Undoubtedly the most popular qawwali singer of all time was the Pakistani-born Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The transcendent nature of the poetic lyrics, in combination with a vivacious musical base and the participatory act of Sama, stirs ecstatic feelings of mystical adoration among both performers and audience members alike. Qawwali is intended to affect heightened spirituality through ritualized listening known as Sama. Qawwali songs are devotional songs that extol Islamic virtues and shower praise upon Allah.
Qawwali, the mystical music of Indian and Pakistani Sufism, is rooted in song forms that are over 700 years old.
