Is music forbidden?

 

My brother, who among us does not know music? And among people who know music, who of them likes it? Maybe some of us are holding hands and some are not. Some of us are fond of music and some are not. Because this is due to the pros and cons of the law of music itself and also because of our ignorance of the benefits and dangers of music itself.

On this occasion, let us refer to together, what is actually the law of music itself? In particular, if the music is attributed to Islam. Before we discuss together, there is an agreement that we must obey. Because we are Muslims, surely we believe that Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala is our Lord and the Messenger of Allaah is alaihi wasallam is our Prophet and role model. So the consequence of that, we must believe the truth that comes from the word of God and the words of His Messenger. Is not that so, my brother? Okay, let us refer and reflect with this discussion.

How does God explain this in the Qur'an?
Apparently, a lot of verses in the Qur'an that explain this. One of them is:

The Word of God 'Azza wa jalla,

ومن الناس من يشتري لهو الحديث ليضل عن سبيل الله بغير علم ويتخذها هزوا أولئك لهم عذاب مهين

"And among men is a man who uses useless words to deceive men from the way of God without knowledge and make the way of God mockery. They shall have a humiliating Penalty. "(Surat Lukman: 6)

Imam Ibn Kathir rahimahullah in his tafsir explained that after Allah told about the state of those who are happy in verses 1-5, ie those who are guided from the word of Allah (Qur'an) and they feel enjoy and benefit from the reading The Qur'an, then Allah Jalla Jalaaluh tells in verse 6 is about the miserable people, who they are turning away from listening to the Qur'an and turning towards singing and music. 1

Abdullah ibn Mas'ud radhiyallahu 'anhu one of the Prophet's senior companions said when asked about the purpose of this verse, he replied that it was music, as he swore and repeated his words three times.2

Likewise with the companions of Abdullah bin Abbas radhiyallahu 'anhuma who was prayed by the Prophet sallallaahu' alaihi wasallam that Allah give the surplus to him in interpreting the Qur'an so that he is dubbed as Turjumanul Qur'an, that he also said that the verse goes down with the song .3

Al-Wahidy said that this verse is the proposition that the song is haraam. 4

And many more, other verses that explain this.

How does the Messenger of Allaah 'alaihi wasallam inform his people about music?
My brother, including the miracle that Allah Almighty gave to the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam is his knowledge of things that happen in the future. In the past, he once said,

ليكونن من أمتي أقوام يستحلون الحر والحرير والخمر والمعازف

"Surely there will be some of my Ummah who enjoin adultery, silk, liquor, and musical instruments." 5

Brother, is not that what has been reported by him that has happened in our day today?

And also in another hadith, the Prophet sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam explains about music. He once said,

إني لم أنه عن البكاء ولكني نهيت عن صوتين أحمقين الشيطان

"I do not forbid you to cry. However, what I forbid is two foolish and immoral voices; sounds in the singing of entertainment / fun, satanic games and songs, and sounds when disaster strikes, slaps, tears, and satanic screams. "6

These two hadiths have become evidence for us that Allah and His Messenger have forbidden the singing along with the musical instruments.

In fact, there are many other evidences from both the Qur'an, the hadith, and the words of the scholars that show the prohibition and reproach of Islam against singing and musical instruments. And this can be referred back to his book Ibn al-Qayyim entitled Ighatsatul Lahafan or other scholarly books that discuss this.

Then, what about Islamic music?
Once we know the above three arguments, some may ask among us, then what about the songs whose content aims to propagate human beings to the good or nasyid-islamic nasyid containing human invitation to remember God? Is not it good?

So we answer, he is right. It is good, but according to whom? If Allah and His Messenger consider it to be good and be one of the best ways of preaching, then the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaih

So we answer, he is right. It is good, but according to whom? If Allah and His Messenger consider it to be good and be one of the best ways of preaching, then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the Companions are the very people who first did it. However, none of the stories that the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam and his companions did, even they forbid and denounce it.

O my brother, please note that the Islamic nasyid we hear today is not nasyid done by the companions of the Prophet they did when they travel far or while they work, but the current nasyid is a culture of the Sufis Which they do in order to get closer to Allah Ta'ala. They made this a self-styled approach to God, which was never done by the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam and his companions, so where did they get this?

Then it is clear to us that the Sufis have made a new Shari'ah, which is to make a form of self approach to Allah Ta'ala by way of singing nasyid which it is never exemplified by the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam. 7

Times that are allowed to sing and play musical instruments
My brother, Islam does not forbid us absolutely to sing and play musical instruments. There are certain times that we are allowed to do so. When is it?

1. When the Feast
This is based on the hadith narrated by his wife Umm al-mu'minin A'ishah radhiyallahu 'anha, he said, "Abu Bakr radhiyallahu' anhu entered (to my place) and near me there were two little girls of Ansar women, singing about what was said by The Ansar during the battle of Bu'ats. "Then I said," Both are not singers. "Then Abu Bakr said," Is the demon's flute in the house of the Prophet? "It happened during the Feast. Then the Messenger of Allah said, "O Abu Bakr, indeed every people has a feast day and this is our feast day." 8

2. When marriage
This is based on a sahih hadith narrated by Imam Bukhari which tells of a child who beat tambourine and sang in the marriage of Rubayyi 'bintu Mu'awwidz which at that time the Prophet sallallaahu' alaihi wasallam did not deny the existence of it.

And also on the basis of a hadith, that he once said, "The distinction between the lawful and the unlawful is to beat a tambourine and sound in marriage." 9

So, it certainly is not, that the circumstances allowed to sing and play musical instruments are only when the feast and marriage. And musical instruments are allowed only duff (tambourine) which is only played by women.

Some typical characters that exist in singing and music
May neglect the heart
Barring the heart to understand the Qur'an and meditate on it and practice its content
The Qur'an and the singing will not meet simultaneously in the heart forever. Because the Qur'an prohibits following the passions and ordered to keep the sanctity of the heart. While the singing ordered the opposite, even decorate and stimulate the human soul to follow the passions.
Songs and liquor are like twins in stimulating the soul to do evil. Support each other and support each other.
The singing is a person's authority abrogation
Songs can absorb into the imaginary center, then generate passions and lust buried in them.
And many more.10

The typical characters in the music include all types of music, be it rock, pop, dangdut, or Islamic music. Because this has indeed been proven among music lovers. And indeed, the song and the music is so great for its actors and listeners from all sides, both from his aunts, morals, and from his mind that has shown a very significant deterioration when compared to the generation of our grandparents, found singing or music.

Reflection
O Brother, we think the three theorems of the Qur'an and the above hadith and the explanation afterwards, is enough to prove to us that Islam prohibits the existence of songs and musical instruments. And also, it is enough to relieve my brother's heart that was previously counter to the music. And make light and clear to my brother who was pro before with music. And it has been answered already, the question on the title of our current discussion. Is not it so?

Yet it is rightfully for us to be a Muslim, to accept by submission what Allah and His Apostle have established, without any weight and rejection from within our hearts. Because if that happens, then it is one sign of the pride that exists in our hearts. Because the Prophet sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam said,

لا يدخل الجنة من كان في قلبه مثقال ذرة من كبر »قال رجل: إن الرجل يحب أن يكون ثوبه حسنا ونعله حسنة, قال:« إن الله جميل يحب الجمال, الكبر بطر الحق, وغمط الناس

"No one will go into the heaven of someone in whose heart there is a speck of pride." Then a man asked him, "Surely the man likes beautiful clothes and fine sandals." Then he replied, "Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. That pride is to deny the truth and to despise men. "11

May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala always give us taufik and power to be able to do all that He commands and keep away from all that He forbids. Lo! Allah is the One Who gives the ta'afik and there is no power and power except to belong only to Allah. Wallahu waliyyut taufiq.



Footnote :

See Tafsir Ibn Kathir, p. 556/3
See Ighatsatul Lahafan by Ibnul Qayyim, p. 239
HR. Bukhari, no. 5590
HR. Judge 4/40, Baihaqi 4/69
See more details at Tahrim or Ighatsatul Lahafan
HR. Bukhari, no. 949, and others
HR. At Tirmidhi, no. 1080, assigned by Sheikh Al-Albani
See At-Tahrim, p. 151
HR. Muslim, no. 275


Reference:

Imam Ibn Kathir, Tafsir Al Qur'anil 'Adzim. 2008. Egypt, Daarul Aqidah.
Ibn Qayyim al Jauziyyah, Ighatsatul Lahfaan. Maktabah syamilah
Nashiruddin Al Albani, Tahriim Aalaatit Tharbi. Maktabah syamilah