Melodies and rhythms serve as vessels of sacred expression, carrying seekers beyond the physical realm.

What Music Means in Sufism

Music has always been a bridge between the earthly and the divine, a thread that connects the human heart to the mysteries of existence. Across spiritual traditions, melodies and rhythms serve as vessels of sacred expression, carrying seekers beyond the physical realm. In Sufism, this connection is not just art—it is devotion in its purest form, a sacred practice that transcends sound and becomes a spiritual experience.

At the heart of Sufi musical traditions lies sama‘, the practice of deep listening and ecstatic music, which has been a pillar of Sufi spirituality for centuries. Originating as early as the tenth or eleventh century, sama‘ is more than just a performance—it is a journey of the soul. A typical session begins with the gentle stir of music, often accompanied by the recitation of mystical poetry. As the rhythm intensifies, participants chant divine names or phrases (dhikr), immersing themselves in remembrance and drawing closer to a state of spiritual awakening.

While sama‘ is a structured ritual, Sufi music also exists beyond formal gatherings. Whether performed in intimate circles of seekers or grand concert halls, its purpose remains the same—to elevate the soul. The power of Sufi music lies not just in its poetic verses or hypnotic rhythms, but in its ability to remind both musician and listener that the sacred is not only the source of the melody but also its final destination.

Explore Sufi Music from the Circles of Seekers

The source of the sacred is within and without, in silence and in sound. Here we offer a selection of sacred sufi music from the Nimatullahi Sufi Order.

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Love's Breeze

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Tony May
Davod Azad

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I Love You (Ich Liebe Dich)

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Mirjam Widmann
Hassan Bakhshayi

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I Am Drunk from Head to Toe

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Pouyan Biglar
Vafa Ratebi
Ali Nurbakhsh
Sahar Zibaei

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In Memory of the Precious Beloved

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Hamed Zoheyri
Masiha Akramy
Mastaneh Zoheyri

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My Moon

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Jill Smith
Rita Fabrizio

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Divan-e Shams

Rumi
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Soleyman (Soli) Vaseghi
Mehdi Davoodvandi

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Verses from Masnavi

Rumi
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Hasan Hakim-Elahi

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Quatrain

Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Pepe Maza

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The Master's Grace

Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Olivier

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Divan-e Shams

Rumi
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Tony May
Houman Pourmehdi

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Quatrain

Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Layla Miyuki
Houman Pourmehdi
Pirayeh Pourafar

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Who Am I

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Jessica Wright
Farhang Habibi

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Longing

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Hamed Zoheyri

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Drunken Hymn

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Pouyan Biglar
Shermin Movaffaghi
Houman Pourmehdi

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Listen to the Reed Player

Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Maya Fadeeva

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Divan-e Iraqi

Fakhr al-Din Iraqi
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Soleyman (Soli) Vaseghi

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Truths of Love

Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Jill Smith

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Quatrain

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Davod Azad

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Love's Journey (Die Reise der Liebe)

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Mirjam Widmann

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Rendaneh

Kharabati
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Hamed Zoheyri

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Come What May

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Alex Reimer

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What Come May

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Hasan Hakim-Elahi

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The Creed of Drunkenness

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Vafa Ratebi
Siavash Kaveh
Amir Kaveh

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Geschichte der Liebe (Love's Story)

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Mirjam Widmann

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Quatrain

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Pouyan Biglar
Siavash Kaveh

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Wavy Curls

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Davod Azad
Houman Pourmehdi

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Don't Go

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Sahar Zibaei
Rabeeh Hosseinzadeh

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Let Go

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):
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Night Reveler at Love's Banquet

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Pouyan Biglar
Houman Pourmehdi
Ilya Erfan

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Divan-e Shams

Rumi
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Tony May
Davod Azad

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Boundless Love

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Saba Buhler

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We Know No Other

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Vafa Ratebi
Pouyan Biglar
Sahar Zibaei
Iliya Erfan

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Do You Know

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Vafa Ratebi
Shermin Movaffaghi

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Quatrain

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Mirjam Widmann

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Fire of Yearning

Dr. Alireza Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Tony May
Amir Koushkani
Siavash Kaveh

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The Prayer of Sama

Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh
Recording of Sama‘ Session
Musician(s):

Davod Azad
Shahin Cornelius