The Ruling on Listening to Poetry and Songs
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Is there sin for the one who listens to songs and poetry? And what is the decisive evidence for that?
Answer: Poetry in the Arabic language or in any other language, if it is in the service of good and calling to good, praising the people of faith, explaining the rulings of Islam, warning against sins, or similar matters, there is no harm in it, whether in Arabic or in other languages, provided there are no instruments of amusement. There should be no instruments of amusement with it, no music, no drum, no lute, no violin, or any other instrument of amusement; in that case, there is no harm. As for songs, in the form of women’s songs or songs of those who imitate women, these are prohibited according to the majority of scholars and are not permissible. The majority of scholars held that they are prohibited because they lead to evil through the voices used by women or those who imitate women. They lead to fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) and may lead to inclining toward women or toward effeminate men, and they result in the grave sin of zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) or liwat (sodomy). As for when they are accompanied by instruments of amusement, such as music, a lute, a violin, or a rabab, they are not permissible. More than one scholar has reported scholarly consensus (ijma') on this. As for mere songs without instruments of amusement, the majority hold that they are forbidden (haram) because they are a means to evil. However, if they are in the ordinary language or in Arabic or in the ordinary language, and there is no fitnah in them, and their content is truth, calling to good, and denouncing falsehood, then there is no harm in them. This is as the Companions used to recite poetry in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and he would approve of it, even commanding them to satirize the polytheists, as he used to command Hassan to satirize the polytheists with Arabic poetry that supports the truth and satirizes falsehood. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Answer: Poetry in the Arabic language or in any other language, if it is in the service of good and calling to good, praising the people of faith, explaining the rulings of Islam, warning against sins, or similar matters, there is no harm in it, whether in Arabic or in other languages, provided there are no instruments of amusement. There should be no instruments of amusement with it, no music, no drum, no lute, no violin, or any other instrument of amusement; in that case, there is no harm. As for songs, in the form of women’s songs or songs of those who imitate women, these are prohibited according to the majority of scholars and are not permissible. The majority of scholars held that they are prohibited because they lead to evil through the voices used by women or those who imitate women. They lead to fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) and may lead to inclining toward women or toward effeminate men, and they result in the grave sin of zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) or liwat (sodomy). As for when they are accompanied by instruments of amusement, such as music, a lute, a violin, or a rabab, they are not permissible. More than one scholar has reported scholarly consensus (ijma') on this. As for mere songs without instruments of amusement, the majority hold that they are forbidden (haram) because they are a means to evil. However, if they are in the ordinary language or in Arabic or in the ordinary language, and there is no fitnah in them, and their content is truth, calling to good, and denouncing falsehood, then there is no harm in them. This is as the Companions used to recite poetry in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and he would approve of it, even commanding them to satirize the polytheists, as he used to command Hassan to satirize the polytheists with Arabic poetry that supports the truth and satirizes falsehood. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.