In this seminar, Lutfi Bin Othman (Cambridge University, PhD Candidate), explores Singapore’s sound landscapes with special reference to the Sufi practices of remembrance (dhikr). Bin Othman examines the multifaceted dimensions of dhikr, exploring both its inward (bāṭin) and outward (ẓāhir) impact on the individual, society, and the global Muslim community.
The study’s three major themes pertain to: (1) sound strategies of loudness, (2) presence, and (3) negotiating secularism and modernity. The first aspect, loudness, is commonly related to the form in which the spiritual gatherings (ḥaḍra) are performed where words, poems (qasīdas) and songs of remembrance are loudly chanted to reach a state of presence (the second element) with God and, also, the Prophet. These two aspects are contraposed with the ongoing experience of Muslims who live in a hypermodern country like Singapore and negotiate secularism and modernity.
Spiritual Roots and Sound Traditions
Singapore enjoys a rich tradition of Islamic culture and spirituality tracing its roots back to the Yemeni Bā ʿAlawī order (ṭarīqa). Sufi culture is salient in Singaporean Islamic culture, so although many Singaporean Muslims do not officially affiliate with a Sufi order, they may nonetheless participate in a form of practice that has its roots in Sufi culture, such as the dhikr gathering. As Bin Othman explains, sound appreciation lies at the core of the religious tradition. The sound of the recitation of the Qur’an, for instance, has a significant effect on the heart (the listening heart), whether of the reciter or the listener. Similarly, the sounds of the natural world (e.g. the birds, wind, and thunder) are constantly reminding human beings that all creation is praising God. Consequently, as Bin Othman emphasises, all human senses have been created for the purpose of remembering God and his research is interested in how human acts of listening fulfil this purpose. In his Phd thesis, he considers the Shādhilī tradition where ḥaḍra and the love sound of praise (such as chanting ‘Ha’) are practices which aim to nurture the consciousness of God (taqwā). His thesis also analyses the Chisti-Qadri ṭarīqa where followers adopt loud sounds in their dhikr for their psychological and spiritual healing benefits for many modern physical and psychological illnesses, such as distraction, laziness, and lack of concentration. As Bin Othman further explains, there is a long tradition of using sound for the purpose of healing in Islam. In fact, renowned philosophers and music theorists, such as Abū Naṣr al-Fārābī (d. 339/950) and Abū Yūsuf al-Kindī (d. 260/873), used musical instruments to positively alter the emotional and psychological states of their listeners and thus bring about health and wellbeing.
State Regulations and Social Harmony
The main ethnicities in Singapore are Chinese, Malaysian, Indian and Other (CMIO) and as a result of this social diversity, it is often referred as a ‘melting pot’ of various religious practices. In order to foster social harmony, the State has implemented social regulations touching on all areas of civil life, including sound and noise restrictions. As Bin Othman mentions, such restrictions have curtailed the private ḥaḍra gatherings (performed in people’s homes) which are often loud in nature. Yet, as Bin Othman notes, such regulations and social interferences are often justified by the State as playing a pivotal role in achieving social cohesion and economic progress. Likewise, the State’s restrictions on communal religious practices are also intended to tackle the rise of religious extremism (often influenced by media consumption), which presents another hindrance and threat to social harmony.
Bin Othman’s presentation encapsulated the central role of sounds in the Singaporean Muslim experience, which includes Muslims of many denominations. As he stressed, Sufis are global citizens of a ‘sonic umma’ as, besides the tenets of the religion and whatever method each Order demands of its followers (specific allegiances with different teachers, shuyūk and litanies, awrād), they are bounded by sound: since most Singaporean Muslims cannot engage with the language of their practices, their mode of religious engagement with the religion (dīn) and their Orders is through sound. Bin Othman also addressed critical barriers faced by these communities in preserving these practices, including State-led interventions and extremist media propaganda.
The second half of the seminar comprised a rich discussion and question and answer session. Important questions raised included: the instances, if any, of social clashes in the region at the ethnic and religious levels and the role of social mobility and its influence on the inward and outward dimensions mentioned above. On the latter question, Bin Othman explained how the ease of modern transportation has enabled Singaporean Muslims to travel West as far as Morocco and bring back a Moroccan-inspired ḥaḍra and religious customs to East Asia. Similarly, the impacts on identity formation and community cohesion of such cultural Arabisation and ‘imitation’ were explored, as they may often compete with already existing local forms of religious expression and musical traditions.
For more information about the Cambridge Muslim College Research Seminar, see here.