Music/Halal or Haram?

[Assad91]

Is music halal or haram?

I have come across more fatwa saying it is halal, though recommended clean, rather than haraam.

This is because there is no reason to declare it haram. The hadith usually cited, are unauthentic.

Once again, it seems the only ones who claim music is haram are the saudi salafi and the people under their influence.

 

[Gharib]

From Sahih Bukhari:

Narrated Abu 'Amir or Abu Malik Al-Ash'ari: that he heard the Prophet saying, "From among my followers there will be some people who will consider illegal sexual intercourse, the wearing of silk, the drinking of alcoholic drinks and the use of musical instruments, as lawful ......

Does this one hadith suffice?

Allah Most High says:

“And there are among men, those that purchase idle tales, to mislead (men) from the path of Allah and throw ridicule. For such there will be a humiliating punishment” (Surah Luqman, V. 6).

The great Companion Abd Allah ibn Mas’ud (Allah be pleased with him) states in the explanation of the word “idle tales”:

“By Allah its meaning is music” (Sunan al-Bayhaqi, 1/223 & authenticated by al-Hakim in his Mustadrak, 2/411).

Other views in relation to the verse:

Imam Ibn Abi Shayba related with his own transmission that He (Ibn Mas’ud) said:

“I swear By Him besides whom there is no God that it refers to singing” (132/5).

The great Companion and exegete of the Qur’an, Abd Allah ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) states:

“The meaning of the word is music, singing and the like” (Sunan al-Bayhaqi, 1/221& Musannaf Ibn abi Shayba, 132/5).

He also stated:

“Music and the purchase of female singers” (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shayba, 132/5).

Hasan al-Basri (Allah be pleased with him) said:

“This verse was revealed in relation to singing and musical instruments” (Tafsir ibn Kathir, 3/442)

Other evidence from Hadith:

Sayyiduna Abu Malik al-Ash’ari (Allah be pleased with him) reports that he heard the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) say: “There will appear people in my Ummah, who will hold adultery, silk, alcohol and musical instruments to be lawful” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

In the above narration, the word ma`azif is used. The scholars of the Arabic language are unanimous on the fact that it refers to musical instruments (Ibn Manzur, Lisan al-Arab, V.9, P.189).

Na’fi reports that once Abd Allah ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them both) heard the sound of a Sheppard’s flute. He put his fingers in his ears, turned his mule away from the road and said: “O Nafi’! Can you hear? I (Nafi&#8217 replied with the affirmative. He carried on walking (with his fingers in his ears) until I said: “the sound has ceased” He removed his fingers from his ears, came back on to the road and said: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) doing the same when he heard the flute of the Sheppard” (Recorded by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad and Abu Dawud & Ibn Majah in their Sunans).

All 4 madhhabs have declared Music haram and there are differences on the permissibility of singing as to whether it is allowed and if it is, what kind of singing is allowed.

 

[F0uad]

Music is haram according to all four schools.

 

[Assad91]

As gharib menfioned, the 4 schools differ on allowing singing. Should also note there is lawful instruments aswell. So many nasheeds are halal.

 

[Assad91]

So, at least to me, its wrong to say all music is haram.

 

[Union]

Assad91 says :
So, at least to me, its wrong to say all music is haram.

Eaxactly .Music is one of the wondrous mysteries created by All-knowing ALLAH . It is the medicine of a broken heart , light for the spirit lost its way , inspiration of a nation to gain its independence . Music has been used as an instrument to protest against the injustice and immorality in the society for centuries . There are hundreds good sides of Music...

ALLAH , the Almighty never forbidden Music in the whole Qur'an . The general instruction of Qur'an is to avoid fahisa , hence if Music is inviting to fahisa like sex , drugs , killing etc. , it must be Haram .

Nevertheless , I always praise Almighty ALLAH when I hear music , how wonderfully coming out from human throat and from different physical objects , like wood , metal , wind - it really strengthens my Iman that GOD is great .


Side Note : The verse cited by Gharib (Surah Luqman , verse 6) has nothing to do with Music . The original word is used in Arabic is 'Hadith' which depicted there as the means to keep people away from the the path of ALLAH and the Qur'an (follow verse 7):

Yusuf Ali:

[031:006] But there are, among men, those who purchase idle tales, without knowledge (or meaning), to mislead (men) from the Path of God and throw ridicule (on the Path): for such there will be a Humiliating Penalty.
[FONT=&quot] ومن الناس من يشتري لهو الحديث ليضل عن سبيل الله بغير علم ويتخذها هزوا اولئك لهم عذاب مهين[/FONT]


[031:007] When Our Signs are rehearsed to such a one, he turns away in arrogance, as if he heard them not, as if there were deafness in both his ears: announce to him a grievous Penalty.
[FONT=&quot] واذا تتلى عليه اياتنا ولى مستكبرا كان لم يسمعها كان في اذنيه وقرا فبشره بعذاب اليم[/FONT]

 

[Father Heathen]

Music is haram according to all four schools.

Just out of curiosity - and I mean this as a respectful question considering this is a DIR - being a video game player, do you disable the game's music?

 

[Union]

Just out of curiosity - and I mean this as a respectful question considering this is a DIR - being a video game player, do you disable the game's music?

Very interesting question .

 

[Gharib]

As gharib menfioned, the 4 schools differ on allowing singing. Should also note there is lawful instruments aswell. So many nasheeds are halal.

The only two lawful instruments are a lone drum and a duff with just the skin on and not the metal rings around it.

But there is no evidence that they may be used in songs. The drum for example was used as a means of notifying the people of Madinah that the Prophet was approaching during his migration.

There is something about the duff too but can't remember.

And nasheeds are halal (if they are) so long as there is no music.

 

[Gharib]

So, at least to me, its wrong to say all music is haram.

No that's wrong, all music is haram. I have not read of anything in support of using either of the two permissible instruments or both for that matter while singing as background music.

If you have anything that says they can be used then please post it.

 

[Assad91]

No that's wrong, all music is haram. I have not read of anything in support of using either of the two permissible instruments or both for that matter while singing as background music.

If you have anything that says they can be used then please post it.

Ah, I have found something that cleared it up for me.

Conclusion

In the light of the above evidences from the Qur’an, sayings of our beloved Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give peace) and texts of the various Fuqaha, the following is the decisive ruling with regards to music:

Musical instruments that are solely designed for entertainment are unlawful, with or without singing. However, to play the tambourine (daf) at weddings (and other occasions according to some fuqaha) will be permissible.

As far as the songs are concerned, if they consist of anything that is unlawful or they prevent one from the obligatory duties, then they will be unlawful. However, if they are free from the abovementioned things (and they are not accompanied by instruments), then it will be permissible to sing them.

And Allah Knows best

Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari, UK

Music and Singing: A Detailed Fatwa


So, I was mistaken, and you was right brother. Playing of the duff is only permissible at special occasions. Seems the only thing allowed in simple singing in which nothing unlawful is encouraged.

 

[EdisNiksic]

What about modern music. Made with computers and not with real instruments? Like techno

 

[FearGod]

i don't agree that music in all it types is haram.

How to explain then that muslims themselves are the one whom developed the musical instruments such as Al-farabi.

Is Music Haram? Is Music Halal? Music, Haram or Halal?

 

[Bismillah]

Just out of curiosity - and I mean this as a respectful question considering this is a DIR - being a video game player, do you disable the game's music?

People I know who consider Music impermissible do indeed go to the options menu and disable any ingame music.

 

[Poeticus]

Namaste,

Is Tamer Hosny (one of the best Muslim singers on the planet) haraam?

M.V.

ps - I know this is the IslamDIR; I didn't mean to interrupt, forgive me if I did...

 

[Re123]

What if music is listened to, to help one focus? Personally, I like to stay up late and study for exams and in order for me to focus and stay awake I listen to some songs. Usually the songs are about my country rather than other subjects like love and mischief, which may cause you to stray. I understand music is haram, however in such a case where it is used for a beneficial subject, how much harm can it do us?

JazakAllahu Khair

 

[FearGod]

What if music is listened to, to help one focus? Personally, I like to stay up late and study for exams and in order for me to focus and stay awake I listen to some songs. Usually the songs are about my country rather than other subjects like love and mischief, which may cause you to stray. I understand music is haram, however in such a case where it is used for a beneficial subject, how much harm can it do us?

JazakAllahu Khair

There is no verse to confirm that music is haram, for example the quran make it clear that adultery is haram and eating pork as another example, so rationally speaking if music is haram then it should be mentioned in the quran as well.

 

[Matemkar]

Salam and welcome to the forum.

As brother FearGod mentioned, music is not forbidden in itself. Though the rulings changes as per what aim it is used for and what feelings it makes you have. For instance, some rap music with so much bad (swearing) words in it are forbidden in Islamic Iran but not others. It depends on the aim it is used for and the content-lyrics, and also other things. This is the rational (aql) judgment. Narrational (naql) judgment also confirms this and says only ghina (music played in immoral "amusement" gatherings) is forbidden and not others. Thanks. ma salam.

 

[Rotcha]

For real?

Why can't muslims listen to music. I understand if its something inappropriate, but in general. Whats so wrong about it?

I have btw read the quran, and i don't remember any verse arguing against music.

I mean music is art

 

[Matemkar]

Salam. Welcome to the forum. I hope you like it here.

It is nice that you read Quran. MashaAllah. And you are right, there is nothing against music in Quran. On the contrary, there are examples stating otherwise, such as, in the Holy Quran, the psalms is mentioned to be sang by David, with mountains (i.e. echo, nature, music) accompanying him.

And, yes, neither in Quran, nor in authentic narrations shared by sunni-shia Muslims there is something against it. So, it is not forbidden. But the ruling may change for each song depending on their content and other things.

Thanks. ma salam