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The Music
SUFI, SUFISM &MUSIC WITH CD
DISTANCE EDUCATION COURSE DESIGN BY NAVEED WASSAN. SMI UNIVERSITY KARACHI SINDH
Naveed Ahmed Wassan

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCATION ...................................................................................... 3
AKNOWELEDGE……………………………………………………………………………………..4
CHAPTER-1 ………………………………………………………………….5-6
MUSIC
MUSIC IN PAKISTAN
CATEGORIZE OF MUSIC
INSTRUMENT OF MUSIC ………………………………………………...7-11
CHAPTER-2………………………………………………………………..12-17
SUFI
SUFISM
SUFI MUSIM
ASSESSMENT ………………………………………………………………..18

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Introduction
This booklet will give you the information you need to know about music, regional music,
Sufi music, Sufis and Sufism.
The key to successes these programs to participation not many people know about the music,
regional music, Sufi music, Sufis and Sufism. Thus I provide the material which helps the
student understand.
The material provide in this booklet is straightforward, understandable, and inferable which
guides the students know about the music, regional music, Sufi music Sufis and Sufism.
The most effective thing to know about these is education. Through the education student can
understand the ethical, social & cultural values.

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ACKNOWLEDGE
THIS COURSE DESIGN FOR INCREASE ETHICAL, WISDOM,
PEACE, LOVE, & SPIRIT
In this course we focus on different types of music such as classical music, pop music, folk music
(traditional music) but specially focus on Sufi music and also little bit about Sufi & Sufisuim.

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CHAPTER 1
Music
The word music comes from the Greek mousikê by way of the Latin musica. It is ultimately
derived from mousa, the Greek word for muse. In ancient Greece, the word mousikê was
used to mean any of the arts or sciences governed by the Muses. Later, in Rome, ars
musica embraced poetry as well as instrument-oriented music. The concept of musica was
split into three major kinds by the fifth century philosopher, Boethius: musica
universalis, musica humana, and musica instrumentalis. Of those, only the last—musica
instrumentalis—referred to music as performed sound.
Music as kind of universal language it doesn't matter if you don't understand the lyrics, the
melody is always able to let you understand what the song is about and feel the emotions.
Music in Pakistan
Pakistan has inherited musical traditions that go far back into history. Pakistani music takes
influences from Central Asian, Arabic, Indian, English, South Asian, Persian and Turkish
music. Pakistani music and musical instruments is a serenade of melody and rhythm
composed in a delightful manner. Pakistan has a wide range of musical genres and musical
instruments which forms the core of our music industry. The music of Pakistan is probably
one of the most diverse selections of music in the whole world within one country; Pakistani
genres like Sufi rock and bhangra have become popular throughout the United Kingdom, the
United States, and Canada and around the world. With the multiple influences, Pakistani
music has emerged as a "fusion" of many other types of sounds together to form a distinctly
Pakistani sound. Pakistani musicians now sell records not only in Pakistan but in many
countries around the world.
Music categorized into following musical genre:
1. Classical Music
2. Filmy Music
3. Folk Music
4. Pop/Rock Music
5. Qawwalis / Sufi music

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1: CLASSICAL MUSIC
The classical music of Pakistan follows melodic modes called ragas and rhythmic modes
called talas. In instrumental music it is customary to start with a long alap in free rhythm
where the soloist improvises in exploration of the chosen raga and expresses its particular
mood. Then the drum begins, and the soloist presents a fixed composition (gat), to which he
returns quite frequently, in between allowing his imagination to develop such improvisation
as his mood and the parameters of music permit.
2: FOLK MUSIC
Music that originates in traditional popular culture or that is written in such a style. Folk
music is typically of unknown authorship and is transmitted orally from generation to
generation.
3: GHAZAL MUSIC
Ghazal is the name of a poetic form, but musically "Ghazal Gayaki" refers to the form of
music in whicha poem is sung. Ghazal Gayaki is often termed semi-classical music. Most
Ghazal singers are trained in classical music and sing in either Khyal or Thumri. Mehdi
Hassan Khan Sahib was considered the greatest Ghazal singer in South Asia and was globally
4: QAWWALI MUSIC
One of the most dynamic and popular types of music is qawwali, which has been
internationally popularized. Qawwali is a form of Sufi music and exists in multiple forms.
Qawwali refers to both the performance and the genre of music. Qawwalis are traditionally
led by a sheikh and are meant to help the audience realize the mystical ideals of Sufism and
Islam. Amir Khusrau is said to have invented qawwali in the 13th century; the legendary poet
and composer is also said to have invented the tabla and sitar. The idea of music inspiring an
understanding and love for the divine and communication with spiritual guides.
5: PAKISTANI POP MUSIC:
Pop music which is attracts because it is a wonderful mixture of beautiful genre of  music
which include Classical music, and western versions of Jazz,Rock and Roll, Hip Hop, and
Disco. It all started by Ahmad Rushdi’s “KO KO KORINA” in 1966.
6: FILMI MUSIC:
Music was either written especially for the purpose of film

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INSTRUMENTSOF MUSIC
ALGHOZA:
This instrument consists of a pair of flutes of nearly the same length and width. One flute is
used for a continuous drone, while the other is played to produce a melody. The Alghoza has six
holes. The Alghoza originated in Sindh, but its popularity has spread all over Pakistan. Many of
the tunes presented on this instrument are composed in the raga Bheem Pilasi, which is sung
soon after sunset. Bheem Pilasi emanates a romantic mood and is an intense expression of
longing and waiting for the beloved.
BANSURI
The Bansuri, or flute, is one of the most primitive instruments of Pakistan. It is played by
holding it horizontally against the lips. It has six holes, which are closed and opened with the
finger-pads in accordance with the melodic phrases. The thumb below supports the flute. The
typical flute has a slanting mouthpiece that can easily rest between lips. The notes of the higher
register are produced by accurately controlling the apertures and by contracting the lips to blow
a narrow stream of air.
Sain Allah Ditta Qadri is known for his flute playing, and Salamat Hussain is a meritorious
flutist who has won the President's Pride of Performance medal.
BORRINDO
Borrindo is a hollow clay ball with three to four holes. The top hole is larger than the others,
which should be of the same size. The holes are arranged in an isosceles triangular form. The
borrindo is made of clay commonly available in most of the central Indus Valley, and is thus
often used in Sindh. This simply constructed instrument is sometimes made by children in the
region. Artisans make larger borrindos with intricate designs and fire the clay. The notes for
music are produced by blowing across the largest hole, while fingering the smaller holes to
produce specific notes
CHANG
The chang is a jaw harp made of iron. The player puts part of the frame in the mouth, with open
jaws, so that the chamber of the mouth amplifies the sound. The chung is vibrated with touches
of the musician's fingers, with different tempos producing varying rhythms and tones
CHIMTA
The chimta is a pair of fire-tongs still used in Pakistani homes. The chimta used by performers
is approximately one metre long. It is played by hitting the tongs against each other and
slapping a large iron ring at the bottom against the tongs. Popular in Punjab and Sindh, it is used
mostly as an accompaniment to folk and mystic songs.

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CHAPAROON
Chaparoon are a pair of rectangular wooden pieces, about 6 inches wide and 3 centimeters thick.
This is held by the player in one hand and hit together to produce rhythmic beats
DHUL / DHOL / DHOLE / DHOLAK
The Dhol or drum, which means "lover" in some regional languages, is a rhythm instrument
enjoying wide popularity in both town and countryside. The Dhol was originally used for
communication over long distances for community announcements and to summon
congregations. Today, the instrument is played on a variety of occasions, such as folk festivals,
dances, horse and Catel shows, rural sports, wrestling matches, weddings, etc.
The Dhol is a two-headed, hollowed-out piece of wood covered with goat skin. It is beaten with
wooden sticks and is certainly an instrument of great antiquity.
DILO / GHARA
The Ghara of Punjab (dilo or changer in Sindh, mangay in NWFP, and noot in Kashmir) is
actually a baked clay pitcher normally used for storing drinking water. Used to produce a fast
rhythm, it is one of the most primitive percussion instruments known.
The height of a ghara ranges form 30 to 35 centimeters, with a girth of 80 to 90 centimeters.
The diameter of the mouth is 8 to 10 centimeters. A metallic ghara is known as a gagar or
matki. The performer sits on floor, places the instrument in front of his knees or on his lap with
its mouth up, and beats the side wall with the fingers of the right hand while the left hand strikes
the mouth to produce a stronger ground beat.
Ghara is also used by village people as a float for swimming. The swimmer holds the hollow pot
under the belly, its mouth down, and swims across a river or stream. A popular folk song of
Punjab takes its name from the ghara. It is associated with the romanctic folk tale of Sohni and
Mahinwal. Sohni used a garha to swim across the river Chenab.
HARMONIUM
The harmonium is a keyboard instrument. Thin metal tongues vibrate to a steady current of air
produced by pumping the bellows. The harmonium has a three-octave keyboard.
This compact organ was introduced in the early 19th century by European missionaries to sing
hymns in remote villages, where it was impossible to carry a heavy church organ. Later, it
became a part of the music of the subcontinent. The harmonium in its present form has
completely vanished from the musical scene in the western countries of its origin. In Pakistan,
the harmonium is very popular as an accompaniment to solo singing and Qawwali singing.

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MURLI / PUNJI
The Murli or Punji is a wind instrument which consists of two parts; the upper part is made of a
dried and hollowed gourd which acts as the main sound chamber. The lower part is constructed
from two reed pipes which are joined together into a double barrel form and positioned below
the sound chamber. On most of these instruments the reed section has eight holes, which are
used to play tones for music. However, in some parts of Sindh there is an additional hole in the
lower back end of the right pipe. This instrument is known as a Murli in Sindh, and a Punji in
other parts of Pakistan. It is most commonly recognized for its popular use by snake charmers
throughout South Asia
NAGHARA
The term 'naghara' is the Sindhi form of the Arabic naqqarah. The rounded section of the
naghara is made of baked clay, while the flat side consists of treated skin which is fastened
around the rim with string which is tightened over the back of the bowl.
This percussion instruments is often played in pairs, where one naghara will produce low pitch
beats called nar (the male) and the other for the high pitch bcats (the female). The instruments
are beaten with short wooden sticks bent outward at the upper ends, called damka
RUBAB
The Rubab is a plucked string lute with frets on the upper end of the fingerboard. Its hollow
body is made of wood, and the sound chamber is covered with goat skin. The melody is played
upon strings made of gut, beneath which are a number of resonating metallic strings called
tarab.This instrument is very popular throughout northwest Pakistan. Folk ballads, romantic
songs and popular mystic poetry are sung to the accompaniment of the Rubab. The music most
frequently presented on this instrument is a Pashto folk form called lobha. The most famous
instrumentalist of the Frontier, Taj Muhammad, is an acknowledged expert on the Rubab.
A more evolved form of this instrument is in use in Azad Kashmir. The Kashmiri Rubab is more
complex, having a larger number of strings and resonators. It is beautifully decorated by artisans
with ivory or mother-of-pearl motifs.
SARANGI
The sarangi is a classical bow instrument made of wood, 65 to 70 centimeters in height, with
about three dozen strings of gut, steel and brass. It is played with a horsehair bow held in the
right hand. The richness and variety of sound produced by this instrument has given it its name,
which means "the one with a hundred colours." Besides being used as an accompaniment, the
instrument has an independent identity and can be played solo, accompanied by the tabla.
The sarangi was chosen to present a famous classical raga, Mian Ki Malhar. This raga, created
by the chief court musician of the Moghal Emperor Akbar, Mian Tan Sen, in the 16th century
AD, is traditionally sung in the rainy season. -

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In Pakistan, Ustad Bandu Khan was a consummate exponent of both the theory and practice of
sarangi playing. Other performers of note include two brothers, Ustad Hamid Hussain and Ustad
Zahid Hussain, who learned the art from their father, Ustad Abid Hussain, and their maternal
grandfather, Ustad Haider Bukhsh. Their style of playing is famous for its purity of notes and
delicate rendering of melody.
SHAHNAI / SHARNI
The shahnai is a double-ree wind instrument consisting of a hollow tube between 35 to 47
centimetres in length, widened toward the lower end, to which a plate of bell metal is fitted. The
Sharnai is an instrument for occasions of joy and festivity. A Sharnai player typically belongs to
a professional group of musicians and performers traditionally called Mirasi.
The Sharnai is a wind instrument often used in Sindh as an accompaniment of the Dhul. In the
past it was also called a Karnai. The body of the Sharnai is made of wood with an inserted reed
sounding device. The instrument has eight holes arranged in a straight line and a ninth hole,
called the babiho, positioned below on the back side. There are three varieties of the Sharnai: 1)
The Ghazzi is the smallest variety, approximately 6 inches long, and is used for playing the
mourning tunes for Muharram. 2) Sharnai is the medium variety, approximately 8 inches long,
and the most common form in the Indus Valley. 3) The Mutta, about 10 inches long, is the form
most popular in more northern areas of Pakistan such as the Multan region
SIROZE
The siroze is the medium-size local fiddle of northwest Baluchistan. This stringed instrument is
also popular in Sindh and NWFP, where it is known as sorendo and sarinda respectively.
Sachoo Khan is considered to be the finest exponent of the siroze. He studied under his maternal
uncle.
TABLA
The tabla is a set of twin drums. While occasionally played solo, it is an indispensible
accompaniment for all types of music in Pakistan.
The drum played by the right hand is the main drum, called the the dayan, while the one played
by the left hand is known as the bayan or dugga/duggi. Both drums are covered with goat skin.
In the centre is a black circle, the siyahi, about 5 centimeters in diameter, which is made by
pasting iron slag powder on the skin surface. Its purpose is to tune the drum to the correct pitch.
TAMBOORO
invented a simple musical instrument and called it "Tambooro" which is popular all over the
Sindh
TALYOON
These are a pair of small brass discs, with a 2 to 3 inches in size. The Talyoon are often played
in accompaniment to either instrumental or vocal music, & popular in the Sindh region

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YAKTARO
The Yaktaro is traditionally a Sindhi 'single-stringed' instrument. The Yaktaro is fashioned from
a spherical gourd, often a pumpkin, which is dried, cut, and emptied. A piece of prepared skin is
fastened over the open part of the gourd, and a long wooden rod is inserted in the sound
chamber. The strings are usually made of steel secured around wooden rods and pegs, and held
by a semi-circular support of clay or metal which is positioned on the skin surface. Played as a
string instrument, the pitch of the tone is adjusted with the end pegs.

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CHAPTER 2
THE SUFIS
The word Sufi is derived from Safa meaning pure, purified of ignorance, superstition,
selfishness, and devotion, as well as free from limitations of caste, creed, race, and nation.
The Sufis believe in God as the Absolute, the only Being; and that all creation is the
manifestation of His nature. There have been Sufis at all periods of human history. Though
they have lived in different parts of the world, speaking different languages and born into
different faiths and beliefs, they have recognized and sympathized with each other, through
the oneness of their understanding. Yet with their deep knowledge of the world and of
spiritual mysteries, they have concealed their beliefs from the multitude, and have pursued in
secret their way of attainment to the highest bliss.
Sindh is known as ‘the land of 124,000 saints and dervishes, both Muslim and Hindu. It is
because of the Sufis that Sindh is called the cradle of love and peace. The Sufi saints have
large following among Muslims and Hindus of every stratum. A number of Hindus come
from India and other parts of the world to pay homage to different shrines. There is no place
for religious differences among Sufis- and hasn't been since the centuries old link between
the people of Sindh and Sufism. This spiritualism offers a world without sectarian, ethnic and
communal difference. It is due to this hold of mysticism on Sindh culture, there is hardly any
religious or sectarian frenzy in the interior of Sindh as compared to other parts of Pakistan.
.LOVE
The greatest principle of Sufism is, 'Ishq Allah, Ma'bud Allah' (God is love, lover, and
beloved). When Ahad, the only Being, became conscious of his Wahdat, only existence,
through His own consciousness, then' His predisposition of love made Him project Himself
to establish His dual aspect, that He might be able to love someone. This made God the lover,
and manifestation the beloved; the next inversion makes manifestation the lover, and God the
beloved. This force of love has been working through several evolutions and involutions,
which end in man who is the ultimate aim of God. The dual aspect of God is significant in
Zát and Sifat, in spirit and matter, and in the mineral, vegetable, animal, and human
kingdoms, wherein the two sexes, male and female, are clearly represented. The dual aspect
of God is symbolized by each form of this wonderful world. This whole universe, internally
and externally, is governed by the source of love, which are sometimes the cause and
sometimes the effect. The producer and the product are one, and that One is nothing but love.
'A church, a temple or a Ka'ba stone,
Qur'an or Bible or a martyr's bone,
All these and more my heart can tolerate,
Since my religion now is Love alone' (Abul Ala).

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Sufis take the course of love and devotion to accomplish their highest aim, because it is love
which has brought man from the world of unity to the world of variety, and the same force
can take him back again to the world of unity from that of variety. Love is that state of mind
in which the consciousness of the lover is merged in that of the object of his love; it produces
in the lover all the attributes of humanity, such as resignation, renunciation, humility,
kindness, contentment, patience, virtue, calmness, gentleness, charity, faithfulness, bravery,
by which the devotee becomes harmonized with the Absolute. As one of God's beloved, a
path is opened for his heavenly journey: at the end he arrives at oneness with God, and his
whole individuality is dissolved in the ocean of eternal bliss where even the conception of
God and man disappears.
THE HEART AND SOUL
Man's heart is the throne of God. The heart is not only a physical organ but is also the
function of feeling, placed in the midst of the body and soul. The heart of flesh is the
instrument which first receives the feeling of the soul, and transmits its effect through the
whole body. There are four aspects of the heart:
1. Arsh — the happiness of the will
2. Kursi — the seat of justice and feature
3. Lawh — the source of motivation
4. Kalam — the source of feeling
ECSTASY
Ecstasy is called Wajad by Sufis: it is especially cultivated among the Chishtis. This bliss is
the sign of spiritual development and also the opening for all inspirations and powers. This is
the state of eternal peace, which purifies from all sins. Only the most advanced Sufis can
experience Wajad. Although it is the most blissful and fascinating state, those who give
themselves entirely to it become unbalanced, for too much of anything is undesirable; as the
day's labor is a necessary precursor of the night's rest, so it is better to enjoy this spiritual
bliss only after the due performance of worldly duties.
Sufis generally enjoy Wajad while listening to music called Qawwali, special music
producing emotions of love, fear, desire, repentance, etc.
There are five aspects of Wajad: Wajad of dervishes, which produces a rhythmic motion of
the body; Wajad of idealists, expressed by a thrilling sensation of the body, tears and sighs;
Wajad of devotees, which creates an exalted state in the physical and mental body; Wajad of
saints, which creates perfect calm and peace; and Wajad of prophets, the realization of the
highest consciousness called Sadrat al Manteha. One who by the favor of the Murshid arrives
at the state of Wajad is undoubtedly the most blessed soul and deserves all adoration. Sound
and music occupy an important place in the life of most Sufis. It is a tool for the believer

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to get closer to God, dissolving the physical realm into the spiritual one by polishing the
heart and enhancing the spiritual aspect of the human being over the physical being.
However not all schools emphasize this. DHIKR, or God's remembrance, "MAWLID
ANNABAWI," praising and blessings of the prophet are what Sufis concentrate on.
Depending on the different "TARIQUATS" or "schools of thought," it is done out loud
or within the silence of the heart. DHIKR is also considered as a form of meditation to
connect to God and draw the divine energy into the world of matter. "MAWLID," for
some, is the expression of love one has towards the prophet, or for others it could also be
to embody His qualities and to testify to God that He delivered the message He was
entrusted to deliver.
SUFISM
Sufism, as a religious philosophy of love, harmony, and beauty, aims at
expanding the soul of man until the realization of the beauty of all creation enables
him to become as perfect an expression of divine harmony as possible. Sufism is a
path of spiritual advancement. By a process of purification, Sufi practices allow
light to enter our hearts and our faculties of awareness. This may lead to the
development of our innate spiritual and intuitive abilities, in the same way that
when you open a window to a dark room light floods in and you can suddenly see
more. Thus the practice of Sufism leads to a growth of realization an increase in our
self awareness and our awareness of the universe we live in. We become less level
to acting and thinking in conditioned ways. This in turn leads to a self
transformation a transformation in the way we conduct ourselves and interact with
the world. We find peace and contentment and a growing awareness of a Higher
Plan. Ultimately, the Sufi path brings us closer to the Supreme Reality, which is
God.
According to the Sufis, man is asleep. By this, they mean than the vast majority of us are
unaware to the realities of life and death, existence and God, and we live life as if in a dream
or a symbol. And yet the other side of sleep is wakefulness, and Sufis also teach that mankind
is equipped with understated centers of realization which are largely unused, but which can
gradually be awakened through practical guidance and sincere effort. Once awakened, these
inner faculties of perception enable us to witness realities which previously appeared to us as
obscure mysteries. It is possible to move into the light when previously we were in the dark.
Sufism is the path of the gradual awakening of the heart, whereby we turn away from all that
is not real, and live in Reality. This was the condition that Muhammad (peace be upon him)
described when he said, “My eyes sleep but my heart does not sleep” (Sahih Bukhari,
3.32.230). Sufism is the spiritual aspect of Islam. Those who follow the Sufi path strive to
follow both the inner and the outer aspects of Islam with ever-increasing sincerity. Indeed,
another name for Sufism is simply Ihsan, or “sincerity”.

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A SUFI RITUAL THE WHIRLING DERVISHES
A dervish is a Sufi who has removed himself from the society at large, and lives in blissful
isolation, often with other dervishes. They have completely dedicated themselves to loving
God and seeing God in human nature and nature in general. Music, to them, is existence
itself, and they play and hear it with a different perception than even other Sufis. When they
listen to music in an activity called sam'a, they enter an assembly of initiates that is closed to
non-initiates. They concentrate fully on the music. The most famous and profound dervish
ritual is a whirling dance that causes the practitioners to enter an ecstatic state, in which they
believe to see God at the climax. This ritual is primarily centered in Turkey, and when
hearing about Turkish Sufis or Whirling Dervishes, the terms are usually presented
synonymously, although the Whirling Dervish ritual is also performed in Egypt and other
countries in the region. The whirlers wear a camel's-felt cylindrical headdress that symbolizes
the tombstone of their ego. The choreography and general order of the ritual is called sema,
and it consists of seven parts. They are helpful themselves to the truth of God. They then
cross their arms and stands erect, reflecting the number one that symbolizes God's unity.
The whirling represents two things. Revolution is observed by the Sufis to be a major element
in the universe, as are vibration, rhythm, and harmony. Revolution is present in man from the
very foundation of the atoms in his body, and man revolves through life the same way the
Earth revolves around the Sun. Man revolves around God, as do all things, but since man is
aware he is able to modernize this relationship through the whirling ritual. The whirling also
represents man's spiritual rise towards perfection, deserting the personality. After returning
from this state, he is able to serve all of creation regardless of species, race, gender, and
religion.

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WHAT IS SUFI MUSIC?
Sufi music is the devotional music of the Sufis, inspired by the works of Sufi poets, like
Rumi, Hafiz, Bulleh Shah, Amir Khusrow and Khwaja Ghulam Farid. Qawwali is the most
well known form of Sufi music and is mostly common in parts of Pakistan, Bangladesh and
India.
Sufi music means any music that connects with the heart. It is the music of submission and
surrender that bonds humans to God and transcends all religious boundaries". Contemporary
singers like the late Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Abida Parveen from Pakistan, Indian
Shubha Mugal, Mohammed El-Sheikh Juma of Sudan, Roomi of Iran, Whirling Dervishes of
Turkey, Baul singers from Bangladesh
Sufism is the mystical and ancient of Islam that emphasizes the seeker's path toward ecstatic
unity with God. This path is richly overstated with many means to "remembering God," (also
transliterated as zhikr), including chanting the names of God, prayer, meditation, poetry,
Qur’an recitation, praise and music. Sufi music is not about entertainment; it is more about
spirituality. Its powerful lyrics talk about reaching the divine by spreading love and harmony.
With tension and turmoil all around today, the works of Sufi saints and mystics are more
relevant than ever.
Hundreds of years after being relegated to the background, the mystical Sufi music of the
14th century is staging a resounding comeback. A unique style of singing that transports
listeners into spiritual ecstasy. Not bound by any particular religious belief, Sufism is a
philosophy that glorifies every religion as the path to righteousness. It gives priority to love
for humanity above everything else. Credit for its spread must go to the energy-charged
music that sends both the singer and listeners into a spiritual daze
MUSIC AMONG SUFIS
Music is called Ghiza-i-ruh, the food of the soul, by Sufis. Music being the most divine art
elevates the soul to the higher spirit; music itself being unseen soon reaches the unseen; just
as only the diamond can break the diamond, so musical vibrations are used to make the
physical and mental vibrations inactive, in order that the Sufi may be elevated to the spiritual
spheres. Music consists of vibrations which have involved from the top to the bottom, and if
they would only be systematically used, they could be evolved from the bottom to the top.
Real music is known only to the most gifted ones. Music has five aspects:
1. Tarab — music which induces motion of the body (artistic)
2. Raga — music which requests to the intellect (scientific)
3. Qul — music which creates feelings (emotional)
4. Nida — music heard in vision (motivating)

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5. Saut — music in the conceptual (outer space)
Music has always been the favorite Sufi means of spiritual development. Rumi, the author of
the Masnavi, introduced music into his Maulvi Order, and enjoyed the memory of his blessed
murshid's association while listening to it. Since that time music has become the second
subject of Sufi practices. They declare that it creates harmony in both worlds and brings
eternal peace. The great mystic of India, Khwaja Moin-ud-Din Chishti, introduced music into
his Chishtia Order. Even today musical entertainments for the elevation of the soul,
called Suma, are held among Sufis.
SINGING CULTURE
what started in dargahs and mazaars years ago has today metamorphosed into a singing
culture. Hazrat Moinnudin Chishti, Hazrat Khwaja Bakhtiar Kaki, Hazrat Nizamuddin-
Auliya, Baba Farid , shah Abdul latif , molana Rumi & Amir Khusrau have all been great
Sufi poets who spread their message through hymns and Qawwalis. Sufi music varies from
region to region. Its spread is attributed to Fakirs who travelled to different parts of the
country and picked up regional shade and styles. The oldest and the most widely admired is
the Qawwali developed by the Chishti clan and later popularized by Amir Khusro. Punjab’s
Bulleh Shah, one of the most revered Sufi saints had an inimitable style of singing. Avadh,
Rajasthan and Kashmir had their own distinct formats.
Internationally, the greatest influence of Sufi music has been on Iran. It also found acceptance
in Turkey, Sudan and even Israel. At every place it created its own separate order by
combination with the local culture and using local dialect to spread its message. According to
some scholars, Sufism was meant to spread Islam and its true code of belief; others are of the
view that it is not associated with any particular religion. It is divine communication and for
this it just takes the help of any religion. Today the great Iranian Sufi saint and poet Rumi is
among the largest selling authors in America. Sufi schools of thought have sprung-up in
places like Amsterdam and Boston; there is the Sufi way of dressing, Sufi food and even Sufi
lifestyle.