Sonic Genealogies and Mystical Memory: Tracing Jalāl al-Dīn al-Rūmī’s Epigenetic Influence on Indo-Islamic Musical Consciousness
Trabzon İlahiyat Dergisi November 30, 2025 İsmail Eraslan
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.