All‐male sonic gatherings, Islamic reform, and masculinity in northern Pakistan

Abstract

In this article, I explore the complex opportunities afforded by high‐intensity performative events for the instantiation of diverse forms of sociality and masculinity in the mountainous Chitral region of Pakistan's North‐West Frontier Province. I focus ethnographically on two types of all‐male musical gatherings that are regularly attended by Chitrali Muslims: the istók and the mahfil. The “permissibility” of these types of entertainment, according to Islamic authoritative teachings, is a source of considerable debate in the region: Many Chitrali “men of piety,” who are mostly trained in Pakistani madrassas and are often affiliated with so‐called Islamist political parties, deliver mosque addresses during which they pronounce such gatherings “impermissible” within Islam. Analysis of the role played by these all‐male sonic gatherings in the instantiation of locally contested forms of masculinity furnishes unique insights into the much‐debated issue of how Muslims handle and respond to pressures to Islamize. More broadly, I aim to contribute to wider anthropological debates concerning the constitution and significance to everyday life of local theories of aesthetics, emotion, and ethical action.