Alhamdulillah

“Alhamdulillah” is a children’s nasheed by Canadian singer-songwriter Dawud Wharnsby, from his iconic 1997 album Colors of Islam. It expresses how all of nature is muslim (submitted to God’s will), shifting from the perspective of a rock, to that of a tree, and finally to that of a person. The last of these — unlike the rock or the tree — has the gift of free will and must actively choose to surrender themselves to take their proper place as a muslim alongside the rest of creation.

Lyrics

1.
I am just a rock
And everyday I sit and watch the sky.
I sleep here in the sun and rain
And do not question why.
I don’t want to be a bird,
’cause us rocks were never meant to fly.
But you can sit and rest on me
When you pass by.

Alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, I’m a rock,
And that is all Allah asks of me.
Alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, I’m a muslim,
And there’s nothing else I’d rather be.

2.
I am just a tree
And this is the only life I’ll ever know.
I bow my boughs in worship
Whenever I feel the wind blow.
And my purpose in life
Is to grow when Allah says grow.
And be a home for the birds and shade
For folks below.

Alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, I’m a tree,
And that is all Allah asks of me.
Alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, I’m a muslim,
And there’s nothing else I’d rather be.

3.
I am just a person
And my life is full of opportunity.
I can travel through the world,
Over land and over sea.
But will I choose the path of Truth,
Or a path to misguide me?
Sometimes I wish I had a simple life,
Just like a rock or a tree.

But alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, I’m a person,
And Allah has given me a choice that’s free.
So, alhamdulillah, I choose to be a muslim,
And there’s nothing else I’d rather be.

Audio Sample

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