A Great Piece of Advice to the Men and Women who Listen to Music – Imam Ibn Baaz

Advising women who listen to musicNur `Ala Al-Darb Program, Tape no. 11

Q: Kindly advise those women who listen to songs.

I advise all men and women not to listen to music, because they bring about evil consequences. Songs are presented on TV, broadcast on the radio, and recorded on cassettes. All Muslim men and women are thus required to beware the evil of these songs. Instead, they should listen to the Qur’an, Hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him) or Islamic lectures which benefit them in this life and the Hereafter.

As for songs and music, their evil is great as they may cause Muslims to deviate from their religion. 

Songs and music may sow seeds of hypocrisy in the heart, at which point one begins to develop a dislike for everything that is good and become fond of every other thing that is evil. This is the true meaning of hypocrisy in addition to its literal meaning of pretending to be a Muslim while concealing Kufr (disbelief). Therefore, music is one of the means that invites to hypocrisy. 

Having the habit of listening to music may lead to hating the recitation of the Qur’an, being heedless of beneficial advice, or listening to Hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him). 

Moreover, one may be deluded into committing obscenities and corruption. 

Thus, it is the duty of faithful men and women to be cautious of evil of songs and music.

Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) states in the Glorious Qur’an:

And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks (i.e. music, singing, etc.) to mislead (men) from the Path of Allâh without knowledge, and takes it (the Path of Allâh, or the Verses of the Qur’ân) by way of mockery. For such there will be a humiliating torment (in the Hell-fire). (Surah Luqman, 31: 6)

And when Our Verses (of the Qur’ân) are recited to such a one, he turns away in pride, as if he heard them not – as if there were deafness in his ear. So announce to him a painful torment. (Surah Luqman, 31: 7)

Commentators of the Qur’an interpret “idol talk” to mean singing and it is equally applied to every sound produced by musical instruments and diversions. This is the view held by most scholars of the Qur’an (may Allah have mercy on them).

Commenting on the above Ayah (Qur’anic verse), `Abdullah Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) swore: 

“By Allah! The reference in this Ayah is to singing.” 

He would swear and say: 

“Singing causes the seeds of hypocrisy to grow in the heart like water causes seeds of plants to grow.” 

This means that singing causes one to hate good and to love evil; to hate listening to the Qur’an and to love songs and diversion and other things of the sort. This is a type of hypocrisy.

A hypocrite pretends to be associated with Islam. He pretends to be a believer while in fact he conceals Kufr. He pretends to love the Qur’an while in fact he does not. Music causes one to hate listening to the Qur’an or listening to someone calling to the way of Allah. It encourages the love of falsehood, speaking evil and obscene words. It not only causes the heart to deviate from the straight path but also to develop a fondness for what Allah (Glorified be He) has declared prohibited. 

This has been proven by experience. Those who are in close contact with singers know how corrupt and spoiled they are because of their love of music and song. This brings about great evil to those who are accustomed to it. There is no power or might except with Allah.

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