Quranic verses, Authentic Hadiths, and Statements from the Companions and early Scholars regarding the prohibition of singing and music.
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**1. Evidence from the Quran:**
**Verse 1:**
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَشْتَرِي لَهْوَ الْحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوًا أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُهِينٌ
**"And of the people is he who buys idle talk (lahw al-hadith) to mislead [others] from the way of Allah without knowledge and who takes it in ridicule. Those will have a humiliating punishment."**
[Luqman 31:6]
**Interpretations of the Companions & Tabi’in:**
- **Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) said:**
**"هو الغناء وأشباهه"**
*"It refers to singing and similar distractions."*
*(Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Tabari)*
- **Mujahid ibn Jabr (تابعي) said:**
**"الغناء وضرب الأوتار"**
*"It is singing and playing string instruments."*
*(Tafsir Ibn Abi Hatim)*
- **Al-Hasan al-Basri (تابعي) said:**
**"نزلت هذه الآية في الغناء والمزامير"**
*"This verse was revealed concerning singing and musical instruments."*
*(Al-Bayhaqi in Shu’ab al-Iman)*
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**Verse 2:**
**{وَاسْتَفْزِزْ مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ مِنْهُمْ بِصَوْتِكَ}**
**"And incite [to senselessness] whoever you can among them with your voice."**
[Al-Isra 17:64]
**Interpretations:**
- **Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) said:**
**"صوته: الغناء واللهو"**
*"His voice refers to singing and amusement."*
*(Tafsir al-Qurtubi)*
- **Qatadah (تابعي) said:**
**"كل صوت يدعو إلى معصية الله"**
*"Any voice that calls to disobedience to Allah."*
*(Tafsir al-Tabari)*
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**2. Authentic Hadiths Prohibiting Music:**
**Hadith 1:**
عن أبي مالك الأشعري رضي الله عنه قال النبي ﷺ: "ليكوننَّ من أمتي أقوامٌ يستحلون الحِرَ والحرير والخمر والمعازف، ولينزلنَّ أقوام إلى جنب علمٍ يروح عليهم بسارحةٍ، يأتيهم - يعني الفقير - لحاجةٍ، فيقولون: ارجع إلينا غداً، فيبيتهم الله، ويضع العلم، ويمسخ آخرين قردةً وخنازير إلى يوم القيامة
*"There will be people from my Ummah who will seek to make lawful fornication, silk, alcohol, and musical instruments (ma’azif). Some people will stay near a mountain where a shepherd will graze his animals, and a poor man will come asking for help, but they will say, ‘Come back tomorrow.’ Then Allah will destroy them during the night, crumble the mountain upon them, and transform others into monkeys and swine until the Day of Judgment."*
**[Sahih al-Bukhari (5590), Abu Dawud (4039) –
Authenticated by Al-Albani]**
**Key Point:**
- **"المعازف (Ma’azif)"** Refers to musical instruments, as explained by scholars like Ibn al-Qayyim.
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**Hadith 2:**
عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما أن النبي ﷺ قال: "إن الله حرم عليَّ - أو: حرم - الخمر والميسر والكُوبَةَ، وكل مسكر حرام
*"Allah has forbidden for me (or: has forbidden) wine, gambling, the ‘kubah’ (drum), and every intoxicant is unlawful."*
**[Abu Dawud (3696) – Hasan by Al-Albani]**
**Key Point:**
- **"الكوبة (kubah)"** Refers to a type of drum, indicating prohibition of musical instruments.
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**Hadith 3:**
عن النبي ﷺ قال: "صوتان ملعونان في الدنيا والآخرة: مزمار عند نعمة، ورنة عند مصيبة
*"Two sounds are cursed in this world and the Hereafter: musical instruments (mizmar) at times of blessing, and wailing at times of calamity."*
**[Musnad Ahmad (3546) – Graded Hasan by Al-Albani]**
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**3. Statements of the Companions & Tabi’in:**
- **Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (رضي الله عنه) said:**
**"الغناء ينبت النفاق في القلب كما ينبت الماء الزرع"**
*"Singing grows hypocrisy in the heart just as water grows crops."*
*(Ibn Abi al-Dunya, Dhamm al-Malahi)*
- **Al-Hasan al-Basri (تابعي) said:**
**"لو كان الغناء حلالاً، ما تركه السلف الصالح"**
*"If singing were permissible, the righteous predecessors would not have abandoned it."*
*(Ibn al-Qayyim, Ighathat al-Lahfan)*
- **Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (رحمه الله) said:**
**"الغناء يُنبت النفاق في القلب، لا يعجبني"**
*"Singing breeds hypocrisy in the heart; I do not approve of it."*
*(Al-Khallal, Al-Amr bil Ma’ruf)*
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**Conclusion:**
The **Quranic verses, authentic Hadiths, and statements of the Salaf** clearly indicate the prohibition of **singing accompanied by musical instruments**, especially when it leads to sin or distracts from worship.
**Key References:**
1. **Tafsir Ibn Kathir** (Luqman 31:6)
2. **Sahih al-Bukhari** (Hadith on Ma’azif)
3. **Ighathat al-Lahfan** (Ibn al-Qayyim)
4. **Al-Musannaf** (Ibn Abi Shaybah)
May Allah guide us to the truth. **والله أعلم (Allah knows best).**
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