Songs of the Mystic: Sufi Qawwali
Join us for a night of music with one of South Asia's most esteemed qawwali ensembles, Qawal Najmuddin Saifuddin & Brothers, who are leading exponents of more than 800 years of this mystical Sufi devotional singing tradition.
The eight-member Qawwal Najmuddin Saifuddin group trace their ancestry to the 13th century and are leading exponents of the Sufi Qawwali tradition.
Their songs are of thousands of years of mystic poetry, which have been passed on from generation to generation. The songs, which constitute the qawwali repertoire, are in a number of languages. Those from the classical period are in dialects of north India like Braj Bhasha and Awadhi. These dialects continue to have huge influence on qawwali in other languages. There is rich tradition in other languages like Urdu, Punjabi, Persian and Saraiki.
A rare opportunity to experience the powerful voices, hand-pumped harmoniums and percussion of this esteemed ensemble.
The start of the event includes a screening of the film Songs of the Sufi about the Qawwali music tradition. Ticketholders can choose to attend the film and concert or just the concert at 7.50pm, please see the full timings below.
Approximate timings:
Doors open: 6pm
Film screening: 6.30pm
Interval: 7.30pm
Concert start: 7.50pm
Estimated finish time: 9.50pm
Presented by SAMA in association with Indus Music and SAYArts Assisted by Milap
A booking fee of 8% will apply to purchases made by telephone or online.
View our concessions policy here.
Access seats are available to visitors with additional access requirements such as wheelchair users. Sign-up to the access scheme to book these seats.
This performance is not likely to be suitable for children under 5 due to the acoustics in the auditorium. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Under-10’s are not permitted to sit on the balconies.
The film is suitable for all ages.
No food, hot drinks or alcoholic drinks allowed in The Tung Auditorium for this event.
The Fröhlich Café Bar is open for drinks 90 minutes prior to the start of each performance, and during the interval. We recommend pre-ordering your interval drinks before the event starts.
Tickets are non-refundable unless an event is cancelled or rescheduled. The full booking terms and conditions can be found here.