Music is such a universal phenomenon that consistently moves people. The Sufi movement of Islam is focused on the experiences that help bring the individual closer to Allah. There is a particular emphasis on listening to music. It brings the individual to a particular holy state of mind (sama) and bring the individual to ecstasy (wajd). Ever since I have learned about Sufi Mysticism I have been particularly fascinated by it as a religious movement. After hearing Nasrat Fateh Ali Khan perform Allah Hoo in class, I went back to my dorm to listen to more of his music. It is filled with emotions that not only the performers are experiencing, but the crowd as well.

No other religion has a movement that holds music to be such a powerful force.  Plenty of religious groups utilize music, but in Sufism the music literally places you closer to Allah. What I ask of the blog reader then is to take the time to listen to a song and truly experience it. I am not trying to bring the blog reader closer to God or proselytize them in any way. I simply want the blog listener to experience music similarly to that of the Sufi mystics. First, choose a song to listen to. I have put a song below that the reader is wholly encouraged to use, but they are not required to. If they choose their own song, let it be a song that truly moves them or one they especially enjoy. You may use headphones or not, but I want the music to be loud enough where it is hard to ignore. Now shut your eyes and just listen to the song. Hopefully you will experience some form of frisson (a sudden feeling of excitement or thrill).