Qawwali is a type of religious music from South Asia. It began in Sufi shrines across the Indian subcontinent and is now well-known in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. Since the late 20th century, it has become popular worldwide.

Families who have passed down the tradition continue to perform Qawwali in religious settings. However, the music also gained international attention because of artists like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Aziz Mian, and Sabri Brothers. Their music was released by the Real World record label and later performed at WOMAD festivals. Other well-known Qawwali singers include the Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad duo, Abdullah Manzoor Niazi, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Badar Miandad, Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali Group, Qutbi Brothers, the late Amjad Sabri, Qawwal Bahauddin Qutbuddin, Najm Saif and Brothers, Aziz Naza, and others.

Among these artists, the Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad duo, Abdullah Manzoor Niazi, Qawwal Bahauddin Qutbuddin, and Najm Saif and Brothers belong to the famous "Qawwal Bachon ka Gharana" tradition. This tradition started in Delhi before 1947 and moved to Pakistan after the Partition of British India.

Terminology

Qawl (Arabic: قَوْل) is a statement or saying from Muhammad. A Qawwāl is a person who repeats or sings these sayings. Qawwali is the type of music that Qawwāls perform.

Origins

The Delhi Sultanate's Sufi teacher Amir Khusrow of the Chisti order is known for combining Persian, Arabic, Turkic, and Indian traditions in the late 13th century in India to create Qawwali, a type of music still practiced today. The word "sama" is still used in Central Asia and Turkey to describe music similar to Qawwali. In India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, the formal name for a Qawwali session is "Mehfil-e-Sama."

At first, Qawwali did not include musical instruments. Rules were set for Qawwali at first, and Sufi teachers like Nizamuddin Auliya, who taught Amir Khusrow, clearly stated that music was not allowed.

Over time, however, musical instruments became part of Qawwali. Instruments such as the harmonium, tabla, and dholak are now commonly used in many Qawwali performances.

Historical practice and training

Traditional Qawwali practice is based on family-based training, where qawwals are members of a service group linked to a specific shrine. Their main role at the shrine is to help with official events, especially the special gatherings called Urs, which mark the death anniversaries of Sufi saints.

Qawwali aims to help people experience Sufi mystical love through religious songs and poetry. This practice is allowed in a category called non-musiqa, as described by Islamic scholar Lois Lamya al-Faruqi. Although qawwals are important in rituals, they are still seen as part of the servant class.

Qawwals are trained in two main ways: (1) through a group called a bradri, where they learn music basics, and (2) in Sufi teaching groups usually for higher classes, where they study Sufism. To perform their role, they need to be able to read and understand poetry and spiritual ideas.

Qawwali repertory

Ethnomusicologist Regula Qureshi explains that qawwali music has two types of songs: "old" tunes (purānī dhuneṅ, purānī bandisheṅ) and "tunes of nowadays" (ājkal kī dhuneṅ). "Old" songs can be used with many different poems. Some are "special" (makhsūs, khās) songs tied to specific poems. Qureshi also includes "typical Qawwal tunes" (Qawwālī kī thet dhunen) in this group, which are songs that can be adapted to different poems based on their musical structure.

Qawwali songs are mostly written in Persian, Urdu, and Hindi. However, Sufi poetry is also written in local languages, such as Punjabi, Saraiki, and dialects like Braj Bhasha and Awadhi. Qawwali songs in regional languages may sound very different from mainstream qawwali. For example, Chhote Babu Qawwal sings in a style closer to Bengali Baul music than to the style of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

The main themes of qawwali are love, devotion, and longing for the Divine. Sufi poets often use everyday images to describe spiritual love. This means songs may mention ideas like romantic longing, wine, or drunkenness, which are metaphors for spiritual experiences. Qawwals must ensure these songs remain focused on religious themes during performances.

Qawwali songs are grouped into categories based on their content:

• Qaul: A basic ritual song in Sufism, often used to begin or end a qawwali performance. It contains sayings about the Prophet Muhammad and is required at qawwali events.
• Hamd: A song praising Allah. It usually comes after required hymns and starts the main part of the performance.
• Na`at: A song praising Muhammad. It follows the hamd.
• Manqabat: A song praising Imam Ali or a Sufi saint. These are sung at both Sunni and Shi'a gatherings and follow the na`at.
• Marsiya: A song mourning the death of Imam Husayn’s family during the Battle of Karbala. It is only performed at Shi'a gatherings.
• Ghazal: A love song based on a poetic form. It uses repeated lines and themes like unrequited love, nature, and wine. In qawwali, these themes represent spiritual longing and joy in loving the Divine.
• Kafi: A poem in Punjabi, Seraiki, or Sindhi, written in the style of poets like Sultan Bahoo and Bulleh Shah. Examples include "Ni Main Jana Jogi De Naal" and "Mera Piya Ghar Aaya."
• Munajaat: A prayer-like song where the singer thanks Allah. It is often in Persian and is attributed to Mawlana Jalāl-ad-Dīn Rumi.

Composition of a Qawwali party

A group of qawwali musicians, called a party or Humnawa in Urdu, usually has eight or nine men. This group includes a lead singer, one or two side singers, one or two harmoniums (which may be played by the lead singer, side singer, or another person), and percussion. If there is one percussionist, they play the tabla and dholak, often using their dominant hand for the tabla and the other hand for the dholak. If there are two percussionists, one might play the tabla and the other the dholak. A chorus of four or five men also joins the group. They repeat key verses and help the percussionists by clapping their hands.

The performers sit with their legs crossed on the ground in two rows. The lead singer, side singers, and harmonium players sit in the front row. The chorus and percussionists sit in the back row.

Before the harmonium was introduced, qawwalis were usually accompanied by the sarangi. The sarangi needed to be adjusted between songs, but the harmonium did not. This made the harmonium more popular over time.

Traditionally, women were not allowed to sing in Muslim music because they were not permitted to perform in front of men. However, this has changed. Female singers like Abida Parveen are now accepted and popular. Despite this, qawwali remains mostly performed by men, and there are still few female qawwals in mainstream music.

Musical structure of Qawwali

The longest recorded commercially released qawwali is slightly over 115 minutes long (Hashr Ke Roz Yeh Poochhunga by Aziz Mian Qawwal). The qawwali expert Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan has at least two songs that are more than 60 minutes long.

Qawwalis often begin softly and gradually increase in energy to help musicians and listeners enter a trance-like state. Most qawwalis are based on a raga from the Hindustani classical music tradition. Songs are typically arranged in the following way:

• They begin with an instrumental prelude where the main melody is played on the harmonium, accompanied by the tabla, and may include variations of the melody that are made up on the spot.
• Next comes the alap, a long, tonal melody that is improvised. During this part, singers hum long notes in the raga of the song to be performed.
• The lead singer then sings some introductory verses that are not part of the main song but are related to it. These verses are sung without rhythm, following the raga, and are accompanied only by the harmonium. After the lead singer sings a verse, a side singer repeats it, possibly adding their own improvisation. This process is repeated several times before moving to the main song.
• When the main song begins, the tabla, dholak, and clapping start. All singers join in to perform the repeating parts of the song. The lyrics of the main verses are not improvised; they are often traditional songs shared by many groups, especially those from the same musical lineage. However, the melodies are slightly changed within the main tune. As the song continues, the lead singer or a side singer may perform an alap. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan also introduced the practice of singing sargam (notes sung as words) during this part. The song usually increases in speed and intensity, with singers competing to perform more complex vocal techniques. Some singers may sing long sections of sargam, especially when alternating with a student singer. The songs typically end abruptly.

The singing style of qawwali differs from Western styles in several ways. For example, when words begin with an "m," Western singers usually emphasize the vowel after the "m," while qawwali singers often hold the "m" sound, creating a softer tone. In qawwali, there is no clear difference between chest voice (lower tones) and head voice (higher tones). Instead, qawwals sing very loudly and forcefully, allowing them to use their chest voice for higher notes than is common in Western singing. This often results in a sound that is louder or more strained than what is typical in Western music.

Notable Qawwals of the past 70 years

• Aziz Mian
• Badar Ali Khan, (also known as Badar Miandad)
• Bahauddin Qutbuddin
• Fateh Ali Khan
• Prabha Bharti
• Habib Painter
• Iqbal Hussain Khan Bandanawazi
• Munshi Raziuddin
• Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
• Sabri Brothers
• Wadali Brothers
• Warsi Brothers
• Qutbi Brothers

Current and recent Qawwals

• Ateeq Hussain Khan
• Abdullah Manzoor Niazi
• Faiz Ali Faiz
• Fareed Ayaz
• Dhruv Sangari
• Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
• Sukhawat Ali Khan
• Rizwan Muazzam
• Waheed and Naveed Chishti
• Warsi Brothers
• Qutbi Brothers
• Tahir Faridi Qawwal
• Aminah Chishti Qawwal
• Amjad Sabri
• Abida Parveen
• Sanam Marvi
• Nooran Sisters
• Abi Sampa
• Saami Brothers