Which one do you prefer, listening to the song from Maher zain or Black Pink? Or do you prefer Yusuf Kahfi or Metallica? The debate among Muslims about the permissible of listening to music with so many types of kinds of music is happening since a long time ago. As a piece of art, music becomes one of the artificial things that so many people love to express their emotions.
In Islam, we know about the Qira’at as the expression to interpret reading the Quran beautifully. Many scholars agreed that this kind of art such as Qira’at and the call of prayer time is permissible to do. In some regions, people also using the song to make the easier way to get the benefit of learning Asmaul Husna.
So, are there any reasons why some scholars argue that music is forbidden in Islam? Well, that depends on what intention we have through the music. As human nature, we know that music is someone creatures that written on the art things. That is why we need to appreciate what they made for entertainment purposes.
Basic Rules
There are three strict rules about how music becomes haram or halal in Islam. As it comes from some of the Sufis and scholars, we conclude as three-part of rules. First, music can be halal or permissible to hear or express as long as it does not bring any desire to harm both ourselves and others. For example, when Muslims do the dhikr, it heard as they sang them. So the music is permissible to do in Islam just like they know the importance of dhikr in Islam.
Second, music can be so controversial in some song that made by the expression of the music creator or producers. This includes so many kinds of music that exist in the market. We should wisely choose which one that good whether for us and towards Allah.
And the last, there also some kinds of music that become illegitimate for Muslims. It includes music that contains violent, or at least capable to make us do some violent things. Besides, the music that desirably enough to bring any harm to ourselves and others also becomes illegitimate and strictly haram.
Based on the Quran surah Sad verse 72 below that music is understandably permissible for Muslim.
فَاِذَا سَوَّيْتُهٗ وَنَفَخْتُ فِيْهِ مِنْ رُّوْحِيْ فَقَعُوْا لَهٗ سٰجِدِيْنَ – ٧٢
“Then when I have completed the occurrence and I blow my spirit (creation) to him; then submit you by bowing to him. ” (QS 38:72)
What Should We Do?
The controversy about music becomes a big urge that needs to be a concern. Moreover, for teenagers that love to seek some attention from the internet make music becomes an important rule. Have they preferred the music from Maher Zein or Taylor Swift, it influences their existences?
This time we will bring you into some of the easier ways to appreciate the music without avoiding the Islamic rule on the Quran. To make it haram or halal, permissible or forbidden in Islamic way, that depends on our intention.
1. Choose Wisely
When it comes to listening to some music it is about our preferences. We may love one song about love other than the hardcore, or the opposite. As long as we know that music brings good for us and towards Allah, it is legitimate to listening to it. We need to be more concerned about the importance of praise Allah in Islam.
Based on the values of the Quran surah Luqman verse 6 that mentions there will be someone creating art that can be good art either bad ones.
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَّشْتَرِيْ لَهْوَ الْحَدِيْثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَنْ سَبِيْلِ اللّٰهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍۖ وَّيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوًاۗ اُولٰۤىِٕكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِيْنٌ – ٦
“And among humans (there are) people who use empty speech to mislead (humans) from the path of Allah without the knowledge and make fun of it. They will get a humiliating punishment.” (QS 31:6)
2. Concerning the Content
Sometimes we heard about music that contains harassment or damaged content. Some music is capable to make us feeling desperate about something. The worst of feeling through desperation can damage our faith in Allah.
These kinds of things make us should be more concerned about the music content around us. As mentions in the Quran surah Al Isra verse 64 below that we should be more aware of the voice that surrounding us.
وَاسْتَفْزِزْ مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ مِنْهُمْ بِصَوْتِكَ وَاَجْلِبْ عَلَيْهِمْ بِخَيْلِكَ وَرَجِلِكَ وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِى الْاَمْوَالِ وَالْاَوْلَادِ وَعِدْهُمْۗ وَمَا يَعِدُهُمُ الشَّيْطٰنُ اِلَّا غُرُوْرًا – ٦٤
“And empower whoever among them that you (Satan) can with your voice (which is astonishing), muster your troops against them, who are horseback and who are on foot, and associate with them to treasure and children and make a promise to them. ” Even though the devil was only promising a trick to them.” (QS 17:64).
3. Keep It Legitimate
In so many ways, whether we tried to be wiser for choosing what kind of music we made or we are listening to, we need to remember that everything should keep in a line of legitimacy towards Allah. That becomes part of the how-to-make life easy in Islam for every Muslim.
That is why try to learn the true meaning behind what the Quran says is important. Such as mentions in the Quran surah Al A’raf verse 33 below.
قُلْ اِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالْاِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَاَنْ تُشْرِكُوْا بِاللّٰهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهٖ سُلْطٰنًا وَّاَنْ تَقُوْلُوْا عَلَى اللّٰهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُوْنَ – ٣٣
“Say (Muhammad), “My Lord only prohibits all the heinous actions that are visible and hidden, sinful acts, wrongdoing for no good reason, and (forbid) you associate Allah with something, whereas He did not send down the reasons for that, and (forbid) you talk about Allah what you don’t know. ” (QS 7:33)
So, there are some tips on how we should face the music content in an Islamic way easily. Whoever said that music is haram, let them be. Because it depends on the content behind it. So, be wiser to choose the music you made or you are listening to. May Allah will give His mercy on us.