Fanna-Fi-Allah ( ur, فنا فی الله) is a Canadian–American group which plays

Qawwali Qawwali (Punjabi language, Punjabi: (Shahmukhi), (Gurmukhi); Urdu: (Nastaʿlīq, Nasta'liq); Hindi: क़व्वाली (Devanagari); Bengali language, Bengali: কাওয়ালি (Bengali alphabet, Bengali)) is a form of Sufi Isl ...

, a form of Sufi

devotional music A devotional song is a hymn that accompanies religious observances and rituals. Traditionally devotional music has been a part of Hindu music, Jewish music, Buddhist music, Islamic music and Christian music. Each major religion has its own tra ...

popular in South Asia.

Origins

Group leader Tahir Faridi Qawwal (formerly Geoffrey Lyons), originally from

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

, studied Indian classical music with the tabla maestro Harjeet Seyan Singh in India as a teenager. At 17, he converted to Islam and studied under qawwali masters Rahet Fateh Ali Khan, Pashupatinath Mishra,

Sher Ali Khan Sher Ali Khan (); c. 1825 – 21 February 1879) was Amir of Afghanistan from 1863 to 1866 and from 1868 until his death in 1879. He was one of the sons of Dost Mohammed Khan, founder of the Barakzai dynasty in Afghanistan. Life Sher Ali Khan ...

and Muazzam Qawwal in

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...

. Aminah Chishti ''—'' aka Jessica Ripper, originally from

Ashland, Oregon Ashland is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. It lies along Interstate 5 approximately 16 miles (26 km) north of the California border and near the south end of the Rogue Valley. The city's population was 21,360 at the 2020 ...

''—'' is a student of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan successor of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Ustad Dildar Hussain (who played with

Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan ( pa, ; born Pervez Fateh Ali Khan; 13 October 1948 – 16 August 1997) was a Pakistani singer, songwriter, and music director. He was primarily a singer of qawwali — a form of Sufi devotional music. Sometimes ...

for more than 28 years) and in 2003 became the first female

tabla A tabla, bn, তবলা, prs, طبلا, gu, તબલા, hi, तबला, kn, ತಬಲಾ, ml, തബല, mr, तबला, ne, तबला, or, ତବଲା, ps, طبله, pa, ਤਬਲਾ, ta, தபலா, te, తబల� ...

player to be initiated into the lineage of Qawwali. Qawwal and Chishti started Fanna-Fi-Allah Sufi Qawwali Ensemble in 2001.

Members

* Tahir Faridi Qawwal – Vocals,

Harmonium The pump organ is a type of free-reed organ that generates sound as air flows past a vibrating piece of thin metal in a frame. The piece of metal is called a reed. Specific types of pump organ include the reed organ, harmonium, and melodeon. Th ...

Tabla A tabla, bn, তবলা, prs, طبلا, gu, તબલા, hi, तबला, kn, ತಬಲಾ, ml, തബല, mr, तबला, ne, तबला, or, ତବଲା, ps, طبله, pa, ਤਬਲਾ, ta, தபலா, te, తబల� ...

* Aminah Chishti Qawwal – Tabla, Vocals * Laali Qalandar – Vocals, Clapping * Salim Chishti – Vocals, Clapping * Ali Shan – Vocals, Clapping *Jahangir Baba – Harmonium, Vocals * Abrar Hussain – Tabla, Vocals, Clapping *Aziz Abbatiello – Whirling

Discography

* Fanna-Fi-Allah (2018) Muraqaba (Released by Buda Musique France Recorded at Woodshed Studios Malibu courtesy of

Chris Martin Christopher Anthony John Martin (born 2 March 1977) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist, pianist, rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Coldplay. Born in Exeter, Devon, he went to Uni ...

( Cold Play)) * Fanna-Fi-Allah (2017) – Live @ Great American Music Hall (Vinyl) * Fanna-Fi-Allah Sufi Qawwali (2015) * Fanna_Fi-Allah Sufi Qawwali tracks: ** Man Kunto Maula (2014) ** Mehfil-e-Sama Vol. 3 (2014) ** Naubat Nagare (2013) ** Ya Mustafa Nur-Ul-Khuda (2012) * Fanna-Fi-Allah Sufi Qawwali Party ** Mehfil-e-Sama Vol. 2 (2012) ** Damahama Dam Ali Ali (2011) ** Mehfil-e-Sama Vol. 1 (2008) ** Baba Farid (2007) ** Annihilation Into the Infinite (2005) * Rizwan Muazzam ** Amad (2014) ** Araj Sun Li Jo Mori (2014) ** Sufi Sama (2007) * Rizwan Muazzam Qawwali ** Karlo Ganj-e-Shakar (2011) * Sher Ali Mehr Ali ** Hamare Khwaja (2013) * Tahir Qawwal ** Alif Allah, Pt. 1 (2013) ** Alif Allah, Pt. 2 (2013) ** Alif Allah, Pt. 3 (2013) ** Bhairavi Thumri (Ras Ke Bare Tore Nain) (2013) * Temple Step ** Alif Allah (Remix) (2014) * Various Artists ** Dayar-e-Ishq: Abode of Divine Love (2013)

References

External links

*
Biography
on Fanna-Fi-Allah.com
Fanna-Fi-Allah
on

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

{{Authority control American world music groups Canadian world music groups Harmonium players Hindi-language singers Performers of Sufi music Punjabi-language singers Qawwali Sufism in Canada Sufism in the United States Tabla players Urdu-language singers