The Ruling on Songs and Music

Songs are forbidden. The people of knowledge have stated this plainly, and some of the people of knowledge reported a consensus (ijmāʿ) of the people of knowledge on it. Among the evidences for this is the saying of Allah, Exalted is He:

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَشْتَرِي لَهْوَ الْحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ “And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks (i.e. music, singing, etc.) to mislead (men) from the Path of Allâh without knowledge.” — Sūrah Luqmān (31:6)

Most of the scholars of tafsīr said that what is meant by this is songs, and likewise the sounds of instruments of amusement. And the Prophet ﷺ said in the authentic hadith:

لَيَكُونَنَّ مِنْ أُمَّتِي أَقْوَامٌ يَسْتَحِلُّونَ الْحِرَ وَالْحَرِيرَ وَالْخَمْرَ وَالْمَعَازِفَ “There will certainly be among my nation people who deem lawful illicit intercourse, silk, wine, and musical instruments.”

The word “al-ḥir” means the forbidden private part, that is, fornication. “Silk” is well known to be forbidden upon men. “Wine” is well known to be forbidden upon everyone, and it is the intoxicant. And “al-maʿāzif” are songs and the instruments of amusement that are played.

So it is obligatory upon every believing man and woman to beware of this, and it is not permitted to listen to it, neither from a radio nor from anything else.

As for Arabic poetry that has come in the speech of the Arabs, or in the speech of the Companions and others, there is no harm in it if it contains something good, such as the poetry spoken by the people of goodness among the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ and those after them. This is not included in songs. Poetry in the language of the Arabs and in their melodies, in what benefits people, such as urging steadfastness upon the religion, generosity, chastity, and staying away from what Allah has forbidden, is acceptable poetry, as the Prophet ﷺ said about it:

إِنَّ مِنَ الشِّعْرِ حِكْمَةً “Indeed, some poetry is wisdom.”

Ḥassān ibn Thābit used to recite in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ, and in the mosque too, satirizing the polytheists (mushrikīn) and calling to Islam. So did others besides Ḥassān, such as Kaʿb ibn Mālik and ʿAbdullāh ibn Rawāḥah and others, and likewise the scholars who came after the Companions.

The point is that poetry in the Arabic language, in what benefits people, has no harm in it and is not among songs. Songs are only what is done in captivating melodies, in the melodies of men imitating women, or in the melodies of women. This is what harms people, stirs the base desires, and calls to corruption, especially when it is in praise of women, or wine, or sodomy, or other things Allah has forbidden. So the captivating voice combines with the corrupt meaning, and in this there is much evil and great corruption. For this reason the scholars mentioned that it is forbidden and stated so plainly, and al-ʿAllāmah Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) expounded on this in his book Ighāthat al-Lahfān fī Makāʾid al-Shayṭān.

So it is obligatory upon the Muslim man and woman to beware of this and not listen to it, not from a recording, nor a radio, nor a television, nor anything else, in order to preserve the religion, to preserve one’s honour, and to guard against the causes of temptation and corruption. And if instruments of amusement are joined to the songs, such as the rabāb and other kinds of amusement instruments like the drum, music, and the mizmār and their like, the sin becomes greater.

Ibn al-Ṣalāḥ and others mentioned the consensus (ijmāʿ) of the people of knowledge that when singing combines with instruments of amusement, the evil is greater and the temptation is larger. If singing is alone, without an instrument of amusement with it, then the position of the majority of the scholars, which is like a consensus (ijmāʿ) among them, is that it is forbidden, because of the corruption in it. And if instruments of amusement are added to that, such as music, or the mizmār, or others like the drum and the rabāb and their like, all of that makes it more severely forbidden and more corrupting. We ask Allah for well-being for all. Yes.

Presenter: O Allah, Āmīn. May Allah reward you with good.

Source: binbaz.org.sa (Nūr ʿalā al-Darb).