“Balagh-al-’Ula Bi-Kamaalihi” is a popular qawwali most famously performed by the late Sabri Brothers, Ghulam Farid Sabri (1930-1994) and Maqbool Ahmed Sabri (1945-2011), from Pakistan. It is a multilingual na’at (a praise of the prophet Muhammad) that amalgamates poetry from across time periods and geographies, with at least four authors.
Tag: urdu
Dil Men Ik Leher: A Refreshing Ghazal
One example of an excellent contemporary Urdu ghazal is “Dil Men Ik Leher Si Uthi Hai Abhi” by Nasir Kazmi, a Pakistani poet. Kazmi (1925-1972) was born in Ambala in East Punjab during the British Raj, and moved to Lahore during the partition of India. His poems are often written in short meter (چھوٹی بحر / chHoTi beher) and have a relatable and modern quality to them.
Mere Rashk-e Qamar: Envy of the Moon
“Mere Rashk-e Qamar” is an Urdu ghazal that was penned by the Pakistani poet Fana Buland Shehri (?-1986) and performed as a qawwali in the 1980s by Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (1948-1997).