[Q 374] Earnings from Playing Music at Events

Question

A person plays musical instruments like dholki (drum), guitar, bansuri (flute), and other musical instruments in singing and qawwali programs and takes money for it. What is the ruling on this act, and what is the ruling on taking wages for it?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

Playing instruments such as the dholki (drum), guitar, bansuri (flute), and similar musical instruments is totally impermissible and Haram (forbidden). These actions lead towards the Hell-fire.

In the noble Ahadith (Prophetic narrations), there are severe warnings for those who engage in such activities.

In one Hadith, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم said: “There will be people in my Ummah who will consider alcohol and musical instruments as lawful; Allah will cause them to be swallowed up by the earth.”

In another place, when explaining the purpose of his mission, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم said: “I have been sent to break the Ma’azif and Mazameer (names of musical instruments).”

There are numerous other Ahadith on this subject. Therefore, it is obligatory to avoid these forbidden matters and engage in actions that please Allah Almighty.

Furthermore, earning money from such work is also impermissible and Haram, as it involves engaging in sinful acts, which are not lawful in Islamic Law.

It is obligatory for the person who has taken wages from such activities to return the money to those from whom he received it, and if they are not present, then the money is to be given to their inheritors. If their whereabouts can not be determined, then the sinful and impure money is to be given to a Muslim who meets the standard of poor according to Islamic Law. The individual must also repent from this disgraceful act.

Allah Almighty says in the Qur’an:

“وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ یَّشْتَرِیْ لَهْوَ الْحَدِیْثِ لِیُضِلَّ عَنْ سَبِیْلِ اللهِ بِغَیْرِ عِلْمٍ وَّیَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوًا اُولٰٓئكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِیْنٌ”

Translation from Kanz ul Irfan: “And some people buy words of amusement (i.e. fake stories, music, etc.) in order to mislead (others) from Allah’s path without understanding, and to make fun of it (i.e. the verses); for them is a disgraceful punishment”.

(Al-Qur’an, Surah Luqman, Ayah 6, Parah 21)

Regarding this verse, it is mentioned in Tafsir Ibn Kathir:

عطف بذکر حال الأشقیاء الذین أعرضوا عن الإنتفاع بسماع کلام اللہ وأقبلوا علی استماع المزامیر والغناء بالإلحان وألات الطرب، کما قال ابن مسعود فی قولہ تعالی: ﴿وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ یَّشْتَرِیْ لَهْوَ الْحَدِیْثِ﴾ قال: ھو واللہ الغناء ۔۔۔ قال الحسن البصری: أنزلت ھذہ الأیۃ: ﴿وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ یَّشْتَرِیْ لَهْوَ الْحَدِیْثِ﴾ فی الغناء والمزامیر

Translation: After mentioning the conditions of the righteous, the verse begins to describe the wretched ones who turned away from benefiting and listening to Allah’s Speech and instead indulged in listening to melodies, songs, and musical instruments. As Ibn Mas’ud رضي الله تعالى عنه said regarding the verse, “By Allah, this refers to music.” Imam Hasan al-Basri رحمۃ اللہ تعالی علیہ stated that this verse was revealed concerning music and musical instruments.

(Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Vol. 6, Pg. 330-331, Dar-ul-Taybah, Beirut)

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم also said regarding the prohibition of musical instruments:

“إن اللہ تعالی بعثنی رحمۃ للعالمین وھدی للعالمین وأمرنی ربی عزوجل بمحق المعازف والمزامیر”

Translation: “Verily, Allah has sent me as a mercy to the worlds and a guide to the worlds, and my Lord has commanded me to destroy musical instruments.”

(Musnad Imam Ahmad, Vol. 36, Pg. 646, Mu’assasah al-Risalah, Beirut)

In several collections of Ahadith, including Sahih Bukhari, Sunan Abi Dawud, Sunan Ibn Majah, Jami’ al-Kabir, Musnad Ahmad, and Mishkat al-Masabih, it is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Malik al-Ash’ari رضي الله تعالى عنه that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم said (as narrated in Ibn Majah):

“لیشربن ناس من أمتی الخمر یسمونھا بغیر اسمھا، یعزف علی رؤوسھم بالمعازف والمغنیات، یخسف اللہ بھم الأرض “

Translation: “Some people from my Ummah will drink alcohol, calling it other names, while music and singing will be played over their heads; Allah will cause the earth to swallow them up.”

(Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 3, Chapter on Punishments, Pg. 575, Hadith No. 4050, Dar-ul-Tafasil, Beirut)

Similarly, Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani رحمۃ اللہ تعالی علیہ said:

“عن ابن عباس رضی اللہ تعالی عنہ قال: الکوبۃ حرام، والدف حرام، والمعازف حرام، والمزامیر حرام”

Translation: Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas رضي الله تعالى عنه said: “Drums, tambourines, musical instruments, and flutes are all Haram.”

(Al-Matalib al-‘Aliyah, Vol. 10, Chapter on Judgments and Testimonies, Pg. 230, Dar-ul-Asimah, Saudi Arabia)

In Al-Hidayah, it is stated:

“أن الملاھی کلھا حرام حتی التغنی بضرب القضیب”

Translation: “All instruments of entertainment are Haram, even producing musical sounds by hitting a stick.”

(Al-Hidayah, Vol. 7, Chapter on Eating and Drinking, Pg. 187, Karachi)

In Radd-ul-Muhtar, it is mentioned:

“(وکرہ کل لھو) لقولہ علیہ الصلاۃ والسلام: کل لھو المسلم حرام إلا ثلاثۃ”

Under this statement, Allamah Ibn Abidin رحمۃ اللہ تعالی علیہ writes:

والإطلاق شامل لنفس الفعل واستماعہ کالرقص والسخریۃ والتصفیق وضرب الأوتار من الطنبور والبربط والرباب والقانون والمزمار والصنج والبوق، فإنھا کلھا مکروھۃ لأنھا زی الکفار، واستماع ضرب الدف والمزمار وغیر ذلک حرام

(Radd al-Muhtar, Vol. 9, Pg. 567, Dar – al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut)

Imam Ahl-e-Sunnat, Imam Ahmad Rida Khan رحمۃ اللہ تعالی علیہ writes in Fatawa Ridawiyyah:

“Mazameer (musical instruments) and similar forms of entertainment, for the purpose of amusement, are undoubtedly Haram… There is no doubt in the sin of listening to them and playing them, and it is a major sin if persisted upon.”

(Fatawa Ridawiyyah, Vol. 24, Pg. 78, Raza Foundation, Lahore)

Engaging in contracts for sinful work is impermissible, as stated in Al-Hidayah:

“ولا یجوز الاستیجار علی الغناء والنوح وکذا سائر الملاھی لأنہ استیجار علی المعصیۃ، والمعصیۃ لا تستحق بالعقد”

(Al-Hidayah, Vol. 6, Chapter on Invalid Contracts, Page 297, Karachi)

Regarding the wages received from Haram acts, Allamah Ibn Abidin رحمۃ اللہ تعالی علیہ writes:

“إمرأۃ نائحۃ أو صاحبۃ طبل أو زمر اکتسبت مالا ردتہ علی أربابہ إن علموا وإلا تتصدق”

(Radd al-Muhtar, Vol. 9, Chapter on Invalid Contracts, Pg. 75, Dar – al-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut)

The Imam of Ahl-ul-Sunnah, Imam Ahmad Rida Khan علیہ رحمۃ الرحمن further writes:

“A person possessing Haram wealth is instructed to return it to the one from whom it was taken. If that person is no longer present, it is to be given to their inheritors. If their whereabouts are unknown, the money is to be given to the poor. This act is not out of charity, mercy, or kindness but because one is forbidden from using impure wealth. Therefore, giving it to the poor is necessary to rid oneself of the impure wealth and to complete one’s repentance.”

(Fatawa Ridawiyyah, Vol. 17, Pg. 352, Raza Foundation Lahore)

Answered by: Mufti Sajid Attari

Translated answer