This is a rendition of the takbiraat that I learned from an Indonesian brother while living in Hadramawt, Yemen.

Takbiraat of Eid

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

Full majlis recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7pLRlAW-tg&t=1954s&ab_channel=ALJEEM

Allah Allah Kullamana And Ishrab Sharab - Sautur-Rayhaan Nasheed Group

Ya Imam Ar - Rusli  - يا إمام الرسل - The Travellers - Al Musafirun

Hafiz Ehsan & Ustadh Yusuf - The Place Of Standing Shimmering Light

Tu Ameer e Haram Mein Fakeer e Ajam

I don't recall *exactly* when it was, that I heard this Urdu Na'at in praise of The Beloved of God, May God bless him and give him peace, during in my childhood.  I do remember being very young, and in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in my parents' home.  I also remember that it was being rendered by a person who became my absolute favourite Na'at reciter later in life - the late Hazrat Khursheed Ahmed, may he be enveloped in Divine Mercy.

This was my earliest memory of an introduction to the tradition of praising the Prophet, Sall Allahu 'alaihi wa sallam.  This na'at remains one of my all-time favourite ones to this day.  I hope you all like it too.

This particular recording was recorded live at blessed evening in November 2009, at the Ta'leef Collective in Fremont California.

::: For booking inquiries, please contact bookings@naderkhan.com :::


khusravi achhi lagi na sarvari achhi lagi
hum faqiron ko madinay ki gali achhi lagi
-----We neither liked kingship nor did we like leadership,
-----For us faqirs, we only liked the alleyways of Madinah.

Dur thay to zindagi bay rang thi, bay kayf thi
Unkay Kuchay mein gae to, zindagi achhi lagi
-----When we were distant, our lives were devoid of colour or meaning 
-----Upon arriving at the narrow lanes of his neighbourhood, our life is more likeable.

mae na jaaun ga kahin bhi dar nabi ka chhodh kar
mujh ko ku-e-Mustafa ki chaakri achhi lagi
-----I will never go anywhere, abandoning the Prophet’s threshold.
-----I’ve found joy in serving the streets of Mustafa.

naaz kar tu aye Halima, sarvar-e-kawnayn par
gar lagi achhi to teri, jhopdi achhi lagi
-----Gloat, O Halima, over the Master of both universes
-----Of all the mud huts, it is yours that he liked most.


Nader Khan - Madinay Ki Gali

Al-Mashrab Al-Ahn  
(The Most Delicious Drink) 

Directing Oneself Towards Allah Through His Most  Beautiful Names Poem By Al-Habib ‘Umar Bin Mu Ammad  Bin Salim Bin Hafiz Bin Al-Shayk Abi Bakr Bin Salim

LYRICS:

الله يا رحمن يارحيم =يا ملك عطاءه فخيم 
قدوس قدس بالصفاء روحي =وافتح علينا أكبر الفتوح 
سلام يا مؤمن آمن روعتي = مهيمن عزيز إرفع رتبتي 
جبار يا متكبر يا خالق = يا بارئ إني بفضلك واثق 
مصورغفار ياقهار =وهاب غيثك دائما مدرار 
رزاق يا فتاح يا عليم =إفضاله وخيره عميم 
ياقابض يا باسط هبنا المنى = يا خافض يارافع كن عوننا 
معز يا مذل هب لي عزا = سميع يا بصير كن لي حرزا 
يا حكم يا عدل عامل بالكرم = لطيف يا خبير وادفع النقم 
حليم يا عظيم يا غفور = شكور يا علي ياكبير 
حفيظ يا مقيت يا حسيب =جليل يا كريم يا رقيب 
مجيب يا واسع وسع مشهدي = حكيم يا ودود صف موردي 
مجيد يا باعث إبعث همتي =شهيد يا حق وحقق وجهتي 
وكيل يا قوي قو لي اليقين = متين يا ولي كنلنا معين 
حميد يا محصي فاصلح الامور =مبدئ يا معيد واشرح الصدور 
محيي مميت ربنا أصلح القلوب = ياحي ياقيوم وااكشف اللكروب 
يا واجد يا ماجد هبنا الامل =يا واحد يا أحد عز وجل 
يا فرد ياصمد أصلح الشؤن =يا قادر مقتدر جل الحزون 
مقدم مؤخر كن عوننا = أول يا آخر واكشف ضرنا 
يا ظاهر يا باطن اصلح ما ظهر = وباطنا يا وال يا متعال بر 
تواب تب واكف العدا يا منتقم =عفو يا رؤف سامح من ندم 
يا مالك الملك اعطني مرامي = فأنت ذو الجلال والاكرام 
مقسط يا جامع اجمع لي الخيور =غني يامغني وضاعف الأجور 
يا مانع يا ضار اكفنا الضرر = يا نافع انفعنا فأنت المدخر 
يا نور نور واهدنا ياهادي = بديع أصلح باطني والبادي 
يا باقي يا وارث يا رشيد = صبور هبنا فوق ما نريد 
من كل خير هاهنا والآخره =وزد وضاعف للهبات الوافره 
وهب لنا الحنان ياحنان = وامنن علينا إنك المنان 
بالمصطفى خير الأنام الطاهر =ذي القدر والوجه المنير الزاهر 
ذي الجاه والذكر الجميل العاطر = وأكرم الشفعاء عند الفاطر 
صلى عليه الله والآل الغرر = وصحبه والتابعين بالأثر 
مسلما في كل حين أبدا = والحمد للرحمن دأبا سرمدا

Takbiraat of Eid

Omar M.