Amjad Sabri - The Immortal Qawwali Singer

Amjad Sabri, this is a name that used to remind us that Qawwali is still alive in Pakistan and this name was one of the last torch bearers of this endangered Qawwali genre. But, on June 22 2016, he was shot dead by two Na Maloom ( Unknown) killers.
Born in 1976, Amjad Sabri had a soulful voice that made everybody not only love him but also the Qawwalis that he sang. Having performed almost everywhere in the world, his fan following is in millions and a glimpse of it we all have witnessed at his funeral.


Unlike Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, hailing from a Qawwal Family and later opting film music, Amjad Sabri continued to follow in the footsteps of his father and uncle and kept singing the distinct Qawwalis to keep this trend alive somehow and carry forward the legacy of his late father and uncle known as the Sabri Brothers, who with their devotional music got popularity throughout the world. Such was the popularity and impact of some of the qawwalis of his ancestors which became famous in the 1960s and ’70s that to date musicians are revisiting them in their own styles. Two of the latest examples being one ‘Tajdar-e-Haram’ performed by Atif Aslam in Coke Studio 8 and another, ‘Bhar Do Jholi’, sung by Adnan Sami Khan for the Bollywood film Bajrangi Bhaijaan but not accepting that he stole it from the Sabri Family. Both became instant hits, signifying the purity of the kalaam and the strength of their respective compositions.

Ghulam Farid (1930) and Maqbool Sabri (1941) were born in Kalyana, Rothak district, Haryana. After partition their family migrated to Karachi and lived in a camp for some time. Though the brothers were heavily into music, initially they did not perform together. Maqbool was a fine singer, but once Farid joined him in the group, his imposing personality, long hair and a baritone voice added the X factor to their music. Farid’s heartwarming chant of ‘Allah’ during qawwalis became a
trademark of the troupe’s concerts. Of course, the immense success that they achieved could not have been had if they were even a notch less composers.

Out of the five sons of Ghulam Farid Sahab, it was Amjad Sabri who continued this family tradition and carried it in a massive fashion. Amjad Sabri was not only a qawwali singer but he was also a very lighthearted person who always preached peace and harmony. Nobody can claim that he was treated badly by him or his companions. Everybody has to die someday but Amjad Sabri will live forever in the hearts of his fans and he will always be remembered as the best qawwal world has ever seen. He was not shot dead but shot to life. One thing that all his fans and we also are praying is, one of his sons grow up and keep the Qawwalis alive in Pakistan and fill the void left by his father, the great Amjad Sabri.