Their soulful renditions of Islamic devotional music, from naats to hamds, baiths and Sufi-style qawwalis, touched hearts in the audience. He had trained many a choir, but not one that sang in Persian, Arabic or Urdu, common languages of Islamic devotional music that he was unfamiliar with. Haadia, who had been in music promotions for three decades, says Sri Lanka has a wealth of youthful music talent but they lack opportunities, funding, and direction. In a conversation with Decible.lk, the professor touched on the richness of Islamic music. This ethos echoes the professor’s words in a 2011 interview online: “Music cannot bring peace to the Middle East (and music can not solve the problems of Sri Lanka…).

Source: Sunday Times June 05, 2022 07:35 UTC