SELECTIONS FROM THE


REVITALISATION OF THE SCIENCES OF RELIGION


Al-Ghazali’s Ihya’ Ulum al-Din











Listening to Music and Emotion








Chapter One





The Disagreement among Scholars Regarding the Permissibility of Listening and an Exposition on the Truth Concerning It





An Exposition on the Opinion of the Scholars and Sufis Regarding its Lawfulness or Unlawfulness





Know that listening is the primary factor in any matter, it then develops in the heart a condition called emotion, the emotion develops into moving the limbs in either ran unbalanced move, which is called a disturbance, or in a balanced move, which is called an applause and dance. 





Let us begin with listening, which is the primary factor, and to tell you what has been put forward about it by the various schools of thought. Then we will show the evidence of its permissibility then we will respond to those who favor its prohibition. 





As for the schools of thought: Judge Al Abu Taib al Tabbari has related to Al Shafi’i, and Malik, and about Hanifah and Sufyan (may Allah have mercy upon them), and a group of scholars, sayings indicating that they were of the opinion favoring its prohibition. 





Al Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy upon him) has said in his book on the ethics of judgment: “Singing is a disliked amusement akin to falsehood, and whoever indulges in it is foolish and his testimony is unacceptable.” 





But Malik - may Allah have mercy upon him - has forbidden singing and said: “If any of you bought a slave girl and found her to be a singer, you should send her back.” And this opinion is also held by all the people of Madinah except Ibrahim ibn Saad and his grandfather.





Abu Hanifah - may Allah be pleased with him - used to hate singing, and he made listening to it a sin, and thus were the entire people of al Kufah: Sufyan al Thawri, Hammad, Ibrahim, and Al Sha’bi and others.





Abu  Talib al Makki conveyed from a group that listening is permissible and said that he heard this from some of the Companions; Abd Allah ibn Ghaffar, Abd Allah ibn al Zubayr, al Mughirah ibn shu’bah and Muáwiyah and others. And he also said: “Many of the righteous ancestors have said the same. Whether they were of the Companions or followers.” 





It was said to abi al Hassan bin Salem: “How do you reject listening while al Genade, Sirri al Saqty, and Zul al Noon listened to it?’ So he said: “How would I reject audition while those who are better than me permit it. Abd Allah ibn Ghaffar al Tayyar (the flying) used to listen to it, but I reject the use of listening in jesting and playing.”





An Exposition on the Evidence in Favor of Listening to Music


	


We begin by saying: the text and analogy all indicate its permissibility. 





As to analogy: It is that singing is surrounded by many meanings each of, which should be individually and collectively investigated. There is the listening of a good voice well balanced and comprehendible, which moves the emotions, the general conclusion is that it is a good voice. Then the good voice divides into the balanced and unbalanced. The balanced divides into what is comprehendible, such as poetry and the incomprehensible, such as the sounds of solids and all animals.





As for listening to a good voice, since it is good it should not be prohibited, but is lawful according to text and analogy.





As for text: Text indicates the permissibility of hearing the beautiful voice in a way of appreciation of what Allah, the Almighty has bestowed upon His worshipers, as He said: “…He increases the creation as He wills…” (Koran 35 verse 1). It is said that this is the beautiful voice. 





Abu Soliman said: “Listening does not produce something that does not exist in the heart, but it moves what is in it.” Chanting of rhymed poetry is acceptable in certain circumstances, such as the singing of the pilgrim, and the soldier as an incentive and morale booster, and this is permissible. Rhythmic wailing and lamenting increases grief, weeping and depression.





Grief is two parts: Praiseworthy and blameworthy:





The blameworthy is to grieve over what you have missed. And to grieve for the deceased and the like is discontent for the fate of Allah and sorrow for what you cannot attain. This kind of grief is blameworthy, that is why its prohibition is so clear.





The praiseworthy grief is the grief of the human for his shortcomings with regard to his religion, it is his sorrow for his sins, in such case to weep or feel sorrow is praiseworthy.





Listening to music for pleasure is permissible if the pleasure is upon the occasion of a feast or a wedding, or upon someone’s return from absence, or at al aqiqah or upon the birth or circumcision of a child, or at the end of a memorization of the Glorious Koran. All this is permissible in order to show happiness.


	


The evidence for the permissibility of this was shown on the occasion when the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was arriving in Madinah and the women went to the rooftops with tambourines and chanted in joy at his arrival. To show delight at the arrival of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, is praiseworthy, showing pleasure in poetry and dance and movement is also praiseworthy. 





Ayesha, may Allah be pleased with her, “I saw the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, covering me with his garment while I was watching the Abyssinians playing in the mosque, and he let me watch until I had had enough of watching.”





Ayesha, may Allah be pleased with her, also said: “The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, entered while I had two girls singing, so he lay down on his rug and turned his face away, then Abu Bakr - may Allah be pleased with him - came in and scolded me saying: ‘The tool of satan at the house of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him?’  The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, turned toward him and said: ‘Leave them be.’ So when he went to sleep, I motioned to them to leave.”





These are all true Hadiths, which show clearly that singing and play are not unlawful.





An Exposition on the Circumstances in, which Listening is Forbidden





If you would ask are there circumstances in, which listening is forbidden? I would say, it is forbidden in five instances: 





In the case of the one who is singing, if she is  a woman and it is unlawful for him to look at her, and he fears temptation from listening to her, then it is unlawful because of the fear of temptation not because of the singing itself.





In the case of the instrument, if it is a single piped instrument or a stringed instrument or a drum, these three are forbidden, other than that is permissible.





In the case of rhythmic singing, if it is poetry, if it is something indecent or slander or something untrue about Allah and His Messenger or the Companions, listening to it is unlawful, and the one who listens shares in the sin of the one who says it. 





In the case of the one who listens to it persistently, if he is overtaken by a desire in listening to it. Then listening to it is unlawful.





In the case of the person of the common people and the love of Allah, the Almighty does not overtake him, but he is controlled by his desires, then listening should be forbidden to him.