‘Abdu’l-Baha said: "There are two kinds of music:
divine music and earthly music. Divine music exhilarates the spirit while
earthly music has an effect over the body. Divine music belongs to the Kingdom
of God; earthly music is of this mundane world. I hope that you will be
confirmed to study both kinds of music so that you may be able to sing the
anthems of heaven and the songs of this world."
- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha
recorded by Ahmad Sohrab, ‘Abdu'l-Baha in Britain, 1913’)