How a 21-min qawwali discovered during a video game hunt changed a schoolboy’s musical world

With the beginning of the new millennium, the world began a rapid transition from cassettes to CDs. 

In the early 2000s, the internet wasn’t as widely spread in the country as it is now. 

While YouTube was yet to be founded, there were websites for music and downloading songs, but they weren’t as popular as the collection of songs in MP3 formats on CDs.

Those days, one of the go-to destinations for buying CDs was Rifles Square Shopping Mall in Dhanmondi, Dhaka.

 As a school student fascinated by the world of video games, I would visit the market with friends to buy pirated copies of games -- usually twice a year, after each Eid -- spending our Eidi money. 

The whole experience felt like an adventure for us, travelling far from home and shopping on our own.

It was during one such “expedition” that I stumbled upon an MP3 collection of Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. 

His music was not usually played in our home, as my mother preferred Mehdi Hassan and wasn’t particularly fond of his style. However, my aunt and uncle were admirers of the ustad’s Sufi songs.

Those days, a single disc used to cost Tk 30, and without any second thought, I bought it -- as a gift for my uncle and aunt, who used to give me the biggest amount as Eidi.

After coming home, I played the disc out of curiosity, and the first track was a 21-minute-long song, titled “Allah Hoo.”

I started listening to it, and as it progressed, I could feel myself being carried into a state of trance by the song. Since then, the song for me has transcended mere melody and become a soul-stirring opus that dances through the realms of the divine.

Image

As I grew up in a conventionally religious household in the ‘90s, a part of my early schooling involved religious studies. The anecdotes narrated in the qawwali touched upon many of the stories I grew up listening to and reading from the religious scriptures.

Looking back, the qawwali is an ode to the boundless expanse of the divine, woven with threads of fervour, ecstasy, and mystical yearning. In it, one finds the convergence of profound lyrical poetry and mesmerising musicality.

The ethereal melody, guided by the celestial voice of Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, meanders through the corridors of the heart, invoking a sense of devotion that transcends earthly limitations. At its core, "Allah Hoo" is an invocation, a reverberating call to the divine.

The repetition of the phrase "Allah Hoo" serves as both a zikr and a proclamation, a testament to the omnipresence and omnipotence of the creator. With each repetition, the qawwali becomes a sacred ritual, drawing the listener closer to the divine presence that permeates every corner of existence.

The mystical poetry that accompanies the melody delves into the depths of the Sufi tradition, exploring themes of love, longing, and divine union. Each verse is a tapestry of allegory and symbolism, inviting the listener to decipher the hidden truths veiled within the words. Through the qawwali, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan unveils the mystical path of the Sufis, a journey of inner transformation and spiritual awakening.

With each rendition, he infuses the performance with his own unique flair, channelling his innermost emotions into the music. This improvisational aspect not only showcases the virtuosity of the performers but also ensures that each rendition of "Allah Hoo" is a transcendent experience unto itself.

The hypnotic rhythm of the tabla and the entrancing melodies of the harmonium provide the perfect backdrop for Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's soaring vocals. With each note, the music weaves a spellbinding aura, enveloping the listener in a trance-like state.

Moreover, the improvisational nature of qawwali adds an element of spontaneity and raw emotion to "Allah Hoo."

"Allah Hoo" by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is not merely a musical composition; it is a revelation, a sacred invocation that transports the listener to the heights of epiphany.