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Rooted in centuries of oral transmission, the Saami musical tradition embodies two profound devotional forms: Khayal and Qawwali—guided by an understanding that is consciously learned and inwardly attained.
Rooted in centuries of oral transmission, the Saami musical tradition embodies two profound devotional forms: Khayal and Qawwali—guided by an understanding that is consciously learned and inwardly attained.
It’s foundation traces back to the 13th century, when Sufi saint and scholar-musician Hazrat Amir Khusro, working alongside his disciple Mian Saamat bin Ibrahim and shaped by the spiritual guidance and vision of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, brought music to the subcontinent as a means of ibadat (devotion), khidmat (service), and islaah (rectification). Hazrat Amir Khusro was a master scholar of Persian and Turkish musical sciences and a distinguished poet (adeeb), while Mian Saamat bin Ibrahim was both a scholar and a dedicated practitioner of Arabic musical sciences, with intimate knowledge of 49 microtones.
Together, they delved deeply into the music of the subcontinent, blending their expertise to cultivate a rich and enduring tradition. All of Hazrat Amir Khusro’s knowledge and insight was brought to life through the practice of Mian Saamat, creating a living tradition that continues to resonate through the centuries, carried forward by the Saami family to this day.
Khayal—literally meaning “imagination”—is a classical vocal tradition rooted in subtlety, depth, and emotional precision. Within this spiritual framework, Khayal emerged as a form that privileges improvisation, offering a musical expression of inner thought and feeling—unfolding slowly, like a breath held in devotion. Khayal is a path through sift-e-Allah (divine qualities of Allah), leading one toward Allah. Through this expression, a person seeks to create a bridge between the ruh (soul) and the Divine, allowing khayal to become both a reflection of inner contemplation and a spiritual journey. Unlike the Western scale of twelve notes, Khayal explores the microtonal spaces between notes, known as shrutis. Muslim scholars of music (Ibrahim Musli) discovered 49 microtones between one Sa and the next, creating a rich tapestry of subtle intervals. After dedicated auditory training (samaati riyaazat), a person can hear and feel all 49 maqamaat. This is followed by focused practical practice (amli riyaazat), which allows the musician to apply these tones effectively—an ability that emerges only under specific states of mind and emotional receptivity. Understanding when, where, and how to use these microtones is what ultimately gives the music its profound impact and expressive power. Ustaad Naseeruddin Saami and his two eldest sons, Rauf and Urooj Saami, are the only living practitioners to perform using all 49 microtones—a level of auditory refinement that demands decades of disciplined practice, unwavering focus, and deep inner stillness. This music is not merely heard, but profoundly felt, resonating with the subtle vibrations of the soul. In an age dominated by speed and excess, Khayal offers something quietly radical: a return to attentive listening, to stillness, and to the healing power of sound. The Saami family carries this ancient art forward—not simply as a form of preservation, but as a living, breathing, and healing tradition.
Qaul—literally meaning “saying.” Qawwali is the musical form innovated by Hazrat Amir Khusro and Mian Saamat Bin Ibrahim, designed to convey these sacred utterances. These aqwal include Aqwal-e-Allah (the words of Allah), Aqwal-e-Rasool (the sayings of the Prophet), Aqwal-e-Auliya (the wisdom of the saints), and words that orient the listener toward spiritual growth and moral elevation.
Qawwali is a form of ilm-ul-kalam—the knowledge of words and their power—brought to life through ilm-ul-awaz, the specialized knowledge of voice and its expressive potential. According to the Saami family, with clarity and devotion, we present words (ilfaaz) that shape and convey our inner thoughts and reflections. Through these words, we guide listeners toward moral, religious, and spiritual refinement, inviting them to engage deeply with the meaning and essence of the poetry. Giraahs (interwoven verses) gradually reveal layers of interpretation, allowing the richness and spiritual depth of the kalam to unfold in the hearts and minds of those who hear it.
Qawwali also relies on husn-e-awaz (the beauty of voice) to magnify the power of these words, drawing listeners in and reinforcing the message through repetition (takraar). This practice enables the audience to internalize the lessons, reflect on their shortcomings, and experience a path of worldly, religious, and spiritual rectification.In this way, Qawwali is not merely music—it becomes a living, guiding tradition that nurtures and directs both mind and heart.
For centuries, the Saami musical tradition has been preserved and transmitted orally within the family. Teaching is inseparable from both the preservation and cultivation of their music, making the Ustaad-Shagird relationship fundamental and central to the tradition.
A shagird is one who entrusts themselves fully to their Ustaad in the pursuit of music, setting aside personal desires, and in doing so, their growth and shortcomings become the Ustaad’s responsibility. A Ustaad perceives the nature and potential of their shagird, guiding them with insight, discipline, and care. This sacred bond lies at the heart of the Saami musical tradition, where learning is both devotion and a living, evolving practice.
Today, this Ustaad–Shagird relationship extends beyond traditional modes of transmission and into shared learning environments shaped by the same principles of discipline and responsibility. While the essence—the ruh—of the tradition remains unchanged, the Saamis teach in ways that reflect the present moment. Rooted in oral transmission and sustained riyaaz, their pedagogy is offered through carefully structured formats that support a student’s intellectual and inner growth. Learning is shaped in thoughtful, accessible intervals, allowing students the space to develop clarity, desire, and commitment, while fostering a spiritual bond that traditionally takes years to form—now cultivated with intention, depth, and care, without compromising the integrity of the lineage. Below are some examples of their teaching modalities:
Master classes offer a collective learning space where a diverse range of students come together to listen, observe, and engage with the music in real time, usually with a focus on a particular raag. These sessions emphasize learning the basics qualities and structure of a particular raag followed by bandishes that are emblematic of the raag. Taught using shared listening, group participation, and the exchange of questions and insights, this format creates an accessible communal environment.
Extended residencies and apprenticeship programs are central to the Saamis’ teaching practice. These immersive periods allow for focused learning with Khayal and classical music, emphasizing intensive vocal development, technical precision in sur and taal, and disciplined riyaaz, while also fostering deep community bonds. This ongoing work is reflected in programs such as the Lahore Khayal Residency (2024), Healing Khayal Residency (New York, 2025), and the Khayal Apprenticeship Program (New York, 2026) with future programming planned for Gilgit-Baltistan in Summer 2026. While these intensives have spanned from 3-month to 1-month programs, the Saamis have also engaged in University-based residencies that have merged performances with multi-day workshops in a classroom setting (University of Richmond, 2025). teaching modalities:
Through panels and public conversations, the Saamis engage in broader dialogues around lineage, pedagogy, preservation, and the evolving contexts of classical music. These forums are designed to build intellectual alignment with fellow artists—creating space to share perspectives, listen deeply to one another, and cultivate an atmosphere of thoughtful, positive musical exchange. Through this mutual dialogue, participants learn from one another and gain insight, while also engaging with musical traditions from around the world, understood through the voices, compositions, and lived experiences of the artists themselves. These conversations serve as an accessible invitation into the structure, history, and theory behind the practice. Past panels and conversations have included Teaching & Practicing Khayal Gaiki(Third Mind, 2025) and Building Community & Cultivating Connection (Wavelengths Conference, 2025), alongside classroom-based sessions on the Sufi history of Khayal and Qawwali.
Individual instruction remains central to the Saamis’ teaching tradition. One-on-one lessons allow for personalized guidance, attentive listening, and the careful shaping of a student’s voice and understanding—a process that is inherently time-intensive, yet deeply rigorous and enduring—honoring the depth and responsibility inherent to this pure music lineage.
Individual instruction remains central to the Saamis’ teaching tradition. One-on-one lessons allow for personalized guidance, attentive listening, and the careful shaping of a student’s voice and understanding—a process that is inherently time-intensive, yet deeply rigorous and enduring—honoring the depth and responsibility inherent to this pure music lineage.
