The Story Behind Balaghal Ula Bi Kamaalihi
Ali Zafar released this devotional rendition in May 2021, presenting the familiar naat as a meditation on the Prophet Muhammad's night journey and ascension. Arranged by Baqir Abbas, the performance places Zafar before Lahore's Badshahi Mosque with qawwals, harmonium and tabla, giving the piece the communal lift of a live qawwali while preserving its reflective pace. The text brings together Urdu, Persian and Arabic devotional verse, including the famous Arabic quatrain associated with Saadi Shirazi, and draws much of its imagery from Miraj. Zafar introduced the recording during Ramadan as a piece he hoped would bring listeners the peace he felt while rendering it. The setting and patient nine-minute build turn a well-known kalaam into an intimate act of praise, rooted in tradition but framed through his own voice.
Meaning & Translation
"Balaghal ula bi kamaalihi" is Arabic for "He reached the highest place through his perfection," a phrase of praise for the Prophet Muhammad. The refrain continues by saying that his beauty dispelled darkness and that all noble qualities were made complete in him. Around that central quatrain, the Urdu and Persian verses contemplate Miraj, the Prophet's night journey and ascension. Their images move from the earthly realm toward the heavens, presenting spiritual elevation as both wonder and intimacy with the divine. Rather than telling the event as a plain chronology, the kalaam responds to it with awe, love and reverence. Its repeated invocations turn the narrative into remembrance and communal praise.
Details
- Artist
- Ali Zafar
- Category
- Single
- Released
- 2021
- Genre
- Qawwali, Devotional
- Mood
- Devotional
- YouTube Views
- 158.38M
Artists & Credits
- Ali Zafar singer
- Baqir Abbas composer
- Bedam Shah Warsi lyricist
- Saadi Shirazi lyricist