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Mysticism, Qawwali, and the Ustad
Dear Hyphenly readers,
If you’ve heard of qawwali, chances are you’ve heard the name Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
Qawwali—meaning “utterance”—is a form of Sufi devotional music rooted in Islamic mysticism. It is typically performed by a lead vocalist accompanied by a harmonium, tabla, and dholak. It’s not just music; it’s a spiritual experience.
Each performance is a slow build, sometimes stretching beyond 20 minutes. But the repetition—the chanting of the same lines again and again—is purposeful. With every rising beat and shift in tone, the words take on new meaning. The aim isn’t just to listen, but to feel and to be moved into a kind of religious ecstasy.
Traditionally performed in Sufi shrines, qawwali remains a vital and profound part of spiritual life in South Asia. And whether or not you’re religious, the music has the power to transport you. Want to learn more about Qawwali? We recommend this article.
It was Pakistani musician Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan who brought this centuries-old tradition to the global stage.
It started with The Last Temptation of Christ (1988). The Martin Scorsese directed film had music by the iconic Peter Gabriel. The album Passion, released a year after the film had been out, became a landmark in global fusion music. At its heart was a collaboration with none other than Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. You can hear the mesmerizing result here:
Perhaps, most famously, his influence extended to Jeff Buckley. The Hallelujah singer said about Khan: “I knew not one word of Urdu, and somehow it still hooked me into the story that he weaved with his wordless voice." Buckley even performed one of Khan’s best-known songs, Ye Jo Halka Halka Suroor Hai, during a set at Sin-é—a small café in Manhattan’s East Village. Curious what Buckley’s Urdu sounded like? Give it a listen here:
But our personal favorite is the collaboration between Michael Brook and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
After his work on Passion, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was signed to Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records. It was there that he met Canadian musician and producer Michael Brook, who was known to incorporate Asian influences into his music. Together, they created Night Song—the final studio album Khan recorded before his death from cardiac arrest in 1997. The album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best World Music Album in 1996. Though it didn’t win, Night Song remains a landmark in global fusion, continuing to influence a new generation of musicians blending East and West.
If you’re curious to hear more, here’s a modern Bollywood style rendition of Khan’s music, sang by the legendary Atif Aslam:
Culture Check-In: We want to hear from you!
Out of these, which movie do you think has the best music?Any crucial movies we missed out? Let us know! |
Podcast Pick of the Week
Are you a fan of qawwali, or Pakistani music in general? Hear Saadia’s interview with Arooj Aftab at Immigrantly. Aftab is the first Pakistani musician to both win and perform at the Grammys. Curious about her music? Listen to her award-winning song Mohabbat.
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This newsletter was curated by Suhasini Patni.
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