The Melody of Faith: The Story of A. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman
23 years old, from India
Previous Religion: Hinduism
My Life Before Islam
A. R. Rahman was born A. S. Dileep Kumar on January 6, 1967, in Madras, today the city of Chennai, into a Hindu family. His father, R. K. Shekhar, was a film score composer, and his death when Dileep was nine left the family to survive on the rental of his musical equipment. A musical prodigy, he began playing the piano at four, helped his father in the studio, and grew into a gifted keyboard player and arranger who supported his household through his teenage years. He studied Western classical music and earned a diploma from Trinity College of Music, yet his technical mastery never stilled his restless questions about God and the purpose of life.
The Moment of Guidance
The turning point came through Sufism. In 1984, when his younger sister fell seriously ill, the family was introduced to the Qadiri tariqa, a Sufi order whose spirituality comforted them in their distress. His mother, who remained a practising Hindu for a time, was deeply influenced by Sufi teachings, and that influence slowly reached her son. Rahman later said that he had never liked his birth name, for it did not reflect the man he felt himself to be. A Hindu astrologer suggested the names "Abdul Rahman" and "Abdul Rahim," and he felt an instant connection with the first. Islam's teaching of the Oneness of God and the peace of remembrance answered the longing he had carried since childhood.
Reflections
In 1989, at the age of twenty-three, Rahman converted to Islam together with members of his family. His mother adopted the name Kareema, and she added "Allah Rakha" to his chosen name after it came to her in a dream, so that Dileep Kumar became Allah Rakha Rahman. The new faith shaped both his life and his art, and his music began to carry distinctly Sufi colours. Three years after his conversion, in 1992, he composed the score for the Tamil film "Roja," which launched the most celebrated film-music career in India and transformed the sound of Indian cinema with its fusion of classical traditions and new technology.
A. R. Rahman went on to become one of the most famous composers in the world. His score for "Slumdog Millionaire" (2008) won two Academy Awards, for Best Original Score and for the song "Jai Ho," as well as two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA and a Golden Globe, alongside seven National Film Awards. Called the "Mozart of Madras," he founded the KM Music Conservatory, performed Sufi concerts for humanitarian causes, and was honoured with the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan. He is a constant presence on lists of the world's most influential Muslims, and through music that blends Indian traditions with the voice of faith he continues to move listeners around the globe.