Dawood Wharnsby is one of the most renowned Nasheed artists. He ventured into the field of Nasheed in 1993, and since then he has spread the message of peace through his compositions.
Br Dawood visited Pakistan in March 2018 for a special theatrical performance at U for Ummah Kids in Karachi where kids, naturally, loved him.
Here is the exclusive interview with Br Dawood Wharnsby especially for Hiba readers.
- How was your experience with U for Ummah Kids?
Incredible experience! It was my first official event in Karachi and what a tremendous turnout!
- You have been a puppeteer, an artist, a musician and an educator, Alhumdulillah. How do you manage such diversity?
It’s not easy! I have always liked to try new things and been involved in many new ventures, instead of just one. It’s difficult to be switching hats but it keeps life very exciting for me.
- Please tell us a little about your childhood.
I had a wonderful childhood. My parents were very supportive. I always loved to draw and write. I loved to dress up and act. I think that really helped me as I got older to realized that there were two different realities: there is the reality that we live in, often regretting the things we do and the choices that we make, and then there is also the reality that we dream of. How can I be the best of me? How can I change the things around me that are not quite right? So, having that imagination as a child really helped me imagine this better world when I grew older and believe that may be there is a superman or a wonder-woman in each one of us. We should find out our talents that Allah (swt) has given us and use them to make this world a better place. So my childhood has helped me a lot. I still feel like a kid a lot of time!
- How did you find Islam and what does it mean to you to be a Muslim today?
I discovered the Quran when I was nineteen years old. I had already been reading other scriptures before. As I read the scriptures, I saw more similarities and wondered why people divide up like this and create new religions. We all are working for the same goal, which is to take care of each other and to connect to our Creator.
When I read the Quran, I felt as if it brought all the scriptures together. It was almost as if it was telling me that there were no other religions. There is just you and God. Just keep trying to focus on that. So I decided to embrace the Quran as my guide. Quran helped me recognize my purpose. So for me as a Muslim, I tell people I am a non-denomination Muslim. To me it’s just about connecting with Allah (swt) and connecting with the humanity.
- Where do you get your inspiration from?
I really believe that inspiration comes from observing Allah’s (swt) creation. I always tell my daughters that Allah (swt) has given us two ears, two eyes, two hands, two nostrils, two legs and two of everything but we only have one mouth. I believe that Allah (swt) wants us to observe more than talk. To me, the inspiration comes from the things I see, the people I meet, who tell me stories, the places I go, when I am gardening, when I am taking care of my bees and all.
I always tell to the young people, especially those, who love to draw and write, that don’t just think sitting in a lonely room about how you would one day become a famous artist. Get out in the world, live a life. Help your grand-parents, listen to their stories, learn their language, do some gardening, read some books. The more you learn about the world, the more you experience the ventures of life, the more you get inspired to write about this.
- This question comes from a nine year old. He says: “Dawood uncle has worked a lot. He has written about almost everything. Is there anything left for me to work on?”
There were many song writers I used to listen to and say the same thing! I love bonfires and I would say: “Oh, I want to write about it but hey, there already was a song for that.”
But as in Quran Allah (swt) says, even if every tree was a pen and all the water becomes ink, you’ll never be able to write about all the things. So every person has his own venture. For example, if I say the word ‘green’ to ten people. They all might have a different idea of ‘green’ – from grass to leaves and even to buggers! Each of us has our own experiences. A nine-year-old’s song about family would be totally different than mine.
- What is your favourite composition and why?
To be honest, I don’t really like my own songs. I write because I can’t afford a therapist! But if I had to pick one, I would pick “Dear God”, which tries to tell what and who Allah (swt) is. We often think of Allah (swt) as unseen and beyond us. I realized that I know so little about Allah (swt). This song is about times, when you feel broken, and how you repay Allah (swt) for all the wonderful things He has blessed you with.
- Tell us something about your most emotional composition.
I think it would be a song called “Wisdom and Tea”. It was a song that I wrote, when my grandmother passed away, and it was about a dream I had about my grandmother after she passed away. It was a very emotional experience for me to write it. I don’t usually sing it, because I cry singing it.
- You have been in and out of Pakistan. What do you think is the scope of theatre and art here?
That’s a good question! It’s hard for me to say because I live in a very small city of Pakistan (Abbotabad). Not a lot of public is into arts and theatre. There are different types of arts there. A lot of Hikmah there. One day my plumber came. All he had was a plastic bag, a ball of twine and a wrench. Just with these three things, he fixed my pipe. The spirit of the common people in Pakistan is something artistic, and that is what inspires me more than the mainstream art in Lahore and Karachi. I love to watch common life. The artistry involved in cleaning a lift inspires me!
- You have performed with a diverse group of artists, from Zain Bikha to Atif Aslam. With whom did you enjoy working the most?
I guess that the first one that comes to my mind is the first one to say. He is a Muslim brother from England. A musician, who plays double bass known as Danny Thompson (Hamza Thompson). It was a great honour to work with him. He is an elderly person. Such a humble person, so full of joy and love for Allah (swt). I remember when I met him, before I could do it, he grabbed my bags. In the morning when we woke up, he had made tea for us already!
- Any other artist that you would like to perform with?
I don’t perform a lot with co artists. I get asked by a lot of young artists and I perform with them, because I want to tell them that I support them. To me, working with someone is like a marriage! I think I am most excited to work with my daughters now!
- In November 2009, your name was included in the category of “Entertainment and the Arts” on a list of 500 most influential Muslims. What does it take to be an influential Muslim?
I am not really proud of that list, as it includes names of leaders and dictators that violate human rights. To me, the teachers working in Cape Town with two hundred children (all HIV positive) are influential Muslims. A single mother, who is raising her children and working so hard to make sure they get the best education, to me that is an influential Muslim. I met a doctor in Kashmir – a liver specialist from Qatar. He told me that he could make a handsome salary by doing three to four liver surgeries in Qatar and save the lives of a few rich people. Or he could come here save an entire village from Polio! He is an influential Muslim to me. So, I don’t take that list very seriously for my own sake. I am grateful that they have included me, but I want to tell people my views when they ask me this.
- How do you balance your work and family life?
It’s hard. I don’t make decisions based on money. If it’s my daughter’s birthday and I have been asked for a concert, I will definitely spend the day with my daughter. I try to make decisions on what’s fair and just. We homeschool our children. We do almost everything together. We garden together, we clean the house together and we travel together. I try to make my occupation, my music, a part of my family. I don’t travel for more than a few days at a time, because I do not want to be away from my father who is very elderly.
- What message would you like to give to the children of Pakistan?
Well, first of all, one of my song talks about the children of Pakistan. My message to the children in Pakistan: There are two extremes of children in Pakistan: those who struggle economically and those who have sufficiency of all things. I advise both these groups of children: “Stop looking at other countries, look into Pakistan! To the children who have an easy life – don’t look down upon those who have less than you. Consider and treat them as equals. To the children who are struggling – don’t look up to those rich children with negative thoughts. Think that you are just as good. Work together for making this country a better place. Look at each other and see what this other person has that you don’t have and what you have that he does not have and work together. My daughters are best friends with girls who live below the poverty line, but they are equals. All of them have dreams, and all of them want justice!
- A brief advice on how to help Ummah in different ways?
Every one of us has their unique talent. It can be something like sewing, you can be really good at cleaning, or building or fixing things, gardening. Anything that we work hard at to become good at can be our strength that we share with other people. I always tell young people that they can be good at many things. Consider Allama Iqbal, who was a social activist, a barrister, a poet all at the same time. If your parents want you to be a doctor but you want to be a singer, you can be both of them! Be a doctor, save lives and sing with your friends, at work, with your family. Do not be a one sided person – choose all the various dimensions in life.
Hiba is grateful to Brother Dawud for sharing his deep insights with our readers.
Interview by Asma Hamza. Transcribed by Faiza Rizwan.
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