British Forum for Ethnomusicology
The Sacred Music of Islam: Samā' in the Persian Sufi TraditionAuthor(s): Leonard LewisohnSource:
British Journal of Ethnomusicology,
Vol. 6 (1997), pp. 1-33Published by: British Forum for EthnomusicologyStable URL:
Accessed: 08/04/2009 12:33
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BRITISH OURNALOFETHNOMUSICOLOGY
The
sacred
music
of
Islam:
Sama'
in
the
Persian
Sufi
tradition
LeonardLewisohn
The creation ofaspecificliturgy, composedofprayer,litanies,singing,music andsometimesdance,known asSamd',integratingmusic into thepracticeofmeditation,s animportantaspectofthecontemplativeifein Islamic Sufism. Theessayexploresthebasictheologicalandmysticalconceptsof Samd'.Part1discussesaudition n Islamictheology,where three schoolsofscholarsexisted:advocates,adversariesandmoderates.Theviewsoftheadvocates-theSufis-arediscussed,and inparticular, eyworks on Samd'bythePersians Ahmad b. Muhammadal-TfisiandAbuHamidal-Ghazali. Part 2explorestheidea of the Sacredand thepreconditionswhich themysticmustobserve whilelisteningtomusic,analysingTusi andGhazali'sunderstandingofthethreeconditions("righttime,placeandcompany")of Samd'.Part 3examinestherelationofmusic topoetryinIslamicmysticism.Part4exploresthe relation of Koraniccantillation tosinging, poetryandSamd'. Part 5discussesthecontemplativefruitsofaudition,therelationshipofecstasy(wajd)to tranceexperiences,and the attitudeofthe Koranand theProphetMuhammadodance,oftenconsideredanintegralpartof Samd'.Knowthat heartsand consciencesare treasuriesofsecretsandminesofjewels. Wrappedwithinthem lie theirjewelsjustasfireisenvelopedin ironandstone,and hidden like water is concealed under dust and loam.There isnowayofextractingsuchhiddenthingssavebytheflintandsteelofauditiontopoetryand music(sama'),and there isnoentrance to the heartsavebytheantechamberofthe ears. Somusicaltones,measuredandpleasing, bringforthwhat isinit andmake evident ts beautiesanddefects.AbulHamidal-Ghazalin.d.:237,also cf.Macdonald1901-2a:199)
1Sami'in Islamictheology
ThegreathistorianofIslamicmusic H.G.Farmer1942,intro.:)once describedthe "interminabledebate betweenMuslimlegistsconcerningtheproprietyof
'audition
(al-samd')',
ormoreproperly'musical
audition',"
asbeing"probablythemostinterestingof Arabicpolemicalliterature." or overa millenniumthisdebatehasgeneratednterminablepinionsandargumentsroand conbyleading
1
VOL. 6
1997
2British JournalofEthnomusicology,vol.6(1997)
Islamictheologians, urists,philosophersndmystics.1FromheveryearliestdaysofIslam,one findsanumberof authoritieswho endorsedhelegalityoflisteningtomusicand anumber of others whorejectedall music asimmoralandirreligious,aswell asthosewho maintainedhe"goldenmean"nthisdebate-inturnadvocates,adversaries ndmoderates.Writerswhobelongedtofirstcategory-staunchadvocatesof thelegalityofmusic-werefirst andforemostheMuslimmysticsorSufis,to whommusicwasaspiritual taple,notmerelyapermissiblehaldl)but arequiredeligiouspractice(wdjib)."Thequestionof thesignificanceandlegitimacyofmusic in thetotalstructureof theIslamictradition,"S.H. Nasr(1987:153-4)pointsout,"isnotmerely juridicalortheological.Itinvolves most ofall theinner andspiritualaspectofIslam,andthereforewhatevermbiguitiesxist on thejuridicalevel,theultimateanswer,especiallyas farasthe relationof music to Islamicspiritualitysconcerned,must besoughtabove all inSufism."Prof. Nasr'sobservation sveryimportantokeepin mind since it was theSufis with theirSamda'eremonieswhobecamethe chiefguardiansandpatronsof Islamicmusicthroughoutperiodsofhistorywhenpuritanismdominatedhesocialfabric of Muslimsocietyand thecultivationof music wasdiscouraged.Fromitsvery beginnings,Persian andTurkish classical musichas beenassociatedwith the Samd'ceremony;2oththepoetsandthemusicianswere oftenofaSufibackgroundFeldman1993:243-66;Michon1991:494).NotonlydidnumerousPersianSufispractiseSamai'as anintegralpartof theircontemplativeandspiritualmethod,onealsofinds renownedtheologianswhosupportedhepracticeandarguedfor itsvalidityfrom atheologicalstandpoint,3erhapsthemost famousofwhomwasAbu HamidMuhammadal-Ghazali(d.505/1111).Followingapersonalcrisis offaith n which "hedoubtedhevalidityof all he wasteachingofreligiousore,"and foundhisspiritualurecouldonlybeeffected"byacceptinga moraldecision towithdraw ndlaynewbases forhislifethroughSufipractices"(Hodgson1977,11:181),GhazalicomposedThe Revivalofthe
ReligiousSciences(Ihya''ulumal-din),hisgreatestwork whichearnedforhim
thesobriquet"ProofofIslam",with which(intheSunniworldatleast)hehasever sincebeenacclaimedAn entire book(seeGhazalin.d.,II)of thismonumentalencyclopediawasdevotedto the defence of Samd'.Hismystical
'Forasummaryoverviewofthe entiregamutofthemesfound in therelevantIslamic traditionsandinteachingsofprotagonistsofthe fourgreategalschools andtheideologicaldebateswhichhave evolvedas aresult,see Shiloah1995:31-44.2Schimmel(1975:325)pointsoutthat"the intenselove formusic thatthe Mevlevis inheritedfrom theirmaster Jalaluddinhasinspiredmanyclassicalmusiciansandcomposersin theOttomanEmpire.Infact,the bestpiecesofTurkishclasscialmusic,such asthoseby'Itri(17thcentury),werecomposedbyartistswhowereeither membersof,or at leastlooselyconnectedwith,the order."3Tocitebut oneexample,IbnKhaldund.1406),who"clearlyshared theviewofmost oftheculturedelite of his timewhorealisedthat Sufismwas the essence ofIslam,"asCasewit(1985:182)pointsout,vindicatedhevalue ofmysticalconcerts(seeIbnKhaldun1958, I:230-1).Fora general accountofthehistoryofopposingviewpoints concerningaudition,seeGribetz(1991:43-62).
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Sacred Music of Islam
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