Wednesday 22 / January / 2025
Muscat: In an effort by the Bait Al Zubair Foundation to bring diverse musical atmospheres closer to interested audiences and to build bridges between musical traditions and the rich diversity of human heritage, the third edition of the Bait Al Zubair Sufi Music Festival concluded on January 21. The festival which began on January 18, was sponsored by ARA Petroleum, National Finance, and Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort.
The festival opened with an insightful lecture at Bait Al Zubair by Professor Ousmane Kane from Harvard University. Professor Kane is the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Professor of Contemporary Islamic Religion and Society and a scholar of African and American studies.
He is also the author of several books and the producer of the documentary Hajj, Umrah, and Ziyara: Four Generations of West African Pilgrims to the Sacred Places of Islam.
In his lecture titled 'Intellectual and Spiritual Relations Between Sudanic Africa and the Arab World', Professor Kane highlighted the cultural interplay between Sudanic African nations and the Arab world, emphasising how the spread of Islam enriched this relationship.
He also discussed the contributions of African scholars to Arabic poetry, particularly Sufi poetry.
The Bait Al Zubair Sufi Music Festival featured performances by female artists from various countries.
Tunisian artist Abir Nasraoui and her ensemble, including Maestro and violinist Dr. Mohamed Al Aswad, qanun player Khalil Shaqir, pianist Ramzi Mabrouk, percussionist Dr. Mohamed Al Haj Qasem, and Omani riq player Ismail Al Buraiki gave their performance.
The evening celebrated the richness of religious chants, blending authenticity with global cultural openness.
On January 20, the festival welcomed Uzbek music icon Munojot Yulchieva, hailed
as a 'People's Artist' in her homeland. She performed alongside her ensemble, featuring oud and violin player Dadaev Akhmatjon, tabla player Savarov Khudjmorad, rubab player Samadov Rozimurad, and chang player Osmanov Sirojiddin.
Together, they presented traditional Uzbek Sufi music, merging spirituality and artistry. On January 21, the final evening featured a solo performance by British Kashmiri artist Sarah Yaseen. Known for her seamless fusion of Sufi music with Soul. Sarah sings in Urdu, Punjabi, and English. Her performances often feature her playing the guitar, the one-stringed ektara, or the darbuka.
A family-friendly interactive workshop was led by Sarah Yaseen, exploring Sufi songs. 'Let’s Play Together'.
A practical workshop by Jamaluddin Bishr introducing participants to Sufi musical instruments like the daf, nay, and oud, accompanied by hands-on sessions.
A workshop by Abir Nasraoui, in collaboration with the Music Department at Sultan Qaboos University, aimed at music students in Oman, focuses on the techniques of Sufi singing.
