The Art Of Zafin Among The Arabs Of Southeast Asia
Music and worship in Islam. A rare musical event took place in Batu Pahat in Malaysia. There an Indonesian Hadhrami group performed zafin.
MUSIC AND WORSHIP IN ISLAM: THE ART OF ZAFIN AMONG THE ARABS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA
A rare musical event recently took place in Batu Pahat in Malaysia. There, an Indonesian Hadhrami group performed "zafin" with Abdullah bin Talaab, from the bin Talaab family as solo singer.
Human life is a journey (tariqah) and music is an aid to such remembrance as we make our way on the tariqah. It helps us to discover love, peace and tranquility. The "zafin" is a music and dance form combined with poetic form.
The music ensemble consists of a solo singer, as well as instrumentalists who play the lute (ud), violin (kaman) and a variety of percussion instruments. The zafin has important social and religious significance. Zafin is rarely stagged or choreographed.
It takes place during occasions, such as weddings and mawalid, the birthday of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH). Usually there is a high degree of participation from the audience, who either dance or clap.
Zafin exemplifies an inner world ascetic outlook, that is, the combined concerns with the world and the next. This is the defining mark of the "alawiyyah tariqah", the Sufi order that most Yemeni Hadhrami Arabs belong to. One thing is certain, the art of "zafin" continues to thrive as part of Yemeni Hadhrami culture among the Yemeni Arabs of Hadhramawt in Southeast Asia.
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EXPLORE FURTHER
Music and Worship in Islam: Zafin among the Arabs of Southeast Asia, by Professor Syed Farid AlAtas, University of Singapore.
A rare musical event recently took place in Batu Pahat in Malaysia. There, an Indonesian Hadhrami group performed "zafin" with Abdullah bin Talaab, from the bin Talaab family as solo singer.
Human life is a journey (tariqah) and music is an aid to such remembrance as we make our way on the tariqah. It helps us to discover love, peace and tranquility. The "zafin" is a music and dance form combined with poetic form.
The music ensemble consists of a solo singer, as well as instrumentalists who play the lute (ud), violin (kaman) and a variety of percussion instruments. The zafin has important social and religious significance. Zafin is rarely stagged or choreographed.
It takes place during occasions, such as weddings and mawalid, the birthday of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH). Usually there is a high degree of participation from the audience, who either dance or clap.
Zafin exemplifies an inner world ascetic outlook, that is, the combined concerns with the world and the next. This is the defining mark of the "alawiyyah tariqah", the Sufi order that most Yemeni Hadhrami Arabs belong to. One thing is certain, the art of "zafin" continues to thrive as part of Yemeni Hadhrami culture among the Yemeni Arabs of Hadhramawt in Southeast Asia.
*
EXPLORE FURTHER
Music and Worship in Islam: Zafin among the Arabs of Southeast Asia, by Professor Syed Farid AlAtas, University of Singapore.
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