 He never performed in public and did not make any recordings of his music in a professional setting.Elahi's music is rooted in a tradition involving the rhythmic recital and invocation of sacred texts in devotional gatherings, accompanied by various instruments such as the tanbur (an ancient lute), the ney (reed flute) and the daf (frame drum).Elahi began playing the tanbur at the age of six and was recognized as a master of the tanbur by the age of nine.