MUSIC - IS IT HARAM (Forbidden)? (3 of 4)
MUSIC - Authentic Hadeeths Forbid It?
(Part 3 of 4 parts)
What about the hadeeth about "music be prohibited" - I heard someone say, "There's no authentic hadeeth against musical instruments" - and I heard he was a scholar or imam or something. What do you say about that?
How did the companions and early scholars understand Islam's position on music, singing & dancing? What about nasheeds (Islamic songs)? You have "99 Names of Allah" on this website - is that singing? Is it music?
Music - Halal or Haram? - The Proof
(Detailed, long version)
- Real Scholar's Rulings Based:
Critical Analysis and Expose' of Mistakes of Dr. Yusuf Qaradawi's "Al Halal Wal Haram Fee Islam" regarding hadeeths in Sahih Al-Bukhari.
The following ruling based on the work of Abu Bilal Mustafa Al-Kanadi in hopes it will bring closure to the subject for the true seekers of knowledge (this is part 3 - A Study of the hadeeth in Al Bukhair)
Having established the authenticity of the afore mentioned narration recorded in Imam Al-Bukhari’s compilation, the meaning of his hadeeth and its stand as an indisputable proof of the unlawfulness of music may now be discussed.
Commentary On Al-Bukhari’s Hadeeth
The portion of Al-Bukhari’s hadeeth which is presently of concern is that segment whose text states: Its translation follows”:
“There will be a people of my Ummah (nation) who will seek to make lawful: fornication, the wearing of silk, wine-drinking and the use of musical instruments. . . “
The word of consequence here is the Arabic term' maazif'. In order to discover what it implies, we must turn to Arabic dictionaries (mowrid) of hadeeth terms and other scholarly works.
According to Lisaanul Arab (Tongue of Arabic) maazif is the plural of mizaf or azf and indicates objects or instruments of play or leisure which are beat upon their sound. If the singular form is used (mizaf), it specifically means a type of large wooden drum use mainly by the people of Yemen. The noun 'azf' also stands for the act of playing with 'maazif' is hand drums (duff) or other instruments which are struck upon.
Al-Juwhari, the author of the ancient dictionary, As-Sihaah, asserts that maazif signifies musical instruments, al-aazif indicates one who sings, and the azf of the wind is its voice. In the famous Taajul 'Aroos min Jawaahiril Qaaamoos, besides quoting the above mentioned meanings, the small hand drum (duff) or other such musical objects. And finally, in the small hand drum (duff) or other such musical objects.
And finally, in the famous dictionary, An-Nihaayah fee Ghareebil Hadeeth. Ibnul Atheer mentions the meaning of maazif as it is used in various hadeeths.
He comments, “By 'azf is meant playing with maazif, consisting of duff (hand drums) or other instruments which are beat upon “He also mentions the derived noun form, 'azeef, which means “sound” or voice”, while 'azeeful jinn' signifies the ringing of the jinn’s' voices. It is said that the people of the desert imagined the shrill ringing of the winds in the desert air to be the voice of jinn.
The commentaries of the scholars of hadeeth also agree on the above quoted meanings for the term maazif mentioned in Al-Bukhari narration. In Ibn Hajar’s exhaustive commentary of Saheehul Bukhari, he adds that an earlier hadeeth scholar, named Ad-Dimyaati, says that the word 'azf is also used to describe singing (ghinaa).
