Within Sufism, poetry and music function as disciplined spiritual instruments rather than mere aesthetic pursuits. Poetry provides a language for inner states that resist straightforward theological description, using metaphor, paradox, and symbolic imagery—wine, taverns, the beloved, and spiritual intoxication—to hint at experiences of divine love, longing, and union. Such verse does not simply describe mystical realities; it shapes the seeker’s inner orientation, cultivating yearning, softening the heart, and making complex mystical concepts emotionally accessible. In many Sufi lineages, the teachings of saints and masters are preserved and transmitted in poetic form, so that literature and spiritual guidance become inseparable.

Music, especially in forms such as samā‘ and devotional genres like qawwali, serves as a structured means of remembrance (dhikr) and an aid to spiritual ecstasy (wajd). Through rhythmic repetition, melody, and chanting of divine names, Qur’anic phrases, or devotional poetry, musical practice engages breath, body, and emotion, helping to quiet the discursive mind and open the heart to the presence of God. In properly guided settings, this use of music is governed by intention and discipline, aiming not at emotional indulgence but at the dissolution of ego (fanā’) and inner purification. Communal musical gatherings create a shared spiritual atmosphere in which individual and collective longing for the Divine can be intensified and refined.

Across regions where Sufism has taken root, poetry and music have also absorbed and transformed local cultural forms while preserving a universal mystical core. Sufi poets composing in Persian, Arabic, Turkish, Urdu, and other languages have adopted regional styles and symbols, yet consistently return to themes of divine love, separation, and union. Likewise, Sufi practice has incorporated indigenous musical instruments and devotional traditions, allowing sacred listening and musical dhikr to resonate within diverse cultural soundscapes. In this way, poetry gives Sufism its inner language, while music offers an embodied method, together guiding the seeker from outward observance toward an ever-deepening realization of the Divine.