It is also seen as an energetic musical performance including subtle body movement of Sufi poetry aiming to provide the listeners with a state of religious trance, to achieve spiritual union with God....
spirituality
Qawwali was introduced to the world in the thirteenth century, but qawwali gained worldwide prominence in the twentieth century because famous Qawwals such as Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Sabri brothers and later, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan redefined it as an art form, making it global. Qawwali is devotional music focusing on expressing the mystical Sufi practice of Islam in South Asia. It is also seen as an energetic musical performance including subtle body movement of Sufi poetry aiming to provide the listeners with a state of religious trance, to achieve spiritual union with God.
The word Sufi itself is derived from the Arabic word ‘Suf’ which means wool. Some early prominent Sufi figures were Al-Kharraz, Hasan Al-Basri, and Rabia, and all of them played a pivotal role in influencing and forming what we know Sufism today.
The journey of attaining the spiritual path toward direct knowledge, is cited as ‘tariqa’ which varies around the world. Certain tariqas such as the Mevlevi order in Turkey founded by Jalaluddin Rumi is famous for their whirling dervishes. It is part of their famous Sama (listening) ceremony. Sama is an extremely famous Sufi ceremony performed as part of meditation and dhikr (remembrance of God). The majority of these performances include playing instruments, singing, dancing, recitation of poetry, and other rituals. It is performed in multiple Sufi tariqas not only across Turkey but around the world and continues to play a major and important role in Sufi ceremonies.
In South Asia, however, a very famous form of Sama is Qawwali, being prominent in the Chishti and Qadiriyyah tariqas. Both of these tariqas are famous in India and Pakistan and Sufis have had qawwali play an important role for them. In a typical setting, there are eight or nine crew members of the qawwal entourage, playing music with harmoniums, tabla, and dholak. In addition, the crew is led by a main vocalist, supported by a small ensemble of chorus singers, much like the choir, who take turns weaving in several different melodies, most of which is improvised to the tune and beats of the performance. The goal of qawwali has always been to evoke a transcendent feeling in one’s spirit to invoke a desire to be closer to God. However, considering its perception as an art form for the wider world, especially in the genre of music, qawwali has evolved for commercial consumption with a diversified and secular audience leaning towards providing entertainment, rather than its original goal. Even though certain artists such as Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan kept the tradition and true meaning alive of this form of Sama, it soon turned into something not meant for evolving one’s spiritual elevation but rather just simple entertainment.
Regardless of such fame and success, Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, throughout his life, remained a traditional qawwali singer who respected its roots and original meaning by continuing to play at Sufi shrines while also performing around the great concert halls of Europe, United States and Asia. This dramatic shift and evolution of qawwali itself has caused much of the movement to lose its credibility of being a Sufi ceremony and form of Sama to attain spiritual ecstasy. However, in many shrines across India and Pakistan, this tradition is being kept alive with its original goal intact.
A very famous qawwali by Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan entailing multiple themes regarding Sufism is ‘Ye Jo Halka Halka Suroor Hai’ released in 1982 at the zenith of his stardom. It goes over multiple Sufism themes, such as the concepts of Sukr (intoxication) and Sahw (sobriety), the concept of Ishq (passionate love), and lastly the concept of being a Faqir (ascetic). All of these have been alluded to or highlighted in this qawwali by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
The lyrics also explain Nusrat’s feelings towards God and how he was completely immersed in that love. This alludes to the concept of being a faqir, which means leading an ascetic life and abandoning all worldly desires. This qawwali highlights the main theme in Sufism itself, of how one can only achieve true enlightenment if they let go of their desires of this world and become one with God to go back to their original pure source known as Fana. Fana in Sufism is seen as self-annihilation or passing away. It is the complete denial of oneself and the realisation of Tawheed (oneness) of God, leading to the final stage, which is attaining union with God.
In conclusion, Sama over the years has played a pivotal and major role as a ceremony in Sufism, it has influenced not only culture in South Asia but also entertainment on a global scale.
The writer is a student of economics and political science at the University of California, Davis and can be reached at rafaywaqar2004@gmail.com
