In Sufism, Samāʿ (سماع) literally means “listening”, but carries a rich spiritual meaning. Samāʿ is the practice of listening to spiritually elevating chants with the purpose of awakening love for GOD (maḥabba) and deepening remembrance of GOD (dhikr). It is not just “listening” with the ears, but a state where the heart is opened to Divine presence.