The Essence of Fana: A Deep Dive into the Lyrics of Al Madad Maula
The Arabic Invocation (The Hook)This refrain is repeated throughout the song, serving as the spiritual anchor.
Arabic: الـمدد الـمدد يا رسول الله، الـمدد الـمدد يا حبيب الله
The central hook of the song is a repetitive call to the Divine and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Arabic: الـمدد الـمدد يا رسول الله، الـمدد الـمدد يا حبيب الله Transliteration: Al Madad, Al Madad, Ya Rasul Allah / Al Madad, Al Madad, Ya Habib Allah Translation: Grant me your help, O Messenger of Allah / Grant me your help, O Beloved of Allah.
The Urdu/Hindi Verses
These verses express a devotee's deep plea for guidance and mercy.
The Plea for Mercy
Be-kas pe karam kijiye, Sarkaar-e-Madina Gardish mein hai taqdeer, bhanwar mein hai safeena
English: Have mercy on this helpless one, O Lord of Medina. My destiny is in turmoil, and my boat is caught in a whirlpool.
The Path of Devotion
Manzil ki tamanna hai toh raahi ban ja Ishq-e-Nabi mein tu fana-fi-Allah ban ja
English: If you long for the destination, become a true traveler. In the love of the Prophet, lose yourself in the presence of God.
The Light of Truth
Noor-e-Haq hai tu, raushni hai tu Dard-e-dil ki dawa, har khushi hai tu
English: You are the Light of Truth, you are the illumination. You are the medicine for the aching heart, you are every joy.Combined Full Transliteration (For Singing Along)
(Chorus) Al Madad, Al Madad, Ya Rasul Allah Al Madad, Al Madad, Ya Habib Allah Al Madad, Al Madad, Ya Rasul Allah Al Madad, Al Madad, Ya Habib Allah
(Verse 1) Be-kas pe karam kijiye, Sarkaar-e-Madina Gardish mein hai taqdeer, bhanwar mein hai safeena Sarkaar-e-Madina...
(Verse 2) Manzil ki tamanna hai toh raahi ban ja Ishq-e-Nabi mein tu fana-fi-Allah ban ja Fana-fi-Allah ban ja...
(Outro) Ya Rasul Allah, Ya Habib Allah Al Madad Maula, Al Madad Maula Al Madad, Al Madad, Ya Rasul Allah...
Glossary of Key TermsA Sufi term for the annihilation of the self in the Divine.
Beyond the Melody: The Arabic and Urdu Roots of Al Madad Maula
The chords for "Al Madad Maula" (from Viceroy's House / Coke Studio) are relatively straightforward because the song relies on a steady, meditative drone. It is typically played in the key of D Minor (or sometimes C# Minor depending on the tuning, but Dm is the standard for most covers).
Here is the chord progression to play along with A.R. Rahman’s version:
Key InfoKey: D Minor (Dm)
Tempo: Slow, rhythmic 4/4 (Qawwali style)
Capo: None (or Capo 1 if you want to match a slightly higher pitch)
The Chord Progression
The Chorus (The Hook)
The "Al Madad" section stays mostly on the root and the subdominant.(Dm) Al Madad, Al Madad
(Gm) Ya Rasul (Dm) Allah
(Dm) Al Madad, Al Madad
(Gm) Ya Habib (Dm) Allah
The Verses (Antara)
When the lyrics move into "Be-kas pe karam," the chords shift slightly to add tension and resolution.
(Dm) Be-kas pe (C) karam ki-(Dm)-jiye
(Dm) Sarkaar-e-(C) Ma-di-(Dm)-na
(F) Gardish mein hai (C) taq-(Dm)-deer
(F) Bhanwar mein hai (C) sa-fee-(Dm)-na
The Bridge (Manzil ki tamanna)This part usually lifts the melody higher, often touching the F Major or Bb Major.
(F) Manzil ki ta-(C)-manna hai
(Bb) Toh raahi (Dm) ban ja
(F) Ishq-e-(C) Nabi mein tu
(Bb) Fana-fi-Allah (Dm) ban ja
Quick Chord Chart
| Chord | Finger Position (Guitar) | Notes (Piano) |
| Dm | X X 0 2 3 1 | D - F - A |
| Gm | 3 5 5 3 3 3 | G - Bb - D |
| C | X 3 2 0 1 0 | C - E - G |
| F | 1 3 3 2 1 1 | F - A - C |
| Bb | X 1 3 3 3 1 | Bb - D - F |
