Event Recap:
By Adnan Sabih (courtesy of Elan Magazine)
2/17/10 - Salman Ahmad, the legendary “King of Pakistani Rock” and founder of the popular band, Junoon, rocked the sold-out standing room only crowd at the posh Aicon Gallery in New York City on February 3rd. Salman was promoting his new book “Rock & Roll Jihad: A Muslim Rock Star’s Revolution,” a journey of how Ahmad uses his junoon (passion) for music to strive and struggle (jihad) to bring about unity between the U.S. and the Muslim world, raise humanitarian awareness, and bring about positive social change in Pakistan.
Junoon is one of the most popular bands from South Asia, with over 30 million records sold. Salman entered the stage area with his guitar in hand to a roaring applause at the packed house. The audience was captivated as the night progressed, with Salman walking the audience through his journey in writing his autobiography, while entrancing the crowd with his Sufi Rock. He performed hits such as “Sayonee”, “Al Vida”, “Saeen”, “Khudi”, and “Jazaba Junoon”.
One of the many interesting questions asked in the Q&A segment was why did he use the word “Jihad” in the title of the book, Salman answered by saying, “Terrorists have stolen the word ‘Jihad’ from Islam. The word ‘Jihad’ was hijacked on 9/11 and it was a sinister case of identity theft.” He is now stealing that word back from them and getting its positive connotation back - the strive and struggle for self improvement. Salman also elaborated on his role as a UN Goodwill Ambassador for HIV/AIDS. He segued into a song called “Al Vida”, which appears on his 2006 solo album Infiniti, which is about a woman named Shukriya Gul, whose story inspired him.
The night, hosted by the Organization of Pakistani Entrepreneurs (OPEN) in New York, closed with a book signing, where guest lined up to buy and get their copies of “Rock & Roll Jihad” signed by Salman.
Photos by Adnan Sabih
About Salman:
Salman Ahmad is a Pakistani rock star whose band Junoon has sold over 25 million albums.
A medical doctor by training, Salman currently travels the globe as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, spreading a message of harmony and reconciliation between the West and the Muslim world. He was a featured performer at the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, alongside musical superstars such as Alicia Keys, Melissa Etheridge and Annie Lennox. He currently teaches a course on Muslim music and poetry at the City University of New York's Queens College campus. Salman spends his free time moving between Pakistan and Rockland County, New York, with his wife Samina and their three sons.
About OPEN NY:
The Organization of Pakistani Entrepreneurs (OPEN) is a voluntary, not-for-profit association dedicated to the promotion of entrepreneurship and professional excellence within the Pakistani-American community. The organization was formed in 1998 by a group of Pakistani-American entrepreneurs and corporate executives, and registered in Massachusetts in 2000. The association's charter is to provide networking opportunities and enhanced business opportunities for entrepreneurs and professionals of Pakistani heritage in North America. OPEN meetings and events are open to the public. OPEN has chapters in Boston, Chicago, Houston, New York, Silicon Valley and Washington DC.
OPEN NY, formed in 2001, serves one of the most diverse and vibrant communities of Pakistani-Americans. The New York area, in addition to being the center of Finance, has emerged as the hub of the "Converging" Media, Telecommunications and Technology industries. The OPEN NY Membership is as diverse as its community, representing several industries such as Finance (Banking, Private Equity, VC and Hedge Funds), Consumer Products, Life Sciences, Healthcare, Media, and Technology. |
