TEHRAN – “Manaqib-Khani”, an album featuring Iranian Islamic music, was introduced during a press conference held at Tehran’s Art Bureau on Monday. 

Collected by music researcher and scholar, Houshang Javid, the album features a collection of works performed by various veteran Iranian artists. 

Manaqib-Khani is a form of Iranian Islamic music that dates back to the ancient times. It is played in mosques and religious gatherings to celebrate the virtues and the good deeds of the prophets and holy figures of Islam. The name Manaqib-Khani is a Persian term that means "singing stories of virtues."

Religious music in Iran is not limited only to the ceremonial music, Javid said. 

Iranians have always lived with religion and that religion, faith, and spirituality are all manifested in religious music, he added. 

From weddings to funerals, all Iranian ethnic groups mention the names of God, the prophet, and the Imams in their celebrations, he noted. 

Iranians have learned over centuries how to remember God in both mourning and celebration, and it is truly beautiful, he stated. 

The principles and roots of Manaqib-Khani have deep ties to Iranian heritage and religion, he said and added: “This art form could be registered as a World Heritage by UNESCO.”

SAB/