Ibn  al Qayyim (rahimahu Allah ) said, �The interpretation of the sahabah (companions) and Tabi3een (their followers) of idle tales in this verse �lahu al hadith� is sufficient in that it means music.

Abu Alsahbaa� said I asked Ibn  Masoood about Allah�s  verse.  He said, �Wallahi the one and only one its music � repeating it three times.� (this is authentic in being attributed to Ibn  Masood and Ibn  Abbas)

Ibn  Umar (radhi Allahu anh) also said it means Music.

Therefore, if you take time to observe around you you will see that music is a path to adultery and fornication. It plants the seed of hypocrisy, the seed of polytheism. When people turn to music, like it and get addicted to it, it becomes the alcohol of the mind. One turns away from the Qur�an  more than anything else once their hearts become addicted to music.  

2nd Proof from the Qur�an

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"Lead to destruction those whom thou canst among them, with thy (seductive) voice, make assaults on them with thy cavalry and thy infantry; mutually share with them wealth and children; and make promises to them. "But Satan promises them nothing but deceit.� 17:64

Mujahid (rahimahu Allah ) said, �..and his voice is music and evil.�

3rd Proof from the Qur�an :

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�Do ye then wonder at this recital?  And will ye laugh and not weep. Wasting your time in vanities?� 53: 59-61

Ikrimah (rahimahu Allah) said Ibn  abbas said Sumood in the verse mean music; when you say usmud lana it means sing to us.

He said they used to when they heard the Qur�an sing, so Allah  revealed the verse.

Ibn  Katheer (rahimahu Allah) said in his tafseer under this verse, sufian Althawry narrated that his father heard Ibn  abbas say usmud for us means sing for us.

Proof from the Sunnah
1^st Proof from the Sunnah:

This hadith shows that music is haram through two avenues:

a. The prophet (sallah allahu alieh wasalam)  mentioned that they will make permissible, meaning its haram/prohibited and they will make it permissible. Note all the examples in the hadith are issues that are haram.

Had there not been other than this hadith to show music was haram it would have been enough.

Sheikh  Al Islam Ibn  Taymiyyah (rahimahu Allah) said this hadith proves musical instruments to be haram and �ma3azif� (the term in the hadith is a term used for all musical instruments.) 

2^nd Proof from the Sunnah:

Some claim this hadith is not proof on the prohibition of musical instruments because had it been haram the prophet (sallah allahu alieh wasalam)  would have plugged his ears and ordered Ibn  Umar  to do so, and Ibn  Umar  would have ordered Nafe3 to do that as well.

The reply to that is there is a difference between �sama3� and �istima3� �Sama3� is to unintentionally hear music and �Istima3� is to purposely listen to music or go in a setting where there is music.  Here, Ibn Umar  and the prophet (sallah allahu alieh wasalam)  did not purposely listen and neither did did Nafe3.

3^rd Proof from the Sunnah:

Saying of the Imams Regarding Music
1. The Madhab of Imam Abu Hanifa:

The Madhab of Imam Abu Hanifa is among the most critical and harshest quotes on music.  Imam Abu Hanifa�s students clearly declared musical instruments haram and anyone who listens to it is considered a fasiq whose testimony is not accepted.

Some went on to say that listening to music is fisq (astray) and enjoying it is kufr. They used weak hadith to support that statement.

They also said one must strive not to listen to it if he passes by it or if its near him.

2. The Madhab of Imam Malik:

Imam Malik (rahimahu Allah ) was asked about those who play the drums and flute and those who enjoy listening to it as one passes by.

3. The Madhab of Imam Shafi�i:

4. The Madhab of Imam Ahmad:

5. Ibn Taymiyyah:

6. More Scholars:

Scholars on destroying musical instruments:

a. Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahu Allah) said �It is permissible to destroy musical instruments according to most scholars, and it is the mathab of Imam Malik and the selected chosen two among the Hanbalis.�

EXCEPTION:

Once we know from the solid proof mentioned that musical instruments are haram, then anyone who mentions a musical instrument to be halal must present proof.

Among the exception, and the only one in fact, is the use of a duff (a small hand drum) with no metallic tones on them.

The prophet (sallah allahu alieh wasalam)  made an exception to that instrument for �Eid and weddings.

It is not correct to claim that since he  (sallah allahu alieh wasalam)  permitted that, then drums must be halal, or other similar instruments are halal.  They had drums then, and scholars named drums specifically among the haram.  The scholars even specified the duff (small drum) with metal on its sides to make noise as being haram as well.

In one hadith narrated by Aisha (radhi Allahu anh) two young girls were chanting with the duff on �Eid while the prophet (sallah allahu alieh wasalam) had his back turned to them because he was preoccupied. Abu Bakr (radhi Allahu anh) walked in and scolded them for using instruments in the prophet�s house which the prophet  (sallah allahu alieh wasalam) forbade. The prophet (sallah allahu alieh wasalam)  told Abu Bakr to let them be for it was the day of  �Eid.

We learn from that hadith that the prophet  (sallah allahu alieh wasalam) heard the duff play, meaning its not haram. Therefore, it is not haram upon men to hear it even though it was known that men never played it. 

Misconceptions from those who think music is halal:

1. They claim all the hadith on music are weak.

The reply is that they are all strong ahadeeth. Some ahadeeth are in the 2^nd most authentic book after the Qur�an  such as Sahih Bukhari. Although some ahadeeth are weak, there are more  solid authentic hadith that prohibits music. We mentioned a few in this paper.

The scholars of the past have all united on the fact that the hadeeth on musical instruments are authentic, with the exception of Abu Hamed Alghazaly, who was not known to be a scholar of hadith, and Ibn Hazm. 

2. Some say music is not haram for itself but only haram if combined to setting where there is alcohol or other issues that are haram.

The rule that it must be combined to an additional matter is wrong.  With this argument, we could also say fornication is not haram unless you drink alcohol and listen to music because that is all included in the hadith. 

According to their rule we say, �Why would fornication be haram in itself when it is combined in prohibition of musical instruments and alcohol?�

There are verses in the Qur�an where Allah says, �He never believed in Allah  and never encouraged to pay to the poor.�

According to their rule we can also argue that �Not believing in Allah  is not haram unless you do not pay the poor.�

That is a ridiculous rationale.

3. Some say music and musical instruments are not idle tales (lahu alhadith) as mentioned in the verse, or the verse is not clear on it being music.

Music was the interpretation of the sahabah. On it, Ibn Masood gave an oath three times.  Scholars followed and agreed in what he said.

The Qur�an is not for me and you to guess its meaning, the Qur�an  interprets each other or the prophet Muhammad (sallah allahu alieh wasalam) interpreted it or the sahabah interpreted it.

The rule in Usool is that that when the sahabah say �this is meant by this in the Qur�an  or this is the ruling on this�, it has hukm alrafa3.  Meaning, the ruling on what they said is as though the prophet (sallah allahu alieh wasalam) said it,  simply because they would not give commands or prohibitions without knowing or hearing it from the prophet (sallah allahu alieh wasalam).  Allah commanded us in the Qur�an  �and a praise to those who follow them righteously� 9:100.  Hence, if we do not follow them righteously, we are not worthy of the praise. We can only follow them righteously by following their interpretation of Islam, the Qur�an  in particular.

4. Some use the authentic hadith we mentioned where two girls were chanting warrior lyrics with a duff on the �Eid while the prophet (sallah allahu alieh wasalam)  listened as proof music is halal.

This situation was on �Eid and using the duff only (small drum), therefore,  it is tolerable if one uses only the duff and on the �Eid or wedding.  Because this was an exception. To add more exceptions proof must always be present.

5. Some of  those addicted to music go on to say the sahabah and tabe3een listened to music

The reply is what Imam Muslim in his introduction said quoting Ibn Abdal Bar, �The chain of a narration is part of Islam, without it, people would have said what they want, when they want.�

This is a call to bring solid authentic proof  for every claim. If the proof is not available on the issue, then it must not be valid.

In conclusion, looking at it rationally, people who were with the prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)   in his days and nights are the most knowledgeable people in Islam. Around them the Qur�an  was revealed, and unto them it was recited first. They are the purest of  the pure in the Arabic language. We do not leave their to that of people who come seven centuries later, or even 14 centuries later, who most likely are not well versed in the Arabic language.

Here in this paper, a story has been narrated. It is brief yet equivalent to what happens when matters of the deen are compromised. I have brought forth proof from the Qur�an, from the Sunnah, and from the scholars. I have also brought forth arguments from the other side, as well as what scholars in the past have said about musical instruments, those who listen and those who play and make them.

May Allah increase us in our strength to obey Him. Ameen.