Question:
Assalamualikum, I really needed some help With this question. A non-Muslim acquaintance if mine hassled me a question which I cannot answer and my reading in the subject hasn’t helped. He is a badminton coach and teaches kids, part of his coaching involves playing music in the background heist training commences. He is saying that Muslim parents are complaining and why is this not allowed as if is just kids coaching?? I said I would look into it and provide an explanation? Can you help Jazakallah
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
We appreciate the sense of curiosity of the non-muslim teacher regarding the prohibition of music in Islam. We also are cognisant of the fact that probably any amount of explanation may not satisfy him as submission to the laws of Islam comes with Imaan and the noor of Imaan which beams from within that brings about satisfaction and contentment with every law of Shari’ah.
If one describes the smell of a rose to someone, no amount of description of the fragrance will aptly describe the actual fragrance of the rose. One will have to smell the rose himself to know the fragrance of the rose.
As non-muslims try to understand some issues of deen from outside Islam, it becomes challenging to satisfy them. Never the less, you may consider presenting the following to him with the introduction of him possibly not being satisfied with the explanation.
Allah is AlHakeem (The All Wise). Every order of Allah is filled with wisdom. Some of which we comprehend and most of which we cannot due to our limited intellect as humans.
Muslims are aware that nothing has been prohibited by Allah except that which is harmful to the welfare of a Muslim individual and the society as a whole. The divine attribute behind the prohibition of music can be comprehended by looking into the diverse influence music can have.
Experiments have confirmed that the music of today is such that it does not only affect the brain, but each and every organ of one`s body. It is also proved that music affect`s one`s emotions, increases arousal in terms of alertness and excitement and also leads to various physiological changes in the person. In a psychology experiment, it was found that listening to moderate type of music increased one`s normal heart beat, whilst listening to rock music the heart beat increased even further, yet people claim that music has no effect.[1]
The messages of today`s music follow a general theme of fornication, drugs and other immoralities.
Islam does not only prohibit adultery and immoralities, but also those things that may lead to them. Music is a cause for arousing illicit desires of an individual. It leads a person to immoral acts. Therefore, Islam takes the preventive measure rather than suffer the consequences.
Moreover, above everything, Shari’ah has explicitly prohibited music, and as Muslims we abide by the commands of Allah and The Prophet Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam without reservation.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Arshad Ali
http://fatwa-tt.com
Trinidad
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
[1] http://www.inter-islam.org/Prohibitions/Mansy_music.htm
