In Cairo, the holy month of Ramadan doesn’t quiet the music—it amplifies it. Rooted in the Sufi belief that sound can bring humans closer to the divine, the city’s sonic landscape swells with everything from traditional madeh processions (to celebrate the Prophet Muhammad) to spontaneous rooftop performances. This year, events like Hader Farghaly’s Gharam brought together whirling dervishes, Coptic hymns, and Islamic inshad in ecstatic collaboration, while Underground Social’s Nuits du Ramadan series offered free concerts where artists improvised together, producing dynamic performances that energized audiences. Organizers describe these gatherings as prayers for connection rather than mere performances. In a city of 22 million, the result is a collective energy that transforms listeners, proving that when approached with devotion, music becomes something far greater than entertainment.
OkayAfrica
