Is Music Haram In Islam? Can Muslims Listen Music

Is Music Haram In Islam? Can Muslims Listen Music: the short answer is that scholars differ, and the difference is real and long-standing. The majority position among classical scholars is that musical instruments are forbidden, based on a hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari and on interpretations of a verse of Surah Luqman. A minority of scholars, including some early and modern scholars, have held that music is not in itself forbidden, or that the prohibition is limited to music accompanied by sinful content or contexts. This post explains both positions, with their evidences attributed to their sources, so readers can understand the debate and ask a qualified scholar for personal guidance. It is an educational explainer, not a fatwa.

Key Points: The majority scholarly position holds musical instruments to be forbidden, citing Sahih al-Bukhari 5590 and interpretations of Luqman 31:6. A minority position disagrees, arguing that no Qur’an verse explicitly names music and that some reports about the Prophet’s time involve permissible singing, such as the duff at weddings. The two positions differ mainly over instruments, the strength and interpretation of the hadith evidence, and the role of lyrical content and context. For personal practice, follow a qualified scholar you trust and avoid music that promotes wrongdoing or distracts from worship.

What Is the Majority Scholarly Position on Music?

The majority position, held by the four Sunni schools of law in their classical formulations, is that listening to musical instruments is forbidden. This is the position associated with scholars such as Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim and al-Nawawi, among others, and it remains the dominant view in most traditional teaching. Its supporters point to a hadith and to a Qur’anic interpretation, explained below, and they also note the concern that music can distract from remembrance of Allah, encourage immoral behaviour, or accompany drinking and other sins.

What Evidence Do Supporters of Prohibition Cite?

The most cited hadith is in Sahih al-Bukhari, hadith 5590, in which the Prophet, peace be upon him, is reported to have said that among his nation there will be people who make lawful adultery, silk, wine and musical instruments. Supporters of prohibition read this as placing musical instruments alongside clearly forbidden things, and they argue that the hadith’s warning only makes sense if instruments are forbidden. They also cite Surah Luqman, verse 6, which speaks of those who purchase idle talk to mislead others from the path of Allah. Companions such as Ibn Mas’ud and Ibn Abbas, and later commentators, are reported to have interpreted idle talk in this verse as including singing and music, although other commentators interpret it more generally as any distracting false speech.

What Is the Minority Differing View?

The minority view, associated with scholars such as Ibn Hazm in his work Al-Muhalla, and with some modern scholars including Yusuf al-Qaradawi in his discussion of the issue, holds that music is not forbidden in itself. Its supporters argue that no verse of the Qur’an explicitly forbids music by name, that the hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari 5590 is debated in its chain and in whether it refers to instruments alone or to instruments combined with the other sins listed, and that authentic reports show singing with the duff on Eid and at weddings in the Prophet’s presence without prohibition. On this view, the ruling depends on content and context: music that is obscene, promotes wrongdoing, or leads a person away from obligations is forbidden because of that content or effect, while other music is permissible.

How Do Scholars Differ on Singing, the Duff and Nasheeds?

Even scholars who forbid most instruments commonly make exceptions. The duff, a hand drum, at weddings and on Eid is widely accepted, based on reports in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, and vocal nasheeds without instruments are generally treated differently from instrumental music. The disagreement therefore centres mainly on instruments beyond the duff, on whether singing with instruments is categorically forbidden, and on how much weight to give to the differing interpretations of the hadith and the Luqman verse. Recognising those distinctions helps avoid the self-contradiction of saying both that all music is forbidden and that nothing forbids it: the debate is about which evidences apply, and to what.

What Practical Conclusion Can a Reader Draw?

Understand the majority position, respect the minority position, and do not present either as the only view held by Muslims. If you follow the majority view, avoid instrumental music and choose vocal nasheeds or silence instead. If you follow a qualified scholar who holds the minority view, still avoid music with immoral lyrics, music that accompanies sin, and any listening that distracts you from prayer, work or family duties. In either case, do not declare other Muslims sinful for following a recognised scholarly position, and for a personal ruling, ask a qualified scholar who knows your situation. This post does not issue a fatwa; it summarises what scholars have said.

Related reading: for guidance on worship in the week, see our guide to 9 things to do before Jumu’ah Friday prayer, and for recitation and remembrance, see our guide to Surah Al-Muzzammil: Meaning, Virtues and Lessons.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources and References: Sahih al-Bukhari; Sahih Muslim; The Holy Qur’an, Surah Luqman; Ibn Taymiyyah; Ibn al-Qayyim; al-Nawawi; Ibn Hazm, Al-Muhalla; Yusuf al-Qaradawi.