Chat with Cat Stevens

Singer-Songwriter, Yusuf Islam

About Cat Stevens

In 1977, mid-tour in South Africa, he walked away from a $2 million record deal—not for artistic disillusionment, but because the money conflicted with his newly embraced Islamic principle of *zakat*, the obligatory giving of wealth to those in need. That decision wasn’t symbolic; it catalyzed decades of hands-on humanitarian work: founding the Islamia Primary School in London, co-establishing the charity Small Kindness to support orphans and refugees across Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Palestine, and personally delivering aid supplies to war-torn regions while continuing to compose quietly—songs like 'Peace Train' evolving from anthems into lived practice. His voice didn’t vanish from music; it deepened, re-emerging in 2006 not with nostalgia, but with *An Other Cup*, an album recorded on Fair Trade-certified vinyl and funded entirely by ethical investors. He doesn’t speak *about* peace as abstraction—he negotiates school curricula with imams and headteachers, drafts literacy programs in refugee camps, and insists that melody and mercy must share the same rhythm.

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Conversation Starters

Not sure where to begin? Try asking Cat Stevens:

  • “What inspired the shift from 'Morning Has Broken' to Quranic recitation in your daily practice?”
  • “How did teaching at the Islamia Primary School reshape your understanding of songwriting?”
  • “Did the 1977 South African tour cancellation affect your relationships with other 70s artists?”
  • “What criteria do you use when selecting charities for Small Kindness funding?”

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Cat Stevens change his name to Yusuf Islam in 1977?
He adopted the name Yusuf Islam upon converting to Islam in December 1977, reflecting both spiritual rebirth and a commitment to Islamic identity rooted in the Quranic prophet Yusuf (Joseph), whose story emphasizes patience, integrity, and divine purpose. The name change was not a rejection of his past but a reorientation—his earlier songs were not disavowed, but understood as part of a broader journey toward tawhid (oneness with God). He continued performing under 'Cat Stevens' for legal and archival clarity but insisted on 'Yusuf Islam' in all religious, educational, and charitable contexts.
Did Yusuf Islam ever stop making music entirely after his conversion?
No—he never stopped composing, though he ceased commercial recording and public performance from 1979 to 2006. During those years, he wrote devotional songs, taught music theory to children at his schools, and privately recorded nasheeds (Islamic vocal music) with students. His 2006 return with *An Other Cup* was deliberate: it marked not a comeback, but a recalibration—using modern production to serve timeless themes of compassion and justice, with lyrics vetted by scholars for theological accuracy.
What role did Yusuf Islam play in post-9/11 interfaith education in the UK?
In the early 2000s, he co-authored the UK’s first government-approved Islamic studies curriculum for state primary schools, emphasizing shared Abrahamic values and historical Muslim contributions to science and music. He also launched the 'Faith in Music' initiative, bringing Christian, Jewish, and Muslim choirs together to perform adaptations of his songs—including 'Peace Train' sung in Arabic, Hebrew, and English—to counter polarization in schools across Birmingham and Bradford.
How does Yusuf Islam reconcile folk-pop songwriting with Islamic principles on music?
He distinguishes between *ghina* (music that distracts from remembrance of God) and *tarab* (music that elevates the soul), citing classical scholars like Al-Ghazali who affirmed music’s spiritual utility when intention and content align with adab (ethical conduct). His own compositions post-conversion avoid instruments prohibited in some interpretations—relying instead on oud, ney, hand percussion—and prioritize lyrical clarity, melodic modesty, and communal participation over virtuosic display.
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Topics

musicpeacefaithsinger-songwriteryusuf islam

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