Islamic Art: Music & Sufism

Sufism: Artistic Spirituality The underlying aspects of Sufi practices deal primarily with the idea that Sufis undergo a series of physical, psychological as well as spiritual rituals and these disciplines further impact the transition to the Garden of Truth. (Nasr, ¬The Garden of Truth). Sufism is known to be the most spiritual and divine sect of Islam. “Sufism is simply the esoterism of Islam, or its inward dimension.” (Burkhardt) These unique Sufi practices are demonstrated through various acts of prayer including the dhikr, which means invocation, or the remembrance of Allah and this repetition of the Divine Name usually coincides with fikr, which coincidentally means meditation. Essentially, both of these practices are performed in a majalis, or gathering or Sufis in which they partake in Sufi songs and dance in order to bring the Divine Presence into one’s body. In other words, these acts were considered as a form of mysticism, which basically means that a direct and interpersonal experience of Allah can be experienced through self-discovery and meditation. The practices that occur at the majalis vary with each Sufi order, but the quintessential meaning is the same, and that is that Sufi music has universally influenced the world and has bridged the gap between both the Western world and the Islamic world. The renowned scholar, Seyyed Hossein Nasr quotes a man he deeply admires, Yehudi Menuhin, who said, “Sufi music is like ladder that connects the soul to Allah.” This ultimately shows the importance that music has on Sufism. In addition, Nasr also states that there must be conditions set for each particular Sufi order to participate in the spiritual concert, or sama’. This word serves as the paramount idea relating to Sufi ideals such as love and longing for Allah and is accredited to the famous Sufi poet, Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī. Spiritual music is universal; it plays a huge role