Researcher Explores Role of Nostalgia in Quranic Recitations
Hussein Ghorbani, a Quranic studies researcher, presented his paper titled "Examining Enduring and Memorable Elements of Influential Recitations with a Focus on Promotional Features" on the second day of the 19th Specialized Meeting of Distinguished Quranic Scholars, Reciters, and Memorizers, organized by the Supreme Council of the Quran in Tehran.
Ghorbani began on Thursday by explaining his choice of terminology: "Many equivalents for 'nostalgic' have been suggested ... but none fully capture the essence of the original term. Nostalgia is essentially the longing derived from recalling a set of past memories, which was once considered a disease in past centuries but is now used in French literature to evoke a positive feeling about the past."
To illustrate, Ghorbani said, "We might have eaten a dish two or three decades ago that we still consume today, but we often tell ourselves or others that the taste back then was different and still lingers in our memory."
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He noted that this feeling can also apply to hearing a recitation from years ago or recalling melodies like the pre-dawn Ramadan prayer which evoke a sense of nostalgia and seem irreplaceable. "This is a clear example of nostalgia in the realm of the Quran and supplications," he added.
Ghorbani identified key characteristics of a memorable Quranic recitation, including precise adherence to technical aspects, its grandeur, uniqueness, comprehensibility, and widespread recognition.
He further categorized nostalgia into collective, specialized, and individual aspects, noting that in Quranic recitation, there is also spatial nostalgia. "For instance, a recitation might be memorable due to the warmth of the people present at the location, or verbal nostalgia, such as the recitations of the Imams of Mecca and Medina, which remain in our minds and are recalled when we see the Kaaba or the Prophet's Mosque."
Ghorbani emphasized, "In verbal nostalgia, we can cite the famous recitations of Abdul Basit, particularly his short surahs, which have left a lasting impression. This category also includes other notable recitations like those of Saeed Moselm."
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He pointed out that for Quran enthusiasts, specialized nostalgia holds significant meaning. "What we consider nostalgic pieces of Mustafa Ismail's recitations might not resonate with the general public, but there is a common emotional nostalgia that transforms us before any intellectual reflection on the recitation."
"By leveraging past nostalgias in recitation, we can repeatedly listen to and be influenced by them to effectively convey divine messages. We should also aim to create new nostalgias in the field of recitation as a legacy for future generations."
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