Fiqh principles to consider

1. Music is not a taʿabbudī matter. It relates to customs (ʿādāt) and the default in customary
issues is permissibility (‫)اصل الأشياء اباحة‬
2. Music is from zīnah of life, and the default of zīnah is permissibility since it is from Allah's
gifts that make life pleasurable (al-Aʿrāf, 32).
3. The Quran and Sunnah took care in closing the door to things that lead to human harm.
The issue of sadd al-dhrāiʿ is a slippery slope that is used to close the door to many halal
things with the excuse that they could potentially lead to harm. Think of the rights of
women, their education, access to mosques, and leaving the house, among other things.
4. When something is a common issue (‘umūm al-balwā), it isn’t realistic to think that the
Quran or sunnah would neglect to pronounce on it if there was a ḥukm sharʿī attached to
it.
5. Ikhtilāf is to be respected in issues where there is room for ijtihad. To avoid ikhtilāf is
mustaḥabb

 A distinction between music by itself and the culture of music we have now. We’re
discussing the issue of music by itself only
 To be clear, that the prophet ‫ ﷺ‬didn’t seek out music and there’s no indication that he
personally liked it. What is interesting is that even though he doesn’t seem keen on it, he
didn’t explicitly prohibit it as the below notes will show. That is a sign that no revelation
came to him to make is ḥarām, and his own attitude to it was his own preference—like not
eating lizard.
 ‫‪Verses about the prohibition of making the ḥalāl into ḥarām‬‬

‫ُقۡل َأ َرَءۡيُتم َّم ٓا َأ نَزَل ٱلَّل ُه َلُكم ِّمن ِّرۡزٖق َفَجَعۡلُتم ِّمۡنُه َحَراٗم ا َوَحَٰلٗلا ُقۡل َءٓالَّل ُه َأ ِذَن َلُكۖۡم َأ ۡم َعَلى ٱلَّل ِه َتۡف َتُروَن ‪٥٩‬‬
‫َوَم ا َظ ُّن ٱَّلِذيَن َيۡف َتُروَن َعَلى ٱلَّل ِه ٱۡلَكِذَب َي ۡوَم ٱۡلِقَٰيَم ِۗة ِإ َّن ٱلَّل َه َلُذو َفۡض ٍل َعَلى ٱلَّن اِس َوَٰلِك َّن َأ ۡك َثَرُهۡم َلا‬
‫َيۡش ُكُروَن ‪[ ٦٠‬سورة يونس‪]٦٠-٥٩,‬‬

‫َوَلا َتُقوُلوْا ِلَما َتِص ُف َأ ۡلِس َنُتُكُم ٱۡلَكِذَب َٰهَذا َحَٰل‪ٞ‬ل َوَٰهَذا َحَرا‪ٞ‬م ِّلَتۡف َتُروْا َعَلى ٱلَّل ِه ٱۡلَكِذَۚب ِإ َّن ٱَّلِذيَن َيۡف َتُروَن َعَلى‬
‫ٱلَّل ِه ٱۡلَكِذَب َلا ُيۡفِلُحوَن ‪َ ١١٦‬مَٰت‪ٞ‬ع َقِلي‪ٞ‬ل َوَلُهۡم َعَذاٌب َأ ِلي‪ٞ‬م ‪[ ١١٧‬سورة النحل‪]١١٧-١١٦,‬‬

‫َق ۡد َخِسَر ٱَّلِذيَن َقَت ٓوُل ْا َأ ۡو َٰلَدُهۡم َس َفَۢها ِبَغۡيِر ِعۡلٖم َوَحَّر ُم وْا َم ا َرَزَقُهُم ٱلَّل ُه ٱۡفِتَرٓاًء َعَلى ٱلَّل ِۚه َق ۡد َض ُّل وْا َوَم ا َكاُنوْا‬
‫ُمۡهَتِديَن ‪[ ١٤٠‬سورة الأنعام‪]١٤٠,‬‬

‫ُق ۡل َمۡن َحَّر َم ِزيَن َة ٱلَّل ِه ٱَّلِتٓي َأ ۡخَرَج ِلِعَب اِدِهۦ َوٱلَّط ِّيَٰبِت ِمَن ٱلِّرۡزِۚق ُق ۡل ِهَي َّلِلِذيَن َءاَمُن وْا ِفي ٱۡل َحَي ٰو ِة ٱلُّد ۡنَيا‬
‫َخاِلَصٗة َيۡوَم ٱۡلِقَٰيَمِۗة َكَٰذِلَك ُنَفِّص ُل ٱۡلٓأ َٰيِت ِلَقۡوٖم َيۡعَلُموَن ‪[ ٣٢‬سورة الأعراف‪]٣٢,‬‬

‫‪ḥadith for permissibility: 10 narrations‬‬

‫َحَّد َثَنا َيْحَيى ْبُن ُبَكْيٍر‪َ ،‬قاَل َحَّد َثَنا الَّل ْيُث ‪َ ،‬عْن ُعَقْيٍل ‪َ ،‬عِن اْبِن ِشَهاٍب ‪َ ،‬عْن ُعْر َوَة‪َ ،‬عْن َعاِئَش َة أَّن أَبا َبْكٍر‬
‫َرِضَي الَّل ُه عْن ه‪َ ،‬دَخَل َعَلْيَه ا وِعْن َدَها َجاِرَيَت اِن في أَّي اِم ِمَنى ُتَدِّفَفاِن‪ ،‬وَتْضِرَباِن‪ ،‬والنبُّي َص َّلى اللُه علي]]ه‬
‫وسَّل َم ُمَتَغٍّش بَثْوِبِه‪َ ،‬فاْنَتَهَرُهما أبو َبْكٍر‪َ ،‬فَكَشَف النبُّي َص َّلى اللُه عليه وسَّل َم عن وْج ِهِه‪َ ،‬فقاَل‪َ :‬دْعُهما يا أَبا‬
‫ َرَأ ْيُت النبَّي َص َّلى اللُه عليه وسَّل َم َيْس ُتُرِني وَأ َنا‬:‫ وقاَلْت َعاِئَشُة‬،‫ وِتْلَك الأَّي اُم أَّي اُم ِمًنى‬،‫ فإَّن َها أَّي اُم ِعيٍد‬،‫َبْكٍر‬
‫ َدْعُهْم أْمًنا َبِني‬:‫ َفقاَل النبُّي َص َّلى اللُه علي]ه وس]َّل َم‬،‫أْنُظُر إلى الَحَبَشِة وُهْم َيْلَعُبوَن في الَمْسِجِد َفَزَجَرُهْم ُعَمُر‬
‫أْرِفَدَة َيْعِني ِمَن الأْمِن‬
1

From Aishah, that Abu Bakr came to her while two young girls were drumming the
duff and the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬was lying covered with his clothes. Abu Bakr scolded
them, so the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬uncovered his face and said to Abu Bakr, “Leave them, for
these days are the days of `Īd” – it was during the days of Mina. Aisha further said,
"Once the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬was screening me and I was watching the display of the
Abyssinians celebrating in the Mosque and Umar scolded them. The Prophet ‫ﷺ‬
said, “Leave them. O Bani Arfida! carry on, you are safe and protected”

:‫ فقالت‬، ‫ فلَّم ا انصرَف جاءت جاريٌة سوداُء‬، ‫ خرَج رسوُل الَّل ِه صَّلى الَّل ُه عَليِه وسَّل َم في بعِض َمغازيِه‬-
‫ فقاَل َلها‬، ‫يا رس]]]وَل الَّل ِه إِّني ُكنُت نذرُت إن رَّد َك الَّل ُه س]]]الًما أن أضرَب بيَن يديَك بالُّد ِّف وأتغَّن ى‬
‫ فدخَل أب]و َبْكٍر‬، ‫ فجَعلت تضِرُب‬.‫ إن كنِت نَذرِت فاضربي وإَّل ا فلا‬:‫رس]وُل الَّل ِه ص]َّلى الَّل ُه عَلي]ِه وس]َّل َم‬
‫ ثَّم دخَل عم]]]]]]ُر فألقِت‬، ‫ ثَّم دخَل ُعثماُن َوهَي تضرُب‬، ‫ ثَّم دخَل علٌّي َوهَي تضرُب‬، ‫َوهَي تضرُب‬
‫ إَّن الَّش يطاَن ليخاُف منَك‬: ‫ فقاَل رسوُل الَّل ِه صَّلى الَّل ُه عَليِه وسَّل َم‬، ‫ ثَّم قَعدت عَليِه‬، ‫الُّد َّف تحَت اسِتها‬
‫ ثَّم‬، ‫ ثَّم دخَل علٌّي َوهَي تضرُب‬، ‫ إِّني كنُت جالًس ا َوهَي تضرُب فدخَل أب]و َبْكٍر َوهَي تضرُب‬، ‫يا عم]]ُر‬
2
‫ فلَّم ا دخلَت أنَت يا عمُر ألقِت الُّد َّف‬، ‫دخَل عثماُن َوهَي تضرُب‬

From Abu Buraydah, that the Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬went out for one of his
expeditions, and when he came back, a black slave girl came to him and said,
“Messenger of Allah, I took an oath that if Allah returned you safely, I would drum
the Duff before you and sing”. The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said to her, “If you have
taken an oath, then drum it, and if you have not taken an oath then do not”. She
1
Bukhari 987- Muslim 892
2
Al-Tirmidhī 3690
started to drum the Duff, and Abu Bakr entered while she was drumming it. Then
Ali entered while she was drumming it, then 'Uthman entered while she was
drumming it. Then Umar entered, and she put the Duff under her and sat upon it.
The Messenger of Allah ‫ ﷺ‬said, “Shaitan is afraid of you, 'Umar! I was sitting
while she did it, and then Abu Bakr entered while she did it, and then 'Ali entered
while she did it, and then 'Uthman entered while she did it. when you entered, O
'Umar, she put away the Duff”.

‫ ما كاَن معُكْم‬،‫ يا عاِئَش ُة‬:‫ فقاَل َنِبُّي الَّل ِه َص َّلى اللُه علي]]ه وس]َّل َم‬،‫أَّن ها َزَّف ِت اْمَرَأ ًة إلى َرُجٍل ِمَن الأْنصاِر‬
3
‫َلْهٌو؟ فإَّن الأْنصاَر ُيْعِج ُبُهُم الَّل ْهو‬

From Aishah, that she prepared a lady for marriage to a man from the Ansar and
the Prophet said, "O Aisha, haven't you got any entertainment. The Ansar like
entertainment?” (girls to sing and play music as is understood from other reports
and commentaries).

‫ َفَجَعَلْت‬،‫ َفَجَلَس عَلى ِفَراِشي َكَمْجِلِس َك ِمِّني‬، ‫َجاَء النبُّي َص َّلى اللُه علي]]]ه وس]]]َّل َم َف َدَخَل ِحيَن ُبِنَي َعَلَّي‬
: ‫ إْذ قاَلْت إْحَداُهَّن‬،‫وَم َبْدٍر‬ ‫َل ِمن آَباِئي َي‬ ‫ُدْبَن َمن ُقِت‬ ‫ َيْضِرْبَن بالُّد ِّف وَيْن‬،‫ا‬ ‫ُجَوْيِرَياٌت َلَن‬
4
‫ وُقوِلي باَّلِذي ُكْنِت َتُقوِليَن‬،‫ َدِع ي هِذه‬:‫ َفقاَل‬،‫وفيَنا َنِبٌّي َيْعَلُم ما في َغٍد‬

Rubayyi’ bin Muawwidh said that after the I was married, the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬came and
sat on my bed as far from me as you are sitting now, and our little girls started
drumming the duff and reciting elegiac verses mourning my father who had been
killed in the battle of Badr. One of the girls sang, "among us is a Prophet who

3
al-Bukhārī 5162
4
al-Bukhārī 5147
knows what will happen tomorrow." On that, the Prophet said, "Don’t say this, but
continue on saying the verses which you had been saying before."

‫ َأ َّن الَّن ِبَّي ـ ص]]لى الله علي]]ه وس]]لم ـ َمَّر ِبَبْعِض اْلَمِديَنِة َفِإ َذا ُهَو ِب َجَواٍر َيْضِرْبَن ِبُدِّفِهَّن‬، ‫َعْن َأ َنِس ْبِن َماِلٍك‬
‫ َفَق اَل الَّن ِبُّي ـ ص]]لى الله علي]]ه وس]]لم ـ‬. ‫َوَيَتَغَّن ْيَن َوَيُقْلَن َنْحُن َج َواٍر ِمْن َبِني الَّنَّج اِر َيا َحَّب َذا ُم َّمَح ٌد ِمْن َجاِر‬
5
‫"َيْعَلُم الَّل ُه ِإ ِّني لُأ ِح ُّب ُكَّن‬

From Anas, that the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬passed by some part of Madinah and saw some
girls drumming their Daff And singing, “We are girls from Banu Najjar and what an
excellent neighbor is Muhammad.” The Prophet said to them, “Allah knows that
you are beloved to me.”

‫ لا يا نبَّي‬: ‫ أَتعِرفيَن هذه؟ قالْت‬،‫ يا عائشُة‬:‫ فقال‬،‫أَّن امرأًة جاءْت إلى رسوِل اللِه صَّلى اللُه عليه وسَّل َم‬
‫ فقال الَّن بُّي‬،‫ فَغَّن ْتها‬،‫ فأْعطاها َط َبًقا‬:‫ قال‬،‫ نَعْم‬: ‫ ُت ِحِّبيَن أْن ُتَغِّنَيِك ؟ قالْت‬،‫ هذه َقْينُة َبني ُفلاٍن‬:‫ فقال‬،‫اللِه‬
6
‫ قد نَفَخ الَّش يطاُن في َمنِخ َرْيها‬:‫صَّلى اللُه عليه وسَّل َم‬

A woman came to visit the prophet ‫ﷺ‬. He said, “Aishah, do you know this
woman?” She replied, “no I don’t, messenger of Allah.” He said, “she is the
songstress of such and such tribe. Do you want her to sing for you?” Aishah replied
that she would like that, so the prophet gave the songstress a pot (to use as a drum)
and she performed. The prophet said, “Shayṭān blows in her nostrils”.

5
Ibn Mājah, 1899
6
Al-Nasāī fī al-Kubrā, 8960. Ṣaḥīḥ
 ‫‪7‬‬ ‫فصٌل ما بين الحلاِل والحراِم الُدُّف والصوُت في النكاِح‬

‫حدثنا محمد بن سهل بن عسكر‪ ،‬قال‪ :‬ثنا يحيى بن صالح‪ ،‬قال‪ :‬ثنا سليمان بن بلال‪ ،‬عن جعفر بن محم]]د‪،‬‬
‫عن أبيه‪ ،‬عن جابر بن عبد الله‪ ،‬قال كان الجواري إذا نكحوا كانوا يم]]ّرون بالكبر والمزامير ويتركون‬
‫النبّي َص َّلى الله َعَلْيِه َوَس َّل م قائًما على المنبر‪ ،‬وينفضون إليها‪ ،‬فأنـزل الله ِإَو َذا َرَأ ْوا ِت َجاَرًة َأ ْو َلْه ًوا‬
‫‪8‬‬
‫اْنَفُّض وا ِإ َلْيَها‬

‫َعْن َناِفٍع ‪َ ،‬قاَل َسِمَع اْبُن ُعَمَر‪ِ ،‬مْز َماًرا ‪َ -‬قاَل ‪َ -‬فَوَضَع ُأ ْص ُبَعْيِه َعَلى ُأ ُذَنْيِه َوَنَأ ى َعِن الَّط ِريِق َوَقاَل ِلي َيا‬
‫َناِفُع َهْل َتْسَمُع َشْيًئا َقاَل َفُقْلُت لَا ‪َ .‬قاَل َفَرَفَع ُأ ْص ُبَعْيِه ِمْن ُأ ُذَنْيِه َوَقاَل ُكْنُت َم َع الَّن ِبِّي ص]]لى الله علي]]ه‬
‫وسلم َفَسِمَع ِمْثَل َهَذا َفَص َنَع ِمْثَل َهَذا ‪َ .‬قاَل َأ ُبو َعِلٍّي الُّل ْؤُلِؤُّي َسِمْعُت َأ َبا َداُوَد َيُق وُل َهَذا َحِديٌث ُمْنَكٌر‬
‫‪9‬‬
‫لكن صححه الألباني‬

‫‪7‬‬
‫أخرجه الترمذي (‪ )1088‬مختصرًا‪ ،‬والنسائي (‪ ،)3369‬وابن ماجه (‪ ،)1896‬وأحمد (‪ )15451‬واللفظ لهم‬
‫‪8‬‬
‫‪Tafsīr al-Tabarī under the verse: ṣaḥīḥ‬‬
‫‪9‬‬
‫‪Abū Dawūd, 4924‬‬
 ‫‪:Proof of those who argue for prohibition, either‬‬

‫‪a.‬‬ ‫‪Authentic narration but unclear inference‬‬

‫‪b. Clear inference but unauthentic chain‬‬
‫‪c.‬‬ ‫‪The claim of ijmāʿ‬‬
‫‪d. An argument not made from the three above‬‬

‫‪Their proof from the Quran‬‬

‫َوٱۡس َتۡفِزۡز َمِن ٱۡس َتَطۡعَت ِمۡنُهم ِبَص ۡوِتَك َوَأ ۡجِلۡب َعَلۡيِهم ِب َخۡيِلَك َوَرِجِلَك َوَش اِرۡكُهۡم ِفي ٱۡلَأ ۡم َٰوِل َوٱۡلَأ ۡو َٰلِد َوِعۡد ُهۚۡم‬
‫َوَما َيِعُدُهُم ٱلَّش ۡيَٰطُن ِإ َّل ا ُغُروًرا ‪[ ٦٤‬سورة الإسراء‪]٦٤,‬‬

‫َوِمَن ٱلَّن اِس َمن َيۡش َتِري َلۡهَو ٱۡل َحِديِث ِلُيِض َّل َعن َسِبيِل ٱلَّل ِه ِبَغۡيِر ِعۡلٖم َوَيَّت ِخ َذَها ُه ُزًوۚا ُأ ْو َٰٓلِئَك َلُهۡم َعَذا‪ٞ‬ب ُّم ِهي‪ٞ‬ن ‪٦‬‬
‫‪10‬‬
‫[سورة لقمان‪]٦,‬‬

‫‪ḥadith that apparently speak of prohibition‬‬

‫وَن ِمْن ُأ َّم ِتي َأ ْق َواٌم ‪َ ،‬يْس َتِحُّل وَن الِحَر ‪َ ،‬والَحِريَر ‪َ ،‬والَخْمَر ‪،‬‬
‫َسِمَع الَّن ِبَّي َص َّلى اللُه َعَلْي ِه َوَس َّل َم َيُق وُل‪َ :‬لَيُك َّن‬
‫َوالَمَع اِزَف ‪َ ،‬وَلَيْنِزَلَّن َأ ْق َواٌم ِإ َلى َجْنِب َعَلٍم ‪َ ،‬يُروُح َعَلْيِهْم ِبَس اِرَحٍة َلُهْم‪َ ،‬يْأ ِتيِهْم ‪َ -‬يْعِني الَفِق يَر ‪ِ -‬ل َحاَجٍة‬
‫َفَيُقوُلوَن‪ :‬اْرِجْع ِإ َلْيَنا َغًدا ‪َ ،‬فُيَبِّيُتُهُم الَّل ُه ‪َ ،‬وَيَض ُع الَعَلَم ‪َ ،‬وَيْمَس ُخ آَخِريَن ِق َرَدًة َوَخَناِزيَر ِإ َلى َيْوِم الِقَياَم ِة‬
‫‪11‬‬
‫خرجه البخاري في "صحيحه معلقا‬

‫‪ 10‬اللهو‪ :‬كل شيء شغلك عن شيء‪.‬‬

‫‪11‬‬
‫‪Al-Bukhārī, 5590 – some have problematized the chain. A) it is said to be muʿallaq because‬‬
‫‪Bukhārī uses qāla for his teacher. B) shakk in the ṣaḥābī. C) goes against the prophet’s action‬‬
‫عمران بن الحصين أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال ‪ :‬في هذه الأمة خسف ومسخ وقذف‪ ،‬فقال‬
‫رجل من المسلمين ‪ :‬يارسول الله ومتى ذلك ؟ قال ‪ :‬إذا ظهرت القينات والمعازف وشربت الخمور‪. 12‬‬
‫رواه الترمذي وصححه الألباني‬

‫َعْن َأ ِبي َماِلٍك الَأ ْش َعِرِّي ‪َ ،‬قاَل َقاَل َرُس وُل الَّل ِه ـ ص]]لى الله علي]]ه وس]]لم ـ " َلَي َّن‬
‫ْشَرَب َناٌس ِمْن ُأ َّم ِتي اْل َخْمَر‬
‫ُيَس ُّم وَنَها ِبَغْيِر اْسِمَها ُيْع َزُف َعَلى ُرُءوِسِهْم ِباْلَمَع اِزِف َواْلُمَغِّنَي اِت َيْخِس ُف الَّل ُه ِبِهُم الَأ ْرَض َوَيْجَع ُل ِمْنُهُم‬
‫اْلِقَرَدَة َواْل َخَناِزيَر‪.13‬‬

‫‪12‬‬
‫‪Al-Tirmidhī, 2212, daīf in this version. Albanī considered it ṣaḥīḥ‬‬
‫‪13‬‬
‫‪Ibn Mājah, 4020. Ḍaʿīf according to sh. Shuʿayb‬‬