Maher Zain

Maher Zain (Arabic: ماهر زين‎; born 16 July 1981)[2] is a Swedish R&B singer, songwriter and music producer of Lebanese origin.[3] He released his debut album Thank You Allah, an internationally successful album produced by Awakening Records, in 2009. He released his follow-up album Forgive Me in April 2012 under the same production company, and a third album One (Maher Zain album) in 2016.

Maher Zain
Zain performing in Konya, Turkey, in March 2014
Background information
Birth nameMaher Mustafa Maher Zain
ماهر مصطفى ماهر زين
Born (1981-07-16) 16 July 1981
Tripoli, Lebanon
OriginSweden
Genres
Occupation(s)
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • piano
  • keyboard
  • percussion
  • synthesizers
Years active2009–present
LabelsAwakening
Associated acts
Websitewww.maherzain.com

Career

Beginnings

Maher Zain's Lebanese family emigrated to Sweden when he was eight.[4] He completed his schooling there, gaining a bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Engineering. After university, he entered the music industry in Sweden, and in 2005 linked up with the Moroccan-born Swedish producer RedOne.[5] When RedOne moved to New York in 2006, Zain soon followed to continue his music industry career in the United States, producing for artists such as Kat DeLuna.[6]

On returning home to Sweden, he became engaged once more with his Islamic faith[7] and decided to move away from a career as a music producer to become a singer/songwriter of contemporary R&B music with a strong Muslim religious influence.[8]

Breakthrough and success

In January 2009, Maher Zain began working on an album with Awakening Records. His debut album, Thank You Allah, with 13 songs and two bonus tracks, was released on 1 November 2009 with percussion versions and French versions of some tracks released shortly afterwards.[9]

Zain and Awakening Records successfully used social media such as Facebook, YouTube[10] and iTunes to promote tracks from the album.[11][12] In early 2010 his music very quickly gathered a huge online following in Arabic-speaking and Islamic countries as well as among young Muslims in western countries.[13] By the end of 2010, he was the most Googled celebrity in Malaysia for that year.[12] Malaysia and Indonesia have been the countries where he has had the most commercial success. The album Thank You Allah has been certified multiple platinum by Warner Music Malaysia and Sony Music Indonesia.[5] It became the highest selling album of 2010 in Malaysia.[14]

Zain sings mainly in English but has released some of his most popular songs in other languages. The song "Insha Allah", for example, is now available in English, French, Arabic, Turkish, Malay and Indonesian versions. Another song, "Allahi Allah Kiya Karo" ("Continuously Saying Allah"), is sung in Urdu and features the Pakistan born Canadian singer Irfan Makki.[11] Zain has performed concerts around the world, including in the UK, the United States, Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. He has fan clubs in several countries including Malaysia, Egypt, and Morocco.[15] He took part in the judging committee of the Awakening Talent Contest to choose Awakening Records' new star in 2013.[16]

Collaborations, appearances and awards

In January 2010, Maher Zain won Best Religious Song for 'Ya Nabi Salam Alayka', on Nogoum FM, a major Middle East mainstream music station, beating other prominent singers including Hussein Al-Jismi, Mohammed Mounir and Sami Yusuf.[17]

In March 2011, Maher Zain released "Freedom",[11] a song inspired by the events and the actions of the people taking part in the Arab Spring.

Maher Zain was chosen as a Muslim Star of 2011 in a competition organized by Onislam.net.[18] In July 2011 he featured on the cover of the UK Muslim lifestyle magazine Emel.[19]

Zain was featured on Irfan Makki's track "I Believe" from his debut studio album of the same name.[20]

Maher Zain has appeared in the 40-episode Indonesian TV drama Insya-Allah. The show was aired on Malaysian satellite TV channel, Astro Oasis and Mustika HD, starting 17 July 2012, concurrent with the broadcasting of the show on Indonesia's SCTV.[21]

In 2013, he took part in the Colors of Peace project constituting songs based on works by Fethullah Gülen on the album Rise Up where Maher Zain performs the track "This Worldly Life".[22][23]

Discography

Albums
Year Album details Certifications
(sales thresholds)
2009 Thank You Allah
  • 8x Platinum, Warner Music Malaysia[14]
  • 2x Platinum, Sony Music Indonesia[5]
2012 Forgive Me
  • 4x Platinum, Warner Music Malaysia[24]
2016 One

–

Compilations
Year Album details
2009 Singles & Duets
  • Released: December 2014
  • Label: Awakening Records
  • Formats: Digital Download, CD
  • Total tracks: 15 tracks

Mini albums
Year Album details
2013 Love Will Prevail
  • Released: April 2013
  • Label: Awakening Records
  • Formats: Digital download
  • Total tracks: 2 tracks
Ramadan
  • Released: June 2013
  • Label: Awakening Records
  • Formats: Digital download
  • Total tracks: 4 tracks
2014 Ramadan – Vocals Only Version
  • Released: July 2014
  • Label: Awakening Records
  • Formats: Digital download
  • Total tracks: 2 tracks

Videography
Maher Zain at Tuisa charity concert in Essen, Germany (2012)
  • 2009: Palestine Will Be Free
  • 2009: Subhan Allah
  • 2010: Insha Allah
  • 2010: The Chosen One
  • 2011: Freedom
  • 2011: Ya Nabi Salam Alayka
  • 2011: For the Rest of My Life
  • 2012: Number One For Me
  • 2012: So Soon
  • 2012: Guide Me All the Way
  • 2013: Love Will Prevail
  • 2013: Ramadan
  • 2014: Muhammad (P.B.U.H)
  • 2014: Nas Teshbehlana (in Arabic ناس تشبهلنا)
  • 2014: One Day
  • 2015: A'maroona A'maloona (in Arabic أعمارنا أعمالنا)
  • 2016: I am Alive (with Atif Aslam)
  • 2016: By my Side
  • 2016: Paradise
  • 2016: Peace Be Upon You
  • 2016: The Way of Love (with Mustafa Ceceli)
  • 2017: Close to You
  • 2017: As-subhu Bada (in Arabic الصبح بدا)
  • 2017: Kun Rahma (in Arabic كن رحمة)
  • 2017: Medina
  • 2018: Huwa AlQuran
  • 2019: Ala Nahjik Mashayt
  • 2019: Live It Up (feat. Lenny Martinez)
  • 2019: Ummi
  • 2020: Antassalam
  • 2020: Asma Allah Alhusna (The 99 Names of Allah)
  • 2020: Break The Chains
  • 2020: Srebrenica
Featured in
  • 2011: I Believe (Irfan Makki feat. Maher Zain) (in Irfan Makki's album I Believe)
  • 2009 : Never Forget (Mesut Kurtis feat. Maher Zain) (in Mesut Kurtis' album Beloved)
  • 2014: So Real (Raef feat. Maher Zain) (in Raef's album The Path)
  • 2014: Eidun Saeed (Mesut Kurtis feat. Maher Zain) (in Mesut Kurtis' album Tabassam)

Philanthropic activities
  • In 2013, Zain performed in Canada on a tour organised by Islamic Relief to raise donations[25] for typhoon victims in the Philippines. Zain took part in the UK "Sound of Light" event[26] organized by Human Appeal International in support of the Syrian people.[27] Zain also dedicated his song "Love will prevail" (sung in Arabic and English) to the Syrians.
  • Zain celebrated his birthday with his 3.9 million Facebook fans by asking them to donate money[28] to a United States–based charity organization that builds water wells in Africa.[29] His fans paid more than $15,000 within a few weeks.[28]
  • Zain took part in a London pro-Palestinian rally, joined by thousands of people, to call for the end to Israeli military action in Gaza.[30] In August 2014, Zain took part in "The Great Wall of China Trek 2014" a 10-day humanitarian mission in association with Human Appeal to raise donations for clean water to children in Gaza.[31][32][33]
  • Ahead of performing at the 2014 Nansen Refugee Award Ceremony, Zain travelled to Lebanon with UNHCR to spend time with Syrian refugees and see UNHCR's frontline work.[34] Zain sang "One Day" about refugees in Geneva's Bâtiment des Forces Motrices for the award ceremony.[35][36]

References
  1. Richards, Anne R.; Omidvar, Iraj (2014). Muslims and American Popular Culture. ABC-CLIO. p. 366. ISBN 9780313379635.
  2. Maher Zain [@MaherZain] (16 March 2013). "It is not my birthday today! :) it is July 16... :))))" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. "Muslim pop megastar Maher Zain sings for Syria aid". BBC News. 13 November 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  4. "Maher zain's story". YouTube. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  5. Entertainment (2011-08-10). "Maher Zain's Hip but Pious Soundtrack to the Arab Spring". The Atlantic. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
  6. Eena Houzyama (2010-10-11). "Thank God for Maher Zain". The Malay Mail, retrieved 10 October 2011 Archived 10 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  7. Shahid, Omar (15 December 2011). "Maher Zain: 'My music is a message of Islam'". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  8. "Maher Zain". IslamicLyrics, retrieved 10 October 2011
  9. Music & Festivals "Maher Zain Interview". Time Out Beirut, retrieved 14 October 2011 Archived 26 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  10. Admin (2010-11-16). "Muslim Singer Maher Zain". NXT News, retrieved 14 October 2011 Archived 13 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  11. Lisa Siregar (2011-05-02). "A Portrait of  the Artist As a Young Muslim" Archived 1 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Jakarta Globe, retrieved 14 October 2011
  12. 2011-08-26 "Being pious in the heart of modernity". New Straits Time, retrieved 14 October 2011 Archived 26 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  13. Sundus Awan (Transcribed) 2010-11-29. "Maher Zain Interview" Archived 4 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine. The Muslim Youth Voice Website, retrieved 14 October 2011
  14. Maher Zain receives 8 platinums in Malaysia Archived 4 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine Awakening Worldwide, retrieved January 2011
  15. "Maher Zain Indonesia Fanclub". Retrieved 24 August 2014.
  16. "Awakening Talent Contest – Talents Matter Most". EmmaGem. 11 July 2013. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  17. News Summary (January 2010). "Maher Zain wins Nugoom FM's Best Song Award" Archived 22 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Awakening Worldwide. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  18. "Insha Allah". Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  19. Issue 82 (July 2011). Maher Zain digital issue – OUT NOW!. Emel. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  20. "I Believe Lyrics". IslamicLyrics, retrieved 18 October 2011.
  21. Maher Zain bintangi sinetron Harian Metro retrieved 26 June 2012 Archived 28 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  22. "Barış için müzikal birlik" [Musical unity for peace]. Radikal (in Turkish). 9 March 2013.
  23. Zaman Online: Savaşın karşısına Hocaefendi’nin şiirlerinden oluşan albümle çıktılar (In Turkish) Archived 11 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  24. "Meet Maher Zain". New Straits Times. 25 April 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  25. S. QAZI. "Islamic Relief Canada Declared War On Hunger to Support Poor People". push.pk. Archived from the original on 21 August 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  26. "Sound Of Light Official Website". Archived from the original on 15 July 2001. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  27. "Muslim pop megastar Maher Zain sings for Syria aid". BBC News. 13 November 2013. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  28. Maher Zain. "My Birthday For Clean Water". Charity: Water. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  29. "Koba Mender Community". Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  30. "Maher Zain – Freedom at the London demonstration GAZA protest 19/07/2014". YouTube. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  31. "Great Wall of China Trek 2014 with Maher Zain & Omar Regan". Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  32. "Maher Zain treks through China for Gaza". Cape Town, South Africa: Voice of the Cape. 18 August 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  33. "Maher Zain Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  34. "Maher Zain's Journey". UNHCR. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  35. "UNHCR presents Nansen Refugee Award to courageous Colombian women". UNHCR. 29 September 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  36. Clar Ni Chonghaile (8 October 2014). "Colombian activists risk their lives to protect women from gang warfare". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
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