Is Music Permissible in Islam?
The majority of classical scholars prohibited musical instruments, citing the hadith in al-Bukhari on those who consider them lawful. A minority permitted them subject to conditions. The subject is genuinely disputed and should be discussed as such.
This comes up often enough that it is worth setting out the evidence rather than only the conclusion.
The evidence
The main evidence for prohibition is the hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari (5590) describing people who consider illicit relations, silk, wine and musical instruments lawful.
Those permitting it, including Ibn Hazm, questioned that narration’s chain — an objection Ibn Hajar answered at length in Fath al-Bari, concluding the chain is connected.
All sides agree that the duff was permitted at weddings and celebrations, and that content promoting sin is prohibited regardless of instrumentation.
In practice
- Follow a qualified scholar you trust rather than assembling a position from fragments.
- The content of what is listened to is agreed upon even where the instrument is disputed.
- Do not treat those who follow the other view as sinners; this is a recognised area of disagreement.
The measure of an article like this is whether anything about tomorrow is different. Choose the one line that applies to you.
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