MUSLIMS AND MUSIC

[Enlightened~Sista]

MUSLIMS AND MUSIC


"Say, "Who prohibited the nice things God has created for His creatures, and the good provisions?" Say,"such provisions are to be enjoyed in THIS life by those who BELIEVE. Moreover, the good provisions will be exclusively theirs on the Day of resurrection." We thus explain the revelations for people who know." (QURAN, 7:32).

Music and language are uniquely human. A world without either would be hard to imagine. "Both language and music are characteristics of the human species that seem to be universal," says the book The Musical Mind. They are aspects of our need to communicate. So it could be said that, as is true of language, when music "speaks" our emotions "listen." Music resounds through creation from the blowing wind, to the chirping birds, to the human voice and the tune of the harp. Music naturally occurs. The three great elemental sounds of Nature are music. Is the sound of rain, the sound of wind, and the sound of the ocean on a beach not reminiscent of an awe-inspiring rhythm? The sound produced by a rivulet cascading merrily over pebbles and stones, is music.

Scientists are finding that the human brain is pre-wired for music ("Music on the Mind" by Sharon Begley. Newsweek, July 24, 2000, pp.50-52) Music is a marvelous and extremely powerful tool. The Qur'an is music. When the Qur'an is intoned with ilhaan and tajweed: is that not music? The recitation of the sacred Qur'anic text in rhythmic tones brought into being and developed the religious music of Al-Islam; this was a new branch of music. All throughout the Noble Book are images of music, such as trumpets blasting, thunder, angels singing praises, voices calling. The Arabic language lends to its prose a sweetness and melody. The Qur'an recited by the master chanter or Qari, is heard daily in many parts of the world; it is unequaled in charm and harmony. Music is one of Allah's great gifts to man, a means of rejoicing unto thy Lord, and can be used as a healing to the body, mind and spirit. Music relaxation training is used to treat many stress-related illnesses that include high blood pressure, migraine headaches and ulcers. It has direct physiological effects on people. It can make us relax or remember, or have all sorts of feelings. Music can transform an environment by changing our state of mind. The harp has long been recognized as an instrument for healing and calming the mind. It is important to use music to educate, to heal, to inspire and to unite.


IS MUSIC HARAAM?


Music is another of those activities, which has been declared by some narrow-minded, myopic, bigoted, spoilsport apostles of self-righteous Islam as Haraam in whatever form without qualification. Most Muslims have succumbed to such pressures, and modern Islam has thus been robbed of an important cultural expression.


Singing and music have always been an integral part of people's life expression, and taking this away from them means either to impoverish them culturally or to breed hypocrisy by forcing them to deny their musical inclinations publicly whilst at the same time satisfying them secretly with the material borrowed from other cultures. In other words, to deny a people their musical expression, is equivalent to denying them their own identity.


OWN MUSICAL EXPRESSION

Just as Islam has its own architecture and its own brand of expressive arts, Islam has its own musical expression. The important element in this is, as with many other Islamic activities, its purpose. Music in Islam ought to be uplifting and encourage the reflection of truth and the service of the Creator, and may not be corrupting and inciting base instincts. This applies to the contents of songs as much as to the musical accompaniment. As much as a chandelier from a dancing hall does not befit a Mosque as decoration, the hammering of modern pop music does little to enhance a song with a religious theme.


There is sufficient evidence that whilst the Prophet Muhammad (S) denounced corrupting music (Bukhari) or an excessive dedication to music or poetry (Bukhari/Muslim), music as such was NOT prohibited. While digging the ditch around Madeenah in preparation for battle, the Prophet (S) and his companions were singing songs (Bukhari/Muslim).


WEDDING FUNCTIONS

Instrumental music was explicitly permitted for wedding functions (Bukhari/Muslim). The Seerah contains a report of an occasion when the young Muhammad (S), before having been called to Prophethood, thought of joining the other youths of Makkah in their enjoyment, but was drawn to some musical tunes emanating from a wedding party, which attracted his attention.

Listening to the tunes, he eventually fell asleep and was thus saved from the corrupting

Influence of the youth of the town. If instrumental music was, in the wisdom of Allah, good enough to protect the young prophet (S) from going astray, it can hardly be from the devil!!

----------------

The music industry in America today is a multibillion-dollar business. Popular musicians and their promoters are making a great deal of money. However, it is a fact that unhappiness, premature death, and suicide have marked the lives of some very successful musicians. Our own Yusuf Al-Islam can testify to this fact from his own life experience http://www.mountainoflight.co.uk/PDF/mu ... _faith.pdf. And it has been adequately demonstrated that some music is morally, emotionally, and spiritually debasing and can lead to violent, antisocial behavior. Hence it is important to have a balanced view of music. Some music can enrich one's life and bring a measure of joy and contentment. It can uplift us emotionally and spiritually

It is important to remember the Prophet's (S) admonition: "What about people who make rules which are not found in the Book of Allah? If one makes rules which are not in the Book of Allah, then it is void, even if he were to make a hundred rules." (Bukhari).

[Enlightened~Sista]

" One who is not moved by music is unsound of mind and intemperate; is far from spirituality and is denser than birds and beasts: because everyone is affected by melodious sounds."- Imam Al Ghazali


Shaykh Yusuf Al Qaradawi on Music" Among the entertainments which may comfort the soul, please the heart, and refresh the ear is singing. Islam permits singing under the condition that it not be in anyway obscene or harmful to Islamic morals. There is no harm in its being accompanied by music, which is not exciting. In order to create an atmosphere of joy and happiness, singing is recommended on festive occasions such as the days of "Eid, weddings and wedding feasts, births, 'aqiqat (the celebration of the birth of a baby by the slaughter of sheep), and on the return of the traveler." He continues "It is reported that many Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them) as well as second generation Muslim scholars used to listen to singing and did not see anything wrong with it. As for the ahadith which have been reported against singing, they are all weak and have been shown by researchers to be unsound. The jurist Abu Bakr al-'Arabi says, "No sound hadith is available concerning the prohibition of singing," while Ibn Hazm says, "All that is reported on this subject is false and fabricated."

Dr. Muzammil Siddiqui, President of ISNA (Islamic Society of North America) says, "Imam Shawkani in his famous Nail al-Awtar (vol.8 pp.260-271) has mentioned that some Sahabah, the Companions of the Prophet, used to listen to music. He even wrote a book with the title, "Ibtal Da'wa Al-Ijma' 'ala Tahrim Mutlaq al-Sama' " (The Refutation of the Alleged Claim of Consensus on the Absolute Prohibition of Music and Songs).

While it is not right to say that all music is prohibited in Islam, it is important to use great discretion in the case of music. A lot of music that is available in the markets now days are very dangerous and harmful. Muslim youth should be extremely careful. There are, however, some Muslim groups in different countries who are developing songs that are very good, enjoyable, entertaining, and have good positive message."


I LOVE MUSIC

[surrender]

i didnt read the whole thing enlighten sis. but what you saying is music is halaal

[Executive]

What is next? You going to post a Fatwa saying Mini skirts are Halaal.

[Enlightened~Sista]

Surrender Sis please read it..its very interesting indeed I assure you!

Executive..you're not being funny

[DANGIRL]

Just like anything else, listening to music can be seen as haram or halaal.It all depends on the content of the music you're listening to.

[Enlightened~Sista]

Exactly Dan..depends on the content!

We are Somalis..music and singing and poetry runs in our blood..its ingrained in our culture..i donot see Music as haraam. Islam didnt come to destroy cultures.

[Executive]

Enlightened~Sista


Do you consider Somali music as halaal?? I don't most of the Gabay(poetry) is Halaal. But Somali music?


Islam came to dominate, culture needs to adapt to islam.

[1nemansquad]

Ok.

Sometimes it's dangerous to be enlightened. I ones met this Somali professor at some university in the Us and to my shock he was a lecturer in Islamic studies who didn't even pray and practice Islam at all. My uni invited him to give talk on Islam vs the West topic or something of that nature, I went to his lecture excited first thinking damn a Somali professor am proud but little did I know this dude was nothing like what I was expecting. He just spoke like a true munaafiq and the few us Somali students that was there felt mortified walahi.

We invited him at our local masjid so that he could answer few questions we had, dude refused to come and said to us and I quote 'i chose to practice my faith outside the mosque'. anyway moral of this little story is, some times it's dangerous to be enlightened.

[Enlightened~Sista]

You got a point there walaal i totally understand your point..but i dont give a hoot about other ppls way of lives..Whatever Allah s.w.t says i take and there is nowhere in the Qur'an..i.e the primary source of Islam, the oldest document of Islam, the most important one too where it says MUSIC IS HARAAM.

Im not secular or westernised..and alhamdullilah I use my God given faculities of analysing, thinking, reasoning to arrive at the correct understanding of our diin inshaAllah.

[Executive]

Whatever Allah s.w.t says i take and there is nowhere in the Qur'an..i.e the primary source of Islam, the oldest document of Islam, the most important one too where it says MUSIC IS HARAAM.

verse 6 of chapter 31 (Surah Luqmaan)

It says "laahwal hadith" do you know what it means?

[surrender]

after reading it and some research. here goes:


"which has been declared by some narrow-minded, myopic, bigoted, spoilsport apostles of self-righteous Islam as Haraam"


say istaqfurulaah sis- the prophet (pbh) has also prohibited us to inculcate the practice of non-Muslims. (Ahsanul Fataawa)


this is what one website said about music "Listening to music and singing is a sin and cause for the sickening and weakening of the heart. The majority of the scholars of the Salaf are unanimous that listening to music and singing and using musical instruments is Haram (prohibited)"



and this


"2. The Prophet said (which means), "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. And there will be some people who will stay near the side of a mountain and in the evening their shepherd will come to them with their sheep and ask them for something, but they will say to him, 'Return to us tomorrow.' Allaah will destroy them during the night and will let the mountain fall on them, and He will transform the rest of them into monkeys and pigs and they will remain so till the Day of Resurrection." [Al-Bukhari Volume 7, Book 69, Number 494v]"



and this


3. Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said, what translated means, group of this nation will be transformed into monkeys and swine." They said, "Do not they testify that there is no god except Allaah and that Muhammed is His Messenger?" He said, "Yes. And also they fast pray and perform Hajj." They said, "Then, what is their problem?" He said, "They use musical instruments, drums and female singers. (One day) they will go to sleep after a night of drinking and having fun, In the morning, they will be transformed (by Allaah) into monkeys and swine." [Iughathat Al-Lahfan].



http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Flat ... music.html



even though im not so sure about this guy-qadrawi. this is what he's website said "Among the entertainments which may comfort the soul, please the heart, and refresh the ear is singing. Islam permits singing under the condition that it not be in any way obscene or harmful to Islamic morals. There is no harm in its being accompanied by music which is not exciting"



so basically not the westernised music definetly and any music sis. music is the voice of shaydhaan. allah knows best!

[1nemansquad]

Insha'allah I will do some research, I will even ask some scholar's about this in particular and I will get back to you on this subject.

[Enlightened~Sista]

No Qur'anic verse talks about music..idle talk can be any form of talk..and not necessarily music or singing.You could be on the phone and engaging in 'idle talk' many on here do that regularly. Heres the verse u were talking about.

But there are, among men, those who purchase idle tales, without knowledge (or meaning), to mislead (men) from the Path of Allah and throw ridicule (on the Path): for such there will be a Humiliating Penalty. (31 6)

Abdullah Yusuf on his commentary of that verse states this : " Life is taken seriously by men who realize the issues that hang upon it. But there are men of a frivolous turn of mind who prefer idle tales to true Realities and they are justly rebuked here. In the time of the holy Prophet there was a pagan, Nadhr ibn al-Haarith who preferred Persian romances to the Message of God, and turned away ignorant men from the preaching of God's Word".

-----

Sister Surrender all the hadeeths that talk about music being haraam are weak plus there are numerous hadeeths that are contradictory..Compare the hadeeth you posted with this one


Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 15, Number 72:

Narrated Aisha:
Abu Bakr came to my house while two small Ansari girls were singing beside me the stories of the Ansar concerning the Day of Buath. And they were not singers. Abu Bakr said protestingly, "Musical instruments of Satan in the house of Allah's Apostle !" It happened on the 'Id day and Allah's Apostle said, "O Abu Bakr! There is an 'Id for every nation and this is our 'Id."

In the end the Qur'an is the only 100% authentic and nowhere does it say Music is haraam. So as Muslims we must be crystal clear on this .

[Enlightened~Sista]

Enlightened~Sista


Do you consider Somali music as halaal?? I don't most of the Gabay(poetry) is Halaal. But Somali music?


Islam came to dominate, culture needs to adapt to islam.

http://shafisaid.wordpress.com/ listen to those tracks at the side..amazing!! and tell me what is haraam about it inabti!