'Kun Faya Kun', an Arabic phrase in Islamic theology, refers to the process of creation wherein God does not require tools or time; He simply wills a thing to exist by saying "Be". Sufis often interpret it as the power of divine love to transform a human heart or bring a soul back to its purpose.
The phrase gained wider popularity in India through the song 'Kun Faya Kun' in the film Rockstar (Hindi, 2011). When the idea of using it for a song was suggested to composer A.R. Rahman, by Imtiaz Ali, writer and director of the film, the former was initially reluctant as it is “the most sacred word in the holy book" but agreed when the latter assured him to be careful. Penned by Irshad Kamil, and sung by Rahman himself along with Javed Ali and Mohit Chauhan, the song turned out to be a success.
It's in the Qawwali genre, a form of Sufi Islamic devotional singing that originated in the Indian subcontinent in late 13th century CE. The Delhi Sultanate's Sufi saint Amir Khusrow of the Chisti order of Sufis is credited with fusing the Persian, Arabic, Turkic, and Indian traditions to create Qawwali. Originally, musical instrument use in Qawwali was prohibited. Eventually, however, it found its way into Qawwali.
Ref: Wikipedia & Google
A.R. Rahman, who composed music for the film's songs and also did its background score, said in a video interview published on YouTube in May 2021, "O my God, everybody talks about this. Somebody from the West who doesn’t understand a word of it is responding to it. And in India, every faith, whether they are Muslims, Christians or... Hindus... And this is beyond politics”.
This Saturday's music video on 'Timeless Music and Talks' is a stunningly beautiful dance cover for the essential parts of 'Kun Faya Kun' expressing its communion with the Divine by Krithi Nathan, trained in Indian classical dances, from Boston, USA.
From her website danceinkritz.com: "Krithi is an active, passionate dancer from the Boston area who always endeavors to tell a personal narrative through her choreography and performance. Trained in Bharatnatyam from the age of 5 and Kathak since 2021, she credits classical dance to be the foundation of her skill".
The Hindi and Arabic lines of the song have been traslated into English by referring to online translations and Google AI and displayed on the video for a wider audience to understand and appreciate them better.
For non-monetary, non-profit, cultural and educational purposes.
Click the link to watch the music video: https://youtu.be/JxdxsCQOuMM
