Poetry, Performance and the Prophet in the Andalusian Music Tradition of Morocco

As a performed art, the Andalusian¹ nūba tradition of Morocco combines al-madīḥ al-nabawī (praise of the Prophet) with many themes and motifs from Classical Arabic poetry, while juxtaposing strophic poetry with non-strophic verse. It differs thus from the Mantle Ode qaṣīda of Muḥammad al-Būṣīrī. The reframing and recontextualization intrinsic to performance have enabled and lent potency to juxtapositions of meaning, style and form, while subordinating the literary aspect to the oral dimension. Moreover, direct influence from the Sufi-related al-madīḥ wa-al-samāʿ genre has fostered a more esoteric style of Prophet-piety infused with mystical motifs.