Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

This qawwali is in praise of Prophet Muhammad. Such poetic compositions are known as naat. Prophet is addressed by many titles, two of them are Shams-ud-duha and Badr-ud-duja.

yaa Khudaa jism meN jab tak ye mere jaan rahe
tujh pe sadqe, tere mehbuub pe qurbaan rahe
kuch rahe yaa na rahe, par ye du’aa hai ke “Ameen”
nizaa ke vaqt salaamat meraa iimaan rahe

O Lord! Till the time there is life in my body
it should be devoted to you and an offering to your beloved [Muhammad].
It doesn’t matters if I have anything or not, but I pray “Ameen”
that at the time of death, my faith is safe.

Note: “Ameen” is the name of the poet.

taaziim se letaa hai Khudaa naam-e-Muhammad
kyaa naam hai ai salle-alaa naam-e-Muhammad
Allah kare usko haraam aatish-e-dozaKh
jis shakhs ke dil pe likhaa ho naam-e-Muhammad

God remembers the name of Muhammad with deference
such is the name of Muhammad, peace be upon him.
May God prohibit the fire of hell
on anyone whose heart is written the name of Muhammad.

jis dil meN Muhammad kii muhabbat nahiiN hotii
us par kabhii Allah kii rahmat nahiiN hotii
meraa ye aqiidaa hai agar zikr-e-Khudaa meN
ye naam na shaamil ho ibaadat nahiiN hotii

Ali imaam-e-manasto manam Ghulaam-e-Ali
hazaar jaan-e-giraamii fidaa-e-naam-e-Ali

Ali is the master of all, I am the slave of Ali
a thousand lives are to be sacrificed for Ali

Note: Ali was the cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad. He is especially revered by the Sufi mystics.

Haidariam qalandaram mastam
bandaa-e-Murtaza Ali hastam
peshvaa-e-tamaam virdaaram
ke sage kuu-e-sher-e-yazdaanam

Haider [Ali] is the generous monk
Ali is the chosen one [by God]
[and] the leader of the people swaying in [God’s] remembrance
I am the dog of the streets of God’s lion.

kabhii diivaar hiltii hai, kabhii dar kaaNp jaataa hai
Ali kaa naam sun kar ab bhii Khaibar kaaNp jaataa hai

Sometimes the wall shakes, sometimes trembles the door
on listening the name of Ali, the fort of Khaibar trembles even now.

Note: During the fight for the Fort of Khaibar, Ali rooted out the heavy door of the fort and used it as his shield.

shaah-e-mardaaN Ali
Ali Ali Ali
Ali Maula Ali

King of the brave
Ali
Ali, [my] master Ali.

patthar pe alam deen ka gaaRaa jisne
lalkaar kar Marhab ko pichaaRaa jisne

saaqii kii har nigaah pe bal khaa ke pii gayaa
lehroN se kheltaa hu’aa lehraa ke pii gayaa

In awe of every glance of the cup-bearer, I drank
I drank playing with the waves of joy.

ai rahmat-e-tamaam merii har Khataa mu’aaf
maiN intihaa-e-shauq meN ghabraa ke pii gayaa

O all-merciful! Please forgive all my wrongs
I drank confounded by the extreme desire.

piitaa baGhair izn ye kab thii meri majaal
dar-pardaa chashm-e-yaar kii shah paa ke pii gayaa

I do not dare to drink without permission
but the patronage of veiled eyes of my beloved beckoned.

zaahid ye merii shoKhii-e-rindaanaa dekhnaa
rahmat ko baatoN baatoN meN bahlaa ke pii gayaa

O abstinent! Look at the mischievousness of my drinking
I drank by befriending the forgiveness [of God].

uudii uudii ghaataa’eN aatii haiN
mutriboN kii navaa’eN aatii haiN

Purple clouds are over-cast
and the sound of music is all around.

kis ke gesuu khule haiN saavan meN
mahkii mahkii havaa’eN aatii haiN

Whose tresses are open in the rains?
The winds are perfumed.

aao sah’n-e-chaman meN raqs kareN
saaz lekar ghaataa’eN aatii haiN

aa bhii jaa rut badal jaayegii
chaaNdnii raat Dhal jaayegii

Come now [else] the climate would change
[and] this moon-lit night would pass.

ruKh sa pardaa haTaa liijiye
merii hasrat nikal jaayegii

Remove the veil from [your] face
[so that] my desire is fulfilled.

un ko le aao charaagaro
merii haalat sambhal jaayegii

Call her, O my sympathizers!
[and] my condition would improve.

tum na aao to Khat bhej do
kuch tabiiyat bahal jaayegii

If you are not coming, send a letter instead
[at least] I would feel better for some time.

hai pariishaaN sambhaalo zaraa
zulf ruKh pe machal jaayegii

Hold the restless tresses them for a while
[else] they would fall over the face.

tere bin chaaNdnii mere ghar
aaj aayii na kal jaayegii

Without you, moonlight in my house
came neither today nor it would tomorrow.

tere kuuche kii sarkash havaa
Khaak chehre pe mal jaayegii

Arrogant wind of your house
would blow dust at my face.

ai “Fana”! dil lagaa lo kahiiN
zindagii ruKh badal jaayegii

O “Fana”! fall in love [with someone]
[and] your life would change its direction.