The Debate Over Music in Islam

The ruling on music (ghina, ma'azif) is one of the most debated topics in Islamic jurisprudence. Scholars have held positions ranging from strict prohibition to conditional permissibility, each citing evidence from the Quran, Sunnah, and the practice of the Companions and early scholars. The topic is emotionally charged for many Muslims and has been a source of scholarly disagreement for over a millennium. A fair presentation requires examining the evidence and positions with honesty and academic rigor.

The Position of Prohibition

The majority of classical scholars held that musical instruments are prohibited (haram). Their primary evidence includes: the hadith of Abu Malik al-Ash'ari, in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "There will be among my ummah people who will regard adultery, silk, alcohol, and musical instruments (ma'azif) as permissible" (Sahih al-Bukhari, in a mu'allaq form); the interpretation of "idle talk" (lahw al-hadith) in Quran 31:6 as referring to music and singing, as stated by Ibn Mas'ud and Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them); and the general principle that music distracts from the remembrance of Allah. Scholars who held this position include the four Imams (according to many of their students), Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, al-Qurtubi, and the majority of Hanbali and Maliki scholars.

The Position of Conditional Permissibility

A minority of scholars, including Ibn Hazm al-Dhahiri, Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, and some Shafi'i scholars, held that music is permissible under certain conditions. Ibn Hazm critiqued the chains of narration of the prohibition hadiths and argued that no authentic, explicit, and unambiguous prohibition of music exists. Al-Ghazali distinguished between the form (music itself) and the context (what accompanies it), arguing that singing and even some instruments are permissible when the content is wholesome and the context does not lead to sin. He noted that the Companions sang during work, travel, and celebrations. The duff (frame drum) is permitted by consensus for weddings and Eid celebrations, based on authentic hadiths.

Areas of Agreement

Despite the disagreement, scholars agree on several points. Music accompanied by sinful content (obscene lyrics, promotion of haram behavior) is forbidden regardless. Music that leads to neglect of religious duties is harmful. The duff at weddings and celebrations is permitted by authentic Sunnah. The Quran, when recited beautifully (tartil), is not "music" and is in a category entirely its own. Nasheeds (vocal chanting) without instruments are widely accepted as permissible, though even here some scholars prefer they not closely imitate the style of popular music. The wisest approach for the individual Muslim is to follow the position of their trusted scholars while respecting that this is a legitimate area of scholarly disagreement (ikhtilaf), not a matter of clear-cut consensus.