The Sabri Brothers (Punjabi,Urdu:صابری برادران) were a musical band fromPakistan who were performers ofSufiqawwali music and were closely connected to theChishti Order. They are considered one of the greatest Sufi qawwali singers of all times. The Sabri Brothers were led byGhulam Farid Sabri and his brotherMaqbool Ahmed Sabri. They are often referred to asShahenshah-e-Qawwali (the King of Kings of Qawwali) and are also known asthe roving ambassadors of Pakistan. The band was initially founded by Maqbool Ahmed Sabri at the age of 11 years and was known as the Bacha Qawwal Party. His elder brother Ghulam Farid Sabri joined after insistence from their father. He became the leader of the group, and the band soon became known as the Sabri Brothers.[1]They were the first-ever Qawwali artists to perform qawwali in theUnited States and other Western countries; they were also the first-ever Asian artists to perform atNew York'sCarnegie Hall in 1975.[2]
Ghulam Farid Sabri (b. 1930 inKalyana, East Punjab – d. 5 April 1994 inKarachi; lead vocals, harmonium, leader of the ensemble till his death in 1994)
Maqbool Ahmed Sabri (b. 12 October 1945 inKalyana- d. 21 September 2011 in South Africa;[3] leading member of the ensemble, lead vocals, harmonium, music composer, sole leader of the ensemble after Ghulam Farid Sabri's death in 1994 until his own death in 2011.)
Kamal Ahmed Khan Sabri (b. 1935 – d. 2002; senior member, vocals, swarmandal, flexatone)
Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri (b. 7 April 1949 inKarachi – d. 21 June 2021 in Karachi; senior member, vocals, bongo drums, tambourine; second lead singer/harmonium after Ghulam Farid Sabri's death in 1994; leader of the ensemble after Maqbool Ahmed Sabri's death in 2011)
Umar Daraz (clapping / chorus)
Abdul Aziz (clapping / chorus)
Masihuddin (chorus, tanpura)
Abdul Karim (dholak)
Bilal Sabri (dholak)
Mohammed Anwar (nal, tabla)
Amjad Fareed Sabri (clapping / chorus, until his father's death), supporting vocalist until 1996, lead vocals, harmonium in his own separate band (assassinated on 22 June 2016)
The Sabri brothers learned music from their father, Inayat Hussain Sabri. He trained his sons in qawwali andIndian classical music. Their family came from a musical background, and claimed direct descent fromMian Tansen, who had played at the court of the 16th-century Mughal emperorAkbar. Mehboob Baksh Ranji Ali Rang, their paternal grandfather, was a master musician of his time; Baqar Hussein Khan, their maternal grandfather, was a uniquesitarist. Ghulam Farid Sabri, Kamal Ahmed Sabri, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri and Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri furthered their knowledge of music underUstad Fatehdin Khan, Ustad Ramzan Khan, and Ustad Latafat Hussein Khan Rampuri. They also furthered their knowledge of poetry under Hazrat Hairat Ali Shah Warsi, who was their mother's spiritual master.
Ghulam Farid Sabri's first public performance was at the annualUrs festival of Mubarak Shah in Kalyana (now inHaryana, India) in 1946. He had joined Ustad Kallan Khan's qawwali party in India. The family moved from Kalyana toKarachi,Pakistan following thePartition of India in 1947.[4] In Pakistan, a wealthy businessman approached him and offered him a partnership in a nightclub, yet Ghulam Farid's reply was that he only wanted to sing qawwali, and he rejected the offer.
Maqbool Ahmed Sabri also showed musical talent from a young age, which was noticed by his school teacher who later asked Maqbool's father to further instruct him and guide him in the field of music. In 1955, when Maqbool was eleven years old, his brother-in-law got him a job singing at a theater in Karachi where he gave his first public performance. Later, with the help of his father, Maqbool formed a qawwali group at the age of eleven and named it Bacha Qawwal Party. The group's first public performance was in 1956 at an Urs ceremony held at the home of Jameel Amrohi, where he sang "Do Alam Ba Kakul Giraftar Daari" in the presence of many qawwals.
Soon afterwards, after insistence by their father, Ghulam Farid Sabri joined him and became the leader of the ensemble, which was initially known as Ghulam Farid Sabri Qawwal & Party. Afterwards, the name of the party was changed to Ghulam Farid Sabri – Maqbool Ahmed Sabri Qawwal & Party. During their 1975 American tour, their promoterBeate Gordon suggested the band name was too long, so they changed it to The Sabri Brothers.
The Sabri Brothers initially started their career by performing at Sufi Shrines and private gatherings, Their first recording was officially released in 1958 under theEMI Pakistan label, was theUrdu qawwali titled "Mera Koi Nahi Hai Tera Siwa", which later appeared in the 1965 Pakistani filmIshq-e-Habib.[3]
During the 1970s, the Sabri Brothers released their greatest hit qawwalis which included "[famoustop 10 Naat’s list with audio (2024/25)]", "Tajdar-e-Haram", "O Sharabi Chord De Peena", "Khwaja Ki Deewani", and "Sar E La Makan Se Talab Hui."[5]
Several qawwalis sung by them were even featured in films, which included "Mohabbat Karne Walo Hum Mohabbat Iss Ko Kehte Hai" in the 1970 filmChand Suraj, "Aaye Hai Tere Dar Pe Toh Kuch Le Ke Jaen Ge" in the 1972 filmIlzam, "Bhar Do Jholi Meri Ya Muhammad" in the 1975 filmBin Badal Barsaat, "Baba Farid Sarkar" in the 1974 filmSasta Khoon Mehnga Pani,[6] "Teri Nazr-e-Karam Ka Sahara Mile" in the 1976 filmSachaii, "Mamoor horha hai" in the 1977 filmDayar-e-Paighambran and "Aftab-e-Risalat" in the 1979 Indian filmSultan-e-Hind.[3][5]
In 1972, they performed a charity concert for the construction of Pakistani Children School inAbu Dhabi. In the same year, with the co-operation ofOriental Star Agencies, the Sabri Brothers performed in various cities in England such asLondon,Bradford,Birmingham andManchester, which was very popular. The proceeds of these programs were donated to an Earthquake Relief Fund in Pakistan.
The Sabri Brothers were the first-ever qawwali artists to perform in United States, Europe, and other Western countries. They were the first exponents of qawwali to the West when they performed at New York's Carnegie Hall in 1975, promoted and sponsored by Beate Gordon ofthe Asia Society. The Sabri Brothers performed in the United States and Canada under the auspices of the Performing Arts Program of the Asia Society in 1975 and recorded a qawwali program at Brooklyn College Television Center.
In 1975, the Sabri Brothers toured and performed at live concerts inSouth Africa. Inspired by their live concerts in South Africa, Chevrolet gifted an automatic car to the Sabri Brothers, which they donated for the development of poor children. They also donated the proceeds of their live concerts on that tour towards famine relief in South Africa.
The Sabri Brothers performed atRoyal Albert Hall on 20 June 1976 at the World of Islam Festival.[7] In April 1978, the albumQawwali was recorded in the United States, while the Sabri Brothers were on tour.The New York Times' review described the album as "the aural equivalent of dancing dervishes" and the "music of feeling."[8]
In 1977, the Sabri Brothers toured India; their concerts were attended by many Bollywood celebrities. During that tour they recordedAftaab E Risalat Madine Mei Hai which was featured in the 1979 Bollywood film Sultan E Hind Khwaja Garib Nawaz. Aftab E Risalat's music video even featured an appearance by the Sabri Brothers and was a blockbuster hit.[9]
In 1977, they recorded the albumPakistan: The Music of the Qawwal for theUNESCO Collection of Traditional Music which was later released in CD form by Auvidis in 1990.
In 1979, they performed a charity concert for the construction ofKarachi School of Art which was later released in albumSabri Brothers Live in Concert at Ali Bhai Auditorium.
Sabri Brothers performing in FranceSabri Brothers performing in The WOMAD Festival, 1989
In June 1981, the Sabri Brothers performed at the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam which was released on the albumTasleem.[10]
In 1982, they appeared in the filmSahaaray with their famous qawwali "Tajdar-e-Haram." The same year they performed at Midway Hotel for the construction of Al Shifa Hospital near Karachi Airport.
In 1983, they recorded the albumNazre Shah Karim to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of His Highness PrinceAga Khan, sponsored by Tajico Group. The proceeds from this album were donated toAga Khan Hospital,Karachi.[11] On 3 August 1985, a program was held at Sheraton Hotel, Karachi and collected Rs. 141,500/- for the Bangladesh Flood Relief Fund.
In 1985, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri recorded a sologhazal album in front of a live audience in Karachi; the album was released asAwargi, which was a blockbuster hit. The album had a collection of light playful poetry written by Farhat Shahzad.[12]
In 1988EMI Pakistan released another solo ghazal album by Maqbool Ahmed Sabri titledTere Ghungroo Toot Gaye to Kya, which was a hit. The same year, he recorded a qawwali song for music directorAnu Malik in the Indian movieGangaa Jamunaa Saraswati, which was picturised onMithun Chakraborty.[13]
In 1989, the Sabri Brothers performed at WOMAD festival concerts which were held in UK and France. During their tour of the UK in 1989, the Sabri Brothers recorded an album which was released as the albumYa Habib in 1990 byPeter Gabriel'sReal World Records. The albumYa Habib consists of four long songs, each combining powerful, sensitive, often improvised vocals with rhythmic percussion, thudding tabla and mesmeric harmonium drones, which proved to be one of the Sabri Brothers' greatest hits. The same year, they performed at International Flamenco Festival held in France.
Sabri brothers led by Ghulam Farid Sabri In Nottingham, 1991Ghulam Farid Sabri withNusrat Fateh Ali KhanGhulam Farid Sabri performing Qawwali with his sonAmjad SabriSabri Brothers performing at SAARC Festival concert Held In Bhopal, 1992The Sabri Brothers in New York, 1996
In 1990, the Sabri Brothers performed at various qawwali concerts in England.
In 1991, Ghulam Farid Sabri toured Europe and performed qawwali in the United Kingdom and Germany. He also performed atHeimatklänge Festival held in Germany in 1991. The same year, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri toured and performed in various qawwali concerts held in South Africa.
In 1992, the Sabri Brothers, led by Ghulam and Maqbool, toured Australia and performed at the Hope Theater in Melbourne, Australia. Their tour of Australia was sponsored by the Friends of the University of Wollongong.[15]The same year they performed at a fundraiser in Dubai to benefitShaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital. In 1992 they also performed in various countries for the SAARC festival.
In 1993, the Sabri Brothers once again toured the United States and performed at various qawwali concerts there.
In April 1994, The Sabri brothers were set to begin on a tour across Europe. They were to perform at around 30–35 shows, covering almost the entire continent. On 5 April 1994, Ghulam Farid Sabri suddenly complained of chest pain. He suffered a massive heart attack and was rushed to hospital but he died en route in the arms of his brother Maqbool Ahmed Sabri. Maqbool Ahmed Sabri was left heartbroken but still carried on his and his elder brother's mission. To devote an album entirely to the Persian poetry ofJami, a luminary of the Sufi tradition, was one of Ghulam Farid Sabri's cherished ambitions. He made the recordings in July 1991 at the SFB studios in Berlin, but the CD was not released while he was still alive. Thus, it becomes a memorial not only to the Persian poet, but also to Ghulam Farid Sabri. After the death of Ghulam Farid Sabri in 1994, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri became the sole leader of The Sabri Brothers with his youngest brother Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri taking the role of second lead vocalist and harmonium player.
Also in 1994, Sabri Brothers led by Maqbool Ahmed Sabri and Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri performed at the Womex festival and New Jazz Festival held in Germany.[16]
In 1995, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri was about to perform at the Meltdown Festival held in the UK. A week before the event, he suffered a major accident in Lahore. He was in critical condition during that time, and people worldwide prayed for his health. He recovered miraculously within a month, though he had a damaged leg after the accident and had to undergo multiple knee surgeries.
In 1996, The Sabri Brothers performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music – Next Wave Festival, as part of a double-billing with alternative rockersCornershop, and released an album titledYa Mustapha (orYa Mustafa). The album became one of their greatest hits.[17]
In 1997, The Sabri Brothers once again performed at theRoyal Albert Hall in front of the Prince of Wales,Prince Charles for the Celebration of 50 Years of Independence of India and Pakistan together with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. They were one of the few artists who have performed at the Royal Albert Hall multiple times.[18] The Sabri Brothers also performedWaqt E Dua Hai which is one of their popular qawwalis atSymphony Hall, Birmingham, for the celebration of 50 Years of Independence of India and Pakistan together with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
In 1998, The Sabri Brothers toured Australia and also performed at the Sydney Opera House. Shortly after the program at the Opera House, Kamal Ahmed Sabri (second eldest of the brothers), the supporting vocalist and instrumentalist of the group, suffered a heart attack. Though he survived, he could not take part due to poor health.
In 1999, The Sabri Brothers participated in the Voices of God festival in Marrakesh, Morocco in May. The group also performed at various qawwali concerts held in Morocco in 1999.
The Sabri Brothers performed atMusica Sacra International Marktoberdorf Event concerts during the year 2000 in Germany.[19] They also performed at Sufi Soul Festival held in Kall, Germany.
Maqbool Ahmed Sabri and Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri did several tours of India and recorded various albums which were released byTips Music.
Maqbool Ahmed Sabri & Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri Leading The Sabri Brothers In Moscow, 2001Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri performing in Moscow, 2001
In 2001, Kamal Ahmed Sabri, the second eldest of the Sabri Brothers, died after suffering a second heart attack. After his death, the use of instruments such asswarmandal (zither) and chidya tarang (Flexatone) came to an end in the Sabri Brothers group. Later the same year, the Sabri Brothers performed live in DOM at the On The Carpet Oriental Culture Festival on 17 November 2001 in Moscow, which was later released in 2003 as the albumLive in Moscow – Diwani.
In 2005, The Sabri Brothers performed atVirsast Festival held in Dehradun, India. The same year, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri was invited to perform in different cities in Madhya Pradesh, India, and was awarded the Tansen Samman Award by thegovernment of Madhya Pradesh.
In 2006, the Sabri Brothers performed at Ajmer Sharif and in Pune, Maharashtra. The same year, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri rerecorded and re-released his old hit qawwalis including "Khwaja Ki Deewani", "Mera Koi Nahi Hai Tere Siwa", "Mann Bole Mann", and "Hum Panjatani Hai" which were released by SB Studios in Karachi and proved to be a big hit worldwide.
The Sabri Brothers led by Maqbool Ahmed Sabri and Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri continued to tour and performed in Russia in the year 2007.
Maqbool Ahmed Sabri went on various tours and performed at qawwali concerts until his death. He performed in Hyderabad, India in 2008. He also performed at Ajmer Sharif during the annual Urs celebrations ofKhwaja Garib Nawaz in 2011. His last concert was organized by Hilton Hotel in South Africa in 2011. After that, since then his health was not good. On 21 September 2011, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri died in South Africa due to cardiac arrest after being treated for two months for health problems. He was buried near his elder brother Ghulam Farid Sabri.
The group was then led by the youngest brother Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri, who was the last brother alive leading the group after the deaths of Ghulam Farid Sabri and Maqbool Ahmed Sabri. Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri led the Sabri Brothers until his own death on 21 June 2021. He organized many programs in Europe to collect donations for theNamal Institute located in Mianwali District, Punjab, which was established by the Prime Minister of Pakistan,Imran Khan. The funds collected were sent home after the many programs hosted in Europe.[20] Mehmood's qawwalis were well-received across the globe, including in Germany and several European countries.
With the death of Mehmood Ghaznavi Sabri on 21 June 2021, the Sabri Brothers group came to an end. Other family members and disciples of the Sabri Brothers continue to perform in their own separate qawwali groups to carry on the legacy of Ghulam Farid Sabri, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri and the Sabri Brothers.
The Sabri Brothers received the honor of performing in Madina Sharif, nearAl-Masjid an-Nabawi.
They were well-versed in singing in thePersian language and had a great affinity for the musical rendition ofAmir Khusrow'skalaam (poetry).[21]
Legendary Sufi SingerAbida Parveen was a student of the Sabri Brothers. Abida Parveen revealed in an interview that she has taken inspiration from the Sabri Brothers and also learnt the song "Man Kunto Maula" from them.[22]
They have been mentioned inCassette Culture Popular Music and Technology in North India a book written by writer Peter Manuel regarding the impact of cassette technology on popular music in North India.[23]
A life-size painting of Ghulam Farid Sabri that dominates the meeting room of his home was created by painters from Naz Cinema for the first anniversary of his death in 1995.
In 2003, British singerSami Yusuf released a cover version of Sabri Brothers's golden hitYa Mustafa and featured it on his debut album titledAl-Muʽallim. During one of his interviews with BBC, Yusuf claimed that he was inspired by the Sabri Brothers and their music is without doubt the music of spirituality and peace. He also claimed that his inspiration from the Sabri Brothers led him to cover one of their hits on his album. Yusuf accepted that this turned out to be one of his most famous works.
In 2006, Amatullah Armstrong Chishti wrote a book titledThe Lamp of Love – Journeying with the Sabri Brothers regarding the research program into the Sufi saints and theirmazars (shrines) in Pakistan and India, and the Art of Qawwali of Pakistan's best-loved Sufi singers, the Sabri Brothers.[24]
They have been featured in "La Morte Du Bombay Express" fictional detective novel written by Sarah Dars in 2002 wherein The protagonist attended the musical concert of Sabri Brothers, nearly a whole chapter was dedicated to their performance.
In March 2008, an underpass near Liaquatabad, Karachi was named after Ghulam Farid Sabri.[25]
"Bhar do Jholi Meri Ya Muhammad" was featured in the 2015 Bollywood movieBajrangi Bhaijaan sung byAdnan Sami Khan with few changes in melody and lyrics.
"Tajdar-e-Haram" was featured in the 2018 Bollywood movieSatyameva Jayate and was covered bySajid–Wajid and sung by Wajid Khan from the same duo.
In 2021, singerAli Zafar released his own cover version of "Balaghal Ula Bi Kamaalihi (Sar E La Makan Se Talab Hui)" as a tribute to Ghulam Farid Sabri, Maqbool Ahmed Sabri, and Amjad Farid Sabri.[27]
In 2025, singerHadiqa Kiyani released her own cover version ofPaisa Bolta Hai with the titleHayat as a tribute to Sabri Brothers in her albumSufi Core .[28]
Khusro Rang to both Ghulam Farid Sabri and Maqbool Ahmed Sabri by the Raag Rang Society of India in 1980.[29]
Bulbul E Pak O Hind by the Shrine ofNizamuddin Auliya to Ghulam Farid Sabri and Maqbool Ahmed Sabri in 1977.[29]
Charles de Gaulle Award byCharles de Gaulle to Ghulam Farid Sabri and Maqbool Ahmed Sabri in 1983.[29]
A doctorate degree was awarded to the Sabri Brothers as an honor for their hit recordShikwa Jawab E Shikwa (OfAllama Iqbal) by theUniversity of Oxford.
Tansen Samman (India) was awarded to Maqbool Ahmed Sabri in 2005 by the government of Madhya Pradesh.
"Tere Ishq Nachaya" sung by Sabri Brothers was featured in thePakistan Television Corporation hit seriesAik Mohabbat Sau Afsanay aired during 1975–1976 which was written byAshfaq Ahmed. The drama was a successful series of 13 episodes based onAshfaq Ahmed's book of the same title. The qawwali was featured in the episode titled "Qurat - Ul - Ain."[30]
The title song ofARY Digital's drama serial Muqaddas (2007) was sung by Maqbool Ahmed Sabri.
2006The Best of Sabri Brothers & Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (EMI Pakistan)
2012Great Works of Amir Khusro – Vol 1 & 2 (Virgin Records, India)
2014Essential Sufi Meditations – Famous Songs of Pakistan with the Masters Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Sabri Brothers, And Rahat Fateh Ali Khan (Celebration Sounds)
