Sonic Genealogies and Mystical Memory: Tracing Jalāl al-Dīn al-Rūmī’s Epigenetic Influence on Indo-Islamic Musical Consciousness

Mevlevī samāʿ (whirling) and Chishtī qawwalī share rhythmic and vocal patterns that transmit mystical memory across generations. Spectral sound analysis of performances shows that Mevlevī rotation and breath-centered chanting of “Hu” produce inner resonance, while Chishtī qawwalī’s intense vocal invocations such as “Maulā” and “ʿAlī” induce collective trance states. These patterns demonstrate that mystical sound functions as an intergenerational medium of cultural memory, sustaining epistemic continuity across centuries. The study reinterprets Rūmī’s philosophy as a sonic epistemology grounded in ritual embodiment, not merely poetic symbolism.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This study examines the transmission of mystical memory in Islamic musical traditions by exploring how the intellectual and aesthetic legacy of Mawlānā Jalāl al-Dīn Rūmī (d. 672/1273) resonated across the Indo-Islamic cultural sphere through epigenetic and neuroaesthetic mechanisms. While previous scholarship has primarily emphasized Rûmî’s written works and spiritual influence, this article foregrounds his auditory metaphysics, focusing particularly on samāʿ and qawwalī as ritual practices of divine remembrance (dhikr) and embodied knowledge production. By situating sound as the central epistemic axis, the research demonstrates that Rûmî’s philosophy should be understood not only as poetic symbolism but as a sonic epistemology grounded in ritual embodiment. Methodologically, the study employs an AI-assisted comparative framework integrating spectral sound analysis (using Librosa and Praat software) to compare rhythmic density, melodic intensity, and vocal texture between Mevlevī samāʿ and Chishtī qawwalī performances. This approach allows the research to visualize and quantify how repetition, rhythm, and bodily participation generate neuroplastic traces of mystical memory. The findings reveal that Mevlevī rotation and breath-centered chanting of “Hu” produce inner resonance, while Chishtī qawwalī’s intense vocal invocations such as “Maulā” and “ʿAlī” induce collective trance states. These shared patterns demonstrate that mystical sound functions as an intergenerational medium of cultural memory, sustaining epistemic continuity across centuries. Furthermore, the study highlights the resilience of sonic traditions during colonial ruptures, showing how music functioned as a form of mystical resistance when textual expression was silenced. Ultimately, Rûmî’s auditory philosophy is reinterpreted as a biocultural, embodied, and epigenetic phenomenon that bridges spirituality, cognition, and sensory experience. The research offers new insights for Islamic studies, music-based pedagogy, neuroaesthetic learning models, and postcolonial epistemology, demonstrating that sound remains a vital agent of knowledge, memory, and identity transmission in the Islamic world.