Madeeh is a song-like recitation of Islamic poetry praising

Allah Allah (; ar, الله, translit=Allāh, ) is the common Arabic word for God. In the English language, the word generally refers to God in Islam. The word is thought to be derived by contraction from '' al- ilāh'', which means "the god", an ...

and the Islamic prophet

Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 Common Era, CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Muhammad in Islam, Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet Divine inspiration, di ...

Ethnomusicologist Ethnomusicology is the study of music from the cultural and social aspects of the people who make it. It encompasses distinct theoretical and methodical approaches that emphasize cultural, social, material, cognitive, biological, and other dim ...

Artur Simon described ''madeeh'' as "praise, praise poem, glorification and, in this context, praise hymn in honour of Allah and Muhammad. It is usually recited by one male performer or a small group of men and may be accompanied by

hand clapping A clap is the percussive sound made by striking together two flat surfaces, as in the body parts of humans or animals. Humans clap with the palms of their hands, often quickly and repeatedly to express appreciation or approval (see applause), b ...

or traditional hand drums.

Religious practice in Islamic societies

The poetic

lyrics Lyrics are words that make up a song, usually consisting of verses and choruses. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist. The words to an extended musical composition such as an opera are, however, usually known as a "libretto" and their writer, a ...

of ''madeeh'' typically express emotional religiosity akin to Sufi rituals or moral religious concepts. Usually they are performed in private celebrations or public festivities, such as the mawlid-an-Nabi, but may also be heard in the alleys of traditional markets. Similar in religious expression, ''madeeh'' is different from the communal performance of '' dhikr'' recitations. Other forms of group performances in the musical culture of Sudan, Egypt and other communities in East Africa or the Middle East are called '' zār'' or ''tambura'' and are performed by women only.

Religious practice in Islamic societies

See also

References

Further reading