Religious music tradition in Kars Ja'faris

Academic studies on Turkish religious music predominantly focus on mosque music and Sufi lodge music. However, comprehensive academic research on religious music practices within Shi'ism and its branch, Ja'fariyyah, remains notably scarce. Motivated by this gap in the literature, the primary aim of this research is to examine the religious musical traditions of the Ja'fari community living in the Kars region. The fact that the majority of Turkey's Ja'fari community is rooted in Kars and follows the religious leaders of this region has determined the focus of the study. This research aims to identify the musical practices performed during the religious rituals, ceremonies, and events of the Ja'fari community and to explore both the similarities and differences of these practices with the Shi'ite tradition and Anatolian Sunni music. The study consists of three main chapters. In the first chapter, the emergence of Ja'fariyyah and its doctrinal principles are addressed. The second chapter presents a detailed analysis of the religious life of the Ja'fari community in Kars. In the final chapter, the focus is placed on the religious musical traditions of Kars Ja'faris. The research was conducted using qualitative research methods. Due to the limited availability of written sources in the literature, fieldwork formed the basis of the study, and interview methods were employed. Within this scope, an in-depth interview was conducted with Mir Kasım Erdem, the President of the Ahl al-Bayt Association. During the interviews, information was obtained about the musical traditions performed in the religious ceremonies of the Ja'fari community, and the relationship of these rituals with music was examined. Furthermore, certain musical pieces were identified for transcription to ensure the preservation of Ja'fari religious music forms, and these pieces were analyzed in detail. The findings of the study reveal that the Ja'fari community predominantly uses the Uşşâk, Kürdî, Hicâz, and Çârgâh modes in their religious music performances. While these musical forms overlap with some practices in the Anatolian Sunni tradition, they also contain distinctive elements influenced by Shi'ite beliefs. Additionally, it was observed that Ja'fari religious leaders learn these works through the traditional "meşk" method, maintaining a conventional style in their performances. The findings demonstrate that the religious music practices of the Ja'fari community share similarities with Anatolian Sunni music traditions but also develop unique applications influenced by Shi'ite doctrines. The works transcribed as part of this study are of great significance for the preservation of these musical forms for future generations and for serving as valuable sources for further academic research.