Haji Mehboob Ali

Haji Mahboob Ali Qawwal (1914-1992)

Haji Mahboob Ali Qawwal belonged to the Rajpoot Kerala gharana, and like his cousins Agha Rasheed Ahmad and Majeed Fareedi, Hafiz Atta Muhammad Qawwal and his father-in-law, Muhammad Ali Fareedi, was a prominent Qawwal of the 20th Century. He was distinct from his relatives and other Qawwals in that from early childhood to his death, he remained affiliated with a single shrine, that of Hz Pir Mehr Ali Shah (RA) at Golra Sharif, near the modern-day city of Islamabad, Pakistan. As the eldest son of Mian Din Muhammad, the leader of the family Qawwali party, Haji Mahboob was expected to lead the party on his turn, however by his own admission, he was not musically adept, and spent his days tending to the family business of making gold and silver leaf. On a visit to Pakpattan, Hz Ghulam Mohyeddin Gilani “Babuji” (RA), the son of Hz Pir Mehr Ali Shah (RA) was met by Haji Mahboob’s father, Mian Din Muhammad Qawwal, who complained of his son’s musical ineptitude. Hz Babuji (RA) took the young Mahboob Ali under his wing and brought him to Golra, where he was blessed by Pir Mehr Ali Shah (RA) and began his training as a Qawwal. Haji Mehboob initially spent some time training with Muhammad Ali Fareedi and later spent a considerable time learning Qawwali from Ali Bakhsh Waiz Qawwal in Hyderabad Deccan. It was Waiz’s influence that prompted Haji Mahboob to start accompanying himself on the sitar, something which made him distinct from the other Qawwals of his era. From the late 1930s onwards till his death, Haji Mahboob Qawwal performed Qawwali every day at the shrine of Golra Sharif.
Haji Mehboob spent his life affiliated with the shrine of Golra Sharif and did not leave the shrine except when accompanying Hz Babuji (RA) on his various trips across the subcontinent, Turkey, and the Middle East. On these trips, Haji Mahboob had the privilege of performing Qawwali at many holy sites of Islam, including the shrines of Hz Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi (RA), Hz Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (RA), as well as in Makkah and Madina. Hz Babuji also ensured that Haji Mahboob learnt a vast repertoire of poetry in the major languages of Sufism, especially the works of Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi (RA). Because of his mastery of Maulana Rumi’s kalaam, and his aptitude for using selections from the ‘Masnavi’ as girahs in his performances, he was given the title of ‘Andaleeb-e-Rumi’ or ‘Rumi’s nightingale’. After the death of Hz Babuji (RA), Haji Mahboob remained at the Golra Sharif shrine, where he was accompanied by his younger brother Haji Mushtaq Ali on harmonium. Haji Mushtaq Ali took over the duties of the Darbari Qawwal after Haji Mahboob’s death and was accompanied by his cousin Majeed Fareedi for many years. None of the children of Haji Mahboob or Haji Mushtaq practice Qawwali and their legacy is being carried forward by their nephew, Ijaz “Billa” Qawwal, who is the current Darbari Qawwal of the Golra Sharif shrine.