Creative
Projects
Sami Yusuf x Atif Aslam — Lyric Collaboration
In 2026, I collaborated with internationally acclaimed composer and singer Sami Yusuf as a lyricist on two songs performed with Atif Aslam. The songs premiered live in Abu Dhabi, marking the first musical collaboration between Yusuf and Aslam. I wrote the lyrics for “Tu Hi Mera Raazdaan,” an Urdu madīḥ drawing on the Sufi poetic tradition and contributed lyrics to “Noor.” Since their release, “Noor” has received over 3.09 million views, while “Tu Hi Mera Raazdaan” has surpassed 319,000 views on YouTube.
Listen to “Tu Hi Mera Raazdaan”
Listen to “Noor”
The Lumina Journal, “sunkissed.”
Months to Years, “wintering.”
The Black Fork Review, “sun-blue dreams.”
Ignatian Literary Magazine, “fireflies.”
Poetry South, “woven in silken sky.”
The Elevation Review, “gravelly point”.
Quillkeepers Press, “solace.”
Streetlight Magazine, “a cricket’s delight.”
Wingless Dreamer, “fireflies,” and “joy.”
Tiger Moth Review, “abyad.”
The Roadrunner Review, “woven in silken sky.”
Last Leaves, “a woodpecker’s delight”.
Rigorous Magazine, “twilight.”
The Ice Colony and Active Muse, “wild skies.”
Tareekh-i Adab-i Urdu, “Ye Un Dino Ki Baat Hai.”
Tafheem, “Ay Saqī-i Khūb rū.”
Audio Times, “Barf jo kayi sadion se.”
Creative Writings
Religion, Race, and Democracy Lab: How Lyric Moves and Morphs: Qawwali Music in Pakistan
Watch: Documentary
Read About it: Qawwali Music in Pakistan Project
Other Collaborative Projects:
Podcast on Sufi Poetry: The Logic of the Birds
Gratitude Project: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Gratitude
Video (Translation): Shaykh Ayaz's Poem 'Baanh Tehni Si'
Co-Founder: The Creative Room