Qawwal Bahauddin

Ustad Bahauddin Khan Qawwal (1934 - February 3 2006) ( _ur. أستاذ قوّال بهاءالدين) was an Pakistani Qawwali musician of the "Shudh" tradition. He fathered five sons: Muhammad Najmuddin (b. 1967), Saifuddin Mehmood (b. 1971), Zafeeruddin Ahmed (b. 1977), Mughisuddin Hassan (b. 1979), and Ehtishamuddin Hussain (b. 1981). All five have followed in his footsteps.

Bahauddin Qawwal, a household name in Pakistan and abroad, descends from an illustrious family of musicians whose history commences in the days of Hazrat Amir Khusro. Bahauddin Khan, the son of Ustad Haji M. Suleman Khan, was born in 1934. He took formal musical training from his father, his cousin Munshi Raziuddin, and uncle Ustad Sardar Khan. One of the greatest exponents of music in Pakistan, Bahauddin began his public performances and won prizes and acclaim from the tender age of six years. He was an active partner of Manzoor Niazi Qawwal & Party.

In 1956, Bahauddin left the court of the Nizam of Hyderabad and immigrated to Pakistan, where he started afresh with his cousins Munshi Raziuddin and Manzoor Niazi, as Manzoor Niazi Qawwal & Party, which included his brother and nephews also, under the patronage and guidance of Bahauddin's father. In 1966, Bahauddin started his solo work and within no more than three years, in recognition of his masterly rendition of Qawwali, eminent personalities and lovers of Qawwali crowned him as "Ashraf-ul-Mousiqar".

From his start until his death, he was regularly invited by various government and local departments, to perform in all their programmes as well as seminars, festivals, and symposia, specially arranged on specific occasions.

Bahauddin, as a true disciple of the school of Hazrat Amir Khusro, having the desire to propagate Islam beyond the confines of the subcontinent, exhibited his art and command on different styles of Qawwali, especially the classical style, all over the world. He toured Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Iran, and India several times.

Bahauddin had his classical style of Qawwali recorded for safekeeping, on the Golden Tape, as a reference and guide on Hazrat Amir Khusro and his work and for researchers and scholars, by the National Centre for the Performing Arts in India. One of his Qawawli lovers portrayed him on wall mounted carpet. Furthermore, Dr. Zore Ansari, a research scholar and historian, recorded him for the release of two cassettes. Even today, the French broadcasting authorities and the BBC continue to record Bahauddin for research and references regarding the music of the East. His Qawwalis in Urdu, Persian and Arabic are regularly telecasted both in Pakistan and abroad as well as have been sent to Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and central Asian countries on special requests.

Bahauddin Qawwal and his family have been continuously and regularly attached with the Sufi orders. Furthermore, they have been awarded with permanent rooms adjacent to the shrines of Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz, Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya and Hazrat Alauddin Ali Sabir Kalyari in Ajmer, Delhi and Kalyar due to their regular services and continuous attachment with these saints. Furthermore, the descendants of "Mehboob-e-Ilahi" conferred the Certificate of Affiliation to him and turbaned him and his sons in recognition of their family attachment with "Silsila" of Hazrat Mehboob-e-Ilahi.

Bahauddin held many positions at different organisations for the revival and development of Qawawli. So far, his nine VCDs and CDs, thirty-nine video and audio cassettes, LPs, and EPs are released in Pakistan and abroad. In 1978, Hilton Movies recorded his Qawwali for their film, "Gardish".

There are some of his achievements: In 1947, he was decorated as "Nunhay Ragi". In 1949, he received the Certificate of Performance and in 1951, he earned the title of "Nunhay Hind Ragi" from the Prime Minister of India. In 2000, he was awarded the "Tamgha-i-Imtiaz" by the President of Pakistan and in 2002, he earned the title of "Ustad" from the Vice President of Mauritius as well as received a gold medal and commemorative shield from the Minister of Arts & Culture. In 2003, he received the In The Name of Allah Award from "Viqar-e-Adab", an organization working for the revival, propagation, development and betterment of arts & culture.