The Ruling on Anashid and the Distinction Between Them and the Recitation of the Companions

Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This is Salim asking: Is the reason for prohibiting anashid that they resemble the Sufis, or is it something else? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions, such as 'Abdullah ibn Rawahah, used to recite poetry while digging the trench and in some of the military expeditions. Is every action that resembles the Sufis prohibited on this basis?

Answer:
Resembling the Sufis is one of the reasons, but it is not the only reason. The reason is that it is singing; it is from singing and songs. The default ruling on singing is that it is forbidden, except for what evidence has made permissible, such as the chanting of a shepherd with his camels out of need, and the chanting while traveling to encourage the travelers. This is with a single voice, not a group voice; it is one person chanting. 'Abdullah ibn Rawahah and the poets of the Companions did not gather to form a recitation group as people do today. No, one person recites and the others listen. This is reciting poetry, and there is nothing wrong with it, provided there is no harm in it, and it is only poetry of wisdom, poetry of language, and poetry. This is permissible. This is recitation, not anashid.
The anashid that are arranged and harmonized now, with soft, melodious voices, are what is prohibited now. This is prohibited because it distracts people from the remembrance of Allah, makes them neglect the recitation of the Qur'an, and brings them closer to the Sufis and the anashid of the Sufis, if it is considered to be part of the religion.
They were digging the trench, and each one would recite. It was not that they were recitation groups; rather, each one of them would recite individually to encourage the work. Each one recited alone. So there is a difference between the two matters; we do not mix this with that. Yes.