Balaghal 'Ula Bi Kamalihi By Syrian Munshids

The very first Al Maqasid (2014) was a powerful experience.  Set in the Pocono mountains of Pennsylvania, it was a spiritual awakening for people new to such experiences, and a deep revival for old hands.

In a moment before one of the evening sessions, Shaykh Yahya Rhodus asked me to sing something in Urdu.  Before I could begin, he asked me to share the refrain with everyone, and translate it for them. I shared the refrain of a very famous Urdu naat by Ustadh Muzaffar Warsi, "Tu Kuja Man Kuja" (Translation and transliteration of the refrain is shared below. A full translation and transliteration of these words that had everyone swaying, can be found at https://naderkhan.com/discography/water/ ).

There was something very special going on in this moment - everyone was as if drunk in the love of the Prophet (ﷺ).  After I shared the refrain, nobody had to encourage anyone to join in - it was a spontaneous eruption of love, where everyone sang together.  People of every conceivable racial background were swaying back and forth singing in Urdu, in love of the Prophet.  Some were weeping in longing.  Others were smiling ear to ear in celebration.

I am very grateful to have shared this beautiful moment with them.  And I am very grateful to Sidi Ahmed Zaman for having the presence of mind to capture it, and to Sidi Mohammad Najeeb Ahmed for sharing it with me.

If you listen carefully, you can clearly make out voices of Shaykh Yahya Rhodus, Maulana Abdurrahman, Shaykh Muhammad Adeyinka Mendes, and others.

My wife had a creative epiphany and suggested I try out a specific Yemeni tune for this Naat.  I played around with it for a couple of weeks, decided to sing it here.  Those who've heard others reciting it will find this rendition to be *very* different - I hope they still like it.

A studio version of this track is available on the WATER album (rel. 2015), on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, etc.

This was the longest I'd spent translating *any* Urdu naat.  I found it exceedingly difficult, and I couldn't have done it without my wife and superhero manager Dr. Bano Murtuja.

---
Tu Amir-e-Haram, mae faqir-e-ajam
Tere gun, aur yeh lab, main talab hi talab. 
Tu ataa hi ataa, mae khata hi khata
Tu kuja man kuja, tu kuja man kuja

You: The Leader of the sacred sanctuary, Me: the needy of the ignorant.
Your praise and these lips? I crave and crave. 
You give and give. I err and err.
O, where are you, and where am I! O, where are you, and where am I!

Urdu original by Muzaffar Warsi
Translation © Nader Khan & Bano Murtuja 2013, All Rights Reserved

Image of the Prophet's tomb and mosque from http://alfatihoun.edaama.org/

Nader Khan -- "Where Are You, and Where Am I" -- Al Maqasid Retreat

soothing remembrance of the Divine

قَمَرٌ قَمَر
قَمَرٌ قَمَر قمرٌ سِيدْنَا النَّبِى قَمَرٌ     
وَجَمِيل وجميل وجميل
سِيدْنَا النَّبِى وَجَمِيل

وَكَفُّ الْمـُـصْطَفَى كَالْوَرْدِ نَادِي الله, الله
وَعِطْرُهَ يَبْقَى اِذَا مَسَّتْ أَيَادِي الله, الله
وَعَمَّ نَوَالُهاَ كُلَّ الْعِبَادِي x3 
حَبِيبُ الِلهِ يَا خَيْرَ الْبَرَى يا

قَمَرٌ قَمَر قمرٌ سِيدْنَا النَّبِى قَمَرٌ
وَجَمِيل وجميل وجميل
سِيدْنَا النَّبِى وَجَمِيل

وَأَجْمَلُ مِنْكَ لَمْ تَرَقَطُ عَيْن الله, الله
وَأَطْيَبُ مِنْكَ لَمْ تَلِدِ النِّسَاءُ الله, الله
خُلِقْتَ مُبَرَّءًا مِنْ كُلِّ عَيْبٍ x3 
كَأَنَّكَ قَدْ خُلِقْتَ كَمَا تَشَاءُ
قَمَرٌ قَمَر قمرٌ سِيدْنَا النَّبِى قَمَرٌ
وَجَمِيل وجميل وجميل
سِيدْنَا النَّبِى وَجَمِيل

وَلَا ظِلُّ لَّهُ بَلْ كَانَ نُورَا الله, الله
تَنَالَ الشَّمْسُ مِنْهُ وَالْبُدُورَ الله, الله
وَلَمْ يَكُنِ الْهُدَى لَوْلَا ظُهُورَه x3
وَكُلُّ الْكَوْنِ أَنَارُ بِنُورِ طَه

قَمَرٌ قَمَر قمرٌ سِيدْنَا النَّبِى قَمَرٌ
وَجَمِيل وجميل وجميل
سِيدْنَا النَّبِى وَجَمِيل




Qamarun

The Qasida Muhammadiya is one of the most famous shorter compositions by Imam Busiri, in praise of The Prophet Muhammad, Allah bless him and give him peace.

This recording is from the weekly gathering of celebrating The Prophet, at SeekersHub Toronto [http://www.SeekersHub.org], on September 15th 2011.

I've used an Edirol R-09 recorder, mounted on a tripod about two feet away from me. The microphone on this was excellent at capturing the feel of the gathering in stereo sound. In post-production, I've just added the "Live Performance" effect in GarageBand.

Nader Khan: The Muhammadan Ode ("Qasida Muhammadiya")

Qasida Burda Shareef - Maghribi Style

Inhale. Exhale. Zikr...

Ishrab Sharab Ahli Al Safa Allah Allah Arabic Qasida.

La Ilaha Illallah - Dhikr, "Remembrance [of God]"

Assorted Nasheeds

Ya Sayyidi Irhamlana

اللّٰهُمَّ يا اللهُ يا مُجِيبُ صَلِّ عَلى عَبْدِكَ وَحَبِيْبِكَ سَيِّدِنا مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِيِّ المُجِيب وَعَلى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلِّمْ تَسْلِيْماً وَكُنْ لِدُعائِنا بِهِ مُجيباً وَاجْعَلْنِي لِنِدائِكَ وَنِدَائِهِ مُلَبِّياً مُسْتَجِيباً

"O ALLAH, O Responsive One, Send Blessings and abundant Peace upon Your slave and beloved, our master, Muhammad, the responsive Prophet, and upon his family and companions, and through him, answer our supplications and make me highly responsive to Your call, and his call." ﷺ

Beautiful Nasheed - Salatullah Salamullah Ala Thaha Rasulillah

Tala' al Badru 'Alayna - Shaykh Abdul Rahman Hammami

As subhu bada min tal ati hi

A resource for traditional qasidas (poems, odes), naats and nasheeds taken from around the world, most of which are written by various spiritual masters of the sacred path of sufism (tassawuf - the Islamic science of spirituality).

'The aim of qasidas or spiritual odes is to worship the creator, by turning the hearts to the Divine, who says 'And when My servants ask you of Me, truly I am close' (Quran 2:186).

The purpose of qasidas in the Sufi path is to convey the experiential gnosis of forebears to subsequent generations, for what comes from the heart goes into the heart, and most of the poets who wrote them where Shaykhs of the spiritual paths (tariqa) who addressed their words to those with experiences like themselves or to aspirants.

The person who can benefit from such qasidas is someone whose way lies with the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), and whose heart lies with Allah'

Source: Echoes from Eternity (Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller)

The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:

“Truly, in some poetry, there is wisdom.” [Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud]

Qamarun

Mawlid Man

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