Sami Yusuf is a British singer-songwr… Read Full Bio ↴Sami Yusuf A Messenger of Love
Sami Yusuf is a British singer-songwriter, composer, producer and an accomplished musician. Endowed with a strong cultural affiliation to music; privileged with a musical background and having studied music with several renowned composers, including those from one of the world’s most prestigious music institutes – the Royal Academy of Music in London, music is his destiny was unsurprising a prediction acquaintances would so confidently make.
Sami learned to play several musical instruments including the piano, violin, tar, tombak, santour, daf, tabla and oud, to count a few, at a very young age. He bore the passion to etch a mark in the field of music, which he so indelibly did with the release of his groundbreaking debut album, Al-Muallim – an album composed, produced and sung by him.
A young, British-Muslim instantly became the talk of the town in lands as far and diverse as Egypt and Turkey. The album not only sold well over 3 million copies but also earned him a massive following in the Middle East, North African nations and South-East Asia.
Charmed by his good looks and manners so heart warming, the young amongst his fans would emulate what they saw in Sami – a leader. His fans wouldn’t shy away from admitting Sami’s music had changed their lives – for the better. Unheard of before, such an artist-fan tandem flourished with subsequent release of My Ummah, Sami’s highly acclaimed second album selling well over 4 million copies.
Sami was soon headlining CNN, the BBC, ABC, Al Jazeerah, not to mention, every mainstream TV channel in the Middle East and Turkey. Hailed by Time magazine as Islam’s biggest Rock Star and The most famous British Muslim in the World by The Guardian, it was only a matter of time before sheer dynamism of what the media dubbed a popular act became the subject matter of think-tank studies. Transnational Broadcasting Studies, in two separate papers lauded Sami’s state-of-the-art music videos a beacon of positivity and substance; his music an alternative and competitor to the mainstream Western music. His success was soon acknowledged by the University of Roehampton in south-west London, as a result of which, Sami became the first and the youngest Muslim recipient of the honorary Doctor of Letters award in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to music. In attainment of this prestigious award, he not only stands alongside Mark Twain, J.K Rowling and Robert Frost but is also one of the only three musicians in the world to be ever honored thus.
His music not only filled the airwaves of London and LA but also penetrated effectively in the conservative Arabian Peninsula. A staggering 250,000 people packed Taksim Square in Istanbul, Turkey to see Sami perform. He’s one of us, the crowds would claim proudly and sing along with Sami in his near-perfect Turkish. Sami has played across four continents, packing prestigious venues such as Wembley Arena in London, Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and The Velodrome in Cape Town, South Africa – this by all measures being a humble recollection. His shows are grand and highly personalized. His performances are trim and tightly focused, complete with singing in English, Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Urdu, Azeri and Malay and performance on a multitude of both classical and ethnic instruments. His penchant for multilingualism teamed with simplicity of conduct makes his style a statement, and his shows an experience of a lifetime.
Fame and glory however are illusionary for Sami. For him, his position as an artist is a sacred trust, a trust best honored in serving humanity. His genuine benevolence is reflected through his unwavering commitment as United Nations Celebrity Partner to reach out to those in need throughout the world. He has recently launched a campaign in partnership with United Nations World Food Programme to help end hunger in the Horn of Africa that has been hit by its worst drought in the last 60 years. He has been relentless in assuming his responsibilities as the first global ambassador of Silatech – a Qatar-based initiative promoting entrepreneurial skills and open access to capital and markets for large-scale job creation in the MENA region. His Live8 concert in Wembley Arena raised millions of pounds for the victims of the conflict-laden region of Darfur – an effort recognised and praised by the British government. Sami also took the initiative to work in close tandem with the UN sponsored charity, Save the Children, to help uplift morale of the victims of 2010 Pakistan floods by sending a message of hope and undying support through his charity single, Hear Your Call. The single became the mouthpiece of awareness campaigns led by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, BBC and the CNN.
Sami is one of the UK’s biggest exports in the last decade. In the course of 7 years, he has masterfully navigated through unchartered waters – he has won over the hearts and minds of millions from across the Middle East, Europe, North America and North Africa. His compass, in principle, has been his self-coined genre – Spiritique. Manifested both musically and philosophically in his third album, Wherever You Are, Spiritique is a product of Sami’s identity. Sami is a passionate advocate of unity and is boldly committed to cross-cultural appreciation through promotion of universal values and celebration of the human spirit. The aim is to bridge the gap between perceptions and sense of incompatibility, and to foster spiritual autonomy so we may usher into a new era of cooperation and coexistence. When different races stand side by side, when young and old, pious or agnostic, male or female sing in one voice; that’s when Spiritique shines. An ambitious undertaking it may be to some. To many, it has already begun.
Official Biography from www.samiyusufofficial.com
Happiness
Sami Yusuf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(O God o merciful)
حقّق أمانينا
(Fulfill our wishes)
وفّقنا في كل آن
(Grant us success each and every time)
في مساعينا
(In all our quests)
يا الله يا منّان
(O God o bestower of blessings)
حقّق أمانينا
(Fulfill our wishes)
وفّقنا في كل آن
(Grant us success each and every time)
في مساعينا
(In all our quests)
Grateful today
For difference and change
For all colours and shades
'Cause you made it this way
وهبتنا النبراس
(You granted us light)
بحب كل الناس
أغدق لنا الإحساس
(Shower us with good feelings)
أنت هادينا
(You are our guide)
يا الله يا رحمان
(O God o merciful)
حقّق أمانينا
(Fulfill our wishes)
وفّقنا في كل آن
(Grant us success each and every time)
في مساعينا
(In all our quests)
يا الله يا منّان
(O God o bestower of blessings)
حقّق أمانينا
(Fulfill our wishes)
وفّقنا في كل آن
(Grant us success each and every time)
في مساعينا
(In all our quests)
Music
Let's celebrate and give thanks for difference and change
One world united, undivided by our different ways
يا الله يا رحمان
(O God o merciful)
حقّق أمانينا
(Fulfill our wishes)
وفّقنا في كل آن
(Grant us success each and every time)
في مساعينا
(In all our quests)
يا الله يا منّان
(O God o bestower of blessings)
حقّق أمانينا
(Fulfill our wishes)
وفّقنا في كل آن
(Grant us success each and every time)
في مساعينا
(In all our quests)
يا كاشف الأسرار
(O revealer of all secrets)
ومنزل الأمطار
(And the provider of rains)
عقولنا تحتار
(Our minds are puzzled)
في مساعينا
(In our quests)
Let's give you our praise
For this world that you shaped
For all cultures and faiths
'Cause you made it this way
يا الله يا رحمان
(O God o merciful)
حقّق أمانينا
(Fulfill our wishes)
وفّقنا في كل آن
(Grant us success each and every time)
في مساعينا
(In all our quests)
يا الله يا منّان
(O God o bestower of blessings)
حقّق أمانينا
(Fulfill our wishes)
وفّقنا في كل آن
(Grant us success each and every time)
في مساعينا
(In all our quests)
Music
Ajib dua'i ya rajaa'i, bi-rreda wal-khair أجب دعائي يا رجائي، بالرضا والخير
(O my hope, answer my prayer with contentment and good)
Anir tareeqi, ma' sadiqi, bi-htiramil-ghaiyyr أنر طريقي، مع صديقي، بالحترام الغير
(Brighten us, my friend and I, with the light of showing respect to one another)
يا الله يا رحمان
(O God o merciful)
حقّق أمانينا
(Fulfill our wishes)
وفّقنا في كل آن
(Grant us success each and every time)
في مساعينا
(In all our quests)
يا الله يا منّان
(O God o bestower of blessings)
حقّق أمانينا
(Fulfill our wishes)
وفّقنا في كل آن
(Grant us success each and every time)
في مساعينا
(In all our quests)
The song "Happiness" by Sami Yusuf is a prayer that asks God for help and guidance in fulfilling our goals and finding happiness in life. The lyrics are written in Arabic and use simple language that asks for God's mercy, blessings, and success in all endeavors. The song is a reminder to be grateful for everything in life and celebrates diversity and change.
The first verse of the song asks God to fulfill our wishes and grant us success in all our quests. It highlights the importance of having faith and trusting in God to guide us towards our goals. The second verse thanks God for the light and good feelings in our lives and praises Him for being our guide. The chorus repeats the prayers for God's mercy and blessings.
The third verse addresses God as the revealer of secrets and the provider of rains, and asks for help in guiding our minds in our quests. The song concludes with a prayer for contentment and respect towards others.
Overall, the song is a beautiful display of faith and gratitude, reminding us to stay hopeful and to trust in God.
Line by Line Meaning
O God o merciful
Addressing God as the merciful one
Fulfill our wishes
Asking God to fulfill our desires and dreams
Grant us success each and every time
Asking God to give us success in all our endeavors
In all our quests
Referring to all aspects of our life that we need guidance in
O God o bestower of blessings
Addressing God as the one who grants us blessings
Grateful today
Expressing gratitude for the present moment
For difference and change
Being thankful for diversity and growth
For all colours and shades
Appreciating the variety of life experiences
'Cause you made it this way
Acknowledging God as the creator of the world around us
You granted us light
Thanking God for guidance and enlightenment
With love for all people
Expressing love and respect for all humanity
Shower us with good feelings
Asking God for positive emotions
You are our guide
Acknowledging God as the one who leads us
Let's celebrate and give thanks for difference and change
Encouraging appreciation for diversity and growth
One world united, undivided by our different ways
Promoting unity despite our differences
O revealer of all secrets
Referring to God's omniscience
And the provider of rains
Thanking God for providing sustenance
Our minds are puzzled
Acknowledging our confusion and need for guidance
Let's give you our praise
Offering thanks and admiration to God
For this world that you shaped
Reflecting on God's creation of the world
For all cultures and faiths
Acknowledging diversity and the value of different beliefs
O my hope, answer my prayer with contentment and good
Asking God to answer our prayers in a way that brings us contentment and good
Brighten us, my friend and I, with the light of showing respect to one another
Asking God to help us show respect to others and improve our relationships
Writer(s): Sami Yusuf, Will Knox
Contributed by Isabella S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.