whats the deal with qawals?

Arts & Culture Culture, Arts, Literature & Linguistics
1

So whats the deal buddy?

Lets see

qawali is good, I have not heard many people say anything negative about it, except for some younger folks who question the musical abilities of the screaming and shouting gang.

Question is…If I was discussing religion, or my affection for the prophet or duty to god in a rap.. can you imagine what kind of uproar it would generate from the Mullahs.

Seriously, Imagine a guy in some gangsta style clothing, the bandanna the attitude and all rapping about how he really needs to be in madina?

What about a desi Iron maiden clone band with blazing guitar riffs and double bass pounding away with their screams of reverence to God.

Not Happnin’ baby…the day that happens, every mullah and umpteen thousand “elder” would start proclaiming the end of the world and the coming doom etc. etc.

So…why qawalis?

I mean, Music is like not allowed and stuff…correcto amigo?

Then

Whats the difference if I play with dhols and harmonium etc., or if there is guitars and keyboards involved? Ya know what I am saying mate? …In my view. NO difference, none, zero, zilch, nada, etc etc.

Then the claim is…err these other musicians they have adopted western style, and music and blah blah blah..The long hair and all and jewelry makes them look effeminate, OH okay, I am in complete agreement thre..but…HELLLO..wake up and smell the cappuccino…last time I checked these qawals did not look very masculine anyways. With their shimmering kurtas, and all. Seriously, who would not chuckle if they saw their dad wear the type of clothes that Aziz Mian or Arif Lohar wear? And if the “rock” musicians ( I am using the term rather loosely) have the western look, This “baanka” look did not originate from the arabian deserts, the “teekhi” topi and shiny “sherwani” and all.

So the question is … Does the older generation in Pakistan not realize this, because frankly I am kinda tired of having their views of whats right and wrong being forced, especially when they do not and will not see the issues with the society that they see as appropriate, cultured, and “pakistani”

Last question..whats with the qawals side kick who claps his hands like some imbecile and shakes his head as he was not quite playing with a full deck of cards…do they arrive that way, are there training classes and certification requirements, or are they made to order?

So whatcha whatcha whctha want??

2

Salaamz!! Fraudzaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaz :>

arey aap kahan teh???..I haven’t seen you in ages

http://www.pak.org/gupshup/frown.gif

…aap tau humein bhool gayain haain!!!

http://www.pak.org/gupshup/frown.gif

anywayz I really liked your viewz on this contraversial issue!! :wink: wah …Qawalz and Qawaliz!! haha leave it you to come up with sucha interesting topic!!! hehe

lekin it’s sad ppl nowadayz don’t even appreciate Qawaali’s!! let alone a Qawaal like Aziz Mian…who can..mind you play a killer harmonium with Paan in his mouth and singing like there’s no tommorow!! “Teri Suraat hoo Teri Suraat”

aur haan those side kicks!! are probably there for moral support!!! hehe clappin and doing Mast Mast!!! and yeah well we gotta have em to make it all complete!! How else will the show go on? but I have noticed that some of them who do sing on the side…have such high voices!!! like there singing through there noses!!!

khair long live Qawalis and Qawaalz!!!

umm but to answer your questions why!! and whatz the deal!! Allah hi janaay!! and hey why is it that we don’t have a desi Iron Maiden yet?? :)or do we!!!

Allah hoo :wink:

aur haan guess whooo :slight_smile:

[This message has been edited by Naazish (edited February 27, 1999).]

3

Fraudia Ji,

Your point is well taken. However, Qawaalis were started by the Sufi Saints, who were considered the non-conformists of their time. Their views were similar to yours...ie
why should prayers be confined to the rituals of namaaz and roza only. Why can't one commemorate one's maker by whatever means he thinks fit. If the Koran can be recited the way it is (Qiraat ke Saath) then why can't we convey the same message through
songs using a different languages. And I am sure aside from the hardcore Mullas, no one will object if the Junoons were to sing an Urdu translation of Surah Fatiha, their style. After all they did a pretty good job of singing Iqbal's 'KHUDI' didn't they. As for the hard core Mullas..keep feeding them halwa puris and they'll be happy..everything else, starting with the conduct of the 'mustoorat' in society, to the drumbeating, earring-wearing, long-haired pop singers, gives them allergies.

So what do you think Fraudia Ji..want to give rap style religious music some thought??

PS> ever stopped to think what the swiling dervishes are all about??

4

You know this touches upon a very sensitive issue in any society.....resistance to change.

I have had a similar discussion outside of the forums with some folks and they, being of the generation before me, were adamant that a small amount of tolerance and compromise in issues like this leads invariably to a total deterioration of values.

Sort of like the skirt symdrome where the hemline keeps getting higher and higher as we continue to tolerate it......

5

Well said Mr. Fraudia..

by all means qawalli is not allowed in religion..
this goes into the other posting of peeri mureedi.

In Quran it says 'on this day we have perfected the religion for you'......

With this type of statement why do we need to find other ways to do the same things. As our lives are quite short to begin with why dont we just keep to the best way as prescribed in Islam and not go searching for other means to try to achieve the same objective not knowing whether it is right... but before you start yelling that this posting should be in the different forum I relent ..

I to enjoy music and accept the fact that I am committing a sin.. but then so are the mullahs who are upholding the status quo in Pakistan.
They should be discouraging the perception that qawallis are unislamic in nature (no matter as to how they started) and they should atleast try to present an accurate picture of islam to the people..

But then as my brother so aptly puts it.. the mullahs and politicians use Islam as a billy club to keep the population under control. it is all about control

and this control is threatened when they see any new ideas.... like rap!

[This message has been edited by blackzero (edited March 06, 1999).]