Qawwali is the rendition of Sufi music in the Indian subcontinent, presently encompassing Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, usually at a ‘khanqah’ (hospice) or a Sufi shrine.

The formal name for a session of qawwali is Mehfil-e-Sama. ‘Sama’ is a practice of devotional music which continues to be performed in Central Asia, the Arabic world and Turkey of course with the Mevlevi Sufi order. The word ‘sama’ originally originates from the Arabic word “sama” which means ‘to listening’ in a spiritual sense . The roots of qawwali can be traced back to eighth century Persia—today’s Iran and Afghanistan.