Ghulam Farid Sabri
Encyclopedia
Ghulam Farid Sabri was a major Qawwali singer, and a leading member of the Sabri Brothers
, a leading qawwali group.
He was born in Kalyana
, a village in the district of Rohtak
in East Punjab
, British India in 1930. His family's musical lineage stretches back several centuries, to the age of the Mughal
emperors. His family claims direct descent from Mian Tansen, the legendary musician of the court of Akbar the Great
. Mehboob Baksh Ranji Ali Rang, his paternal grandfather, was a master musician of his time; Baqar Hussein Khan, his maternal grandfather, was a unique sitarist. His family belongs to the Sabriyya order of Sufism
, hence the surname Sabri.
Haji Ghulam Farid Sabri was raised in Gwalior. In his youth, he wanted to turn away from the world and live in the wilderness. However, his mother's stern rebuke turned him back to his responsibilities. At the age of six, Ghulam Farid commenced his formal instruction in music under his father, Inayat Sen Sabri. Ghulam Farid Sabri was instructed in North Indian classical music and Qawwali
. He was also instructed in the playing of the harmonium
. His first public performance was at the annual Urs
festival of the Sufi saint Mubarak Shah
in Kalyana in 1946. Following the Partition of India
in 1947, his family was uprooted from their native town and was transported to a refugee camp in Karachi
, Pakistan
. Conditions in the camp were woeful, food was scarce and expensive, and the rewards for hard work were barely enough to sustain life. Malnutrition was rife and brought with it scourges of tuberculosis and dysentery. Ghulam Farid found a job by carrying hods of bricks for the government house building or by breaking rocks to build roads. At night, almost single-handedly, he built his own house, brick by brick, to shelter his family. Eventually, he became ill. Worn out, he was told by a physician that due to the condition of his lungs, he would never again have the strength to sing. In despair, he went to his father for advice and the advice he was given was uncompromisingly tough. Every night for the next two years, he would have to sit in the middle of the camp for four to five hours making zikr. All those days he bore the scars of beatings with wood and stones thrown by his tired, sleepless neighbours and brawls he was in when they were determined to stop him; but he would not be deterred and, as time went by, his lungs grew stronger and his magnificent voice was formed. Soon, Ghulam Farid started to mix with a small group of people who appreciated Qawwali. He then joined Ustad Kallan Khan's Qawwali party. Soon after, a wealthy businessman approached him and offered him a partnership in a nightclub, yet Ghulam Farid's reply was that he only wanted to sing Qawwali, and he rejected the offer. Shortly after, in 1956, Ghulam Farid joined his brother Maqbool Ahmed Sabri's Qawwali ensemble, and they came to be known as The Sabri Brothers
. They became widely acclaimed for their singing. Their first recording, released in 1958 under the EMI Pakistan label, was a popular hit called Mera Koi Nahin Hai. Their Qawwalis are very popular even till today. The most listened Qawwalis are Bhardo Jholi Meri Ya Muhammad, Sarela Makan Se Talab Hui, Taajdar-e-Haram, Saqiya Aur Pila. There are numerous Qawwalis to be listed. They have sung many Qawwalis in Persian like Nami Danam Che Manzil Boodh, Chashm-e-Mast-e-Ajabe, etc. of Hazrat Amir Khusro
and also Man Kunto Maula and Rang of Hazrat Amir Khusro. They have also sung a Kalaam of Imam Ahmed Raza Khan which is in four languages -- Arabic, Persian, Urdu, and Hindi. The kalaam is Lam Yaati Nazeeruka Fee Nazarin. This can be read in the website:
The group became the first exponents of Qawwali to the West
in 1975, when it performed at New York
's Carnegie Hall
. Their career was marked by brotherly squabbles which led to periods of solo work by each, but they always reconciled and reunited. Ghulam Farid Sabri died on April 5, 1994 in Liaquatabad
, following a massive heart attack. He died en route to a hospital and beside him was his beloved brother, Maqbool Ahmed. His funeral was attended by approximately 40,000 mourners. He was buried at Paposh Qabristan, in nearby Nazimabad
. His humble white grave is situated near his father's grave in a peaceful courtyard. Ghulam Farid Sabri was survived by his wife, five sons, three of whom are Amjad Farid Sabri, Azmat Farid Sabri, and Sarwat Farid Sabri, and six daughters.
Ghulam Farid Sabri is renowned as one of the foremost Qawwals of his time, forever grateful for the ability to sing. He possessed a deep and powerful voice and presented the wajad
energy during his performances. He is acknowledged as a deeply religious man, yet a warm, simple man with a great sense of humour, who lived for his family and friends. Shortly before his death, he began growing a beard. Ghulam Farid Sabri had been initiated into the Warsiyya order of Sufism by Amber Shah Warsi. The name bestowed upon him was Alam Shah Warsi.
Ghulam Farid Sabri lived in the heavily congested and overpopulated Pakistani suburb of Liaquatabad. At night, Ghulam Farid Sabri lay on his bed listening to the sounds of surrounding lanes and alleyways. His sleep was minimal and his night was filled with constant zikr, made using his 1000 bead tasbih. He wore this tasbih around his neck during recordings and live performances.
Ghulam Farid Sabri initiated his sons into classical music at a young age. His eldest son, Amjad Farid Sabri, recalls: "The hardest part was being awoken at 4:00 AM. Most riyaz is done in Raag Bhairon and this is an early morning raag. My mother would urge our father to let us be but he would still awake us. Even if we had slept at midnight, he would get us out of bed, instruct us to make wuzu, perform tahajjud prayers, and then take out the baja. And he was correct in doing so because if a raag is rendered at the correct time, the performer himself enjoys it to the fullest".
Sabri Brothers
The Sabri Brothers are a Qawwali party from Pakistan.-Original members:The Sabri Brothers originally consisted of Ghulam Farid Sabri , Maqbool Ahmed Sabri , Kamal Sabri The Sabri Brothers (Urdu: صابری برادران) are a Qawwali party from Pakistan.-Original members:The Sabri Brothers originally...
, a leading qawwali group.
He was born in Kalyana
Kalyana
Kalyana is one of the neighbourhood of New Karachi Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.There are several ethnic groups in Kalyana including Muhajirs, Punjabis, Sindhis, Kashmiris, Seraikis, Pakhtuns, Balochis, Memons, Bohras, Ismailis, etc. Over 99% of the population is Muslim. The population of New...
, a village in the district of Rohtak
Rohtak District
Rohtak district is one of the 21 districts of Haryana state in northern India. It is located in the southeast of Haryana and northwest of Delhi, bounded by Jind and Sonipat districts to the north, Jhajjar and Sonipat districts to the east, and Hissar, Sirsa, and Bhiwani districts to the west...
in East Punjab
East Punjab
East Punjab was the part of the Punjab region that went to India following the Partition of the Punjab Province of British India between India and Pakistan in 1947...
, British India in 1930. His family's musical lineage stretches back several centuries, to the age of the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
emperors. His family claims direct descent from Mian Tansen, the legendary musician of the court of Akbar the Great
Akbar the Great
Akbar , also known as Shahanshah Akbar-e-Azam or Akbar the Great , was the third Mughal Emperor. He was of Timurid descent; the son of Emperor Humayun, and the grandson of the Mughal Emperor Zaheeruddin Muhammad Babur, the ruler who founded the Mughal dynasty in India...
. Mehboob Baksh Ranji Ali Rang, his paternal grandfather, was a master musician of his time; Baqar Hussein Khan, his maternal grandfather, was a unique sitarist. His family belongs to the Sabriyya order of Sufism
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
, hence the surname Sabri.
Haji Ghulam Farid Sabri was raised in Gwalior. In his youth, he wanted to turn away from the world and live in the wilderness. However, his mother's stern rebuke turned him back to his responsibilities. At the age of six, Ghulam Farid commenced his formal instruction in music under his father, Inayat Sen Sabri. Ghulam Farid Sabri was instructed in North Indian classical music and Qawwali
Qawwali
Qawwali is a form of Sufi devotional music popular in South Asia, particularly in the Punjab and Sindh regions of Pakistan, Hyderabad, Delhi, and other parts of northern India...
. He was also instructed in the playing of the harmonium
Harmonium
A harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
. His first public performance was at the annual Urs
Urs
Urs is the death anniversary of a Sufi saint in South Asia, usually held at the saint's dargah . South Asian Sufis being mainly Chishtiyya, refer to their saints as lovers and God as beloved...
festival of the Sufi saint Mubarak Shah
Mubarak Shah
Mubarak Shah was head of the Chagatai Khanate . He was the son of Qara Hülëgü and Ergene Khatun, of the Mongol empire....
in Kalyana in 1946. Following the Partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
in 1947, his family was uprooted from their native town and was transported to a refugee camp in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Conditions in the camp were woeful, food was scarce and expensive, and the rewards for hard work were barely enough to sustain life. Malnutrition was rife and brought with it scourges of tuberculosis and dysentery. Ghulam Farid found a job by carrying hods of bricks for the government house building or by breaking rocks to build roads. At night, almost single-handedly, he built his own house, brick by brick, to shelter his family. Eventually, he became ill. Worn out, he was told by a physician that due to the condition of his lungs, he would never again have the strength to sing. In despair, he went to his father for advice and the advice he was given was uncompromisingly tough. Every night for the next two years, he would have to sit in the middle of the camp for four to five hours making zikr. All those days he bore the scars of beatings with wood and stones thrown by his tired, sleepless neighbours and brawls he was in when they were determined to stop him; but he would not be deterred and, as time went by, his lungs grew stronger and his magnificent voice was formed. Soon, Ghulam Farid started to mix with a small group of people who appreciated Qawwali. He then joined Ustad Kallan Khan's Qawwali party. Soon after, a wealthy businessman approached him and offered him a partnership in a nightclub, yet Ghulam Farid's reply was that he only wanted to sing Qawwali, and he rejected the offer. Shortly after, in 1956, Ghulam Farid joined his brother Maqbool Ahmed Sabri's Qawwali ensemble, and they came to be known as The Sabri Brothers
Sabri Brothers
The Sabri Brothers are a Qawwali party from Pakistan.-Original members:The Sabri Brothers originally consisted of Ghulam Farid Sabri , Maqbool Ahmed Sabri , Kamal Sabri The Sabri Brothers (Urdu: صابری برادران) are a Qawwali party from Pakistan.-Original members:The Sabri Brothers originally...
. They became widely acclaimed for their singing. Their first recording, released in 1958 under the EMI Pakistan label, was a popular hit called Mera Koi Nahin Hai. Their Qawwalis are very popular even till today. The most listened Qawwalis are Bhardo Jholi Meri Ya Muhammad, Sarela Makan Se Talab Hui, Taajdar-e-Haram, Saqiya Aur Pila. There are numerous Qawwalis to be listed. They have sung many Qawwalis in Persian like Nami Danam Che Manzil Boodh, Chashm-e-Mast-e-Ajabe, etc. of Hazrat Amir Khusro
Amir Khusro
Ab'ul Hasan Yamīn ud-Dīn Khusrow , better known as Amīr Khusrow Dehlawī , was an Indian musician, scholar and poet. He was an iconic figure in the cultural history of the Indian subcontinent...
and also Man Kunto Maula and Rang of Hazrat Amir Khusro. They have also sung a Kalaam of Imam Ahmed Raza Khan which is in four languages -- Arabic, Persian, Urdu, and Hindi. The kalaam is Lam Yaati Nazeeruka Fee Nazarin. This can be read in the website:
The group became the first exponents of Qawwali to the West
West
West is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.West is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of east and is perpendicular to north and south.By convention, the left side of a map is west....
in 1975, when it performed at New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
. Their career was marked by brotherly squabbles which led to periods of solo work by each, but they always reconciled and reunited. Ghulam Farid Sabri died on April 5, 1994 in Liaquatabad
Liaquatabad
Liaquatabad is a neighborhood of Liaquatabad Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Liaquatabad was named after Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan, the first Prime Minister of Pakistan....
, following a massive heart attack. He died en route to a hospital and beside him was his beloved brother, Maqbool Ahmed. His funeral was attended by approximately 40,000 mourners. He was buried at Paposh Qabristan, in nearby Nazimabad
Nazimabad
Nazimabad is a middle-class suburb of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.Nazimabad was developed starting in 1952 to settle Muslim refugees in Pakistan. This suburb was named after Khawaja Nazimuddin who was the second Governor-General of Pakistan, and later the second Prime Minister of Pakistan as well...
. His humble white grave is situated near his father's grave in a peaceful courtyard. Ghulam Farid Sabri was survived by his wife, five sons, three of whom are Amjad Farid Sabri, Azmat Farid Sabri, and Sarwat Farid Sabri, and six daughters.
Ghulam Farid Sabri is renowned as one of the foremost Qawwals of his time, forever grateful for the ability to sing. He possessed a deep and powerful voice and presented the wajad
Wajad
Ecstasy is called Wajd by Sufis: it is especially cultivated among the Chishtis. This bliss is the sign of spiritual development and also the opening for all inspirations and powers. This is the state of eternal peace, which purifies from all sins. Only the most advanced Sufis can experience Wajd...
energy during his performances. He is acknowledged as a deeply religious man, yet a warm, simple man with a great sense of humour, who lived for his family and friends. Shortly before his death, he began growing a beard. Ghulam Farid Sabri had been initiated into the Warsiyya order of Sufism by Amber Shah Warsi. The name bestowed upon him was Alam Shah Warsi.
Ghulam Farid Sabri lived in the heavily congested and overpopulated Pakistani suburb of Liaquatabad. At night, Ghulam Farid Sabri lay on his bed listening to the sounds of surrounding lanes and alleyways. His sleep was minimal and his night was filled with constant zikr, made using his 1000 bead tasbih. He wore this tasbih around his neck during recordings and live performances.
Ghulam Farid Sabri initiated his sons into classical music at a young age. His eldest son, Amjad Farid Sabri, recalls: "The hardest part was being awoken at 4:00 AM. Most riyaz is done in Raag Bhairon and this is an early morning raag. My mother would urge our father to let us be but he would still awake us. Even if we had slept at midnight, he would get us out of bed, instruct us to make wuzu, perform tahajjud prayers, and then take out the baja. And he was correct in doing so because if a raag is rendered at the correct time, the performer himself enjoys it to the fullest".