Music: In Praise of the Last Prophet

Artists: Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) and Friends

Undoubtedly, Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet (the Communicator of unseen news), O you who believe! Send upon him blessings and salute him fully well in abundance.
(Qur`an: al Ahzab:56)

In accordance with the above Divine Verse Muslims have been praising the Prophet with hymns [naat/nasheed] since the time of the Sahaba themselves. This album continues this pious and virtuous act but in a way which will appeal to second generation, English speaking 21st century Muslims too as well as traditionalists like moi!


This beautifully produced and presented album has been very popular amongst Muslims in the UK and sold very well. The nasheeds (or naats) are by Yusuf Islam, formerly the pop singer Cat Stevens before he was guided, and a host of international naat-khwaans from Canada (Dawud Wharnsby-Ali), Malaysia (Raihan Group), Britain ( Aa`shiq al Rasul: British Pakistanis from Birmingham), South Africa (?) (Zain Bikha), Khalid Belrhouzi (Morocco/Tunisia), Turkey and others. Each naat is a gem and sung beautifully with some of the tracks having accompaniment with the Arabic drum known as the daff (which all scholars agree is one instrument which is allowed). My favourites included those tracks by Dawud Wharnsby Ali and the extracts from the Qasida Burdah (see another earlier music review by me on Chowk) and also the naat by Aa`shiq al Rasul although every single track on this unique album is beautiful.

May Allah reward all of them! Ameen!

The list of tracks are:


Tracks


- 1 - Qur`an: Al-Ahzab verse 56 Sheikh Mahmoud Khalil Alhousari

- 2 - In`Nilta Yusuf Islam

- 3 - Sunshine Dust & the Messenger of Allah Dawud Wharnsby-Ali

- 4 - Ya Rabbi Bil Mustafa Aa`shiq al-Rasul

- 5 - Praise to the Prophet Zain Bhikha

- 6 - Tala` al-Badru `Alayna Yusuf Islam

- 7 - Extracts from the Qasidah Burdah, The Poem of the Mantle Khalid Belrhouzi

- 8 - Rakan Selawat - Mawlid Raihan

- 9 - Salli ala Muhammad Yusuf Islam

- 10 - Madinah Tun-Nabi Dawud Wharnsby-Ali

- 11 - Blessed Mustafa Aa`shiq al-Rasul

- 12 - Sevdim Seni Zain Bhikha & Hasan Kiliçatan

- 13 - Cahaya Selawat Raihan

- 14 - May God Bless You Yusuf Islam & Abdesselam Bassou


Many places and Islamic bookshops worldwide will sell this album. One place you can buy it is from here:

http://www.onlineislamicstore.com/inpraisoflas.html