Dawud Wharnsby | Nasheed (Hymns)

Dawud Wharnsby is perhaps best known internationally for his work as a pioneer in the development of English language nasheed.

An Arabic musical tradition, nasheed are spiritually centered hymns, drawn from monotheistic beliefs and Qur’anic ideology, usually performed a’capella or with only simple percussion.

For over 1400 years Arabic anasheed have been sung at festivals, celebrations, weddings and religious gatherings around the world.

Dawud was among a handful of poets who began writing, recording and professionally distributing anasheed in the English language, out of a love for the musical tradition and a connection to the multicultural global community who respect the teachings of the Qur’an. Many of his anshaeed continue to ring out in schools, mosques and homes world-wide, sung by children and families on all continents.

The recordings of artists like Dawud, Zain Bhikha, Yusuf Islam, Mustaqim Sahir and the British group Shaam dating back to the mid 1990’s helped paved the way for an entire generation of new artists who have increasingly popularized English language nasheed world-wide into the 21st century.

Dawud makes a clear differentiation however, between his work with the antique tradition of nasheed and what has evolved into Islamic Pop Music (akin to Christian Pop/Rock), popular in recent years amongst many young Muslims globally.

Though Dawud does not work as a commercial artist in the growing genre of Islamic Pop, he respects how important it is for artists of all faith communities to express themselves through song.

Dawud still writes, records and occasionally distributes anasheed. However, in an effort to avoid commercialization of the musical tradition, or his personal faith, he has never utilized funds from the sales of his nasheed recordings, opting to put all royalties from such spiritual songs into a trust fund for the education of children.

Did You Know....?

...that the teachings of the Qur'an ~ celebrating and encouraging technological, social, spiritual, artistic and medical advancement ~ inspired its adherents in past centuries toward breakthrough developments that shaped music as we know it in our 21st century?

~ The musical scale syllables "Doh, ray, me, faw, so, la, tee, doe" are named after letters of the Arabic alphabet "Dal, Ra, Mim, Fa, Sad, Lam" and "Seen".

~ 9th Century artist Al-Kindi developed and used written musical notation. He also researched, fostered and is know to have practiced what is now known as Music Therapy.

~ Al-Kindi's is also credited for suggesting the idea of adding frets to instruments, like the Oud ~ an idea leading to the development of modern day guitars, banjos, mandolins and other fretted instruments. In one of his treaties the word "musiqia" was used for the first time in Arabic, which today means "music" in Arabic, Persian, Turkish, English and several other languages in the world.

~ Muslim architects made tremendous advancements in sound technology and the studies of acoustics.

~ Artist Ziryab established the worlds first conservatory in Cordoba (822 C.E.) teaching harmony and composition. Historians say that counterpoint and polyphony were first developed in the conservatory around 1000C.E.

Dawud's Recordings of Nasheed