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Dance And Music In Islam Term Paper

Though the sema is performed for an audience, the main goal is not to entertain, but instead for the individual dancer to recognize his or her submission to God, to ultimately enter into a state of nirvana and to join together with the forces of nature and connect with God, and then to finally descend back to earth to the humble task of being a servant. It isn't about letting go of any kind of control, but it is designed to allow the practitioner to escape the mundane for a few moments, and to provide them with something to reflect on in prayer after the dance is complete. The Qu'ran states, "Say, 'Who prohibited the nice things God has created for His creatures, and the good provisions?' Say,' such provisions are to be enjoyed in THIS life by those who BELIEVE. Moreover, the good provisions will be exclusively theirs on the Day of resurrection.' We thus explain the revelations for people who know." (Qu'ran 7:32). Through this verse we see that those who use the gifts of voice and movement that was granted to us by God as a tool to worship are more demonstrative of their appreciation of God's work, and therefore closer to God than those who would ignore these blessings. The ability to make music is a divine gift, and the best way to thank such a loving and profound gift is to use it to worship the individual who gave it to us. Worship that does not include the use of such...

In the eyes of these worshippers it's possible that not including music and dance in a form of worship is not enough to truly demonstrate how great God is, and how thankful we need to be in the face of such greatness.
Through the examples of the Qari, we can see how fundamentally musical the work of the Qu'ran itself is. This idea demonstrates how music is an integral element in God's word. Since God created the world, man, and the Qu'ran, it seems a logical conclusion that God wished man to celebrate the musical elements of the world, within and without himself. This concept provides the inspiration for practitioners such as The Whirling Dervishes and the Quwallis to use their God-given gifts to show their appreciation for God's creation, and to worship Him by utilizing these blessings in the best way they can find.

Works Cited

The Holy Quran with English Translation and Commentary. Ed. Mahmud Ahmad

Bashiruddin. 5 vols. Tilford, Surrey: Islam International Publications, 1988.

Sadler, A. Mysticism and Devotion in the Music of the Qawwali. New York: Performing

Arts Program of the Asia Society, 1974.

Shiloah, Amnon. Music in Islam: A Socio-Cultural History. London: Ashgate Publishing,

Sources used in this document:
Works Cited

The Holy Quran with English Translation and Commentary. Ed. Mahmud Ahmad

Bashiruddin. 5 vols. Tilford, Surrey: Islam International Publications, 1988.

Sadler, A. Mysticism and Devotion in the Music of the Qawwali. New York: Performing

Arts Program of the Asia Society, 1974.
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