Maddah (religious singer)

A group of Iranian Maddahs, including the famous Mahmoud Karimi, in a gathering

A Maddah (Persian: مداح) is a religious Islamic reciter who performs devotional poetry, elegies, chants, and hymns in praise of the Prophet Muhammad, the Twelve Imams, and other Islamic figures. Maddahs are particularly associated with Shia Muslim religious ceremonies and the commemoration of the Ahl al-Bayt, especially during Muharram, when they perform elegies and mourning chants for Husayn and the martyrs of the Battle of Karbala. Maddahi doesn't have special gender, age, group or elegy.

Maddahs commonly perform at mosques, Husayniyas, shrines, and other religious gatherings. Their performances include recitation of religious poetry, lamentation (noha), and rhythmic forms of mourning such as chest-beating (latm). In addition to mourning ceremonies, maddahs also perform on occasions commemorating the births and other significant events associated with members of the Ahl al-Bayt. Maddah recitation is an important part of Shia devotional life, particularly in countries with significant Shia populations.

Notable maddahs

Among the best-known contemporary Maddahs are Basim al-Karbalaei of Iraq, Nadeem Sarwar of Pakistan, Mir Hasan Mir of Pakistan, Hussain Al-Akraf of Kuwait, Mahmoud Karimi, Seyyed Majid Bani Fatemeh of Iran, Hossein Taheri of Iran, Mahdi Rasouli of Iran, Hossein Sotoodeh of Iran and Mohammad-Hossein Haddadian of Iran. Al-Karbalaei, Bani Fatemeh, Taheri and Rasouli have gained huge international audience. Their popularity extends well beyond live gatherings: official videos by them have gained tens or even hundreds of millions of views on YouTube. In South Asia, Nadeem Sarwar is particularly prominent, with his nohas being widely performed and heard among Shia Muslims across the Indian subcontinent.

See also

• Mourning of Muharram
• Banu Hashim
• Maddahi
• Dhikr
• Dua