AZislam.com

The Law of Playing Music at a Mosque

Review by : Yuli SE., MM

The law of playing music in the mosque is an interesting topic to discuss, along with the phenomena as well as the development of times. The mosque itself is the best place and most beloved by Allâh Azza wa Jalla on this Earth. It is the place of accumulation of goodness, central obedience, and caution of the believers.

Allah Azza wa Jalla said:

إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ ۖ فَعَسَىٰ أُولَٰئِكَ أَنْ يَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ

“Only those who celebrate the mosques of Allah are those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and establish regular prayers, pay the obligatory charity, and fear not (to anyone) but to Allâh, then they are the people who are expected among the people who got directions.” (Surah At-Taubah 9: 18)

Allâh Azza wa Jalla said:

ذَٰلِكَ وَمَنْ يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِنْ تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ

“And whoever glorifies Allâh’s teachings, then it comes from the taqwa of the heart.” (Surah Al-Hajj 22: 32)

We certainly should take care of our manners and obey the rules when visit the mosque as a holy place. Along with digital and technological developments, we often hear phone ringing inside the mosque. Some even deliberately play music in the area of the mosque. This is an indescribable phenomenon, then how does Islam view this?

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The law of playing music in the mosque, leaving the source of the hadist below then the law is illegal because Islam clearly prohibits music and musical instruments. As in the hadith of Abu Sa’id al-Khudri radhiyallahu anhu, he said:

اعْتَكَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، فَسَمِعَهُمْ يَجْهَرُون بِالْقِرَاءَةِ وَهُوَ فِي قُبَّةٍ لَهُ، فَكَشَفَ السُّتُورَ، وَقَالَ: «إِنَّ كُلَّكُمْ مُنَاجٍ رَبَّهُ فَلَا يُؤْذِيَنَّ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا، وَلَا يَرْفَعَنَّ بَعْضُكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ فِي الْقِرَاءَةِ» ، أَوْ قَالَ: «فِي الصَّلَاةِ

“Rasûlullâh sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam did i’tikaf in the mosque and heard people read Quran in his state at his tent. Then, he unscrewed the curtain and said, “Know that you are all praying to the Lord, then do not part of you to disturb the rest of the others! Do not let some of you uphold the voice over others in reading the Quran – or say: – in prayer.” (HR Ahmad no. 11896 and Abu Dawud no. 1332 and al-Albani’s allegiance in Shahîh al-Jâmi ‘, no. 2639)

Based on the hadith from Abu Malik Al Asy’ari radhiallahu ‘anhu:

لَيَكُونَنَّ مِنْ أُمَّتِي أَقْوَامٌ يَسْتَحِلُّونَ الحِرَ والحريرَ والخَمْرَ والمَعَازِفَ

“The next generation of my Ummah will be permitted to admit zina, silk, khamr, and ma’azif (musical instruments).” (Narrated by Bukhari in mu’allaq with shighah jazm)

Also hadith Amir bin Sa’ad Al Bajali, he said:

دَخَلْتُ عَلَى قُرَظَةَ بْنِ كَعْبٍ، وَأَبِي مَسْعُودٍ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ، فِي عُرْسٍ، وَإِذَا جَوَارٍ يُغَنِّينَ، فَقُلْتُ: أَنْتُمَا صَاحِبَا رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَمِنْ أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ، يُفْعَلُ هَذَا عِنْدَكُمْ؟ فَقَالَ: اجْلِسْ إِنْ شِئْتَ فَاسْمَعْ مَعَنَا، وَإِنْ شِئْتَ اذْهَبْ، قَدْ رُخِّصَ لَنَا فِي اللَّهْوِ عِنْدَ الْعُرْسِ

“I came to a wedding with Qurashah bin Ka’ab and Abu Mas’ud Al Anshari. There the female slaves sing. I said, ‘Both of you are companions of the Prophet sallallaahu’ alaihi wasallam and ahlul badr, you let this happen in front of you?’ They say: ‘Sit back if you want and listen to our song with us, if you do not want to go, we are given a rukhshah to listen to alwaha in the wedding.'” (HR Ibn Maajah 3383, emphasized by Al Albani in Shahih Ibni Maajah)

The impression of this music also applies to those who hear and play it. Playing music in a mosque which is a sacred place and the place of the most beloved of Allah, the law is sinful as how to deal with the disaster in Islam especially if the type of music played is far from the values and views of Islam.

However, there are exceptions where music is allowed to play especially for tambourine instruments as well as the benefits of alhamdulillah. Among the hadiths that allowed duff during the wedding was the hadith of Ar Rubayyi’ bintu Mu’awwidz Radhiallahu’anha, he said:

دخل علي النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم غداة بُنِيَ عَلَيَّ فجلس على فراشي كمجلسك مني وجويريات يضربن بالدف

“The Prophet (ﷺ) came during my wedding. So he sits on my bed as you sit (Khalid bin Dzakwaan) from me. Come on some girls who play/hit duff.” (HR Bukhari 4001)

While the hadith which shows the ability during the feast is the hadith ‘Aisha:

أن أبا بكر رضي الله عنهما دخل عليها وعندها جاريتان في أيام منى تدففان وتضربان والنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم متغش بثوبه فانتهرهما أبو بكر فكشف النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم عن وجهه فقال دعهما يا أبا بكر فإنها أيام عيد وتلك الأيام أيام منى

“Abu Bakr radhiallaahu’anhuma went to meet her ‘Aisha. Beside her, there are two girls on Mina’s day that play duff. The Prophet sallallaahu’alaihi wasallam then covered his face with his shirt. When looking at it, Abu Bakr snapped at both girls. The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then opened his shirt that covered his face and said: “Let them be O Abu Bakr, indeed this day is a feast.” At that time were the days of Mina.” (Narrated by Bukhari 987)

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Having hadiths and the above arguments, then it is clear that playing music in the mosque is illegal. In addition, it is feared that this music will disturb the worship and the reverence of others in the mosque. The essence also departs from the law of the music itself which clearly has been banned by the Prophet. Moreover, for the kind of modern music that is far from the religious values and Islamic teachings.

Therefore after reading this article, we should be more cautious. Well, we do not have to carry a communication tool if it’s not that necessary or silent your phone will do, so it will not disturb the craving of your worship and others.