header banner
Default

Iranian woman sings solo at historic mosque in brave defiance of security and music ban


Table of Contents

    10 July 2023, 16:00

    The Iranian singer continued to sing even when a security guard approached her.
    The Iranian singer continued to sing even when a security guard approached her. Picture: Twitter @AlinejadMasih

    Women have been banned from singing solo since the 1979 establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran.

    A video of a woman singing in a historic mosque in Esfahan, Iran has gone viral due to the performance being seen as an act of defiance against current music-making bans.

    The unnamed singer, who is thought to be a professional due to her captivating and well-trained voice, was interrupted twice by an apparent security guard who attempted to silence her solo song.

    However, instead of stopping her performance, the singing woman continued, holding up her hand to stop the guard’s advance.

    Solo singing by women has been banned in Iran since the 1979 revolution when the Imperial State of Iran was overthrown, leading to the establishment of the present-day Islamic Republic of Iran.

    Women are reportedly allowed to participate as background vocalists in concerts and studios, but they cannot perform as lead singers.

    Listen to the woman’s moving performance below.

    Read more: Iraqi violinist gives concert at Mosul shrine, where music was banned under Islamic State

    For women, singing is forbidden in Iran. This woman is bravely singing in one of Esfahan’s most historical mosques. When the security agent tried to stop her, she resisted and continued. Brave Iranian women like her will some day bring down this most anti-woman regime. pic.twitter.com/NvSgQqIFND

    — Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) July 6, 2023

    The video was filmed in what is thought to be the courtyard of a historic mosque, explaining why those captured in the recording are wearing shoes.

    Worship is not usually conducted in historic mosques, however, their acoustics make for wonderful performance spaces, as can be heard in the woman’s performance.

    Since the introduction of the ban on solo women vocalists in 1979, various exceptions have been reported. These include women soloists being allowed to perform for female audiences, but not in front of men.

    However, in 2016, Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi, one of Iran’s most influential religious leaders, clarified that women were forbidden from singing or playing a musical instrument in any public place, no matter the gender of the audience.

    Many Shia Muslim clerics believe the singing voice of a woman to be erotic, hence the continued ban.

    Read more: Taliban executes folk singer after announcing a public music ban in Afghanistan

    Iranian singer, Shervin Hajipour, won the Best Song For Social Change award at the 2023 Grammys. His song became an anthem for protests following the death of Iranian-Kurdish woman Mahsa Amin last year.
    Iranian singer, Shervin Hajipour, won the Best Song For Social Change award at the 2023 Grammys. His song became an anthem for protests following the death of Iranian-Kurdish woman Mahsa Amin last year. Picture: Getty

    The woman in the video filmed at the mosque was singing a poem from the Sufi tradition – a mystical form of Islam, which focuses on the inward search for God.

    Sufis have previously been targeted by Islamic State militants, who have called for brutal attacks against this religious community.

    Over the last decade, more than a dozen women have been arrested for singing solo in Iran, either after being seen and heard singing in public, or having published their performances on social media.

    Masih Alinejad, an Iranian journalist based in New York, shared the video on Twitter calling the musician a “brave Iranian woman.”

    Sources


    Article information

    Author: Michelle Simon

    Last Updated: 1704217082

    Views: 2741

    Rating: 3.9 / 5 (74 voted)

    Reviews: 99% of readers found this page helpful

    Author information

    Name: Michelle Simon

    Birthday: 1975-04-24

    Address: 765 Davis Plain Apt. 225, Johnburgh, WY 24990

    Phone: +4177080296391116

    Job: Cryptocurrency Analyst

    Hobby: Skateboarding, Scuba Diving, Sewing, Wine Tasting, Bird Watching, Lock Picking, Tennis

    Introduction: My name is Michelle Simon, I am a sincere, strong-willed, Gifted, vibrant, accessible, important, transparent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.