From: INEAS@aol.com [mailto:INEAS@aol.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2005 2:39 PM


This is part of a one-year research on Arab women musicians by Wafaa’ Al-Natheema, which she hopes to publish by the end of 2006!  Due to two other projects the publishing of a book on the history of symphonic music in IRAQ and the producing of a documentary on non-Moslem/non-Christian Arabs, this research on Arab women musicians has taken a slow paste.  

Ra’iqa was a famous pagan singer in pre-Islamic time.  She taught Azza Al-Mailaa’ among other musicians.  Arabic music and musicians’ accomplishments preceded Islam by at least a millennium.  

The Arabs and Persians possessed a theory of music long before they became influenced by the translations made 
from the Greek at the end of the 8th century and beginning of the 9th century under Islam.  By the end of the 9th century, the effects of the writings of ancient Greeks on music, which has been translated into Arabic, began to be felt.  The Science of Music now became one of the courses of (3uloom riyadhiyya) the quadrivium or mathematical sciences, and was studied by most scholars during this period.

There are many misconceptions this research (on Arab women musicians) will correct:

1.That Arabic music (like all aspects of Arab history) began with Islam. 
2.That there were NO or very few Arab women musicians in pre-Islamic and/or medieval-Islamic times. 
3.That Arabic music did not have harmony, and that the latter is a western invention.
 
In addition, the research will highlight the accomplishments of many Arab women musicians.  It will include anecdotes 
and biographies of post-Islam Arab women musicians such as Akeela, Atika, Atarred, Azza Al-Mailaa’, Bazbaz, Farida, 
Hababa, Hamdoona, Hind, Jameela, Khalida, Khoula, Qamar, Rabi’a, Selma Al-Qass, Salma Az-Zarqaa’ and others.  In 
this male-dominated, war-driven world, documenting such unique information is a MUST.  
 
If you are interested and would like to volunteer your time participating in this research beginning in 2006, please email 
us at INEAS_1994@yahoo.com

We include below excerpts from a book mentioning an Arab (woman) musician and singer. 

Music: The Priceless Jewel

From the book “Kitab al’iqd al-Farid” of Ibn Abd Rabbihi (d. 940)

Edited & Translated by Henry George Farmer, D. Litt. Ph.D.

Pages 24-27

He [i.e. the narrator] said, “And there stood by him a woman, and around him were the disciples.  Then she said, ‘you 
are he who is called The Virtuous Man, and it was you who said: “When I find the fire of my love in my heart, I take 
myself to the common water-carrier for coolness.  Granted I have been cooled by the external water, but who can avail 
against a fire in the vitals? Nay, by Allah, [she said], no virtuous man ever said.”

He [the narrator] said, “ ‘abd ar-Rahman  [Ibn Abi Ammar], nicknamed Al-Qass, was with the people of Mecca, in the 
same rank as Ata Ibn Abi Rabbah in piety.  And one day he passed by [the dwelling of] Sallama [t al-Qass], and she 
was singing. So he stood to listen to her singing.  And her master [Suhail Ibn Abdal Rahman Ibn Auf] saw him, and said 
to him, ‘would you care to come in and listen?  He refused.  Then the master so insisted until he went in.  And he [the 
master] said to him, ‘I will put you in a place where you will see her but she will not see you.’  Then she sang to him and 
delighted him.  Then her master said to him, “would you like that I should bring her to you?”  He refused that.  But he [the 
master] insisted until he consented.  So he continued listening to her fixing his gaze upon her, until he fell in love with 
her.  And when she perceived his Gazing at her, she sang to him:

“Many a time two messengers have sent us

A missive before they departed.

They used neither shoe nor hoof,

Nor a tongue eloquent of love,

Until they departed with their answer,

Having ensured success by the propitious omen,

We both exchanged glances,

Which pled for a decision being explicit.”

He [the narrator] said, “Then he [the listener] fainted and almost perished.  Then she [the singer] said to him, “One day, 
by Allah, I love thee!  He said to her, ‘And by Allah I love thee.’  She said, ‘I wish that I could kiss you’.  He said, “And by 
Allah, I also.’   She said, ‘And what prevents you from that?’  He said, ‘I fear that the friendship that is between you and 
me should become enmity on the day of resurrection.  Have you not heard Allah Most High say, the intimate friend, on 
that day [shall be] enemies unto one another: except the pious?  Then he rose up and returned to the manner of life in 
which he was engaged, and he improvised saying:

“I was blaming for folly her people,

And was astonished at what the day brought.

But today I excuse them, and know that path of peccability*

And rectitude are but parts [of a whole]”

And about her [he said]:

Verily [‘t was] Sallama who

Caused me to lose my hardihood

If you saw her lute (‘oud),

When it appears and she begins [to perform]

To the two Jarirs and Al-Gharidh

And to the master Ma’bad,

You would think that they were amidst her lute,

And the frets, and the hand [which played over them]


Note:  The anecdote above does not include the important footnotes as they appear in the book.

* The capability of sinning.