Why Islam Prohibits Music?

With the advent of time the environnent around us is changing drasticaly and the astonishing thing is that we are actually enjoying this change. Things that were disliked before or considered bad are now actually liked by many and considered as an essential part of life instead. Let’s focus on the subject of music for now. Today music has spread to the point where it shakes every muslim, environnent is enforcing individuals to listen to music either by choice or not. Every street you walk in , every park you play in or any supermarket you go to even if you visit your local store music is played. Cars are screaming with music everywhere, No matter where you go your ears will be blown with music. The immense importance of music in our life today is growing its popularity which is an incredible danger for Muslims.  

Music In the Light of Qur’an

(Surah Al-‘Isra’ Ch:17 V:26-27)

 

وَلَا تُبَذِّرْ تَبْذِيرًا O إِنَّ الْمُبَذِّرِينَ كَانُوا إِخْوَانَ الشَّيَاطِينِ ۖ وَكَانَ 

الشَّيْطَانُ لِرَبِّهِ كَفُورًا

“And do not spend wastefully, Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils, and ever has Satan been to his Lord ungrateful.”

Explanation:

(Music usually intoxicates a person and takes one away from the path of Allah (s.w.t). Music diverts a person’s mind and takes him away from the remembrance of Allah. We waste money on iPods, mp3 and mp4 players just for the sake of music, by doing so we are not only wasting our precious time but our wealth as well (and a Muslim is not allowed to spend wastefully or indulge himself in an unproductive entertainment), Other than that while listening to music we appreciate illogical, incorrect and blasphemous matter and content and we keep singing the song (music eats up our mind like a termite). A person will realize this when he starts pondering over the meaning of many Hindi and English songs, lyrics. At this point we uncover the myth that it is because of music that the persons mind is intoxicated and the person deviates from the straight path.)

(Surah Luqman Ch:31 V:6)

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَشْتَرِي لَهْوَ الْحَدِيثِ

'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 Path of Allah, the Verses of the Qur'an) by way of mockery. For such there will be a humiliating torment (in the Hell-fire)'

Explanation:

Interpreters of the Qur`an have defined the term `lahwal hadith` which is mentioned in the Qur`an as:

1) Singing and listening to songs.

2) Purchasing of male and female singers.

3) Purchase of instruments of fun and amusement.

When Sayyidana Abdullah Ibne Mas`ood, a very close companion of The Prophet Muhammad (May peace and blessing be upon him) was asked about the meaning of the term `lahwal hadith`, he replied

“I swear by Him besides whom there is no other God that it refers to ghinaa (singing).”

This statement, he repeated three times. This view is unanimously supported by the four Khalifas, the eminent Sahabaah, Tabi`een, the four Imams and other reliable Islamic scholars and authorities.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir Tells Us:

‘The Doomed are preoccupied with Idle Talk and They turn away from the Ayat of Allah’  

(Surah Az-Zumar Ch:39 V:23)

اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِيثِ كِتَابًا مُّتَشَابِهًا مَّثَانِيَ تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ

الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ثُمَّ تَلِينُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ 

هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِي بِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ

“Allah has sent down the best statement: a consistent Book wherein is reiteration. The skins shiver there from of those who fear their Lord; then their skins and their hearts relax at the remembrance of Allah. That is the guidance of Allah by which He guides whom He wills. And one whom Allah leaves astray - for him there is no guide.”

Explanation:


(He connect that with mention of the doomed, those who turn away from the Qur'an and do not benefit from hearing the Words of Allah. Instead, they turn to listening to flutes and singing accompanied by musical instruments.)

Qatadah said: "By Allah, he may not spend money on it, but his purchasing it means he likes it, and the more misguided he is, the more he likes it and the more he prefers falsehood to the truth and harmful things over beneficial things.''

 

(Surah Al-‘Anfal Ch:8 V:35)

وَمَا كَانَ صَلَاتُهُمْ عِندَ الْبَيْتِ إِلَّا مُكَاءً وَتَصْدِيَةً ۚ فَذُوقُوا الْعَذَابَ بِمَا

كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ

“And their prayer at the House was not except whistling and handclapping. So taste the punishment for what you disbelieved.”

Explanation:


(This is what the disbelievers used to do whistle and clap and so its forbidden by Allah and His messenger so why do we still encourage music? are we amongst the believers or the disbelievers?) 

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