Please provide proof as to why music is haram.
Answer
Proofs from Quran
1) Allah Ta’ala mentions:
“There are some who purchase futile discourse to deviate from Allah’s path without knowledge and they mock it [the path of Allah, Islam]. There shall be a humiliating punishment for these people”
(Surah Luqman, verse: 6)
Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud, Sayyiduna Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas, Sayyiduna Jabir (radiyallahu ‘anhum), ‘Ikrimah, Sa’id ibn Jubayr, Mujahid, Makhul and Hasan Al Basri (rahimahumullah) were all of the view that ‘futile discourse’ refers to music/ musical instruments. Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (radiyallahu ‘anhu) took an oath that this verse is referring to music.
(Refer: Tafsir Ibn Abi Hatim, Tafsirul Baghawi -Ma’alimut Tanzil- and Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Surah Luqman, Verse: 6. Also see Al Adabul Mufrad of Imam Bukhari, Hadith: 1265 and As Sunanul Kubra of Imam Bayhaqi, vol. 10 pg. 221)
2) Allah Ta’ala said, while addressing Shaytan:
“Fool/Mislead as many as you can with your voice”
(Surah Al Isra, verse: 64)
Mujahid (rahimahullah), who was known as a leader in Tafsir and was a student of Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) explains ‘with your voice’ to mean music, musical instruments and all futility.
(Tafsir Ibn Abi Hatim, Surah Al Isra, verse: 64)
3) Allah Ta’ala when describing his true bondsmen says:
“And those who do not engage in acts of deceit and when they pass by futile acts, they pass be gracefully [without participating]”
(Surah Furqan, verse: 72)
Muhammad ibn Al Hanafiyyah (rahimahullah) states that ‘acts of deceit’ refers to futile acts and music
(Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Surah Furqan, verse: 72)
Proofs from Hadith
1) Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Soon there will be people from my Ummah who will regard adultery, wearing silk garments, wine and musical instruments as lawful…’
(Sahih Bukhari -Ta’liqan- بصيغة الجزم, Hadith: 5590, Sahih Ibn Hibban; Al Ihsan, Hadith: 6754 and As Sunanul Kubra of Imam Bayhaqi, vol. 10 pg. 221)
2) Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Two types of sounds are cursed in this world and in the Hereafter, Musical instruments when expressing happiness over a bounty and wailing when a calamity befalls”
(Musnadul Bazzar, Hadith: 7513, with a reliable chain. Refer: Targhib, vol. 4 pg. 350 and Majma’uz Zawaid, vol. 3 pg. 13
3) Among the trials and tribulations that Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) prophecised in a lengthy Hadith is the following:
“Singing girls and musical instruments become widespread… Then anticipate dangerous hurricanes, earthquakes, collapsing of the earth, disfigurement of bodies and faces, raining of stones, and such signs that follow in succession like beads of a necklace when the string is cut and so they (the beads) fall in succession”
(Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: 2210 and 2211- with a weak chain but supported through various other narrations)
4) Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
“My Rabb has commanded me to destroy all musical instruments…”
(Musnad Ahmad, vol. 5 pg. 257 with a weak chain. See: Majma’uz Zawaid, vol. 5 pg. 69)
5) Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) reports that Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Indeed Allah Ta’ala has made wine, gambling and drums unlawful..”
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 3696, Sahih Ibn Hibban; Al Ihsan, Hadith: 5365, Musnad Ahmad, vol. 1 pg. 289 and As Sunanul Kubra of Imam Bayhaqi, vol. 10 pg. 221)
6) Once Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) heard a musical instrument being played. He placed his fingers in his ears and veered off to one side of the road. He then asked Nafi’: ‘Can you hear anything’? Nafi’ replied: ‘No’. He then took his fingers out of his ears and said: I was with Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), and he also did the same when he heard a musical instrument being played.
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 4924. Declared authentic (sahih) by Hafiz Ibn Hibban; Al Ihsan, Hadith: 693)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar