Permissibility of Music
I recently found some interesting information on the permissibility of music after reviewing the Great Muhaddith Imam Shawkani’s book Nayl Al-Awtaar.
After bringing forth all the Hadith regarding music Shawkani says:
Those who say it is permissible include Zahiri, Maliki, Hanbali, and Shafi scholars and they criticize every single one of these Hadith as Daeef.
The Great Muhaddith Abul Fadl Ibn Tahir comments that not even a single LETTER from these Hadith are Sahih.
Ibn Tahir also says in his book on the permissibility of music that there is no dispute between the people of Madinah that musical instruments were permissible and that the Zahiri Scholars unanimously held this view as well.
Ibn Arabi the Great Maliki Qadi and Scholar in his Kitab Al Ahkam says there is not even a single Sahih Hadith that prohibits music.
The Great Scholar Ibn Hazm says any Hadith prohibiting music cannot be traced back to the Prophet PBUH, they can only be traced back to other than the Prophet PBUH.
The Great Maliki Scholar Al Fakihani says I do not know of any evidence from the Quran or Sahih Hadith that show that music is haram.
The Great Scholar Imam Al Haramayn reports that the Great Sahabi Abdullah Ibn Zubayr owned many singing and dancing girls who would sing and dance for him.
The Great Historian Abul Faraj Al Isfahani transmits from the Great Sahabi and Poet of the Prophet PBUH, Hasan Ibn Thabit that he would listen to music.
The Great Muhaddith Imam Abu Bakr Al Adfawi transmits from the legendary Fifth Khalifa Rashidun Umar Ibn Abdul Aziz that he would listen to music before he became a Khalifa.
Al Adfawi also said there is no dispute between the people of Madinah that the Qadi of Madinah Ibrahim Ibn Saad would listen to music and said it is permissible.
Ibn Samani says that Tawus Ibn Kaysan the Great Tabieen student of the Great Sahabi and legendary Mufassir Ibn Abbas said that music is permissible.
The Great Shafi Scholar Abul Mahasin Al Ruyani transmits from Qafaal that the Maliki Madhab ruled that music, instruments, and singing were permissible, Abu Mansur Al Fawrani transmits this from the legendary Founder of the Maliki Madhab Imam Malik as well.
The Great Shafi Scholar Abu Talib Al Makki in his book Qut Al Qulub says the Great Muhaddith Manhal Ibn Amr would listen to musical instruments in his palace.
It seems to me after reading all this that the Impermissibility of Music is at worst an innovation in Islam and at best a difference of opinion, but it cannot conclusively be deemed Haraam or Forbidden. What are your thoughts?
Music is a gray area. Just like many things, make good intention then make your choice. For many, it has therapeutic properties and can actually improve health and mental well being. Even some clearly defined haraam things, like some drugs, are allowed when there is a benefit to health. Music is not clearly defined as haraam. Therefore make the best intention.
Any other opinion is probably going to be biased (based on an individuals culture, favorite sheikhs, etc), not objective at all, since that would be impossible with the different evidences we have for both choices.
However, we must be careful about LYRICS. What is clearly Haraam is Bad Speech. There are many ahadith, and all point to the same exact direction (unlike those referring to music/instruments in general), which clearly say that all bad, knowingly obscene speech is haraam to partake in and to willingly listen to.
Does this mean explicit words? I don't necessarily believe so. I think a statement can have no explicit words and still refer to explicit concepts, which most popular culture music is like. Staying away from that type of music, imho, would be the genuine path. But this doesn't apply to all musical things.
God knows best, but remember that he is the most merciful, as well as the most accountable. This is an exam, and he can and probably will ask you why you willingly listened to something. If you don't have an argument, and if it's clearly against a clear recommendation, then it's your loss. But I doubt God will punish us on things that were not clear, as long as we have good intentions. Inshallah.
We have direct reports of Imam malik and imam abu hanifa stating the impermessiblity of music.
3 (main) Opinions exist considering music. One Haram, One hallal under specific conditions, and one Hallal under less specific conditions. All are valid. therefore no innovation brother.
edit : added specific conditions, and under less specific conditions. Wa Allahu A'lam.
Shawkani's words also made me reconsider, I think its still best to stay away from most of it but I'm not firm that it is haram anymore.
Comment deleted by user
Lyrics are immaterial to the permissibility of Music.
JAK for a great summary
Majority of scholars say those Hadith are authetnic all 4 madhab is of fiqh also agree that music is impermissible, Imam Al Bukhari رَحِمَهُ الله viewed those Hadith as authentic, so did the majority of the Ulema,
Imam Abu Hanifa:
The Madhab of Imam Abu Hanifa is among the most critical and harshest quotes on music. Imam Abu Hanifa's students clearly declared musical instruments haram and anyone who listens to it is considered a fasiq whose testimony is not accepted.
Imam Malik:
Imam Malik (rahimahu Allah) was asked about those who play the drums and flute and those who enjoy listening to it as one passes by.
He said one must get up and leave unless he is sitting for something extremely urgent or cannot get up. If he hears it in his pathway then he should go back or speed forward.
He said music is something the fusooq (astray) do.
Ibn Abdal Bar (rahimahu Allah) said scholars agree by ijma3 on the issue of riba, that the dowry of the prostitution is taking payment for weeping over the dead, forturne tellers those who claim to know unforeseen and news of the skies, musical instruments, and all wrongful play.
Imam Shafi'i:
His students and those truly knowledgeable of his madhab clearly declared music and musical instruments haram and denied that he ever said it was halal.
Imam Ahmad:
Imam Ahmad's son, Abdullah, asked his father about music. His father said, "It grows hypocrisy within one's heart and I dislike it." And, then he said Imam Maliks quote that only fusooq (astray) do it.
Ibn Qudamah, who is considered among the biggest Imam of the Hanbali Madhabs, said, "Musical instruments are haram like guitar, trumpets, flutes, drums and so on. Whoever continues to listen to it, his testimony is rejected.
And then he goes on to say, "If one goes to a wedding with prohibition like alcohol musical instrument and can forbid evil then he must otherwise he should not attend."
Comment deleted by user
The hadith is not considered Sahih by hadith scholars. Imam Bukhari is so honest that he lets the reader know it's not Sahih. See https://sunnah.com/bukhari/74/16:
Before the text of the hadith even begins, Bukhari is letting you know that there is already doubt from the sub-narrator. Bukhari listed this hadith to tackle alcohol, but the hadith is interesting for two other reasons:
It does not forbid music.
The scholars who claims music is halal use this very hadith to show that the opinion music is haram are based on weak or doubtful sources.
Indeed, this is what led the Imam of the Kabah, Shk. Adil Al-Kabani, to say:
Comment deleted by user
Ibn Rajab already responded to all the evidences Shawkani mentioned and showed its impermissibility: https://www.academia.edu/36096126/The_Rulings_Pertaining_to_Singing_and_Musical_Instruments_-_Ibn_Rajab_al-H_anbal%C4%AB
The fact that it contradicts the Mu'tamad books of all 4 madhabs already highlights its weakness.
Isolated quotes won't do.
Pitting scholars against each other doesn't help your point, it weakens it. How?
The mere fact that there are scholars from the first generation to the current generation that state music is allowed is all the proof we need to show there is no consensus. There was NEVER a consensus. A basic principle in Islamic Law is Ikhtilaf, and r/islam puts it on the side bar for people ==>
It reveals the weakness of shawkani's evidences.
Except none of them explicitly said Music is allowed. Its an assumption drawn from some people based on superficial reading of texts.
Also Al-Awza'i refutes the claim of ikhtilaf here. This alone makes it binding.
The fact it contradicts the 4 madhabs is enough for it to be weak.
Another great scholar who considered music halal is Al Ghazali.
Ibn Hazm also.
I’m still gonna listen to music. May Allah forgive me, but he knows my true intentions.
My post supports that Music is Halal did you even read it? Also, that line of thinking is flawed. There are no good intentions behind an evil sin, however listening to music is not a sinful thing.
C'mon brother, the least you can do is some research to figure out if it's allowed, and if so, what are the boundaries.
The truth is out there, like u/ttailorswiftt just said...
~Shk. Yasir Qadhi
~Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqui
~Shk. Muhammad Ali alHanooti
and
~Shk. Ahmad Kutty
An argument I heard is that none of the narrations about these people are considered Sahih. Can you give me the proof that these narrations you brought are Sahih? (I'm sorry that I'm asking a month later, but I've been thinking about this topic way, WAY too much)