Translation: I don’t know what place it was, where I was last night, The dance of death whirled all around me, where I was last night A nymph-like beauty with tulip cheeks and a cypress body was wreaking havoc in the hearts, where I was last night God himself was the master of ceremonies, in that placeless…
I have found my love
Another gem from Amīr Khusrow, about his Shaykh Niẓamuddīn Awliyā’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWq-qgMDz14 Translation: What a glow I see everywhere , Oh mother, what a glow;I’ve found the beloved, yes I found him,In my courtyard;I have found my pīr Nizamuddin Aulia.I roamed around the whole world,looking for the perfect beloved;And finally this face has enchanted my heart.The whole…
Love’s Martyr: Qutb ad-Din Bakhtiar Kaki
The great Indian Sufi shaykh, disciple of Mu’in ad-Din Chisti and master to Baba Farid, is said to have heard the following verses during a qawwali performance: كشتگان خنجر تسليم را هر زمان از غيب جان ديگر است For the victims of the dagger of surrender There is new life at…
More Aziz Mian…
There’s no one quite like ‘Aziz Some lines: Main sharaabi, yaaron mujhe muaaaf karo Main nashe mein hoon, yaaron mujhe muaaaf karo Sheeshe mein mai, mai mein nasha, main nashe mein hoon Ye apni masti hai, jisne machayi hai halchal Nasha sharaab mein hota to nachti botal I’m a drunkard; forgive me, my friends….
Aziz Mian-It doesn’t get much better than this…
Mein Kya Janu Raam “Oh God how can I figure out Your unfathomable ways?” Probably my favorite qawwal. The imagery, the rhythm, the sincere intensity, the pure poetry of the performance is almost overwhelming Every wise man has given up what strange disguises man has adopted in this curious world of Yours God how can…