Muslims, music, and the month of Ramadan
Last week while doing my rounds on Quora answering questions on music I came across this question which at first seemed quite absurd to me.
Disclaimer (again): I’m not a Muslim. I respect all and believe in none. I spent my childhood in the Middle East. We had a temple at home with a Bhagvad Gita and a New Testament placed side-by-side, behind which was a small dallah-style jug that had water from the Zamzam well. So that makes me either the best or the worst person to talk on this topic. Take it as you like it.
Music and Islam
The confusion on permissibility of music in Islam arises due to the difference in interpretations by scholars. Abu Malik Al-Ash’ari’s Hadith says that he heard the Prophet ﷺ saying:
“From among my followers there will be some people who will consider illegal sexual intercourse, the wearing of silk, the drinking of alcoholic drinks and the use of musical instruments, as lawful.” — (Book #69, Hadith #494v)
Which led to some believing that instruments are out right prohibited by Allah.
Contrarily, in Hadith 2:72 it’s written — ‘Abu Bakr came to my house while two small Ansari girls were singing beside me the stories of the Ansar concerning the Day of Buath. And they were not singers. Abu Bakr said protestingly, “Musical instruments of Satan in the house of Allah’s Apostle!”’
Abu Bakr not stopping the two girls from singing gave rise to a notion that singing is halal. The accompanying daf too is tolerated.
A more modern belief, shared by some conservative Christians as well, is that any music that promotes obscenity, profanity or blasphemy should be forbidden. Evidently, certain genres (rap, heavy-metal, hip-hop) and certain artists (Marliyn Manson, Slayer, etc.) attract hatred and protests from religious activist groups. In my opinion, this to some extent encourages the artists to produce more ‘forbidden’ content and it’s an endless, back and forth volleying of hate from there on.
‘Partial creative freedom’ is a made up word; creative freedom is more of a dichotomous attribute, if you ask me. You either have it or you don’t.
Now, coming over to the profanity and the obscenity in songs— it is also written in Islam that:
Allah likes not the uttering of unseemly speech in public, except on the part of one who is being wronged… (Ch.4:V.49)
So does it still make artists who question authority or use foul language in their music sinners, even if their intentions are to fight against an oppression or to become a voice of the oppressed?
Check out the other stuff I come up with: www.nowshoing.com
Music and Ramadan
The month of Ramadan is celebrated by Muslims to commemorate the revelation of the Quran to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. They do so by fasting from dawn to dusk and by abstaining from indulgences.
I brought this topic up with my muslim, musician friend Yusuf the other day and this is what he had to say, “Music is intoxicating man, like alcohol. The idea behind prohibiting it is that music puts the mind in a trance that could possibly lead to negligence of one’s daily work and for the same reason can also be used to influence people in the wrong direction.”
“So do you play when you fast?” I enquired.
“I never fast; I play all the time.” he replied.
To help you decide if you can play during Ramadan, we need to understand why Ramadan is observed in the first place (source: The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement):
- To develop and strengthen our powers of self-control. (Music has been long used by psychologists to treat addictions)
- To attain nearness and closeness to God. (Very few people find God in song; consider yourself lucky!)
- To learn to refrain from usurping other’s rights and belongings. (Usurping other’s rights; sound familiar to you, music-prohibters?)
- To encourage charity and generousness. (Haven’t you heard of charity concerts?)
Look at music as a means of therapy and medication rather than as a source of enjoyment and intoxication. Does it still feel spiritually-illegal to you?
I found this article published in TimeOut Dubai that requested people to use headphones and to refrain from playing music out loud. Sounds fairer than banning music altogether, don’t you think?
If you still feel that listening to or playing music during Ramadan goes against your religious beliefs, these are some alternatives:
- Refrain from indulging in music while fasting.
- Stick to religious songs through out the month, it can be a good change and help you broaden your horizons.
- And perhaps perform these to your loved ones during Iftaar. This will not only bring everyone together in God’s name but also remove the stigma associated with music.
Well those were my thoughts. Like I warned you: I’m either the best or the worst person to talk on this topic. Take it as you like it.
Oh, and send in your virtual biryanis here!
Ramadan Kareem | رمضان كريم
