Product Description

Sandala is pleased to announce the publication of a new translation of the Burda by well known scholar and teacher Hamza Yusuf, with parallel Moroccan calligraphy by Mohamed Zakariyya, the distinguished American master calligrapher. It comes in a useful CD size format with three audio CDs in a protective presentation slip-case. This rare audio recording, performed here by contemporary Moroccan masters of the art, the Fez Singers, is the complete Burda, interwoven with other poems by al-Busiri and Harraq, sung in the traditional Andalusian manner. The 80 page full colour casebound book contains the Burda text, a substantial introduction by Hamza Yusuf and a foreword on its calligraphy by Mohamed Zakariya. Location photography is by Peter Sanders. This production is the result of a two year collaboration between writers, musicians, artists, photographers and designers from all over the world. The Burda by Imam al-Busiri, is arguably the greatest and most famous classic poem in the Arabic language in praise of the character and exalted rank of the Prophet Muhammad. Composed in the 13th century CE in Mamluke Egypt, it has been recited ever since throughout Muslim lands from east to west and north to south, and has always been perceived as containing great benefits, blessings and miracles. It is sung in this new Sandala recording (over two hours of singing) by the Fez Singers, directed by Bennis Muhammad and featuring Bennis Abdelfettah, one of Morocco’s most famous munshids. It is the first time the complete Burda has been made available in recorded form sung in this traditional Andalusi acapella style.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #574787 in Books
• Published on: 2002-05-15
• Format: Audiobook
• Original language: Arabic
• Binding: Hardcover
• 49 pages

The Independent, London. May 2002
Moderate Islam's secret weapon.

From the Publisher
see Newsweek International August 19 2002 issue for feature by Carla Power on Hamza Yusuf

About the Author
THE TRANSLATOR: Hamza Yusuf began studying religious traditions early in his education, eventually leading to his discovery of Islam which he embraced in 1977. After becoming fluent in Arabic he began to travel extensively throughout the Middle East and North Africa studying traditional Islamic Sciences under the tutelage of some of the greatest Muslim scholars of our age. Ten years later, he returned to the United States and took a degree, obtaining a BA in religious studies at San Jose State University in California. In 1996, he founded the Zaytuna Institute, a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the revival of traditional Islam and where he now teaches. His recorded lectures have sold world-wide and brought him a large and enthusiastic audience of all ages. Since the events of September 11, his role as scholar, lecturer, and public speaker has been greatly expanded to include numerous newspaper interviews and appearances on radio and TV in the United States and the UK. The Burda is his his first major published translation. THE CALLIGRAPHER: For an American hailing from Santa Monica, California, Mohamed Zakariya, who calligraphed this production of the Burda, has come a long way. Not only has he mastered a calligraphic art in a totally foreign language and script but has probably outmastered many naturally arabic-by-birth practitioners of this craft from their native countries. His skills extend furthermore to the handcrafting of working astrolabes and scientific instruments. His world class talent rests on his knowledge and love of Turkish and Arabic and a passion for the foundational and disappearing skills of ink making, gilding, paper preparation, marbling and binding. The Maghribi calligraphy in this edition of the Burda is only a glimpse of his encyclopaedic skills in this domain with his primary work being with the Uthmanic classical calligraphic styles. A recent US postage stamp has put his work on almost everyone’s doormat in the United States, even though it was first released on the 10th September 2001. He is married with one son, lives in Washington DC and travels, teaches and lectures widely. THE SINGERS: The Fez Singers perform in this production the entire Burda. The main poem is intertwined with extracts from the Hamziyya, al-Busiri’s other great poem, and other famous qasidas. This is possibly the first time such a recording has been accomplished in this Andalusian style and because of its length spread over 3 CDs. Bennis Muhammad, who is the director, and his brother Abdelfettah, who feature prominently in these recordings, and who form the core of the group, are well known singers in Morocco and perform regularly for the King. Bennis Muhammad also runs a medrassah in the heart of Fez where the fine art of Andalusi singing is taught to classes of children and adults as it has been for centuries. Many people in Morocco know the Burda and all the different ways of singing it. But the Fez singers bring to it an intensity and level of technical and artistic intricacy which displays it at its finest and with their annual performances at the Fez Sacred Music festival they are rapidly establishing for themselves a world-wide reputation.

Customer Reviews

Wraps + protects your soul from the coldness of the world.
I write this in the aftermath of the London 7/7 bombings. I never knew of the Burda (The poem of the Cloak/Mantle) until I stumbled across it when looking for Sheikh Hamza Yusf's other works. What you physically get is a well packaged 3 CD set and a hardback translation and explanation of the Cd contents including a beautiful calligraphic rendering of the text. The Cds themselves touch the heart and evoke a peace and gentleness. They flow like the fountains of Andalusia which is the origin of the style of singing. The opening sequence is the most powerful and to me laments the human condition but from then on it lifts to its attempts to describe the Prophet, his struggles, achievement to its conclusion of mankind's relationship with the Merciful and Forgiving God.
Surely if there was a message from these times this it. Hamza Yusuf, you have given the English world a very, very great thing.

:) great, recommended to anyone
just got it this morning and i hav 2 say it is really good. A beautiful recitation worthy of the poem.

Id recommend this to anyone muslim or not.It is a beautiful piece which really touches the heart.