Iconic Ibtihalat
Ibtihalat is a form of Islamic devotional vocal music, particularly popular in the Arab world. The term "ibtihalat" (ابتهالات) comes from the Arabic word "ibtihal" which means "supplication" or "humble prayer" in the context of seeking divine help or guidance. These are essentially religious chants or short poems that are sung or recited, often in a deeply emotional, melodic style that relies on two main elements, the vocal solo performance and the improvisation of the melody by the performer or “supplicator”. They are mostly carried out during Ramadan and certain religious occasions like Eid or Mawlid. It is also considered a part of Sufi practices and gatherings.
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Browse Daftar Digest Archive →Curated Recommendations
Every time a guest joins us on one of our podcast series, they leave us with breadcrumbs to further explore some of the topics that they covered in the episode. Browse through some of the best recommendations for films, books, and music from the Arab world.
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We did a deep dive into this upcoming episode of our This Is Not a Watermelon podcast with the author of "An Impossible Friendship: Group Portrait, Jerusalem Before and After 1948," professor Sonja Mejcher-Atassi.
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Lesson Plans for Teachers
