qawwali

American  

[kuh-wah-lee] / kəˈwɑ li /

noun

1. a style of Sufi devotional music marked by rhythmic improvisatory repetition of a short phrase, intended to rouse participants to a state of mystical ecstasy.

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qawwali British  

/ kəˈvɑːlɪ /

noun

1. an Islamic religious song, esp in Asia

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Usage

What is qawwali? Qawwali is a style of devotional music associated with Sufism. It involves repeating a short phrase, meant to put the participants in a mystical, ecastic frame of mind.Qawwali is traditionally part of a religious gathering called a mehfil-e samā. These gatherings often take place at shrines to saints on the saints’ death anniversaries, though smaller ones can take place at other times. The singers, called qawwals, sit on the ground, singing poetry to the accompaniment of clapping, drums, and a harmonium. Qawwals also sing the name of Allah and improvise using traditional syllables assigned to particular pitches. During this improvisational section, the lead singer calls and responds to the audience, which helps build the ecstasy that qawwali is intended to invoke.Qawwali isn’t just a musical experience—it’s also a spiritual one. However, qawwali now has a growing commercial presence in pop music. Some people believe that popular qawwali is not quite the same as the more traditional spiritual experience of qawwali in religious ceremonies.

Etymology

Origin of qawwali

From Arabic, literally, utterance

Example Sentences

"Qawwali talks about stuff that wakes you up, and I related to that a lot," he told Platform.

From BBC

Growing up, Stan found an unusual template in qawwali - a form of devotional singing in Sufiism which has parallels with gospel jazz - which he says helped him understand music better.

From BBC

But that belief was challenged when he began working as a producer with famous qawwali artists such as Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.

From BBC

The music ranges from quirky pop and soul-stirring qawwali to rap - all of which draw heavily from folk traditions and classical poetry.

From BBC

Coke Studio took all of Pakistan's music - from pop to qawwali - and put it on a single platform, says Faisal Kapadia, the lead singer of Strings, a Pakistani pop band which produced four seasons of the show.

From BBC