Editing Cat Stevens (section)

====1990s–2006: as Yusuf Islam====
[[File:Yusuf-2009.jpg|thumb|right|Yusuf Islam at the 2009 [[MOJO Awards]] in London]]
Islam gradually resumed his musical career in the 1990s. These initial recordings did not include any musical instruments other than percussion, and they featured lyrics about Islamic themes, some in [[spoken word]] or [[hamd]] form. He invested in building his own recording studio,{{where|date=April 2024}} which he named Mountain of Light Studios in the late 1990s, and he was featured as a guest singer on "God Is the Light", a song on an album of [[Anasheed|nasheeds]] by the group [[Raihan]]. In addition, he invited and collaborated with other Muslim singers, including Canadian artist [[Dawud Wharnsby]].

After Islam's friend [[Irfan Ljubijankić]], the [[Foreign Minister]] of [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], was killed by a Serbian rocket attack, Islam appeared at a 1997 benefit concert in [[Sarajevo]] and recorded a benefit album named after a song written by Ljubijankić, ''I Have No Cannons That Roar''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Yusuf Islam at House of Commons Album Launch|url=http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=43127|date=March 1998|access-date=11 February 2009}}</ref>

Realising there were few educational resources designed to teach children about the Islamic religion, Islam wrote and produced a children's album, ''[[A Is for Allah]]'', in 2000<ref name="globe2000">{{cite news|first=Stephanie|last=Nolen|title=The Cat's Comeback|date=22 May 2000|page=R1|work=Globe and Mail |location=Canada |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/the-cats-comeback/article1039747/|access-date=1 September 2016}}</ref> with the assistance of South African singer-songwriter [[Zain Bhikha]]. The title song was one Islam had written years before to introduce his first child to both the religion and the Arabic alphabet. He also established his own record label, "Jamal Records", and Mountain of Light Productions, and he donates a percentage of his projects' proceeds to his [[Small Kindness]] charity, whose name is taken from the Qur'an.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web.youngmuslims.ca/online_library/tafsir/syed_qutb/surah_107.htm|title=Surah 107:Small Kindness – al Ma'oun|access-date=11 February 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090530024229/http://web.youngmuslims.ca/online_library/tafsir/syed_qutb/surah_107.htm|archive-date=30 May 2009}}</ref>

On the occasion of the 2000 re-release of his Cat Stevens albums, at the urging of his label rep Sujata, Islam agreed to interviews with the media to tell his story and reconnect with his fans.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/cat-stevens-breaks-his-silence-202844/|title=Cat Stevens Breaks His Silence|first=Andrew|last=Dansby|website=Rollingstone.com|date=21 June 2000|access-date=22 October 2021}}</ref> Islam explained that he had stopped performing in English due to his misunderstanding of the Islamic faith. "This issue of music in Islam is not as cut-and-dried as I was led to believe&nbsp;... I relied on heresy,<!-- editors: "heresy" is correct-->  that was perhaps my mistake."<ref name="globe2000" /> He also participated in the first documentary on his life for a two-part VH1 ''Behind the Music''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vh1.com/episodes/xyvdya/behind-the-music-cat-stevens-behind-the-music-130-season-1-ep-130|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506205810/http://www.vh1.com/episodes/xyvdya/behind-the-music-cat-stevens-behind-the-music-130-season-1-ep-130|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 May 2021|title=Behind the Music - Cat Stevens: Behind the Music |website=Vh1.com|access-date=22 October 2021}}</ref>

Islam has reflected that his decision to leave the Western pop-music business was perhaps too quick with too little communication for his fans. For most it was a surprise, and even his long-time guitarist Alun Davies said in later interviews that he had not believed that his friend would actually go through with it after his many forays into other religions throughout their relationship.<ref name="Forbes"/> Islam himself has said the "cut" between his former life and his life as a Muslim might have been too quick, and too severe, and that more people might have been better informed about Islam, and given an opportunity to better understand it, and himself, if he had simply removed those items that were considered ''[[Haraam|harām]]'', in his performances, allowing him to express himself musically and educate listeners through his music without violating any religious constraints.<ref name="Turn to Islam">{{cite web|url=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2645580672038253877|title=NEW Yusuf Islam Interview and a Is For Allah Peace Train Cat Stevens|last=Islam|first=Yusuf|work=Video of Interview|publisher=Turn to Islam|pages=1–6|access-date=30 July 2008|archive-date=26 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080526161618/http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2645580672038253877|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2003, after repeated encouragement from within the Muslim world,<ref name="PRJan05">{{cite press release|publisher=Mountain of Light|date=24 January 2005|title=Yusuf Islam sings for tsunami victims and told to make more music and spread Peace|url=http://www.mountainoflight.co.uk/news_tsunami.html|access-date=6 May 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060709200553/http://www.mountainoflight.co.uk/news_tsunami.html|archive-date=9 July 2006}}</ref> Islam once again recorded "[[Peace Train]]" for a compilation CD, which also included performances by [[David Bowie]] and Paul McCartney. He performed "[[Wild World (song)|Wild World]]" in [[Nelson Mandela]]'s [[46664 (concerts)|46664 concert]] with his earlier collaborator, [[Peter Gabriel]], the first time he had publicly performed in English in 25 years.

In December 2004, he and [[Ronan Keating]] released a new version of "[[Father and Son (song)|Father and Son]]": the song entered the charts at number two, behind [[Band Aid (band)#Band Aid 20|Band Aid 20]]'s  "[[Do They Know It's Christmas?]]" They also produced a video of the pair walking between photographs of fathers and sons, while singing the song. The proceeds of "Father and Son" were donated to the [[Band Aid (band)|Band Aid charity]]. Keating's former group, [[Boyzone]], had a hit with the song a decade earlier. As he had been persuaded before, Islam contributed to the song, because the proceeds were marked for charity.

On 21 April 2005, Islam gave a short talk before a scheduled musical performance in [[Abu Dhabi]], United Arab Emirates, on the anniversary of the prophet [[Muhammad]]'s birthday. He said: <blockquote>There is a great deal of ignorance in the world about Islam today, and we hope to communicate with the help of something more refined than lectures and talks. Our recordings are particularly appealing to the young, having used songs as well as Qur'an verses with pleasing sound effects&nbsp;...<ref name="Islamic Voice">{{cite web|url=http://www.islamicvoice.com/march.2001/news.htm|title=New Recordings by Yusuf Islam|date=March 2001|access-date=11 February 2009|archive-date=16 July 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090716122600/http://www.islamicvoice.com/march.2001/news.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref></blockquote>

Islam observed that there are no real guidelines about instruments and no references about the business of music in the Qur'an, and that [[Islamic contributions to Medieval Europe|Muslim travellers first brought]] the guitar to [[Moorish Spain]]. He noted that Muhammad was fond of celebrations, as in the case of the birth of a child, or a traveller arriving after a long journey. Thus, Islam concluded that healthy entertainment was acceptable within limitations, and that he now felt that it was no sin to perform with the guitar.  Music, he now felt, is uplifting to the soul; something sorely needed in troubled times.<ref name="Emirates">{{cite web|url=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1897010327804155638&q=&hl=en|title=Yusuf Islam in Abu Dhabi|last=Islam|first=Yusuf|date=22 May 2005|publisher=Emirates TV|access-date=31 July 2008|archive-date=1 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201051457/http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1897010327804155638&q=&hl=en|url-status=dead}}</ref> At that point, he was joined by several young male singers who sang backing vocals and played a drum, with Islam as lead singer and guitarist. They performed two songs, both half in Arabic and half in English; "[[Ta'la al Badru 'Alayna|Tala'a Al-Badru Alayna]]", an old song in Arabic which Islam recorded with a folk sound to it, and another song, "The Wind East and West", which was newly written by Islam and featured a distinct [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]] sound.

With this performance, Islam began slowly to integrate instruments into both older material from his Cat Stevens era (some with slight lyrical changes) and new songs, both those known to the Muslim communities around the world and some that have the same Western flair from before with a focus on new topics and another generation of listeners.<ref name="Turn to Islam" />

In a 2005 press release, he explained his revived recording career:
{{blockquote|After I embraced Islam, many people told me to carry on composing and recording, but at the time I was hesitant, for fear that it might be for the wrong reasons. I felt unsure what the right course of action was. I guess it is only now, after all these years, that I've come to fully understand and appreciate what everyone has been asking of me. It's as if I've come full circle; however, I have gathered a lot of knowledge on the subject in the meantime.<ref name="PRJan05" />}}

{{Quote box|width=30em|align=right|quote="In Islam there is something called the principle of common good. What that means is that whenever one is confronted by something that is not mentioned in the scriptures, one must observe what benefit it can bring. Does it serve the common good, does it protect the spirit, and does it serve God? If the scholars see that it is something positive, they may well approve of what I'm doing."|source=—Yusuf Islam<ref name="ARABIA">{{cite web|url=https://en.qantara.de/content/interview-with-yusuf-islam-to-be-you-must-give-up-what-you-are|title="To Be, You Must Give up What You Are" – Interview with Yusuf Islam (2006) |last=Mingels|first=Guido|work=Qantara.de - Dialogue with the Islamic World |date=21 May 2008 |publisher=ARABIA.pl (reprinted Qantara.de) |access-date=15 October 2015}}</ref>}}

In early 2005, Islam released a new song, titled "Indian Ocean", about the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami disaster. The song featured Indian composer/producer [[A. R. Rahman]], [[a-ha]] keyboard player [[Magne Furuholmen]] and [[Travis (band)|Travis]] drummer [[Neil Primrose (musician)|Neil Primrose]]. Proceeds of the single went to help orphans in [[Banda Aceh]], one of the areas worst affected by the [[tsunami]], through Islam's Small Kindness charity. At first, the single was released only through several [[online music store]]s but later featured on the compilation album ''[[Gold (Cat Stevens album)|Cat Stevens: Gold]]''. "I had to learn my faith and look after my family, and I had to make priorities. But now I've done it all and there's a little space for me to fill in the universe of music again."<ref name="Musical Return">{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/56622/the-billboard-qa-yusuf-islam|title=The Billboard Q and A: Yusuf Islam|last=Williamson|first=Nigel|date=17 November 2006|series=Interview with Yusuf Islam; Return to Music|work=Billboard Magazine|access-date=31 January 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080306082826/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/56622/the-billboard-qa-yusuf-islam |archive-date = 6 March 2008}}</ref>

On 28 May 2005, Islam delivered a [[keynote speech]] and performed at the [[Adopt-A-Minefield]] Gala in [[Düsseldorf]]. The Adopt-A-Minefield charity, under the patronage of Paul McCartney, works internationally to raise awareness and funds to clear landmines and rehabilitate [[landmine]] survivors. Islam attended as part of an honorary committee which also included [[George Martin]], [[Richard Branson]], [[Boutros Boutros-Ghali]], [[Klaus Voormann]], [[Christopher Lee]] and others.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.yusufislam.org.uk/ |title=Yusuf Islam Official website |publisher=Yusufislam.org.uk |access-date=27 July 2009}}</ref>

In [[2005 in music|mid-2005]], Islam played guitar for the Dolly Parton album ''[[Those Were the Days (Dolly Parton album)|Those Were the Days]]'' on her version of his "Where Do the Children Play?" (Parton had also covered "Peace Train" a few years earlier.)

Islam has credited his then 21-year-old son Muhammad Islam, also a musician and artist, for his return to secular music, when the son brought a guitar back into the house, which Islam began playing.<ref name="CBSSundaymorning"/> Muhammad's professional name is [[Yoriyos]]<ref name="past present" /> and his debut album was released in February 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.yoriyos.com |title=Official website for Yoriyos |publisher=Yoriyos.com |access-date=27 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415173644/http://www.yoriyos.com/ |archive-date=15 April 2009  }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.patheos.com/blogs/altmuslim/2006/11/so_mr_islam_has_a_new_album_out/|title=Musician Yoriyos: So, Mr. Islam has a new album out…|date=15 November 2006|work=[[Patheos]]|access-date=23 November 2016}}</ref> Yoriyos created the art on Islam's album ''[[An Other Cup]]'', something that Cat Stevens did for his own albums in the 1970s.

In May 2006, in anticipation of his forthcoming new pop album, the BBC1 programme ''[[Imagine (TV series)|Imagine]]'' aired a 49-minute documentary with [[Alan Yentob]] called ''Yusuf: The Artist formerly Known as Cat Stevens''. This documentary film features rare audio and video clips from the late 1960s and 1970s, as well as an extensive interview with Islam, his brother David Gordon, several record executives, [[Bob Geldof]], [[Dolly Parton]], and others outlining his career as Cat Stevens, his conversion and emergence as Yusuf Islam, and his return to music in 2006. There are clips of him singing in the studio when he was recording ''An Other Cup'' as well as a few 2006 excerpts of him on guitar singing a few verses of Cat Stevens songs including "The Wind" and "On the Road to Find Out".<ref name="Yentob"/>

In December 2006, Islam was one of the artists who performed at the [[Nobel Peace Prize Concert]] in Oslo, Norway, in honour of the prize winners, [[Muhammad Yunus]] and [[Grameen Bank]]. He performed the songs "Midday (Avoid City After Dark)", "Peace Train", and "Heaven/Where True Love Goes". He also gave a concert in New York City that month as a ''[[Jazz at Lincoln Center]]'' event, recorded and broadcast by [[KCRW|KCRW-FM]] radio, along with an interview by [[Nic Harcourt]]. Accompanying him, as in the Cat Stevens days, was [[Alun Davies (guitarist)|Alun Davies]], on guitar and vocals.