Adil Najam
Not for the longest of times has a piece of music mesmerized me the way this song has.
The first time I heard (and saw) this rendition of Khawaja Ghulam Farid’s Husn i – Haqiqi by Arieb Azhar, I was totally consumed by it. I was totally lost in the song, the singer, the words, the meaning. The next time I heard this – and my iTunes tells me I have now heard it nearly a hundred times in four days – it took me back to the first time I had heard Muhammad Jumman singing yaar daDDi aatish isq or Pathana Khan singing meinDa isq ve tou, meinDa yaar ve tou.
This is the same genre, but not really the same style. And that is part of its enchantment. This is rooted in its own time just as those were rooted in their. Even as the words of all three remain timeless. The magic of this song, as of those, comes from the words – in this case, the words of Khawaja Ghulam Farid – but it cannot be completed without the singer’s imbuing it with his own passion.
Here is a song that needs to be seen as much as heard. Just as Mohammad Juman and Pathana Khan before him, Arieb Azhar has become one with the song. It is the passion, the reverence and the engagement that he brings to the rendition that brings it alive. That look of absolute and unadulterated joy in the mile-long smile on his face as the recording ends captures that magical connection between art and artist that no words of mine ever could.
I must confess, in some embarrassment, that I had not heard this song or of Arieb Azhar before I saw it at Rohail Hyatt’s amazing creation, the Coke Studio. It turns out Arieb is the son of one PTV’s founding father Aslam Azhar, someone for whom I have the highest of respect and someone who showed such kindness and encouragement to me when I was much young.
Now knowing that, it is no surprise that Arieb knows his cultural heritage. But the talent is, of course, all his own. And it is clearly in abundance. I did go back and saw and heard a lot of other videos of Arieb’s music, including many performances of this same song. The portfolio there is immensely impressive and getting hold of his CD Wajj is on my to do list. But this rendition and video really surpasses all others. And for that credit must also be given to Rohail Hyatt (who readers remember from the original Vital Signs) and his amazing creation, Coke Studios. For my money, that is one of the single best things that have happened to Pakistan music in a long time. But more on that some other time.
WOW… this IS beautiful.
Had not heard him before.
yes, mesmerizing.
Behtreen kalam or Arieb Bhai ki zabardast awaz … masterpiece \m/
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Najam Bhai aap “Wajj” album zaror suniye ga .. saray songs aik say barh kar aik hain. Main nay jab ye album suni to mujh say raha na gaya or saray songs Youtube par upload kar diye :D
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http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=7E4E3D3DAB94E874
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Wowwwww….what an extraordinary voice this man has….many thanks for sharing :)
Wow, that is very high praise coming from someone like Dr. Adil Najam who is usually very measured in both praise and criticism.
After listening to it, I must say it is well deserve.
The song had same impact on me that it had on you. Thanks for sharing.
Quite his own style of rendering, -uniqu
Thanks. Blends very well with the monotony of the month of Ramadan.
Some comments from the ATP Facebook Page:
- “very true . Pakistani pop came back to life . thank you Rohail Hyatt!”
- “EXCELLENT MUSIC. THE VIDEO YOU HAVE POSTED AT ATP IS REALLY BEAUTIFUL. SEEN IT TWICE ALREADY. GOING BACK FOR THIRD.”
- “thix song ix superb.. must listen to it”
- “http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=7E4E3D3DAB94E874″
- “yes ….. truly mesmerizing”
- “very true :)”
- “this is da most magical song regarding sufism …………just luv it”
He can call me only “Shahid” and not too late at night.
Good song, I like it. Thank you
This song mesmerizes me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXrWtcAiVJc
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it. Good find adil bhai. I heard it first time today.
Amazing.
I had not heard of this young man or the song but am so glad ATP brought it to my attention.
So god to see our younger artists taking to folk and sufi music to keep the heritage alive.
Gives new hope to my old bones!
Khwaja Ghula Fareed r.a. wrote the truth.
I loved the way he laughs and claps at the end of the song. Shows the dedication with which he was singing
An other extraordinary Coke Studio production; Ilmoan bus karee;n o yaar! Ikko Alaf tera darkaar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VynRTgrV4v0
Zabardast!..Really enjoyed it…
Lyrics:
tanuu badal barkha dajj kahoon
tanuu bijli ta baran kahoon
tanuu aab kahoon
tanuu khak kahoon
tanuu baad kahoon
weeran kahoon
tanuu dsurat lej manram kahoon
tanuu seeta ji janan kahoon
baldev ka souta naun kahoon
tanuu kishn kahenaya kan … kahoon
tanuu bhrama kishna ghannsih kahoon mahadev kahoon bahgwan kahoon
tanuu geet ka rang tay byaihd kahoon
tanuu bhyann kahoon agyan kahoon
tanuu ibrahim hawahishees kahoon
tanuu nooh kahoon toofan kahoon
tanuu ibrahim khilil kahoon
tanuu moosa bin imran kahoon
tanuu har dil da dildar kahoon
tanuu ahmad alishaan kahoon
tanuu shahihd malk hijaz kahoon
tanuu bahis kaun makaan kahoon
tanuu nazz kahoon andaaz kahoon
tanuu hoor pari walmaan kahoon
tanuu.. nauog kahoon
tanuu toug kahoon
tanuu surkhee bedaaa paan kahoon
tanuu tabla tay tamboor kahoon
tanuu dholkal sur tay tan kahoon
tanuu husn-te har singar kahoon
tanuu ashawa ghamza aan kahoon
tanuu ishq kahoon
tanuu illam kahoon
tanuu waham yakin gumaan kahoon
tanuu husane da v idrrak kahoon
tanuu zouk kahoon wajhdan kahoon
tanuu sadar kahoon
sadraan kahoon
tanuu hairat hairaan kahoon
tasleem kahoon
talveen kahoon
tmkeen kahoon
irfan kahoon
tanuu sumbal soo sand sard kahoon
tanuu nargis nafarman kahoon
tanuu lale adaagh ta bagh kahoon
gulzar kahoon
ustaan kahoon
tanuu lale adaagh ta bagh kahoon
gulzar kahoon
ustaan kahoon
tanuu khanjar teer toofang kahoon
tanuu barcha baang sanaan kahoon
tanuu teer fairang kaamaan kahoon
soofar kahoon
beepan kahoon
bairang kahoon
bemisal kahoon
basurroot har har aan kahoon
sukdoor kahoon
qudooos kahoon
rehman kahoon
subhan kahoon
aray tobaa dard Farid sadaaa…. har shea nu par Nuksaan kahoon
tanuu bohut alag be Aib kahoon
tanuu haq be nam.nishaan kahoon
tanuu bohut alag be Aib kahoon
tanuu haq be nam.nishaan kahoon
http://www.muziq.net/lyrics/lyrics/Arieb-Azhar/Husn-e-Haqiqi/
Good one, singer a young voice,lacks the depth of the vocal chords of a classical singer, but the magical beauty of the great saint,s love feelings for ALLAH has brought in the mesmerizing touch.
well sung.
Aray bhaeee…..maza a gaya!
I laughed with him at the end of the song….what dedication and what spirit!
BEAUTIFUL>>>> WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY
I HAVE TO GO BACK AND LISTEN TO IT AGAIN
Thanks Adil for this post. I was sure that it would be due on ATP when I heard this song recently on youtube.
Arieb is a wonderful guy and used to perform at civil junction in Islamabad before his album was released. In addition to sufi music, he sings in Bosnian language really well.
His mother, Nasreen Azhar, a civil society activist and also had been working in Actionaid is such a sweet soul. Having influence of such wonderful parents and blessed with high bass voice he would be a great sufi music icon.
Sorry,
Not Bosnian but Croatian music.
wah ji wah kia baat hai zabardust mazaa aa gia
“zara numm ho tu yeh matti barri zarkheez hai saaqi”
this is truly refreshing and heart warming
thanks ATP for this.
…This is why i love pakistaniat!!!
I do not want to say any hash words, but one thing is sure: this is not the sort of music which deserves superlatives used in the blog. May I humbly add that the piece presented here is an average one.
Thanks allot Adil for sharing this. It is beautiful.
Wonderfull
His album Wajj is terrific… interestingly, he lived in Croatia during the 90′s, at the height of the civil war… I hope at some stage he shares his experiences of the conflict, especially as a Pakistani who was probably considered sympathetic to the Bosnians, who although were allied to the Croats, did cross swords with them on occasion… also, Croatia unfortunately has a history of fascism, in particular during World War II, and these sentiments were revived during the Yugoslav Civil War…
I don’t know if anyone has posted his latest song yet… this is a song he wrote exclusively for some competition for songs commemorating this year’s Independence Day… Enjoy:
http://www.koolmuzone.com/2009/08/arieb-azhar-meray-dess-exclusive/
i am also so into the song that i cant help myself and google his name to find some more songs of him and landed on ATP.
Complete rendering of this kalaam available at:
http://www.apnaorg.com/poetry/kfarid/
Select Page 136 from the list box (continues over to Page 138)
Just my 2 cents!
I am sure he is a nice guy but his music ‘Gaiki’ sucks big time.