By, Spahic Omer
Music is a divisive subject, perhaps more so than any other. This is because the limited practical value of music is often overshadowed, almost canceled out, by the significant amount of negativity frequently linked to it, whether directly or indirectly.
As a result, all fatwas or legal opinions that prohibit music – normally and inseparably bracketed with singing – are due to the omnipresence of those negativities. There is almost no opinion that targets music per se, as a concept and perceptible, yet compelling, existential reality, separate from the negative associations imposed on the world of music.
While scholars are correct in their approach, emphasizing the destructive impact of the relationship between music and vices, and acting wisely in prioritizing prevention over cure, it is equally important not to swing to the extreme and overlook the need to present an accurate picture. Indeed, two wrongs do not make a right. The more people criticize music and try to enforce blanket bans, the more confusion arises. This confusion can result in more people, particularly the youth, ultimately listening to even more music.
It can yet be said that prohibiting music altogether is unnatural, which is destined to lead to unnatural consequences. It is better to focus on having a balanced amount of music that is both reasonable and acceptable. This way, people can be surrounded by a healthy environment that promotes genuine growth and enrichment. Instead of shutting down this important avenue, it is more beneficial to guide people in satisfying their natural urge for music through legitimate and reliable means.
The current situation is so alarming that scholars perhaps should consider resorting to the strategy of choosing the lesser evil and making slight concessions as part of a meticulous approach to help multitudes of confused and disoriented Muslims.
Honestly, we do not need total and unreasonable condemnations, but rather rational and workable solutions. We need guidance through the increasingly dense jungle of obstacles, rather than mere rhetoric that leads to ineffective actions bound to fail. Idealism is to be replaced by realism. Our young men and women are in need of step-by-step formulas to stay away from the gaping jaws of the sophisticated modern iniquities often served within the deceptive shrouds of liberal enjoyment, entertainment, art and music.
In the shameless ages of modernity and postmodernity, music has been cast into the abyss of all depravity and sin. It has become Satan’s tool. The obvious challenge is how to awaken the sixth sense in our youth, enabling them to penetrate through the layers of deceptions and lies and see life – and music as its life-force – in its truest colors.
Is music an intrinsic thing?
The truth is that music – a pleasing succession of sounds or arrangements of sounds in meaningful, rhythmic, melodic and harmonized orders – is an intrinsic thing. Like so, it is innocently desirable. It is furthermore undeniably gratifying and soothing to the mind and soul, for there is nothing that is dearer to the human soul, as man’s sixth sense, than order, balance, harmony and proportion. This applies to the capacities and scopes of all human senses, which are not to be negated, but rather cultivated and regulated.
Music is regarded as art, for it is about another level as well as dimension of expressing and enjoying beauty. Muslim scholars spoke at length about the importance of appropriately appreciating beauty – and Islam is the religion of beauty – by aptly refining and channeling man’s cravings for it.
For instance, Ibn Sina in his work “Treatise on Love” explored how the feelings of love and admiration for beauty are inherent in every individual and how these emotions peak and find their highest expression in connection with the Almighty God as the Absolute Good (Beauty).
Speaking about the beauty of forms – which by analogy can be extended to the beauty of sounds – Ibn Sina said: “It is part of the nature of beings endowed with reason to covet a beautiful sight (sound), and that this is sometimes – certain conditions granted – to be considered as refinement and nobility.” Moreover, loving a beautifully pleasing form (sound) with an intellectual consideration, rather than animal desires, is an approximation of graciousness and an increase in goodness.
This wisdom of Ibn Sina is further elucidated by the ideas of Ibn al-Haytham, who extensively discussed the perception and appreciation of beauty in his encyclopedic work called “The Optics of Ibn al-Haytham.”
According to Ibn al-Haytham, beauty resides in the soul, and a form (by extension, a sound) is considered beautiful when it evokes an effect in the soul that makes it perceive and recognize it as beautiful. However, understanding the nature of the soul suggests that the more refined, intelligible, moral and spiritual a form (a sound) and its associated object are, the more beautiful and appealing they become. Therefore, the mere physical aspects mark the starting point of beauty’s trajectory of self-affirmation, with its ultimate destination and climax being the realm of the soul as that subtle heavenly component in man.
Moreover, to Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, the role of the soul, as merely hinted at by Ibn Sina and clearly emphasized by Ibn al-Haytham, is compared to a sixth sense. He uses this analogy to clarify how the material and immaterial, the physical and metaphysical, interact within the provinces of love and beauty, aiming to facilitate human happiness.
Abu Hamid al-Ghazali said in “The Alchemy of Happiness”: “Love may be defined as an inclination to that which is pleasant. This is apparent in the case of the five senses, each of which may be said to love that which gives it delight; thus the eye loves beautiful forms, the ear music, etc. This is a kind of love we share with the animals. But there is a sixth sense, or faculty of perception, implanted in the heart, which animals do not possess, through which we become aware of spiritual beauty and excellence. Thus, a man who is only acquainted with sensuous delights cannot understand what the Prophet meant when he said he loved prayer more than perfumes or women, though the last two were also pleasant to him. But he whose inner eye is opened to behold the beauty and perfection of God will despise all outward sights in comparison, however fair they may be.”
Dedicating an entire chapter to the permissibility of the authentic music and even dancing in his “The Alchemy of Happiness”, Abu Hamid al-Ghazali further elaborated: “The heart of man has been so constituted by the Almighty that, like a flint, it contains a hidden fire which is evoked by music and harmony, and renders man beside himself with ecstasy. These harmonies are echoes of that higher world of beauty which we call the world of spirits; they remind man of his relationship to that world, and produce in him an emotion so deep and strange that he himself is powerless to explain it. The effect of music and dancing is deeper in proportion as the natures on which they act are simple and prone to emotion; they fan into a flame whatever love is already dormant in the heart, whether it be earthly and sensual, or divine and spiritual.”
Did Islam really prohibit music?
All things considered, Islam did not prohibit music itself and in its totality. On the contrary, its inherent blamelessness and purity, irrespective of how limited their character and scope may be, have been acknowledged. That it has a role to play in the social and psychological sides of people has also been underlined. Towards this end are the Prophet’s unanimously authentic permissions that certain music with certain musical instruments be played during the Eid celebrations, weddings, wedding feasts, birth ceremonies, ‘aqiqah celebrations (celebrating the birth of a child by the slaughter of sheep and having subsequently a feast), and welcoming back travelers.
On the other hand, all the music-related prohibitions are not about music in isolation, but about the negative associations linked to music, like alcohol and other substances, harmful language, gambling, indecency, sexual misconduct, improper interactions between genders, deviation from the paths of honesty and virtue, religious negligence, and spiritual numbness. When tainted, even in the smallest way, these forms of music are unquestionably forbidden (haram).
By the same token, specific music genres and even music instruments, which have developed because of the proliferation of the music-sin associations through history, scholars normally frown upon, which is understandable, albeit not always with the same degree of accuracy and effectiveness. For example, it is extremely hard, though not entirely impossible, to imagine pop, rock, rap, disco, jazz, and blues music without inappropriate-for-Muslims elements, such as lyrics, artist behavior, overall presentation, and the broader environments in which music is presented.
The innocence and purity of music, just like the innocence and purity of beauty, intellect, love, art, architecture, knowledge, sustenance and human impulses, have been distorted beyond recognition. Instead of nurturing and elevating man to the higher order of meaning, consequentiality and experience, they keep debasing him and dragging him to the bottommost level of being, not seldom below that of animals.
The Qur’anic verse that is most often cited as the proof of music prohibition is as follows: “And of the people is he who buys the amusement of speech (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, 6).
However, the words “amusement of speech” (lahw al-hadith), which denotes “music” to many people, is not to be narrowed down to music only. Obviously, the message is wider and more comprehensive, with music being only one of the potential depravities. What is intended is any idle or frivolous discourse, talk, language and tale that is purchased and utilized in order to muddle truth and lead people away from it. Again, the problem is not music, but using its enormous potentials and people’s susceptibility to it for wrong ends.
To al-Maududi, the words “lahw al-hadith” in the above verse imply “such a thing as may allure and absorb a listener completely and make him heedless of everything else around him. Lexically, there is nothing derogatory in these words, but in custom and usage they apply to evil and useless and vain things, such as gossip, nonsensical talk, joking and jesting, legends and tales, singing and merry-making, etc.” Clearly, music and singing are just two of many possible scenarios, as maintained by the classical commentators of the Qur’an as well.
Likewise, to Muhammad Asad, the same idiom signifies “an allusion to a pseudo-philosophical play with words and metaphysical speculations without any real meaning behind them.” All this indicates that the verse in question does not target music in and of itself. The prohibition is conditional and its seriousness is based on the extent to which music is distorted and misused.
As Abu Hamid al-Ghazali beautifully rationalized, music is just a part of a larger picture. It does not instill new feelings in a person but rather stirs up existing emotions. Therefore, if someone already holds love for God as prescribed in Islam, it is not only permissible but commendable for him to engage in activities that nurture and strengthen that love. Conversely, if someone is consumed by worldly desires, music will only fuel those desires, making it unlawful for him. However, if one listens to music purely for amusement, it then falls into a neutral category – neither right nor wrong, but neutral. Enjoying music for its pleasantness is no more “sinful” than finding joy in the songs of birds or looking at green grass and running water – that is to say, in enjoying the beauty of nature.
Where is the real problem?
The problem lies in the fact that the innate desire for music in humans, as their soul seeks genuine beauty, harmony, coherence, logic, balance and proportion, is neither adequately nurtured nor completely fulfilled. This desire is so powerful and valuable that all negative influences, from Satan to his followers among humans, aim to exploit it to gain control over humanity. Consequently, music has become the most exploited form of expression.
The Qur’anic mention of Satan’s “voice” (al-Isra’, 64), as one of his tactics to mislead and harm the human race, is often understood as referring to detrimental music and singing. It seems that the terrestrial armies of Satan have taken a page from their master’s book. That is why today, with various immoral and evil behaviors prevailing in the world, correspondingly immoral and evil genres of music have taken over the souls and minds of people.
So much so that it is common to hear that music is tantamount to a religion, and that it is only music that can give a sense to the world and life. Music is a vital source of meaning and existential nourishment for many people. Friedrich Nietzsche – the father of nihilism and of the idiom that “God is dead” – for one, said: “Without music, life would be a mistake.” By the same token, Ludwig van Beethoven said: “Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.”
In the Muslim world, the situation is dire. Many governments and supportive agencies try to divert their populations from their Islamic culture, history and identity. Music is often used as a tool to achieve this goal. As a result, there is an abundance of low-quality, deviant and immoral music, along with other forms of decadent art and entertainment. The aim is to keep people distracted with trivial matters to prevent them from thinking critically or asking challenging questions.
This is how corrupt governments control their populations. The approach is similar to the Roman practice of “bread and circuses” and to those modern ideologies which rejected religion but introduced their own constructs as substitutes acting as new forms of “the opium of the masses.” The idea was to offer abundant food and entertainment to distract the masses from real issues affecting their well-being and the state as a whole. The idea of artificially keeping people happy and satisfied allows the corrupt governments to conceal their failure to address the genuine problems, all while avoiding dissent and potential uprisings.
This has led to the presence of many TV channels, radio stations, websites, both reputable and low-quality academic publications, social initiatives, events and festivals, all centered around music. Music is ubiquitous, like air, land and water – it permeates everything. Musicians and singers are seen as superstars, celebrities who are not only wealthy and influential but also serve as role models for the younger generations. We even have the audacity to classify them as artists, despite the fact that the only thing the majority of them can do is to jump on stage and engage in semi-nude performances and sing lyrics that go against everything Islam represents. Such persons are nothing but societal parasites, backed by those who are of the same ilk.
Such is the extent to which art, once considered noble, has now been downgraded. The influence is so strong that nearly every child aspires to be a singer, performer, or simply an “artist.” Motivated by their idols, both national and international, children aspire to one day be idols themselves. It’s no surprise that music and various art forms are integral parts of our educational systems. It’s rare to find a child dreaming of being a diligent member of society, contributing positively and virtuously to others. If such a child exists, he or she is often viewed as weird and eccentric, an outlandish nerd.
At the same time, though, despite being Muslim countries, there is a lack of significant socio-cultural, educational and political currents that actively encourage the study, understanding and application of the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). This absence hinders the promotion of emulating the Prophet as a role model, exploring authentic Islamic history, culture and civilization, and embracing Islamic values and worldview as our fundamental reference point.
All the above obligations are expected to be transformed into lifelong endeavors as they form the core of a Muslim’s life. A Muslim is designed for these duties, and they define his purpose. They shape his identity as a Muslim, and without them, a Muslim would be directionless, identity-less and faceless.
Reflecting on the status quo, it is evident that in many parts of the Muslim world, there is a troubling resemblance to the deceptive tactics of Satan, with which he firstly deceived himself and then set on a mission to deceive others. This resemblance, as described in the quoted verse from the Luqman surah, involves engaging in frivolous speech (lahw al-hadith), such as music and singing, to mislead people away from the path of Allah towards self-destructive behaviors. This is done with a combination of ignorance and arrogance (Luqman, 6).
In short, in many Muslim countries, music, art, leisure, sport, entertainment and education are often used to misguide rather than guide, to impoverish rather than enrich, and to impede rather than enlighten. This shift has transformed potential assets into liabilities when considering spiritual and moral human development, nation-building and civilization-making. It is little wonder that the general Muslim civilizational trajectory over the past two centuries, after authentic Islamic paradigms were replaced by flawed counterparts from the West and East, has been characterized by taking one step forward and two steps back.
How to address the problem?
The key is to be pragmatic and acknowledge that, fundamentally, music is a harmless and essential element. Being excessively rigid and naive doesn’t benefit us. The ongoing issues in the Muslim world and beyond stem from music being excessively venerated or unfairly condemned, and from people being exposed to an excess of unnatural and unhealthy music. Without a doubt, the subject of music needs to be attended to as it is, neither adding to nor subtracting from it. It also needs to be carefully navigated through not only life challenges but also opportunities.
It is better to confront the music phenomenon directly, analyze and Islamize it, integrate it with Islamic principles, and embrace it, rather than completely rejecting and ignoring it. Nobody would argue against the benefit of the prospect of controlling music, in place of being controlled by it. The former is certainly more auspicious and entails fewer risks. Whether we like it or not, the double-edged nature of music is here to stay.
Such is the case because the rhythms, sounds, energy, equilibrium, synchronizations, vibes, moods, emotions, meanings and morals, all of which are central to the substance of music and singing, are also properties of virtually all life aspects and their pursuits. Accordingly, by way of illustration, it is rightly said that architecture is like frozen music, painting is music translated onto a canvas, poetry and eloquent speech are the threshold of music, synchronized movement is music in action, and any well-thought-out arrangement or design, whether conceptual or practical, shares similarities with music. In actual fact, a beautiful life resembles a beautiful melody. The precise order and balance of the universe resonate like a melody to the senses, captivating one’s entire being. The soul naturally sways to this cosmic symphony.
It is crucial for Muslims to receive proper education on the meaning, purpose and role of music. This education should emphasize how music can coexist harmoniously with the cultural and spiritual teachings of Islam, as well as with the fundamental principles and natural laws of life. Individuals have the right to be taught how to use rather than misuse music. They in addition should be invested with such intellectual and spiritual capacities as will enable them to deal with the universe of music appropriately, to know where and when to stop while immersing themselves in the minefield of music, and to subject the interests of music to those of the more consequential life engagements.
Furthermore, Muslims are to be taught that, its several benefits notwithstanding, music is still regarded as a great trial for humankind. Everything that is served in the name of music is not necessarily wholesome. Needless to say that the disadvantages of music greatly outweigh its advantages. Hence, it is very difficult to have what it takes to stay completely clean and uncontaminated. Multitudes of souls have drowned in the bottomless ocean of music’s temptations. Not many have stayed afloat. Music has become a catacomb of spiritual purity and innocence.
The biggest mistake is thinking that music can bring about ultimate self-fulfillment. Some fools yet believe that music is the key to absolute happiness, to a state of ecstasy. However, both history and daily life show that this is not true at all. Sooner or later, those deceived in this way come to realize this, leading their entire life journey to become an underwhelming experience and a bitter disappointment.
The threefold strategy to tackle the music urge
While neither closing the eyes to nor downplaying the threat of music, a middle and uniquely Islamic way is to be sought. This is to nurture the innate musical drive present in every human being. That approach should be threefold.
First, the intrinsic aspect of music – highlighted through a number of the Prophet’s references to the positive, no matter how limited, sides of music and singing – is to be explored and exploited to the fullest. The conditions that apply here are suggested by Yusuf al-Qaradawi: the subject matter of music and singing should not be against the teachings of Islam; the manners of playing music and singing and the overall conditions in which they are executed, cannot be in breach of the Islamic principles; excess and extravagance are to be avoided; music cannot be in conjunction with any other prohibited activities; and finally, if a certain type of music and accompanying singing “arouses one’s passions, leads him towards sin, excites the animal instincts, and dulls spirituality, he must avoid it, thus closing the door to temptation.”
Second, once the scope and parameters of the first dimension are clearly defined and observed, a person should search for a sense of fulfilment in the “music” of life that surrounds him every moment and in every circumstance. An example is the music produced by various elements in nature, both individually and collectively, because the infinite wonders of the world and its life forms incessantly create the most mesmerizing, and correspondingly infinite, symphonies.
For these, however, a person ought to develop the appropriate senses and faculties of appreciation, something that is the main objective of the Islamic monotheistic perceptions of man, nature and existence as creations, on the one hand, and the Almighty Allah as the sole Creator, on the other. With these additional senses and faculties onboard, a person will also be able to “listen to and enjoy” the beats of the universe’s order, regularity, serenity and harmony.
The Qur’an instructs in this vein: “You do not see in the creation of the Most Merciful any inconsistency. So return (your) vision (to the sky); do you see any breaks? Then return (your) vision twice again. (Your) vision will return to you humbled while it is fatigued” (al-Mulk, 3-4).
Also: “Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding” (Alu ‘Imran, 190).
Third, crowning the first and second dimensions is the purely spiritual factor. This factor involves the unavoidable aspects of “music” entailed in the recitation of and listening to the Holy Qur’an, dhikr and other religious chants like invoking salam and salawat upon the Prophet, takbir, talbiyah, adhan, spiritual poetry and eloquence, traditional and modern spiritual tunes and their complementary hymns, etc.
The Prophet recommended making the recitation of the Qur’an more beautiful with melodious voices (Sunan al-Nasa’i). Indeed, when the Qur’an is recited in a beautiful and melodious manner, it captivates listeners, making it more enjoyable and encouraging deeper reflection.
According to a hadith, the Prophet once listened to the recitation of the Qur’an at night by his companion Abu Musa al-Ash’ari and clearly enjoyed it. The following morning, he expressed his appreciation by saying: “O Abu Musa, I heard your recitation last night; you have been blessed with a beautiful (melodious) voice similar to the voice of (Prophet) Dawud.” Abu Musa al-Ash’ari humbly responded: “O Messenger of Allah, if I had known you were present, I would have made it even more beautiful” (Sunan al-Nasa’i).
If under the second category listening to and enjoying the melodies of the natural world is highly recommended, here as well listening to and enjoying the tranquil melodies of the inspired-by-Islam man-made worlds (domains), is strongly proposed. The main features of the latter worlds are Islamic art, urbanism, architecture, calligraphy, arabesque and Islamic aesthetics taken as a whole. Indeed, there is nothing more calming, relaxing and uplifting than the silent pulsations of a heavenly vivacity intimated and brought closer to human senses by a beautiful masterpiece produced by a Muslim artist, aesthete, or a sage.
The reason for this is that in Islam, human-generated environments should be echoes of the heavenly dispositions as much as possible, and human-generated beauties – flashes of bliss, including those associated with music – should be echoes of the heavenly beauty. Directed towards this end are the Prophet’s words in Sahih Muslim that man has been created in God’s image, and that God is beautiful and loves beauty (including the prospects of people being beautiful, living beautiful lives and creating beautiful objects, occasions and experiences, in compliance with the divine beauty as the source, stimulus and quintessence of all types of conceptual as well as corporeal beauties).
However, for this quality, too, a special sense must be developed and meticulously nurtured. The repository of that sense is the nexus between the human soul, intellect and fitrah (human innate inclination to worship the Creator, love virtue and appreciate beauty). The additional sense (intuition) ought to be recognized and fostered by means of formal and informal educational systems undertaken by the hierarchy of private and governmental institutions, and by means of creating conducive general milieus that will work hand in hand with the former in propelling the human development towards the desired heights. Possessing the sixth sense and the abilities required for self-actualization will be the benchmark for the development strategies.
Isma’il al-Faruqi said in his book “Al Tawhid: Its Implications for Thought and Life” about the miraculous artistic power of the Qur’an, acting as the foundation of the sources of Islamic aesthetics, including those affiliated with music: “If anything is art, the Qur’an certainly is. If the mind of the Muslim has been affected by anything, it was certainly affected by the Qur’an. If this affecting was anywhere deep enough to become constitutive, it was so in aesthetics. There is no Muslim whom the Qur’anic cadences, rhymes, and awjuh al-balaghah (facets of eloquence) have not shaken to the very depth of his being; there is no Muslim whose norms and standards of beauty the Qur’an has not re-kneaded and made in its own image.”
This way, the Qur’an has placed “its reader in front of a challenge to which he can rise, but which he can never meet.” Thus, the best way is to surrender to the Qur’an, letting it mold perceptions and characters, and lead the way to the top. Only then will everything linked to the Qur’an, and by extension to Islam, become music to one’s senses.
Music in Islam predated Western distortions
The above triad constitutes the authentic and so, permissible, conception of music in Islam, in its role as meaningful and pleasing successions or arrangements of sounds produced by instruments or voices. As such, music in Islam existed before the emergence of the currently ubiquitous Western distortions, which are nothing but a corollary of the untiring distortions of spirituality, decency and sanity. The majority of Western music today is as degenerate, sacrilegious and vain as the majority of Western lifestyles. The cadences and pulsations of the former reverberate those of the latter.
Therefore, it is no surprise that it was Muslims who elevated the concept of music as therapy to a whole new level. For example, Abu Bakr Muhammad al-Razi (d. 932), the greatest physician of the world in the Middle Ages, was the first to systematically utilize music for healing. Another influential figure, Ibn Sina (d. 1037), known for his universal contributions to science and philosophy, demonstrated the positive impact of music on patients’ recovery.
Consequently, music was known to Muslims as the art of sound, just one aspect of many arts in life. What is interesting is that the term “music” as we know it in English today only took its current form in the first part of the 17th century. Its origins can be traced back to certain words in Old English from the 13th century and Old French from the 12th century, which were influenced by the Greek word “mousa” and the Greek mythological concept of the “muses”. The muses were nine goddesses, daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who were believed to provide inspiration and guidance in various areas of literature, art and music. They were considered patrons and guardians of the arts, including music (mus-e-ic).
From the same root come the words “muse,” used as both a noun and a verb, and “amuse(ment).” “Muse” as a verb refers to thinking about something carefully and for an extended period, while as a noun, it denotes a person, imaginary being, or force that inspires and assists in creative activities like writing, painting, or making music (i.e., being inspired by the goddesses of art). On the other hand, the verb “amuse” and the noun “amusement” mean, respectively, to entertain and make someone happy (through any art form, such as music) and something that provides entertainment or the state of being entertained (Online Etymology Dictionary; Online Cambridge Dictionary).
That said, even from a linguistic perspective, the Western concept of music presents challenges for the monotheistic Muslim consciousness and belief system. Muslims should have remained loyal to the notion of the art of sound (handasah al-sawt), steering away from the complexities of music intertwined with paganism. They should have stayed true to the pure and practical considerations of music, instead of mixing it with materialistic and hedonistic motives. Hardly surprising that much of today’s modern music embodies the pinnacle of pagan evolution and serves as a sanctuary for the rampant idolatrous inclinations of the modern man.
Muslims should have refrained from getting caught up in the quagmire. They have traded the sublime for the ridiculous. ***
(Dr. Spahic Omer is Associate Professor in the Department of History and Civilisation of the AbdulHamid AbuSulayman Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences at the International Islamic University Malaysia.)
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