|
|
|
Yusuf Islam is using music as a way to call for peace |
In
1977 Cat Stevens left his life as a pop music icon behind. After a string of
smash hits, he traded his guitar for Islam and took the name Yusuf Islam. At
that point in time he never thought he would return to the world of music.
However,
26 years after leaving the stage, Islam is revisiting some of his old hit songs
in an effort to aid the overwhelming and still-growing peace movement that has
swept the globe as war in the Middle East looms on the horizon.
Says
Islam on his website (www.yusufislam.org.uk):
“Though times have changed, it's a nice surprise to see that youthful feeling of anti-war sentiment returning
once more to the cobbled main streets of Europe.”
Doing
his part, Islam has re-released arguably his most famous song, “Peace
Train”, and has reworked another of his songs, “Lady D’Arbanville”, to
have an anti-war theme tailored to the current crisis. The new piece is entitled
“Angel of War”.
“’Peace
Train’ is a song I wrote, the message of which continues to breeze
thunderously through the hearts of millions and there is a powerful need for
people to feel that gust of hope rise up again,” says Islam on his other
website, www.catstevens.com.
“As a member of humanity and as a Muslim, this is my contribution to the call
for a peaceful solution.”
Islam
goes on to say, “The present battle we see for global dominance, I believe, is nothing more than a clash of egos. So with ‘Angel of War’, I decided to
revisit my legacy of music again and remould another old track, to reflect my
thoughts and concerns about the questions to be asked of war today.”
Outside
of the world of music, Islam continues his busy schedule as a philanthropist and
speaker. He is involved in the humanitarian relief organization Small Kindness
as well as a number of educational projects including the Islamia Schools’
Trust, the Waqf Al-Birr Educational Trust and UK Islamic Education Waqf. He has
also recorded Islamically themed music as well as a double-cassette spoken word
project on the life of the Prophet Muhammad (saaws).
Both
“Peace Train” and “Angel of War” are being distributed to radio stations
and can be downloaded free of charge from Islam’s website, www.catstevens.com.
