Fanna-Fi-Allah: Annihilation into Allah. Qawwali is an
ancient practice where in the fire of divine love
(ishq) is
ecstatically expressed through the mystical verses of
Sufi
poets, sung in Urdu, Farsi, Hindi and Punjabi. The
origins
of Qawwali music date back over seven hundred years to
the
spiritual Samah songs of Persia. Qawwali's
pationate
devotional themes of love are devinely inspired by a
mystical relationship with Allah. The foremost
expression
in this music is through the voice, accompanied by two
harmoniums, booming Pakistani tablas, hand clapping
and the
tampura.
It is traditionally performed in Sufi shrines where
the
audience participation is integral to the
prayerful yet ecstatic atmosphere.
Tahir Qawwal and Amena Chisty Qawwal, who are
infinitely
blessed to be the foremost disciples of Rahat Fateh
Ali
Khan, the greatest Qawwali master of Pakistan and only
nephew-successor of the great Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan,
and
Dildar Hussein, world renowned tabla master from the
Nusrat
Fateh Ali Khan Qawwali party, lead the Fanna-Fi-Allah
Qawwali party consisting of five to ten rigorously
trained
musicians. This young Qawwali party wishes to bring
forth,
from out of the Sufi shrines, the blessing of this
ancient
practice of devotion and love through music and dance
to
all. Fanna-Fi-Allah has been greatly honoured to play
at
such sacred sufi shries in Pakistan such as the
beloved
tombs of :Data Ganj Baksh (Lahore), Baba Ganj-e-Shakar
(Pak
Pattan), Baba Bulleh Shah (Kasoor), Baba Lasuri Shah
(Faislabad)....and in India at the tombs of Khwaje
Nizzam-Ud-Deen Aulia, Hazrat Amir Khusrau, Pir Inayat
Khan
(Delhi), Khwaje Mueen-Ud-Deen Chishty (Ajmer), and
many
more mystic sites.
