LAHORE-Sufi songs have seen an impressive rise in the popularity charts and are ruling nowadays on the playlists of youngsters.

Popular Sufi exponents say that the beauty of this genre lies in its ability to embrace all kinds of music. Today anything with a Sufi touch seems to ensure success in Pakistani film industry. 

Upcoming singers are accepting this style of music but are they doing justice with it let’s have a look on it.

Renowned singer Abrar ur Haq said that Sufi music has seen a lot of changes and this genre has embraced many kinds of music. Singers are so sensitive we should not criticize their work.

“I personally believe if the upcoming singers are giving Sufi touch in their music that’s a fantastic job because if you will totally release the song in Sufism the youngsters would take no interest in it,” Abrar said.  Singer and actor Gohar Mumtaz was of the view when Qawwali is performed in concert for international audiences who do not understand the words of the songs the driving rhythms become the focus of attention.

“Sufi music has historically played a crucial role in preserving and transmitting our great poetry in the manner of oral tradition from generation to generation by the singers in the absence of official patronage. I never perform for commercial reasons. The youth need to get in touch with their real selves to realize the sense of Sufism,” Gohar said.

Qawwal Wahadat Rameez told The Nation “it is great pop singers are reviving Sufi music but I know some renowned singers who performed in Coke-studio but were unable to do justice with it.”

“Baba Bulleh Shah and Shahbaz Qalandar poetry is loved by people across the globe because they believe it has a powerful message of peace and harmony. The poets who used to write poetry at that time have given up lives for it. My request to all those singers is that first learn the ethics to perform Sufism and after then perform it,” he said. 

Pop-singer Junaid Khan said “Pakistan music is overall known for its Qawwali and people in abroad still listen to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.”

“The music Pakistan has created has been so powerful and the messages so resonant globally, the show Coke-studio is a recent example of it. Most of the pop singers are turning toward sufi music just to be recognized in the international market,” Junaid said.