Sama' Sufi Song

Type: Book+CD - Introduction, Translation from Arabic, notes and choice of recordings by Mr. Chabry - Editions: La Caravane

Samâ' , the art of spiritual chanting, is one of the most visible practices of Sufism, but it is not necessarily the best known. Whether it is expressing an ineffable spiritual state of contemplation of divine reality, singing the love of God, the Prophet or the men of God, this art inextricably mixes doctrine , method and emotion, the musical envelope serving as a vehicle for spiritual states of a completely different order.

Through a selection of poems characteristic of Maghreb Sufi singing, presented in a bilingual Arabic-French version and accompanied by an introduction and very useful explanatory notes in this area where allusion reigns supreme, this The work aims to lift a corner of the veil on the nature of this art, its methods, in all their diversity, its musical technique, which comes, as far as Maghreb sama is concerned, from ancient Arab-Andalusian music, but also its doctrinal background, which draws on the universal heritage of Sufi spirituality.

Among the authors chosen, let us cite among the ancients: Sîdî Abû Madyan , `Umar Ibn al-Fârid or Shushtarî , and closer to us: Al-Harrâq , Abû Ya`zâ l-Mahâjî , Muhammad Ibn al-Bûzaydî , Ahmad al- `Alawî and `Adda Bentounès .

To concretely illustrate the theme of this book, but also to taste the subtle flavor of this “music of the Spirit”, this book is accompanied by an audio CD of “raw” recordings stripped of all artificiality, made in a manner very rudimentary and improvised during popular Sufi meetings in different regions of the Maghreb.