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
The Creator
Sami Yusuf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(There is no god but Allah)
He created the plants and trees
He created the birds and bees
He created the oceans and seas
Some of His many bounties
He made us on earth trustees
To obey all His decrees
Clean away our hearts’ disease
Chorus
Jalla Allahu fi 'oulah
(Glorified is Allah in His loftiness)
Ma lana rabbun siwah
(We have no lord but He)
La ilaha illa Allah
Awwalun qablal wujud
(He is the First before existence)
Akhirun Ba'dal khulud
(He is the Last after eternity)
Mutlaqun 'anil hudud
(Absolute is He above any limits)
Wajibun lahus sujud
(Obligatory it is to prostrate to Him)
Rabbun wahibul hayah
(The Lord who bestows life)
Mujrir rihi wal miyah
(He makes the wind and water surge)
Fadhat binnada yadah
(His blessings are overflowing)
Tuba lilladhi hadah
(Successful is he whom He guides)
Chorus
He gave the day and night
He gave us our sense sight
He created the sun so bright
And the moon so pure and white
He saved from our plight
He led us towards the light
He led us to the straight path
Through his mercy and his might
Chorus
Lord of the earth and the sky
Lord the mountains so high
Lord of the day and the night
Lord of joy and delight
Chorus
The Creator by Sami Yusuf is a song that acknowledges the power, majesty, and grace of Allah. The lyrics begin by asserting that there is no god other than Allah, and goes on to describe the many creations that Allah has made. The plants, trees, birds, bees, oceans, and seas are all mentioned as examples of Allah's immense power as a Creator. The lyrics then assert that humans have been made trustees on earth and are expected to obey Allah's commands. The chorus reiterates that Allah is the only lord and that his loftiness is glorified. The lyrics then go on to describe Allah as the "First before existence" and "Last after eternity," signifying that Allah has always been and always will be. Allah is then described as being above any limits, and therefore prostration to him is obligatory. The Lord is also described as being the giver of life, and the one who creates wind and water surges. The lyrics conclude by stating that it is those who Allah guides that are truly successful.
The Creator is a moving song that is a testimony to the beauty and power of Allah. The lyrics describe in detail the many creations that Allah has made, and the chorus underlines the fact that Allah is the only lord. This song is a perfect example of how music can be used to celebrate and honor Allah, while also reminding us of our duty to obey his commands.
Line by Line Meaning
La ilaha illa Allah
There is no god but Allah
He created the plants and trees
Allah created vegetation on the earth
He created the birds and bees
Allah created animals that fly and insects that pollinate
He created the oceans and seas
Allah created the vast bodies of water that cover the earth
Some of His many bounties
These are just a few of the countless gifts Allah has bestowed upon us
He made us on earth trustees
Allah made human beings responsible for taking care of the earth
To obey all His decrees
Our purpose is to follow Allah's commands
Oh Allah have mercy please,
Asking for Allah's forgiveness and compassion
Clean away our hearts’ disease
Praying for Allah to purify our hearts and remove any impurities within them
Jalla Allahu fi 'oulah
Glorified is Allah in His loftiness
Ma lana rabbun siwah
We have no lord but He
La ilaha illa Allah
There is no god but Allah
Awwalun qablal wujud
He is the First before existence
Akhirun Ba'dal khulud
He is the Last after eternity
Mutlaqun 'anil hudud
Absolute is He above any limits
Wajibun lahus sujud
Obligatory it is to prostrate to Him
Rabbun wahibul hayah
The Lord who bestows life
Mujrir rihi wal miyah
He makes the wind and water surge
Fadhat binnada yadah
His blessings are overflowing
Tuba lilladhi hadah
Successful is he whom He guides
He gave the day and night
Allah created the cycle of day and night on the earth
He gave us our sense sight
Allah gave us the ability to see
He created the sun so bright
Allah created the sun, the source of light and heat for the earth
And the moon so pure and white
Allah created the moon, the satellite that illuminates the night sky
He saved from our plight
Allah saved us from hardship and adversity
He led us towards the light
Allah guided us towards the right path
He led us to the straight path
Allah guided us to the path that leads to success
Through his mercy and his might
Allah's compassion and power are what enabled this guidance
Lord of the earth and the sky
Allah is the master of both the earth and the sky
Lord the mountains so high
Allah created the towering peaks that dominate the landscape
Lord of the day and the night
Allah is in control of the cycle of light and darkness
Lord of joy and delight
Allah is the source of happiness and pleasure
Contributed by Keira O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.