qawwali
A form of Sufi devotional music originating in South Asia, characterized by call-and-response singing, hand clapping, and ecstatic intensity.
In Depth
Qawwali traces its origins to the 13th century and the Sufi mystic Amir Khusrau, who is credited with adapting Persian, Turkish, and Indian musical elements into a devotional form designed to induce spiritual ecstasy (hal or wajd). Traditional qawwali is performed by a lead singer (qawwal), one or more supporting vocalists, and an ensemble of harmonium, tabla, and dholak, with the audience participating through rhythmic clapping and vocal encouragement. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, widely regarded as the greatest qawwal of the 20th century, brought the genre to global audiences through collaborations with Peter Gabriel, Eddie Vedder, and others. A typical qawwali performance begins slowly and meditatively, then gradually intensifies through repetition, improvisation, and accelerating tempo until reaching states of ecstatic rapture. The form remains central to Sufi worship at shrines across Pakistan and India.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan could reportedly sustain a single note for several minutes without appearing to breathe, using a circular breathing technique adapted from Sufi practice.