What is the advice for one who listens to songs?
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Question:
A set of questions, O honorable Shaykh, revolves around songs. Some of the brothers say that they know it is forbidden, and that they have resolved to leave it, but some remnants of it are still attached to their hearts. They ask: Is there any advice?
Answer:
As for songs: people have been afflicted with them today, and they have become widespread among people: on the radio, on television, on tapes, and in other types of recordings. There is no doubt that they are a great danger and a great affliction, and that they are among the causes of committing lewd acts, the darkness and confusion of hearts, their turning toward lewd acts, and their heaviness regarding obedience. Therefore, it is obligatory to be cautious of them and not to listen to them, for they are the incantation of fornication and the Quran of Satan. So one must be cautious of their evil.
Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) said: [Luqman: 6-7]. Most of the scholars of exegesis and others said that "idle talk" is singing, and that it diverts from the path of Allah. For this reason, He said: [Al-Hajj 22:9]. It was read: , and it was read: .
Thus, the noble verse indicated that singing is among the causes of straying from the path of Allah and causing others to stray, among the causes of taking the path of Allah in mockery, and among the causes of being arrogant about listening to the Quran. These are many calamities and great calamities: straying and causing others to stray, taking the verses of Allah in mockery, and being heavy and arrogant about listening to the Quran. These are three calamities He mentioned, three great calamities, three punishments. So one must be cautious of this great affliction.
It is authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sahih al-Bukhari 5590 Al-Bukhari narrated it in "Sahih," and a group of others narrated it.
And he (peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that there will be people in the last of times—and this has occurred for a long time, and it is among the signs of prophethood—who will consider silk and wine lawful, and who will consider fornication lawful. And that has occurred among those who do not care, so they considered fornication and lewd acts lawful and did not care.
And silk: wearing silk—meaning: for men—and it is forbidden for men.
And wine: people have also become lax in drinking it, and some of them have considered it lawful, as Allah wills. So the matter is great.
Then he said:. Musical instruments include singing and instruments of amusement. It is said: "he played music" when he sings, and when he strikes an instrument of pleasure. So playing music is singing. If it is accompanied by striking the hand drum, the evil becomes greater.
Ibn al-Salah (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned that if singing is accompanied by any of the instruments of amusement, it is forbidden by consensus. As for without instruments of amusement, but mere singing, it is forbidden according to the majority of scholars, and according to most scholars. Some of them reported a consensus of scholars on it, and did not care about the few who disagreed. The evidence is with those who forbade it; because of what it contains of evil, harm, and much evil. Especially if it is accompanied by music, the violin, the lute, or other instruments of amusement; the prohibition becomes stronger, and that becomes a place of consensus and agreement among scholars.
So one must be cautious of this calamity with which people have been afflicted. It is obligatory for the believer to warn his family of that, and to strive to advise them; perhaps they will be safe, perhaps they will be saved. And Allah is the One to be sought for help.
A set of questions, O honorable Shaykh, revolves around songs. Some of the brothers say that they know it is forbidden, and that they have resolved to leave it, but some remnants of it are still attached to their hearts. They ask: Is there any advice?
Answer:
As for songs: people have been afflicted with them today, and they have become widespread among people: on the radio, on television, on tapes, and in other types of recordings. There is no doubt that they are a great danger and a great affliction, and that they are among the causes of committing lewd acts, the darkness and confusion of hearts, their turning toward lewd acts, and their heaviness regarding obedience. Therefore, it is obligatory to be cautious of them and not to listen to them, for they are the incantation of fornication and the Quran of Satan. So one must be cautious of their evil.
Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) said:
(6) And of the people is he who buys the amusement of speech to mislead [others] from the way of Allah without knowledge and who takes it in ridicule. Those will have a humiliating punishment. (7) And when our verses are recited to him, he turns away arrogantly as if he had not heard them, as if there was in his ears deafness. So give him tidings of a painful punishment.
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَشْتَرِي لَهْوَ الْحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوًا أُولَئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُهِينٌ وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا وَلَّى مُسْتَكْبِرًا كَأَنْ لَمْ يَسْمَعْهَا كَأَنَّ فِي أُذُنَيْهِ وَقْرًا فَبَشِّرْهُ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍto mislead [people] from the way of Allah
لِيُضِلَّ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِto lead astray
لِيُضِلَّso that he may cause to stray
لِيَضَلَّThus, the noble verse indicated that singing is among the causes of straying from the path of Allah and causing others to stray, among the causes of taking the path of Allah in mockery, and among the causes of being arrogant about listening to the Quran. These are many calamities and great calamities: straying and causing others to stray, taking the verses of Allah in mockery, and being heavy and arrogant about listening to the Quran. These are three calamities He mentioned, three great calamities, three punishments. So one must be cautious of this great affliction.
It is authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
From among my followers there will be some people who will consider illegal sexual intercourse, the wearing of silk, the drinking of alcoholic drinks and the use of musical instruments, as lawful.
ليكوننَّ من أمتي أقوامٌ يستحلُّون الحِرَ والحريرَ والخمرَ والمعازفَAnd he (peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that there will be people in the last of times—and this has occurred for a long time, and it is among the signs of prophethood—who will consider silk and wine lawful, and who will consider fornication lawful. And that has occurred among those who do not care, so they considered fornication and lewd acts lawful and did not care.
And silk: wearing silk—meaning: for men—and it is forbidden for men.
And wine: people have also become lax in drinking it, and some of them have considered it lawful, as Allah wills. So the matter is great.
Then he said:
And musical instruments.
والمعازفIbn al-Salah (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned that if singing is accompanied by any of the instruments of amusement, it is forbidden by consensus. As for without instruments of amusement, but mere singing, it is forbidden according to the majority of scholars, and according to most scholars. Some of them reported a consensus of scholars on it, and did not care about the few who disagreed. The evidence is with those who forbade it; because of what it contains of evil, harm, and much evil. Especially if it is accompanied by music, the violin, the lute, or other instruments of amusement; the prohibition becomes stronger, and that becomes a place of consensus and agreement among scholars.
So one must be cautious of this calamity with which people have been afflicted. It is obligatory for the believer to warn his family of that, and to strive to advise them; perhaps they will be safe, perhaps they will be saved. And Allah is the One to be sought for help.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.