This book is organized into the following nine sections:
- Preface
- Introduction-Islamic world and music.
- Sources-Memory and oral transmission
- Sources-Musicians' biographies, song-text collections and music notation systems
- Perspectives-Philosophy, science and music
- Perspectives-Music theory and practice
- Practices-Forms and institutions of music patronage: Court conservatory and radio
- Practices-Music performance and ritual Index of technical terms