Naat

For Nucleic Acid Amplification Test, see NAAT.
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A Na`at (Arabic: نعت‎) is a poetry that specifically praises the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The practice is popular in South Asia (Bangladesh, Pakistan and India), commonly in Pashto, Bengali, Urdu or Punjabi language. People who recite Naat are known as Naat Khawan or Sana'a-Khua'an in Urdu, Bengali, English, Turkish, Persian, Arabic, Punjabi, Kashmiri and Sindhi Language. Listening to Naat recital on TV or Radio has become an essential and established religious practice throughout the Muslim world especially every year during the month of fasting (Ramadan) for over 1.5 billion Muslims around the world.[1]

History

It is difficult to trace the history of Na'at Khawani since no authenticated record of when it was initiated can be found. One early author, Hassan, was known as Shair-e-Darbaar-e-Risalat. Even before accepting Islam he was a poet, but after embracing Islam he gave a new turn to his poetry and started writing Na'ats in honor of Muhammad.[2] He was famous for his poetry that defended Muhammad in response to rival poets that attacked him and his religion. Therefore, Hassan is known as the first Sana-Khawaan (Naat reciter) of that time. After that many a poet followed this trend and totally dedicated themselves to writing Naats.

Tala' al Badru 'Alayna, a song sung to the Prophet Muhammad during his completion of migration to Medina in 622 CE,[3] is believed to be one of the earliest naats.

Language

Commonly the term Naat-Shareef (Exalted Poetry) is reserved and used for poetry in the praise of Muhammad written in Pashto, Bengali, Urdu, English, Turkish, Persian, Arabic, Punjabi and Sindhi Language.

In the Arabic language, Naat is usually referred as Madih (praise), or simply as Nasheed (poetry) or Anasheed (plural). The latter two terms can describe any type of religious poetry.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Pew Research Center-Global Religious Diversity, , Retrieved 28 June 2015
  2. ↑ 'URDU ZABAN MEIN NA’T GŪ’Ī KA FAN' (Literary Criticism) Book in URDU by Syed Waheed Ashraf
  3. ↑ http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/ihame/Sec2.htm. Missing or empty |title= (help) "Islam and Islamic History in Arabia and the Middle East", Retrieved 29 June 2015
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