Mumbai: Renowned music composer and singer AR Rahman, globally known as the Mozart of Madras, has once again sparked meaningful conversations about faith and humanity. Born as Dileep Kumar in Chennai in 1967, Rahman embraced Islam along with his family after the death of his father, music composer RK Shekhar. His conversion happened just before his groundbreaking debut with Roja in 1992.
Speaking on Nikhil Kamath’s podcast, AR Rahman revealed that his spiritual journey stems from respect for all religions. “I am a fan of all the religions, and I have studied Islam, Hinduism and Christianity. One problem is killing or harming other people in the name of religion,” he said. He added that performing music feels like a “shrine” where people from different backgrounds unite through art and emotion.
Explaining what drew him to Sufism, AR Rahman said, “Sufism is like dying before dying… Lust, greed, jealousy, judgementalism all need to die. Your ego is gone, and then you become transparent like God.” He highlighted that the common essence of faith across religions is what truly matters. “The sincerity of the faith is what is measured… Humanity is benefited by that. We all need to be spiritually rich, because when spiritual richness comes, material richness follows.”
Another interesting aspect of his transformation is the origin of his name. In AR Rahman: The Spirit of Music, Rahman disclosed that a Hindu astrologer suggested the names Abdul Rahman and Abdul Rahim while discussing his sister’s marriage. Instantly drawn to “Rahman,” he later chose the initials “AR,” as they appeared in his mother’s dreams, thus becoming Allah Rakha Rahman.
