Naat

Islamic religious music and recitation encompasses the sacred vocal arts of Islam, centered on Qur'an recitation (tilāwah/tajwīd), the call to prayer (adhān), devotional chant (dhikr), praise poetry (madīh, na‘t), and paraliturgical song traditions such as nasheed, qasidah, and Sufi samā‘. While many Muslims distinguish Qur'anic recitation from "music" and regard it as a unique sacred art bound by rules of tajwīd and pious intent, its sound-world overlaps with regional musical systems (especially the Arabic maqām tradition) through modal nuance, melisma, and ornamentation. Across regions, the genre ranges from unaccompanied, metrically free recitation and adhān, to percussion-accompanied nasheed, and to more elaborate Sufi traditions (e.g., qawwali) with call-and-response, rhythmic cycles, and ecstatic crescendos—all unified by devotional texts, ethical themes, and reverence for the divine.

Devotional is a broad South Asian musical genre centered on spiritual praise, meditation, and communal worship. It encompasses a range of forms—such as bhajans, abhangs, kirtans, and Sufi songs—that are designed to invoke the divine, cultivate devotion (bhakti), and foster collective participation. Musically, Devotional draws on raga-based melodies, cyclical tala (meter), and a drone foundation (tanpura or shruti box), while accommodating both austere chant-like settings and richly ornamented, improvisatory singing. Performances may be solo or call-and-response, accompanied by harmonium, tabla/dholak, handclaps, cymbals (manjira), or mridangam, and rendered in many languages including Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Bengali, and Urdu. Modern recordings range from traditional temple and dargah repertoires to studio-produced devotional pop and global kirtan, with arrangements that can include acoustic guitars, keyboards, and ambient textures. The lyrical focus remains on praise, remembrance of divine names, surrender, and moral or philosophical reflection.

Nasheed is a form of Islamic devotional song centered on the human voice and text. Traditionally performed a cappella or with minimal percussion (most commonly the frame drum/duff), it conveys praise of God, love of the Prophet Muhammad, ethical instruction, and communal or spiritual reflection. Stylistically, nasheed draws on melodic contours associated with Middle Eastern maqām traditions and favors clear diction, call-and-response refrains, unison choruses, and melismatic ornamentation. While a conservative practice discourages melodic instruments, a contemporary current permits fuller pop arrangements, resulting in a spectrum from austere, chant-like performances to polished, radio-friendly productions. Nasheeds are sung in many languages—Arabic, Urdu, English, Turkish, Malay/Indonesian, and others—allowing the genre to function as a global bridge between traditional religiosity and modern musical idioms.

Qawwali is a Sufi devotional vocal music from the Indian subcontinent that aims to evoke spiritual ecstasy and communal devotion. It is typically performed by a lead singer (qawwal) with a small ensemble of accompanying vocalists, harmoniums, handclaps, and percussion such as dholak and tabla. Musically, Qawwali blends raga-based melodic frameworks and flexible, improvisatory singing with driving rhythms and responsorial choruses. Texts are drawn from Urdu, Persian, Punjabi, and other North Indian languages, and include ghazals, kafis, hamds (praise of God), naats (praise of the Prophet), and manqabats (praise of Sufi saints). Performances traditionally take place at Sufi shrines (dargahs), where repetition, call-and-response, and gradual intensification lead listeners toward wajd (states of spiritual ecstasy). In the modern era, Qawwali is also heard on concert stages, recordings, and film.

Sufiana Kalam (also called Sufiana Mousiqi) is the classical Sufi music tradition of the Kashmir Valley. It blends Persian maqam-based melody with local Kashmiri vocal aesthetics and devotional poetry, producing an inward-looking, contemplative music aimed at spiritual refinement. Performances typically feature an ensemble with santoor (hammered dulcimer), saz-e-Kashmir or sehtar (long‑necked lute), sarangi (bowed lute), and a clay goblet drum known as the wasool, with voices carrying melismatic lines in Kashmiri, Persian, and Urdu. The repertoire sets mystical verse—hamd, naʿt, manqabat, and ghazal—within modal frameworks and cyclical rhythms, cultivating a gentle but purposeful sense of trance and devotion.

Sholawat is an Indonesian Islamic devotional song tradition centered on lyrical praises and blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad (salawat). It bridges Arabic liturgical poetry with local musical aesthetics, most commonly voiced in Arabic and Indonesian. Traditionally performed in pesantren (Islamic boarding schools), mosques, and community gatherings such as maulid and haul commemorations, sholawat relies on call-and-response vocals and frame-drum ensembles (rebana/terbangan, hadrah, marawis). In contemporary practice, it also appears in pop-influenced formats with keyboards, oud (gambus), violin, bass, and light percussion, making it accessible to younger audiences while retaining its devotional core. Melodically, sholawat often draws on maqam (modal) flavors such as Hijaz, Bayati, and Nahawand, with ornamental, melismatic singing. Its rhythmic palette spans simple 2/4 and 4/4 grooves to Middle Eastern-derived patterns (e.g., malfuf and wahda), adapted to Indonesian ensemble practices.

Taraneem (Arabic for 'hymns' or 'chants') refers to the genre of Arabic Christian spiritual songs used in worship, praise, and liturgical settings across the Middle East. Distinct from the strictly liturgical 'Alhan' (ancient Coptic or Byzantine chants), Taraneem encompasses a wide range of musical styles from traditional maqam-based melodies to contemporary pop, rock, and orchestral arrangements. The lyrics are invariably in Arabic (either Standard or colloquial dialects like Egyptian or Lebanese) and focus on biblical themes, adoration of Jesus, and stories of the saints. It serves as the primary musical expression for Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox communities in non-liturgical meetings and youth gatherings.

Qasidah modern is an Indonesian Islamic popular music style that modernizes the Arabic qasidah tradition of devotional poetry and song. It blends Middle Eastern melodic shapes and percussion with Indonesian popular idioms such as dangdut, gambus orchestra textures, and easy‑to‑sing verse–chorus forms. Performances often feature a lead singer and a female vocal chorus in call‑and‑response, supported by rebana/frame drums, darbuka, violin, accordion or organ/keyboard, bass, and occasionally oud or guitar. Melodies commonly hint at maqam colors (for example Phrygian‑dominant/Hijaz inflections) while keeping harmonies largely diatonic and accessible to mass audiences. Lyrically, qasidah modern focuses on dakwah (religious outreach), moral advice, social harmony, and piety, frequently alternating Bahasa Indonesia with Arabic refrains. The style thrived in the cassette era and remains a staple at Islamic community gatherings, festivals, and televised religious programming.