qawwali

[ kuh-wah-lee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a style of Sufi devotional music marked by rhythmic improvisatory repetition of a short phrase, intended to rouse participants to a state of mystical ecstasy.

qawwali

/ kəˈvɑːlɪ /

noun

an Islamic religious song, esp in Asia

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Word History and Origins

Origin of qawwali¹

From Arabic, literally, utterance

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More About Qawwali

What is qawwali?

Qawwali is a style of devotional music associated with Sufism. It involves repeating a short phrase, meant to put the participants in a mystical, ecastic frame of mind.

Qawwali is traditionally part of a religious gathering called a mehfil-e samā. These gatherings often take place at shrines to saints on the saints’ death anniversaries, though smaller ones can take place at other times. The singers, called qawwals, sit on the ground, singing poetry to the accompaniment of clapping, drums, and a harmonium. Qawwals also sing the name of Allah and improvise using traditional syllables assigned to particular pitches. During this improvisational section, the lead singer calls and responds to the audience, which helps build the ecstasy that qawwali is intended to invoke.

Qawwali isn’t just a musical experience—it’s also a spiritual one. However, qawwali now has a growing commercial presence in pop music. Some people believe that popular qawwali is not quite the same as the more traditional spiritual experience of qawwali in religious ceremonies.

Why is qawwali important?

The first records of the term qawwali come from around the 1930s .It comes from the Urdu word qawwālī, used to describe something related to a qawwal.

Indian composer and poet Amīr Khosrow (1253–1325) is generally acknowledged as the creator of qawwali, and his works are important to the qawwali tradition. Additionally, many Persian poets contributed to the stock of qawwali songs.

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Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan not only brought qawwali to a broader audience, he produced a lot of music. He left behind hundreds of recordings, including film soundtracks by directors Martin Scorsese, Oliver Stone, and Tim Robbins and collaborations with other artists, like Peter Gabriel, Michael Brook, and Eddie Vedder.

What are real-life examples of qawwali?

If you’re curious about what qawwali sounds like, check out this video of a popular song in the style.

All the best @DanZafOfficial! Do check out Danyal’s new track ‘So Long Good Bye’ – a wonderful fusion of qawwali and hip hop https://t.co/1DJehyTB1D pic.twitter.com/LY61HVpyV7

— Humayun Saeed (@iamhumayunsaeed) February 1, 2020

Delhi's Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah witnessed a celebration of Basant Panchami, a Hindu festival that marks the spring season in India. Devotees also sang a qawwali, a centuries-old tradition. pic.twitter.com/dE4quRTwjY

— Brut India (@BrutIndia) January 31, 2020

What other words are related to qawwali?

Quiz yourself!

True or False?

Drums and harmoniums are often associated with qawwali music.

Qattara Depression Qazvin

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