Musical Celebration of the Beloved
songs by
wahiduddin
updated 21-Nov-2020
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.
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 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
Transliteration of the original text
of the poem:
hamsāye o hamneshīn
o hamrāh hame ūst
dar dalaqe gadā o atlase shah hame
ūst
dar anjomane farq o nehān khāneye jam’
be-llāh
hame ūst summa be-llāh hame ūst
poem
by Nūruddīn abd ar-Rahmān Jāmī
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 ū,
which forms the first part of the contraction
ūst,
may mean either he or she. That is, the personal pronoun
ū
simply to points toward “that one”, without regard to
gender.
In the rendering
used for this song, the pronoun ū 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 hāre Om
Om hāre Om
asato
mā sad gamaya
Om hāre Om
Om hāre Om
Om hāre Om
tamaso
mā jyotir gamaya
Om hāre Om
Om hāre Om
Om hāre Om
mrtyor
mā amritam gamaya
Om hāre Om
The lyrics for this song are based
on the Brhadāranyaka Upanishad, verse 1.3.28:
Om asato mā sad gamaya
tamaso mā
jyotir gamaya
mrtyor mā 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 Brhadāranyaka 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 Brhadāranyaka
Upanishad:
Papa Ramdas
15)
Jaya Jaya Rāma
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 Rāma 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 Srī Rāma Jaya Rāma Jaya Jaya Rāma
Om Srī Rāma Jaya Rāma Jaya Jaya Rāma Jaya Jaya Rāma
Om Srī Rāma Jaya Rāma Jaya Jaya Rāma
Om Srī Rāma Jaya Rāma Jaya Jaya Rāma Jaya Jaya Rāma
- instrumental break -
Victory, Victory for Thee, Jaya Jaya Rāma
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 Srī
Rāma ... (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 Rāma only depicts a
character in the ancient stories of Rāma and Sīta, but for
those who have a mystical understanding, such as
Swami Papa Ramdas,
the name Rāma is synonymous with Brahman, Allāh 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 Srī Rāma Jaya Rāma Jaya Jaya Rāma
Om Srī Rāma Jaya Rāma Jaya Jaya Rāma
Om Srī Rāma Jaya
Rāma Jaya Jaya Rāma
La ilāha illa-llāh
La ilāha illa-hū
A simple translation of the lyrics is:
O' God, holy Rāma, victory to Rāma,
victory, victory to Rāma
There is nothing worthy of our
worship except Allāh
There is nothing to worship other
than He.
The pronunciation that I have used is
from the ancient Sanskrit mantra "Om Srī Rāma Jaya
Rāma Jaya Jaya Rāma". 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 Srī Rām Jai Rām Jai Jai
Rām".
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 14th 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 Allāh...
(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 Allāh
Om Allāh
lā ilāha illa-llāh
lā ilāha illa-llāh
satyameva jayate
The foundation of this song is the combination
of the Sanskrit Om and Arabic Allāh, 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 lā ilāha illa
allāh is literally translated as "no deity except Allāh"(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 Allāh 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 zikr.
For example, here is a brief snippet of
zikr led by Naqshbandi Shaikh Hashim Kabbani where
the initial alif is similarly accented. The words being
chanted in this zikr 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 Allāh 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 zikr,
visit the Naqshbandi
web site where you will find a section on practices,
including zikr.
19) Opening
Bismillāh... (original, by wahiduddin)
PDF with lyrics and chords
This song weaves the bismillāh phrase
into, through and around the opening chapter of the Qur'an,
al-Fātiha, 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-Fātiha.
20) Bismi Allah...
(original, by wahiduddin)
This is loosely based on a very high-spirited
led zikr 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 bismillāh 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) Samsāra ...
(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, samsāra 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) Gāyatrī 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 Gāyatrī
Mantra is:
om bhūhū
om bhuvaha
om suvaha
om mahaha
om janaha
om tapaha
om satyaM
The transliterated Gāyatrī Mantra written
as:
om tat savitur vareNyaM
bhargo devasya dhīmahi
dhiyo yo nah prachodayāt
Swami Shivananda's English
translation of the Gāyatrī 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
Gāyatrī 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
Gāyatrī 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)
Subhān Allāh...
(original, by wahiduddin)
allāh subhān allāh
God, glory to God
allāh subhān allāh
God, praise to God
allāh subhān wa ta`alā
God, praised and exalted
allāh ya allāh
God, O' God
lā ilāha illa-llāh
there is no god except the One
This expression subhān allāh 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) Bismillāh
Lā Ilāha... (original, by wahiduddin)
A joyful combination of two of my favorite
Arabic expressions:
Bismillāh ir-rahmān ir-rahīm
and lā ilāha illa-llāh
For more information on the meaning of
the phrase Bismillāh ir-rahmān ir-rahīm, please see
my Bismillah web page.
The phrase lā ilāha illa-llāh 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) Qāri'a ...
(original, by wahiduddin)
This song is interwoven snippets of al-Qāri'a,
an early mystical sura from the Qur'an.
Bismillāh ir-raḥmān ir-raḥīm
Bismillāh ir-raḥmān ir-raḥīm
Bi - smi
- Allāh
Bi - smi - Allāh
al qāri'a
ma-l
qāri'a
wa mā adrāka ma-l qāri'a
nārun ḥāmiya
This song is, perhaps, an unusual interpretation
of this mystical sura. The word qāri'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 nārun ḥāmiya, which
literally means burning flame. In many interpretations of
this sura, the burning flame is associated with the term
hāwiya in a previous verse, but in this mystical interpretation
the burning flame is directly associated with qāri'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)
Allāh Zāhir, Allāh
Bātin... (original, by wahiduddin)
Zāhir is one of the 99 Beautiful Names
of Allāh, referring to the Divine attribute of being
manifest, that which is seen.
Bātin is another of the 99 Beautiful Names,
and refers to the Divine attribute of that which is hidden.
Allāh, Allāh
Allāh, Allāh
Allāh Zāhir, Allāh Bātin
Allāh Bātin, Allh Zāhir
Allāh Zāhir, Allāh Bātin
Hu Allāhu
Hu Allāhu
For additional information about the meanings of Zāhir
and Bātin, 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.
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) - Māshā'llāh
...(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
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.
wishing you love, harmony and beauty,
wahiduddin
