Answering Questions Through The Holy Qur'an: Is Music allowed in Islam?

Is Music allowed in Islam?

29:64 And this life of the world is not but amusement and play (wala’ibun). And indeed, the Home of the Hereafter – it is surely the life, if only they know.

7:51 Those who took their religion (dinahum) an amusement (lahwan) and play (wala’iban) and deluded them the life (of) the world." So today We forget them as they forgot (the) meeting (of) this Day of theirs, and [what] (as) they used to reject Our Verses.

(Words like “religion / a way”, “amusement / distraction” and “play / passtime”, might define what music is about, anyway Verses 29:64 and 7:51 do not mention the word “music”, but the context refers to “the life of the world”, in general. Another point is that, in Verses 63:9 and 24:37, having children or trade are not forbidden, despite it might distract, but it should not distract you from the remembrance of Allah)(But children or trade are explicitly allowed, while there is no mention of music)(The root of “la’iban” (play) is “Lam-Ayn-Ba”, and it means “played / sported / gamed / jested / joked, passtime (in an unserious thing), engage in idle sport without meaning or purpose, slaver / drivel, stupid / fool”)(The root of “dina” (religion) is “Dal-Ya-Nun”, and it means “become habituated / accustomed to something, a particular law / statute, system, custom / habit / business, a way / course / manner of conduct / acting, etc.”)(The root of “lahwan” (amusement) is “Lam-ha-Waw”, and it means “become diverted from it as to forget it, distract, sport / play / amusement, diversion, forget, unmindful / careless, delight / cheer, etc.”)(Allah knows best)

63:9 O you who believe, (let) not your wealth and your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that, then those are the losers.

24:37 Men (whom) neither trade nor sale distracts them from (the) remembrance of Allah and (from) establishing the prayer and giving zakah. They fear a Day in which the hearts and the eyes will turn about.

62:11 And when they saw a transaction (tijaratan) or a sport (lahwan), they rushed to it and left you standing. Say, "What is with Allah is better than the sport (l-lahwi) and than transaction (l-tijarati). And Allah is the Best of Providers."

(This Verse uses the word “tijaratan / l-tijarati” (transaction). Other Verses using this word confirm that transaction is not necessarily forbidden (4:29, 2:282, 9:24), but it cannot distract you from the remembrance of Allah and performance of prayer and giving of zakah (24:37). And sport / diversion (l-lahwi / lahwan) should not mislead you from the path of Allah (31:6))(The root of “tijaratan” (transaction) is “Ta-Jiim-Ra”, and it means “to traffic / trade, be in business, commerce, merchandise, dealt, sold and bought, employed property for the purpose of gain”)(Allah knows best)

31:6 And of mankind is he who purchases idle (lahwa) tales (l-hadithi) to mislead from the path of Allah without knowledge, and takes it in ridicule. Those will have a humiliating punishment.

(Some people may object that music is not explicitly forbidden, but the lyrics of many songs have idle tales or vain talk. So, music might not be good if it contains such lyrics)(The root of “hadithi” (tales) is “Ha-Dal-Thaa”, and it means “story / report / narration / statement / tale; hadith – tiding, talk, discourse, tale, story, etc.”)(The root of “lahwa” (idle tales) is “Lam-ha-Waw”, and it means “distract, divert, diversion, forget, delight / cheer, sport / play / amusement, beguile, etc.”)(Allah knows best)

39:23 Allah has revealed the best statement (l-hadithi) - a Book, resembling each other oft-repeated. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it, then their skins and their hearts relax at the remembrance of Allah. That is the guidance of Allah, He guides with it whom He wills. And whoever Allah lets go astray, then there is no guide for him.

(“l-hadithi” (tales) is not bad in itself, but it is bad if misleads from the path of God (31:6). Verse 39:23 confirms that the Qur’an is “hadith” (statement), and it is good)(Allah knows best)

2:223 Your wives (are) a tilth for you, so come (to) your tilth when you wish, and send forth (good deeds) for yourselves. And be conscious (of) Allah and know that you (will) meet Him. And give glad tidings (to) the believers.

(Some other matters might distract / amuse people, it does not mean that they are forbidden per se. For example, coming to your wives (2:223) and trade (2:275) are explicitly permitted)(Allah knows best)

4:103 Then when you have finished the prayer, then remember Allah standing, and sitting, and on your sides. But when you are secure, then establish prayer. Indeed, prayer is prescribed for the believers at fixed times.

(Duties are to be done at its due time)(Allah knows best)

57:20 Know that the life of the world is play and amusement and adornment and boasting among you and competition in increase of wealth and children, like the example of a rain, its growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turning yellow; then (it) becomes debris. And in the Hereafter is a severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and Pleasure. But the life of the world is not except the enjoyment of delusion.

23:1 Successful indeed are the believers ... 23:3 Those who turn away from vain talk (l-laghwi),

(The root of “laghwi” (vain talk) is “Lam-Ghayn-Waw”, and it means “to talk nonsense speech, use vain words, idle talk, make noise and raise a hue and cry, talk frivolously, a slip in talk, unintentional talk, babble, etc.”)(Notice that “vain talk” also implies “making noise, raising a hue and crying”, so you have to turn away from it (23:3). What distinguishes music from noise? Both (noise and music) are types/mixtures of sound waves at different frequencies. Music is considered to be ordered and pleasant sound, while noise is disordered and unpleasant sound)(Verses 5:4-5 say that “good things are made lawful for you”, but music is not mentioned in those Verses, while food and chaste women are explicitly mentioned. Another interpretation is that “good things” might also refer to other than “food” and “chaste women”, because some sentences have the word “wa” (and), which implies starting a new sentence, which might not be related to the previous sentence)(Verse 5:87 says, “do not make unlawful good things, which Allah has made lawful for you”. So, it could be interpreted that it refers to things that were (previously and explicitly) made lawful)(Verse 46:20 says, “And (the) Day those who disbelieved will be exposed to the Fire. "You exhausted your good things in your life (of) the world, and you took your pleasures therein”)(Allah knows best)

8:35 And their prayer at the House was not except whistling and clapping. So taste the punishment because you used to disbelieve.

(The context is that they prayed like that at the House. So, it could not be applied to instruments, but the Verse refers to the way they prayed in a specific place)(Allah knows best)

5:87 O you who believe, do not make unlawful good things, which Allah has made lawful for you, and do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not love the transgressors.

(Verse 5:87 might be used by people in favor of music, but Verse 5:87 specifies “good things”, not the bad things (e.g. idle talk); and also says “what Allah has made lawful for you”, but music has not explicitly been made lawful)(Allah knows best)

7:157 Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find written with them in the Torah and the Gospel. He commands them to the right and forbids them from the wrong, and he makes lawful for them the pure things (l-tayibati) and makes unlawful for them the impure things and he relieves them of their burden and the fetters which were upon them. So those who believe in him, and honor him, and help him and follow the light, which has been sent down with him, those are the successful ones."

(According to Verse 7:157, it is ok making lawful the pure things. “Pure things” implies something pleasant, agreeable, wholesome,... which are not unlawful)(But, another point is that someone makes lawful or unlawful according to that which is lawful or unlawful in the Qur’an. The Messenger followed the Qur’an, in that matter (7:203), and he is only a warner (13:7), so he didn’t make new rules)(The root of “tayibati” (pure things) is “Tay-Ya-Ba”, and it means “to be good, pleasant, agreeable, lawful; tibna – of their (women’s) own free will and being good (to you); tuuba – joy, happiness, an enviable state of bliss; tayyib – good / clean / wholesome / gentle / excellent / fair / lawful”)(Allah knows best)

26:224 And the poets - the deviators follow them.

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Saturday, April 2, 2016

Is Music allowed in Islam?

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