Aziz Mian

Infobox musical artist 2
Name = Aziz Mian Qawwal


Img_capt = Aziz Mian Qawwal
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Abdul Aziz
Alias = Aziz Mian Mairthi
Born = birth date|1942|4|17|mf=y in Delhi, British India
Died = death date and age|2000|12|6|1942|4|17|mf=y
Origin = Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Instrument = Harmonium
Genre = Qawwali
Occupation = Singer-songwriter
Musician
Poet
Philosopher
Writer
Scholar
Years_active = 1966 - 2000
Label =
URL =

Aziz Mian Qawwal ( _ur. عزیز میاں قوال) (April 17, 1942 – December 6, 2000) was one of Pakistan's most famous Qawwals.

Aziz Mian is responsible for the longest commercially released Qawwali, "Hashr Ke Roz Yeh Poochhunga", which runs slightly over 115 minutes and was originally released on two cassettes.

Background

Aziz Mian was born as Abdul Aziz (Urdu: عبد العزیز) on April 17, 1942 in Delhi, British India. The exclamation, "Mian" ( _ur. میاں), which he often used in his Qawwalis, became part of his stage name. He began to introduce himself as Aziz Mian Mairthi. The word "Mairthi" refers to Meerut, a city in northern India, from which he migrated to Pakistan in 1947.

At the age of ten, he began learning the art of Qawwali under the tutelage of Ustad Abdul Waheed Khan. He received sixteen years of training at the Data Ganj Baksh School of Lahore. Aziz Mian obtained M.S. degrees in Arabic, Persian, Persian literature, Urdu literature, and History from the University of Punjab, Lahore.

Aziz Mian was one of the more traditional Pakistani Qawwals. His voice was raspy and powerful, yet this was not the sole reason for his success. Aziz Mian was not only a master musician but was also the only prominent Qawwal to write his own lyrics (though, like others, he also performed songs written by other poets).

Aziz Mian's break-out performance was in 1966, when he performed before the Shah of Iran, Reza Pahlavi. He won first prize and a gold medal from the Shah of Iran. In the early days of his career, he was nicknamed "Fauji Qawwal" ( _ur. فوجی قوال) (meaning "Military Qawwal") because most of his early stage-performances were in military barracks for army personnel.

He was arrested multiple times on minor charges but was vindicated.

Aziz Mian's Qawwalis emphasised on chorus and on the main point of the Qawwali through repetition; very little attention was paid to the musical part of the Qawwali. Aziz Mian had a talent for reciting poetry to the effect that it touched the audience's hearts. He brought passion to his live performances. One of the trademarks of his stage performances was his habit of rising to his knees (from the normal sitting position) while reciting poetry in the middle of a Qawwali, losing contact with the microphone in the process.

Although Aziz Mian mainly sang religious Qawwalis, he had some success in the romantic field. Some of Aziz Mian's most famous Qawwalis are "Main Sharabi Sharabi/Teri Soorat", "Allah Hi Jaane Kaun Bashar Hai", and "Ya Nabi". For his service in philosophy and music, the Government of Pakistan awarded him the "Pride of Performance" medal in 1989.

He was fond of discussing religious and Sufi paradoxes in his Qawwalis. He directly addressed Allah and complained about the misery of man (the greatest creation of the Almighty). Most of the poetry in which Aziz Mian addressed Allah was written by Allama Iqbal. He also has performed poetry by a number of contemporary Urdu poets, including Sadiq and Qateel Shifai. Pakistani comedian Umar Sharif has said in one of his stand-up shows about Aziz Mian: "Other people have disputes on earth, his disputes are in heaven. He altercates with Allah."

Main Sharabi Sharabi

The Sabri Brothers critiqued his Qawwali, "Main Sharabi Sharabi" (I am an Alcoholic, I am an Alcoholic) through their own Qawwali, "Peena Veena Chhor Sharabi" (Quit Drinking, Alcoholic). Aziz Mian retorted with "Hai Kambakht Toone Pee Hi Nahi" (Alas You Haven't Drunk). After the release of Aziz Mian's response, "Main Sharabi Sharabi" is coupled with "Hai Kambakht Toone Pee Hi Nahi" in newly released volumes.

Selected Lyrics

"Hai Allah tera naam to woh tha jo be-ginti lete
""Kya lutf jo gin gin ke tera naam liya
"O lord, your name deserves to be taken countlessly.
What joy can there be in carefully counting it out?
(Aashiqi Dillagi Nahin Hoti)

"Kho gaya hai kya khuda jo dhoondhta phirta hai tu?
"Has God got himself lost that you go searching for him everywhere?
(Aashiqi Dillagi Nahin Hoti)

"Supne vich mera maahi mileyaa
""Te main paa layi gal vich baawaan
""Dar di maari palak na kholaan
""Kitte pher vichhad na jaawan
"I met my beloved in a dream
And locked my arms around his neck.
Now I don't dare open my eyes
For fear we'll be separated again.
(Akh Larr Gayee Yaar Naal)

"Tamaam duniya ko dikha baitthe apna jamaal
""Mera waqt aaya to chilman daal di
""Bade badnaseeb the hum, ke qaraar tak na pauhanche
""Dar-e-yaar tak to pauhanche, dil-e-yaar tak na pauhanche
"You showed your beauty to the whole world.
When it was my turn, you let the curtain fall.
It was my misfortune, that I could not reach this rest.
I could only reach her door, I could not reach her heart.
(Bade Badnaseeb The Hum)

"Ay Allah, waiz ki bandagi hai jahannum ke khauf se
""Maine gunah kiye tujhe ghaffar samajh kar
"The preacher is pious only because he’s terrified of hell, Lord.
Whereas me, I sinned freely, trusting in your mercy
(Hashr Ke Roz Main Poochhunga)

"Woh jahannum bhi mujhe de to karoon shukr ada
""Koi apna hi samajh kar to sazaa deta hai
"Even if he sends me to hell, I will still be grateful,
Since we punish only those who we count as our own
(Jannat Mujhe Mile Na Mile)

"Main sharaabi, yaaron mujhe muaaaf karo
""Main nashe mein hoon, yaaron mujhe muaaaf karo
""Sheeshe mein main, main mein nasha, main nashe mein hoon
""Ye apni masti hai, jisne machayi hai halchal
""Nasha sharaab mein hota to nachti botal
"I'm a drunkard; forgive me, my friends.
I'm intoxicated; forgive me, my friends.
There's wine in the glass, there's intoxication in the wine, and I am intoxicated.
But, no, this hubbub is of my own nature.
If intoxication lay in the wine, the bottle would do a drunken dance.
(Main Sharaabi Sharaabi)

"Jannat jo mile, laa kar maikhaane mein rakh dena
""Kausar ko mere chhote se paimaane mein rakh dena
""Mayyat na meri jaa kar veerane mein rakh dena
""Balki paimaanon mein dafnaa kar maikhaane mein rakh dena
""Saaqi abhi maikhaane ka dar band na karna
""Shaayad mujhe jannat ki hawa raas na aaye
"If they give me paradise, just leave it for me in the tavern.
Pour the entire fountain of paradise into my little goblet.
When I die, don't go leaving my body in some forlorn place.
Just bury me in goblets, and leave them in the tavern.
And, listen, don't lock up the tavern just yet either.
It's entirely possible that paradise won't suit me too well.
(Main Sharaabi Sharaabi)

"Tere sawaal ka yaar ab jawaab dete hain
""Ba roz-e-hashr hai, itni bhi jaldbaazi kya
""Jara sharaab to pee lein, hisaab dete hain
"Give me a moment, I’ll get to your question.
It’s judgement day, so what’s the big hurry now?
Some wine first, I’ll render my accounts by and by.
(Main Sharaabi Sharaabi)

"To farishte poochhenge mehshar mein paakbaazon se
""Gunah kyoon na kare, kya khuda rahim na tha?
"Trust me, the angels will ask the pious on judgement day:
"Why didn’t you sin? Didn’t you trust in God’s mercy?"
(Milegi Sheikh Ko Jannat)

"Maine dil diya, pyaar ki hadh thi
""Maine jaan di, aitbaar ki hadh thi
""Mar gaye hum, khuli rahi aankhen
""Yeh mere intezaar ki hadh thi
"I gave my heart; that was the height of love.
I put my life in his hands; that was the height of trust.
I died, but my eyes refused to close.
That was the height of waiting.
(Teri Soorat Nigahon Mein)

"Is daulat ko kya karna hai ?
""Yeh soch ke ik din marna hai
"What use is this fortune?
Think: one day you will die.
(Yeh Paisa Kya Karega)

Death

Aziz Mian died from complications of hepatitis in Tehran, Iran on December 6, 2000. He was in Iran at the invitation of the Government of Iran, to perform on the occasion of Imam Ali's death anniversary.

Children

Aziz Mian has three sons Imran, Tabrez, and Naeem who are following in his footsteps. They are very similar in style to Aziz Mian himself, and like other sons of famous Qawwals (Amjad Sabri or Waheed and Naveed Chishti, for example), they perform many of their father's hits. Although all three have produced recorded works, Imran's work is large in quantity and the most accessible in the media. Tabrez is however considered to be the closest to his father's style. His looks and style are a mirror image of his father. He has also recently released an album in India.

External links

* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-646850391620313302&q=Aziz+Mian Aziz Mian Video] --Epic Films (Need Broadband High speed Internet to View)
* [http://www.pakizm.com/aziz Aziz Mian Lyrics] Pakizm (A few Aziz Mian Qawwali lyrics)