The Ruling on Songs Instruments and those Who Permit Them

Question :

There are some people in the society that not only wrongfully listen to or play musical instruments, such as the fiddle, the lute, or drums, but who at the same time defend their actions, claiming that what they are doing is lawful.Please clarify the Islamic ruling regarding their practice.

Answer:

Qur'anic verses and Prophetic Hadiths prove the censure of songs and musical instruments, and they warn against them. The Noble Qur'an teaches that such behavior is a cause of deviation and mocking Allah's verses, as Allah Almighty said:
"And of mankind is he who purchases (Lahw Al-Hadith) idle talk to mislead from the Path of Allah without knowledge, and takes it by way of mockery. For such there will be a humiliating torment."

Most scholars explained that Lahw Al-Hadith refers to singing, musical instruments, and any sound that blocks one from the truth. In an authentic Hadith the Prophet ﷺ said:
"There will be from my Nation a people who will deem fornication, silk (for men), alcohol, and music to be permissible".

Music includes both songs and musical instruments. The Prophet prophesied that just as people from his nation will deem music to be lawful, so too will they deem fornication, the wearing of silk by men, and alcohol to be lawful and all of this has already happened. This Hadith not only censures the act of listening to or playing music, but it also censures those who deem it to be lawful, just as it censures those who deem alcohol and fornication to be lawful. There are many Hadith and verses of the Qur'an that warn against singing and musical instru- ments. Whoever claims that Allâh allowed singing and musical instruments, then he has lied and committed a great sin-we ask Allah Almighty to protect us and to save us from following Shaytan and desire.

An even greater crime is to say that it is recommended to listen to music; no doubt this is ignorance about Allâh Almighty and His religion; to say such a thing, one shows that he is willing to lie about Allah's Shari'ah. It is only recommended to beat the Duff, for women specifically to announce the wedding and to distinguish a lawful marriage from fornication. While using the Duff, there is no harm if the women sing among themselves, as long as the words they use do not contain evil messages. But even this is upon the condition there is no mixing with men, and that neighbors are not bothered by the noise. What some people do today, using loudspeakers to publicize such activity is an evil that is harmful for their Muslim neighbors. It is not permissible, for a wedding nor anything else, for women to use other instruments such as the piano, the violin, the guitar, and all other instruments, all of this is evil. The only permission for women is to use the Duff. And there is no exception for men; they cannot use any instrument, the Duff included, not for marriage or anything else. Allâh only legislated for men to practice with instruments of war spear throwing, using the bow and arrow, riding horses, racing on them, and nowadays this would include learning how to fire a weapon, drive a tank, or learn any other skill needed in performing Jihad in the path of Allah Almighty.

I ask Allâh Almighty to reform the situation of the Muslims and to give them an understanding of their religion, so that they will learn those things that will benefit them, such as how to fight their enemy, and how to protect their religion and lands.
Indeed, He hears all and answers.

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