Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Devoted to music: Abid Iqbal’s top ten tracks

Eastern Eye Staff
By Eastern Eye StaffMay 17, 2018
Eastern Eye Staff
See Full Bio

BIRMINGHAM-BASED Abid Iqbal is an interna­tional promoter of tilawat, naat and qawwali music. He has worked with some of the biggest artists in these three fields of Islamic spiritual music since 2003. In a Ramadan special, Eastern Eye got Abid to talk us through the 10 Muslim devotional music he loves most...

Surah Ar Rahman by Qari Karamat Ali Naemi: This is a tilawat by one of Pakistan’s top qaris. It’s a recitation from the holy Quran, which was re­vealed in Ramadan. It brings you back down to reality and says: ‘Which of the favours of your lord will you deny.’ I had the honour of organis­ing this great artist’s tour back in 2011.

Allah Hu Allah Hu by Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan: This is a qawwali familiar to most fans of Sufi music. It is also the first one I heard live at Small Heath Park, Birmingham, and the reason I am a qawwali promoter today. This is also the most loved qawwali by all faiths and religions.

Allah Allah Phir Hum Ma­dine Chale by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan: This naat has been done so simply with­out too much instruments. It’s the naat you would listen to once you have done hajj and want to go again. Rahat toured with sayarts.com back in 2003.

Maa Di Shaan by Qari Shahid Mehmood: This beautifully-crafted naat makes you cry because it makes reference to the love for mothers and has so much feeling attached to it.

Tajdar-e-Haram by Atif Aslam: The Pakistani superstar singer took on a naat made famous by qawwali group Sabri Brothers and presented it in a brand new way on Coke Studio. The lyrics encourages you to perform umrah and hajj.

Shah-e-Madina by Sahira Naseem: The won­derfully-talented singer has delivered perhaps the best version of this naat in her soulful voice. There is so much meaning in the lyrics and emo­tion in the voice that resonates with the listener.

Zameen Maili Nahi Hoti by Shahbaz Qamar Fareedi: This naat is the reason why I should continue promoting devotional music for the benefit of this world and hereafter. It’s another naat with so much depth and meaning.

Utho Aye Momino Mahe Ramzan Aaya by Mohd Rafi: The late great Bollywood legend gave us this great gift, which is a wake up call on the importance of Ramadan. It is just a beauti­ful composition!

Apni Rehmat Ke Samundar Mein Utar Jaane De by Khalid Hasnain Khalid: This is a great composition delivered by a most excellent re­citer of naat. I had the honour of organising his tour in 2012 and saw just how much his musical message resonated with audiences.

Kash Main Doure Payamber by Farhan Ali Waris: This is a naat that takes you back in time and makes you imagine what it would have been like living in the times of the prophet (peace be upon him). Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed Ramadan.

  • Visit www.sayarts.com for more

Related News

‘Majboor’ at 50: Revisiting Amitabh Bachchan’s timeless thriller and its most iconic moments
Culture

‘Majboor’ at 50: Revisiting Amitabh Bachchan’s timeless thriller and its most iconic moments

Dharmesh Patel
Kani Kusruti: India’s hidden gem shines bright on global screens
Culture

Kani Kusruti: India’s hidden gem shines bright on global screens

Asjad Nazir

More For You

Glowborne

Each character in the set has been carefully designed to reflect cultural narratives

Glowborne

Anika Chowdhury reimagines chess with Glowborne, reviving its South Asian and East African origins

Highlights:

  • British-Bangladeshi prop maker Anika Chowdhury has designed a handcrafted glow-in-the-dark chess set celebrating heritage and identity.
  • The limited-edition set, called Glowborne, launches on Kickstarter in October.
  • Each piece draws from South Asian, Middle Eastern, and African cultural references, re-rooting chess in its origins.
  • The project blends art, storytelling, and representation, aiming to spark conversations about identity in play.

Reimagining chess through heritage

When Anika Chowdhury sat down to sculpt her first chess piece, she had a bigger vision than simply redesigning a classic game. A British-Bangladeshi prop maker working in the film industry, she grew up loving fantasy and games but rarely saw faces like hers in Western storytelling.

“Chess originated in India, travelled through Arabia and North Africa, and was later Westernised,” she explains. “I wanted to bring those forgotten origins back to the board.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Piranhas’ police box

The piece was originally one of nine works that appeared across London in August 2024

Getty Images

Banksy’s ‘Piranhas’ police box heads to London Museum

Highlights:

  • Banksy’s ‘Piranhas’ artwork, painted on a police sentry box, is being stored ahead of display at London Museum.
  • The piece was originally one of nine works that appeared across London in August 2024.
  • It will form part of the museum’s new Smithfield site, opening in 2026.
  • The City of London Corporation donated the artwork as part of its £222m museum relocation project.

Banksy’s police box artwork in storage

A Banksy artwork known as Piranhas has been placed in storage ahead of its future display at the London Museum’s new Smithfield site, scheduled to open in 2026. The piece features spray-painted piranha fish covering the windows of a police sentry box, giving the illusion of an aquarium.

From Ludgate Hill to Guildhall Yard

The police box, which had stood at Ludgate Hill since the 1990s, was swiftly removed by the City of London Corporation after Banksy confirmed authorship. It was initially displayed at Guildhall Yard, where visitors could view it from behind safety barriers. The Corporation has since voted to donate the piece to the London Museum.

Keep ReadingShow less
DDLJ director Aditya Chopra earns UK Stage Debut Awards nod for 'Come Fall in Love'

Aditya Chopra (right) with his father, Yash Chopra

YRF

DDLJ director Aditya Chopra earns UK Stage Debut Awards nod for 'Come Fall in Love'

BOLLYWOOD filmmaker Aditya Chopra was last Thursday (21) named among the nominees of the UK Stage Debut Awards for his Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical, performed at Manchester’s Opera House earlier this year.

Chopra delivered a blockbuster in 1995 with Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, popular as DDLJ, with Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan in the lead roles. It was adapted to a theatrical production and had its UK premiere in May.

Keep ReadingShow less
viral qawwali group UK tour

The group have introduced fresh orchestral elements and added instruments to expand their live sound

Qawwal Group

Shahbaz Fayyaz Qawwal Group brings viral energy and rich heritage to UK tour

Highlights:

  • The Shahbaz Fayyaz Qawwal Group return to the UK with a nationwide tour after viral success online.
  • The ensemble of brothers blend centuries-old qawwali traditions with fresh improvisations that connect with young audiences.
  • From Pakistan to the USA and UK, their performances have won acclaim for their electrifying energy and spiritual depth.
  • Fans can expect new instruments, reimagined classics, and the same message of love and harmony at this year’s shows.

From viral sensation to global stages

When a performance goes viral, it can change an artist’s career overnight. For the Shahbaz Fayyaz Qawwal Group, their stirring renditions of Bhar Do Jholi and B Kafara propelled them from local fame in Pakistan to global recognition, amassing millions of views across platforms. What set them apart was not just the power of their voices, but the way their music resonated with younger listeners who were hearing qawwali with fresh ears.

That viral momentum soon carried them beyond borders, leading to major performances in the United States and the UK. “It wasn’t just one track,” the group explained. “We revived older gems like Kali Kali Zulfon and Dil Pukare Aaja in our own style, and those went viral again, showing that qawwali still speaks across generations.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Annie Jagannadham

Born in 1864 in Visakhapatnam, Annie began medical studies at Madras Medical College, one of the few institutions in India then open to women.

Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

How Dr Annie Jagannadham broke barriers in medicine

DR ANNIE WARDLAW JAGANNADHAM was the first Indian woman to gain a medical degree at a British university and have her name added to the UK medical register in 1890.

Her story has been revisited by the General Medical Council (GMC) as part of South Asian Heritage Month. Tista Chakravarty-Gannon, from the GMC Outreach team, explored her life with support from GMC archivist Courtney Brucato.

Keep ReadingShow less
© Copyright 2025 Garavi Gujarat Publications Ltd & Asian Media Group USA Inc
Contact Us