The Afghan rubāb, as the dutâr or the tanburis one of the most popular Central Asian lutes, and for less than a century now has also been played in the West. Its distinctive timbre captivates listeners and its singular shape, often richly ornamented with bone or mother-of-pearl inlays, makes it a splendid object, appreciated by musicians and collectors alike. Those who play it hold it in high esteem, going so far as to consider it “a friend”, or even “the voice of God”. Since the 8^th and the 14^th century, the term ‘rubāb’ was used to describe a fiddle. Since then, it has been used to describe a plucked lute.