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Week 4 Podcast

Anthony Torres

National University
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Week 4 Podcast

The “Islamic Call to Prayer” is the original music for this week’s Podcast. The passage

provides a short example of the Arabic music. The Arab world is not to be mixed with the

Islamic society which more stretched than that of the Arabic nations. Northern Africa is split

among western Mashriq and the eastern Maghrib. The Qur’an and the Hadith paved the direction

to the role music played in the religion. Still, the studies give different reports of the musical

greatness. Arabic music is not only received to those related to religion. There is also folk and

popular cultures of music links on the traditional background. The breakdown of Arabic music

covers the Maqam- musical note or scale. The notes are indicated to as quarter tones because

they are so firmly ranged together, unlike western music. Iqa’- rhythmic pattern, Takht

ensemble- improvised version the melody. The music is customarily played as a heterophony

texture between the instruments. Islam is an important ingredient in the tradition of these

countries, dating back to the time of Muhammad in the 7th century. Koran and Hadith are

traditions ascribed to Muhammad by his followers. These traditions have a certain amount to say

about the purpose of music and culture. This has been a subject of debate among Muslims. One

perspective can be looked at as to be very strict interpretation that restricts music. There is also

another interpretation where music is encouraged. Encouraged not only in secular entertainment,

but also in religious practice. It is not a unified situation. However, what is unified is the use of

the Arabic language throughout this region in its various dialects. Koran is ideally supposed to be

recited in Arabic itself so that it is a strong element in unifying these cultures. There are of

course other genres of music for Muslims such as folk, art, culture, and popular traditions. The

Arab scholars were extremely excited to learn about Greek writings in philosophy and music.
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Arabic music is the music of the Arab World with all its different music styles and

genres. Arabic countries have many styles of music and also many dialects; each country has its

own traditional music.The music that was played in the beginning of the video caught my

attention. I mainly recognize that music from watching movies that take place in a Muslim

country; usually war movies. I automatically assumed that music had to do with religion of some

sort. In the movies, it usually shows that music place and all the Muslim people stop and pray. In

some cases, on their knees praying. What I always found interesting is how strong they all are

with their religion or how everyone stops and prays. In my opinion, listening to the music alone,

it sounds scary. I get a irry vibe from it. To find out that it is used for religious purposes,

surprised me. It almost reminds me of sacred church music. They both have that somewhat of an

irry vibe from it. However, they both serve for religious music. Islamic music may refer to

religious music. It is also performed in Islamic public services or private devotions, or more

generally to musical traditions of the Muslim world. Would it be safe to say that all countries

have music within that is related to religion? I would say yes. Another thing that stood out to me

with this lecture was Koran. Which can also be spelled Quran. Islamic and Arabic scholars say

the spelling Qur'an is preferred, but in much of the non-Arabic, Western press, the name of the

scripture is more commonly spelled Koran. Koran is the Islamic sacred book, believed to be the

word of God as dictated to Muhammad by the archangel Gabriel and written down in Arabic.

The Quran is divided into chapters, which are subdivided into verses. Wouldn’t that make Koran

similar to what we know as the Bible? It sounds to me like Koran can be considered a bible for

Islam.
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References

Titon, Jeff Todd. Worlds of Music: an Introduction to the Music of the Worlds Peoples.

Cengage Learning, 2018.

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References