Listening to Songs and the Sin of the Ear: Between Minor and Major Sins
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The questioner:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, some young people are circulating a statement attributed to you. This was when you were asked in a past lesson about the hadithSunan Abi Dawud 2152Sahih (Al-Albani), and you mentioned that the intended meaning of the sin of the eye is looking at forbidden sights, and that the sin of the ear is listening to songs, for example, and that this is among the minor sins, not the major ones. Is what was mentioned correct? And is listening to songs that contain musical instruments considered among the minor sins?
The Shaykh:
Yes, it is forbidden, and not every forbidden thing is a major sin. Forbidden things include major sins and minor sins. So it is undoubtedly a minor sin, unless it is repeated and becomes a habit for the person, in which case it transitions to a major sin. If he is lax about it or considers it permissible, then it becomes a major sin. Even touching a woman with desire is a minor sin. The evidence is the man who came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said to him, "I have committed every act with a woman except intercourse." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him, "Allah the Exalted has revealed: 'And establish[Hud 11:114]' The man asked, "Is this for me specifically, or for the people in general?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "This is for the people in general." Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says: [An-Nisa 4:31].
The questioner:
Honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh:
Every forbidden thing is a major sin. You have learned the criteria for major sins more than once; they have criteria. Yes.
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, some young people are circulating a statement attributed to you. This was when you were asked in a past lesson about the hadith
Allaah has decreed for the children of Adam a share in adultery
كتب على ابن آدم حظه من الزناThe Shaykh:
Yes, it is forbidden, and not every forbidden thing is a major sin. Forbidden things include major sins and minor sins. So it is undoubtedly a minor sin, unless it is repeated and becomes a habit for the person, in which case it transitions to a major sin. If he is lax about it or considers it permissible, then it becomes a major sin. Even touching a woman with desire is a minor sin. The evidence is the man who came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said to him, "I have committed every act with a woman except intercourse." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him, "Allah the Exalted has revealed: 'And establish
prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds
الصَّلَاةَ طَرَفَيِ النَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًا مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِIf you avoid the major sins which you are forbidden, We will remove from you your lesser sins
إِن تَجْتَنِبُوا كَبَائِرَ مَا تُنْهَوْنَ عَنْهُ نُكَفِّرْ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْThe questioner:
Honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh:
Every forbidden thing is a major sin. You have learned the criteria for major sins more than once; they have criteria. Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، 141/16 شرح زاد المستقنع/ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com (43:34)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.