MUMBAI: You could say the past just got a playlist. Young sufi qawwal Rais Anis Sabri is bringing a 13th-century persian classic into the Spotify age with his upcoming Urdu single Jahan Kal Raat Ko Hum The. The track, out on 6 September, reimagines Hazrat Amir Khusro’s mystical verse Nami Danam for a modern audience.
The original poem, with its haunting opening line “I don’t know what place it was where I was last night,” explores divine mystery through the language of unknowing. Sabri’s rendition, translated by poet Sulaiman Khateeb, seeks to capture that same spiritual depth while making it accessible to Urdu-Hindi speakers. Each couplet retains the rhyme, rhythm and resonance of the original, giving centuries-old wisdom a contemporary pulse.
“Sufi poetry often begins with the acknowledgement of not knowing,” Sabri said. “That humility is the gateway to deeper understanding. My goal is to preserve that soul-stirring message while offering it in a voice today’s listeners can feel.”
A performer since the age of four and the son of qawwal Rais Sabri, he belongs to a respected lineage steeped in the chishti rang tradition. From stages in India to Johannesburg, Sabri has carved out a reputation for bringing emotional power and spiritual intensity to his performances.
Presented by the Sulaiman Khateeb trust and produced by Khaja Khateeb with music by Jaspal Moni, the track is pitched as more than just a song. It is a revival of classical Sufi thought dressed in modern sound.
“Sufi poetry belongs to everyone,” Sabri adds. “Not everyone understands Persian. It has always been my dream to bring this spiritual legacy into every household through a language that touches the heart.”
Jahan Kal Raat Ko Hum The will be released worldwide on 6 September across major streaming platforms including YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music.