Sufism, a tradition of Islam that emphasizes love for God, is often seen as a form of “Islamic mysticism.” But this interpretation of Sufism, which separates it from so-called “orthodox” traditions of Islam, is actually rooted in orientalism. But the co-opting of Sufism for more nefarious, even anti-Sufi, ends did not begin with Coca-Cola. The irony is that the principles of self-interest and profit-maximizing that lie at the center of capitalist companies like Coca-Cola contradict the very values of humility and asceticism that Sufism and qawwali seek to promote. Sufi practices like qawwali are widely performed and venerated in Pakistan, making them an ideal avenue for Coca-Cola to promote itself. Instead, he encourages the individual to fight their ego and obsession with this world in order to seek union with the Divine.“Piya Ghar Aaya” is one of several qawwalis aired by Coke Studio, all of which invoke similar ideas. The song’s lyrics were composed by Bulleh Shah, a Sufi poet and philosopher who uses simple and vernacular language to speak against material possessions, worldly knowledge, and arrogance. Majnun is a character from the popular romance Layla Majnun, someone said to represent a crazed Sufi, abandoning the physical world in his quest for spiritual love. Majnoon ko sab mil kay pagal samajhtay haiĪur akela Majnun sab ko pagal samajhta haiīut Majnun thinks everyone (but him) is crazy The Coke Studio logo, however, remains fixed in the upper right corner of the screen from the song’s beginning to the end. The frames change frequently, the tempo switches from slow to fast, and the qawwali singers’ volume shifts from low to high. The music video begins with the bright red Coke Studio logo flashing on the screen for several seconds, with the phrase “Sound of the Nation” in bold letters written underneath.Īs the camera pans out, the entire set becomes visible, from the overhead lights to the neon outline of a life-sized Coke bottle displayed on the wall, glowing red and orange. Last year, Coke Studio, a music program sponsored by the Coca-Cola Company, aired the qawwali “Piya Ghar Aaya,” or “My Beloved Has Come Home”, by Fareed Ayaz, Abu Muhammad Qawwal, and Brothers.
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