Music, Singing, Uncovering, Image-Making, and Magazines That Encroach Upon Islam

Question:
The brother questioner N.A. from Homs, Syria, is truly a zealous man, may Allah reward him with good. He mentions here several issues concerning the disagreement in rulings on important matters. He states that in a case like the issue of music and singing, an Arab magazine published in an Arab country issued a ruling that one who forbids singing or music is a fanatical ignoramus. He also cites examples from different issues of this magazine that permit modest uncovering, as this magazine stated, without immodesty or lewdness, and that Islam does not call for the fanatical hijab that we see in many Arab and Islamic countries. He also raises the issue of image-making, stating that this magazine doubts the hadith found in Sahih al-Bukhari and claims that it was inserted into the books of hadith. He asks, what business do image-makers have that their punishment on the Day of Resurrection would be more severe than that of murderers, or fornicators, or thieves? And if image-making is forbidden, why did the Qur'an not explicitly prohibit it? Among other things, the brother questioner asks why such magazines are allowed to encroach upon Islam, and he asks for the explicit legal ruling on these three issues.

Answer:
This magazine and its like should be banned, and one should look into it; because those who speak in it with such words have no knowledge, no insight, and no Islamic etiquette. They do not even have Islamic etiquette. These issues have been clarified by the scholars of knowledge, and they have established evidence for them, so there is no basis for objection from a compound ignoramus who did not know and did not know that he did not know, or a compound ignoramus, or one who intentionally seeks falsehood and open sinfulness. Music and songs are a known matter. Music is from the instruments of amusement, such as the 'ud and the tanbur, and singing is from the most vile of amusements, so both are forbidden. Arabic poetry does not fall under this. Arabic poems to the melodies of the Arabs in what Allah has permitted, such as the poetry of Hassan and Ka'b ibn Malik and others after them among the poets in the Arab style in what Allah has made lawful, there is nothing wrong with it. As for songs by women or in the voices of women with melodies and vocal embellishment, mentioning the states of women regarding beauty, love, and passion, this is forbidden according to the scholars of knowledge. In fact, some of them reported it as a consensus, except for the disagreement of one whose disagreement is not considered. So music and the instruments of amusement, from the 'ud, the tanbur, and the rabab, are all forbidden and all evil. And so are songs by women and others regarding love and passion, mentioning the attributes of women and what relates to these matters, or praising intoxicants, or praising the sea of Ramadan; all of it is forbidden. And so the issue of uncovering is wrong, and the evidence has been established for its prohibition. Among that is the saying of our Lord, Glorified and Exalted is He: So our Lord, Mighty and Majestic, commands the hijab and informs us that it is purer for the hearts of all. And He says, Glorified is He, in His great Book: to the end of the verse. So how can it be said about this that it is fanatical? This is only the speech of a person who does not reason or does not feel shame. So the result is that this is wrong, and uncovering is wrong. If he said that there are some pieces of evidence indicating the permissibility of uncovering and leaving the statement of caution, this would be from the path of the scholars of knowledge. There are those who say uncovering is permissible if it does not cause harm. As for uncovering that involves adornment and beauty, and applying makeup to the face and the like, no one permits it, and it is wrong according to the scholars of knowledge. Some people only permitted uncovering that is not accompanied by adornment on the face, no kohl, and no items of adornment on the face, and this is also a weak and weaker position. The correct view is that it is forbidden, and that the hijab is obligatory absolutely, even if she did not do anything on her face of the types of adornment, such as makeup, kohl, and the like. For the face is the adornment of the woman, and it is her title. And they used to uncover her face before the hijab. So when the hijab was revealed, Allah commanded the women to observe the hijab, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded the hijab. And it is established in the two Sahihs from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: When I heard the voice of Safwan ibn al-Mu'attal, and I found that there was no one with him, I said: "Indeed to Allah we belong and to Him we return." She said: "I covered my face." And he had seen me before the hijab, so he recognized me when...