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Arts in Islam: (Q & A)
Music: Islamic Viewpoint
By Art & Culture Team
In our series Islam and Arts (Q & A), we will try to find answers to many questions
that spark controversy about arts in Islam. For example, what kind of arts is
permitted? And what kinds are not? On a weekly basis, we will highlight a question
from one of our readers along with its answer by Wael Shihab, deputy managing
editor of the Shari`ah Department (English) at IslamOnline.net (IOL). Shihab
graduated from Al-Azhar University and later received his MA in Islamic Studies,
with a major in Islamic jurisprudence and its principles. Now a PhD student, he is
working on the principles of Islamic jurisprudence at the same university.
Q: Are singing and listening to music against the Islamic teachings? Why? Now, a lot
of artists follow the trend of Sami Yusuf and Yusuf Islam and perform what they call
nasheeds. How does Islam view this kind of music?
A: In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. All praise and thanks are due
to Allah, and may peace and blessings of Allah be upon Prophet Muhammad, his
family, his Companions, and all those who follow his guidance until the Day of
Judgment.
First of all, I would like to express my appreciation and esteem to my sisters at the Art
& Culture Department, wishing them all success in presenting and defending Islam
through their important efforts.
Thanks for this good question. Although the issue of listening to music and
singing is subject to differences and disagreement among scholars, I adopt the juristic
view that allows the act of listening to music or singing provided the following
conditions are met:
* It does not involve a theme that promotes immorality, indecency, or evil.
* It is not accompanied with haram practices.
* It does not incite evil desires within oneself.
* It does not waste one's time.
* It does not lead to neglecting one's duties.
Use the feature Add Comment to share your views on Islam and arts or to post more
questions.
These general guidelines also apply to the nasheeds of any person. However, I do not
want to judge the works of any singer. Here, I only state the general rules, through
which one can judge different cases.
To support my argument on this issue, I would like to refer to a Prophetic hadith. It
was narrated that `A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) attended a wedding of one

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of her female relatives from the Ansar (Muslims of Madinah), and then the Prophet
(peace and blessings be on him) asked her, "Have you sent a girl with her [the bride]
who can sing and beat the duff [tambourine]?" `A'ishah then said, "What would she
say?" The Prophet said, "She can say, 'Here we come; to you we come; greet us as we
greet you'' (Al-Shawkani, Nayl Al-Awtar).
Also, it is well known that the Ansar welcomed the Prophet's arrival to Madinah with
the following nasheed, which most of us have memorized at an early age:
See the bright moon soar over us
Through the valley of Wada
And our gratitude should be for the cause
Now that the call is to Allah
Upon reading the Prophet's biography, we can see many incidents in which the
Prophet, along with his companions, said some nasheeds, such as the incident when
they were digging the trench during the battle of Al-Khandaq.
Al-Bukhari reported on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with them both)
that the Muhajirun (Immigrants to Madinah) and the Ansar started digging the trench
around Madinah, carrying the earth on their backs and saying, "We are those who
have given a pledge of allegiance to Muhammad that we will accomplish jihad
[striving for Allah] as long as we shall live." The Prophet kept on replying, "O Allah,
there is no good except the good of the hereafter, so confer Your blessings upon the
Ansar and the Muhajireen."
Having stated the above, I still do advise my dear brothers and sisters not to indulge in
listening to music or singing to the extent of ignoring or giving a short time to
listening to and reciting the Qur'an. We should give due regard to reading and
listening to the Qur'an and to reading about Islam and Muslim affairs.
Although listening to music or singing in a way that meets the above conditions is not
objectionable, our young Muslim brothers and sisters should observe their priorities in
relation to time. Let's be balanced in leading our lives, organizing our priorities on the
basis of duties, requirements, and benefits.
Part 2
Name of Questioner
Malak - United Kingdom
Title
Singing & Music: Islamic View
Question
As-Salamu `alaykum! In his fatwa " Does Islam Go against Laughter? ", Sheikh Yusuf
`Abdullah Al-Qaradawi stated that when Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq (may Allah be pleased
with him) tried to stop two young girls from singing in the Prophets house, the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told him: 'Let it be, for we are now in the
feast.'

However, Sheikh Qaradawi did not refer to the following hadiths: Ibn Mas`ud (may
Allah be pleased with him) used to swear by Allah that the ayah "And of mankind is
he who purchases idle talk to mislead (men) from the Path of Allah . . . (Luqman: 6)
referred to singing. Abu Amir and Abu Malik al-Ash`ari (may Allah be pleased with
them) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
Among my Ummah will be those who make permissible al-hira (adultery), silk,
khamr and musical instruments . . . (Reported by al-Bukhari; see al-Fath, 10/51).
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him) said: In this Ummah there will be punishments of earthquakes,
showers of stones and deformity (transformation into animals); that will be when the
people drink khamr, listen to female singers and play musical instruments. (See alSilsilah as-Saheehah, 2203; attributed to Ibn Abid-Dunya, Dhamm al-Malahi; the
hadith was narrated by at-Tirmidhi, no. 2212).
Also, Sheikh Qaradawi did not mention the following facts: It is reported in a Sahih
hadith that the Prophet's laughter was never more than a smile. (Reported by Ahmad)
According to another hadith, he (peace and blessings be upon him) used to remain
silent for long periods, and laugh little. (Reported by Ahmad) Aishah (may Allah be
pleased with her) said: I never saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be
upon him) laughing so heartily that his back teeth showed; he would only smile.
(Reported by Abu Dawud)
Now, don't the readers have the right to know the other side of the coin too? But then
again, perhaps I am wrong about it. I would however, appreciate it, if the fatwa issuer
could reply to my objections. Wassalam
Date
13/Jan/2004
Name of Counsellor
A Group of Islamic Researchers
Topic
Singing & Music

Answer

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His
Messenger.

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First of all, we would like to thank you for the great confidence you have in us. We
hope our efforts meet your expectations.
Given that your objection revolves mainly around music and why it is permissible,
here is the clarification for that in the light of fatwa issued by Sheikh Yusuf AlQaradawi:
The whole issue of singing is controversial, whether it is with musical accompaniment
or not. Some issues succeeded to gain the Muslim scholars agreement, while others
failed. All scholars have unanimous view on the prohibition of all forms of singing
and music that incites debauchery, indecency, or sin. As for musical instruments,
given the weakness of the evidence indicating that they are forbidden, the rule to be
applied here is the one states that all things are originally deemed permissible as long
as there is no Shari`ah text that prohibits them.
Singing is no more than melodious words; if these are good, singing is considered
good; but if they are bad, such singing is deemed bad. Talk that contains forbidden
content is prohibited. What if that talk is accompanied with rhythm and melody?
Scholars agree on the permissibility of singing without instrumental accompaniment
and where the content is not prohibited. This sort of singing is allowed only in certain
occasions such as: weddings, feasts, welcoming a traveler, and the like. This is based
on the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) that states: He (peace
and blessings be upon him) asked, Have you given the girl (i.e., the bride) anything
as a present? They (the attendants) replied, Yes. He asked, 'Did you send a singer
along with her?' 'No', said `A'ishah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
then said, 'The Ansar are a people who love poetry. You should have sent along
someone who would sing: Here we come, to you we come, greet us as we greet you.'"
In this case, we can say that a woman can sing only in front of women and her nonmarriageable male kin.
In the subject of musical instruments, scholars disagree on the matter. Some of them
permit all sorts of singing, be it accompanied with musical instruments or not, and
even consider it recommended. A second group of scholars permit singing only when
is not accompanied with a musical instrument. A third group declare it to be
prohibited whether it be accompanied with a musical instrument or not; they even
consider it as a major sin. In supporting their view, they cite the hadith narrated by
Imam Al-Bukhari on the authority of Abu Malik or Abu `Amir Al-Ash`ari (doubt from
the sub-narrator) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, 'From
among my followers there will be some people who will consider illegal sexual
intercourse, the wearing of silk (clothes), the drinking of alcoholic drinks and the use
of musical instruments, as lawful.' Although this hadith is in Sahih Al-Bukhari, its
chain of transmission is not connected to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be
upon him) and this invalidates its authenticity. Ibn Hazm rejects it for that very
reason. Moreover, the sub-narrator, Hisham Ibn `Ammar is declared weak by many
scholars of the Science of Hadith Methodology.
Besides, this hadith does not clearly prohibit the use of musical instruments, for the
phrase 'consider as lawful,' according to Ibn Al-`Arabi, has two distinct meanings:

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First: Such people think all these (the things mentioned) are lawful.
Second: They exceed the proper limits that should be observed in using these
instruments. If the first meaning is intended, such people would be thus disbelievers.
In fact, the hadith in hand dispraises the manners of a group of people who indulge
themselves in luxuries, drinking alcohol and listening to music. Therefore, Ibn Majah
narrates this hadith from Abu Malik Al-Ash`ari in the following wording: "From
among my followers there will be some people who will drink wine, giving it other
names while they listen to musical instruments and the singing of female singers;
Allah the Almighty will make the earth swallow them and will turn them into
monkeys and pigs. (Reported by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih)
Conclusion on Permissibility of Musical Instruments
In the light of the above, it is clear that the religious texts that stand as a basis for
those who maintain that singing is haram are either ambiguous or inauthentic. None of
the hadiths attributed to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is
valid as evidence on the judgment of prohibition. Moreover, all these hadiths are
declared weak by the followers of Ibn Hazm, Malik, Ibn Hanbal, and Ash-Shafi`i.
In his book, Al-Ahkam, Al-Qadi Abu Bakr Ibn Al-`Arabi says, None of the hadiths
maintaining that singing is prohibited are considered authentic (by the scholars of the
Science of Hadith Methodology). The same view is maintained by Al-Ghazali and
Ibn An-Nahwi in Al-`Umdah. Ibn Tahir says, Not even a single letter from all these
Hadiths was proved to be authentic.
Ibn Hazm says, All the hadiths narrated in this respect were invented and falsified.
Proofs of Those Who Maintain that Singing is Halal:
First: The Textual Proofs:
They base their argument on some authentic hadiths of Prophet Muhammad (peace
and blessings be upon him). One of these hadiths is the following:
`A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated: Allahs Messenger (peace and
blessings be upon him, came to my house while two girls were singing beside me the
songs of Bu`ath (a story about the pre-Islamic war between the two tribes of the
Ansar, the Khazraj and the Awus). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
laid down and turned his face to the other side. Then Abu Bakr came and spoke to me
harshly saying, Musical instruments of Satan near the Prophet (peace and blessings
be upon him)? Thereupon, Allahs Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)
turned his face towards him and said, Leave them. When Abu Bakr became
inattentive, I signaled to those girls to go out and they left. (Reported by Al-Bukhari)
This indicates that these two girls were not so young as claimed by some scholars. If
they were, Abu Bakr would not have been angry with them in such manner. In
addition, in this hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to
teach the Jews that Islam has room for merriment and that he himself was sent with a

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moderate and flexible legislation. There is also another important lesson to learn here.
It draws our attention to the fact that one needs to introduce Islam to others in a good
fashion, along with displaying its moderateness and magnanimity.
Moreover, we can also cite as corroborating this Allahs words that read, But when
they spy some merchandise or pastime they break away to it and leave thee standing.
Say: That which Allah hath is better than pastime and than merchandise, and Allah is
the best of providers. (Al-Jumu`ah: 11)
In this verse, Allah Almighty joins pastime with merchandise. He does not dispraise
any of them, He just only rebuked the Companions who left Prophet Muhammad
(peace and blessings be upon him) alone giving the khutbah (Friday Sermon), when
they all rushed to attend to the caravan and beating of the drums celebrating its
arrival.
Second: In Respect of Islams Spirit and Basics:
It is a fact that Allah had prohibited for the Children of Israel some of the good things
of this worldly life as a punishment for their misdeeds.
He says, Because of the wrongdoing of the Jews, We forbade them good things
which were (before) made lawful unto them, and because of their much hindering
from Allah's way. And of their taking usury when they were forbidden it, and of their
devouring people's wealth by false pretences. We have prepared for those of them
who disbelieve a painful doom. (An-Nisa: 160-161)
Before sending Prophet Muhammad, He Almighty referred to him in the earlier
scriptures as, Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor
write, whom they will find described in the Torah and the Gospel (which are) with
them. He will enjoin on them that which is right and forbid them that which is wrong.
He will make lawful for them all good things and prohibit for them only the foul.
(Al-A`raf: 157)
Thus, Islam left nothing good or sound but declared it to be halal (lawful). This is a
sign of mercy to this Ummah (nation or community), moving along the line of its
comprehensive and eternal message. Allah Almighty says, They ask you (O
Muhammad) what is made lawful for them. Say: (all) good things are made lawful for
you. (Al-Maidah: 4)
If we are to delve deeply into this matter, we will find that love for singing and
melodic voices are almost a human instinct. We can observe an infant lying in his
cradle soothed and sleeping by the sound of a lullaby. Mothers and nannies are always
in the habit of singing for babies and children. Moreover, birds and animals respond
to nice voices and rhythmic melodies.
Thereupon, if singing is thus a human instinct, it is not for Islam to defy humankinds
instincts. Islam came to refine and promote the human instinct. Ibn Taymyiah says,
Prophets were sent to polish and discipline mans instinct and not to change or
modify it. This is pursuant to the hadith that reads, When Allahs Messenger came
to Madinah, he found them (i.e., the people of Madinah) celebrating two days. He

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said, What are these days? They replied, We used to rejoice in these days during the
pre-Islamic era. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said, Verily, Allah Almighty
has given you two alternative days which are much better: these are Al-Adha and AlFitr days (`Eids). (Reported by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and An-Nasai)
Moreover, if singing is to be considered rejoicing and play, these are not haram; this is
in pursuant to the famous idea that man needs some time to relax a bit and rejoice.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Hanzalah who thought himself
to be a hypocrite for his attendance to his wife and children and the change that
affected him when he was apart from Allahs Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him), O Hanzalah! Part of your time should be devoted (to the worldly affairs) and
part of time (should be devoted to prayer and meditation). (Reported by Muslim)
`Ali Ibn Abu Talib says, Amuse yourselves for some time, for if hearts are exposed
to too much strain, they turn blind.
Abu Ad-Darda said, I refresh myself with some amusement in order to make myself
stronger on the path of right.
Imam Al-Ghazali answered someone who asked him: Isn't singing some kind of play
and rejoice? He said, Yes. But, all that exists in this present life is mere play and
rejoice. All that takes place between a husband and his wife is play, except sexual
intercourse that is the direct cause of reproducing children. This has been reported
from Allahs Messenger and his honorable Companions.
In fact, leisure time is refreshing to the heart and alleviates its tensions at the same
time. Excessive strain and efforts render the heart bored and blind. Amusing the self
refreshes and renews its strength and vigor. One who continuously works hard at
something should take a break for a while in order to restore and regain his energy
and firm will lest he totally collapses in future. When one takes a break, he thus
restores his strength and vigor. Only Prophets can stand absolute seriousness. Having
leisure time is a form of treatment for diseases of the self, weariness and boredom.
But, leisure should not be excessive. This will go against the whole issue of rejoicing
hearts to make them able to go on.
One who is familiar with and experienced in the nature of the human heart and self
knows for certain that recreation and relaxation are necessary treatments for ones
well-being.
These proofs on the permissibility of singing are extracted from the texts and rules of
Islam, and these are sufficient to clarify the issue.
In addition to this, the people of Madinah, who were very pious and God-fearing, the
Zahiriyyah, who were very literal regarding the textual proofs, and the Sufis, who
were very strict and rigid, were all quoted to have declared the permissibility of
singing.
Imam Ash-Shawkani says in his book Nayl Al-Awtar, The people of Madinah and
those who agreed with them from among the Zahiriyyah and the Sufis maintain that
singing is permissible, even when it is accompanied by a musical instrument such as

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the lute or the flute. Abu Mansur Al-Bughdadi Ash-Shafi`i narrate that `Abdullah Ibn
Ja`far saw nothing wrong in singing, and he, himself, used to compose the music for
his own slaves who used to sing these melodies in his presence. This took place
during the time of Commander of the Faithful, `Ali Ibn Abi Talib. Abu Ja`far AlBughdadi narrates the same after Al-Qadi Shurayh, Sa`id Ibn Al-Musaiyb, `Ata Ibn
Abu Rabah, Az-Zuhri and Ash-Shi`bi.
Ar-Ruwaiyani narrates on the authority of Al-Qaffal that Malik Ibn Anas maintained
that singing with musical instruments is permissible. Also, Abu Mansur Al-Furani
quotes Malik as maintaining that playing the flute is permissible.
Abu Al-Fadl Ibn Tahir narrates, The people of Madinah never disputed over the
permissibility of playing the lute.
Ibn An-Nahwi narrates in his Al-`Umdah: Ibn Tahir said, The people of Madinah
showed consensus over this (issue). Also, all the Zahiriyyah maintained the same.'
Al-Mawardi attributes the permissibility of playing the lute to some of the Shafi`i
followers and students. This has been narrated also by Abu Al-Fadl Ibn Tahir after
Abu Ishaq Ash-Shirazi; and it is narrated by Al-Isnawi after Ar-Ruwaiyani and AlMawardi. Again, this is narrated by Al-Adfuwi after Sheikh `Izz Ad-Deen Ibn `Abd
As-Salam. It is also narrated after Abu Bakr Ibn Al-`Arabi.
All these scholars consider singing that is accompanied by musical instruments
permissible, but as for singing that is not accompanied by musical instruments, AlAdfuwi says, In some of his jurisprudence-related books, Al-Ghazali narrates the
consensus of the scholars on its permissibility." Also, Ibn Tahir narrates the consensus
of the Prophets Companions and those who succeeded them on this very topic. Ibn
An-Nahwi states in Al-`Umdah that singing and listening was deemed permissible by
a group of the Companions and the Followers.
Conditions and Terms:
There are some conditions and terms that should be observed regarding listening to
singing, as follows:
1. Not all sorts of singing are permissible. Rather, the permissible song should comply
with the Islamic teachings and ethics. Therefore, the songs praising the tyrants and
corrupt rulers disagree with Islamic teachings. In fact, Islam stands against
transgressors and their allies, and those who show indifference to their transgression.
So, the same goes for those songs that imply giving praises to such attitude!
2. Also, the way the song is performed weighs so much. The theme of the song may
be good, but the performance of the singer through intending excitement and
arousing others lusts and desires along with trying to seduce them may move it to
the area of prohibition, suspicion or even detest. The Glorious Quran addresses the
wives of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) saying, O you
wives of the Prophet! You are not like any other women. If you keep your duty (to
Allah), then be not soft of speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease aspire (to you),
but utter customary speech." (Al-Ahzab: 32) So, one has to show caution to music

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when there is softness of speech accompanied with rhyme, melody, and special
effects!
3. Singing should not be accompanied with something that is prohibited such as
alcohol, nakedness, mixing of men with women that is common in pubs and
nightclubs, etc.
4. Islam has declared excessiveness as prohibited in everything. The same goes for
excessiveness in leisure and recreation even though these things are permissible ! This
indicates that the emptiness of the mind and heart has to be observed and tackled
during mans short-term life. One should know that Allah Almighty will ask every one
about his life and his youth in particular.
There are some things in which one is to be his own judge and Mufti. If there is some
kind of singing that arouses his own lust or desire, and takes him away from the real
life, he should avoid it then and block that very gate from which the winds of trial and
seduction may come and erase his religion, morals and heart. If he does this, he will
live in peace and tranquility.
Warning against playing with the word haram
To conclude, we address the respectful scholars who tackle the word haram easily
and set it free in their writings and fatwas that they should observe that Allah is
watching over them in all that they say or do. They should also know that this word
haram is very dangerous. It means that Allahs Punishment is due on a certain act or
saying, and should not be based upon guessing, whims, weak Hadiths, not even
through an old book. It has to be supported by a clear, well-established text or valid
consensus. If these last two are not found, then we revert the given act or saying to the
original rule: "permissibility governing things". We do have a good example to follow
from one of our earlier pious scholars. Imam Malik (may Allah be pleased with him)
who said: It was not the habit of those who preceded us, the early pious Muslims,
who set good example for the following generations, to say, 'This is halal, and this is
haram. But, they would say, I hate such-and-such, and maintain such-and-such, but
as for halal and haram, this is what may be called inventing lies concerning Allah. Did
not you hear Allahs Statement that reads, 'Say: Have you considered what provision
Allah has sent down for you, how you have made of it lawful and unlawful? Say: Has
Allah permitted you, or do you invent a lie concerning Allah? (Yunus: 59) For, the
halal is what Allah and His Messenger made lawful, and the haram is what Allah and
His Messenger made unlawful.
Part 3
Name of Questioner
Shi`sha` - Egypt
Title
What Does Islam Say on Music?
Question
Dear scholars, As-Salaam `Alaykum. I am teacher in a public school and I would like
to help my non-Muslim colleagues as well as my Muslim community. Our problem in

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my school is that music is a subject of the curriculum but more and more students
come to say parents are not willing anymore to let them listen to music. I also know
that some of us Muslims consider music Haram while others listen to it. Where is the
line? Is choir forbidden? What instruments are forbidden? A lot of Muslim parents are
worrying around Christmas. What can we do to reassure and help parents and at the
same time build trust between parents and teachers? Jazakum Allah khayran.
Date
14/Aug/2002
Name of Counsellor
Ahmad Kutty
Topic
Singing & Music

Answer
Wa`alykum As-Salaamu Warahmatullahi Wabarakaatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His
Messenger.
Dear questioner, thanks for your question, which reflects the great confidence you
place in us. We implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render our
work for His Sake.
In his response to the question you posed, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and
an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:
Music is an issue that has been hotly debated by scholars of the past and the present.
While many of them have been generally inclined to condemn all forms of music,
with the singular exception of ad-duff (tambourine) in weddings, quite a few of them
have taken a more positive approach of considering only music containing sensual,
pagan, or unethical themes or subliminal messages as being categorically forbidden.
The latter view seems to be more consistent with the general nature of Islam, which is
undoubtedly a complete way of life that caters to all of the genuine human instincts
and needs within permissible limits. Thus, to say that all music is forbidden in Islam
does not seem to agree with the balanced approach of Islam to issues of human life
and experience.
Traditions often cited by the first group scholars to justify condemnation of all
musical instruments and music, according to some scholars, are considered as either

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spurious, or phrased in such way solely because of their associations with drinking,
dancing, and sensuality.
While everyone agrees that all forms of music that contain pagan, sensual themes, or
subliminal messages are clearly forbidden, the latter group of scholars considers all
forms of music free of such themes and messages as permissible.
As a matter of fact, we know from the authentic traditions that the Prophet, peace and
blessings be upon him, not only allowed music in the weddings but also listened to
girls singing: While listening to girls singing on such an occasion, he interrupted them
only once when they sang the following verse, In our midst is a prophet who knows
what will happen tomorrow; whence, the Prophet, peace be upon him, told them,
Cut this sentence out, and continue singing what you have been singing earlier.
There is nothing in the sources to indicate that the above permission is limited to the
occasion of wedding, as some people tend to think.
In light of these, according to the last mentioned group of scholars, music that is
deemed to be free of un-Islamic and unethical themes and messages, the same is true
of musical instruments so long as they are not used for the above, have been
considered as permissible.
But we have to stress that Islam clearly prohibits mixed dancing of males and
females.
Excerpted, with slight modifications, from: www.islam.ca
Part 4
Name of Questioner
Malak - United Kingdom
Title
Singing & Music: Islamic View
Question
As-Salamu `alaykum! In his fatwa " Does Islam Go against Laughter? ", Sheikh Yusuf
`Abdullah Al-Qaradawi stated that when Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq (may Allah be pleased
with him) tried to stop two young girls from singing in the Prophets house, the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told him: 'Let it be, for we are now in the
feast.'
However, Sheikh Qaradawi did not refer to the following hadiths: Ibn Mas`ud (may
Allah be pleased with him) used to swear by Allah that the ayah "And of mankind is
he who purchases idle talk to mislead (men) from the Path of Allah . . . (Luqman: 6)
referred to singing. Abu Amir and Abu Malik al-Ash`ari (may Allah be pleased with
them) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
Among my Ummah will be those who make permissible al-hira (adultery), silk,
khamr and musical instruments . . . (Reported by al-Bukhari; see al-Fath, 10/51).
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him) said: In this Ummah there will be punishments of earthquakes,
showers of stones and deformity (transformation into animals); that will be when the

12
people drink khamr, listen to female singers and play musical instruments. (See alSilsilah as-Saheehah, 2203; attributed to Ibn Abid-Dunya, Dhamm al-Malahi; the
hadith was narrated by at-Tirmidhi, no. 2212).
Also, Sheikh Qaradawi did not mention the following facts: It is reported in a Sahih
hadith that the Prophet's laughter was never more than a smile. (Reported by Ahmad)
According to another hadith, he (peace and blessings be upon him) used to remain
silent for long periods, and laugh little. (Reported by Ahmad) Aishah (may Allah be
pleased with her) said: I never saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be
upon him) laughing so heartily that his back teeth showed; he would only smile.
(Reported by Abu Dawud)
Now, don't the readers have the right to know the other side of the coin too? But then
again, perhaps I am wrong about it. I would however, appreciate it, if the fatwa issuer
could reply to my objections. Wassalam
Date
13/Jan/2004
Name of Counsellor
A Group of Islamic Researchers
Topic
Singing & Music

Answer

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His
Messenger.
First of all, we would like to thank you for the great confidence you have in us. We
hope our efforts meet your expectations.
Given that your objection revolves mainly around music and why it is permissible,
here is the clarification for that in the light of fatwa issued by Sheikh Yusuf AlQaradawi:
The whole issue of singing is controversial, whether it is with musical accompaniment
or not. Some issues succeeded to gain the Muslim scholars agreement, while others
failed. All scholars have unanimous view on the prohibition of all forms of singing
and music that incites debauchery, indecency, or sin. As for musical instruments,

13
given the weakness of the evidence indicating that they are forbidden, the rule to be
applied here is the one states that all things are originally deemed permissible as long
as there is no Shari`ah text that prohibits them.
Singing is no more than melodious words; if these are good, singing is considered
good; but if they are bad, such singing is deemed bad. Talk that contains forbidden
content is prohibited. What if that talk is accompanied with rhythm and melody?
Scholars agree on the permissibility of singing without instrumental accompaniment
and where the content is not prohibited. This sort of singing is allowed only in certain
occasions such as: weddings, feasts, welcoming a traveler, and the like. This is based
on the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) that states: He (peace
and blessings be upon him) asked, Have you given the girl (i.e., the bride) anything
as a present? They (the attendants) replied, Yes. He asked, 'Did you send a singer
along with her?' 'No', said `A'ishah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
then said, 'The Ansar are a people who love poetry. You should have sent along
someone who would sing: Here we come, to you we come, greet us as we greet you.'"
In this case, we can say that a woman can sing only in front of women and her nonmarriageable male kin.
In the subject of musical instruments, scholars disagree on the matter. Some of them
permit all sorts of singing, be it accompanied with musical instruments or not, and
even consider it recommended. A second group of scholars permit singing only when
is not accompanied with a musical instrument. A third group declare it to be
prohibited whether it be accompanied with a musical instrument or not; they even
consider it as a major sin. In supporting their view, they cite the hadith narrated by
Imam Al-Bukhari on the authority of Abu Malik or Abu `Amir Al-Ash`ari (doubt from
the sub-narrator) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, 'From
among my followers there will be some people who will consider illegal sexual
intercourse, the wearing of silk (clothes), the drinking of alcoholic drinks and the use
of musical instruments, as lawful.' Although this hadith is in Sahih Al-Bukhari, its
chain of transmission is not connected to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be
upon him) and this invalidates its authenticity. Ibn Hazm rejects it for that very
reason. Moreover, the sub-narrator, Hisham Ibn `Ammar is declared weak by many
scholars of the Science of Hadith Methodology.
Besides, this hadith does not clearly prohibit the use of musical instruments, for the
phrase 'consider as lawful,' according to Ibn Al-`Arabi, has two distinct meanings:
First: Such people think all these (the things mentioned) are lawful.
Second: They exceed the proper limits that should be observed in using these
instruments. If the first meaning is intended, such people would be thus disbelievers.
In fact, the hadith in hand dispraises the manners of a group of people who indulge
themselves in luxuries, drinking alcohol and listening to music. Therefore, Ibn Majah
narrates this hadith from Abu Malik Al-Ash`ari in the following wording: "From
among my followers there will be some people who will drink wine, giving it other
names while they listen to musical instruments and the singing of female singers;

14
Allah the Almighty will make the earth swallow them and will turn them into
monkeys and pigs. (Reported by Ibn Hibban in his Sahih)
Conclusion on Permissibility of Musical Instruments
In the light of the above, it is clear that the religious texts that stand as a basis for
those who maintain that singing is haram are either ambiguous or inauthentic. None of
the hadiths attributed to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is
valid as evidence on the judgment of prohibition. Moreover, all these hadiths are
declared weak by the followers of Ibn Hazm, Malik, Ibn Hanbal, and Ash-Shafi`i.
In his book, Al-Ahkam, Al-Qadi Abu Bakr Ibn Al-`Arabi says, None of the hadiths
maintaining that singing is prohibited are considered authentic (by the scholars of the
Science of Hadith Methodology). The same view is maintained by Al-Ghazali and
Ibn An-Nahwi in Al-`Umdah. Ibn Tahir says, Not even a single letter from all these
Hadiths was proved to be authentic.
Ibn Hazm says, All the hadiths narrated in this respect were invented and falsified.
Proofs of Those Who Maintain that Singing is Halal:
First: The Textual Proofs:
They base their argument on some authentic hadiths of Prophet Muhammad (peace
and blessings be upon him). One of these hadiths is the following:
`A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated: Allahs Messenger (peace and
blessings be upon him, came to my house while two girls were singing beside me the
songs of Bu`ath (a story about the pre-Islamic war between the two tribes of the
Ansar, the Khazraj and the Awus). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
laid down and turned his face to the other side. Then Abu Bakr came and spoke to me
harshly saying, Musical instruments of Satan near the Prophet (peace and blessings
be upon him)? Thereupon, Allahs Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)
turned his face towards him and said, Leave them. When Abu Bakr became
inattentive, I signaled to those girls to go out and they left. (Reported by Al-Bukhari)
This indicates that these two girls were not so young as claimed by some scholars. If
they were, Abu Bakr would not have been angry with them in such manner. In
addition, in this hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to
teach the Jews that Islam has room for merriment and that he himself was sent with a
moderate and flexible legislation. There is also another important lesson to learn here.
It draws our attention to the fact that one needs to introduce Islam to others in a good
fashion, along with displaying its moderateness and magnanimity.
Moreover, we can also cite as corroborating this Allahs words that read, But when
they spy some merchandise or pastime they break away to it and leave thee standing.
Say: That which Allah hath is better than pastime and than merchandise, and Allah is
the best of providers. (Al-Jumu`ah: 11)

15
In this verse, Allah Almighty joins pastime with merchandise. He does not dispraise
any of them, He just only rebuked the Companions who left Prophet Muhammad
(peace and blessings be upon him) alone giving the khutbah (Friday Sermon), when
they all rushed to attend to the caravan and beating of the drums celebrating its
arrival.
Second: In Respect of Islams Spirit and Basics:
It is a fact that Allah had prohibited for the Children of Israel some of the good things
of this worldly life as a punishment for their misdeeds.
He says, Because of the wrongdoing of the Jews, We forbade them good things
which were (before) made lawful unto them, and because of their much hindering
from Allah's way. And of their taking usury when they were forbidden it, and of their
devouring people's wealth by false pretences. We have prepared for those of them
who disbelieve a painful doom. (An-Nisa: 160-161)
Before sending Prophet Muhammad, He Almighty referred to him in the earlier
scriptures as, Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor
write, whom they will find described in the Torah and the Gospel (which are) with
them. He will enjoin on them that which is right and forbid them that which is wrong.
He will make lawful for them all good things and prohibit for them only the foul.
(Al-A`raf: 157)
Thus, Islam left nothing good or sound but declared it to be halal (lawful). This is a
sign of mercy to this Ummah (nation or community), moving along the line of its
comprehensive and eternal message. Allah Almighty says, They ask you (O
Muhammad) what is made lawful for them. Say: (all) good things are made lawful for
you. (Al-Maidah: 4)
If we are to delve deeply into this matter, we will find that love for singing and
melodic voices are almost a human instinct. We can observe an infant lying in his
cradle soothed and sleeping by the sound of a lullaby. Mothers and nannies are always
in the habit of singing for babies and children. Moreover, birds and animals respond
to nice voices and rhythmic melodies.
Thereupon, if singing is thus a human instinct, it is not for Islam to defy humankinds
instincts. Islam came to refine and promote the human instinct. Ibn Taymyiah says,
Prophets were sent to polish and discipline mans instinct and not to change or
modify it. This is pursuant to the hadith that reads, When Allahs Messenger came
to Madinah, he found them (i.e., the people of Madinah) celebrating two days. He
said, What are these days? They replied, We used to rejoice in these days during the
pre-Islamic era. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said, Verily, Allah Almighty
has given you two alternative days which are much better: these are Al-Adha and AlFitr days (`Eids). (Reported by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and An-Nasai)
Moreover, if singing is to be considered rejoicing and play, these are not haram; this is
in pursuant to the famous idea that man needs some time to relax a bit and rejoice.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Hanzalah who thought himself
to be a hypocrite for his attendance to his wife and children and the change that

16
affected him when he was apart from Allahs Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him), O Hanzalah! Part of your time should be devoted (to the worldly affairs) and
part of time (should be devoted to prayer and meditation). (Reported by Muslim)
`Ali Ibn Abu Talib says, Amuse yourselves for some time, for if hearts are exposed
to too much strain, they turn blind.
Abu Ad-Darda said, I refresh myself with some amusement in order to make myself
stronger on the path of right.
Imam Al-Ghazali answered someone who asked him: Isn't singing some kind of play
and rejoice? He said, Yes. But, all that exists in this present life is mere play and
rejoice. All that takes place between a husband and his wife is play, except sexual
intercourse that is the direct cause of reproducing children. This has been reported
from Allahs Messenger and his honorable Companions.
In fact, leisure time is refreshing to the heart and alleviates its tensions at the same
time. Excessive strain and efforts render the heart bored and blind. Amusing the self
refreshes and renews its strength and vigor. One who continuously works hard at
something should take a break for a while in order to restore and regain his energy
and firm will lest he totally collapses in future. When one takes a break, he thus
restores his strength and vigor. Only Prophets can stand absolute seriousness. Having
leisure time is a form of treatment for diseases of the self, weariness and boredom.
But, leisure should not be excessive. This will go against the whole issue of rejoicing
hearts to make them able to go on.
One who is familiar with and experienced in the nature of the human heart and self
knows for certain that recreation and relaxation are necessary treatments for ones
well-being.
These proofs on the permissibility of singing are extracted from the texts and rules of
Islam, and these are sufficient to clarify the issue.
In addition to this, the people of Madinah, who were very pious and God-fearing, the
Zahiriyyah, who were very literal regarding the textual proofs, and the Sufis, who
were very strict and rigid, were all quoted to have declared the permissibility of
singing.
Imam Ash-Shawkani says in his book Nayl Al-Awtar, The people of Madinah and
those who agreed with them from among the Zahiriyyah and the Sufis maintain that
singing is permissible, even when it is accompanied by a musical instrument such as
the lute or the flute. Abu Mansur Al-Bughdadi Ash-Shafi`i narrate that `Abdullah Ibn
Ja`far saw nothing wrong in singing, and he, himself, used to compose the music for
his own slaves who used to sing these melodies in his presence. This took place
during the time of Commander of the Faithful, `Ali Ibn Abi Talib. Abu Ja`far AlBughdadi narrates the same after Al-Qadi Shurayh, Sa`id Ibn Al-Musaiyb, `Ata Ibn
Abu Rabah, Az-Zuhri and Ash-Shi`bi.

17
Ar-Ruwaiyani narrates on the authority of Al-Qaffal that Malik Ibn Anas maintained
that singing with musical instruments is permissible. Also, Abu Mansur Al-Furani
quotes Malik as maintaining that playing the flute is permissible.
Abu Al-Fadl Ibn Tahir narrates, The people of Madinah never disputed over the
permissibility of playing the lute.
Ibn An-Nahwi narrates in his Al-`Umdah: Ibn Tahir said, The people of Madinah
showed consensus over this (issue). Also, all the Zahiriyyah maintained the same.'
Al-Mawardi attributes the permissibility of playing the lute to some of the Shafi`i
followers and students. This has been narrated also by Abu Al-Fadl Ibn Tahir after
Abu Ishaq Ash-Shirazi; and it is narrated by Al-Isnawi after Ar-Ruwaiyani and AlMawardi. Again, this is narrated by Al-Adfuwi after Sheikh `Izz Ad-Deen Ibn `Abd
As-Salam. It is also narrated after Abu Bakr Ibn Al-`Arabi.
All these scholars consider singing that is accompanied by musical instruments
permissible, but as for singing that is not accompanied by musical instruments, AlAdfuwi says, In some of his jurisprudence-related books, Al-Ghazali narrates the
consensus of the scholars on its permissibility." Also, Ibn Tahir narrates the consensus
of the Prophets Companions and those who succeeded them on this very topic. Ibn
An-Nahwi states in Al-`Umdah that singing and listening was deemed permissible by
a group of the Companions and the Followers.
Conditions and Terms:
There are some conditions and terms that should be observed regarding listening to
singing, as follows:
1. Not all sorts of singing are permissible. Rather, the permissible song should comply
with the Islamic teachings and ethics. Therefore, the songs praising the tyrants and
corrupt rulers disagree with Islamic teachings. In fact, Islam stands against
transgressors and their allies, and those who show indifference to their transgression.
So, the same goes for those songs that imply giving praises to such attitude!
2. Also, the way the song is performed weighs so much. The theme of the song may
be good, but the performance of the singer through intending excitement and
arousing others lusts and desires along with trying to seduce them may move it to
the area of prohibition, suspicion or even detest. The Glorious Quran addresses the
wives of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) saying, O you
wives of the Prophet! You are not like any other women. If you keep your duty (to
Allah), then be not soft of speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease aspire (to you),
but utter customary speech." (Al-Ahzab: 32) So, one has to show caution to music
when there is softness of speech accompanied with rhyme, melody, and special
effects!
3. Singing should not be accompanied with something that is prohibited such as
alcohol, nakedness, mixing of men with women that is common in pubs and
nightclubs, etc.

18
4. Islam has declared excessiveness as prohibited in everything. The same goes for
excessiveness in leisure and recreation even though these things are permissible ! This
indicates that the emptiness of the mind and heart has to be observed and tackled
during mans short-term life. One should know that Allah Almighty will ask every one
about his life and his youth in particular.
There are some things in which one is to be his own judge and Mufti. If there is some
kind of singing that arouses his own lust or desire, and takes him away from the real
life, he should avoid it then and block that very gate from which the winds of trial and
seduction may come and erase his religion, morals and heart. If he does this, he will
live in peace and tranquility.
Warning against playing with the word haram
To conclude, we address the respectful scholars who tackle the word haram easily
and set it free in their writings and fatwas that they should observe that Allah is
watching over them in all that they say or do. They should also know that this word
haram is very dangerous. It means that Allahs Punishment is due on a certain act or
saying, and should not be based upon guessing, whims, weak Hadiths, not even
through an old book. It has to be supported by a clear, well-established text or valid
consensus. If these last two are not found, then we revert the given act or saying to the
original rule: "permissibility governing things". We do have a good example to follow
from one of our earlier pious scholars. Imam Malik (may Allah be pleased with him)
who said: It was not the habit of those who preceded us, the early pious Muslims,
who set good example for the following generations, to say, 'This is halal, and this is
haram. But, they would say, I hate such-and-such, and maintain such-and-such, but
as for halal and haram, this is what may be called inventing lies concerning Allah. Did
not you hear Allahs Statement that reads, 'Say: Have you considered what provision
Allah has sent down for you, how you have made of it lawful and unlawful? Say: Has
Allah permitted you, or do you invent a lie concerning Allah? (Yunus: 59) For, the
halal is what Allah and His Messenger made lawful, and the haram is what Allah and
His Messenger made unlawful.
You can also read:
Part 5
Name of Questioner
Ibrahim - Turkey
Title
Music: Between Beauty and Abuse
Date
30/Oct/2006
Question
As-salamu `alaykam. First, I would like to thank you for this informative website. It
has given me such help in finding what I need. I have done research on many other
Islamic websites, and most have given me the conclusion that in Islam music is
haram.

19

I also read that during Muhammad's time, he would close his ears whenever he heard
the sound of a flute or music of any kind. So his Companions would follow the same
thing. So when people saw that, they asked why they would close their ears to music
and they replied that music is of Satan or the way of Satan. I mean, it does make sense
because when the antichrist comes, I read that, he will arrive with beautiful music.
What is your view on this topic?
Topic
Arts & Culture
Name of Counselor
Kamal Badr

Answer
Salam, Ibrahim.
Thank you for forwarding your question to us and we really appreciate your kind
words about the website.
The issue you raise here is one of the most controversial ones that have generated
debate among Muslim scholars, the ancient and the contemporary alike. I myself have
dealt with it before in one of my answers posted on this page (see below for the link).
Anyway, I will try here again to shed more light on it, at least to stress some points
mentioned in my previous answer.
First of all, I need to point out to you that there are a lot of things on the Internet that
have nothing to do with the true message of Islam, so you need to be careful about the
information you get. Without dwelling too much on the authenticity of the points you
read on other websites, however, I will go straight to the point.
Islam does not just consider things as permissible or prohibited; the matter is much
more than that. Each ruling has its own purpose and takes into consideration the
nature of the act it governs, and its being in conformity with the maqasid (objectives
of the Shari`ah).
Under the shade of al-maqasid, the rulings serve to provide protection to the human
being's self, dignity, religion, property, and intellect. So whatever serves those
objectives are in line with Shari`ah, according to Imam Ash-Shatibi, one of the great
scholars of Islam, and whatever negates them are not reckoned with as part of the
Shari`ah.
With this, Imam Ash-Shatibi (and others like Imam Al-Ghazali, Imam Fakhr Ad-Din
Ar-Razi, Imam Ash-Shawkani, Abu Bakr Al-`Arabi, etc.) exerted relentless efforts to
restore the intimate relation between Muslims and the noble Qur'an by drawing their

20
attention to the objectives of Islam, the causes behind the Shari`ah rulings, and the
goal that each ruling is designed to realize, be it explicit or implicit (Ahmad alRaysuni, Imam Shatibi's Theory of the Higher Objectives, International Institute of
the Islamic Thought, 2006).
Upon this brief introduction I will base my argument that it amounts to an improper
academic conduct for a scholar to condemn an act as haram or halal, away from the
realm of al-maqasid.
This explains the reasons why prominent scholars like Sheikh Al-Ghazali, Sheikh AlQaradawi and others argue that music cannot be basically categorized as haram, for
they see it as part of a human instinct which Islam came to promote and refine. They
see music as something that constitutes an important part of our daily life, whose
ruling depends on the way it's utilized; it can be lawfully used or maliciously abused.
They see music as something created pure and beautiful, just like fresh air. The fact
that air can be polluted by evil deeds of mankind does not render it prohibited.
In the same vein, the fact that some songs or musical shows are corrupt does not
render music or song in itself prohibited. This is based on the juristic maxim "all
things are presumed permissible until there is an evidence to the contrary." This wellestablished juristic maxim is inferred from the Qur'anic verse that says what means:
*{Say: Who hath forbidden the beautiful (gifts) of Allah, which He hath produced for
His servants, and the things, clean and pure, (which He hath provided) for sustenance?
Say: They are, in the life of this world, for those who believe, (and) purely for them
on the Day of Judgment}* (Al-An`am 7:32)
Another point I want to mention here is that, most of the hadiths used by the scholars
who claim that music is haram fail to meet the requirements of authenticity, whereas
there are strong proofs that stand in favor of the permissibility of music. One of them
is the hadith narrated by `A'ishah:
Abu Bakr came to my house while two small Ansari girls were singing beside me the
stories of Ansar concerning the Day of Bu`ath (day of fighting between the two tribes
of the Ansar, the Aus and Khazraj). And they were not professional singers. Abu Bakr
said protestingly, "Musical instruments of Satan in the house of Allah's Messenger!" It
happened on the `Eid day and Allah's Messenger said, "O Abu Bakr! There is an `Eid
for every nation, and this is our `Eid." (Al-Bukhari)
In another version we read: "It was the day of `Eid, and the Black people were playing
with shields and spears." That is why Abu Bakr said " Musical instruments of Satan in
the house of Allah's Messenger."
If we compare the Prophet's disposition here to, for instance, his stance on the silk
robe when it was offered to him by `Umar ibn Al-Khattab, also for `Eid, we plainly
see the difference in approach and firmness. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to
`Umar, "This is the dress for the one who will have no share in the hereafter" (AlBukhari).

21
The point here is that if something is haram, its ruling does not fluctuate; it remains
so, with nothing to render that ruling relaxed, just like the case of the silken dress
here, whereas this is not the case with music. If it were haram, the Prophet (peace be
upon him) would not have uttered a statement indicating the act of the two Al-Ansari
girls was permissible.
Having said this, I will not forget to give some kind of recognition to the concern of
the scholars who claim that music is haram. They are exhorting Muslims to fend off
all that might keep them away from their religious rituals, especially in light of the
strong effects of all entertainment or amusement tools, but this does not make these
tools haram. This depends on how they are used. If a man entertains himself by
playing with his children and allows that to keep him away from performing his
religious duty, he is sinful for that, but not for playing with his children because that is
not haram. So likewise if somebody listens to music and forgets to perform their
prayers, for instance, they are sinful for that, but that does not make music haram.
Thus, brother, what I see here is that we need to look into all the evidence provided by
scholars in defense of their argument and try to understand them in the spirit of the
Shari`ah and its objectives, as clarified above. What we really need to do at this stage,
to combat the powerful effect of the modern day music industry, is to provide an
Islamic alternative for our youth. And I'm glad that we have already plenty of that
now, in the likes of Yusuf Islam, Sami Yusuf, Zain Bikha, and others, who are making
use of their beautiful voices for the cause of Islam.
I fully agree that we need to stand against all the negative forces that are rampant in
our society today. But we need to do that with positive steps, with proper mechanisms
that will instill the love of Islam into the hearts of today's youth, especially that we
know that music is one of the things the early Christian missionaries used in some
places, like sub-Saharan Africa, to lure many into Christianity. But with the effort of
Muslim figures in that part of the continent and thanks to the emergence of the
beautiful Muslim voices, the balance was created and the danger minimized.
I will wrap up my answer, brother Ibrahim, with what Imam Al-Ghazali says in his
Alchemy of Happiness:
The heart of men has been so constituted by the Almighty that, like a flint, it contains
a hidden fire which is evoked by music and harmony, and renders man beside himself
with ecstasy. These harmonies are echoes of that higher world of beauty, which we
call the world of spirits, they remind man of his relationship to that world, and
produce in him an emotion so deep so strange that he himself is powerless to explain
it. (Imam Al-Ghazali, Alchemy of Happiness, translated by Claud Field. London: J.
Murray, 1909. p. 74)
He continues,
For the mere fact that they (music and dancing) are pleasant does not make them
unlawful, any more than the pleasure of listening to the singing of birds or looking at
green grass and running water is unlawful. (p. 75)

22
I hope this answers your question, brother. If you still have some inquiries please
don't hesitate to write to us.
Part 6
Name of Questioner
Ana - Albania
Title
Music Makes Me Remember The Glory of God
Date
02/Jul/2002
Question
Salaam,
Why is music not allowed in Islam? People told me it is a sound of the devil, but
seriously I never find there any diabolic thing. People told me it is not allowed
because it makes you forget God. But why, do we remember God in every second of
our life? If it were like that, existence would be perfect. But it isnt. And frankly
music makes me remember the glory of God more than a lot of other things. And
many composers as well were inspired by the love for Him and as a result gave us
wonderful masterpieces. Why we shouldnt listen to them? I would be grateful if you
could answer my question. May god bless you.
Topic
Heart & Soul, Arts & Culture
Name of Counselor
Kamal Badr

Answer
Dear sister Ana, we really appreciate your forwarding your questions to us.
Responding to your question on music, Id first of all pause briefly to ask this
question: What is Music? The reason for posing this question is to draw you to an
important point, i.e. Islam is not just about making something haram (prohibited) and
the other halal(allowed). Islam addresses every issue before categorizing it as this or
that. Take music for instance, we need to know what is it in order to put it under a
certain category.
Music lexically means art of combining sounds of voice or instruments to achieve
beauty of form and expression of emotion. So we can say that music is a pleasant
sound, regardless of where it comes from. Its one of the purest and most beautiful
things in the universe. Thus, whenever we hear a pleasant sound that makes one
fascinated, we simply feel we should praise Almighty Allah, Who sets the tone and
rhythm of every sound in the universe.

23

Thus, music constitutes an important part of our daily life. Music is there in our dayto-day life: the pleasant sound of birds, the melodious mew of cats, the unique coo of
doves, etc. All these are forms of music. No one can deny this. This is even reflected
in our daily activities and habits: crying, laughing, yelling and so on.
Then, when it comes to conceptualizing music from an Islamic perspective, Muslim
scholars make it clear that love for singing and melodic voices are part of mans
instincts. This reminds me the words of Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, who says: We
can observe an infant lying in his cradle, soothed and sleeping by the sound of a
lullaby. Mothers and nannies are always in the habit of singing for babies and
children. Moreover, birds and animals respond to nice voices and rhythmic melodies.
Thereupon, if singing is thus a human instinct, it is not for Islam to defy humankinds
instincts. Islam came to refine and promote the human instinct.
So, in the light of this, we come to know that Islam has no objection to music and
singing, as a form of art. This is as long as one abides by the noble principles of
Islam. As we know that art is a form of expression and communication. It covers
religious, intellectual, and cultural aspects of each society. Thus, Islam does not go
against art, as long as it conforms to Islamic guidelines. This is whether it is expressed
in literature, architecture, drawings, photography or film.
This actually makes it clear that Islam has its say in all mans actions, in every corner
of mans life. This is the religion that regulates everything, in order to secure a happy
and comfortable life for man. When you ask about eating, Islam says that you are free
to eat anything, as long as you keep away from haram (things that are forbidden to
eat) and from excessiveness. Allah says:
O Children of Adam! wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer:
eat and drink: But waste not by excess, for God loveth not the wasters.
Surah 7 Verse 31
And in the verse that follows this immediately, Allah says:
Say: Who hath forbidden the beautiful (gifts) of God, which He hath produced for His
servants, and the things, clean and pure, (which He hath provided) for sustenance?
Say: They are, in the life of this world, for those who believe, (and) purely for them
on the Day of Judgment. Thus do We explain the signs in detail for those who
understand.
Surah 7 Verse 32
So Islam does not simply deprive its followers from good things of life. It just sets the
rules to enjoy these things in a way that will not make us forget the main reason of our
existence in life. This is the very point that is greatly stressed by some scholars who
have aversion to music. Their main concern is how does man strike a balance between
the enjoyment of all what Allah Almighty made lawful for him and the duty of
maintaining close relation with Allah.
So for me, I dont see any argument among scholars on the permissibility of music in
Islam. The same applies to other forms of art. This is because the argument of those

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who oppose music is that its a form of laghw (idle talk). Meaning that it normally
distracts believers from observing religious duties, and it corrupts the mind. So what
they are saying is that a Muslim should not lend his ears to what will distract him
from observing his religious duties and should not listen to what will corrupt his mind
or distort his heart. This is exactly the same condition stipulated by scholars, who
maintain that music is permissible. They never say that a Muslim should indulge
himself or herself to any form of entertainment, which would take him as far as
neglecting his religious duties.
Let me cite the renowned scholar, Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, in his remarkable
statements on the permissibility of music:
Not all sorts of singing are permissible. Rather, the permissible song should comply
with the Islamic teachings and ethics. Therefore, the songs praising the tyrants and
corrupt rulers collide with Islamic teachings. In fact, Islam stands against
transgressors and their allies, and those who show indifference to their transgression.
So, the same goes for those songs that imply giving praises to such attitude!
Also, the way the song is performed weighs so much. The theme of the song may be
good, but the performance of the singer through intending excitement and arousing
others lusts and desires, along with trying to seduce them may move it to the area
of prohibition, suspicion or even detested things. The Glorious Quran addresses the
wives of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, saying:
O Consorts of the Prophet! Ye are not like any of the (other) women: if ye do fear
(God), be not too complacent of speech, lest one in whose heart is a disease should be
moved with desire: but speak ye a speech (that is) just.
Surah 33 Verse 32
So, one has to show caution to music when there is softness of speech accompanied
with rhyme, melody, and special effects!
Singing should not be accompanied with something that is prohibited such as alcohol,
nakedness, mixing of men with women, like that is common in pubs and nightclubs.
Islam has declared excessiveness prohibited in everything, even in acts of worship.
The same goes for excessiveness in leisure and recreation even though these things
are permissible! This indicates that the emptiness of mind and heart has to be
identified and tackled during mans short-term life. One should know that Allah
Almighty will ask every one of us about his life and his youth in particular, how he
spends it.
Dear sister, you see, this is a clear-cut evidence that Islam does not consider music as
something haram. It just stipulates for music to keep its permissibility, it should not
involve anything haram, it should not be taken as a means of committing unlawful
things. Music should not be used as a form of stirring desires in man. This will
definitely open the door for Satan, and this is what Islam goes against. So music can
be lawfully or maliciously used.

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Thus, what I want to make clear is that music can be corrupted just as what people do
to fresh air and water. But this corruption does not make all music haram (prohibited).
Just as the pollution people cause to some water or fresh air, it does not make all the
water and air haram.
Its nice that you are saying that music reminds you of Gods glory. Thats something
good, and thats the purpose music and songs tend to serve. To refresh the mind and
relax the soul, hence giving praise to the Great Lord that shows us signs of His
Perfection in everything He creates!
Thanks, once again, for your questions.
Part 7
Devotional Music From Southeast Asia
By The IOL Art & Culture Team
Jan. 23, 2006
If you have any audio files related to Islamic oral expression in Southeast Asia (songs,
prayers, poems, chants) that you would like to share with us, please e-mail us at:
artculture_egypt@yahoo.co.uk
Audio
1. Sepohon Kayu Daunnya Rimbun
This is a very famous Malaysian song on the importance of prayer and it belongs to an
Indonesian-Malaysian musical genre called nusantara. This genre refers to the Malay
cultural sphere of influence that covers the archipelago of modern-day Indonesia,
Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Brunei, and East Timor.
To listen to the song click here.
(Source: http://web.kelantan.gov.my/web/)
2. Tombo Ati
This is a very popular traditional Javanese Islamic folksong that is known throughout
the archipelago. The tune is believed to have originally been introduced by Sunan
Muria of the "Wali Songo": the nine Javan Sufi Saints who were the first Muslim
missionaries on Java. Its lyrics promote the virtues of daily recitation of the Qur'an,
the merits of Qiyyam al-Layl, being in the company of the righteous, fasting on a
regular basis, and making much remembrance of Allah Most High (dhikr), all of
which are considered to be "Remedies for the Heart," which is the original meaning of
the song title. This tune may have been a means of introducing and socializing the
creed of Islam in what was then a predominantly Hindu society.
To listen to Tombo Ati click here.

26
Please click here to read the Javanese lyrics and their English translation.
The munshid (singer of religious songs) is Emha Ainun Nadjib, a well-known Muslim
Javanese literati.
3. Madh
These Arabic nasheeds and sung praise-poems (madh) for the Prophet (peace be upon
him) are examples of the blending of Arabic and nusantara influences. The song texts
originate in the Yemeni Ba `Alawiyya mawlid tradition, which was brought to the
archipelago through Yemeni merchants, scholars, and mystics. The music and singing
style, however, are distinctly Malay.
To listen to examples please click here.
4. Zapin
Zapin is a traditional dance accompanied by music and singing. It is believed to have
been introduced in the 14th century by Muslim missionaries from the Middle East
around Yemen (then known as Hadramaut) as a means to spread the religion. The
extant dance form of zapin (known as zapin Arab today) combines Islamic devotional
chanting with body movements. The original form of zapin (Arab) has given rise to
numerous substantive forms, collectively known as zapin Melayu. It uses the voice,
gambus, violin, harmonium and accordion. Two types of drums are also used: the
marwas and the dok.
Gambus Nahar
Zapin Merindu
(Source: http://www.musicmall-asia.com/malaysia/folk/zapin.html)
5. Hadrah
Hadrah is a type of drum ensemble used primarily as accompaniment to Islamic
religious praise singing. It consists of frame drums and a gong. The chanting is
generally associated with one of the many tariqahs (mystical paths) in Southeast Asia
and can be in Urdu, Arabic, or Malay.
Sanori
(Source: http://www.musicmall-asia.com/malaysia/folk/hadrah.html)
6. Interview with Malaysian Annasheed group Raihan
Raihan, one of the most popular Islamic nasheed groups in the Muslim world,
released their first album in 1997. Now, nine years later, they are recognized as

27
pioneers in the development and popularization of a modern nasheed genre that
combines soul-style vocal harmonies and poppy tunes with a spiritual and didactic
Islamic message. In this exclusive interview they talk about their rise to fame and
their spiritual motivation.
To listen to the interview click here .
(Source: http://www.meccaone.org/)
Three of Raihan's songs in Malay:
Iman Mutiara
Nabi Anak Yatim
Tak Selaman
7. E.M. Haniffa.
Popular Tamil munshid (singer of religious songs).
Oru Naal Madina Nahar Tanile
Fathima Vazthantha Murai
(Source: http://www.angelfire.com/rings/haniffa/index.html)
8. Qatrunada
Indonesian Qatrunada is one of the many popular nasheed groups (merging poppy
tunes, vocal harmonies, and percussion) that were created in the wake of Raihan's
success. They have now built a considerable international fan base of their own.
Rabbani SubhanAllah
Salli Alayk Allah
Video
9. Salaat `ala Rasul
Video of an Arabic nasheed performed by an Indonesian munshid (singer of religious
songs) and a group of children.
To view the video click here.
10. Muslims in Singapore: Interview With the Minister of Muslim Affairs

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In this exclusive interview the Singaporean Minister of Muslim Affairs, Yacoob

Ibrahim, talks to IslamOnline.net about the achievements of the Muslim minority in
Singapore and the challenges that they face, touching on community building,
political representation, and Shari`ah. To watch click here.
Part 8