I always have been an admirer of music and the arts. I like to sing and listen to new songs. But, I was always in a conflict about Music and Islam.
I researched it a lot but still couldn’t get to a definite answer. I selected the topic of Music and Islam to widen my perspective and knowledge
about music and Islam. It might help me get a clear answer to what I am
searching about. I don’t understand, where music stands in Islam and why
different scholars in Islam say, music is not allowed in our religion.
I want to know the open and clear reason behind this.
Origin of Chanting to singing:-
Al-Farabiarguese about the origin of music in his Kitab all-musqı-al-kabırı
(The great book of music) and says, “Man is instinctively motivated to express a range of emotions via sound.
Through scientific knowledge,e man attained a sophisticated vocal art that led to the gradual development of various musical instruments.
It was the final stage of development when the appearance of musical theorists coincided with the kingdom of Islamic civilization.”
Four hundred years later Ibn Khaldun in his Muqaddim discussed from primary simple tunes of pre-Islamic society to the sophisticated music of Muslim society in its golden age. He also argued that unlike folk music and sacred texts, professional musicians in the urban centers base their art on codified norms.
Systematic crystallization refers to the skillful fusion of selected
elements from the previous great traditions of conquered peoples with
elements from the homogenous Arab ‘little tradition’.
Scattered evidence shows the borrowing of elements from conquered cultures that were grafted upon an Arabic tradition that had a character of its own.
There was a total lack of musical documents, but some extant rudimentary
notational systems were present like al-Kindı’s exercise in two parts and
al-Dhahabı’s notational system. But still,l they were only used for pedagogical purposes.
Islam and Music:-
The long debate on the permissibility of music emerged during the first
centuries of Islam. Initially, the protagonists based their arguments on quranic verses, which were hardly touching the topic of music,c and then the later theologians and disputants led the arguments to hadith and interpretation of leaders of the school of law. This often led to random conclusions from the same traditions. Ibn Abi ’l-Dunya used the term mala hı in a broad sense implying all kinds of amusements, forbidden pleasure, and moral misbehavior, from which music and its practice were considered inseparable.
The prominent term used in the writings on the lawfulness of music is “sama”.
It means the music listened to. While on the other hand the contrasting term China” is used to designate secular music. Many authors ascribe its origin and effects to Satan’s evil forces, also, formally composed
melodies were considered distractions preventing the faithful from
concern-treating the message of the text.
The mystical movement developed a different approach to music. The
earliest Sufis’simple piety and the gospel of love were gradually transformed into an elaborate mystical doctrine, in which music and dance occupied a prominent role. The most remarkable ritual was the dhikr which referred to the Quranic injunction ‘to remember God as often as possible.
The most spectacular and sophisticated music and dance
associated with mystical practices are those of the Mevlevsı ’ ayn sharf (hymns composed specifically to lead worshippers to a state of union with God).
Literary writing on music:-
Sean's literature source of discussion of works by al-Jahiz. on the characteristics of sounds, the class of singing girls, etc, the grammarian Mufadd. al ibn Salama and geographer Ibn Khurradadhbih both wrote books on the malahı, and other many great topics like the origin and virtue of music, sayings of greek philosophers concerning the benefits of music, etc.
The historian al-Masqudi reported orations by specialists in music and dance.
Work of Abu al-Faraj al-Is.fahan in his book Kitab al-aghanı(Book of Songs)
Include details of famous singers, instruments, and writers on music, in short, it is a mine of information on the history of music, musical life, and musical aesthetics.
Science and greek legacy:-
Ilm al-musqıı (the science of music) became part of the branches of learning often opposed to the Arabic ghina, usually applied to the practice of sophisticated music.
In writings of this type greek ideas are repeated and are conceived in a new
light. This concerns the broad philosophical–metaphoric approach, the moral and therapeutic effects of music, and the linking of cosmological and astral phenomena.
The philosophical–metaphoric approach:-
Abu Yusuf Yaqub ibn Ishaq al-Kindi is the first author in the field of the science of music.
Most of his writings on music are centered on the doctrine of ethos, the
Pythagorean speculations concerning the relationship of music with the
universal scheme of things, of human life, character, and emotions.
According to the theory of Arabic musical literature, the wonders of creation, the phenomena of nature, and matters within the domain of human creation are all subordinate to the ideal laws of music and harmony. It also claims that music is a force exerting ethical and therapeutic influence on humanity and a factor in establishing the spiritual, physical, and philosophical equilibrium of man.
The speculative trend:-
Thabit ibn Qurra wrote several treatises on music in Arabic, of which all are lost except Maspala fıl-musqı (The problem of music). The work deals with the problem of occasional singing as well as the use of accompanying vocal pieces.
Al-Farabi Ihsa al-qulum in which he enumerates all the known sciences,
including music. The chapter on music defines the science of music, its principles, methodology, musical parameters and instruments, rules of rhythm, and composition.
Ibn Sina argues that a well-ordered pulse is comparable to the most perfect
consonances: the octave, fifth and fourth. He describes sound as a
physiological sensation, as a device of communication from a distance among humans and animals.
The Andalusian and Maghrib tradition:-
After the Arab conquest (92/711) the Iberian Peninsula became the scene of
one of the most fascinating examples of intercultural contact; wherein music occupied a prominent place.
The intimate association of the new poetic genres: the muwashshah in classical Arabic and the Cajal in the vernacular with music gave them considerable popularity, and this gave important innovation to a new sophisticated compound: the Nuba.
It is assumed that musicians among the Hispano-Arab exiles brought the art of the Nuba with them, and cultivated it in the major North African centers. One also finds an obvious interpenetration of the art of the nu ba and prominent religious forms, namely the mystic rituals.
A change in musical theory:-
The first great theorist Safal-Dın al-Urmawı, after the fall,, of Baghdad became the official musician for the Mongol conquerors. He based his entire work on his observations and experience as a performing musician. Thus, he became an ideal junction of the Persian modal tradition and all the other elements incorporated into the framework of the art of music in Muslim civilization.
His works became the model for subsequent generations throughout the whole Middle Eastern region and Central Asia.
Abd al-Qadir al-Maragh ibn Ghaybi (d. ı 839/1435) was a famous Iranian
theorist and a distinguished lute player, poet, and painter. He wrote several
works, about the practical art of music.
Shortly after Safi al-Dın’s death, a new theoretical trend seems to have
emerged in the Ottoman Empire and the Near East. Evidence that such a
trend came into being is indicated in the encyclopedia of Ibn al-Akfanı, which includes an important system of notation.
Musical instruments are described in a variety of ways, sometimes listed with minimal information and sometimes in a systematic manner.
The list of instruments includes a few Greek and Byzantine instruments, like organs, panpipes, harps, mouth organs, etc.
Conclusion:-
Islam has prohibited everything that can interrupt the pious relationship between Man and Allah. Specific music that makes you want to move your body, move your specific parts, and make you forget Allah, makes you want to have bad relationships, and to rebel against good is all bad.
songs that have bad language, bad lyrics, use abusive, vulgar, gender-discriminating language, sexual remarks, etc are also strictly prohibited.
all other than you can hear, but it will be even better if you reduce it because you don’t know when you might die, and what if you are listening to something other than the Zikr of Allah, and are reciting that song or thing in your death (astaghfirullah) wallah ilm and Allah knows better. may we all die, martyrs and with Allah's name on our tongue. Ameen.