What is the ruling on men and women listening to what is called the Islamic band, and the Islamic songs they sing?

The Shaykh : We told you that the plane from Syria arrives at eight o'clock.

The questioner : Ah... he says before the question, no problem if the Shaykh would please, is it Madi? He says, the brother.

The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. Our esteemed Shaykh, Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani (may Allah preserve him and grant him piety), I ask you to answer this question in writing. That is what he says, but the question is: What is the legal ruling on a group of women sitting in a hall listening to a group of young men called an Islamic band, who sing what is called Islamic songs or national anthems? It is known that these anthems and songs originally belong to singers, male and female, who have a long history in obscene and licentious art, and the young men use the hand drum with their songs. Also, some of the women present may not adhere to the Shari'ah-prescribed hijab? May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : I say, in answer to this question, that this gathering is undoubtedly among the violations of the Shari'ah, in which several violations are gathered. The first of these is the free mixing of men and women, in a gathering that is not among the good gatherings, or among the best of gatherings; rather, it may be among the worst of gatherings. At the very least, it is not among the best of gatherings. You may know that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the best of gatherings, and he said: , or he was asked about the best of places, and he answered that they are: , and he was asked about the worst of places, and he said they are . My purpose in mentioning this authentic hadith is that this good place, which is the best of places, namely the mosques, the Wise Lawgiver did not permit women to mix with men in their rows, while they are all, women and men, standing for Allah, Lord of the worlds, humble and turning to Him in their worship, which is the ritual prayer. So you know that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say: . If the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prevented the mixing of women and men in the best of places, first, and in the greatest worship after the testimonies of faith, second, namely the ritual prayer, then it is self-evident to everyone who knows that it is impossible for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to permit the mixing of women and men, or the mixing of men and women, in other than the best of places. This is the least that can be said. This is first. Second: the other violation, or rather the other sin, is: beating the hand drum. The hand drum, as is known to the scholars, is among the forbidden instruments, which are gathered under the term musical instruments. It was reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in an authentic hadith that he said: . The point is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) explicitly stated in this hadith the prohibition of musical instruments, and he criticized those who consider them permissible in practice, at least as they consider intoxicants and unlawful sexual intercourse permissible. So beating the hand drum is an apparent sin because it falls under the general category of musical instruments. There are many other hadiths, among them his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): . The voice at a time of joy is the instruments of entertainment, which are the instruments of music as they say today. Then another calamity, or another violation, or another sin, is the fourth in this issue mentioned just now, which is imitating the humming and singing, even if it is in poems they call, or songs they call Islamic songs, in which they imitate the licentious and debauched in their composition and in their pleasing melodies. If one of these sins alone had stood by itself for a group, this gathering would have been a gathering for the sin of Allah. How is it with them when they have gathered for four sins?! That is the clear misguidance. This is my answer to this question.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : .

The questioner : Ah, what did I say?

The Shaykh : Joy.

The questioner : At a time of joy. Ah, no, you said: voice of a flute.

The Shaykh : And a flute at a time of joy and a flute.

The questioner : Yes, at a time of calamity.

The Shaykh : Ah, and a flute at a time of calamity.

The questioner : If I told you...

The Shaykh : Record it.

The questioner : The recorder is with him, not with me, my Shaykh.

The Shaykh : Ah, okay, .

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.

Another questioner : May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.

The Shaykh : And to you.