AlMujtaba Islamic Articles > Contemporary Issues
 

Al-Museeqa (Music) - Part 1

The late Ahmed H sheriff in his article entitled “Ghinaa War-Raqs” writes:

The Arabic word Ghinaa means music. It is an art of combining sounds into such a style pleasing to the ear and satisfying to emotions. It is prolongation and vibration of sound with variation of the pitch to such an extent that people may say that he or she is singing.

GHINAA IN QUR’AN

“Among the people there is he who purchases Lahwal-hadeeth to lead (others) astray from the path of Allah, without knowledge, and takes it by way of mockery. For such as these there shall be an ignominious punishment.”

                                                                             (31:6 Qur’an)

Aqa Mahdi Puya says:

“Lahw means idle or amusing discourse which disengages attention from meaningful thought, field of inquiry or argument. On this basis the Ahlul-Bayt (as) have applied the term Lahwal-hadeeth to Music.”

“…..Shun, then, the pollution of the idols, and shun Qaulaz-Zoor

                                                                             (22:30 Qur’an)

S V Mir Ahmad Ali in his Tafseer writes:

Zoor, according to the Ahlul-Bayt (as), are the ‘vain words’, including any utterances disapproved by Allah.

According to the scholars among the followers of Ahlud-dhikr (the people of the Holy Qur’an),the Ahlul-Bayt (as), Zoor also refers to music since it is composed of vain sounds and voices.”

MUSIC IS FORBIDDEN

All the Mujtahideen are unanimous in their opinion that the manufacture, usage, sale and purchase of musical instruments is Haraam (unlawful) and the income derived from musical activity is also Haraam. The transactions involving these instruments are invalid. It is Haraam even to keep instruments of music in one’s possession and it is Wajib to destroy them.

The Holy Prophet (saw) had said:

“My Ummah i.e. followers will be visited (punished) by disasters when they adopt certain habits. Of these are the people who keep singing and dancing girls and those who keep musical instruments.”

The Holy Prophet (saw) also said:

“The Almighty Allah has sent me as a mercy to the worlds, to guide the people. And He ordered me to eradicate the playing of flute and other instruments of music, all games of vice, idol (worship) and all practices of the days of ignorance.”

Imam Ja’ffar as-Sadiq (as) has been reported saying:

“The Almighty Allah has prohibited the manufacture of all such things that are exclusively used in Haraam ways; and things that only create evil like pipe, flute, chess and all types of instruments of gambling, images and statues. The manufacture of all such articles are Haraam.”

Muadda ibn Ziyaad says that:

I was in the company of Imam Ja’ffar as-Sadiq (as) when a person said,

“When I go to the toilet, I can hear the singing girls of my neighbour. Sometimes I remain (in toilet) longer so that I may listen to more of it.”

Imam (as) said: “Desist from listening to music and songs attentively.”

Then this man further said, “Master, I do not go to music gatherings! I only hear the sounds!”

Imam (as) said: “Have you not read this Qur’anic verse: Surely, the hearing and the sight and the heart, all of these shall be questioned about that?”

The man replied, “I was not aware of this ayat. I regret my actions. I shall not do so in the future.”

Seeing his condition, Imam (as) said,

“Get up! Go and perform ghusl and offer salaat and pray for forgiveness. You have certainly been involved in a deadly sin and a terrible situation. You have repented for it and I thank Allah for that; and I seek forgiveness of Allah for all those things which He dislikes. Certainly, Allah only dislikes the evil things. Leave the evil things to the evil people because there are different people suitable for different things.”

                                                                       To be continued…………………..

Readers are humbly requested to recite Surah al-Fatihah for Marhum Ayatullah dasti Ghayb, Marhum Ahmed H Sheriff and all the Marhumeen.

Mulla Mujaheedali Sheriff

mulla@almahdi.org.uk


Source: http://almahdi.org.uk