Influence of Religion
The influence of religions such as Christianity, Judaism and Islam has had a great impact on the musical culture of the Middle East. Religion forms a major background to many traditional styles of music and dance, ranging from classical to more modern. All over the Middle East, you hear songs of praise and prayer. What is conducted by a muezzin, or prayer caller, for example, are the five daily calls to prayer. Only since the nineteenth century have individual reciters started singing the Qur'an while still strictly abiding by the laws and rules. This, however is grossly inaccurate. This from of Quran recital is called Tajwid, تجويد, which is the Arabic word for elocution.
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