Is It Haram to Listen to Instrumental Music?

Listening to music is something that we all do regularly, but is it haram? In this blog post, we explore the question of whether or not listening to instrumental music is permitted in Islam.

Introduction

The question of whether or not listening to instrumental music is Haram has been a matter of contention among Muslims for many years. There are a number of hadiths which appear to prohibit the listening of music, but there is also a significant amount of evidence which suggests that music is permissible, and even encouraged, in Islam. In this article, we will examine the evidence for and against the listening of instrumental music, and come to a conclusion based on what we find.

On the face of it, the prohibition of music in Islam seems clear. There are a number of hadiths which mention the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) prohibiting music and singing. For example, it is narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari that Abdullah ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “There will be amongst my nation people who will consider illicit sex, silk (clothing), alcohol and musical instruments as lawful…”

However, it is important to note that the hadith does not specifically mention instrumental music – it only mentions “musical instruments” in general. This suggests that if we are to take this hadith as evidence for the prohibition of music, then all types of musical instruments would be prohibited, not just those which are used for instrumental music. This would include things like the duff (a type of percussion instrument) which is commonly used in Sufi rituals, and the oud (a type of stringed instrument) which is popular in Arab countries. It seems unlikely that such widespread and popular instruments would be categorically prohibited if there was no explicit evidence for it in the Quran or Hadith.

What is the definition of music?

The definition of music according to the dictionary is “the art of combining vocal or instrumental sounds (or both) to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion.”

The different types of music

There are many different types of music, each with its own purpose and meaning. Some music is created for religious purposes, while other music is created for entertainment or self-expression.

Religious music is often used in worship or prayer, and it can be found in many different religions. Christian music includes hymns, which are sung in churches, and spirituals, which are often played at religious ceremonies. Islamic music is used in mosques, and it often includes the recitation of the Quran. Buddhist music is sometimes played during meditation, and Hindu music is often used in temples and festivals.

Entertainment music is created for the purpose of amusement and enjoyment. This type of music can include anything from pop songs to classical compositions. Some entertainment music is specifically designed to be danceable, while other entertainment music is meant to be listened to passively.

Self-expression music is created for the purpose of conveying emotions or ideas. This type of music can be either instrumental or vocal. Instrumental self-expression music is typically designed to be relaxing or thought-provoking, while vocal self-expression music often contains lyrics that convey a message or tell a story.

The opinion of the scholars on music

The opinion of the scholars on music is divided into three categories: those who forbid it, those who permit it and those who recommend it.

Those who forbid it are of the view that all music is haraam because of the following reasons:

1.It leads to arrogance and self-adulation.

2.It causes softer hearts to feel sorrow and grieves the soul.

3.It distracts a person from remembering Allah and causes him to become engrossed in worldly matters.

4.It produces hypocrisy in the hearts.

5.It incite people to unrest and teaches them evil ways.

6.Those who listen to music become like SATAN himself, as he is regarded as the father of music . . .

Conclusion

Based on the evidence we have examined, it seems clear that there is no Islamic prohibition on listening to instrumental music. In fact, there are many Hadith which encourage the use of musical instruments for worship and celebration. However, it is important to remember that music should never be a distraction from our relationship with Allah, and we should be careful not to let it become an obsession.