Arab News sat down with the amazing sensation and had this quick discussion about him and his message through music:
My name is Maher Zain. I'm 29 years old. I'm originally Lebanese, but I grew up in Sweden after I moved there at the age of 8. I'm married.
Alhamdulillah, I’m very happy and I feel grateful. This is truly a blessing from Allah and it motivates and inspires me to do more and better work Insha-Allah.
Alhamdulillah I haven't faced any criticism as yet. As a matter of fact, people of all faiths and nationalities have liked the music we do.
I have full respect for them and it's not for me to judge them or their opinions. It's clear that our scholars have different opinions regarding this matter and I follow the opinion that allows music as long as it's used for a good cause and within the limits of Islam.
I get inspiration from many different things. It can be from something I've heard, seen somewhere or just ideas in my head that I feel I want to sing about. I also get ideas from different people. I write my songs mostly with my dear friend and brother, Bara Kheriji, who's also the director of Awakening.
Personally I think my best performance was last year in Bahrain. I had a great time there, good atmosphere and everything went great. I'm also happy with my last two concerts in Malaysia. The Malaysian fans are always very supportive.
To be honest I'm very happy that people have finally stood up together for their rights and gathered to fight for their freedom no matter what. Alhamdulillah Tunisia and Egypt showed us what one could achieve through unity, belief and hope. It's just sad that so many people had to die for someone to understand that something is wrong. I pray that Allah will accept their struggle for freedom.
I'm open to new things.
I try to go by feeling, to think of the message I want to convey and I try to do that through both lyrics and music.
I don't feel pressured at all to be honest. I feel more excited especially with the new album we're working on.
Of course, we have many plans. This is just the beginning. I'm so much looking forward to the concerts in the Middle East.
To have good intentions. Ask yourself why you want to become an artist. To know that fame and being an artist are not easy and that it's a huge responsibility, because everything we do can either have a good or a bad influence on people. It's mainly about the message within the songs.
Of course people like to have fun. There is nothing wrong with having fun, especially in Islam, as long as we know our limitations. However when it comes to the "silly" music, I realized after my album “Thank You Allah” that people actually love to hear good music with good melodies and positive messages. It's just that we need more such artists.
Thank you for your support. Be ready; there are many surprises to come Insha-Allah!
