About Ilahi Melodies
Ilahi Melodies is a space for celebrating sacred sound. It gathers traditions and soundscapes from the vast and colourful tapestry of Islam and the Muslim world, past and present. This website offers articles and resources of interest to those wishing to learn more about different aspects of music and the Muslim faith and the multifaceted nature of all things musical in the created world. Stay tuned for a range of videos, recordings and publications.
Research
Education
Worship
Community
Reviving the Tradition
Muslim scholars of the past wrote at length about the nature of sacred melodies and the role of sound in our religious tradition. Muslim communities developed rich tapestries of communal life, woven with beautiful soundscapes that reflected the beauty of the Prophetic example that they sought to emulate.
Ilahi Melodies seeks to revive this beautiful tradition. Though the life of this world is full of sound, only those who attune their ear to those Divine melodies of the cosmos will take true benefit from the aural and spiritual faculties gifted to them.
Reconnecting with the sacred melodies at the heart of faith
About Me
Ilahi Melodies was founded and is managed by Mirina Paananen. After graduating from the University of Cambridge Mirina pursued the traditional Islamic sciences both in the UK and the Middle East, developing a love for Qur’an recitation and the Inshād tradition. She went on to gain a master’s degree from Oxford University in Islamic Studies and History as an Aziz Foundation Scholar, researching the interplay between melody and Qur’an recitation. A trained musician and choir leader, she has performed as a munshida and Qur’an reciter and has worked with children’s groups to develop a love of singing in the community. Mirina continues to further her research and knowledge of the musical traditions of Islam and lives in the UK with her husband and three children.
F.A.Q
What is the status of music in Islam?
This depends very much on how you define ‘music’. Imam Ghazali has stated that even the singing of the birds is musical. Therefore there is no simple answer to this question. You may find relevant articles addressing different aspects of music in Islam on this website.
What are the maqamat?
A maqam (pl. maqamat) is a mode, a scale of notes of certain pitches which gives a melody using these notes a particular ‘feel’, such as melancholy, upbeat or wistful. The eight well-known Arabian maqamat are skilfully applied to Qur’an recitation by master reciters and are also the basis of many of the most well-known anashid from the Muslim world.
Do you provide recitation or music lessons?
We are not able to provide lessons to individual students or classes at the present time. However we will be running various online courses and webinars that will be advertised on the website. Please sign up to our mailing list for the latest updates. There are a number of free resources available including video recordings, e-books and articles, as well as specific activities and songs for children on the Little Bird’s Nest section of the website.
How can I set up a singing group or choir?
Bismillah! You can find helpful articles and resources for setting up a group on this website – check out the tools page to get started. You are welcome to get in touch by e-mail: mirina@ilahimelodies.com