USA: Remembering 'Gentle Giant' Dr. Yusef Abdul Lateef

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“The music is an occupation. Trying to build one’s spirituality is a religious venture—through prayer, good deeds, respect, modesty, and being humble. That’s how one goes about developing that spiritual self.”

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Ahmadiyya Times
By Staff Reporter | December 23, 2013

The Grammy Award-winner Dr. Yusef Abdul Lateef  died this morning (Monday, December 23) at his home in Shutesbury, MA. Dr. Latif had suffered from prostate cancer for sometime now, but the Daily Hampshire Gazette confirms he passed away peacefully with his loved ones around him.

[Via The Jazz Line]

Dr. Yusef Lateef, an Ahmadi Muslim, was an American Grammy Award-winning composer, performer, recording artist, educator and philosopher. Born in 1920, he had accepted Islam in 1948.

The Jazz legend performed the pilgrimage to Mecca and he exemplified his dedication to his religion, Islam, by never performing at a venue that served alcohol, it has been reported.

Dr. Latif, known for his gentle demeanor and compassion, was married to the late Sayeda Lateef, former National President of the US Ahmadiyya Muslim Women Association.

The following is contributed by Hasan Hakeem:

Paul Pennington writes for iRockJazz: 

But at the core, Lateef is simply a man of great faith. To this he says, “[Islam] appealed to me as the truth. That’s why I accepted it. It prepared me to live a better life, a good life.”

When attempting to truly understand him—in all of his eccentricities—you must start here. For many, religion is a spiritual journey, one that defines a very specific aspect of life. However, for Lateef, it is much more. Converting to Islam in the late 1940s, his religious beliefs extend far beyond a daily moment of reflection or the weekly assemblage of like minds. His faith dictates the way in which he approaches life in its entirety. It is who he is.

“The music is an occupation. Trying to build one’s spirituality is a religious venture—through prayer, good deeds, respect, modesty, and being humble. That’s how one goes about developing that spiritual self.”

Wrapping up our conversation with Lateef, we asked him about his legacy.

"I am deeply grateful for all of the respect that people have given me, for all of those that have contributed to my career. All mankind are brothers and sisters. I believe in love for all and hate for none.” 

The genius of Yusef Lateef can be found on any one of his many albums. He is a technically brilliant artist. But after talking with him, it is obvious that his most indelible feature is his nature. The music, the teaching, the writing, all of these things that we admire so much would not exist if it were not for his vibrant outlook. His work is a manifestation of self. Through a personal journey, a man found himself and lived his life through sound and word. Through his blessing, we, too, were given a gift. And that gift would be Yusef Lateef.

[By Paul Pennington - iRockJazz]

  --  USA: Remembering 'Gentle Giant' Dr. Yusef Abdul Lateef


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