A Musical Celebration of the Beloved
                                                    
                             ... songs by wahiduddin

                                                              updated 17-Aug-2007      
                              

Welcome, The following devotional songs (just me and my guitar) are worship, prayers and praise of the Almighty. These songs are based on sacred phrases and sacred ideals that have had powerful spiritual influences in my life, and they are offered freely as a celebration of the Divine. Some of the words and ideals are expressed in English, some in Arabic, some in Sanskrit and some in Hindi, but no matter what the language, these songs are dedicated to the glorious ideals of Love, Harmony and Beauty. The words and phrases in these songs have found their way to me through several different teachers, and are now a part of my own daily spiritual practices, regardless of what language they may have originated in. They are offered here for the glory and praise of the Almighty. I hope and pray that they may be blessings in your life too. Such glorious words and phrases have not been given to some select few, but are for the awakening and happiness of all of mankind.  The following songs are really personal prayers, personal worship, personal devotion.... and  these heartfelt prayers are offered with feelings of  joy, peace, reverence and understanding for all who choose to participate. Each of these songs has a story to tell, and it would be delightful if you would join into the story by singing along or playing along, letting these songs become your prayers too. This is a celebration of the Beloved.... enjoy! ... and for more celebration of the Beloved, please consider my mystical poetry too.

Download to your computer:  To download directly to your hard-drive so that you can play the songs without being connected to the internet, point your mouse at the song title, and click with the RIGHT mouse button, in Microsoft Internet Explorer select "Save target as...", then store the song in a folder where you can easily access the song to play it later. Troubleshooting:  If you have difficulty hearing these songs on your computer , here is a troubleshooting guide which also has recommendations for free downloads of  players for wma and mp3 audio.

 The Newest Offerings...  

1) There is One Light  (August 2006, original, by wahiduddin)

             PDF with lyrics and chords 

1st Chorus:

There is One Light
     forever shining.
It shines in you
     and It shines in me.

Verses:

But the Light can't shine
     when I think of "me".
Through thoughts of Thee
     then the Light will be.

That Light does shine
     on everyone,
in every moment
     of every day.

Whenever you feel
     the Light's not shining,
cast off that cloak of "self"
    and the Light will be.

2nd Chorus:

There is One Light
     forever shining.
Through every window
    that One Same Light.

Similarly, Mahmud Shabistari wrote:

"I" and "you" are but the lattices,
in the niches of a lamp,
through which the One Light shines.

"I" and "you" are the veil
between heaven and earth;
lift this veil and you will see
no longer the bonds of sects and creeds.

In the words of Hazrat Inayat Khan:

The first and last lesson in love is, 'I am not – Thou art' and unless man is moved to that selflessness he does not know justice, right or truth. His self stands above or between him and God.

            
 

2)  All Are He  (April 2006, original, by wahiduddin, based on a poem by Jami)

     PDF with lyrics and chords

neighbor, companion, fellow traveler on the way -- all are He all are He
in the tattered robe of a beggar, in the red satin of a king -- all are He all are He
in the congregation of separation and the privacy of unity,
by God, all are He. Yes, by God, all are He.


by God, all are He. Yes, by God, all are He.


friend, foe, those we just walk by -- all are He all are He
in the garb of man, woman and new-born babe -- all are He all are He
in the ever-present beauty and the joy of harmony
by God, all are He. Yes, by God, all are He.


by God, all are He. Yes, by God, all are He.

The original text of the poem:

hamsâye o hamneshîn o hamrâh hame ûst
dar dalaqe gadâ o atlase shah hame ûst
dar anjomane farq o nehân khâneye jam’
be-llâh hame ûst summa be-llâh hame ûst

        poem by Nûruddîn abd ar-Rahmân Jâmî

Similarly, the Qur'an (2:115) says:

To Allah belong the East and the West; whithersoever ye turn there is the presence of Allah.

Beyond Gender:

Of particular significance in this poem is the fact that in Farsi the personal pronoun û, which forms the first part of the contraction ûst, may mean either he or she. That is, the personal pronoun û simply to points toward “that one”, without regard to gender. In the rendering used for this song, the pronoun û  is simply translated as He, however, there is no gender specified in the original poem, rather the poem simply refers to that One. Hopefully this song will be heard and felt as referring to that One who is beyond gender.
 

3)  Your Face, Your Eyes   (original, by wahiduddin)

      PDF with lyrics and chords

This song arrived after I had been reading some scripture verses during Ramadan meditations. As is the case with each of these songs, I didn't intend to create a song, the song just "arrived" and urged me to sing along:
 

Your face,
     Your eyes,
in the east
   and in the west,
everywhere I look
    I see You.

Your face,
     Your eyes,
in the night
   and in the day,
everywhere I go
    I see You.

Eternal Flame of the heart,
    burning forevermore.
The One who is always here,
    we are  never without You.

 

Here are some of the scripture verses that echo these same thoughts:

The Old Testament says:

Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always. (Psalms 105:4)

O Lord, listen to my cry. Show loving-kindness to me and answer me.
You have said, "Look for My face."
My heart said to You, "O Lord, Your face will I look for." (Psalms 27:7-8)

The Qur'an says:

To Allah belong the East and the West;
whithersoever ye turn there is the presence of Allah.
For Allah is All-Pervading All-Knowing. (Qur'an 2:115)

We created man, We know the whisperings of his soul,
and We are closer to him than his jugular vein. (Qur'an 50:16)

In The Bhagavad-Gita, the Lord says:

... where there is one, that one is Me,
where there are many, all are Me. (9:15)

The great poet and mystic Kabir wrote:

O servant, where dost thou seek Me?
Lo! I am beside thee.

The Chishti poet Amir Khusrau wrote:

Love came and spread like blood in my veins and the skin of me,
It filled me with the Friend and completely emptied me.
The Friend has taken over all parts of my existence,
Only my name remains, as all is He.

And Hazrat Inayat Khan said:

God's faces are everywhere. There is nothing on the earth, in the sky, in the sea, where He is not seen; but if we do not recognize Him we do not know that we see Him. A great Indian poet, Amir, says, "O eyes, that are longing to see the Beloved, why do you complain of His absence?" This means the Beloved is before you, He has not run away, but your eyes must recognize Him.

4)   Om Hare Om   (original, by wahiduddin)

     PDF with lyrics and chords

Om hâre Om
Om hâre Om
asato mâ sad gamaya
Om hâre Om

Om hâre Om
Om hâre Om
tamaso mâ jyotir gamaya
Om hâre Om

Om hâre Om
Om hâre Om
mrtyor mâ amritam gamaya
Om hâre Om

The lyrics for this song are based on the Brhadâranyaka Upanishad, verse 1.3.28:

Om asato mâ sad gamaya
tamaso mâ jyotir gamaya
mrtyor mâ amritam gamaya
Om shanti shanti shanti

Oh wondrous One,
Lead us from the unreal to the Real!
Lead us from darkness to Light!
Lead us from death to Immortality!
Peace, Peace, Peace.

Here are two versions of  Sai Baba chanting these same verses of the Brhadâranyaka Upanishad:
       Sai Baba chanting with children
     Sai Baba chanting with background music  (from Embodiment of Love II, by Gianluca and Gabriele Ducros)

And here is a brief recording of Swami "Papa" Ramdas speaking about these same verses of the Brhadâranyaka Upanishad:
       Papa Ramdas
 

5)  Eyes of the Beloved (original, by wahiduddin)

     PDF with lyrics and chords 

Have you ever been so happy
     that you could just sit for hours
staring into the eyes
     of your Beloved?

Have you ever been so deep in love
     that you needed nothing else
just gazing upon the beauty
     of your Beloved?

Have you ever been so happy
     that you could just stroll for hours
walking along
     with your Beloved?

Eyes wide open
    Heart wide open

Everywhere you look, everything you touch
     is that Beloved

Everywhere you look, everything you touch
     is that Beloved
 

Here are a few quotes that touch on this same theme:

First I thought my life's work was psychology. And then I thought my life's work was psychedelics. Then I thought my life's work was bringing eastern philosophy to the West. Now... whatever I'm doing is my life's work, even if it's sitting by the window.
                                Ram Dass (Richard Alpert)

As one in the arms of their beloved is not aware of what is within and what is without, so a person in union with the Self is not concerned with what is within and what is without, for in such Unity all desires find their perfect fulfillment. With no desires to be fulfilled, one goes beyond desire and sorrow.
                             Brihadaranyaka Upanishad  4.3.21

If you are seeking closeness to the Beloved, love everyone. Whether in their presence or absence, see only their good. If you want to be as clear and refreshing as the breath of the morning breeze, like the sun have nothing but warmth and light for everyone.
                               Shaikh Abu-Saeed Abil-Khair

The best form to worship God is every form.
                             Neem Karoli

There is only one virtue and one sin for a soul on the path:
virtue when he is conscious of God and sin when he is not.                                                  
                                Abu Hashim Madani

 

6)  Jaya Jaya Râma Victory To Thee  (original, by wahiduddin)

     PDF with lyrics and chords

This gentle, beseeching, longing, devotional song is deeply emotional and often brings tears of joy to my eyes. 

The name Râma as it is used in this song, is synonymous with Brahman, Allah and God... the One and Only.

This is a song from a lover to the Beloved, that Beloved who is so utterly Magnificent, so utterly Glorious that no words, no acts could truly express the depth of feeling and emotion involved in these simple lines.

Om Srî Râma Jaya Râma Jaya Jaya Râma
Om Srî Râma Jaya Râma Jaya Jaya Râma  Jaya Jaya Râma

Om Srî Râma Jaya Râma Jaya Jaya Râma
Om Srî Râma Jaya Râma Jaya Jaya Râma  Jaya Jaya Râma

 - instrumental break -

Victory, Victory for Thee, Jaya Jaya Râma

The feeling of glorious, prayerful, humble submission that this song expresses, reminds me of the story of the simple shepherd who Moses met one day:

:Moses once passed by a farm and saw a peasant boy talking to himself, saying, 'O Lord, Thou art so good and kind that I feel if Thou wert here by me I would take good care of Thee, more than of all my sheep, more than of all my fowls. In the rain I would keep Thee under the roof of my grass-shed, when it is cold I would cover Thee with my blanket, and in the heat of the sun I would take Thee to bathe in the brook. I would put Thee to sleep with Thy head on my lap, and would fan Thee with my hat, and would always watch Thee and guard Thee from wolves. I would give Thee bread of manna and would give Thee buttermilk to drink, and to entertain Thee I would sing and dance and play my flute. O Lord my God, if Thou wouldst only listen to this and come and see how I would tend Thee.'

Moses was amused to listen to all this, and, as the deliverer of the divine message, he said, 'How impertinent on thy part, O boy, to limit the unlimited One, God, the Lord of hosts, who is beyond form and color and the perception and comprehension of man.' The boy became disheartened and full of fear at what he had done. But immediately a revelation came to Moses: 'We are not pleased with this, O Moses, for We have sent thee to unite Our separated ones with Us, not to disunite. Speak to everyone according to his evolution.'

 

7)  Om Srî Râma ... (original, by wahiduddin)

     PDF with lyrics and chords 

This song arose out of my own daily practice of joyful singing for the glory of the One. This particular celebration of the Divine is a combination of an ancient Sanskrit mantra and two similar phrases from the Qur'an.

For some, the name Râma only depicts a character in the ancient stories of Râma and Sîta, but for those who have a mystical understanding, such as Swami Papa Ramdas, the name Râma is synonymous with Brahman, Allâh and God... the One and Only.

In this same vein, in the Qur'an we are told: "Call upon Allah or call upon Rahman: by whatever name ye call upon Him (it is well): for to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names." (17:110)

And so it is with this song, all of the Beautiful Names belong to the One, the One and Only, the All in all.

This song will take on a new life when you sing along...  please sing along!

Om Srî Râma Jaya Râma Jaya Jaya Râma
Om Srî Râma Jaya Râma Jaya Jaya Râma
Om Srî Râma Jaya Râma Jaya Jaya Râma
La ilâha illa-llâh
La ilâha illa-hû

A simple translation of the lyrics is:

O' God, holy Râma, victory to Râma, victory, victory to Râma
There is nothing worthy of our worship except Allâh
There is nothing to worship other than He.

The pronunciation that I have used is from the ancient Sanskrit mantra "Om Srî Râma Jaya Râma Jaya Jaya Râma". In modern India, the current languages are generally derived from Sanskrit, but with some changes.  Thus the "modern" version of this same mantra is "Om Srî Râm Jai Râm Jai Jai Râm".

Here are two short clips of Ram Mantra chants from India:

Ram Mantra Chant by Swami Ramdas

Ram Mantra by Swami Ramsuratkumar

8)  Such a Mystery   (original, by wahiduddin)

     PDF with lyrics and chords 

Sometimes it seems that words are just not up to the task of praising and glorifying and singing in awe of the Beloved... and this song has arisen from that place, a song of few words, longing to say more that words than can say.

You are Everything, everything I've ever wanted,
You are Everything, everything I've ever needed,
You are Everything, everything I've ever loved,
You are a Mystery, such a mystery.

You are a Mystery.

9)  Om Tare Tare... (traditional lyrics, melody based on Peaceful Goddess of the Turquoise Lake by  Anton Mizerak)

      (12 string guitar, open G tuning) 

As is the case with many sacred phrases, the meaning of the Tara mantra is greater than words can express... words can only point rather vaguely in the direction of the meaning.

Tara is variously interpreted to mean shining star, liberator, rescuer, savior, or one who ferries across. A traditional explanation of the mantra is that it uses variations of the name Tara to represent three progressive stages of deliverance or salvation:

Tare represents deliverance from mundane suffering, liberation from the sufferings of samsara.

Tutare represents deliverance into the spiritual path conceived in terms of individual salvation, liberation from fear, external dangers and internal delusions.

Ture represents the culmination of the spiritual path in terms of deliverance into the altruistic path of universal salvation, the Bodhisattva path, the end of suffering, liberation from ignorance.

Tara belongs to the Karma family of unobstructed compassionate activity. She is known as the Swift One, due to her immediate response to those who request her aid. She is known as the great liberator, specializing in overcoming obstacles in whatever form they manifest in our lives. She is especially known for her power to overcome the most difficult situations, giving protection against dangers and all kinds of fear.

The following comments are from a talk by His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama:

… the mantra of the Goddess Tara. This is the manifestation of Buddha's energy. This is very useful for everything. For long life, good health, wealth; for those people who want children --the recitation of this mantra is very good … For a good marriage, for everything, this is quite helpful and useful. We describe the goddess Tara as a very able sort of deity... Om Tare Tutare Ture Soha.

 Click here to hear the Dalai Lama chanting the Tara Mantra  (mp3 audio, 64 KB)                               

10)  Om Allâh... (original, by wahiduddin)

This is a song of unity, a recognition of the One Glorious Light that shines through many windows. These sacred lyrics are a combination of Arabic and Sanskrit.

Om Allâh
Om Allâh

lâ ilâha illa-llâh
lâ ilâha illa-llâh
satyameva jayate

The foundation of this song is the combination of the Sanskrit Om and Arabic Allâh, which are magnificent sacred syllables that each call out to The One that connects all of mankind,  That Which is beyond name and form.

The mystical Arabic phrase lâ ilâha illa allâh is literally translated as "no deity except Allâh"(Qur'an 47:19), and the Sanskrit phrase satyameva jayate  is literally translated as "Truth alone is victorious" (Mundaka Upanishad 3.1.6).

In this song, the sacred name Allâh is sung in a melodic manner which lengthens the alif at the beginning the name. Admittedly, this is not formally "correct", but is done here in the same spirit of love, harmony and beauty as the similar artistic liberties that are so commonplace used in Islamic calligraphy and in Sufi dhikr.

For example, here is a brief snippet of dhikr led by Naqshbandi Shaikh Hashim Kabbani where the initial alif is similarly accented. The words being chanted in this dhikr are:

hasbunallahu wa ni'ma-l-wakil, ni'ma-l-mawla wa ni'ma-n-nasir, la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahi-l-'aliyyi-l-'adhim
Allahu, Allah haqq (3 times)
Allahu, Allah hayy (3 times)
Allah hayy ya qayyum (10 times)
hasbunallahu wa ni'ma-l-wakil, ni'ma-l-mawla wa ni'ma-n-nasir, la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahi-l-'aliyyi-l-'adhim

And as another example of artistic liberty, the "correct" way to write Allâh in Arabic is  , but in Islamic calligraphy it is often written as  .... which is beautiful, and widely accepted, even though some might argue that it does not "correctly" spell anything.

For those interested in the Dances of Universal Peace, please see the Dance page for chords, movement and attunement for this song.

For more Naqshbandi dhikr, visit the Naqshbandi web site where you will find a section on practices, including dhikr.

 

11)  Opening Bismillâh...  (original, by wahiduddin)

      PDF with lyrics and chords

This song weaves the bismillâh phrase into, through and around the opening chapter of the Qur'an, al-Fâtiha, in what feels to me like a musical version of Arabic calligraphy.

For more information about the words in this song, including a full translation, with definitions of each word, please see my web page describing al-Fâtiha.

 

12)  Bismi Allah... (original, by wahiduddin)

This is loosely based on a very high-spirited led dhikr by Sheikh Sherif "Baba" Catalkaya of the Rifa'i-Marufi sufi order.

This is a sing-along! Let yourself go, get into it!

The Arabic phrase bismillâh is a recognition that every step that we take, and every breath that we breathe depends totally upon the grace, power and will of The One.

For more information about the meaning of the three words "Bi-smi-Allah", please see my Bismillah web page.

 

13)  Samsâra ... (original... instrumental, by wahiduddin)

      (12 string guitar, open G tuning) 

This is an inner journey, a full circle experience of  the stages of becoming, being, departing  and transcending. This is a meditation, a journey beyond the logical, a journey beyond wanting, a journey into knowing. For me, this song is very powerful as a background for deep meditation.

Samsra is a Sanskrit word that literally means a wandering-through, or a going along with... symbolic of our wandering into and then out of this world. On the Hindu path, samsâra is often referred to as a wheel, the wheel of life, the circle of life, the circle of coming into being (Brahma), existing for a while (Vishnu), and then moving on into the unknown (Shiva).

 

14)  Gâyatrî Mantra... (Traditional Sanskrit mantra, music composed by Bernie Heideman)

      PDF with lyrics and chords 

This works well as a call and response... so, please join with me...

The invocation recited before the Gâyatrî Mantra is:

om bhûhû
om bhuvaha
om suvaha
om mahaha
om janaha
om tapaha
om satyaM

The transliterated Gâyatrî Mantra written as:

om tat savitur vareNyaM

bhargo devasya dhîmahi

dhiyo yo nah prachodayât

 
Swami Shivananda's English translation of the Gâyatrî Mantra is:

We meditate on the glory of the Creator;
Who has created the Universe;
Who is worthy of Worship;
Who is the embodiment of Knowledge and Light;
Who is the remover of all Sin and Ignorance;
May He enlighten our Intellect.

A succinct and delightful translation by S. Krishnamurthy is:

We meditate upon the radiant Divine Light
of that adorable Sun of Spiritual Consciousness;
May it awaken our intuitional consciousness.

See the Gâyatrî Mantra page for much more information about this glorious mantra.

For those who are involved in the Dances of Universal Peace, please note that this song is a slight variation in both words and timing from Bernie's version... so, be sure to use only  Bernie's version for DUP events.

Additonal brief audio versions of the Gâyatrî Mantra:

Using the Short Invocation:

             - Sai Baba chanting the Gayatri Mantra with short invocation   (from Embodiment of Love )

             - Gayatri Mantra chanted with short invocation

             - Gayatri Mantra sung by Anuradha Paudwal

Using the Long Invocation:

           - Sreedevi Bringi chanting the Gayatri Mantra with long invocation

 

15)    Subhân Allâh...  (original, by wahiduddin)

allâh subhân allâh                           God, glory to God
allâh subhân allâh                           God, praise to God
allâh subhân wa ta`alâ                    God, praised and exalted
allâh ya allâh                                    God, O' God
lâ ilâha illa-llâh                                there is no god except the One

This expression subhân allâh is a magnificent phrase that goes much deeper than the common translation of "glory to God".

See the Subhan Allah web page for a deeper look into this glorious phrase.

16)  Bismillâh Lâ Ilâha...  (original, by wahiduddin)

A joyful combination of two of my favorite Arabic expressions:

Bismillâh ir-rahmân ir-rahîm and lâ ilâha illa-llâh

For more information on the meaning of the phrase Bismillâh ir-rahmân ir-rahîm, please see my Bismillah web page.

The phrase lâ ilâha illa-llâh is literally translated as no god except God, with the meaning that there is nothing to worship, nothing to truly honor and glorify, other than God alone.

 

17)  Qâri'a ... (original, by wahiduddin)

This song is interwoven snippets of al-Qâri'a, an early mystical sura from the Qur'an.

Bismillâh ir-rahmân ir-rahîm
Bismillâh ir-rahmân ir-rahîm
Bi - smi  - Allâh
Bi - smi  - Allâh
al qâri'a
ma-l qâri'a
wa mâ adrâka ma-l qâri'a
nârun hâmiya

This song is, perhaps, an unusual interpretation of this mystical sura. The word qâri'a is often translated as calamity or misfortune. However, the Semitic root q-r-' indicates knocking, thumping or striking and carries the connotation of one soundly thumping a melon to judge if the melon is ripe. For the wrongdoers, this moment of being judged may seem to be a great calamity, but for those who live their lives for the glory of God, such a moment is welcomed with joy.

Also unorthodox in this musical calligraphy is the placement of the phrase nârun hâmiya, which literally means burning flame. In many interpretations of this sura, the burning flame is associated with the term hâwiya in a previous verse, but in this mystical interpretation the burning flame is directly associated with qâri'a, and is the same burning flame that the mystical poets such as Rumi have described, the flame that offers to burn away all that is impure, the flame that illuminates the straight path, the same radiance that ripens the melon to perfection.

18)  Allâh Zâhir, Allâh Bâtin... (original, by wahiduddin)

Zâhir is one of the 99 Beautiful Names of Allâh, referring to the Divine attribute of  being manifest, that which is seen.

Bâtin is another of the 99 Beautiful Names, and refers to the Divine attribute of that which is hidden.

Allâh,  Allâh
Allâh,  Allâh
Allâh Zâhir, Allâh Bâtin
Allâh Bâtin, Allh Zâhir
Allâh Zâhir, Allâh Bâtin
Hu Allâhu
Hu Allâhu

For additional information about the meanings of Zâhir and Btin, see the Wazifa page.

 

19)   Moko ... (based on a poem by Kabir, music composed by Narayan Waldman)

      PDF with lyrics and chords

Hindi Lyrics:  Moko Kahan Dhundhe Re Bande

English Lyrics: Where do you seek me?  Here I am.

Born in Benares around 1440 to Muslim parents, Kabir became a disciple of Ramananda, a Hindu ascetic. His poetry depicts the influence of both religions on him. He was a weaver by profession, but in the eyes of his followers he was both a Sufi and a Brahman saint. 

The following translation is from Songs of Kabir translated from the Hindi by Rabindranath Tagore, the Indian poet and philosopher who won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1913. In 1915 Tagore’s translation of the Songs of Kabir was published and introduced these mystical poems to the world outside of India.

For more Kabir poetry, see http://www.boloji.com/kabir/mysticsongs/km1.htm. Click the following link to hear lines from this Kabir poem sung in Hindi by Bhupender  (397 KB mp3).

O servant, where dost thou seek Me?
Lo! I am beside thee.
I am neither in temple nor in mosque:
I am neither in Kaaba nor in Kailash:
Neither am I in rites and ceremonies,
nor in Yoga and renunciation.
If thou art a true seeker, thou shalt at
once see Me: thou shalt meet Me
in a moment of time.
Kabir says, "O Sadhu! God is the
breath of all breath."

These lines are quite similar to Jesus’ words in the gospel of Luke 17:20-21:

And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

And quite similar to Jesus' words in the gospel of Thomas:

His disciples said to him, "When will the kingdom come?" 
"It will not come by watching for it. It will not be said, 'Look, here!' or 'Look, there!' Rather, the Father's kingdom is spread out upon the earth, and people don't see it."

And also strikingly similar to these verses from the Qur'an

wheresoever ye turn there is the face of Allah.  ---  2:115
We are nearer to him than his jugular vein ---  50:16  
He is with you wherever you are  ---  57:4

 

My versions of  Rumi poems:

20)  - Don't Go Back to Sleep...  (my music with a Rumi poem)

       (12 string guitar, open G tuning)

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.
        Don't go back to sleep.
You must ask for what you really want.
        Don't go back to sleep.
People are going back and forth across the doorsill
         where the two worlds touch.
The door is round and open.
        Don't go back to sleep.

21)  - The Secret of My Song...  (my music  with the opening verses of Rumi's Mathnawi)

        PDF with lyrics and chords

These are the beginning phrases of Rumi's Mathnawi, as translated by R.A. Nicholson 

Hearken to this Reed forlorn,
Breathing, even since it was torn
From its rushy bed, a strain
Of impassioned love and pain.

The secret of my song, though near,
None can see and none can hear.
Oh, for a friend to know the sign
And mingle all his soul with mine.

'Tis the flame of Love that fired me,
the wine of Love inspired me.
Would you learn how lovers bleed ?
Hearken now to this Reed !

22) -  Burn Me with Your Love... (my music with a Rumi poem)

These lyrics are loosely based on Nader Khalili's "Fountain of Fire" translation of Rumi's ghazal number 2512

Come down my Love,
          abandon flight.
Come into this house,
          throw out the old,

Burn me,
           burn me with your love.
Burn me,
           burn me with your love.

Burn down this house
          and build Love's paradise.
Breathe new life
          into clay,

Burn me,
           burn me with your love.
Burn me,
           burn me with your love.

More of my own compositions...

23) -  I am that I am .... ( original instrumental, by wahiduddin, inspired by Exodus 3:14)

To enjoy the full depth of this song, it may be helpful to read Exodus 3:14, and then use this song as the background for a meditation on the following translations:

In Exodus 3:14 the Hebrew phrase that is often translated as "I am that I am" may also be translated as  "I am that which exists" or "I am that which is" or " I am that which I have become".

24) -  Two Candles ...   (original, by wahiduddin)

         PDF with lyrics and chords

Two candles glowing with One Flame,
Let us shine into the deepest darkness.

May no one even notice
as we melt the hardened hearts,
as we light a darkened path,
as we blaze our way right back home to You.

Two candles glowing with Your Flame,
Let us shine into the deepest darkness.

May no one even notice
as we heal the deepest wounds,
as we shine into the night,
as we blaze our way right back home to You.

25)  - Crumbling Walls ...  (original)   ... they just keep crumbling 

         PDF with lyrics and chords

A free-form escapade watching the walls and boundaries crumbling away.

Versions of songs that I've learned from friends..
 

26)  - Mâshâ'llâh  ...(song composed by James Burgess)

         PDF with lyrics and chords

Through your eyes shines a light
masha-llah, masha-llah.
wonder of God in you.
wonder of God in you.

repeat

masha-llah, masha-llah.
masha-llah, masha-llah.
masha-llah, masha-llah.
wonder of God in you.
wonder of God in you.

The term "masha' llah", sometimes written "ma shaa Allah", is an Arabic term that is literally translated as "as Allah has willed" and is used to express wonder and amazement at what God has created.

The seven heavens and the earth and all beings therein declare His glory: there not a thing but celebrates His praise; and yet ye understand not how they declare His glory!  Qur'an 17:44

27) - Open Our Hearts ...   ( composed by Sarmad Tide... based on the Khatm prayer by Inayat Khan)

         PDF with lyrics and chords

Open our hearts that we
may hear Thy Voice which
constantly comes from within.

repeat

Ya Allah, Ya Allah,
Ya Allah,  Allah.

repeat

28) - Oh Great Wave...    (as sung by Bernie Heideman)

         PDF with lyrics and chords

 lyrics by A.Allison , music by S.  McLinn

Oh Great Wave wipe away,
wipe away my false face.

Awaken from my sleep
the radiant light.

Touch me, touch me.

I am once again
beyond the beyond, 
I am that I am.

 

29) - Rabia's Song...   (based on words of Rabia,  song composed by Zuleikha)

         PDF with lyrics and chords

Learned from the CD "Show Me the Path" by Wim and Arienne van der Zwal, a song which they adapted from Zuleikha's "White Pavilion" tape.

Where are you going? And she said “To that world”
Where do you come from? And she answered “From that world”
So what are you doing in this world? And she said “I am sorrowing”
In what way? they asked of her. And Rabia replied
 “I am eating the bread of this world and doing the work of that world .” (repeat line)
Allah Allah Allah Allah Allah Allah

With two loves I have loved thee
With two loves I have loved thee
Love that is selfish and love that is glorious
Love being selfish and love being glorious
In what way? they asked of her, and Rabia replied
“Of the selfish love I exclude all but you, of the other you enfold me in glory.” (repeat line)
Allah Allah Allah Allah Allah Allah

Rabi’a al’Adawiyya of Basra was a Muslim mystic. She was born around 717 and died around 802 A.D. Rabia is quoted as having said the following:

"I love You with two loves- a selfish love
And a Love that You are worthy of.
As for the selfish love, it is that I think of You,
To the exclusion of everything else.
And as for the Love that You are worthy of,
Ah! That I no longer see any creature, but I see only You!”

To learn more about the great mystic Rabia, visit the following web pages:
           http://home.infionline.net/~ddisse/rabia.html
            http://sufimaster.org/adawiyya.htm

 

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All copyrights are reserved by their respective owners.

Here are some additional web pages on this web site that have similar music:

Wilderness 2002 ... live recordings from Wilderness Camp 2002
Unpublished Dances ... some unpublished dances
Puerto Moreleos 2004  ... live recordings from Puerto Morelos Mexico 2004
Wilderness 2000 ... live recordings from Wilderness Camp 2000
Dance of the Month ... a monthly feature song, recorded live at a DUP event

And here are some links to other web sites with similar music:

http://www.geocities.com/peacedance
http://www.frontier.net/~sss
http://www.onenessproject.com/music.htm
http://www.jamesburgess.com/sufiwork.html

Also, for a continuing celebration of the Beloved, please take a look at my mystical poetry too.

 

with love,
       wahiduddin