Presented by Small World Music
In association with The Tawoos Initiative 

After an exciting performance at September’s Small World Music Festival, the Fareed Ayaz & Abu Muhammad Qawaali  are back bringing powerful Sufi voices & rhythms. 

Known as 'the path of the heart’, Qawwali expresses the fervent devotion of the great Sufi mystics. The music begins by drawing the audience in with a meditative rhythm of chants, melodies, and percussion. Steadily, the rhythm builds, reaching ecstatic peaks that transport both musicians and listeners closer to the divine. 

Ayaz and company have been bringing South Asian music to international audiences for over thirty years. The ensemble's musical roots go back 700 years in the tradition of Qawwal Bachon ka Gharana of Delhi. Lead singers, Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad, accompanied by their chorus singers and percussionists, weave together devotional and secular traditions for a transcendent evening of music. 





The 2023 Small World Music Series is generously supported by TD Bank of Canada, the Government of Canada, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council.