26 Comments

It is beautiful, I am not familiar with the language there yet but I love listening to others there recite or sing. I would love to just listen to it all day if there was something that I could listen to.

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I think we can all relate to it on some deeper level — something about beauty draws us in.

If you're after more music like this then search the songs of Mohammad-Reza Shajarian on Youtube. I linked one of his videos above, but you could listen to his music for hours on end. I think you'll love this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnI4R9Bdl3g

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Thank you Ali, I am listening to this now…Its beautiful.

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If you have others, please pass them on to me..

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I was recently introduced to this one, and it has become one of my favourites. It's a combination of Persian and Arabic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iPhsO033oY

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I love it. I put this on during work and listen. Its amazing and I love them.

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بلبل نيم كه نعره زنم درد سر كنم

قمرى نيم كه طوق به گردن در آورم

پروانه نيستم كه بسوزم بگرد شمع

شمعم كه جاں گدازم و دم بر نياورم

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Nice! Who is the poet?

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What does it mean 🥹

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I think I'll leave that for a future post :) Looking again it appears to be an extract of a poetic back-and-forth between Jahangir and his consort NurJahan, so I'll probably translate more of it.

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I'm not a nightgale, causing headaches by shouting;

I'm a dove to taking off the ring around my neck;

I'm not a moth to burn while orbiting around the candle;

Rather I'm the candle: my life essence burns (inwardly) whilst not uttering a single word.

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Thank you! And what an interesting poem. Esp the first line lol, quite a comical image.

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I don't know. I read it in one of the letters of my grand teacher.

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I just did a quick search. It appears to be the poetry of the Mughal Emperor, Jahangir :)

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Lovely post.

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Glad you enjoyed it :)

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Damn that man can sing. Thank you for the translation! Love the Persian/Turkish style maqaams.

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Like I love them in general, I'm assuming he's using very Persian maqams.

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Thank God for the bursts of beauty in an otherwise seemingly profane world! 🙂

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Indeed! Videos like this never fail to remind me of the beauty around us, if we only pause to perceive it.

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Discovering this newsletter is a godsend as I have just discovered sufi practice and meditation. Was just reading some of the poems and wondered how they might sound. It reminds me of living in Andalucía where people would burst out in flamenco song wherever you went. Flamenco music undoubtedly has Persian roots!

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I've just read your piece 'Poetry and Devotion', and I have to say the feeling is certainly mutual! I learnt heaps from that piece, and I'm learning more from this comment as well :)

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Thank you so much for sharing this, what a wonderful sound that man is creating!

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The pleasure is all mine :) If you enjoyed his voice then I'm certain you'll love this. I've been listening to it on repeat for a few weeks now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iPhsO033oY

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Wow, yes I enjoyed that so much! I'm listening to more of them now, thank you :)

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So glad you enjoyed it :) Feel free to share any favourites here.

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