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Commentary:
According to most, majority of scholars of Islam (ulama), all musical instruments are not allowed, are haram, sinful, illegal, impermissible; with the exception singing and the playing of the daff. And this kind of music is permitted in occasions or situation like Eids, marriage, struggle for haq (in war time or againts the tyranny and etc).
The overwhelming majority of scholars consider music to be Haram, based on the following verse:
"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 Quran) by way of mockery. For such there will be a humiliating torment (in the Hell-Fire)". (Surah Luqman 31:6)
Abdullah Ibn Mas’ood used to swear that the meaning of idle talk was singing. This view was held by Ibn Abbas (r.a) and other Sahabah as well. Ibn Mas’ood used to say that music is to the hypocrisy as water is to a plant. The scholars are agreed that when singing is accompanied with music, then the prohibition is even stronger.
The other major proof is the Hadith reported by Al-Bukhari with a partial isnad (mu’allaq):
"From among my followers there will be some people who will consider illegal sexual intercourse, the wearing of silk, the drinking of alcohol, and the use of musical instruments as lawful. Allah will destroy them during the night...and will change the rest of them to monkeys and pigs and they will remain so until the Day of Resurrection".
This Hadith was narrated with a connected chain of narrators by other scholars of Hadith such as Al-Ismaili, Abu Dhar, Abu Nuaim, and Al-Tabarani. It is authentic.
The theologians of the Shafi’i school of thought express the following opinion:”Singing and listening to songs without instrumental accompaniment is not advisable, although it is not prohibited (haram)”. They refer to the adduced hadith transmitted by ‘Aisha r.a: ” I had two servant girls who sang. Once Abu Bakr looked in at our house and on hearing them singing he exclaimed:”Satan’s pipe is in the house of God’s Apostle!” The Prophet said:”Leave them! Verily, we have feast days”. In addition to this hadith there is an authentic statement of the second pious caliph ‘Umar r.a who said:”Singing is the food of a traveller”
Other scholars of the Hanafi and Hanbali schools of thought, as well as the theologians of the Maliki school of thought assert that “singing without accompaniment is permitted”. Theologian Wahba az-Zuhayli affirms:”This opinion is obviously more correct”. Imam al-Ghazali asserts in his book “Ihya ‘ulum ad-din” that “scholars are unanimous (al-idjma’) that singing without instrumental accompaniment is permitted (halal)”.
As far as musical accompaniment is concerned most theologians of the four main philosophical and legal schools of fiqh (the Hanafi’is, the Malikis, the Shafi’is, the Hanbalis) believe that instruments which lend an entertainment character to singing are prohibited (haram). This category is like the wind-instruments and the strings.
Abu Amir or Abu Malik Al Ashari narrated that the Prophet s.a.w saying, "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.' 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." [Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol.7 Hadith No.5590]
There is an interesting statement of one of the most prominent scholars of the 20th century Bediuzzaman Said Nursi on the subject. Taking into consideration the opinions and conditions stipulated for by earlier scholars he gives a rather audacious interpretation of the issue. Said Nursi believes that human soul is to a certain extent in need of music:”Just as people need Truth, they need pleasures. Yet the latter should account for no more than one fifth”. Said Nursi also said:”The sounds and voices awoking in man loftiness and love for God are permitted (halal). Whereas those sounds that arouse grief, loneliness, despair, selfishness or animal passion are prohibited (haram). If the permissibility or impermissibility of something is not clearly defined by Shariat, it is defined by the inner state of man and by its impact on his behaviors”.
- Becoming heedless of Allah as the music avoid insan to keep zikirullah, remembering Allah. Music serves as a temporary means of pleasure and satisfaction, which makes one forget who he really is and why he was created, as also most of the music entertaiment will fullfill the moment of insan life time in wasted. This is the reason why musical instruments are known in the Arabic language as ‘malaahi’ meaning instruments that prevent one from the remembrance of Allah Almighty. And each insan need to beware of all things or means which can make him/her distracts from his Creator.
