Ki Mala -nusrat Fateh Ali Khan- — Sanson

Beyond the Qawwali: Why Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s Sanson Ki Mala is a Spiritual Masterpiece

Most pop versions of Sanson Ki Mala use a faster, happier beat. They turn it into a love song for weddings. Sanson Ki Mala -Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan-

The title translates to “On the rosary of my breaths.” Beyond the Qawwali: Why Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s

In traditional Islam, a Misbaha (prayer beads) is used to count the 99 names of Allah. What Nusrat does here is revolutionary in its poetry: He replaces the beads with his own breaths. “Sanson ki mala pe, simaroon main pi ka naam” (On the rosary of my breaths, I remember my beloved’s name.) Every inhale. Every exhale. Not a single breath is wasted. Every moment of being alive is an act of remembrance ( Zikr ). This isn't romantic love in the Bollywood sense; this is Ishq-e-Haqiqi (Divine Love). The "beloved" ( pi ) is God, or the ultimate spiritual truth. What Nusrat does here is revolutionary in its