Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Live: Allah Hoo (1993) - video link, Urdu lyrics & English translation

Last modified on 26th June 2016

Minor update on 23rd April 2021

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Live: Allah Hoo (1993), [23rd April 2021 update: Working link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj7roem9NRc (following link is now broken) end-update]  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLBFmA87tyg, 28 min 33 secs.

The spellbinding spiritual genius of the Late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Sahab and his team is on display in this song video (live performance). I loved the lyrics of this song (the English translation is put up as captions in the video). I have noted down the lyrics as it seems to have some additions to what is available on the Net for the seemingly popular Allah Hoo qawwali.

I think the meaning of these lyrics are very powerful and give a superb unity of faiths take, without losing out on the core belief of ONE GOD.

First I would like share what I came across on Allah Hoo which is the title of the Qawwali and is repeated many times in the song. From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allah_Hoo :

Allah Hoo (Allah hu) is a traditional Sufi chant (Dhikr) consisting of the word for God (Arabic: [[Allah|الله‎]] Allah) run together three times, followed by Truth (Haqq):

Allahu Allahu Allahu Haqq,

itself repeated three times over.
...
"Allah Hoo" is also a popular title for Urdu language Sufi devotional qawwalis.
...
As a noun phrase, the chant is interpreted as meaning "God is". Haqq is the Arabic for "truth", so that the full dhikr translates to "God is. God is. God is Truth."
--- end extracts from Allah Hoo wiki page ---

Ravi: So in this Qawwali, we can translate Allah Hoo to God Is.

Here are the Lyrics along with the English captions in square brackets. At times, I have also give my alternative translations (note that my Hindi is OK but I do not have much knowledge of Urdu words). [Note that most of the Urdu lyrics are courtesy: http://www.oocities.org/karachiiterulez/huu.html and https://lovenusrat.wordpress.com/2011/01/23/allah-hoo-allah-hoo/]

Malik ul mulk lashareeka lahoo

[King of Kings, One without peer]

Wahadahoo laa ilaahaa illaahoo

[One is He, There is no God but He]

Shams Tabraiz Gar Khuda Talabee

[Shams Tabriz, If thou desirest God] [Ravi: Shams Tabriz seems to be a reference to the mystic and spiritual instructor of the famous Sufi mystic and poet, Jalaluddin Rumi, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shams_Tabrizi]

Khushboo Khuwan La Illaha Illahoo

[Then utter aloud, There is no God but He]

Qounain Ka Masjood Hai Maa'bood Hai Tu

[You are the worshipped, The Lord of all the universe]

Har Shay Teri Shahid Hai Ke Mashhood Hai Tu

[All creation is Your witness, You are the witnessed One]

Har Aik Ke Lab Per Hai Teri Hamd-O-Sana

[Every created being Sings Your praise] [Ravi alternate: On everyone's lips are songs of your praise]

Har Sooz Mein Har Saaz Mein Moujood Hai Tu

[In each melody and song, You are present]

Tere He Naam Say Har Ibtida Hai

[Everything begins with You] [Ravi alternate: All originates from your name]

Tere He Naam Tak Har Intiha Hai

[Everything ends with you] [Ravi alternate: Everything ends in your name]

Teri Hamd-O-Sana Alhamdulillah

[All praise is due to You]

Ke Tu Mere Mohammad Ka Khuda Hai

[For You are the God of Mohammad] [Ravi alternate: For You are the God of my Mohammad]

Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo

[Ravi: God Is. God Is. God Is.]

Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo

[Ravi: God Is. God Is. God Is.]

Yeh zameen jab na thii yeh jahaan jab na thaa

[When the earth did not exist And all the world was nought] [Ravi alternate: When this earth did not exist, when this world was not there]

Chaand suraj na thay aasman jab na tha

[When no moon, sun nor skies existed] [Ravi alternate: When there was no moon nor sun nor skies] 

Raaz-e-haq bhi kisi per ayaan jab na tha

[When none knew of the secret Truth] [Ravi alternate: When the secret truth was not (yet) revealed to anyone]

Tab na tha kuch yahaan tha magar tu hee tu

[When nothingness reigned, You were there!] [Ravi alternate: Then there was nothing here but there was only you and you] 

Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo
Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo

Har Shay Tere Jamaal Ki Aainaa Daar Hai

[All creation reflects your beauty]

Har Shay Pukaarti Hai Tu Parvardigaar Hai

[Every living being calls You Creator]

Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo
Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo

Teri Rubaaiyat Ki Ada To Kamaal Hai

[You are the Creator of this universe]

Tu Rab-E-Kaayanaat Hai Tu Laajawaab Hai

[You are the eternal and Always]

Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo
Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo

Tu Jo Har Aan Nayi Shaan Dikha Deta Hai

[Each instant You reveal Your glory]

Deeda-E-Shouq Ko Hairan Bana Deta Hai

[Astounding the discerning eye]

Daali Daali Teri Takhleeq Ke Gun Gaati Hai

[Each branch sings of Your creation]

Patta Patta Teri Qudrat Ka Pata Deta Hai

[Each leaf is Your being manifest]

Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo
Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo

Pohchay Mairaj Mein Arsh Tak Mustafa

[When the Prophet ascended the Heavens] [Ravi alternate: When the Prophet reached Heaven]

Jab Na Maa'bood-O-Bande Mein Pardah Raha

[When the veil between Lord and servant was removed] [Ravi alternate: When there was no longer any veil between Lord and servant]

Tab Malaik Ne Hazrat Se Jhuk Kar Kahaa

[The angels bowed to the Prophet and said:] [Ravi alternate: Then the angels bowed to the Prophet and said:]

Saari Makhlooq Mein Haqnuma Tu Hee Tu

[Of all creation You are the embodiment of Truth] [Ravi alternate: In all creation the embodiment of Truth is you (and) only you]

Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo
Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo

Khaalik-E-Kul Hai Tu Is Mein Kya Guftagu

[You are the supreme Creator. There can be no denying it.] [Ravi alternate: You are the supreme Creator. What is the (need for) discussion on it?]

Hey Tu he Tu Tu he Tu Is Mein Kya Guftagu

[There is only You] [Ravi alternate: You (and) only you, You (and) only you, What is the (need for) discussion on it?]

Jidhar Dekhta hun Yahi Dekhta hun Bas Tu he Tu Tu he Tu Is Mein Kya Guftagu

[Wherever I look, I see only You] [Ravi alternate: Wherever I see I see only this - You (and) only you, You (and) only you, What is the (need for) discussion on it?]

Jab mai aakar idhar udhar dekha

[Coming into this world I looked this way and that] [Ravi alternate: When I came and saw here and there]

Tu hi aaya nazar jidhar dekha, Tu he Tu Tu he Tu Is Mein Kya Guftagu

[Wherever I looked, I saw only You] [Ravi alternate: I saw only You where(ever) I saw, You (and) only you, You (and) only you, What is the (need for) discussion on it?]

Hindu Ye Samajte hain Sanam? mein kuch hain

[Hindus see You in their idols] [Ravi alternate: Hindus believe that something (Divine) is in their idol]

Muslim Ye Samajte hain Haram mein kuch hain

[Muslims see You in the Ka'aba] [Ravi alternate: Muslims believe that something (Divine) is in Haram (Ka'aba)]

Yeh dono galat hain Apni gajphaimi? se

[They both have a limited view] [Ravi alternate: Both of them are wrong due to their (limited view?)]

Hum To Yahi Samajte hain

[I believe only one thing] [Ravi alternate: I (We) believe only this]

Ki Bas Tu he Tu Tu he Tu Is Mein Kya Guftagu

[There is You, You, only You] [Ravi alternate: that it is only You (and) only you, You (and) only you, What is the (need for) discussion on it?]

Masjid, Mandir, Gurudware mein

[In mosque, temple and gurudwara]

Teri lagan hain teri puja Tu he Tu hain Aur na koi duja

[You're the One that's worshipped, You, You, and no other] [Ravi alternate: You are meditated upon, you are worshipped by puja, You (and) only you are there and it is not any other]

Tu he Tu Tu he Tu Is Mein Kya Guftagu

Tair? mein Tu, Haram mein Tu

[In the temple, in the Ka'aba] [Ravi alternate: You are in the temple, You are in the Ka'aba]

Arsh mein Tu Zameen mein Tu

[In the heavens, on this earth] [Ravi alternate: You are in the heavens, You are on this earth]

Jiski pahunch jahan talak uske liye waheen pe tu

[For each seeker You are there As far as he can reach] [Ravi alternate: As is the reach of the person for him you are there at that place (at the limit of his reach)]

Tu he Tu Tu he Tu Is Mein Kya Guftagu

Samm? hai jab Aashik tumhare naam ke

[If each one worships your name]

Kyoonye? jagde hai ye Rahim aur Ram ke

[Why do Muslims and Hindus fight?]

Tu he Tu Tu he Tu Is Mein Kya Guftagu

Khaalik-E-Kul Hai Tu Is Mein Kya Guftagu

[You are the supreme Creator. There can be no denying it.] [Ravi alternate: You are the supreme Creator. What is the (need for) discussion on it?]

Saare Aalam Ko Hai Teri He Justaju

[All creation searches for You]

Teri Jalvaagari Hai Ayaan Chaar Su

[You are manifest in all dimensions]

La Shareeka Lahoo Maalik-E-Mulk Tu

[O peerless One O King of Kings]

Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo
Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo, Allah Hoo

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[I thank the Late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and his group, and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above lyrics of their song from the above mentioned video on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]