Rafi Sahab: God’s Gift To Humanity

As I opened my wallet to pay for the thirty-minute pleasant drive in Doha (Qatar), the Pakistani taxi driver refused to take the fare from me since, in his words, I was his respected guest! It took a while to understand that the honour was bestowed upon me as I had lovingly referred to Mohammed Rafi as God’s Own Voice. Holding my hand, he said, “I can’t accept money from a brother, who like me, has found salvation in Rafi Sahab’s singing”. Affirming the sub-continent could be better if people learnt from humanism expounded in Rafi Sahab’s songs. The driver left after a hug and a prayer for greater kinship between Indians and Pakistanis! It is such moments that make our lives memorable, and though floored, I was not surprised by this recent happening as Rafi Sahab’s voice has been a long-standing passport to happy interactions with his fans ranging from stiff-lipped Englishmen to diehard Italians, Egyptian calligraphists to Welsh editors and Jewish bankers to Swedish ice-skaters; people who are willing to go miles for a rare song or anecdote of the maestro. In many cases, the foreign nationals don’t even understand the lyrics, yet are devout followers of Rafi Sahab’s incredible singing, and I can certainly relate to such happenings as I have seen my late but dear friend Mohammed Sabih Bukhari shed copious tears every time he heard his favourite bhajan “O Duniya Ke Rakhwale” from “Baiju Bawra”. At a time when India is burning due to a systematic unleashing of communal vitriol, many Rafi Sahab melodies spring to mind whose maxims teach us humanism is a trait of the heart and not the prerogative of any caste, creed or religion. As faith dwindles in human virtues and institutions, there are numerous Rafi Sahab songs to guide, inspire and restore our belief in equality, goodness and harmony. Long back, Rafi’s “Dekho Dil Na Kisi Ka Toote” (“Pyar Ka Rishta”) was a clarion call upholding friendship above blood relations just as he also made a fervent plea for uprightness with “Bhala Karne Wale, Bhalaayee Kiyeja, Buraayi Ke Badle, Duaayein Diye Jaa” (“Sansar”). Like a spiritual Guru, Rafi Sahab elaborated not just the essence of every religion but also propounded goodness as the ultimate aim of every human being. Life is an ephemeral bubble, but Rafi Sahab alone drums sense about its mortality with his poignant appeal “Mat Bhool Arey Insaan, Teri Neki-Badee, Naheen Usse Chhupi” (“Mastana”).  Time and time again, Rafi tugs the heart with nuggets like “Bhalayee Kar Bhala Hoga, Buraayee Kar Bura Hoga” (“Khul Ja Simsim”), “Daulat Ke Jhoothe Nashe Mein Ho Choor, Gareebon Ki Duniya Se Rahte Ho Door, Aji Ek Din Aisa Aayega, Jab Maati Mein Sab Mil Jayega” (“Oonchi Haveli”); songs that warn elitists to be humble and caring to their brethren. The reason for Rafi Sahab’s universal appeal amongst listeners is largely because his innate goodness is transparently apparent, and cutting across continents, castes, creeds, cultures and languages, his singing is nobility personified. That is why when he gives voice to profound ideas, the receptivity is magical since the sincerity of his voice strikes deep down within a listener’s being as divine intonation of an eternal maxim. Since Rafi Sahab poured his soul into every word, the message overwhelms the human psyche, and that is why gems like “O Mati Ke Putle, Itna Na Kar Tu Gumaan, Pal Bhar Ka Tu Mehmaan” (“Sheroo”), “Aaj Gham Kal Khushi, Hai Yahee Zindagi, Sunle Pyaare, Aadmi Wo Jo Himmat Na Haare” (“Jawaab”) and “Waqt Se Din Aur Raat, Waqt Se Kal Aur Aaj, Waqt Ki Har Shae Ghulam, Waqt Ki Har Shae Pe Raaj” (“Waqt”) find universal resonance in every breast in every nook and corner of the world. Such is the magnificence of the outpouring and so sublime is the emotional intonation of every word that the essence and the purity of every line of the above-mentioned songs by lyricists Kaif Irani, Khumaar Barabankvi and Sahir Ludhianvi comes alive like an epic picture! Of course, the music and lyrics are outstanding but it is the extraordinary rendition by Rafi Sahab that moulds these songs into incomparable expressions of earnest prayer as well as eternal maxims of pearly wisdom. Such is the maestro’s command over the lyrical metre and expression that whenever he expostulates a divine law, it almost seems you are listening to a wandering Sufi saint from the era of Nanak or Kabir. That is why the human heart, mind and soul can imbibe what he expostulates including some severe chidings like “Matlab Ke Liye Duniya Ne Paise Ko Banaya Khuda” (“Mohabbat Ki Koyee Dava Naheen”), “Do Din Ki Zindagi Hai Is Par Na Phool Pyaare, Rah Jayenge Yaheen Par Duniya Ke Thaath Saare” (“Gimbo Ki Beti”) and “Diwana Aadmi Ko Banati Hain Rotiyaan, Khud Naachti Hain Sabko Nachaati Hain Rotiyaan” (“Kali Topi Lal Rumaal”. To the vast repertoire of Rafi Sahab’s golden voice, listeners can do nothing but bow in humble reverence. The sheer magnitude and range of the singer’s delivery is so astounding and spellbinding that had it not been for the fact that we saw Rafi Sahab alive in our life time, one would have not have believed the singing was rendered by a human throat. Rafi Sahab’s “Insaaf Ka Mandir Hai Ye, Bhagwan Ka Ghar Hai” (“Amar”) is a soul stirring call to humanity to shed its blinkers of dogmatic religion but as I witness chaos of human misery around me, I am certainly moved to Nirvana by Rafi Sahab’s mesmerising and humane statement “Ye Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaaye To Kya Hai” (“Pyaasa”). Indeed, my parents taught us to become universal citizens by imbibing the mellifluous advice of Rafi Sahab: “Tu Hindu Banega Na Musalman Banega, Insaan Ki Aulaad Hai Insaan Banega” (“Dhool Ka Phool”). In fact, Sahir’s visionary poetry woven in N Dutta’s music stamped humanism on our souls due to Rafi Sahab’s endearing rendition… it is a lesson that no modern teacher, political leader or spiritual master has ever rendered as poignantly, devoutly and authoritatively as Mohammed Rafi. To me and billions of listeners, the saint singer was God’s gift to humanity… probably a revelation of God’s Own Voice!