The Qur'an

Something a little different here. For those who don't know I spent seven years studying Islam in great depth (while immersed in Pentecostalism) and seriously considered converting.  I have a different understanding than most of all the crap you hear in the news about Islam. It's not as cut and dry as Western media (especially that in the U.S., Conservative or Liberal) might lead you to believe.

You can read more in depth on my journey here. It is a much more powerful tradition and is much more diverse in its manifestations than most people realize. There is a 'Rumi' infatuation which has been removed from its context and accosted by the New Age sect that has a large audience. You can find my opinions on this here.

Not sure how many have heard recitations of the Qur'an but these recitations are, for Muslims, music to the ears. More traditional Muslims tend not to listen to "music" as it is generally recognized; instruments are, for the more staunch traditionalist, not allowed.

The only instrument in this case is the human voice and, according to this line of belief, the most pure "music" would be the recitation of the Qur'an. And, I must confess, they have a valid point.

You may be thinking to yourself, what place does religion have here on a predominantly music blog?  Consider how often these recitations are sampled in and throughout music and I think you'll agree there is power here. Listen for yourself and let me know what you think.

I can listen to the Adhan ("Call to Prayer") without ever tiring of it...

The text is presently available for download here.