ISLAMABAD, April 18: Al Ghazali wrote a thousand years ago that the purpose of music is to arouse longing for God and to produce states in which God reveals Himself.

The ‘Sufi Fest’ that Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) arranged here Monday evening demonstrated that Islamabad has a soul and an ear for mystic presentations when mixed with media tectonics.

The event featured soul singers from Syria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan enlivening their symphony with western and traditional musical instruments.

Perhaps, the Syrian soul magicians came out the most favourite. Their Omayyad Sufi rhythmic ensemble was the largest consisting of 17-members, including four female dancers with their daff (frames drums), three musicians, a female flutist, and also a bearded mendicant figure dressed in Sufi vestments.

As the music played on, this mendicant figure walked among the audience, eyes closed and spreading the aroma of burning incense. Some time he would chant devotional slogans as an invitation to the public to share in the rapid music.

“It was an event not to be missed,” declared musicologist Dr Adam Nayyer, who has now joined PNCA as its executive director. However, the whirling Turkish dervishes from Jalaluddin Rumi’s mausoleum gave another scintillating performance. Sheikh Naeel, director of the Turkish group, told Dawn that their demonstration was a form of zikr (remembering God Almighty). The whirling figures symbolise the rotating universe singing the Supreme Being’s praise.

One of the most powerful voices at the fest was that of Salar Aqeel of Iran, who had a dhol (a peculiar drum connected at its neck with a round base) as well as an Iranian sitar. Some among the audience remarked that Salar Aqeel sang like the famed Iranian mystic singer Sahjrayan.

Afghani ensemble of Aftab Wali Muhammad and Ghulam Hussain presented Sufi ballads about the Hindukush mountains.

Pakistani soul singer Sayeen Zahur seemed competing with the musicians from abroad. Zahur had a high-pitched voice singing 17th century ballads from Sufi poets, and also making profuse references to Bulleh Shah.

Sayeen Zahur would dance in rhythm with his songs and chanted Haq Allah to the tunes from his Iktara.

Sohni Bhagi, daughter of the legendary folk singer Mai Bhagi, came from Thar and sang heart-rending Bhakti (devotional) songs invoking peace.

Midway between the performances, PNCA director general Naeem Tahir came on the stage to commend the artistes. “It was a wonderful performance which gave the powerful message to achieve peace within oneself and peace in the world,” he said. Michael Kaisar, from the Washington John F. Kennedy Centre, Daniel Stroman, from the US State Department and US embassy official Dr Pickerel also attended the performances.

Usman Peerzada of the Rafi Peer Theatre, who organized the show at Lahore and Islamabad, said about 7,000 people joined the show each night at Lahore for four nights, showing the delight the vibrant music tradition gives to the public.—Jonaid Iqbal