Why The World Needs Qawwali
What is Qawwali and Sufism?
Most widely translated as Islamic mysticism, Sufism is defined by the Oxford Dictionary of Islam as the “internalization and intensification of Islamic faith and practice.” The Threshold Society describes it as “a way of life in which a deeper identity is discovered and lived. This deeper identity, beyond the already known personality, is in harmony with all that exists.” Simply, it is a philosophy related to Islam which focuses on its spiritual teachings of equality, love, and Divine awareness. Sufi rituals usually center around reciting Quranic verses and singing and dancing in an entrancing way, to the extent of becoming intoxicated with the words and movements. This trance provides an exit from the physical realm, and a gateway to the Divine realm, which is what Sufis long to unite with. Sufism has always existed at the periphery of Islamic societal norms. Sufi masters have often preached the necessity to break away from customs and artificial traditions in order to achieve enlightenment. This is why there are no central organizations or groups that “control” the followers of Sufism. Qawwali is defined as “devotional singing or chanting”. It is the primary method by which Sufi teachings are communicated. The concept of Qawwali was produced by the 13th century poet and saint Amir Khusrow, and many Sufi songs today can be traced back to him.
Characteristics of Qawwali
Since it was influenced by Eastern orientalist traditions of music, Qawwali is very different to most music heard in the West. From its long, progressive forms and unusual time signatures to unfamiliar instrumentation and composition, Eastern music seeks to transform the listener’s heart and entrance their senses, locking them into a world that is different from physical reality. For centuries, the Qawwals arrived at the courts of Mughal emperors such as Akbar or at the shrines (dargahs) and bazaars of the East to perform their devotional, intoxicating rhythms and verses.
Qawwali can be categorized into five popular types of song: a hamd which is a song in praise of the One God; a naat which is a song in praise of the Prophet (SAW); a ghazal which is a love song that explores human or romantic love, but also a longing for union with the Divine, expressing the ultimate love without parallel; a manqabat which is a song praising Imam Ali (AS) or another revered Sufi saint; a munajaat which is a show of gratitude for God, usually in the form of a conversation, originated by Jalaluddin Rumi.
Technical and formal differences aside, Qawwali is vastly different to Western music in terms of its attitude. Its central aspect is devotion, an expression of love for that which is greater than the individual, and a longing to unite with it. Sufi poets and musicians believe that repetition of the names of Allah, the Prophet (SAW), and Imam Ali (AS), can bring them closer to enlightenment, and raise their Divine awareness. This is why Qawwali singing is often repetition of names, as well as certain Quranic verses. Another prominent feature of Qawwali is the communal manner of performing it, such as sitting on the floor with the audience rather on a stage. While the West, particularly America and Britain, have encouraged the “rockstar” mindset of the modern music scene, Qawwali focuses on the community that music can create. Qawwals have always traveled and performed in large groups, usually meeting with more musicians along their journey and playing with them. It also relies on audience participation in the form of dancing or complimentary chanting.
Qawwali has historically been the primary mode of transmitting the devotional messages of Sufi philosophy, more so than books and formalized teaching. This is why Qawwali can feel so powerfully dense and moving — it carries with it the philosophy and ideas of an entire way of living.
Why has Qawwali been overlooked for so long?
First of all, it’s strongly related to Islam, and as hard as it may be to accept, most of the Western world either fears or hates Islam and anything to do with it. So it’s no surprise that music produced by its followers will be rejected by the West. This is a drastic misconception, since Sufism isn’t strictly tied to any one faith, and is more of a universal philosophy.
Secondly, there is simply a lack of translations for most Eastern music. As the world faces globalization and languages begin to fade to make room for conformity (the language for which is English), people are growing increasingly unaware of the saturated languages found across different cultures outside the globalized core. This naturally means the art and music produced by those cultures is overlooked too. Luckily, this issue can easily be solved by producing free-to-access translations to Qawwali songs. Coke Studio is a company based in Pakistan and India which promotes famous Eastern artists and songs. Their productions are usually high-budget and excellent quality, and on top of that, their music is free to stream on YouTube and Spotify. Almost all of the YouTube versions have translations to the lyrics in English. They also incorporate Western instrumentals with Eastern lyricism in their songs, so it’s a good place to start for unfamiliar listeners.
Another reason is Muslim leaders discouraging participation in Sufi ritual. And there’s a number of uncomfortable socio-political reasons for this. They have a problem with the lack of orthodoxy found in Sufism. They hate the fact that Sufism preaches tolerance between Muslims and Hindus, who have historically been enemies. And the Sufi lifestyle has always been nomadic, unpredictable, and incompatible with social norms. Not to mention, countless Sufi poets and dervishes have been persecuted and cast out of society for generations due to their rejection of strict tradition, established by scholars and self-proclaimed experts of religion. As a consequence, Sufi music has suffered the ignorance of the world.
How can we correct this?
As I see it, there’s simple steps we can take, and slightly more challenging steps, to incorporating Qawwali and Eastern lyricism into the mainstream musical sphere.
The first simple step is obvious: listen to more Qawwali. The more we listen, the more exposure the artists receive, the more successful they become, and the larger their musical influence grows. Some of my favorites are listed above, but there are literally hundreds of others to explore. Look them up, find their music, share it, and I am certain you will learn to appreciate it.
The second step applies to music producers and established companies in the industry: increase collaboration with Eastern and Sufi artists. This can take the form of hosting more concerts in Western countries, which used to be more common in the 1980s and 90s during the careers of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and the Sabri Brothers, but has slowed down since 9/11. Collaboration with Muslims over anything has become an impossibility for the West. Our music, our culture, our lives, are locked behind the invisible barrier of Islamophobia. Another thing is for prominent Western pop musicians to collaborate with Eastern artists and sponsor their work on an international level. This may be a difficult step but increased support from ordinary listeners on mainstream channels will go a long way in achieving it.
Now the more challenging steps. Listening more and collaborating more with Sufi musicians is no doubt beneficial, but is in itself a short term solution. For Qawwali to maintain its visibility in the globalized sphere, people need to overcome their fear of the Islamic faith, its messages, and its followers. The truth is, Islam preaches peace, but there have been certain uneducated members who have turned its message upside-down and used it to spread their personalized terror in the world. In my view, some of the most attentive and faithful Muslims are musicians and artists. They are the ones who possess the sensitivity to see through to its universal philosophy of love. The philosophy embodied by Sufism.
The next step from there is overcoming our fear of devotion, of connection, and of losing ourselves in the pursuit of love. This can be scary and it exposes us as individuals to notions of the world far different from the ones cultivated for us by modern society. Today, we are told to step away from emotion and function like machines towards superficial ends. It is also a tremendous challenge for an increasingly secular world, where switching your brain off and letting your heart behind the wheel is prohibited. However, it’s an attitude that can benefit us in so many ways.
Why should we allow Qawwali into our lives?
The lessons and benefits Qawwali offers us are unified under a single illuminating concept: the expansion of our notions of reality.
Qawwali introduces the world, particularly the Western sphere, to an untapped well of musical proficiency. To complex time signatures and wide ranges vocal modulation. The Qawwal masters have practiced their skills and advanced their musical talent since the ages of 6 or 7. The world’s audiences could learn a great deal from this not just about technical musical proficiency, but about long-term dedication to craft, and having the willingness to commit your life to the pursuit of that craft.
As explained earlier, the philosophy of Sufism is transmitted through Qawwali. Its lessons and timeless verses are stored in the lyricism of the songs, and in the rhythms of the instrumentals. This is why listening with focus, and with intent, can unlock the subtle lessons of the world from a fresh perspective, and engage us with individual stories of expanded awareness. Some recent songs that have done this for me are Coke Studio’s “Aadam” (Adam), “Rung” (Color), and “Tajdar-e-Haram” (Keeper of the Holy Sanctuary). Some older Pakistani and Indian songs come from artists such as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Jaani Babu Qawwal — “Jhule Jhule Lal”, “Lal Meri Pat”, “Alif Allah”, “Mast Qalandar”, and on and on and on. Though not as modern, they are no less powerful.
Sufism, above all other aspects, teaches us the lost art of devotion. In the last two centuries, humanity has broken away from commitment, and from selfless generosity, to self-infatuation and a disheartened view of life. The 9–5 clocking, investing in fragile conglomerization, and bitterly functioning towards shallow goals has driven us away from our own hearts. In an age of rampant teenage suicides and growing divorce rates, we need to recognize our primary problem: the growing lack of devotion and commitment. The best way to find the drive to be devoted, the inspiration to love blindly, is to listen to Qawwali and allow it fill you head to toe with its intoxicating emotions. And I think it’ll give us the best chance at tackling the demons of carelessness and egomania.
Qawwali shows us how our perception of reality is fragmented, far too focused on the past and future. We are never truly in the moment. And Sufism teaches us to live in the moment, because it is all we have. In the words of Jalaluddin Rumi, “everything is the moment.” Recognize your life as it is in front of you, and live for what you love. As surprising as it may sound, it is not only the Sufi masters who tell us this, but physicists and philosophers such as Einstein and Marcus Aurelius. The more you worry yourself over the future or dwell on the past, the shorter your life becomes. But soak in that joy and contentment of truly being in the moment that Qawwali inspires us to do, and it can help clarify so much of the world’s confusion.
Our ideas of the world, and the very paths we take to acquiring knowledge of reality, are challenged and called into question. Our perceptions and innate experiences are dismantled and reorganized. Our emotions and our capacity to connect with each other is amplified under the guidance of Sufism. And through Qawwali, we experience the journey with not just our minds and our ears, but with our hearts and the essence by which we call ourselves human.
SOURCES
“Sufism.” In The Oxford Dictionary of Islam. Ed. John L. Esposito. Oxford Islamic Studies Online. 12-Sep-2020. Retrieved from http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t125/e2260>.
Helminski, Kabir. “What Is Sufism?” The Threshold Society, Jeremy Tarcher, Inc., 27 June 2019, sufism.org/sufism.