Throughout history, versions of the oud instrument have made their mark in various civilizations from Spain to China. Today, the oud is known as ut or ud in Turkey, laouta in Greece, udi in Africa and barbat in Iran. The oud is considered the most important Arab instrument and is called the prince of the instruments.
The sound of the oud is similar to the guitar but more mellow and more rich. Kudos to Justin Timberlake for giving this beautiful sound lots of radio play time.
