SAVE THE DATE: CONFERENCE & CONCERT
Piety, Poetry, and Politics:
Sufi Muslims in South Asia
April 28-30, 2011
Washington, D.C.
April 28: Johns Hopkins University SAIS
April 29: Library of Congress
April 30: Freer and Sackler Galleries, Smithsonian Institution
Present wherever there are Muslims, Sufis seek to personally experience the divine through art, music, poetry, self-discipline, and contemplation. This interdisciplinary conference explores the religious, political, and cultural manifestations of Sufism in South Asia, home to a third of the world's Muslim population, where Sufis have had a strong presence for almost a millennium.
Though it is often described monolithically as Islamic mysticism or spirituality, Sufism is remarkably diverse. Its definition has been debated both within and outside Islamic circles for centuries. The conference speakers--Sufis, scholars, and policymakers--enter this debate by presenting new perspectives on Sufi identities, their social roles in South Asia and worldwide, and issues confronting Sufis today.
The conference is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Please email Rahul S. Madhavan at
southasia@jhu.edu to register.
SPECIAL CONCERT
Sufi Music from South Asia: Salman Ahmad and the Chishty Sufi Sama Ensemble*Saturday, April 30, 7:30 PM | Freer, Meyer Auditorium
Free tickets required*
Don't miss this rare opportunity to hear one of South Asia's leading ensembles of Sufi qawwali music, made famous in the U.S. by the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The Chisty Ensemble appears regularly at major Sufi shrines and festivals in India. For this occasion, the ensemble is led by guest artist Salman Ahmad (vocals and harmonium), founder of the South Asian rock band Junoon. He performed for the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony and was profiled in the PBS special The Rock Star and the Mullahs. Joining him are Dhruv Sangari, Ashlam Hussain, and Asraf Hussain, vocals; Amjad Hussain, dholak (double-headed drum); and Akhtar Hussain, tabla.
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