The Sufi musical tradition, or Sama', has been used as a means of connecting with the divine for hundreds of years by incorporating poetry, songs and dances to praise God. For many mystics, this blend provides the most powerful connection to God and is considered an even higher form of worship than prayer. Religious music is not a new concept and is practiced in both Western and Eastern cultures, but many Sufis believe that this practice can cause visions of God and transport the musician and audience to a new reality. Although Sama' typically includes both auditory and kinetic features, the auditory component is considered the more important of the two; “Sama'” literally translates to “that which is heard”. Rumi, a 13th century Persian poet, was particularly inspired by the ritual and devoted an entire chapter to it in his theological texts, translated into English and condensed in The Sufi Path of Love. According to Rumi, music is at the heart of the universe or, as he puts it, “melodies derive from the rotation of the spheres.” Sama' and its intricacies are evoked in many poems, functioning as an allegory of faith through themes such as silence, spirituality and desire. Through poetry, Rumi presents his own personal theology of ritual and music itself. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Ironically, silence is the backbone of Rumi's beliefs about music. He emphasizes the importance of being empty, calm and still until what almost seems like the point of death; in fact, in a poem, aptly titled “Quietude,” he claims that silence is “the surest sign that you are dead.” This is metaphorical and symbolizes the powerful spiritual connection formed with God after a period of meditation. Yet the negative associations made from this rather macabre diction suggest that spiritual connection requires a complete disconnection from life, as if the two are mutually exclusive. In the same poem, he describes the moon as "voiceless" – a rather literal personification that encourages the desire to become like the moon – inanimate, silent and peaceful in comparison to the frenetic and noisy life of man. Silence not only connects us to nature, but also to the rest of humanity. The poem “Only Breath” begins with a list of some of the most popular religions of the time and appears as an invitation to all human beings, regardless of their origins. Rumi implies that he does not actually belong to any of these religions and that religion and identity are just small attributes that contribute to a larger whole. It suggests that the only characteristic common to all human beings is breathing – not belief, origin or opinion. The act of breathing represents unity between cultures in a world where language was often an insurmountable barrier. Silence is, in essence, humanity. Rumi even goes so far as to say that speech corrupts the human mind, as demonstrated by the allegory described in the poem “Enough Words? ". A frog swimming in a pond can only escape the deadly snake by remaining completely silent. If he croaked or even tried to imitate the snake's language, the snake would wake up. He can only reach the barley grain he seeks, the symbol of enlightenment, through silence. The paradox between Rumi's love of music and her appreciation of calm is reconcilable upon closer inspection. Many of his poems are not signed with his name, but with “khamush” or “silence”.Silence follows Rumi's message as a reminder to take the time to understand the true meaning of the poem. A period of interpretation and understanding after reading and listening is crucial; inner reflection cannot take place until the outer cacophony stops or ends. The kind of silence Rumi enjoys is not eternal; it is the quiet solitude of the post-Enlightenment period. The poem that concludes the section titled “The Night Air,” published in The Essential Rumi by Coleman Barks, summarizes this idea concisely: “There is a path between voice and presence. Where information flows. In disciplined silence, it opens. With a wandering conversation, she closes. of a stream, dammed by “stray words” and opened only by “disciplined silence.” Perhaps a better name for Rumi's "silence" would be "space", because it will always be surrounded by noise. Sama' implies silence of the same variety. Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar, an award-winning Indian classical singer, notes that in addition to the tone and rhythm of the male voice, an essential element of Sama' is shanti, or silence. This is not limited to the silence that follows a piece (after the last note rings but before the applause), but to the "silence" that occurs when the singer rests during the instrumental sections of the piece. Although the Sufi tradition relies heavily on improvisation, the song follows a general format consisting of instrumental improvisation sections that break up the lyrical verses, as well as an instrumental intro and outro. In this way, Sama' imitates this mystical value of silence; Rumi's poems pay homage to tradition and reflect the quiet solitude so essential to Sufi music. Instrumental music does not have the same implications as speech in Rumi's works. Not once does the poet mention the importance of meditating on music in the same way that speech should be contemplated. This seems contradictory, given that music and speech are essentially the same in that they are both created by humans, for humans. Furthermore, there is no specific song that everyone can relate to, unlike the universal breath. Yet Rumi seems to favor music above speech, and in one poem exhorts his readers not to "open the office door and start reading" but rather to "take out a musical instrument." Rumi suggests that this creative outlet can be used as a way to praise God, not just to entertain man. Creation itself transcends the boundaries of time and the space necessary for speech is no longer necessary. In a manner reminiscent of the comparison between man and the moon, Rumi compares the human spirit to birdsong in another poem. He expresses a desire for divine inspiration, in order to become as “ecstatic” as the birds. Here, the birdsong is not mere chatter, but the product of their love for life. Music is a gift given by Allah to humans, and vice versa. The conversation only ends when man stops listening to divine inspiration. Rumi's music is actually very similar to silence; it is a reflection on his words, a tranquility which follows the act of listening. In “Music,” Rumi writes that although he often forgets to listen, inspiration never ceases. His music is both an apology and a sign of gratitude to Allah. Again, it cannot be a coincidence that the music reflects core religious values, primarily the idea that “God will provide” as a result of prayer. While this cycle begins on the human side with the song itself acting as a symbol of prayer, the rhythm symbolizes divine inspiration..