Yusuf Releases Song For Gaza

The song is “The Day The World Gets Round,” and features famed session musician and Beatles collaborator Klaus Voorman on bass.

All proceeds from the song will be donated to the U.N. agency in charge of Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), and the nonprofit group Save The Children, which will direct proceeds to helping Gaza residents.

A song craftsman responsible for hits like “Peace Train” and “Wild World,” Stevens converted to Islam in 1977, changed his name to Yusuf Islam and announced his retirement from pop music.’

“This is a fantastically generous act and we hope to reach new audiences in bringing a message of hope at a time when Gaza so badly needs it,” UNRWA spokesman Christopher Gunness said.

While rarely controversial in his former life as a Brit pop star, Stevens / Islam has had his share of negative press since converting to Islam.

In 1989 he was quoted as saying he supported the fatwa calling for the death of author Salman Rushdie – an act that led to many radio stations urging their listeners to burn their Cat Stevens records. Yusuf has since drawn a distinction between what he said versus what the media reported, saying he did not support vigilantism, but did support legal Islamic punishment.

Yusuf has also allegedly supported charities that were supposedly fronts for Islamic militant group Hamas.