Chinese Whiskers (FAQs)
-
- I'm just a soul whose intentions…
- Does Yusuf Feel He Can Help…
- Why Has Yusuf Dropped Islam…
- Why Has He Stopped Wearing…
- Where Was He Born?
- How Does He Feel About Cat?…
- Does Pop Music Make Sense…
- Is Islam Presented Badly…
- Did Yusuf Help Jackson Become…
- Tell Me More About His Charities?…
- How Did His Catholic Upbringing…
- Why Was He Turned Away From…
- How Can Christians, Muslims…
- How Many Children Does Yusuf…
- He Won't Talk to Unveiled…
- Did't He Say Music is Forbidden?…
- What is Longer Boats About?…
- Yusuf Islam Wants to See…
- Didn't He Support Hamas?
- Does Yusuf Oppose Free Speech?…
- Did He Have An Arranged Marriage?…
- What About 9/11 and Terrorism?…
- Does He Teach in an Islamic…
- Didn't He Say "Kill Rushdie!"?…
-
Does Pop Music Make Sense To Him Any More?
Yes. There is a place for popular music and there always has been. Yesterday it was Folk music, natural, traditional, ethnic and attached to a particular locality or region; today you can pick up a recording of any tribes music in a record store, next to works of Bach, the Blues, Heavy Metal and beyond.
Today there’s a whole new audience listening to my old recordings. It’s encouraging to see a whole new generation being inspired by some of the heart-searching themes of my songs. The success of recent compilations proves that they have lasted the test of time.
I once went through a stage where I turned my back on everything that I’d done before, but of course that was a radical and over zealous reaction to the spiritual happiness that I’d felt in Islam. Now, the Gold records are coming home again and I’ve picked up the guitar the piano is a little too heavy for me right now!
There are purists who believe that music corrupts and overly engrosses the God-conscious heart. On the other hand, a study of Islamic history also shows an acceptance for the more mundane aspects of life to be balanced with art, where music, murals, structures and such like play a natural and complementary role in decorating and harmonizing our spiritual lives.
This is evidenced universally in some of the great works of art and composition dedicated to God and worship whether it be poetry, song, music, architecture or some other form of artistic expression.
Tweet