Time to face the music: its haraam!

Would you like me to give you a gift? AbdurRahmanibnAbeeLayla said Kabibn Ujratah met me and said, Would you like me to give you a gift? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to us and we said youve taught us how to send you salam. How do we send you salutations? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied say: Oh Allah send peace and blessings to Muhammad and his family the same way you did to Ibrahim. Verily you are the Most Praiseworthy and Most Glorious. Oh Allah bless Muhammad and his family the same you blessed Ibrahim and his family. Verily You are the Most Praiseworthy and Most Glorious. (Bukhari& Muslim) This hadeeth shows it permissible to give knowledge as a gift. ShaykhAbdurRahman As-Sadee (may Allah have mercy on him) said, These words show the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all)and Tabieens superiority and desire for good and knowledge. So much so, they held knowledge about one issue as the most valuable gift. Reason being, knowledge remains and is well-being for this life and the next. [SharhuUmdatilAhkam] Knowledge about religious issues and verdicts are the most precious gifts and presents. When we teach eachother something from our Deen, we have given eachother the best give we can give. Introduction: the evidence is plain and clear; then why dont we see it? What if I tell you that there is an issue for which there is solid evidence from the Quraan and authentic Sunnah, the agreed opinion of all the Sahaabah, the consensus of all the Tabieen and their followers as well as the consensus of the four Imaams,
1

(Malik, Abu Haneefah, Shaafiee and Ahmad), along with the consensus of the great majority of dependable Islamic scholars up to the present time.Would you have any doubt about it?Would you think that this issue is controversial or that there is a difference of opinion about it?I dont think so.The matter would stand crystal clear, way above any doubt or uncertainty. Right? Then why is it that we treat the issue of music this way? Music, dear sisters, is the issue I am talking about. There is clear, unmistakable evidence from the Quraan and Sunnah, that singing, and listening to music and musical instruments are HARAAM.plain and simple. And this was the opinion of all of the Four Rightly-guided Khalifas, all the Sahaabah, all the Tabieen and all the Four Imaams and other great scholars. There were no confusions, no arguments or debates, no questions, no ifs or buts about it. The matter was as clear as the day and no one had any problems accepting that. Then, centuries after these generations, there come along a few, and I repeat, only a few of the scholars, who start doubting this issue and saying that perhaps music is permissible. And we, being the creatures of desire that we are, pounce at this opportunity to grab any old variant or odd fatwa out there, just to suit our whims and follow our desires. SubhaanAllaah!Are we really that blind?Can we not see the clear evidences and the clear, clear opinions of ALL these Ulama?How can we ignore the evidences from the Quraan and Sunnah, and the clear consensus of the Sahaba, and the opinion of all the greatest Ulama of Islaam up till now? We accept the opinion of a few who came hundreds of years after the Prophet (salAllaahuAlayhiwaSallam) and yet reject the consensus of the Sahaabah that sat, walked, talked, worked and lived with the Prophet (salAllaahuAlayhiwaSallam)?! If you, truly and sincerely, want to follow what Allaah has said about the matter and want to really do what is pleasing to Him, all you have to do is to LOOK for the evidences and you will find it in the Quraan and Sunnah. Here are only a FEW of them:

Evidences from the Quraan: 1. 1st Proof from the Quran And of the people is he who buys the amusement of speech ( ) to mislead [others] from the way of Allah without knowledge and who takes it in ridicule. Those will have a humiliating punishment. [S. Luqman31:6] IbnMasood (may Allah be pleased with him) said about this verse "I swear by the One other than Whom there is no God that it refers to singing [ghinaa].", and he repeated this three times. IbnAbbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said it referred to 'singing and the like' while Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) is reported to view its meaning to signify singing and listening to songs. Mujahid (may Allah be pleased with him) said idle tales in this verse lahu al hadith was the drum. Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) also said it means music. Hassan Al-Basri(may Allah be pleased with him) said this verse was revealed about music and musical instruments. Ibn al Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said, The interpretation of the Sahabah (Companions) and Tabieen (their followers) of idle tales in this verse lahu al hadith is sufficient in that it means music.

2. 2nd Proof from the Quran [ Allah ] said, Instigate ( tempt ) whomever of them you can with your voice; and rally against them your cavalry and your infantry, and share with them in wealth and children, and make promises to them! But Satan promises them nothing but delusion. (S. al-Isra 17:64) It was narrated that Mujaahid (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Instigate ( tempt) whomever of them you can with your voice his voice [the voice of Iblees/Shaytaan] is singing and falsehood.
3

IbnQayyim (rahimahu Allah) said, Everyone who speaks in any way that is not obedient to Allaah, everyone who blows into a flute or other woodwind instrument, or who plays any haraam kind of drum, this is the voice of the Shaytaan. Everyone who walks to commit some act of disobedience towards Allaah is part of his [the Shaytaans] infantry, and anyone who rides to commit sin is part of his cavalry. This is the view of the Salaf, as Ibn AbiHaatim narrated from Ibn Abbaas: his infantry is everyone who walks to disobey Allaah.(Ighaathat al-Lahfaan). 3. 3rd Proof from the Quran : Do you then wonder at this discourse, and laugh and not weep, wasting your precious lifetime in pastime and amusements ( )?! (S. an-Najm53: 59-61) Ikrimah (may Allah be pleased with him) said IbnAbbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said in the verse means music; when you say usmudlana it means sing to us. He said they used to sing when they heard the Quran, so Allah revealed the verse. IbnKatheer (rahimahu Allah) said in his tafseer under this verse, that Sufian AlThawry narrated that his father heard IbnAbbas (may Allah be pleased with him)say usmudfor us means sing for us. The tafseer of the Companions of the Prophet is more readily acceptable than the tafseer of those who came after them, because they are the most knowledgeable among this Ummah of what Allaah meant in his Book. It was revealed among them and they were the first people to be addressed by it. They heard the tafseer from the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in word and in deed. And they were Arabs who understood the true meanings of (Arabic) words, so Muslims should avoid resorting to any other interpretation as much as possible. Evidences from the Sunnah: 1. 1st Proof from the Sunnah The Prophet (SallAllahu `alayhiwasallam) 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(ma`aazif), as lawful. And there will be some people who will stay near the
4

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.' Allah 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." [Bukhaari] Had there not been other than this hadith to show music was haram it would have been enough. Detailed analysis of the Arabic word `ma`aazif ` shows that it refers to musical instruments, the sounds of those musical instruments and singing with the accompaniment of instruments. This hadith shows that music is haram through two avenues: a. The Prophet (sallahallahualiehwasalam) mentioned that they will make permissible, meaning its haram/prohibited and they will make it permissible. b. The Prophet (sallahallahualiehwasalam) combined the musical instruments with that which is decisively haram like adultery/fornication and alcohol. Had music not been prohibited, then it would not have been combined with that which is prohibited. If you believe that adultery and alcohol are haraam, then why not music? Shaykh al-Islam (IbnTaymiyah) (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: This hadeeth indicates that maaazif areharaam, and maaazif means musical instruments according to the scholars of (Arabic) language. This word includes all such instruments. (alMajmoo). Then, he went on to say of those who play music or listen to it in the name of Islam, And know that in the first three centuries whether in Arabian Peninsula, Sham, Yemen, Egypt, Morocco, Iraq, or Khurasan there were none of those who were religious and righteous of worshippers who gather to listen to music whether with a duff, clapping or flute. And, it was done after the first three centuries, when the Imams saw this, they refuted it. 2. 2nd Proof from the Sunnah Among this ummah will be (people who will be) swallowed up by the earth, transformed into pigs and monkeys, and pelted with stones from above. A man
5

among the Muslims said, O Messenger of Allaah, when will that be? He said: When female singers and musical instruments appear, and wine is drunk. (Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi) 3. 3rd proof from the Sunnah: The Prophet said: "Verily, Allah prohibited wine, gambling and al-koobah; and every intoxicant is prohibited." Sufyan said, "I asked the narrator, Ali bin Badheemah, 'What is al-koobah?' He answered, 'It is the drum.'" (Ahmed, classified as saheeh by Sh. AlAlbani) 4. 4th proof from the Sunnah: Allah's Messenger said, "Verily, Allah has prohibited for my ummah: wine, gambling, a drink distilled from corn, the drum and the lute [the Arabian guitar]; (). (Ahmed, classified as saheeh by Sh. Al-Albani) 5. 5th proof from the Sunnah: The messenger of Allah said: "A people of my ummah will drink wine, calling it by other than its real name. Merriment will be made for them through the playing of musical instruments and the singing of lady singers. Allah will cleave the earth under them and turn others into apes and swine." (IbnMajah, classified as saheeh by Sh. AlAlbani) Strive to learn your Islam from the Book of your Lord and the Sunnah of your Prophet. Read what the four Imams (Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, Imam as-Shafii and Imam Ahmad may Allah have mercy on the) have clearly said about music and singing; their statements have been preserved. Learn the truth and then measure people against it. Misconceptions from those who think music is halaal: 1. And your Lord is most knowing of whoever is in the heavens and the earth. And We have made some of the prophets exceed others [in various ways], and to David We gave the book [of Psalms]. (S. al-Isra 17:55) It is a common misconception of certain Muslims - especially those having a western background or living in the west-that Dawood (peace be upon
6

him)composed the Psalms and sang them to the accompaniment of music. The Psalms were not composed by Prophet Dawood (upon whom be Allah's peace and blessings), but rather were revealed to him by Allah, the exalted, as is clearly stated in the Quraan. Additionally, nowhere in the Quraan or in the authentic traditions is there any support for this accompanying the Psalms with musical instruments . Prophet Dawood's captivating, melodious voice was exceedingly beautiful and effective. When he recited the Zaboor, men, jinn, birds and wild animals gathered around him. (Qurtubi, IbnKathir) 2. They claim that all the ahadith on music are weak. While there are some weak ahadith (which we have not mentioned), as we have seen, there are many strongahadith, some are in the 2nd most authentic book after the Quran (Bukhaari). In conclusion, the view that music is permissible has no firm basis. There are no two views on this matter. There was no period throughout the ages, where there was no scholar who reported the ijm (consensus) of scholars on the prohibition of singing and musical instruments, from the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to the four Imams of the four Madhahib (schools of thought), all the way to contemporary scholars such as Shaykh al-Fawzan (may Allah preserve him). Exceptions as proven from the Sunnah: It was narrated that al-Rubayyi bintMuawwidh said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) entered upon me on the day of my wedding and sat on my mattress as you are sitting now, and young girls were beating the daff and singing about their fathers who had been killed at the battle of Badr, until a girl said, And among us is a Prophet who knows what will happen tomorrow. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Do not say this, but say the other things that you were saying. (Bukhaari) It was narrated from Aaishah that she took a woman on her wedding night to a man from among the Ansaar, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to her, O Aaishah, was there any entertainment (in the gathering)? For the Ansaar love entertainment. (Bukhaari)

It was narrated that Muhammad ibnHaatib al-Jamahi said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The thing that differentiates between haraam and halaal is the beating of the daff and voices. (Tirmidhi; alNasaai; IbnMaajah - classed as hasan by al-Albaani) Narrated 'Aa'ishah: Allah's Messenger came to my house while two girls were singing beside me the songs of Bu'aath (a story about the war between the two tribes of the Ansaar, the Khazraj and the 'Aus, before Islam). The Prophet lay down and turned his face to the other side. Then Abu Bakr came and spoke to me harshly saying, Musical instruments of Shaytaan (Satan) near the Prophet? Allah's Messenger 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. (Bukhaari) Narrated 'Aa'ishah: Abu Bakr came to my house while two small Ansaari girls were singing beside me the stories of the Ansaar concerning the Day of Bu'aath, and they were not (professional) singers. Abu Bakr said protestingly, Musical instruments of Shaytaan (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 (festival) for every nation and this is our 'Eid.(Bukhaari) Ibn Al Qayyim says concerning those who use this as a general evidence that all music is allowed all the time: I am amazed that you quote as evidence for allowing listening to sophisticated songs the report which we mentioned about how two young girls who were below the age of puberty sang to a young woman on the day of Eid some verses of Arab poetry about bravery in war and other noble characteristics. How can you compare this to that? What is strange is that this hadeeth is one of the strongest proofs against them. The greatest speaker of the truth [Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq] called them musical instruments of the Shaytaan, and the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) approved of that appellation, but he made an exception in the case of these two young girls who had not yet reached the age of responsibility and the words of whose songs could not corrupt anyone who listened to them. Can this be used as evidence to allow what you do and what you know of listening (to music)?! SubhaanAllaah! How people can be led astray! [Madaarij alSaalikeen, 1/493]

It is permissible for women to beat the daff and to sing permissible songs on permissible occasions such as Eid, celebrations and the like. The only musical instrument that is permissible for them is the daff, and not others such as the tabl. The daff which is permissible is that which is open on one side only. The daff that is permissible is the one that does not have any metal circles either inside it or around the edge. ShaykhIbn Uthaymeen said: The drum that is covered on both sides is called the tabl, and it is not permissible, because it is a kind of musical instrument and all kinds of musical instruments are haraam, except that for which there is evidence that it is halaal, which is the daff at weddings. FataawaIslamiyyah, 3/186 These ahaadeeth indicate that it is permissible to beat the daff in these three situations. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) granted a concession for some kinds of entertainment on the occasion of weddings and the like, and he also granted a concession to women allowing them to beat the daff at weddings and on other joyous occasions. But with regard to the men of his time, none of them used to beat the daff or clap his hands, rather it was proven in al-Saheeh that he said, Clapping is for women, and Tasbeeh is for men, and he cursed women who imitate men and men who imitate women. Because singing, beating the daff and clapping the hands are actions of women, the salaf used to call a man who did that mukhannath (effeminate), and they used to call male singers makhaaneeth (pl. of mukhannath). This is well known. (Majmoo alFataawa, 11/565, 566) Apart from that, the principle remains that it is haraam. Some scholars made the matter broader and said that it is permissible to beat the daff when a child is born and when he is circumcised; others take the matter further and say that it is permissible on all occasions that are a cause for expressing joy, such as the recovery of a sick person and the like. But it is better to limit ourselves to what was narrated in the text. And Allaah knows best. There is a difference between listening and hearing. Shaykh al-Islam (IbnTaymiyah) (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Concerning (music) which a person does not intend to listen to, there is no prohibition or blame, according to scholarly consensus. Hence blame or praise is connected to
9

listening, not to hearing. The one who listens to the Quraan will be rewarded for it, whereas the one who hears it without intending or wanting to will not be rewarded for that, because actions are judged by intentions. The same applies to musical instruments which are forbidden: if a person hears them without intending to, that does not matter. (al-Majmoo). So a person is not sinning when he accidentally listens to music, such as a person who is walking in the street and hears music being played in stores, or in a car, as long as he does not desire to listen to it. Such a person is not sinning because he has no choice; however, he must advise and warn those who are playing the music, he must do so with wisdom and good exhortation. And should avoid as much as possible going to places where music is played, and Allaah does not place a burden on a soul greater than it can bear.ImaamMaalik (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about playing the drum or flute, if a person happens to hear the sound and enjoy it whilst he is walking or sitting. He said: He should get up if he finds that he enjoys it, unless he is sitting down for a need or is unable to get up. If he is on the road, he should either go back or move on. (al-Jaami by alQayrawaani). But Why? - A closer look at the harm of music The Prophet compared musical instruments to things that are definitely known to be haraam, namely zina and alcohol. If instruments were not haraam, he would not have made this comparison. The evidence of this hadeeth that singing is haram is definitive. Even if no other hadeeth or aayah spoke about musical instruments, this hadeeth would be sufficient to prove that they are haraam, especially the kind of singing and music that is known among people nowadays, the essence of which is obscenity and foul talk, based on all kinds of musical instruments such as guitars, drums, flutes, organs, pianos, violins and other things that make it more enticing, such as the voices of these effeminate singers. Remember that the religion of Allaah does not follow the whims and desires of anyone. Allaah is the One Who has created the universe and mankind, and He knows what is best for them in this life and in the Hereafter, so He issues commands and prohibitions for what is best for them in both areas. As Muslims we must know that nothing has been prohibited by Allah except that which is harmful to the welfare of us

10

as individuals as well as the society as a whole. Let us look at the diverse influences music can have. Effect of music on plants An intensive series of studies carried out by Dorothy Retallack of Denver, Colorado, demonstrated the effects of different kinds of music on a variety of household plants. The experiments were controlled under strict scientific conditions, and the plants were kept within large closed cabinets on wheels in which light, temperature and air were automatically regulated. Three hours a day of acid rock, played through a loudspeaker at the side of the cabinet, was found to stunt and damage squash plants, philodendrons and corn in under four weeks. Within a month all plants exposed to rock music DIED.In another experiment, conducted over three weeks, Dorothy Retallack played music to two groups and played nothing to a third group. Within ten days, she found that he plants left in silence had the longest roots and grew the highest. o Do you still think music is neutral and has no effect?
The effects of music on the brain

Our body has a biological clockthat controls our daily rhythms, which is housed in the brain. It is a type of rhythm that is the glue that holds our very lives together. All of our systems, from the smallest to the largest, work under the influence of this rhythm. The most basic daily rhythm we live by is the sleep-wake cycle. It makes us feel sleepy as the evening hours wear on, and wakeful as the day begins. But research has been finding that the body's clock is responsible for more than just sleep and wakefulness. Other systems, like hunger, mental alertness, mood, stress, heart function, temperature, blood pressure and immunity also operate on a daily rhythm. Dr. James Girard, a psychologist, wrote: There must be a condition of harmony or perfect balance between the mental, emotional and physical operations of the organism if it is to function properly. It is precisely at this point that rock and roll, and much modern music, becomes potentially dangerous. This is because, to maintain a sense of well-being and integration, it is essential that man is not subjected too much to any rhythms not in accord with his natural body rhythms.

11

A leading scientific authority on the human nervous system, Dr. William Sargent, writes, Electrical recordings of the human brain show that it is particularly sensitive to the rhythmic stimulation by percussion (e.g. drums) and bright light among other things, and certain rates of rhythm can build up recordable abnormalities of brain function and explosive states of tension sufficient enough to produce convulsive fits in predisposed subjects. Of the results caused by such disturbances, the most common one is temporarily impaired judgement and heightened suggestibility(i.e. easily influenced). When the mind and body are subjected to rhythms that are not in harmony with the bodys natural rhythm, the mental picture is altered or not clear. The body is put under stress and problems begin to appear. Music has been known to cause epileptic seizures, often resulting in psychiatric complications. Oliver Sacks, a professor of clinical neurology at Columbia University, writes of a woman who could not listen to a certain popular song for more than half a minute without succumbing to (being unable to resist) violent convulsions (fits). A music therapist, investigating the effects of loud music, gave an emotional stability test to 240 teenagers while they listened to music. A psychologist, who was unaware of how it was given, examined the results and determined (concluded) that the test had been given in a mental institution! Music has a direct influence on your mood. Book stores, restaurants and shopping malls often keep some music playing in the background. The kind of music they choose to play depends on the kind of audiences they target. Music is found to enhance customer experience. Music in malls and restaurants peps up customers' mood. People tend to spend more time in the mall or hotel that plays pleasant music. Music brightens up the atmosphere around you and cheers you up. Music can make you cry, music can make you smile; it has a direct impact on your mood. How music affects your mood also depends on what you associate that piece of music with. A tune or a particular song that is in some way related to your childhood can bring back memories. A song you associate something or someone in your life with, can remind you of that person or thing. So, the effects music can have on the mind or brain depend largely on the kind of music.
12

Consider the following statements: In Vancouver, during a 30 minute Beatles performance, 100 people were stomped upon, gouged (squeezed) and assaulted. (Satans Music Exposed, L. Hart) In Melbourne, nearly 1000 were injured at a rock concert. (Satans Music Exposed, L. Hart) Our music is capable of causing emotional instability, disorganized behavior, rebellion and even revolution. (Beatles, 1960) Here is what a person who attended a rock concert said, After an hour or so, even I felt drugged. But 20,000 people, most of them high on marijuana, if nothing stronger, were rocking the whole building, swaying, standing on their seats, arms around each otherthe crowd seemed hypnotized in thrall (state of being controlled). It was part of a mass frenzy (out of control behavior). (Readers Digest, July 1973, pg 173) A popular rock singer said this about their music. Rockn roll has always been sexual. Rockn roll has always been violent. It has teeth. It will scratch your face off. Thats why I like it..if you like having your brains blown out and pushed up against a wall, then its for you. (Entertainment Tonight, January 9, 1982) In Rock From the Beginning, a 1969 book by Nik Cohn, Mick Jagger, lead singer for the Rolling Stones, described the heavy emphasis on rhythm in his groups music, saying, It was nothing but beat, smashed and crunched and hammered like some amazing stampede. The words were lost and the song was lost. You were only left with the chaos, beautiful anarchy. You drowned in noise. The sound destroyed you Rock music can literally cook an egg! Drs. Earl W. Flosdorf and Leslie A. Chambers found in a series of experiments that shrill sounds projected into a liquid media coagulated proteins. A recent teenage fad was that of taking soft eggs to rock concerts and placing them at the foot of the stage. Midway through the concert the eggs could be eaten hard-boiled as a result of the music. Amazingly few rock fans wondered what that same music might do to their bodies. (Larson, Bob The Day Music Died, p.116) Perhaps you have seen the demonstration of the breaking of a glass by synchronizing high frequency vibrations. This in a word pictures what may

13

happen physiologically to the human body when dancing frantically to rock music. (Larson, Bob The Day Music Died, p.124) ". . .music is more than a language. It is the language of languages. It can be said that of all the arts, there is. . . none other, that more powerfully moves and changes the consciousness." (Tame, David The Secret Power of Music, p.151) another experiment:"The unsuspecting "guinea- pigs" were a teenage boy and girl. They had never met previously and were completely unaware of any strange happenings. Unfortunately for them, as they sat getting acquainted in a cozy "private" room with soft music playing in the background, their reactions were being observed and recorded. When classical music and soft ballads were piped into the room they talked and were friendly, but somewhat aloof. When pop music and jazz were played they quickly developed a much "friendlier" attitude and began to hold hands and put their arms around each other. When the music changed back to classical and ballads they would again become more formal and reserved. If the music would swing back to the jazz and pop music "their formality would give way to familiarity."(Hart, Lowell Satan' s Music Exposed, p.63) Music causes harm to the human body and leaves a bad effect on the nervous system. Keeping these factors in mind, a Professor of Columbia University, Dr. Wolf Adler said: The best and most fascinating tunes of music leave the worst kind of effects on the nervous system of humans. The famous French expert Dr. Lycus Carl said: Generally music should be counted as something which has narcotic effect (which causes benumbing of sense), because, its benumbing cannot be denied by any means. There are many types of benumbing and a person can numb his nerves in different ways. Sometimes numbness comes by food. For example alcoholic drinks create great numbness in the nerves and make the power of thinking and senses ineffective. Sometimes something is inhaled through the nose that creates numbness; for example heroine, which is absorbed in the body through the nostrils, which for a certain period of time makes one intoxicated and many such patients who require anesthesia by such matter, is injected into their veins. Sometimes this numbness comes through the ears by listening to music. This effect sometimes is so strong that it takes out the person out of reality like a dazed one,
14

andhis attention is withdrawn from everything.Mainly people get so much pleasure and entertainment from music because of this numbing effect. Sometimes this effect is so powerful that, a person loses his senses and brain to the extent that he starts behaving in a strange manner. We dont need to give an example, because every sensible person knows that, in those parties where stranger males are engaged in dances with unrelated stranger females, always they are consistent with loud music, and the vibration of tunes of music puts a curtain on the mind and understanding of the people in such a way that, for them doing every despicable act and all such acts which are below the dignity of humans, to perform them becomes so easy and simple for them. What greater intoxication can be there other than this when the voice of music affects the mind of a person? Experiments carried out by doctors and professors have confirmed that the music of today is such that it does not only affect the brain, but each and every organ of one`s body. There is a close relationship between music and bodily movements. We find that people listening to music automatically start tapping their fingers and feet, as if the music is permeating in their blood. It is also proven that music affect`s one`s emotions, increases arousal in terms of alertness and excitement and also leads to various physiological changes in the person. In a psychology experiment, it was found that listening to moderate type 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 effect. It is a very ignorant and misguided attitude to perceive music as a form of pleasure and passing of time, since the messages of today`s music follow a general theme of love, fornication, drugs and freedom. This idea of freedom, It`s my life, I`ll do what I want is a predominant, underlying theme of today`s music. It is being used as a means for drilling those modern ideologies that are totally contrary to Islamic Shari ah and values, into the minds of Muslims. Some say that music and musical instruments have the effect of softening peoples hearts and creating gentle feelings. This is not true, because it provokes physical desires and whims. If it really did what they claim, it would have softened the hearts of the musicians and made their attitude and behaviour better, but most of them, as we know, are astray and behave badly. Even many those singers who some would
15

classify as belonging to the category of those who make good music, live miserable lives with addictions to drugs, alcohol etc. If music was something that was good for the human being, they should then be the most happy people on earth, but how many times we hear about singers battling depression! Let alone the torturous existence of so-called rock stars: most rockers die between the ages of 25 and 45. Some die by suicide, others are murdered or die from a drug overdose. Because of their abuse of drugs, alcohol, tobacco etc., others die at relatively early ages from heart attacks, lung cancer or AIDS. (see the World Almanac and Book of Facts 1997) When you examine some of the auto-biographies and interviews with famous rock stars, you will see that many openly confess to have made a pact with the devil! What do thescholars say about music? The main reason for Muslim reservations about music is that ithas a very powerful intoxicating force, capable of creating extreme excitement in listeners that can potentially cause them to lose control of their reason, diverting them from remembering Allah and inviting sinful behavior. Imam IbnTaymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said, "Listening to music and sinful fun are among what strengthens the satanic ways the most. This is exactly what the disbeliever's used to do. Allah said, And their prayer at the House (of Allah) was nothing but Muka 'an andTasdiyah.[8:35]. Ibn Abbas, ibn Umar and others (may Allah be pleased with them) said that Tasdiyah is clapping of hands, and that Muka'an is whistling. This was the Mushrikeen's way of worship. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) worshipped Allah, according to His order, in their prayer, reading the Qur'aan and Dhikr (supplication). It never occurred that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) gathered to listen to singing that is accompanied by clapping or using drums." Shaykh al-Islam IbnTaymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) alsosaid, discussing the state of the person who has gotten used to listening to singing: Hence you find that those who have gotten used to it and for whom it is like food and drink will never have the desire to listen to the Quraan or feel joy when they hear it, and they never find in listening to its verses, the same feeling that they find when listening to poetry. Indeed, if they hear the Quraan, they hear it with an inattentive heart and talk
16

whilst it is being recited, but if they hear whistling and clapping of hands, they lower their voices and keep still, and pay attention. (Majmoo al-Fataawa, 11/557) Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim (Rahimullah) said, "Music, then, is Satan's Qur'aan and the barrier between one and Allah. These people accept Satan's revelation and, as a consequence, abandon the Qur'aan. When you witness them while listening, you will find them silent in humbleness, sitting idle and their hearts are concentrating and totally enjoying music and singing. Their hearts will feel closer to music, as if they were drunk. They dance and move in a suggestive manner, (). And why not? They are drunk with the pleasure of listening to music and singing and act accordingly. Instruments of the devil are sweeter to their ears than the Qur'aan. If one of them listens to the Qur'aan from beginning to end, it will have little effect or excitement on him. If Satan's qur'aan is being performed and heard, they feel joy in their hearts and one can see it in their eyes. Their feet dance, their hands clap, their breathing intensifies and the rest of their bodies feel joy. O you who are trapped in this sin, you who have sold your share of Allah to Satan, what a losing deal! Why not feel this joy when you listen to the Qur'aan? Why not feel pleasure and comfort when the Glorious Qur'aan is recited? But, everyone seeks what he feels is suitable for him, and ends up with what is really suitable for him." [adapted from Ighathat Al-Lahfan]. IbnQayyim Al-Jawziyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Madarij Al-Salikin: These are the words of someone who fully understood singing and its effects, for no one regularly sings or listens to song except that his heart falls into nifaq(hypocrisy) without him realizing. If such a person understood the reality of nifaq and its end he would see it in his own heart. Never do the love of song and the love of Qur`an come together in a person's heart except that one expels the other. I and others have witnessed how heavy the Qur`an feels to singers and song-listeners; how they coil when it is recited and how they get angry with a reciter when he recites too long for them (in prayer etc); and how their hearts do not benefit from what he recites: they are not moved to do anything by it. But when the Qur`an ofShaytan comes, la ilaahaillallaah! How they lower their voices and settle down! How their hearts feel at peace and how the crying and emotions start, how moved they are inwardly and outwardly and spend on clothing and perfume and staying up hoping for a long night ahead. If this is not nifaq then it is certainly the way to it and its foundation.

17

Using music for healing How about the modern way of healing that is done nowadays with music therapy? Allah has not put the healing for this ummah in that which He has forbidden to them; rather it is a disease for them, whether it is a disease for the body or the heart or both of them. Allah, may He be exalted, does not forbid anything to people except that in which there is nothing but harm or that of which the evil effects outweigh any benefits. It was narrated that Abud-Darda said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Allah has sent down the disease and the remedy, and He has created a remedy for every disease, so seek treatment (of illness) but do not treat (illness) with anything that is haraam. (Abu Dawood; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani) It was narrated from WaailibnHajar (may Allah be pleased with him) that that TaariqibnSuwayd al-Jufi asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about khamr, and he forbade him or expressed his disapproval of his making it. He (Taariq) said: I only make it as a remedy. He said: It is not a remedy; rather it is a disease. (Muslim) When Allaahorders something, it is either because it is purely good or its goodness outweighs its evil. And when He forbids something it is either because it is purely bad or because its evil outweighs its goodness. Allaah is All-Wise and All-Knowing. If the sick person imagines that his sickness can only be cured by drinking alcohol, this is an illusion. There are many kinds of medicine and remedies, both spiritual and natural. Moreover, the medicine does not heal the disease, rather healing comes from Allaah when the medicine is used. So use of the means prescribed in Shariah may be accompanied by total reliance upon them or it may be accompanied by regarding them as no more than a means, whilst relying upon Allaah and believing that they may or may not be of benefit. If they prove to be of benefit, this is what was wanted, but relying on them completely is shirk. (Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah, 22/87) As Muslim we have no need for treating patients with music because we have other things such as recitation of Quraan in a beautiful voice, prayer, making dhikr (remembrance of Allah) that calm the nerves and bring joy to the heart, and increase our faith in Allaah and belief in the Divine will and decree (al-qada wal-qadar).
18

When people turn to music, like it and get addicted to it, it becomes the alcohol of the mind. One turns away from the Quran more than anything else once their hearts become addicted to music. When we hear Muslims say musicis the best thing in their life, this is something astounding. What about the Quraan? What about the hadeeths of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? How can you prefer the words of man to the words of Allaah, may He be exalted? How can you think that musical instruments are better for your heart and soul and mind than the words of Allaah, may He be exalted, and the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? Remember that the Quraan of the Most Merciful and the recitation of the Shaytaan namely songs cannot be joined together in the heart of the believer. You would not say that music and songs are the best thing in your life unless you have been deprived of the Quraan of the Most Merciful. Remember that the Shaytaan cannot make songs and music attractive to you in your heart and in your life until after he has turned you away from the Book of Allaah, may He be exalted. So you have to hasten to set your heart aright and turn back from what you are doing, so that you can strengthen your heart by obeying the Most Merciful and His words, and humbling yourself before His rulings. Allaah has given you something better than this, namely His Book, in which He speaks. So read it and listen to it being read by readers whom Allaah has blessed with beautiful voices, and you will see a great difference in your heart and your life after that. Allaah has guided many people who were disbelievers after they listened to the verses of the Quraan, and you as Muslims are more deserving of being guided in this manner than others. But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not. (S. al-Baqarah 2:216) A look at anasheeds (Islamic songs) Nasheeds have changed from what they were at first. Nasheedsused to have meanings of faith and knowledge, but now in many cases they have become similar to the songs of disbelievers, with softening of the voice, putting a picture of the munshid on the cover of the tape, and making video clips to accompany the nasheed, which contain haraam things such as using musical instruments. The best of them nowadays
19

are those that use sound effects that mimic the sound of musical instruments. Nasheeds have overtaken other kinds of educational and beneficial audio material and nasheed groups have boomed in the Muslim world. These groups do not hesitate to publish pictures of their groups in newspapers and magazines wearing identical clothing, and their faces often proclaim their going against the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), as they have shaved their beards. The camera zooms in on the face of the munshid when he is looking his best and he stares soulfully into the camera and behaves like a pop singer. We are not exaggerating, and we are not talking about things that do not happen. This is why some of the prominent Shaykhs who permitted nasheeds at first were upset by what nasheeds and munshids have become and this was before they found out about the video clips so they retracted the view that it is permissible or they stipulated conditions for it to be said to be permissible. "My personal position concerning this is that I have reservations as I fear that this is an extension of the songs & chanting of the Sufis. And I fear that it will busy people away from taking pleasure in listening to the Quran and reflecting over it. Thus, I have reservations concerning this even though some of our brothers have made it permissible and have said it is better than that which is lesser than it. But I personally fear that it will draw people towards the singing and chanting of the Sufis that has no good in it." (Shaykh Abdul-Aziz Bin Abdullah Aal-Shaykh) "A person should spend his time with what will give him good in return in this life and the life after this. Let him occupy himself with remembrance of Allaah, read the Qur'aan and beneficial books. Moreover, it is also fine to listen to beneficial poetry which urges to noble character and good adab (manners of behavior). But as for these Anasheed which are listened to in these times, and which are sung in groups, to thereafter be recorded and sold, one should neither listen to them nor care about them (i.e. one should ignore them)." (Shaykh 'Abdul Muhsin al-'Abbaad) In general these Nasheeds turn people away from listening to the Qur'an.Nasheeds are worse than music, because no one will say that he is drawing closer to Allaah by listening to music, but those who listen to nasheed do actually claim they are drawing closer to Allaah by it, and do consider it part of the religion, and therefore this is
20

bid'ah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions,worshiped Allah only with that which was ordered by Allaah such as salah, recitation of the Quran, Dhikr and the likes. They gathered together for those actions of worship legislated & therefore they never gathered to listen to song. None of the Companions, the Successors and any of the great Imaams of this religion took the innovated listening which is the listening of clapping, drum, & wind instruments to be a route to Allaah. Not one of them considered it to be a means of drawing close to Allaahand an action of obedience; instead they considered this to be a blameworthy innovation. And, of course, bid'ah is worse than a sin because the one who commits bid'ah thinks himself to be right and does not make tawbah for that bid'ah, whereas those who commit a sin know that tawbah needs to be made for it. Some food for thought: I read a reference about a scholar who said that nasheeds are an imitation of the disbelievers. A brief research about the history of music in Christianity shows how in early Christianity they restricted themselves to the singing of praise (so-called hymns) and the chanting of portions of their scriptures. Nowadays we see Christian rock concerts, and while Christian music may have initially been developed to attract more people to enter the churches, we see that actually it has emptied them. The fear is that the Muslims will also follow them into this lizard hole, and what started as something seemingly good, could very easily turn into something very bad! We only have to look at hip-hop groups like Native Deen. Some tips how to wean yourself off from music addiction For those of you who enjoy listening to music, ask yourself: do you read the Quran, but you feel as if it never penetrates your heart? Do you never cry when you are reading to the Quran or listening to a recitation?Do you give sadaqah (charity) and help the poor and do other things, but your heart feels stony hard, and sometimes so alien?. Why would it be that your heart feels so lifeless even though you are performing all of these good deeds? The effect of music on the heart is that it creates a seed of hypocrisy in the heart; the seed becomes a plant and it keeps growing until the heart becomes black. When the heart becomes black, it becomes hard and then the Words of Allah do not penetrate
21

the heart anymore.The more you practice yourdeen, the easier it will be to give up things. Get rid of all the music from your mobile, then from your iPod, then from your laptop and then from your heart. Wouldnt you give up everything in the world to feel closer to Allah? Would you ever think of having Shaytan as my friend? For sure not!So the love of Allah takes precedence over the love of people and our desires.We need to strive to establish a true connection and relationship with Allah. We need to want to fill our hearts with love for Allah as it will benefit all of ustremendously. When we want to let go of something and when we want to change, it should be out of our love for Allah that we abandon these things. We should also fear Allah and His punishments so that our fear will overcome our love for these things. It is our connection with Allah that will empower us to attain any goal we strive to achieve, including giving up our addiction to music. admit that it is a sin (by gaining knowledge about it) make dua to Allah to give you strength to give it up: never forget to ask for Allahs help for after all, He is the turner of hearts (Oh turner of hearts, make my heart firm upon Your religion) get rid of all the music in your private environment (incl. your mobile phone!) when tempted turn to Quran (recite it yourself or listen to a recording of a good Qari whose voice you like) and make dhikr (remembrance of Allah) listen to beneficial lectures about Islam instead of music Conclusion Since Allah did not create a man with two hearts,music and Quran cannot both survive in it peacefully. One would eventually flush out the other. IbnQayyim said that music and Quran cannot survive in the same heart, since Quran is the remembrance of Allah which guides to the straight path and music is the complete opposite. All it guides toward is sin and diversion from the way of Allah. And one does not find music and Quran in his heart except that there is struggle between the both. And one must know that one would eventually flush out the other, as music plants hypocrisy and Quran plants iman in the heart.

22

It is like a man who has a farm and on that farm he plants fruit trees of all types and in the midst of these fruit tress he plants weeds in order to destroy them. Is this a sensible or a stupid farmer? It is the same as ones heart. It is completely insensible for a Muslim to plant the seeds of Iman with Allahs remembrance and inbetween the seeds of Iman plant the seeds of hypocrisy with Shaytans remembrance to destroy it. And usually when weeds are in a piece of hypocrisy with Shaytans remembrance to destroy it. And usually when weeds are in a piece of land and left there,they destroy all crops. And it is guaranteed if one leaves the seeds which plant hypocrisy in ones heart it will eventually destroy the seeds of Iman to the point where one does not know good from evil. IbnQayyimgave an example of a man who was so heavily involved in music that when his friends saw that he was about to die they said to him: Say La Ilaha Ill Allah, he said tintinatintinatintina. They then repeated their request again for him to say La Ilaha Ill Allah; he kept repeating tintinatintina; he then died saying tintinatintina. May Allah rescue us from an evil end like thisone. We do not want to die reciting the songs of rock stars, or singers or rappers, rather, when we die we want to recite Quran. Shaykh-Ul-Islam IbnTaymiyyah died in prison reciting the last verses in Surah Qamar: Verily the believers are in the midst of gardens and rivers, In a sure abode with the sovereign omnipotent. Do we want his death or the death of the first person mentioned? (Al Jawab Al Kaafi)

One of the early Muslims* was asked about music and said the following: On the day of Judgement, when Allah distinguishes between truth and falsehood, where will music be? The questioner: It will be in the precincts of falsehood! He answered: Then, ask yourself. * Al-Qasim bin Muhammad,the grandson of AbiBakar al-Siddiq [May Allah be pleased with them all] (Quoted by Imam al-Muhasibi in Risalah al-Mustarshidin)

23