 |
|
Yusuf Islam |
The concert, starting 8pm, will journey through the extensive catalogue of musical hits by Yusuf Islam. It will be the first in a series of musical performances planned at MIA Park throughout the year.
Yusuf Islam was born in London to a Greek Cypriot father and a Swedish mother. Formally known as Cat Stevens, he was one of the biggest solo artists of the ‘60s and ‘70s, selling more than 60mn albums with hits including, Father and Son, Wild World, Peace Train and many more.
Following a serious illness and after a near-drowning incident, he received a translation of the Qur’an and converted to Islam in 1977 in which he found peace and universal understanding. He decided to withdraw from the music industry at his peak and changed his name to Yusuf Islam beginning a new life.
After his conversion to Islam, he became an energetic philanthropist, humanitarian and an enthusiastic supporter of Islamic Education in the UK after the birth of his first child. He has been recognised worldwide for his humanitarian efforts. In the 1990s, Yusuf gradually returned to the music business and eventually began performing songs from his time as Cat Stevens. Commenting on his return, he said: “I needed to reconnect with the fans I left back in the ‘70s, those who still held the same ideals for peace and love which I sang about and which I still promote today as a Muslim.”
Yusuf Islam was one of the first Muslim converts to write Islamic songs in English. A pioneering Islamic Nasheed artist and producer, his record company, Mountain of Light, has produced some of the most popular recordings for children, including A is for Allah and I Look, I See, which teach children the basics of Islam. He has also recorded the spoken word Biography of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.