A primer on Sufism

Sufi Singer Sain Zahoor

Asian Arts Agency intern Alison brings you a quick guide to Sufi music!

Sufi music is the devotional music of Sufism, a mystical part of Islam that deals with the purification of the inner self. Sufi teacher Ahmad ibn Ajiba once defined Sufism as “a science through which one can know how to travel into the presence of the Divine, purify one’s inner self from filth, and beautify it with a variety of praiseworthy traits”.

For Sufi followers around the world, music and singing is at the heart of expressing their devotion to God. The devotional practices of Sufis vary widely, and also include art, poetry, recitation, dance and meditation.

Although Sufi music is most common in the Indian subcontinent, various forms exist around the world in Turkey, Senegal, North Africa, and even as far away as Indonesia.

The most well known style of Sufi music is Qawwali, a distinctive fusion of devotional poetry and Hindustani music, as made famous throughout the world through the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. It is often inspired by the works of famous Sufi poets, such as Rumi, Hafiz and Khwaja Ghulam Farid.

British Historian William Dalrymple travelled around the world exploring Sufi music in all its forms in the 2005 documentary Sufi Soul: The Mystic Music of Islam, which you can find on YouTube.

If you want to experience this spiritual and entrancing style of music live for yourself, you’re in luck! You can catch leading Pakistani Sufi musician, and 2006 BBC World Music Award winner, Sain Zahoor on his full UK tour starting this weekend.

Sun 27 Sep – Barbican, London
Tue 29 Sep – Colston Hall, Bristol
Wed 30 Sep – Symphony Hall, Birmingham
Thu 1 Oct – Howard Assembly Room, Leeds
Sun 4 Oct – Saif Ul Maluk Festival, Bradford
Mon 5 Oct – Burnley Arts Centre, Burnley
Tue 6 Oct – Lakeside Arts, Nottingham

Further information and all tickets available HERE.

Share this page
Latest events
Roopa Panesar & Gurdain Rayatt

Norwegian debut concert for the leading sitarist, performing in the MelaKlassisk strand of the Mela.

Read more
Roopa Panesar: ATMA

The celebrated sitar player performs a special intimate show.

Read more
Jyotsna Srikanth: Carnatic Nomad

Europe’s foremost South Indian Carnatic violinist, renowned for her versatility and innovation.

Read more
News
Spotify
South Asian Music Training and Development Programme – APPLY NOW

Are you a South Asian musician, artist, songwriter or record producer looking to build a…

March 25, 2025 3:30 pm

Read more >
We’re looking for a Marketing Manager

Want to join our team?  We are looking for a new Marketing Manager. We are…

December 20, 2024 1:57 pm

Read more >
Remembering the Legendary Zakir Hussain Ji

Today, we pay tribute to the unparalleled tabla maestro Zakir Hussain Ji, who sadly passed…

December 16, 2024 10:46 am

Read more >