Labib Mahfuj Chisty
Sufism is the eternal path of the human soul’s intense love for God, inner purification, and divine realization. One of the most powerful elements of this path is Sama or Sufi music—which later took the form of Qawwali in South Asia. It is not just a type of music, but a spiritual practice through which the soul of the seeker reaches the boundless realm of impersonality through sound, rhythm, and imagination.
Meaning of the word Sama (سما)
The Arabic word Sama means hearing or listening. However, in Sufi terminology, it is a musical performance that is related to the remembrance of Allah, the praise of the Prophet, and spiritual realization. Sufi saints believe that Sama, properly performed, attracts the soul to God and melts the ego.
Origin and Development of Sama and Qawwali
Although Sufi Sama originated in the Middle East, it gained wide popularity in South Asia as Qawwali. Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (RA), one of the leaders of the Chishtia Tariqa, and his disciple Hazrat Amir Khusrau (RA), are considered the founders of the Qawwali genre. Amir Khusrau developed a genre of music in Persian, Arabic and Hindavi languages that awakens the deepest feelings of the soul.
In the view of the Quran:
When they hear the remembrance of Allah, their hearts tremble…Surah Anfal 8:2
When you recite the Quran, a group of people listen with their ears…Surah Ahqaf 46:29
In the view of the Hadith:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
Beautify poetry with voice, for a beautiful voice enhances the beauty of the Quran. Tirmidhi, Kitabul Fazail.
Sama in the eyes of Sufi saints
- Imam Ghazali (RA) said,
Music that removes the turmoil of the heart, focuses the soul on Allah—it is not forbidden but a spiritual power. - Jalaluddin Rumi (RA) said,
Sama is the food of the soul, which leads the heart towards the gates of heaven. - Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya (RA) said,
When there is a song of love, there is no I and I; then there is only love.
Structure and Spiritual Meaning of Qawwali
Qawwali is a special sequence of songs where first Hamd (praise of Allah), then Naat (praise of the Prophet), and then Sufi songs of love and divine union are performed. Through this music, the saints pass through the following stages: Transcendence Tabassum (self-revelation) Fana (impersonality) Baqa (God-permanent state).
Mystical Dialogue and Music
The mystical dialogue that takes place in the music of Sufi Qawwali is multidimensional: the conversation between Allah and the servant (in the language of the lover and the beloved) the secret dialogue between the soul and the spirit in a metaphorical sense the signal of God through the beloved (the lover) the frenzy of divine love through wine or liquor Matlam i.e. intoxication – the state of Fana.
Opposition to Sama and the Sufi Response
Although some groups in history have declared music as haram, the Sufis have responded by saying: Music itself is not haram, but its purpose and effect are important. When music leads the soul towards Allah, it becomes a means of worship.
In Sufism, Sama and Qawwali are a bridge of consciousness—one that frees the soul from the prison of the body and enters the mysteries of the universe. Music here is not just a matter of taste, but a higher spiritual practice that takes people on the path of love, death, and divine union. It is a mysterious conversation, where the soul seeks its Creator through words.