Qawwali is beyond just music; it is an emotional and spiritual experience that touches people in a deeply personal way. It is rooted in Sufi traditions and combines poetry, rhythm, melody, and trance-like repetition, bringing listeners to a state of spiritual ecstasy. Whether one is in a dimly lit dargah or watching a Coke Studio rendition, qawwali has the capability of just holding you there. But what exactly is it about this genre that makes people feel so connected to it? Let’s study the psychology behind why people love qawwali.
1. Helping Us Feel and Release
The intense emotionality is one of the key psychological reasons why people gravitate toward qawwali. The lyrics represent divine love, longing, pain, and surrender. Some experiences are universal, and we all feel them at some point in time in our lives. Owing to these resonating themes, listeners tend to project their own emotions onto the music.
According to music researchers Juslin and Västfjäll (2008), music affects us deeply through our emotions and memories. Qawali, specifically, does this beautifully by giving people a space for feeling what they are holding within. Some even cry listening to it. This is what psychologists call catharsis, a form of emotional release through the experience of here, qawwali. This can be especially helpful for people who find it difficult to express grief or longing, making the experience both healing and transformative for both the singer and listener.
Read More: The Neurobiology of Music and Emotions
2. Putting Us in a State of Trance
If you have ever been to a qawwali performance, you would have taken note of something strange: people crying, swaying, or even falling into a kind of trance. Qawwali often makes use of elements like repeated chanting, rhythmic clapping, and a slow build-up to musical climax in order to create a powerful atmosphere. Research in music psychology has shown that the use of such elements can stimulate altered states of consciousness (Becker, 2004). This is why some people tend to feel incredibly calm while listening, as the boundaries between the self and the external world tend to get blurred.
This leads to a sense of unity, peace, and divine connection. Rouget (2005) found that in many cultures, music is used as a tool to reach spiritual or trance-like states. Qawwali being no exception, especially in traditional settings like Sufi shrines, participants often sway, cry, or even enter ecstatic states (known as haal). This signifies deep psychological and emotional immersion, allowing the listeners to momentarily transcend their daily anxieties and feel the spiritual connection.
Read More: Trance in Meditation and Prayer: A Journey Inward Toward the Self
3. Bringing People Together
Music is a powerful collective experience. Traditionally performed in communal settings like dargahs in groups, qawwali plays a significant role in enhancing social cohesion. People sing, clap, and sometimes even chant along. Tarr, Launay, and Dunbar (2014) state that group musical activities help build social bonds through the shared emotional experience and synced movements. Qawwali is full of positive energy, and it makes them feel part of something larger than themselves. Therefore, qawwali is successful in providing psychological comfort in a world that is now about individualism and isolation. This sense of belonging reinforces positive associations with the music.
4. Providing a Sense of Spiritual Longing
At its heart, qawwali is spiritual music. It is rooted in the Sufi tradition, where the final goal is to feel closer to divinity. Many people turn to qawwali not just for entertainment, but also during times of emotional difficulty and for inner peace. The lyrics often reflect the pain of separation from God or a deep yearning or longing for love and truth. These are themes which we all relate to, even if we do not follow the same religion.
Pargament (2002) mentions that spiritual coping strategies, including prayer and music, can help people deal with stress and adversity better, which is why some people turn to qawwali in times of distress and confusion. The works of many renowned qawwali poets like Amir Khusro or Bulleh Shah articulate complex spiritual philosophies in simple and emotional language, allowing people from diverse backgrounds to connect with profound spiritual messages.
Read More: Psychology Behind Embracing Spirituality
5. Bringing Back Memories
For many listeners, qawwali is a reminder of significant events or periods of their life, be it childhood, festivals, family gatherings, or time spent in sacred spaces. This feeling of nostalgia plays a significant role in musical preference. According to Barrett et al. (2010), nostalgic music can trigger autobiographical memories. This creates a sense of continuity and identity for the listener.
This can also be discussed about cultural identity. For South Asians, it represents more than a musical genre—it reflects a shared heritage of Sufism, Urdu poetry, and community values. Thus, listening to qawwali can evoke a strong sense of pride and belonging in one’s culture and heritage, reinforcing personal and collective identity. This applies to even the younger generations or diaspora communities who may not fully understand the language. The rhythm, emotion, and performance style of qawwali offer a direct connection to their roots. This emotional familiarity can create a sense of “home” even in foreign lands.
Read More: Why Do We Listen to Sad Music?
6. Telling Stories Through Poetry
Qawwalis are more than just songs. They are made based on poetic narratives of Sufi saints. These poems discuss love, pain, search for truth, all in simple but touching language. Zwaan (2004) suggests that ‘narrative transportation’ or becoming absorbed in a story determines the enjoyment of art forms like music and literature, and qawwali does this specifically—it draws people in and they get emotionally attached to the stories. These stories are sung in parts, and the emotion is slowly built up until the crowd is involved.
Read More: The Influence of Movies and Music on Mental Health
7. It Sounds Aesthetic and Complex
Humans are wired to appreciate the beauty in things. And qawwali is rich with melodies, harmonies and vocal modulations. According to North and Hargreaves (2008), aesthetic appreciation is a key component of musical enjoyment. When people recognise the effort, skill, and emotion behind music, they enjoy it more. The way the lead singer improvises, the way the chorus echoes and how the instruments blend—it all creates a dynamic performance that stimulates the listener emotionally.
Conclusion
The love for qawwali is not just about taste in music. Rather, it is reflective of psychological, emotional, spiritual, and cultural needs. It gives us space to cry, reflect, sing, dance, and connect with ourselves, with others, and maybe even with something beyond this world. From a psychological point of view, qawwali meets many human needs: emotional release, connection, identity, and spiritual meaning. The enduring popularity of qawwali is a witness to our shared humanity and our eternal search for meaning.
FAQs
1. What makes qawwali feel so emotional to listeners?
Qawwali touches on deep human emotions like love, longing, and spiritual yearning. The music and lyrics create a safe space for people to feel and even release emotions they may be holding inside.
2. Why do people sometimes cry or sway during qawwali?
The repetitive rhythms and rising intensity of qawwali can lead to a trance-like state, especially during live performances. This can make people feel overwhelmed with emotion, leading them to cry, sway, or feel spiritually uplifted.
3. Do you have to understand the language to enjoy qawwali?
Not at all. Even if someone doesn’t understand the words, the emotion in the voice, the rhythm, and the atmosphere can still move them deeply. Many listeners connect to the feeling of qawwali rather than just the lyrics.
4. Is there a spiritual side to listening to qawwali?
Yes. Qawwali comes from the Sufi tradition and is often used to feel closer to the Divine. Many people listen to it when they’re looking for peace, answers, or a sense of connection beyond everyday life.
5. Why do people say qawwali brings a sense of unity?
Qawwali is usually performed in a group setting, with everyone clapping, singing, or listening together. This shared experience makes people feel emotionally and spiritually connected, like they’re part of something bigger than themselves.
References +
Barrett, F. S., Grimm, K. J., Robins, R. W., Wildschut, T., Sedikides, C., & Janata, P. (2010). Music‐evoked nostalgia: Affect, memory, and personality. Emotion, 10(3), 390–403. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019006
Becker, J. (2004). Deep listeners: Music, emotion, and trancing. Indiana University Press.
Juslin, P. N., & Västfjäll, D. (2008). Emotional responses to music: The need to consider underlying mechanisms. Behavioural and Brain Sciences, 31(5), 559-575. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X08005293
North, A. C., & Hargreaves, D. J. (2008). The social and applied psychology of music. Oxford University Press.
Pargament, K. I. (2002). The bitter and the sweet: An evaluation of the costs and benefits of religiousness. Psychological Inquiry, 13(3), 168–181. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1303_02
Rouget, G. (2005). Music and trance: A theory of the relations between music and possession. University of Chicago Press.
Tarr, B., Launay, J., & Dunbar, R. I. (2014). Music and social bonding: “Self-other” merging and neurohormonal mechanisms. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 1096. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01096
Zwaan, R. A. (2004). The immersed experiencer: Toward an embodied theory of language comprehension. Psychology of Learning and Motivation, 44, 35–62.
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