FOOD FOR THE SOUL OR NOT?
A lie doesn't become true, wrong doesn't become right and evil doesn't become good,
just because it's accepted by the majority. One such sin which is of this kind is music
WHAT IS MUSIC?
Music is, by definition, the science or art of ordering tones or sounds in succession, in
combination to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion.
WHO WAS THE FOUNDER OF MUSIC?
لما مات آدم علیھ السالم وشمت بھ إبلیس وقابیل فاجتمعا في األرض فجعل إبلیس وقابیل المعازف
والمالھي شماتة بآدم علیھ السالم فكل
ما كان في األرض من ھذا الضرب الذي یتلذذ بھ الناس فإنما ھو من ذاك.
"When Adam (peace be upon him) passed away, Iblis and Qabil (the son of Adam) were
delighted. They both gathered on the Earth and Iblis and Qabil invented stringed and other
instruments to rejoice on the death of Adam (Peace be upon him). Thus, whatever types of
instruments are on the Earth that people derive pleasure from are actually from these
instruments (that they had first used).
PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF MUSIC
Experiments carried out by doctors and researchers confirm that music is such that it does not
only affect the brain, but each and every organ of the body. There is a close relationship
between music and bodily movements.
It is also proved that music affects one’s emotions, increases arousal in terms of alertness and
excitement and also leads to various psychological changes in a person. In a psychological
experiment, it was found that listening to moderate types of music increased one’s normal heart
beat, whilst listening to rock music, the heart beat increased even further, yet people claim that
music has no physical effect.
Music affects the brain and every part of the body. A simple example of this is that, as soon
as one hears music, the body reacts by tapping one's feet or moving the head. The message
in music is all about drugs, freedom and illicit relations.
The ideas that are presented in music go against the teachings of the Qur'aan and Shariah and
influences one to rebel against Deen.
SPIRITUAL EFFECTS OF MUSIC
The listener of music is deprived of the enjoyment of Ibaadat. He doesn't feel like reading the
Qur'aan. Salaah becomes a burden to him. His contentment is shattered, as a result of which he
will want to listen to louder and more of the latest music. Eventually due to the hypocrisy, he
feels irritated with the Azaan, Deen and the people of Deen until he totally hates them and
avoids them. He has now reached the border of Islam and Kufr! May Allah Ta'ala protect us!
Aameen.
، الِغناُء ُیْنِبُت النفاَق في القلِب:ق ال رسول ﷲ صلى ﷲ علیھ و سلم
كما ینبت الماُء الزرَعNABI (SAW) has said: Music/singing germinates hypocrisy in the heart just as
water germinates vegetation.
All sins are detestable in Shari’ah. However, some sins have an effect of leading a person Into
sin further.
One such sin is music, which is predominantly associated with vice. Where there is music, there
is generally dancing, intermingling, women, intoxicants, zina and vulgarity, just to name a few.
Allamah Munawi (rahimahullah) states that this hadith infers that music is the main cause for
hypocrisy.
Therefore, the more one engages in music, the closer he gets to hypocrisy.
وَیْھِدُم، وَیِزیُد في الَّ شْھَوِة، إّیاكم والَغناَء؛ َفإَّ نُھ َیْنقُُص الَح یاَء: رسول ﷲ صلى ﷲ علیھ و سلم: و قال
، وإَّ نُھ َلَیُنوُب َعِن الَخ ْمِر،الُمُر وَءَة
َفإَّ ن الِغناَء داِع َیُة الِّ زنى، َفإْن ُكْنُتْم الُب َّ د فاِعلِیَن َفَج ِّ نُبوُه الِّ نساَء، وَیْفَعُل ما َیْفَعُل اُّل سْكُر..
The Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Stay away from ghina (singing
and music) because it destroys shame (modesty) and increases sexual excitement. It kills
one’s manliness. Its effect is similar to that of liquor. Thus, if you are led into music, then stay
away from women since music and singing will lead a person to commit adultery." (Ad-Dur al-
Manthur, Volume 5, Page 308)
The one who acquires the passion of listening to the Qur'aan will never get enjoyment in
listening to anything else.
PUNISHMENT FOR LISTENING TO MUSIC
َوَیَّ تِخَذَھا ُھُز ًوۚاۚا ِعۡل م
ِر ۡلیَلۡھَو ٱۡل َحِدیِث لُِیِض َّ ل َعن َسِبیِل َّ ۡیِب ِ َغۡی ۡل
ۡھَوِمَن ٱلَّ ناِس
:ﷲ﴿ٱ ۡش تعالى
َمن َیۡشَتِر
قال
أُ۟وأُ۟وَلئ ُھ ۡم
ۡم َعَذابُّ مِھین ﴾ لقمان َل َك
And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks (i.e. music, singing, etc.) to mislead (men) from
the Path of Allah without knowledge, and takes it ( the Verses of the Quran) by way of mockery.
For such there will be a humiliating torment (in the Hell-fire).
The words لھو الحدیثin the text imply such a thing that may allure and absorb a listener
completely and make him heedless of everything else around him. Lexically, there is nothing
derogatory in these words, but in custom and usage, they apply to evil, useless and vain things,
such as gossip, nonsensical talk, joking and jesting, legends and tales, singing and merry-
making, etc
REWARDS OF NOT LISTENING TO MUSIC
Rasulullah said: "On the Day of Qiyaamah, Allah Ta'ala will say, 'Where
are those people who, in the world, protected their ears from listening to
satanic music and their eyes from looking at singers? Separate them from
the people.' The angels will separate them from the people and seat them
on mounds of musk and amber. Thereafter, Allah Ta'ala will command the
angels, 'Let them hear my pure and majestic hymns.' The angels will then
recite to them from the zikr of Allah Ta'ala in such
beautiful and melodious voices which they had never heard before." (Jam'ul Fawaaid)
WHAT IS THE WISDOM BEHIND MUSIC BEING PROHIBITED IN ISLAM?
In conclusion, music and the instruments used for singing are a cause for arousing the sexual
desire of an individual. It could lead a person to adultery and fornication. Therefore, Islam takes
preventive measures rather than suffer the consequences. This is also one of the principles of
Islamic Jurisprudence, namely ‘blocking the means’ (sadd al-dhara’i). This is based on the idea
of preventing an evil before it actually materializes, and is taken from the heart of the guidance
of the Qur’an and Sunnah that, “Preventing harm is given precedence even to achieving
possible benefits.”
