A Muslim Woman who teaches Kirtan...

[Gabbar]

A Muslim Woman who teaches Kirtan...

On a lazy afternoon in the summer of 2000, at a gurudwara in Srinagar, devotees were listening to Kirtan when a young woman took centre stage. Initially nobody gave a second look, but the sweet voice soon cast a spell over the gathering. Everyone listened in rapt attention, and soon they joined in the singing.

After the Kirtan ended, the people were curious to know more about the young singer and were surprised to discover that the 16-year-old was a Muslim. Blessings and applause followed, and Tasleema Langoo became a mini-celebrity amongst the small Sikh community in Kashmir.

Today, Tasleema is an accomplished teacher and singer of Kirtan in the Valley, and the only Muslim to do so. Members of the Sikh community are full of praise for the young woman, saying she “takes us nearer to our own religion”.

With the current civil unrest, curfews and shutdowns restricting people's movement in the Valley, Tasleema's classes have also taken a break. But she is hopeful that once normalcy returns, so will her classes. “The students, many of whom are outside the Valley, are regularly in touch with me on phone and waiting for the next classes,” she says.

Tasleema belongs to a family of musicians. Her great grandfather used to sing for Maharaja Pratap Singh, while her grandfather, Ghulam Qadir Langoo, was a court singer for Maharaja Hari Singh, the last monarch of Kashmir. Her father, Abdul Majeed Langoo, teaches music at a women's college.

Her interest in Shabad Kirtan took root when, as a six-year-old, she watched her father's Sikh students learning to play the tabla and harmonium for Shabad Kirtans.

“Our family is closely associated with music and I get to hear all types of music but, curiously, Shabad Kirtan would always excite me the most,” says Tasleema. “I started helping the students with their instruments and they, in turn, wrote shabads in the Urdu script for me.” When she began singing the shabads in her father's class, her mesmerising voice captivated not just the other students but also their parents, who began dropping in to listen to her melodious renditions. Tasleema began teaching the music when she was just 14. As she could not read the Granth Sahib in Punjabi, her father bought her a copy of the Sikh holy text in Urdu from Amritsar. Her father also helps her in the composition of new Shabads.

It was on the insistence of her students and their parents that Tasleema first sang at a gurudwara. Her fame soon spread and she was invited to sing at more gurudwaras both within and outside the State. “I got invitations almost every week. I sang at 'Chhathi Padshahi Srinagar', the biggest in Kashmir,” she says with pride. “People also invited me for Baisakhi and other festivals.”

But her high point was when she was asked to perform at the Golden Temple in Amritsar in 2007. Her sweet voice brought tears to the eyes of many. An old woman hugged her and kissed her hands, saying, “You are the voice of Sikh women and an honour to the Sikh community.” The woman then removed her gold earrings and gifted them to the stunned singer.

“That was so moving. It is one of the biggest compliments I have received so far,” says Tasleema. “But she didn't know that the girl she was praising was not a Sikh but a Muslim from Kashmir,” she chuckles.

After her recitation at the Golden Temple, the Sikh religious leader Harbans Singh visited her house to thank her. When he heard of her work over the years he complimented her, saying, “You are doing a big favor to our community.”

The girl who left studies after high school has till date trained more than 200 Sikh boys and girls in Shabad Kirtan. Residing in Srinagar's congested Shaheed Gunj area, and that too close to a mosque, she has carried on her work in an atmosphere of complete harmony, facing no opposition whatsoever from members of her family or community.

“After hearing the shabad recitation, the Imam Sahib (priest) of our mosque once came to my class, blessed me and told me that I was doing a wonderful job,” recalls Tasleema.

Tasleema has never felt any conflict between her religion and her passion. “The basics of all religions are the same as they lead to one Supreme God,” she says and recites her favorite shabad —

kareemaa(n) reheemaa(n) alaah thoo gana(n)aee ||
O beautiful Lord, benevolent and merciful Lord, You are so wealthy and generous.

haajaraa hajoor dhar paes thoo(n) mana(n)aee ||1||
You are ever-present in every presence, within and before me. ||1||

“I start my day with Nimaz (morning prayers) and recitation from the Quran,” she says. “After that I open Guru Granth Sahib, memorise a new Shabad and compose it for my students with the help of my father.”

She hopes that sometime in the future she can open an institution where Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus and people from any religion can come together to learn singing.

 

[IBRIS]

A Muslim Woman who teaches Kirtan...

On a lazy afternoon in the summer of 2000, at a gurudwara in Srinagar, devotees were listening to Kirtan when a young woman took centre stage. Initially nobody gave a second look, but the sweet voice soon cast a spell over the gathering. Everyone listened in rapt attention, and soon they joined in the singing.

After the Kirtan ended, the people were curious to know more about the young singer and were surprised to discover that the 16-year-old was a Muslim. Blessings and applause followed, and Tasleema Langoo became a mini-celebrity amongst the small Sikh community in Kashmir.

Today, Tasleema is an accomplished teacher and singer of Kirtan in the Valley, and the only Muslim to do so. Members of the Sikh community are full of praise for the young woman, saying she “takes us nearer to our own religion”.

With the current civil unrest, curfews and shutdowns restricting people's movement in the Valley, Tasleema's classes have also taken a break. But she is hopeful that once normalcy returns, so will her classes. “The students, many of whom are outside the Valley, are regularly in touch with me on phone and waiting for the next classes,” she says.

Tasleema belongs to a family of musicians. Her great grandfather used to sing for Maharaja Pratap Singh, while her grandfather, Ghulam Qadir Langoo, was a court singer for Maharaja Hari Singh, the last monarch of Kashmir. Her father, Abdul Majeed Langoo, teaches music at a women's college.

Her interest in Shabad Kirtan took root when, as a six-year-old, she watched her father's Sikh students learning to play the tabla and harmonium for Shabad Kirtans.

“Our family is closely associated with music and I get to hear all types of music but, curiously, Shabad Kirtan would always excite me the most,” says Tasleema. “I started helping the students with their instruments and they, in turn, wrote shabads in the Urdu script for me.” When she began singing the shabads in her father's class, her mesmerising voice captivated not just the other students but also their parents, who began dropping in to listen to her melodious renditions. Tasleema began teaching the music when she was just 14. As she could not read the Granth Sahib in Punjabi, her father bought her a copy of the Sikh holy text in Urdu from Amritsar. Her father also helps her in the composition of new Shabads.

It was on the insistence of her students and their parents that Tasleema first sang at a gurudwara. Her fame soon spread and she was invited to sing at more gurudwaras both within and outside the State. “I got invitations almost every week. I sang at 'Chhathi Padshahi Srinagar', the biggest in Kashmir,” she says with pride. “People also invited me for Baisakhi and other festivals.”

But her high point was when she was asked to perform at the Golden Temple in Amritsar in 2007. Her sweet voice brought tears to the eyes of many. An old woman hugged her and kissed her hands, saying, “You are the voice of Sikh women and an honour to the Sikh community.” The woman then removed her gold earrings and gifted them to the stunned singer.

“That was so moving. It is one of the biggest compliments I have received so far,” says Tasleema. “But she didn't know that the girl she was praising was not a Sikh but a Muslim from Kashmir,” she chuckles.

After her recitation at the Golden Temple, the Sikh religious leader Harbans Singh visited her house to thank her. When he heard of her work over the years he complimented her, saying, “You are doing a big favor to our community.”

The girl who left studies after high school has till date trained more than 200 Sikh boys and girls in Shabad Kirtan. Residing in Srinagar's congested Shaheed Gunj area, and that too close to a mosque, she has carried on her work in an atmosphere of complete harmony, facing no opposition whatsoever from members of her family or community.

“After hearing the shabad recitation, the Imam Sahib (priest) of our mosque once came to my class, blessed me and told me that I was doing a wonderful job,” recalls Tasleema.

Tasleema has never felt any conflict between her religion and her passion. “The basics of all religions are the same as they lead to one Supreme God,” she says and recites her favorite shabad —

kareemaa(n) reheemaa(n) alaah thoo gana(n)aee ||
O beautiful Lord, benevolent and merciful Lord, You are so wealthy and generous.

haajaraa hajoor dhar paes thoo(n) mana(n)aee ||1||
You are ever-present in every presence, within and before me. ||1||

“I start my day with Nimaz (morning prayers) and recitation from the Quran,” she says. “After that I open Guru Granth Sahib, memorise a new Shabad and compose it for my students with the help of my father.”

She hopes that sometime in the future she can open an institution where Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus and people from any religion can come together to learn singing.

The generous Tasleema, Great God shall always light your ways, and bless your good work.

 

[mjnaushad]

can someone explain what is Kirtan?

 

[Multani]

kirtan is sikh hymns

It is illegal for a Muslim in Shariat to engage in this activity, man or woman.

 

[IBRIS]

can someone explain what is Kirtan?

I may be bit too young to explain. But it means Lord's praises.

 

[mjnaushad]

kirtan is sikh hymns

It is illegal for a Muslim in Shariat to engage in this activity, man or woman.

Thanks for answering. Rest he/she is responsible for his/her ending. We should be worrying about ours. Being thekedar of others is the root cause of problems we are in today.

 

[Multani]

assalamu álaykum naushad brother

At least we should ourselves know the rulings of Shariat. That is the major issue today. Muslims engage in dunyavi knowledge and neglect the Islamic Sciences, of which a dozen are major. One is fiqh under which this issue of a Muslim engaging in non-Muslim prayer comes. It would have been a different matter if she were singing hindu idol worshipping hymns.

In Pakistan, the Shariat Courts follow rulings as Based in the Hanafi madhab, as that is the madhab of the vast majority of ahlesunnat in the country. The ruling of illegality on this issue in the case of Christians or Jews is very Stern [assuming Sikhs do believe in One God and are not idol worshippers like hindus]

InshaAllah taála I will provide a detailed reference.

 

[Gentle Typhoon]

My respect to Tasleema Bibi for showing kindness toward others.

 

[mjnaushad]

assalamu álaykum naushad brother

At least we should ourselves know the rulings of Shariat. That is the major issue today. Muslims engage in dunyavi knowledge and neglect the Islamic Sciences, of which a dozen are major. One is fiqh under which this issue of a Muslim engaging in non-Muslim prayer comes. It would have been a different matter if she were singing hindu idol worshipping hymns.

In Pakistan, the Shariat Courts follow rulings as Based in the Hanafi madhab, as that is the madhab of the vast majority of ahlesunnat in the country. The ruling of illegality on this issue in the case of Christians or Jews is very Stern [assuming Sikhs do believe in One God and are not idol worshippers like hindus]

InshaAllah taála I will provide a detailed reference.

Walekum Assalam. If someone is singing Kirtan and still have belief that Allah is one and Muhammad is last prophet then i think its between them and Allah. And if he dont believe in it its still between them and Allah. Because as far i know Muslim is allowed to eat haram if his death is certain (no other option). So if she can bring something to eat for her family with singing kirtan whats the problem. (I didn't read teh full news so i dont know whether she do it as a job or as a hobby)

If its haram for Muslim to read Kirtan or in otherwords the religious prayers of other religion then we should not let anybody read quran as well. Or force them to read it. If Islam is the true religion then why are we afraid of reading those things which are written by others.

Still thankyou for your concern, But i am better off with fatwas of how long my beared should be.....

 

[Multani]

There are a number of other issues of matter in this article:

1) her father involved in "music" in a woman college
2) she reading the granth after the blessed Qurán al kareem and memorizing it. Has she memorized our blessed Qurán first? The eternal speech of Allah subhanahu wa taála
3) she engaging in singing hyms next to men, as seen in the picture above, and her awraa'[those parts of the body showing, like her hair] which should not be seen according to Shariat. That is the true meaning of hijab of the hair.
4) a muslim woman singing in front of men
5) her not reading the Qurán al kareem to the non-muslims in front of her.

.. and a few other matters

I think she misunderstands the idea of dawah.

The most serious issue is the perennialist theme, which is kufr in Sunni aqida.

 

[RobbieS]

My respects for the girl.

 

[Multani]

then we should not let anybody read quran as well. Or force them to read it. If Islam is the true religion then why are we afraid of reading those things which are written by others.

The blessed Qurán al Kareem is the Eternal Speech of Allah Subhanahu wa taála. Its us Muslims who read and memorize it, if we call ourselves Muslims.

Which Muslim will think of stopping other Muslims from reading the Quran al-Majeed?

No one said Muslims are afraid of reading other books. The issue is of engaging in non-Muslim prayers, which falls under the jurisdiction of fiqh, as Pakistan is an Islamic State, and Islam is the state religion.

 

[mjnaushad]

There are a number of other issues of matter in this article:

1) her father involved in "music" in a woman college
2) she reading the granth after the blessed Qurán al kareem and memorizing it. Has she memorized our blessed Qurán first? The eternal speech of Allah subhanahu wa taála
3) she engaging in singing hyms next to men, as seen in the picture above, and her awraa'[those parts of the body showing, like her hair] which should not be seen according to Shariat. That is the true meaning of hijab of the hair.
4) a muslim woman singing in front of men
5) her not reading the Qurán al kareem to the non-muslims in front of her.

.. and a few other matters

I think she misunderstands the idea of dawah.

The most serious issue is the perennialist theme, which is kufr in Sunni aqida.

Ohh God *facepalm*


1.You are surfing the internet, Google adds appear on the sides often have women without covering their heads.

2.When you turn on computer a music plays

3.Internet is full of ****, (Contact me in PM if want some cool websites)

4.Internet is product of US the biggest killers of Muslims or the 2nd after Muslims themselves.

5. Lots of pictures on the banner the banner of this sitemust also be declared harm.

6 and most Important You are embarrassing me. and the kind of rules you are explaining are extremism to me. All rules for women and men can roam around like sanndh (bull).

 

[hecj]

The blessed Qurán al Kareem is the Eternal Speech of Allah Subhanahu wa taála. Its us Muslims who read and memorize it, if we call ourselves Muslims.

Which Muslim will think of stopping other Muslims from reading the Quran al-Majeed?

No one said Muslims are afraid of reading other books. The issue is of engaging in non-Muslim prayers, which falls under the jurisdiction of fiqh, as Pakistan is an Islamic State, and Islam is the state religion.

The issue is of engaging in non-Muslim prayers, which falls under the jurisdiction of fiqh, as Pakistan is an Islamic State, and Islam is the state religion.

let her do wat she wants. god dont differentiate b/w the language and ur post shows, u do this.

 

[bandit]

kirtan is sikh hymns

It is illegal for a Muslim in Shariat to engage in this activity, man or woman.

Originally Posted by Multani
There are a number of other issues of matter in this article:

1) her father involved in "music" in a woman college
2) she reading the granth after the blessed Qurán al kareem and memorizing it. Has she memorized our blessed Qurán first? The eternal speech of Allah subhanahu wa taála
3) she engaging in singing hyms next to men, as seen in the picture above, and her awraa'[those parts of the body showing, like her hair] which should not be seen according to Shariat. That is the true meaning of hijab of the hair.
4) a muslim woman singing in front of men
5) her not reading the Qurán al kareem to the non-muslims in front of her.

.. and a few other matters

I think she misunderstands the idea of dawah.

The most serious issue is the perennialist theme, which is kufr in Sunni aqida.

Thank god Muslims in India are not bred on this hate culture, they can follow their heart without some mullah breathing sharia down their neck.