The Sabri Brothers (
Punjabi
Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan
* Punjabi language
* Punjabi people
* Punjabi dialects and languages
Punjabi may also refer to:
* Punjabi (horse), a British Th ...
, ) were a musical band from
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
who were performers of
Sufi qawwali music and were closely connected to the
Chishti Order. They are considered as one of the greatest Sufi qawwali singers of all times. The Sabri Brothers were led by
Ghulam Farid Sabri and his brother
Maqbool Ahmed Sabri. They are often referred to as ''Shahenshah-e-Qawwali'' (the King of Kings of qawwali) and are also known as ''the roving ambassadors of Pakistan''. The band was initially founded by Maqbool Ahmed Sabri at the age of 11 years and was known as Bacha Qawwal Party. His elder brother Ghulam Farid Sabri joined after insistence from their father. He became the leader of the group and the band soon became known as the Sabri Brothers.
They were the first-ever qawwali artists to perform qawwali in
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...
and other Western countries; they were also the first-ever Asian artists to perform at
New York's
Carnegie Hall in 1975.
Original members
*
Ghulam Farid Sabri (b. 1930 in Kalyana, East Punjab – d. 5 April 1994 in
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former ...
; lead vocals, harmonium, leader of the ensemble till his death in 1994)
*
Maqbool Ahmed Sabri (b. 12 October 1945 in Kalyana – d. 21 September 2011 in South Africa;
leading member of the ensemble, lead vocals, harmonium, music composer, sole leader of the ensemble after Ghulam Farid Sabri's death in 1994 until his own death in 2011.)
* Kamal Ahmed Khan Sabri (b. 1935 – d. 2002; senior member, vocals, swarmandal, flexatone)
* Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri (b. 7 April 1949 in Karachi – d. 21 June 2021 in Karachi; senior member, vocals, bongo drums, tambourine; second lead singer/harmonium after Ghulam Farid Sabri's death in 1994; leader of the ensemble after Maqbool Ahmed Sabri's death in 2011)
* Umar Daraz (clapping / chorus)
* Abdul Aziz (clapping / chorus)
* Masihuddin (chorus, tanpura)
* Abdul Karim (dholak)
* Bilal Sabri (dholak)
* Mohammed Anwar (''nal'', tabla)
*
Amjad Fareed Sabri (clapping / chorus, until his father's death), supporting vocalist until 1996, lead vocals, harmonium in his own separate band (assassinated on 22 June 2016)
* Fazal Islam Sabri (clapping / chorus)
* Azmat Farid Sabri (clapping/chorus)
* Sarwat Farid Sabri (clapping / chorus)
* Naveed Kamal Sabri (clapping / chorus)
* Zubair Kamal Sabri (clapping / chorus)
* Shumail Maqbool Sabri (clapping / chorus)
* Javed Kamal Sabri (clapping / chorus)
* Ghulam Jilani (clapping / chorus)
* Abdul Ghani (dholak)
* Zafar Islam Sabri (clapping / chorus)
* Muhammad Akram Warsi (clapping / chorus)
* Nadeem Siddiqui (clapping / chorus)
* Muhammad Ateeq Sabri (clapping / chorus)
Early life

The Sabri brothers learned music from their father, Inayat Hussain Sabri. He trained his sons in qawwali and
Indian classical music. Ghulam Farid Sabri, Kamal Ahmed Sabri, and Maqbool Ahmed Sabri furthered their knowledge of music under
Ustad
Ustād or ostād (abbreviated as Ust., Ut. or Ud.; from Persian ) is an honorific title used in West Asia, North Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is used in various languages such as Persian, , Azerbaijani, Urdu, Hindi, Bengali, Marathi ...
Fatehdin Khan, Ustad Ramzan Khan, and Ustad Latafat Hussein Khan Bareilly Sharif. They also furthered their knowledge of poetry under Hazrat Hairat Ali Shah Warsi, who was their spiritual master.
Ghulam Farid Sabri's first public performance was at the annual
Urs festival of Mubarak Shah in Kalyana (now in
Haryana
Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land ...
, India) in 1946. He had joined Ustad Kallan Khan's qawwali party in India. The family moved from Kalyana to
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former ...
,
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
following the
Partition of India
The Partition of British India in 1947 was the Partition (politics), change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: ...
in 1947.
In Pakistan, a wealthy businessman approached him and offered him a partnership in a nightclub, yet Ghulam Farid's reply was that he only wanted to sing qawwali, and he rejected the offer.
Maqbool Ahmed Sabri also showed musical talent from a young age, which was noticed by his school teacher who later asked Maqbool's father to further instruct him and guide him in the field of music. In 1955, when Maqbool was eleven years old, his brother-in-law got him a job singing at a theater in Karachi where he gave his first public performance. Later, with the help of his father, Maqbool formed a qawwali group at the age of eleven and named it Bacha Qawwal Party. The group's first public performance was in 1956 at an Urs ceremony held at the home of Jameel Amrohi, where he sang "Do Alam Ba Kakul Giraftar Daari" in the presence of many qawwals.
Soon afterwards, after insistence by their father, Ghulam Farid Sabri joined him and became the leader of the ensemble, which was initially known as Ghulam Farid Sabri Qawwal & Party. Afterwards the name of the party was changed to Ghulam Farid Sabri – Maqbool Ahmed Sabri Qawwal & Party. During their 1975 American tour, their promoter
Beate Gordon
Beate Sirota Gordon (; October 25, 1923 – December 30, 2012) was an Austrian-born American performing arts presenter and women's rights advocate. She was the former Performing Arts Director of the Japan Society and the Asia Society and wa ...
suggested the band name was too long, so they changed it to The Sabri Brothers.
Career
Early career
The Sabri Brothers initially started their career by performing at Sufi Shrines and private gatherings, Their first recording was officially released in 1958 under the
EMI Pakistan label, was the
qawwali titled "Mera Koi Nahi Hai Tera Siwa", which later appeared in the 1965 Pakistani film ''Ishq-e-Habib''.
[
]
1970s
1970s witnessed the rise of the Sabri Brothers. They are the only qawwali troupe with "first class" status on the Pakistan Television Corporation.
In 1970, the government of Pakistan
The Government of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=hakúmat-e pákistán) abbreviated as GoP, is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a constituted governing authority of the four provinces, two autonomous territorie ...
sent them to Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is ma ...
as representatives for a royal wedding.
During the 1970s, the Sabri Brothers released their greatest hit qawwalis which included "Bhar Do Jholi Meri Ya Muhammad", " Tajdar-e-Haram", "O Sharabi Chord De Peena", "Khwaja Ki Deewani", and "Sar E La Makan Se Talab Hui."
Several qawwalis sung by them were even featured in films, which included "Mohabbat Karne Walo Hum Mohabbat Iss Ko Kehte Hai" in the 1970 film ''Chand Suraj'', "Aaye Hai Tere Dar Pe Toh Kuch Le Ke Jaen Ge" in the 1972 film ''Ilzam'', "Bhar Do Jholi Meri Ya Muhammad" in the 1975 film '' Bin Badal Barsaat'', "Baba Farid Sarkar" in the 1974 film ''Sasta Khoon Mehnga Pani'', "Teri Nazr-e-Karam Ka Sahara Mile" in the 1976 film ''Sachaii,'' "Mamoor horha hai" in the 1977 film ''Dayar-e-Paighambran'' and "Aftab-e-Risalat" in the 1979 Indian film ''Sultan-e-Hind''.[
In 1972, they performed a charity concert for the construction of Pakistani Children School in Abu Dhabi. In the same year, with the co-operation of Oriental Star Agencies, the Sabri Brothers performed in various cities in England such as ]London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, Bradford, Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the We ...
and Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of City of Salford, Salford to ...
, which was very popular. The proceeds of these programs were donated to an Earthquake Relief Fund in Pakistan.
The Sabri Brothers were the first-ever qawwali artists to perform in United States, Europe, and other Western countries. They were the first exponents of qawwali to the West when they performed at New York's Carnegie Hall in 1975, promoted and sponsored by Beate Gordon of the Asia Society
The Asia Society is a non-profit organization that focuses on educating the world about Asia. It has several centers in the United States (Manhattan, Washington, D.C., Houston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco) and around the world (Hong Kong, Man ...
. The Sabri Brothers performed in the United States and Canada under the auspices of the Performing Arts Program of the Asia Society in 1975 and recorded a qawwali program at Brooklyn College Television Center.
In 1975, the Sabri Brothers toured and performed at live concerts in South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...
. Inspired by their live concerts in South Africa, Chevrolet gifted an automatic car to the Sabri Brothers, which they donated for the development of poor children. They also donated the proceeds of their live concerts on that tour towards famine relief in South Africa.
The Sabri Brothers performed at Royal Albert Hall on 20 June 1976 at the World of Islam Festival. In April 1978, the album ''Qawwali'' was recorded in the United States, while the Sabri Brothers were on tour. ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
review described the album as "the aural equivalent of dancing dervishes" and the "music of feeling."
In 1977, the Sabri Brothers toured India; their concerts were attended by many Bollywood celebrities. During that tour they recorded ''Aftaab E Risalat Madine Mei Hai'' which was featured in the 1979 Bollywood film Sultan E Hind Khwaja Garib Nawaz. Aftab E Risalat's music video even featured an appearance by the Sabri Brothers and was a blockbuster hit.
In 1977, they recorded the album ''Pakistan: The Music of the Qawwal'' for the UNESCO Collection of Traditional Music which was later released in CD form by Auvidis in 1990.
In 1979, they performed a charity concert for the construction of Karachi School of Art
Karachi School of Art (KSA) ( ur, ) is a college of art in Karachi, Pakistan. Founded in 1964 by Rabia Zuberi, it was the first private art center in Pakistan and the first art institution of any kind in Karachi.
Courses
Degree
* 4 years ...
which was later released in album ''Sabri Brothers Live in Concert at Ali Bhai Auditorium''.
1980s
In June 1981, the Sabri Brothers performed at the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam which was released on the album ''Tasleem''.
In 1982, they appeared in the film ''Sahaaray'' with their famous qawwali " Tajdar-e-Haram." The same year they performed at Midway Hotel for the construction of Al Shifa Hospital near Karachi Airport.
In 1983, they recorded the album ''Nazre Shah Karim'' to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of His Highness Prince Aga Khan, sponsored by Tajico Group. The proceeds from this album were donated to Aga Khan Hospital, Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former ...
. On 3 August 1985, a program was held at Sheraton Hotel, Karachi and collected Rs. 141,500/- for the Bangladesh Flood Relief Fund.
In 1985, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri recorded a solo ghazal
The ''ghazal'' ( ar, غَزَل, bn, গজল, Hindi-Urdu: /, fa, غزل, az, qəzəl, tr, gazel, tm, gazal, uz, gʻazal, gu, ગઝલ) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. A ghazal may be understood as a ...
album in front of a live audience in Karachi; the album was released as ''Awargi'', which was a blockbuster hit. The album had a collection of light playful poetry written by Farhat Shahzad.
In 1988 ''EMI Pakistan'' released another solo ghazal album by Maqbool Ahmed Sabri titled ''Tere Ghungroo Toot Gaye to Kya'', which was a hit. The same year, he recorded a qawwali song for music director Anu Malik in the Indian movie '' Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswati'', which was picturised on Mithun Chakraborty.
In 1989, the Sabri Brothers performed at WOMAD festival concerts which were held in UK and France. During their tour of the UK in 1989, the Sabri Brothers recorded an album which was released as the album ''Ya Habib'' in 1990 by Peter Gabriel's Real World Records. The album ''Ya Habib'' consists of four long songs, each combining powerful, sensitive, often improvised vocals with rhythmic percussion, thudding tabla and mesmeric harmonium drones, which proved to be one of the Sabri Brothers' greatest hits.
In 1989 and 1992, Sabri Brothers performed at various South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation festivals.
1990s

In 1990, the Sabri Brothers performed at various qawwali concerts in England.
In 1991, Ghulam Farid Sabri toured Europe and performed qawwali in the United Kingdom and Germany. He also performed at held in Germany in 1991. The same year, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri toured and performed in various qawwali concerts held in South Africa.
In 1992, the Sabri Brothers, led by Ghulam and Maqbool, toured Australia and performed at the Hope Theater in Melbourne, Australia. Their tour of Australia was sponsored by the Friends of the University of Wollongong.
The same year they performed at a fundraiser in Dubai to benefit Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital. In 1992 they also performed in various countries for the SAARC festival.
In 1993, the Sabri Brothers once again toured the United States and performed at various qawwali concerts there.
In April 1994, The Sabri brothers were set to begin on a tour across Europe. They were to perform at around 30–35 shows, covering almost the entire continent. On 5 April 1994, Ghulam Farid Sabri suddenly complained of chest pain. He suffered a massive heart attack and was rushed to hospital but he died en route in the arms of his brother Maqbool Ahmed Sabri. Maqbool Ahmed Sabri was left heartbroken but still carried on his and his elder brother's mission. To devote an album entirely to the Persian poetry of Jami, a luminary of the Sufi tradition, was one of Ghulam Farid Sabri's cherished ambitions. He made the recordings in July 1991 at the SFB studios in Berlin, but the CD was not released while he was still alive. Thus, it becomes a memorial not only to the Persian poet, but also to Ghulam Farid Sabri. After the death of Ghulam Farid Sabri in 1994, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri became the sole leader of The Sabri Brothers with his youngest brother Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri taking the role of second lead vocalist and harmonium player.
Also in 1994, Sabri Brothers led by Maqbool Ahmed Sabri and Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri performed at the Womex festival and New Jazz Festival held in Germany.
In 1995, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri was about to perform at the Meltdown Festival held in the UK. A week before the event, he suffered a major accident in Lahore. He was in critical condition during that time, and people worldwide prayed for his health. He recovered miraculously within a month, though he had a damaged leg after the accident and had to undergo multiple knee surgeries.
In 1996, The Sabri Brothers performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music – Next Wave Festival, as part of a double-billing with alternative rockers Cornershop, and released an album titled ''Ya Mustapha'' (or ''Ya Mustafa''). The album became one of their greatest hits.
In 1997, The Sabri Brothers once again performed at the Royal Albert Hall in front of the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles for the Celebration of 50 Years of Independence of India and Pakistan together with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. They were one of the few artists who have performed at the Royal Albert Hall multiple times. The Sabri Brothers also performed ''Waqt E Dua Hai'' which is one of their popular qawwalis at Symphony Hall, Birmingham, for the celebration of 50 Years of Independence of India and Pakistan together with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
In 1998, The Sabri Brothers toured Australia and also performed at the Sydney Opera House. Shortly after the program at the Opera House, Kamal Ahmed Sabri (second eldest of the brothers), the supporting vocalist and instrumentalist of the group, suffered a heart attack. Though he survived, he could not take part due to poor health.
In 1999, The Sabri Brothers participated in the Voices of God festival in Marrakesh, Morocco in May. The group also performed at various qawwali concerts held in Morocco in 1999.
2000 onwards
The Sabri Brothers performed at Musica Sacra
''Musica sacra'' is a magazine about sacred music, published by the Allgemeiner Cäcilien-Verband für Deutschland (ACV). It is the oldest trade paper for Catholic church music, especially liturgical music, still publishing in Germany., ''Grundriß ...
International Marktoberdorf Event concerts during the year 2000 in Germany.
Maqbool Ahmed Sabri and Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri did several tours of India and recorded various albums which were released by Tips Music.
In 2001, Kamal Ahmed Sabri, the second eldest of the Sabri Brothers, died after suffering a second heart attack. After his death, the use of instruments such as swarmandal (zither) and chidya tarang ( Flexatone) came to an end in the Sabri Brothers group. Later the same year, the Sabri Brothers performed live in DOM at the On The Carpet Oriental Culture Festival on 17 November 2001 in Moscow, which was later released in 2003 as the album ''Live in Moscow – Diwani.''
In 2005, The Sabri Brothers performed at Virsast Festival held in Dehradun, India. The same year, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri was invited to perform in different cities in Madhya Pardesh, India, and was awarded the Tansen Samman Award by the government of Madhya Pradesh.
In 2006, the Sabri Brothers performed at Ajmer Sharif and in Pune, Maharashtra. The same year, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri rerecorded and re-released his old hit qawwalis including "Khwaja Ki Deewani", "Mera Koi Nahi Hai Tere Siwa", "Mann Bole Mann", and "Hum Panjatani Hai" which were released by SB Studios in Karachi and proved to be a big hit worldwide.
The Sabri Brothers led by Maqbool Ahmed Sabri and Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri continued to tour and performed in Russia in the year 2007.
Maqbool Ahmed Sabri went on various tours and performed at qawwali concerts until his death. He performed in Hyderabad, India in 2008. He also performed at Ajmer Sharif during the annual Urs celebrations of Khwaja Garib Nawaz in 2011. His last concert was organized by Hilton Hotel in South Africa in 2011. After that, since then his health was not good. On 21 September 2011, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri died in South Africa due to cardiac arrest after being treated for two months for health problems. He was buried near his elder brother Ghulam Farid Sabri.
The group was then led by the youngest brother Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri, who was the last brother alive leading the group after the deaths of Ghulam Farid Sabri and Maqbool Ahmed Sabri. Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri led the Sabri Brothers until his own death on 21 June 2021. He organized many programs in Europe to collect donations for the Namal Institute
The Namal University is a private university in Rikhi, Mianwali District, Punjab, Pakistan.
Overview
The Institute is located on 30 km, Talagang Mianwali Road near Namal Lake. Initially, it was established as an affiliated colleg ...
located in Mianwali District, Punjab, which was established by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan. The funds collected were sent home after the many programs hosted in Europe. Mehmood's qawwalis were well-received across the globe, including in Germany and several European countries.
With the death of Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri on 21 June 2021, the Sabri Brothers group came to an end. Other family members and disciples of the Sabri Brothers continue to perform in their own separate qawwali groups to carry on the legacy of Ghulam Farid Sabri, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri and the Sabri Brothers.
Brawling giants
Many consider the Sabri Brothers instrumentally more adventurous than Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Aziz Mian mastered in presenting intoxication as closeness to God, and said more than 3,000 couplets with that metaphor. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was a perfectionist in discussing the beauty of the Creator of feminine attractiveness. The Sabri Brothers recited many famous couplets and poetry presenting intoxication and closeness to God as a part of Sufi culture. They mostly focused on ''Hamd'' ('praise of God'), ''Naat'' ('praise of the Holy Prophet'), and ''Manqabat'' ('praise of holy people and saints').
During the 1970s a squabble started between the two greatest Sufi singers when the Sabri Brothers released one of their biggest hits, "Bhar do Jholi Meri", while Aziz Mian released his biggest hit "Main Sharaabi". The rivalry became more aggressive when the Sabri Brothers released a thinly veiled taunt at Aziz Mian in the form of a qawwali titled "O sharabi, chord de peena" ('O drunkard, stop drinking'). This qawwali became an immediate hit, sung in a typically steady, controlled and hypnotic style. Mian was quick to strike back. He composed and recorded "Haaye kambakht Tu Ne Pi Hi Nahi" ('O Unfortunate, you never drank!') on the third day of the release of "O Sharabi, chord de peena"''.'' Mian's reply quickly became a hit. In his reply he disparaged the Brothers. Aziz Mian lamented that the Brothers were too conventional and that their spiritual connection with the Almighty was not as stark as his.[
When Mian criticized the Sabri Brothers regarding their knowledge of Sufism and love of God, they retaliated and replied with their hit "Saqia Aur Pila"'','' which was directly focused on their intoxicated love for God and based on their knowledge of Sufism. EMI-Pakistan, which released both records, claimed that Aziz Mian and the Sabri Brothers sold over two million LPs and cassettes from this brawl.
Even though the Sabri Brothers and Aziz Mian had a professional rivalry, they maintained friendly relations with each other.
]
Legacy
* The Sabri Brothers received the honor of performing in Madina Sharif, near Al-Masjid an-Nabawi.
*They were well-versed in singing in the Persian language
Persian (), also known by its endonym and exonym, endonym Farsi (, ', ), is a Western Iranian languages, Western Iranian language belonging to the Iranian languages, Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian languages, Indo-Iranian subdivision of th ...
and had a great affinity for the musical rendition of Amir Khusrow's ''kalaam'' (poetry).
*Legendary Sufi Singer Abida Parveen was a student of the Sabri Brothers. Abida Parveen revealed in an interview that she has taken inspiration from the Sabri Brothers and also learnt the song " Man Kunto Maula" from them.
*A life-size painting of Ghulam Farid Sabri that dominates the meeting room of his home was created by painters from Naz Cinema for the first anniversary of his death in 1995.
*In 2003, British singer Sami Yusuf released a cover version of Sabri Brothers's golden hit ''Ya Mustafa'' and featured it on his debut album titled '' Al-Muʽallim''. During one of his interviews with BBC, Yusuf claimed that he was inspired by the Sabri Brothers and their music is without doubt the music of spirituality and peace. He also claimed that his inspiration from the Sabri Brothers led him to cover one of their hits on his album. Yusuf accepted that this turned out to be one of his most famous works.
*In 2006, Amatullah Armstrong Chishti wrote a book titled ''The Lamp of Love – Journeying with the Sabri Brothers'' regarding the research program into the Sufi saints and their ''mazars'' (shrines) in Pakistan and India, and the Art of Qawwali of Pakistan's best-loved Sufi singers, the Sabri Brothers.
*They have been featured in "La Morte Du Bombay Express" fictional detective novel written by Sarah Dars in 2002 wherein The protagonist attended the musical concert of Sabri Brothers, nearly a whole chapter was dedicated to their performance.
*In March 2008, an underpass near Liaquatabad, Karachi was named after Ghulam Farid Sabri.
* Coke Studio Season 8 paid a special tribute to the Sabri Brothers with Atif Aslam performing the all-time hit " Tajdar-e-Haram."
*"Bhar do Jholi Meri Ya Muhammad" was featured in the 2015 Bollywood movie '' Bajrangi Bhaijaan'' sung by Adnan Sami Khan with few changes in melody and lyrics.
*"Tajdar-e-Haram" was featured in the 2018 Bollywood movie ''Satyameva Jayate'' and was covered by Sajid–Wajid and sung by Wajid Khan from the same duo.
*On 4 May 2021, singer Ali Zafar released his own version of "Balaghal Ula Bi Kamaalihi (Sar E La Makan Se Talab Hui)" as a tribute to Ghulam Farid Sabri, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri, and Amjad Farid Sabri.
Awards and recognition
* Pride of Performance (''Tamgha E Husn E Kaarkardagi'') Award by the President of Pakistan in 1978 to the whole Sabri Brothers group.
*Spirit of Detroit Award by the federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a fede ...
to both Ghulam Farid Sabri and Maqbool Ahmed Sabri in 1981.
*''Khusro Rang'' to both Ghulam Farid Sabri and Maqbool Ahmed Sabri by the Raag Rang Society of India in 1980.
*''Bulbul E Pak O Hind'' by the Shrine of Nizamuddin Auliya to Ghulam Farid Sabri and Maqbool Ahmed Sabri in 1977.
*Charles de Gaulle Award by Charles de Gaulle to Ghulam Farid Sabri and Maqbool Ahmed Sabri in 1983.
* A doctorate degree was awarded to the Sabri Brothers as an honor for their hit record ''Shikwa Jawab E Shikwa (Of Allama Iqbal)'' by the University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world's second-oldest university in contin ...
.
*''Tansen Samman
Tansen Samaroh or Tansen Sangeet Samaroh () is celebrated every year in the month of December in Behat village of Gwalior district, Madhya Pradesh. It is a 4-day musical extravaganza. Artists and music lovers from all over the world gather here ...
'' (India) was awarded to Maqbool Ahmed Sabri in 2005 by the government of Madhya Pradesh.
Qawwalis featured in films
Several of their qawwalis were featured in films.
*"Mera Koi Nahi Hai Tere Siwa" appeared in the 1965 Pakistani film ''Ishq-e-Habib''[
*"Mohabbat Karne Walo Hum Mohabbat Iss Ko Kehte Hai" in the 1970 Pakistani film ''Chand Suraj''][
*"Aaye Hai Tere Dar Pe Toh Kuch Le Ke Jayen Ge" in the 1972 Pakistani film ''Ilzam''][
*"Baba Farid Sarkar" in the 1974 Pakistani Punjabi film ''Sasta Khoon Mehenga Paani''
*"Bhar Do Jholi Meri Ya Muhammad" in the 1975 Pakistani film '' Bin Badal Barsaat''][
*"Teri Nazr-e-Karam" in the 1976 Pakistani film ''Sachaii''
*"Mamoor Ho Raha Hai" in the 1977 Pakistani film ''Dayar-e-Paighambran''
*"Aftab E Risalat" in the 1979 Indian Hindi film ''Sultan-e-Hind Khwaja Garib Nawaz (RA)''][
*" Tajdar-e-Haram" in the 1982 Pakistani film ''Sahaaray''][
*"Tere Dar Ko Chord Chale" with solo playback by Maqbool Ahmed Sabri, was featured in the 1988 Indian film '' Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswati''
]
Qawwalis featured in television series
*"Tere Ishq Nachaya" sung by Sabri Brothers was featured in the Pakistan Television Corporation hit series ''Aik Mohabbat Sau Afsanay'' aired during 1975–1976 which was written by Ashfaq Ahmed. The drama was a successful series of 13 episodes based on Ashfaq Ahmed's book of the same title. The qawwali was featured in the episode titled "Qurat - Ul - Ain."
Discography
Concert films
* 1975 Qawwali, Music from Pakistan – Live in America
* 1981 Live in England – Vol 1
* 1988 Live in England – Vol 2
* 1988 Live in England – Vol 3
* 1988 Live in England – Vol 4
* 1986 Qawali – The Sabri Brothers (Live at Shrine of Hazrat Abdullah Shah Ghazi)
* 1992 Sabri Brothers Live in India (SAARC)
Albums
* 1970 ''Ghulam Farid Maqbool Sabri Qawal And Party – O' Laaj Mori Rakh '' (Columbia)
* 1970 ''Devotional Songs'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1970 ''Qawwali – Ya Mohammad Nigah-e-Karam'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1970 ''Qawwali – Mere Khoon e Arzoo Ko'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1971 ''Ghulam Farid Maqbool Sabri Qawal And Party – Balaghal Ula Be Kamalehi'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1972 ''Ghulam Farid Maqbool Sabri Qawal And Party – Aaye Ri More Angna Moinud Din'' (Angel Records)
* 1972 ''Qawwali – Karam Asiyo Par Ho'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1974 ''Nazrana E Aqidat'' (Angel Records)
* 1975 ''Ghulam Farid Maqbool Sabri Qawal And Party – Sab Se Bara Darbar-E-Madina'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1975 ''Ghulam Farid Maqbool Sabri Qawal And Party – Teri Surat Nigahon Men'' (His Master's Voice)
* 1975 ''Ghulam Farid Maqbool Sabri Qawal And Party – Mohammad Ki Chatai Ne Bhi '' (Odeon)
* 1975 ''Ghulam Farid Maqbool Sabri Qawal And Party – Na Samjho Khak Ka Putla'' (Odeon)
* 1975 ''Sabri Brothers – More Ghar Aj Mohammed Aaye'' (Odeon)
* 1975 ''Sabri Brothers – Ya Mohammad Noor-e-Mujasim'' (Angel Records)
* 1976 ''Deewani Kawaja Ki Deewani / O Sharabi Chod De Peena'' (EMI Pakistan)[
* 1977 ''Sabri Brothers – Aaye Hain Woh'' (Shalimar Recording Company Limited)
* 1977 ''Ghulam Farid Maqbool Sabri Qawal And Party – Ya Sahebal Jamal'' (Odeon)
* 1977 ''Pakistan : The Music of Qawwal'' (UNESCO)
* 1977 ''Ghulam Farid Maqbool Sabri Qawal And Party – Bhar Do Jholi Meri Ya Mohammed'' (Angel Records)
* 1978 ''Qaw Allis Vol. 6 – Gulam Shabri Live Recording in S. Africa'' (Ashirwad)
* 1978 ''Kawwali Musicians from Pakistan'' ( Arion)
* 1978 ''Qawwali – Sufi Music From Pakistan'' ( Nonesuch)
* 1979 ''Music of Pakistan – Qawwali – Live in Concert'' (Vinyl LP Record, 1979)
* 1979 ''Sabri Brothers Qawwal'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1979 ''Shikwa Jawab Shikwa'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1980 ''Greatest Qawwali's of Sabri Brothers'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1980 ''Latest Qawwalis from Sabri Brothers'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1980 ''Sabri Brothers in Concert – Vol.1–3'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1980 ''Sabri Brothers Live Concert Vol −16 (EMI Pakistan)''
* 1980 ''Sabri Brothers – Mehfil-E-Programme Vol −17 (EMI Pakistan)''
* 1982 ''Jhoot Ke Paon Nahin Hain'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1982 ''Sabri Brothers – Ghulam Farid & Maqbool Sabri'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1982 ''Maqbool Ahmed Sabri – Urdu Ghazal'' ( His Master's Voice)
* 1983 ''New Qawwali's By Sabri Brothers'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1983 ''Nazr-e-Shah Karim'' (AEA)
* 1984 ''Jogan Daata Di'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1985 ''Hits of Sabri Brothets ''(EMI Pakistan)
* 1985 ''Awargi '' ( CBS)
* 1986 ''Ya Muhammad Nigahe Karam'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1987 ''Sur Bahar " Amir Khusro "'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1988 ''Shan-E-Aulia'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1988 ''Maqbool Ahmed Sabri – Tere Ghungroo Toot Gaye Toh Kya – Ghazals'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1988 ''Live at Allah Ditta Hall (UK Tour)''
* 1990 ''Sabri Brothers New Qawwali's 1990'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1990 ''The Music of the Qawwali'' ( Auvidis, ]UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. I ...
)
* 1990 ''Ya Habib'' ( Real World)
* 1993 ''Qawwali Masterworks'' ( Piranha)
* 1993 ''Doolha Heryale oolha Hariyaale', (Shalimar Recording Company)
* 1993 ''Bangai Baat Unka Karam Ho Gaya Vol 2 -'' (Oriental Strar Agencies)
* 1993 ''Pyar Ke Morr Live in Concert''(Oriental Star Agencies)
* 1993 ''La Ilah Ki Boli Bol'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1994 ''Shehanshah-e-Qawwali Ki Yaad Mein – Vol.1–2'', (EMI Pakistan)
* 1994 ''Savere Savere'' (Oriental Star Agencies)
* 1994 ''La Elah Ki Boli Bol'' (Oriental Star Agencies)
* 1994–97 ''Greatest Hits of Sabri Brothers, Vol.1–3'' ( Sirocco)
* 1994 ''Milta Hai Kya Namaz Mein – Live in UK'' (Oriental Star Agencies)
* 1995 ''Maqbool Ahmed Sabri – Aawargi Vol 3'' (Eastern Music Productions)
* 1996 ''Jami'' (Piranha)
* 1996 ''Ya Mustapha a Mustafa
A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''ae ...
', ( Xenophile)
* 1996 ''Allah Baqi'' (Oriental Star Agencies)
* 1996 ''Ae Mere Hamnasheen'' (Oriental Star Agencies)
* 1996 ''Khawaja Ki Diwani – Live in Europe 1981'' (Oriental Star Agencies)
* 1996 '' Tajdar-e-Haram'' (Oriental Star Agencies)
* 1997 ''Nazan Hai Jis Pai Husn'' (Oriental Star Agencies)
* 1997 ''Maikadah – Live in Concert'' (Oriental Star Agencies)
* 1997 ''Balaghul Ula Bekamalehi '' (Oriental Star Agencies)[
* 1998 ''Hazir Hain'' (Oriental Star Agencies)
* 1999 ''Madeena Na Dekha'' (Sonic Enterprises)
* 2000 ''Madina Mujhe De De'' (Tips Music Company)
* 2001 ''Ya Raematal Lilalmin'' (Oriental Star Agencies)
* 2002 ''Dar Pe Deewane Aaye Hai'' (Tips Music Company)
* 2003 ''Bindia Lagaon Kabhi'' (Oriental Star Agencies)
* 2003 ''Jhoole Jhoole Ji Mohammad'' (Oriental Star Agencies)
* 2003 ''Live in Moscow Diwani'', (Long Arms Record)
* 2003 ''Tasleem'' Live At Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam, 1981 (PAN Records)
* 2004 ''Aaj Rang Hai Ri'' (Tips Music Company)
* 2004 ''Rabb E Akbar'' (Tips Music Company)
* 2005 ''Jitna Diya Sarkar Ne Mujhko'' (Oriental Star Agencies)
* 2005 ''Mangte Hai Karam Unka'' (Oriental Star Agencies)
* 2006 ''Mera Koi Nahi Hai Tere Siwa – Recreated Versions By Maqbool Ahmed Sabri'' (SB Enterprises)
* 2007 ''Ajmer Ko Jana Hai'' (Oriental Star Agencies)
* 2007 ''Posheeda Posheeda – Live in Concert UK'' (Oriental Star Agencies)
* 2007 ''Piya Ghar Aya'' (Oriental Star Agencies)
* 2016 ''Showcase Southasia, Vol.18 – Sabri Brothers'' (EMI Pakistan)
;Contributing artist
* 1965 ''Ishq E Habib & Eid Mubarak – Movie Tracks'' (Columbia & EMI Pakistan)
* 1975 ''Devotional Qawwalis From Films'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1987 ''Sher E Yazdaan Ali Ali'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1987 ''Maikhana – Aziz Miyan & Sabri Brothers'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 1991 ''Music in Asian Islam'' (Recordings And Liner Notes, MCM)]
* 1996 ''The Rough Guide to the Music of India and Pakistan
''The Rough Guide to the Music of India and Pakistan'' is a world music compilation album originally released in 1996. Part of the World Music Network Rough Guides series, it focuses on the music of India and Pakistan, ranging from Hindi film ...
'' ( World Music Network)
* 2006 ''The Best of Sabri Brothers & Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan'' (EMI Pakistan)
* 2012 ''Great Works of Amir Khusro – Vol 1 & 2'' (Virgin Records, India)
* 2014 ''Essential Sufi Meditations – Famous Songs of Pakistan with the Masters Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Sabri Brothers, And Rahat Fateh Ali Khan'' (Celebration Sounds)
See also
* Ghulam Farid Sabri
* Maqbool Ahmed Sabri
* Amjad Sabri
* List of Pakistani music bands
The rise of musical bands in Pakistan began in the 1980s when cassettes first came into Pakistan bringing in a wave of Western rock music. Western-influenced rock music began to feature in underground concerts all across the country. In the 19 ...
References
{{Authority control
Musical groups established in 1956
Muhajir people
Pakistani qawwali groups
Real World Records artists
20th-century composers
EMI Records artists
Harmonium players
Pakistani classical singers
Pakistani playback singers
Pakistani folk singers
Pakistani ghazal singers
20th-century Pakistani male singers
Pakistani Muslims
Pakistani world music musicians
Performers of Sufi music
Persian-language singers
Recipients of the Pride of Performance
Urdu-language singers
People from Karachi
1956 establishments in Pakistan
20th-century Indian male singers
20th-century Indian singers
Chishti-Sabiris