Qawwali Music
A Tradition
Music and religion have always had a strong connection and the Indo-Islamic Qawwali Music performed by the Sufi sect of Islam is one such form of music. Music is seen as a vital devotional act integral to the ritual practice of Sufism and Sufis use
“Music as a way to subvert the sense of individuality and achieve a temporary sense of unity with the divine” — Ulaby, Grove Music Online
Qawwali Music
Qawwali refers to both the ritual of performing music as well as the actual music itself. The lyrics of the Qawwalis are usually mystical poetry of classical mysticism in Farsi, devotional Sufism in Hindi or composed poetry in Urdu and the vocalization of the names of God. The poetry is recorded in writing but Qawwali is generally an oral tradition with memorized repertory.
“Poetry and music as two contradicting domains of knowledge ‘ilm-e-safina’ (knowledge of written page) and ‘ilm-e-sina’ (the knowledge of memory)”
Qawwalis are performed by a group of hereditary professional musicians called Qawwals. They are led by one or two Qawwals and the others accompany them. The structure of the Qawwali alternates between solo and group passages characterized by repetition and improvisation. Most Qawwalis have a drum accompaniment by the dholak, a double-headed hand drum made of goat skin, and hand clapping. The strong drum beat is used to intensify emotional arousal. A harmonium is also used to underscore the melody. Qawwalis follow the general form of having an instrumental prelude on the harmonium, and introductory verse sung as solo without drums, and then the poem performed by the entire group set to a strophic tune.
Qawwali as an Occasion
Qawwali as an occasion is for the gathering of Sufis. The purpose is for realizing the ideal of Islamic mysticism through the ritual of sama or listening to the Qawwali music. It is used as a religious function to arouse mystical love, gain divine ecstasy and enhance the core experience of Sufism. It is held under the guidance of a spiritual leader, and attended by Sufi devotees but open to everyone. Musicians adapt and change structure of the Qawwali to activate and reinforce emotions of the listeners. The rituals ,usually held at Sufi lodges or saint shrines, include dancing which consist of ecstatic movements of the body, head and arms combined with simple steps and are recognized as spontaneous emotion caused by experience of the divine.
Chaap Tilak Sab Cheeni
“Chaap Tilak Sab Cheeni” is a Qawwali performed by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, a famous Pakistani Qawwali singer. The lyrics are a poem written by Amir Khusrau, a thirteenth century Sufi mystic, about his teacher Nizamudin Awilya . As with Khusrau, many Qawwals place themselves as the adorer or lover and God as the lover they are singing about. The English translation of the lyrics are:
“My beloved, you have stolen my appearance, my self, by casting one glance on me.
You have spoken the unspoken, by casting one glance on me.
You have made me drink wine of love from your tavern of devotion.
You have made in drunk in your love, just by a single look of you.
My white and beautiful wrists with green bangles
They have been taken off by you, with once glance of yours
I have devoted by my entire life to you, my clothdyer,
You have colour dyed me like yourself, with once glance of yours
My whole life is for you Oh, Nizam [Nizamudin Awliya R.A.]
You have made me your bride, by casting a glance on me.” — Ravi Magazine
The form of the piece follows the general form of a Qawwali with an instrumental start, a section with just a solo singer introducing the melody of the piece and then the actual melody with the accompanying group Qawwals. With the mystical lyrics and alluring voice of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan evoking an emotion in the listener, it’s not hard to image how music can put you in a spiritual state.
References
Baldick, Julian. 2012. Mystical islam: An Introduction to Sufism. I.B. Tauris.
Blum, Stephen, and Philip Vilas Bohlman, and Daniel M. Neuman. 1993. Ethnomusicology and Modern Music History. University of Illinois Press.
“Chaapp Tilak Sab Cheeni: Hazrat Amir Khursu’s timeless masterpiece — Ravi Magazine”. Ravi Magazine. 2017–10–25. Retrieved 2017–10–28.
Mir, Raza. 2014. The Taste of Words: An Introduction to Urdu Poetry. Penguin UK.
Neubauer, Eckhard, and Veronica Doubleday. 2001 “Islamic religious music.” Grove Music Online. <accessed March 26, 2019>
Qureshi, Regula. “”Muslim Devotional”: Popular Religious Music and Muslim Identity under British, Indian and Pakistani Hegemony.” Asian Music 24, no. 1 (1992): 111–21.
Qureshi, Regula. 1986. Sufi Music of India and Pakistan: Sound, Context and Meaning in Qawwali, Volume 1. CUP Archive.
Ulaby, Laith. 2013 “Islam.” Grove Music Online. <accessed March 26, 2019>
Discography
Khan, Nusrat Fateh Ali. 1997. “Chaap tilak Sab Cheeni” from the album 50 Greatest Hits Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Sufi & Ghazals. Accessed March 26, 2019. <https://itunes.apple.com>
