Qawwali and Sufi music in Pakistan

The qawwal is a singer or singing musician (in Arabic, “one who speaks well”) of the Chishti tradition of India and Pakistan. Qawwali is linked with the history of the Chishti Order, which was founded in Chisht, in Khurasan, and brought to the Indian subcontinent in the 12th century. Qawwali, from the Arabic word qual, meaning utterance, are the songs intended to stimulate religious ecstasy and trance. The qawwal voices the spiritual message of Sufism, a mystical extension of Islam.

Qawwali music has been developed from the inversion of Indian ragas: vocals and harmoniums are layered on top of rhythm. The vocals reach their greatest intensity when some of the singers take turns singing while the others are breathing. This creates the illusion that they are singing without taking a breath. The harmoniums too operates in a same way.

Qawwali developed as the major Sufi music genre through the careers of a number of prominent qawwals like Munshi Raziuddin, Baha-ud-din, Santoo Khan, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s father, Fateh Ali Khan and uncle Mubarak Ali Khan, Aziz Mian, Sabri Brothers and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Qawwali had a healthy steady patronage from the shrines of Sufi saints which have large established followings who shower money on qawwals performing on various auspicious occasions.

One of the famous Sufi singer and often know as the Qawaal star , 'Pakistan's Pavarotti', Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Khan said: "When I sing for God, I feel myself in accord with God, and the house of God, Mecca, is right in front of me".

He had taken qawwali training from his father and other family elders of the Jullundhri qawwal family - was endowed with a keen sense of innovative composition and was lucky to be noticed by some of the leading experimental contemporary world musicians like Peter Gabriel who provided him the break that he needed. His musical experiments were frequently criticized by the contemporary purist qawwals who considered use of western instruments and the fusion experiments carried out by Nusrat somewhat blasphemous. His use of certain techniques of western polyphonic composition in his orchestration was also not supported by these quarters. He also brought to Pakistan some of the latest recording equipment and was always busy composing and recording in his studios. His strength also lay in complex use of rhythm, a wide knowledge of traditional range of raagas and a very sound intimate living knowledge of folk music which he used in some of his most well known compositions.

Khan was one of the truly great cross over artists who was able to bridge geographical, religious and cultural divides with his powerful voice and traditions.