A Pakistani musical group is spreading the Qawwali tradition that has been in their family for more than seven centuries.

Qawal Najmuddin Saifuddin & Brothers members will be having multiple workshops in the surrounding area leading up to their final concert on Saturday.

Muhammad Najmuddin, the group’s leader, said the group has been performing together since 1993 and is made up of members of their family.

The small portion of the group that is currently performing for Arts Midwest World Fest tour is made up of five brothers, a cousin and a nephew.

Najmuddin said they play a style of music called Qawwali, a type of music created in the 13th century.

Ehtishamuddin Hussain said Qawwali has always been connected with spirituality.

“The main message of Qawwali is peace, love and humanity for everyone—not someone, not the leaders of Muslims; it’s everyone,” Ehtishamuddin Hussain said.

The Qawwali style of music, created by Hazrat Yameenuddin Abul-Hasan Amir Khusrou, is a spiritual devotion from a mix of musical traditions from Turkey, Persia and India.

“He banded together 12 youngsters who start Qawwali singing and trained them,” Najmuddin said.

The Qawwali music is not restricted to spiritual gathers.

“Now, the Qawwali performers, as well as the spiritual leaders, think this form of music can easily be enjoyed by the people, and it is very easy for them to come enjoy and see the Qawwali singing,” Najmuddin said. “They slowly modified it to fit into the general public, and now-a-days in Pakistan, apart from the spiritual gatherings, are performing at shrines; we are performing for the general public.”

The music can now be performed at different gatherings or ceremonies and in concerts.

Najmuddin said this type of music has been a tradition in his family for 750 years.

“We get this from our forefathers and our ancestors, and it is our tradition that the next generation will follow the previous ones, and it’ll follow the next,” Najmuddin said.

In this tradition, family members start teaching the next generation from the age of 6 or 7, and it takes about 20 years to complete.

The music is passed down through oral and written tradition.

The group has knowledge of more than 10,000 songs.

The group uses different instruments that are not known in the U.S.

They use the tabla, a drum and a harmonium, a mix between a piano and an accordion.

In Qawwali music, there is also a section of clappers who help keep the rhythm of the music.

Dan Crews, the director of patron services at Doudna, said the group is a part of the Arts Midwest World Fest.

This program helps bring bands from all over the world to the Midwest to share their culture.

The group will be having different workshops at area schools, and they will talk about their music and instruments at Eastern.

Crews said this program opens people up to different cultures.

“You are seeing something very unique and from a culture that you are not all that familiar with,” Crews said. “I like the fact that I’m opening myself up to something I’m not familiar with.”

Najmuddin said by performing in the U.S., they share their culture with different groups of people.

Ehtishamuddin Hussain said they want to show that the stereotype of Muslims is not true, and they are discovering the same thing about Americans.

“There is a bad picture of America throughout the media,” Ehtishamuddin Hussain said.

Najmuddin said they have had a good experience, despite the stereotype.

“When we came here, we went to Des Moines, Red Oak and now here in Charelston,” Najmuddin said. “All the American people we met on these three visit were very loving, caring and kind people.”

The group will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Theatre of the Doudna Fine Arts Center. Tickets are $10.

Samantha McDaniel can be reached at 581-2812 or slmcdaiel@eiu.edu.