Al-Museeqa (Music)
-
Part 1
The late Ahmed H sheriff in his article
entitled “Ghinaa War-Raqs” writes:
The Arabic word Ghinaa
means music. It is an art of combining sounds into such a style pleasing
to the ear and satisfying to emotions. It is prolongation and vibration
of sound with variation of the pitch to such an extent that people may
say that he or she is singing.
GHINAA IN QUR’AN
“Among the people there is he
who purchases Lahwal-hadeeth
to lead (others) astray
from the path of Allah, without knowledge, and takes it by way of
mockery. For such as these there shall be an ignominious punishment.”
(31:6 Qur’an)
Aqa Mahdi Puya says:
“Lahw
means idle or amusing
discourse which disengages attention from meaningful thought, field of
inquiry or argument. On this basis the Ahlul-Bayt (as) have applied the
term Lahwal-hadeeth to Music.”
“…..Shun, then, the pollution
of the idols, and shun
Qaulaz-Zoor”
(22:30 Qur’an)
S V Mir Ahmad Ali in his Tafseer writes:
“Zoor, according to
the Ahlul-Bayt (as), are the ‘vain words’, including any utterances
disapproved by Allah.
According to the scholars
among the followers of Ahlud-dhikr (the people of the Holy
Qur’an),the Ahlul-Bayt (as), Zoor also refers to music since it
is composed of vain sounds and voices.”
MUSIC IS FORBIDDEN
All the Mujtahideen are unanimous in their opinion that the manufacture,
usage, sale and purchase of musical instruments is Haraam (unlawful) and
the income derived from musical activity is also Haraam. The
transactions involving these instruments are invalid. It is Haraam even
to keep instruments of music in one’s possession and it is Wajib to
destroy them.
The Holy Prophet (saw) had said:
“My Ummah i.e.
followers will be visited (punished) by disasters when they adopt
certain habits. Of these are the people who keep singing and dancing
girls and those who keep musical instruments.”
The Holy Prophet (saw) also said:
“The Almighty Allah has sent me as a mercy
to the worlds, to guide the people. And He ordered me to eradicate the
playing of flute and other instruments of music, all games of vice, idol
(worship) and all practices of the days of ignorance.”
Imam Ja’ffar as-Sadiq (as) has been reported saying:
“The Almighty Allah has prohibited the
manufacture of all such things that are exclusively used in Haraam ways;
and things that only create evil like pipe, flute, chess and all types
of instruments of gambling, images and statues. The manufacture of all
such articles are Haraam.”
Muadda ibn Ziyaad says that:
I was in the company of Imam
Ja’ffar as-Sadiq (as) when a person said,
“When I go to the toilet, I
can hear the singing girls of my neighbour. Sometimes I remain (in
toilet) longer so that I may listen to more of it.”
Imam (as) said:
“Desist from listening to
music and songs attentively.”
Then this man further said, “Master, I do
not go to music gatherings! I only hear the sounds!”
Imam (as) said:
“Have you not
read this Qur’anic verse: Surely, the
hearing and the sight and the heart, all of these shall be questioned
about that?”
The man replied, “I
was not aware of this ayat. I regret my actions. I shall not do so in
the future.”
Seeing his condition, Imam
(as) said,
“Get up! Go and perform ghusl and offer
salaat and pray for forgiveness. You have certainly been involved in a
deadly sin and a terrible situation. You have repented for it and I
thank Allah for that; and I seek forgiveness of Allah for all those
things which He dislikes. Certainly, Allah only dislikes the evil
things. Leave the evil things to the evil people because there are
different people suitable for different things.”
To
be continued…………………..
Readers are humbly requested to recite Surah al-Fatihah for Marhum
Ayatullah dasti Ghayb, Marhum Ahmed H Sheriff and all the Marhumeen.
Mulla Mujaheedali
Sheriff
mulla@almahdi.org.uk |