Is Music Haram in Islam? Is agreed to be a highly debatable topic. Whether it’s Muslim, Hindu, Christian, or a human belonging to any religion, Music is loved and enjoyed by everyone.
Studies have proved the music to be addicting. It floods the brain with dopamine; a type of hormone or neurotransmitter that is responsible for promoting pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation. Therefore, it’s pretty hard to resist the music.
In some religions, music is permitted. However, in Islam it is believed to be forbidden. Yet Muslims are engaged in listening and making music.
They are often seen debating some sort of music to be permitted and some to be forbidden.
Since most modern Muslims happen to have little knowledge of their religion, it’s pretty easy to get misled.
Let me inform you here that I’m not a scholar or any good practising Muslim. However, my recent research has revealed the truth to me.
In this today’s post, I would only share what I concluded from my recent research(Is music haram in Islam?).
Is Music Haram in Islam?
It is generally believed and agreed that music is haram in Islam. “Haram” is an Arabic term that means forbidden. So, it can also be said that music is believed to be forbidden in Islam.
The Holy Quran and books of Hadith are the two major sources of Muslims’ guidance. Therefore, if we try looking for a very clear indication in the Quran whether music is haram or not, we would not find any verse stating “music is haram/forbidden”. However, some verses and hadiths hint music is haram/prohibited.
If we look outside the Quran and the most authentic books; Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih al-Muslim, almost all Muslims claim music to be forbidden.
The verses and hadith that hint music to be haram/forbidden
Whenever a Muslim needs guidance, he/she searches for a relevant hadith or verse in the Quran.
Therefore, it is not enough to say that music is haram in Islam. Quoting relevant hadith and verses is important.
In the Holy Quran, music is hinted to be forbidden as follows;
- “And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks [in another translation: “the amusement of speech”; in yet another: “theatrics”] to mislead others from the path of Allah…” [Luqmaan 31:6].
- “And befool them gradually those whom you can among them with your voice (i.e. songs, music, and any other call for Allaah’s disobedience)” [al-Israa’ 17:64].
Whereas, The Hadith refers to it as;
- “Singing sprouts hypocrisy in the heart as rain sprouts plants”;[2]
- “There will be among my Ummah people who will regard as permissible adultery, silk, alcohol and musical instruments”.[8]
If these verses and the hadiths are taken for guidance, it can be concluded that music is forbidden/haram.
The scholar and practising Muslims’ view is also based on these Quranic verses and Hadiths.
Whether it’s the Holy Quran or Shih al-Bukhari or Muslim, music is mentioned unfavourably. So, even if it isn’t stated “clearly” that music is forbidden/haram, it can not be taken to be permissible either.
The Four Imams have also indicated music to be haram/forbidden
The Hadith and the Quranic Verses are not the only sources that indicated music to be haram/forbidden.
The four Imam’s; Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, Imam Shafi’i, and Imam Ahmad have also hated and declared music to be haram/forbidden.
”Imam Abu Hanifa was the harshest on music. He declared music haram and the one who engages in listening to music, a fasiq; sinner. Imam Malik called the person who listens to music a fusooq. Imam shafi’i declared music and the music instruments haram whereas when Imam Ahmad get asked about music he replied “It grows hypocrisy within one’s heart and I dislike it.”
As the four imams have also declared it to be “haram”, so music can be said and believed to be forbidden.
Conclusion
In brief, Music is haram in Islam. In the Holy Quran and Hadith, Muslims have been forbidden from music as “And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks [in another translation: “the amusement of speech”; in yet another: “theatrics”] to mislead others from the path of Allah…” [Luqmaan 31:6], “And befool them gradually those whom you can among them with your voice (i.e. songs, music, and any other call for Allaah’s disobedience)” [al-Israa’ 17:64], “Singing sprouts hypocrisy in the heart as rain sprouts plants”;[2],
There will be among my Ummah people who will regard as permissible adultery, silk, alcohol and musical instruments”.[8].
