Question:
Salam Alaykoum,
I want to know the judgement of music in Sufism. Some scholars says it’s haram, others claim that there is nothing wrong with music.
According to this hadith , music is haram :
The hadith narrated by Imam Al-Bukhari on the authority of Abu Malik or Abu `Amir Al-Ash`ari (doubt from the sub-narrator) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘From among my followers there will be some people who will consider illegal sexual intercourse, the wearing of silk (clothes), the drinking of alcoholic drinks and the use of musical instruments, as lawful.
What you think about this hadith?
Is music instruments really haram?
Is singing is really haram?
I hope you’ll answer me soon.
Salam alaykoum
Answer:
Alaykum Salam,
This hadith does not refer to music or musical instruments in absolute terms but in the context of lewd conduct typical of dissolute people who drank, mixed freely, and entertained themselves with musical performances. In such a context music and musical instruments are haram, while in the context of permissible activities such as `Eid and other joyful events, the hadiths show that they are halal, including men listening to women singing and beating the drums. The best discussion on the hadiths and fiqh of this issue is the book by Shaykh `Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulusi on musical instruments (al-Dilalaat al-Wadihaat) and there has also been good doctoral dissertations published in Arabic recently, all of which support the distinction I mentioned. And Allah knows best.
Hajj Gibril Haddad
