Songs of the Sufi: The Untold Story of Classical Qawwali
Ishq Festival
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
7 pm
Part of Islamic Heritage Month
Price: FREE (tickets are required)
Duration
Film: 53 minutes
Talk: 30 minutes
Audience Q&A: 15 minutes
In an unbroken chain spanning over 800 years, a form of music has inspired, entranced, and enlightened people. Songs of the Sufi takes viewers on a musical and artistic journey that catalogues traditional qawwali, the mystical music tradition of the Indian Subcontinent associated with 13th-century Sufi seminaries, which is enjoyed globally today.
The story unfolds through the perspectives of two families — a lifelong qawwali enthusiast who grew up immersed in the music, his mother, a Sufi disciple who fondly recalls listening to qawwali as a teenager in India, and a family of qawwali singers who have carried the tradition for 25 generations.
The film weaves together live performances, the mystical use of secret syllables, and odes written as far back as the 13th century, blending them with modern compositions to create a meditative audio-visual journey. Dr. Katherine Schofield, a renowned musicologist, offers her scholarly insights, while the narrative explores the history, culture, etiquette, and the universal message of love that lies at the heart of qawwali.
Produced by
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Kamran Moin Anwar
Directed by
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Shahrukh Waheed
About ISHQ Festival
ISHQ Festival, presented by Toronto’s Small World Music, is a city-wide celebration of art as devotion, unfolding across multiple venues from October 1 to 26, 2025. Rooted in traditions of ritual, contemplation, and spiritual expression from South Asia, Central and West Asia, North and West Africa, and Indigenous cultures, the festival offers audiences a rare opportunity to experience music, dance, poetry, theatre, film, and conversation that transcend language and culture.
With a dynamic blend of internationally renowned artists and deeply rooted community voices, ISHQ invites Torontonians to engage with art that is not just seen or heard—but profoundly felt. Now in its latest evolution, Small World Music continues its nearly 30-year legacy of bridging communities through transformative live experiences, cultural connection, and a deep commitment to the global arts landscape.
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