Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s Top 10 Songs
Here’s a list of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s Top 10 timeless songs/Qawwalis that are celebrated worldwide
1.Afreen Afreen
Type: Ghazal/Qawwali fusion
Composer/Lyricist: Written by Javed Akhtar, performed by Nusrat.
Highlights: A mesmerizing romantic ghazal blending Sufi poetry with melody. Revived by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan & Momina Mustehsan in Coke Studio Pakistan (2016).
2. Tumhe Dillagi Bhool Jani Padegi
Type: Ghazal/Qawwali
Theme: Pain of love, detachment, and heartbreak.
Highlights: One of Nusrat’s most soulful renditions; later recreated by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan & Arijit Singh in Bollywood.
3. Mere Rashke Qamar
Type: Romantic Qawwali
Theme: Describes the beauty of a beloved like the moon.
Highlights: Became an evergreen romantic anthem; recreated in Bollywood (Baadshaho, 2017). Still a popular live performance number.
4. Kinna Sona Tenu Rab Ne Banaya
Type: Love song (Sufi-romantic)
Theme: Praises the beloved as a divine creation.
Highlights: One of his rare purely romantic ghazals; covered many times in films and pop albums.
5. Sanu Ek Pal Chain Na Aave
Type: Ghazal
Theme: Restlessness caused by love and separation.
Highlights: Deeply emotional; shows Nusrat’s ability to blend raw pain with melody. Recreated in Bollywood (Raid, 2018).
6. Yeh Jo Halka Halka Suroor Hai
Type: Sufi ghazal
Theme: Intoxication of divine love (metaphor of wine and beauty).
Highlights: A masterpiece blending romance and mysticism. Multiple Bollywood recreations (Fanney Khan, 2018).
7. Allah Hoo Allah Hoo
Type: Devotional Qawwali
Theme: Praising the Almighty, celebrating the name of Allah.
Highlights: One of Nusrat’s most performed live qawwalis; still sung in Sufi shrines and concerts.
8. Tajdar-e-Haram
Type: Devotional Qawwali
Theme: Tribute to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Highlights: A spiritual anthem performed at shrines; Sabri Brothers originally popularized it, but Nusrat’s version made it global.
9. Dum Mast Qalandar Mast Mast
Type: Traditional Qawwali
Theme: Dedicated to Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, a Sufi saint.
Highlights: A high-energy qawwali that lifts the crowd instantly. Still played at Sufi festivals in India & Pakistan.
10. Akhiyaan Udeek Diyan
Type: Ghazal/Qawwali
Theme: Waiting desperately for the beloved.
Highlights: Soul-stirring composition that captures longing and separation beautifully.