kwaal

Kwaal, also spelled qawwal, is a term used to describe a performer of qawwali, a form of Sufi devotional music from the Indian subcontinent. The word qawwal derives from the Urdu-Persian root qawl, meaning speech or utterance, reflecting the emphasis on vocal delivery of devotional poetry. The variant spelling kwaal is encountered in some transliterations.

Qawwali developed in the medieval period within Sufi circles and musical traditions of the Indian subcontinent, gaining prominence in the Mughal era and later in the 18th–19th centuries. In the 20th century, artists such as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and the Sabri Brothers popularized qawwali internationally, helping to define its modern form.

A typical performance features a lead qawwal supported by a chorus, with a musical ensemble including harmonium, tabla, and dholak. Percussive clapping and rhythmic cycles drive the piece, while the singers deliver poetry—often in Urdu, Punjabi, or Persian—drawn from Sufi poets like Rumi, Hafiz, and Bulleh Shah.

Lyrics express devotion, longing for the divine, and praise of God and the Prophet. Qawwali is traditionally performed at dargahs (shrines) and mehfils, but it also appears in concerts and festivals beyond South Asia, contributing to the genre's international reach.