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

                                                              updated 9-May-2013      
                              

Welcome, The following devotional songs (just me and my guitar) are worship, prayers and praise of the Almighty One. 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. The words and phrases in these songs have found their way to me through several different spiritual 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. 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 poetry too.

Download to your own 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 (Mac users can option-click), then choose "Save target as..." (Internet Explorer) or "Save Link as..." (Firefox) to save the song in a folder where you can access it conveniently. 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 Songs...  

Click the "name" link to play the song,  or right click (mac option-click) to save the audio file on your own computer.

1) I'll Bring You Roses    (mp3 file, Aug 2011, original by wahiduddin)

Oh my Beloved, I’ll bring You roses.
Gather them one by one,
to bring them home to You.

Every day there are more new blooms,
I’ll do my best
to gather them for You.

Roses all around, and some thistles too.
So I must pick with care,
to give the best to You.

Oh my Beloved, I’ll bring You roses
Some ask what life is for --
it’s to bring these home to You!

Oh my Beloved, I’ll bring You roses

PDF file with lyrics and chords

This song is about our journey here on earth, the purpose of our life, the journey of the heart. For me, the Beloved in the this song is the All-Mighty, Ever-Present One. The roses represent the beauty which we receive and which we give in this life on earth, both in thoughts and deeds. The thistles represent those situations in life in which the ever-present beauty becomes obscured from us.

The underlying essence of these lyrics can also be found in this magnificent short video featuring Pir Zia Inayat Khan:

               The Story of Our Heart

 

2) Forget About "Me"   (June 2008, original, by wahiduddin)

Forget about "me", forget about "me".
Every day I pray, somehow I may
Forget about "me", forget about "me",
See only Thee …

Gratitude and thankfulness, show the way out of a mess
Rising on wings of Love…. flying Free.
Forget about "me", forget about "me",
See only Thee …

New arrivals every day, joy and sorrow never stay,
Each is a visitor, welcome them all.
Forget about "me", forget about "me",
See only Thee …

PDF file with lyrics and chords 

Some quotes with similar ideals:

Happy is he who is able to escape from the lower self and feel the gentle breeze of friendship. His heart is so full of the Beloved that there is no longer room for anyone else. The Beloved flows through his every vein and nerve. Every atom of his body is filled with the Friend.

The true lovers can no longer perceive either the scent or the color of their own selves. They have no interest in anything other than the Beloved. Their heart is attached neither to throne nor crown. Greed and lust have packed their bags and left their street. If they speak, it is to the Friend. If they seek, it is from the Friend. They no longer take themselves into account, and live only for love. They leave the raw and turn to the ripe, abandoning completely the abode of the self.

    Jami, Essential Sufism, James Fadiman and Robert Frager


The whole work of building oneself, and everything else, depends on how much one is able to forget oneself! That is the key to the whole of life, material and spiritual, and to worldly and spiritual success.

    The Art of Being, Character Building, Hazrat Inayat Khan



The point is not to deny our ego, but to extricate ourselves from our exclusive preoccupation with it.

    One-Liners, Ram Dass


Self-consciousness is like a chain upon every feature and limb of the body, and in the self-conscious person there is nothing of the smoothness that should flow like a fluid through every expression of life. Its only remedy is forgetting self and putting the whole mind into work and each occupation undertaken.

    The Gathas, Hazrat Inayat Khan


The heart becomes wide by forgetting the self, and narrow by thinking of the self and by pitying one's self. To gain a wide and broad heart you must have something before you to look upon and to rest your intelligence upon, and that something is the God-ideal. This is the prescription for killing the self, and to kill the self is the basis of every religion.

    The Unity of Religious Ideals, Hazrat Inayat Khan

 

3)  The Journey  (May 2008, original, by wahiduddin)

From this world to that world and back again,
'tis a spiral that we all travel in,
arriving in the place we started from,
knowing it for the first time.

A journey to the heights of Love
a journey of the heart.
Rising day by day,
seeing all as Thee


From this world to that world and back again,
'tis one life, one love that we travel in
shining with Thy love, grateful for Thy grace,
giving all that we receive.

A journey to the heights of Love
a journey of the heart.
Rising day by day,
to be as Thee

PDF file with lyrics and chords 

A couple of my favorite quotes which express some of the same ideals expressed in this song:

We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of our exploration will be to arrive in the place where we started and know the place for the first time.
         T.S. Eliot

Whatever I say, You are the subject.
        Yunus Emry

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

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.

PDF file with lyrics and chords 

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.

            
 

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

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.

PDF file with lyrics and chords

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. The word He could also be nicely translated as Thee.

 

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

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.

PDF file with lyrics and chords

 

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.

7) For Love, For Victory    (mp3 file, June 2011, original by wahiduddin)

For Love, For Victory, For the Glory of God
For Love, For Victory, For the Glory of God

Three roads to walk, Three ways to live.
Three gates to heaven, Three ways to give.

chorus

Which way is best, Which way should I turn?
Which reasons will last, This soul longs to learn!

chorus

Living each day, the best that we can.
Watching the Light shine upon everyone.

 PDF file with lyrics and chords

These three reasons offer a quick and insightful way to evaluate one's thoughts and actions. If whatever you're doing is purely for Love, for Victory (over the little self), and/or for the Glory of God, then your task will surely be supported by help from the unseen realms.

The idea for the chorus came from a Paulo Coelho book, The Valkyries, Harper-Collins, 1995.

8) Raise Us Above    (Oct 2010, original, by wahiduddin)

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

Raise us above Raise us above
Raise us above distinctions and differences
which have… divided… us.

Open our hearts, raise us above
Open our hearts, raise us above
Open our hearts, raise us above
Open our hearts, raise us above

PDF file with lyrics and chords

This song is based on a few of my favorite lines from the prayer Khatm by Inayat Khan:

O Thou, Who art the Perfection of Love, Harmony, and Beauty, The Lord of heaven and earth,
Open our hearts, that we may hear Thy Voice, which constantly cometh from within.
Disclose to us Thy Divine Light, which is hidden in our souls,
that we may know and understand life better.
Most Merciful and Compassionate God, give us Thy great Goodness;
Teach us Thy loving Forgiveness;
Raise us above the distinctions and differences which divide men;
Send us the Peace of Thy Divine Spirit, And unite us all in Thy Perfect Being.
Amen.

 

9)  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.

 

10)  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

 

11)  My Peace  (words by Woody Guthrie, music by Arlo Guthrie)

This song really touched my heart when Arlo Guthrie sang it at the end of his performance in Tucson in April 2008. So, I offer it here in the hope that perhaps you too will be touched by these words:

My peace, my peace is all I've got that I can give to you
My peace is all I ever had it's all I ever knew
I give my peace to green and black to red and white and blue
My peace, my peace is all I've got that I can give to you

My peace, my peace is all I've got it’s all I've ever known
My peace is worth a thousand times more than anything I own
I pass my peace around and around across hands of every hue
My peace, my peace is all I've got that I can give to you.

PDF file with lyrics and chords 


Thich Nhat Hanh offered these beautiful lines about peace (a quote which is variously attributed to Mahatma Gandhi or A.J. Muste):

There is no way to peace,
  Peace is the way.

 

12) Paths of Victory    ( June 2011, Bob Dylan song, adapted by wahiduddin)

Trails of troubles, roads of battles
Paths of victory we shall walk.

The trail is dusty, the road might be rough
But better roads are waiting, and they ain't far off
I walked down by the river Lord, turned my head up high
I saw a silver lining just a hanging in the sky

Trails of troubles, roads of battles
Paths of victory we shall walk.

(repeat)

PDF file with lyrics and chords

This is adapted from an old Bob Dylan song published in 1964, which Dylan himself never released, but which was covered by others including Odetta, The Byrds, and Hamilton camp.

Life may have many troubles and battles, yet victory is lurking just beyond every disappointment... if only we can rise up from our despair and walk on.

 

13) Jesus on the Main Line    ( Jan 2011, adapted by wahiduddin)

Jesus is on that mainline, tell him what you want
Lord, Krishna is on that mainline, tell him what you want
Muhammad is on that mainline, tell him what you want
Call 'em up and tell 'em what you want

Well, that line ain't never busy, tell 'em what you want
Well, that line ain't never busy, tell 'em what you want
Well, that line ain't never busy, tell 'em what you want
Call 'em up and tell 'em what you want

Mother Mary is on that mainline, tell her what you want
Tara is on that mainline, tell her what you want
Radha is on that mainline, tell her what you want
Call 'em up and tell 'em what you want

If you want in that kingdom, tell 'em what you want
If you want in that kingdom, tell 'em what you want
If you want in that kingdom, tell 'em what you want
Call 'em up and tell 'em what you want  ... ... ...

PDF file with complete lyrics and chords

I really enjoyed this old Fred McDowell song from the time I first heard Ry Cooder's version around 1990. More recently Krishna Das recorded a version in 2008. As I listened to Krishna Das' version, it seemed that the song literally begged for some additional sacred names to honor our cultural and religious diversity… hence this version was born.

Here are a few related thoughts about tellin 'em what you want:

Ask , and ye shall receive

John 16:24

All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing , ye shall receive.

Matthew 21:22

When the cry of the disciple has reached a certain pitch, the Teacher comes to answer it.

Inayat Khan, Gayan, Boulas

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.

Essential Rumi, pg 36, tr by Coleman Barks

Nonetheless, we must not be so busy asking that we fail to fully appreciate the gifts which we've already been given:

Before you ask God for what you want,
first thank God for what you have.

Talmud, B'rachot 30b

 

14)   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
 

15)  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.'

 

16)  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

17)  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)                               

18)  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.

 

19)  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.

 

20)  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.

 

21)  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).

 

22)  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

Using the Long Invocation:

           - Sreedevi Bringi chanting the Gayatri Mantra with long invocation

 

23)    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.

24)  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.

 

25)  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.

26)  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 Bâtin, see the Wazifa page.

 

27)   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:

28)  - 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.

29)  - 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 !

30) -  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...

31) -  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".

32) -  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.

33)  - 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..
 

34)  - 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

35) - 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

36) - Oh Great Wave...    (as learned from 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.

 

---

All copyrights are reserved by their respective owners.

Here are some additional web pages on this web site which 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://SalemDances.com

Here's a web site which streams sacred music from around the world:

                        www.sacredmusicradio.org

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

 

with love,
       wahiduddin