, is all thats asked of me, from my beloved Rabbi,
dazed by realization, a maze the truth contorts to me

The seeker returns to the struggle he left,
To find nearness is earned by enduring the path,

Ascending with love and clarity,
The longing in my heart aligned my eyes on unity
“Come to me my slave take refuge in me”
No hardships lingering my mercy’s your eternity”

Then Sent to descend again “go on to prove your love”
Succeed and you’ll be stationed beyond the peaks seen above

اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ

Syed Hashim Shah