The Ruling on Singing, the Rababah, the Duff and the Tabl in Marriages and Elsewhere

Question :

What is the ruling on singing, the Rababah, the Duff and the Tabl in marriages and elsewhere are they unlawful or not, even though I listen to them as a pastime. What is the ruling on playing the Rababah and singing the old songs? And is beating the Tabl in marriage unlawful, since I have heard that it is lawful, but I don't know?

Answer:

Listening to singing is unlawful and detested, and one of the causes of sickness and hardening of the hearts, preventing them from the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer. Most of the scholars have explained that the Words of Allah, Most High:
"And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks (ie, music, singing)"

refer to singing; and 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud, the honorable Companion, may Allah be pleased with him, used to swear that idle talk (Lahw Al-Hadith) refers to singing. And if the singing is accompanied by musical instruments, such as the Rababah, the 'Ud, the Kaman and the Tabl, the prohibition is even more. severe.

Some of the scholars have mentioned that singing with a musical instrument is unlawful according to a consensus of the scholars. Therefore it is obligatory to abstain from it.

It has been authentically reported from the Messenger of Allah that he said:
"There will be people among my community who will declare lawful Al-Hir, (the wearing of) silk (by men), alcoholic drinks and Al-Ma'azif."

Al-Hir means illegal sexual intercourse, that is, Zina; and Al- Ma'azif refers to singing and musical instruments. So I advise you and other men and women to read the Qur'an frequently and remember Allah, the Almighty, the All-Powerful much, as I advise you and others to listen frequently to the Qur'an station on the radio, and the program Nur 'Ala Ad-Darb, for in them there are great benefits and entertainment instead of listening to singing and music.

As for marriage, it is lawful to beat the Duff in wedding celebrations. Indeed, the Duff alone should be used to accompany the traditional singing, which does not call to forbidden things, nor praise that which is forbidden- during the night, just for the women, in order to announce the wedding and to distinguish the marriage from fornication. This has been authentically reported from the Prophet As for the Tabl, it is not permissible to beat it in wedding celebrations; rather, one should content oneself with the Duff only. And it is not permissible to use loudspeakers in announcing the wedding, nor in the traditional singing, due to the great Fitnah entailed by that and the evil consequences thereof and the harm to the Muslims.

It is also not permissible to engage in such activity for too long. Rather, they should content themselves with a short period of time, during which the wedding may be announced. Because lengthening the time period leads to the Fajr prayer being lost and sleeping through the time when it should be performed, and this is one of the greatest prohibitions, and one of the deeds of the hypocrites.