60 – Abedina (attributed to Abedin Jaf)

Range: B, C, D, E (and E♭), F♯, G.

Variable notes: E.

Tuning: Haft Dastan or Barz (C, C, G)

It is one of the kalam maqams, the sacred melodic-modal pieces of the Yarsan (Ahl-e Haqq) tanbur repertoire; on hearing it, the listener sinks into a deep and mysterious feeling. A noteworthy point about this maqam is that the text refers to “being the manifestation of Haqq (the Divine Truth)”, which Ali Akbar Moradi has translated as “God”, writing: “…how could he be God? But I say…”. Evidently, in the new translation in the book Musiqi-ye Yarsan (“The Music of the Yarsan”), the wording has been softened.

Regarding the reference to Nasir in the text of the maqam: apparently the name “Nasir” is not mentioned in authoritative Shi’a sources, but despite this, there even existed the Nasiriyya (Nusayri) sect, attributed to Nasir, who held Ali to be of divine rank. As for Ghanbar, he is a very prominent figure who was so close to Ali that his biography is one of the important sources for knowing Ali. Ghanbar was one of Ali’s most important companions and was at his side everywhere and throughout all the different periods of Ali’s life.