Amjad Sabri, the shining star...

Amjad Sabri was one of the finest and renowned Qawwal, the shining star of Pakistan.

He was known for his soul-stirring performances of mystic poetry.

He mesmerized music aficionados with his brand of spirituality, charm, and ecstasy for years. He was not only well-versed with the structure and aesthetics of qawwali but also knew how to make it adaptive to contemporary music keeping its essence alive.

Amjad Sabri was the nephew of famous qawwali icon Maqbool Sabri and the son of Ghulam Fareed Sabri. These two brothers were made a Qawwali group in a mid of
The 50s and became very popular because of their heart-touching performances of arfana kalams.

Historically, the qawwali tradition is passed down by male family members from one generation to the next, Amjad Sabri was the one who keeps the family tradition alive. Even whatever Sabri brothers sang became an instant hit.

Tajdar e haram and Bhardo jhooli meri is one of the super hit qawwalis of the Sabri brothers.

He lived a life above worldly emotions and did not consider his contemporaries as rivals. When singer Atif Aslam showed interest in singing the famous Qawwali 'Tajdar-e-Haram', which was originally sung by Amjad’s father, Amjad not only permitted it but also praised Atif for delivering a powerful and remarkable performance.

22 June 2016, 17 Ramadan ul Mubarak, I considered this day as a black day of the year, when the two gunmen riding a motorcycle fired shots at Sabri's car. The singer was shot five times, including in the head.

As journalist Murtaza Hussain said in a piece by Haroon Moghul published by the Washington Post, qawwali was "distinctively Pakistani and was our unique expression of Islam. That's why this killing strikes at the heart and soul of Pakistan."

Sabri’s murder leaves Pakistanis clueless about who to trust. The military establishment targets political parties in Karachi, even as the political parties accuse the military of fueling internal conflict.

Mein qabr andheri mein ghabraoon ga jab tanha
Imdad meri karnay aa Jana Rasool Allah”

(“In my dark grave, when I am afraid and alone
Come to my aid, O Prophet of Allah.”)

The last Sabri performance before his murder. His performance, which aired less than 12 hours before he was killed, was part of a Ramadan program. The ghazal Sabri performed, called “O Sabz Gunbad Walay” (“O you of the green dome”), is a plea to the Prophet of Islam and God for mercy in the hereafter.

Today, as I sit grasping for words to explain the effect of a man over an entire generation, not just within Pakistan, but in the entire world. How he mesmerized the entire world only with his sufiyana kalams, and the way which he was singing with full of spirituality and love is truly remarkable.

Main kis ke hath pe Apna lahu talaash Karun
Tamam shehr ne pehne Huey hain dastaaney

(On whose hands should I find my blood,
Everyone in this city is wearing gloves).