A comprehensive ruling on music and singing: evidence from Surah Luqman, Surah al-Isra, authentic ahadith, the interpretation of Ibn Mas'ud, Ibn Abbas, and the four madhhabs. Refutation of common doubts about the daff, the Abyssinians, and military music.
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is His slave and Messenger.
The issue of music, singing, and musical instruments is not a minor matter of personal preference. It is a legislative ruling that requires returning to the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and the understanding of the Salaf (righteous predecessors). After a thorough and objective examination of the evidence, the ruling is clear and decisive: music and all musical instruments are haram (forbidden). This is not the view of a few strict scholars; rather, it is the consensus of the Sahabah, the Tabi'in, and the four imams (Abu Hanifah, Malik, al-Shafi'i, and Ahmad).
In this answer, we will present the evidence from the Qur'an and authentic Sunnah, the statements of the Sahabah and great imams, and then refute the most common doubts raised by those who attempt to justify music.
What is Ma'azif?
The Arabic word "ma'azif" (مَعَازِف) is the plural of mi'zafah. In the Arabic language and the terminology of the Salaf, it refers to musical instruments. Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Fath al-Bari (10/55): "Ma'azif means musical instruments." Al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated from al-Jawhari that ma'azif means singing, but the more precise linguistic meaning is instruments that produce sound, including drums (except the simple daff in specific circumstances), flutes, stringed instruments, and all tools of entertainment that are used for idle amusement.
Evidence from the Qur'an
"And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks (lahw al-hadith) to mislead (men) from the path of Allah without knowledge, and takes it (the path of Allah) by way of mockery. For such there will be a humiliating punishment."
Qur'an, Surah Luqman 31:6
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala describes a category of people who actively acquire "idle talks" (lahw al-hadith) for the purpose of turning others away from the path of Allah. The Sahabah and the early Tabi'in were unanimous that this refers to singing and musical instruments.
Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), the great Companion and scholar of the Qur'an, said concerning this verse: "By Allah, besides whom there is no other god, this means singing – and he repeated it three times." This narration is authentic (sahih).
Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), the interpreter of the Qur'an, said: "Idle talks is falsehood and singing." Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him), the student of Ibn 'Abbas, said: "It means playing the drum (tabl)." Al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "This verse was revealed concerning singing and musical instruments (woodwind instruments)."
Al-Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his tafsir:
"This includes all manner of haram speech, all idle talk and falsehood, and all nonsense that encourages kufr and disobedience; the words of those who say things to refute the truth and argue in support of falsehood to defeat the truth; and backbiting, slander, lies, insults and curses; the singing and musical instruments of the Shaytan; and musical instruments which are of no spiritual or worldly benefit."
Tafsir al-Sa'di, 6/150
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote in Ighathat al-Lahfan (1/258-259):
"The interpretation of the Sahabah and Tabi'in that 'idle talk' refers to singing is sufficient. This was reported with sahih isnad from Ibn 'Abbas and Ibn Mas'ud... There is no contradiction between interpreting it as singing and interpreting it as stories of the Persians and Romans – both are idle talk. But singing is worse and more harmful than stories of kings, because it leads to zina and makes hypocrisy grow in the heart; it is the trap of the Shaytan, and it clouds the mind."
Ighathat al-Lahfan, 1/258-259
"And befool them gradually those whom you can among them with your voice (sawt)..."
Qur'an, Surah al-Isra 17:64
Allah quotes Iblis (Shaytan) as saying that he will mislead the children of Adam with his "voice." The majority of the mufassirun (Qur'an commentators) from the Salaf explained "his voice" as singing and musical instruments. Mujahid said explicitly: "His voice is singing and falsehood."
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) commented:
"Everyone who speaks in any way that is not obedient to Allah, everyone who blows into a flute or other woodwind instrument, or who plays any haram kind of drum, this is the voice of the Shaytan. Everyone who walks to commit some act of disobedience towards Allah is part of his infantry, and anyone who rides to commit sin is part of his cavalry. This is the view of the Salaf."
Ighathat al-Lahfan
"Do you then wonder at this recitation (the Qur'an)? And you laugh at it and weep not, Wasting your (precious) lifetime in pastime and amusements (singing)?"
Qur'an, Surah al-Najm 53:59-61
In this passage, Allah criticizes the disbelievers for turning away from the Qur'an and instead engaging in "samidun" – which, according to Ibn 'Abbas and 'Ikrimah (may Allah have mercy on them), means singing in the dialect of Himyar. When they heard the Qur'an, they would sing to drown it out. This verse condemns that behavior.
Evidence from the Authentic Sunnah
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Among my ummah there will certainly be people who permit zina (illegal sexual intercourse), silk (for men), alcohol, and musical instruments (ma'azif)..."
Narrated by al-Bukhari (ta'liqan, no. 5590), and narrated as mawsul by al-Tabarani and al-Bayhaqi. Declared sahih by Shaykh al-Albani in al-Silsilah al-Sahihah (91).
The reasoning from this hadith is twofold: First, the Prophet ﷺ uses the word "permit" – which implies that these things are forbidden in shari'ah, and these people will make them permissible against the law. Second, musical instruments are mentioned alongside zina and alcohol, which are unanimously haram. If musical instruments were not haram, they would not be listed with these major sins.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) added:
"And concerning the same topic similar comments were narrated from Sahl ibn Sa'd al-Sa'idi, 'Imran ibn Husayn, 'Abd-Allah ibn 'Amr, 'Abd-Allah ibn 'Abbas, Abu Hurayrah, Abu Umamah al-Bahili, 'Aishah Umm al-Mu'minin, '
Ali ibn Abi Talib, Anas ibn Malik, 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Sabit and al-Ghazi ibn Rabi'ah."
Ighathat al-Lahfan
Nafi' (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated:
"Ibn 'Umar heard a woodwind instrument. He put his fingers in his ears and moved away from that path. He said to me, 'O Nafi', can you hear anything?' I said, 'No.' So he removed his fingers from his ears and said, 'I was with the Prophet ﷺ and he heard something like this, and he did the same thing.'"
Sahih Abi Dawud. Declared authentic by Shaykh al-Albani.
This hadith demonstrates the prophetic practice: when hearing the sound of a musical instrument, the Prophet ﷺ blocked his ears and left the area. Ibn 'Umar, the Companion, did the same. This is an action-based ruling showing that listening to musical instruments is not permissible. The distinction between "hearing" (without choice) and "listening" (with intention) is important. Here, the Prophet ﷺ intentionally blocked his ears to avoid hearing the sound, and he only removed his fingers when the sound stopped. This proves that one should not remain in a place where musical instruments are being played if he can leave.
Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Do not sell singing slave women, do not buy them and do not teach them. There is nothing good in this trade, and their price is haram. Concerning such things as this the ayah was revealed: 'And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks...' [Luqman 31:6]."
Hasan hadith
The Consensus (Ijma') of the Scholars
Contrary to the claims of some modern lax voices, the four established madhhabs (schools of fiqh) are unanimous that all musical instruments are haram. There is no genuine dispute on this matter among the scholars of Ahlus-Sunnah.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"The view of the four Imams is that all kinds of musical instruments are haram. It was reported in Sahih al-Bukhari and elsewhere that the Prophet ﷺ said that there would be among his ummah those who would allow zina, silk, alcohol and musical instruments... None of the followers of the imams mentioned any dispute concerning the matter of music."
al-Majmu', 11/576
Shaykh Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"The four madhhabs agree that all musical instruments are haram."
al-Sahihah, 1/145
Hanafi Madhhab: Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The madhhab of Abu Hanifah is the strictest in this regard, and his comments are among the harshest. His companions clearly stated that it is haram to listen to all musical instruments such as the flute and the drum, even tapping a stick. They stated that it is a sin which implies that a person is a fasiq (rebellious evil-doer) whose testimony should be rejected. They went further than that and said that listening to music is fisq (rebellion, evildoing) and enjoying it is kufr (disbelief)." (Ighathat al-Lahfan, 1/425).
Maliki Madhhab: Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about playing the drum or flute. He said: "He should get up if he finds that he enjoys it, unless he is sitting down for a need or is unable to get up. If he is on the road, he should either go back or move on." (al-Jami' by al-Qayrawani, 262). He also said: "The only people who do things like that, in our view, are fasiqs." (Tafsir al-Qurtubi, 14/55).
Shafi'i Madhhab: Ibn al-Qayyim said, explaining the view of Imam al-Shafi'i: "His companions who know his madhhab stated that it is haram and denounced those who said that he permitted it." (Ighathat al-Lahfan, 1/425). The author of Kifayat al-Akhbar, a Shafi'i scholar, counted musical instruments as munkar (evil) that must be denounced.
Hanbali Madhhab: Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi, the great Hanbali scholar, said: "Musical instruments are of three types which are haram. These are the strings and all kinds of flute, and the lute, drum and rabab (stringed instrument) and so on. Whoever persists in listening to them, his testimony should be rejected." (al-Mughni, 10/173). Imam Ahmad's son 'Abd-Allah asked his father about singing, and Ahmad replied: "Singing makes hypocrisy grow in the heart; I do not like it." Then he mentioned the words of Malik: the evildoers (fasiqs) among us do that.
Al-Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) reported: "The scholars of all regions agree that singing is makruh and should be prevented." In the language of the Salaf, "makruh" often meant haram, especially when accompanied by "should be prevented."
Ibn 'Abd al-Barr (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"Among the types of earnings which are haram by scholarly consensus are riba, the fee of a prostitute, anything forbidden, bribes, payment for wailing over the dead and singing, payments to fortune-tellers and those who claim to know the unseen and astrologers, payments for playing flutes, and all kinds of gambling."
al-Kafi
Refutation of Common Doubts and Misunderstandings
First Doubt: "The ahadith forbidding music are weak."
This is a false claim. While some individual narrations have weakness, the hadith of "permission of musical instruments" narrated by al-Bukhari is sahih. The hadith of Ibn 'Umar blocking his ears is sahih. The hadith of Abu Umamah is hasan. The numerous chains and supporting reports from the Sahabah collectively establish the prohibition definitively.
Shaykh Ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"The ahadith which were narrated concerning music being haram are not full of faults as has been claimed. Some of them are in Sahih al-Bukhari which is the soundest of books after the Book of Allah, and some of them are hasan and some are da'if. But because they are so many, with different isnads, they constitute definitive proof that singing and musical instruments are haram."
Majmu' Fataawa wa Maqaalaat li'l-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 6/397
Second Doubt: "The exception for the daff means all drums are allowed."
This is a grave error. The authentic exception is only for the simple daff (a hand-drum without any rings or rattles) and only for women on two occasions: 'Eid and weddings. Even then, the songs should not contain haram content. The Prophet ﷺ approved of young girls (not adult women, and certainly not men) playing the daff on 'Eid day. However, note carefully: When Abu Bakr al-Siddiq entered and saw this, he called it "musical instruments of the Shaytan." The Prophet ﷺ did not deny that description. He allowed it only as an exception for the 'Eid celebration for young girls. This cannot be generalized to all times, all people, or all instruments. Men playing any instrument, including the daff, is not allowed. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Clapping is for women and tasbih is for men." This indicates that rhythmic noise-making is specifically feminine. Men who play instruments are imitating women, which is cursed.
Third Doubt: "The hadith of the Abyssinians playing in the mosque proves music is allowed."
This is a misunderstanding. The hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari describes the Abyssinians playing with spears and shields (a display of martial skill) in the mosque on 'Eid day. 'Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) watched them. There was no singing, no musical instruments. It was a display of physical prowess and mock fighting. This has nothing to do with music. Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) clearly stated that this hadith indicates the permissibility of playing with weapons in the context of jihad, not music. Using this as evidence for music is either ignorance or deliberate distortion.
Fourth Doubt: "The two young girls singing in the hadith of 'Aishah proves singing is halal."
This is one of the most misused pieces of evidence. Let us examine the facts: The two young girls were below the age of puberty. They were singing simple verses about the battle of Bu'ath (war poetry, not love songs or romantic lyrics). They had no musical instruments – the hadith does not mention a daff in that narration; the daff appears in other versions, but it was a simple hand-drum. Abu Bakr al-Siddiq called it "musical instruments of the Shaytan." The Prophet ﷺ allowed it only because it was 'Eid and because they were young girls, and he was not even listening – he had turned his face to the wall.
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) refuted those who use this hadith to permit all singing, saying:
"I am amazed that you quote as evidence for allowing listening to sophisticated songs the report... How can you compare this to that? This hadith is one of the strongest proofs against them."
Madarij al-Salikin, 1/493
Furthermore, Ibn al-Jawzi (may Allah have mercy on him) noted that 'Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was young at that time, and nothing was transmitted from her after she reached puberty except condemnation of singing. Her nephew al-Qasim ibn Muhammad condemned singing and took his knowledge from her.
Fifth Doubt: "Music softens the heart and brings one closer to Allah."
This is a dangerous lie from Shaytan. In reality, as Ibn Taymiyyah said, musical instruments are the wine of the soul. Those who are habituated to music find the Qur'an heavy and uninteresting. They become restless during Qur'an recitation but attentive when music plays. This is a sign of a diseased heart. True softness of the heart comes from the Qur'an, not from the voice of Shaytan.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"Musical instruments are the wine of the soul, and what they do to the soul is worse than what intoxicating drinks do."
Majmu' al-Fatawa, 10/417
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) also said:
"Hence you find that those who have gotten used to it and for whom it is like food and drink will never have the desire to listen to the Quran or feel joy when they hear it, and they never find in listening to its verses the same feeling that they find when listening to poetry. Indeed, if they hear the Quran, they hear it with an inattentive heart and talk whilst it is being recited, but if they hear whistling and clapping of hands, they lower their voices and keep still, and pay attention."
Majmu' al-Fatawa, 11/557 ff
Sixth Doubt: "The Sahabah listened to singing and poetry."
The Sahabah did listen to permissible poetry that contained wisdom, bravery, and Islamic values, without musical instruments. There is a vast difference between reciting poetry (which is allowed, though excessive poetry is discouraged) and singing with musical instruments. No authentic report exists of any Companion listening to a flute, a lute, a stringed instrument, or singing accompanied by instruments. Those who claim otherwise have no proof. Imam Muslim mentioned in his introduction to his Sahih that 'Abd-Allah ibn al-Mubarak said: "The isnad is part of religion. Were it not for the isnad, whoever wanted to could say whatever he wanted to."
Seventh Doubt: "Military music or drums at war are allowed."
There is no basis for this in shari'ah. This is an innovation and an imitation of the kuffar. During war, the Muslims are commanded to remember Allah, to be steadfast, and to focus on the enemy. Adding music to war is a modern Western practice, not from Islam. The Prophet ﷺ used a simple banner, calls to prayer, and rallying cries – not musical instruments.
Shaykh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) refuted this clearly:
"Using music is one of the customs of the kuffar, and it is not permitted to imitate them, especially with regard to something that Allah has forbidden to us in general, such as music."
al-Sahihah, 1/145
Eighth Doubt: "Singing is only forbidden if it includes zina or alcohol – otherwise it is fine."
This is a false distinction. The prohibition of musical instruments is absolute, as proven by the hadith that lists them alongside zina and alcohol. The scholars of usul al-fiqh explain that mentioning things together in a context of prohibition does not mean each is only forbidden when combined with the others. If that were the logic, then disbelief in Allah would only be haram if accompanied by not feeding the poor (a false conclusion). The prohibition stands independently.
Al-Shawkani (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"The response to this is that mentioning these things in conjunction does not only mean that what is haram is what is joined together in this manner. Otherwise this would mean that zina, as mentioned in the ahadith, is not haram unless it is accompanied by alcohol and the use of musical instruments."
Nayl al-Awtar, 8/107
Ninth Doubt: "Idle talk in Surah Luqman does not mean singing."
This is directly contradicting the Sahabah. Ibn Mas'ud swore by Allah three times that it means singing. Ibn 'Abbas said it means singing. The Salaf are the most knowledgeable of the Qur'an. Those who reject their interpretation are following their own desires.
Al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"This – the view that it means singing – is the best that has been said concerning this ayah, and Ibn Mas'ud swore three times by Allah... The first view is the best of all that has been said on this matter, because of the marfu' hadith, and because of the view of the Sahabah and the Tabi'in."
Tafsir al-Qurtubi
The Exception for the Daff – Clarified in Detail
After all the evidence of prohibition, we must clarify the only authentic exception in the shari'ah. The Prophet ﷺ allowed women to use the daff (a simple hand-drum without rings/jingles) on two occasions:
1. On the days of 'Eid (al-Fitr and al-Adha).
2. At wedding celebrations (to announce the marriage and bring joy, within limits).
This exception is for women only, not for men. The songs must be free of haram content (no calls to shirk, no obscenity, no praise of sin). The daff must be the simple type without metal rings (i.e., not a tambourine). And it is only for these specific joyful occasions, not for daily entertainment.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"But the Prophet ﷺ made allowances for certain types of musical instruments at weddings and the like, and he made allowances for women to play the daff at weddings and on other joyful occasions. But the men at his time did not play the daff or clap with their hands. It was narrated in al-Sahih that he said: 'Clapping is for women and tasbih is for men.' And he cursed women who imitate men and men who imitate women. Because singing and playing the daff are things that women do, the Salaf used to call any man who did that a mukhannath (effeminate man), and they used to call male singers effeminate – and how many of them there are nowadays! It is well known that the Salaf said this."
Majmu' al-Fatawa
Therefore, any man who plays the daff or any other instrument is imitating women and falling under the curse of the Prophet ﷺ. Any woman who plays instruments other than the simple daff on occasions other than 'Eid or weddings is also violating the shari'ah.
The Ruling on Selling, Buying, and Teaching Music
If an object is haram to use, it is also haram to sell, buy, or teach. The Prophet ﷺ said: "When Allah forbids a thing, He also forbids its price." The price of musical instruments is haram wealth. It is not permissible to work as a musician, a music teacher, a seller of instruments, or to accept payment for any of these services. The Sahabah and the imams were clear on this.
Ibn Abi Shaybah (may Allah have mercy on him) reported:
"A man broke a mandolin belonging to another man, and the case was brought to Shurayh (the judge). Shurayh did not award any compensation because the mandolin was haram and had no value."
al-Musannaf, 5/395
Al-Baghawi (may Allah have mercy on him) stated in a fatwa:
"It is haram to sell all kinds of musical instruments such as mandolins, flutes, etc. If the images are erased and the musical instruments are altered, then it is permissible to sell their parts, whether they are silver, iron, wood or whatever."
Sharh al-Sunnah, 8/28
If a person has any musical instruments in his home, he should destroy them as an act of obedience to Allah. The Salaf used to destroy such instruments when they found them. This is not extremism; it is following the command of Allah and His Messenger.
The Condition of Those Who Permit Music Today
In our times, some people claim that music is permissible. They often rely on weak arguments, misinterpretations, or the opinions of later scholars who were not specialists in hadith (such as Abu Hamid al-Ghazali). These people are not following the Salafi manhaj. They are following their desires and the pressure of modern culture.
Shaykh al-Fawzan (may Allah preserve him) said:
"The view that singing is permissible is simply supporting the whims of people nowadays, as if the masses were issuing fatwas and they are just signing them. Strive to learn your Islam from the Book of your Lord and the Sunnah of your Prophet. Do not say, 'So-and-so said,' for you cannot learn the truth only from men. Learn the truth and then measure people against it."
al-I'lam
It is reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: "No people go astray after having been guided except they developed arguments amongst themselves." (Sahih). Those who argue for music today are using specious arguments that have no weight against the clear texts.
Practical Advice for the Muslim
If you have been accustomed to listening to music, you may find it difficult to stop at first. This is because Shaytan has beautified it for you. But know that Allah promises to replace what you leave for His sake with something better. Start by:
1. Making sincere tawbah (repentance) to Allah and resolving never to return to music.
2. Deleting all music files from your devices and destroying any musical instruments in your possession.
3. Replacing music with the recitation of the Qur'an. Listen to skilled reciters who recite with beautiful voices (like al-Shuraym, al-Ghamdi, al-Afasy, etc.). The Qur'an is far more beautiful than any song.
4. Listening to authentic Islamic lectures, khutbahs, and beneficial knowledge.
5. Occupying your time with dhikr (remembrance of Allah), reading books of hadith and tafsir, and engaging in acts of worship.
6. Avoiding places where music is played and keeping company with righteous Muslims who fear Allah.
Remember the statement of Ibn al-Qayyim: "The one who has gotten used to music and for whom it is like food and drink will never have the desire to listen to the Qur'an." Do not let that be you.
Conclusion
After presenting the evidence from the Qur'an, the authentic Sunnah, the consensus of the Sahabah, the unanimous position of the four imams, and the explicit fatwas of the great scholars of Ahlus-Sunnah (Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, Ibn Baz, Al-Albani, Ibn 'Uthaymin, al-Fawzan), the ruling is clear:
All musical instruments are haram. All singing that is accompanied by musical instruments is haram. Listening to music is haram. Selling, buying, teaching, and playing musical instruments are haram. The only exception is the simple daff (without rings) used by women on 'Eid and at weddings, and this exception does not extend to men or to other occasions.
The Muslim who fears Allah and desires the Hereafter should abandon music completely. There is no room for compromise on this matter. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ informed us that in the end times, some people will claim to permit musical instruments. We are living in those times. Do not be among them. Be among those who follow the evidence, not their desires.
And Allah knows best. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, his family, his Companions, and all who follow them in truth until the Day of Judgement.
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