This text pertains to the subjects of “Islam and Fine Arts” and “Islam and Music”. However, it was written in the light of various discussions by Javed Ahmed Ghamidi.
Human beings have been created by Allah Almighty in the best of forms. Therefore, the pursuit of beauty and excellence in thought and action is an essential demand of their creation. This is why they seek goodness over evil and yearn for virtues in contrast to vices. Instead of hatred, lies, oppression, and injustice, they are inclined towards sincerity and love, truth and purity, and justice and fairness. They long for light instead of darkness, fragrance instead of stench, and beauty instead of ugliness. The evolution of civilization and culture is, in fact, a story of the search for beauty and excellence. Every word of it reveals that humanity has always chosen the best.
For growth and development, he required nourishment. He could have fulfilled this need with thorns, dry grass, and simple greens, yet he adorned the dining table with a variety of delicious foods. Covering oneself was a demand of his modesty; this could have been achieved by wearing coarse cloths and simple wraps, but he chose silk, fine fabrics, and luxurious textiles. To inhabit, he needed a dwelling, which could have been arranged in forests and deserts through caves, tents, and huts, yet he established cities and decorated them with magnificent palaces. In social interactions, he needed to communicate his intent. If not through gestures, then even simple speech could have sufficed, yet he developed such modes of expression that the language evolved into the form of poetry and literature.
From the history of mankind, it is evident that it is in his nature to be inclined towards beauty and goodness in his every action. His external and internal senses and their requirements are a reflection of his aesthetic taste. It is his sense of beauty that he adorns and embellishes his surroundings and transforms his thoughts into images. It is his eloquence that he arranges words and creates poetry with the influence of their rhythm and meanings. It is his auditory beauty that he introduces emotion and melody into sound, and composes tunes and notes from its highs and lows. Additionally, it is his auditory appreciation that he is enchanted by the sounds of his environment and creates instruments to preserve them. Music, in essence, is the collective expression of his auditory art and auditory appreciation. Thus, it satiates his aesthetic sense and provides pleasure and delight for his inner self.
Music is a legitimate expression of human nature, therefore, there is no doubt about its permissibility. However, it is generally perceived that Islamic law deems it forbidden. In our view, there is no basis for this perception in the Shariah. In matters of permissibility or prohibition within the religion, decisive authority belongs solely to the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Without their sanction, no addition or alteration can be made to the Shariah’s list of lawful and unlawful things. Hence, true faith demands that whatever matters they declare permissible be accepted with complete openness of heart as permissible, and for those matters they declare impermissible, no attempt whatsoever should be made to seek justification for them in thought or practice.
In order to understand the religious perspective on any matter, the method adopted by scholars is to first consult the definitive sources of the Shariah, namely the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Thereafter, the narrations attributed to the Prophet (PBUH), recorded in the books of hadith, are critically examined. If narrations related to the subject are found, guidance is sought from them in the light of established principles of reason and transmitted knowledge. When necessary, the ancient revealed scriptures are also studied, and the transmitted reports of the noble Companions are likewise reviewed. Finally, the commentaries and explanations of both earlier and later scholars of the Qur’an, hadith, and jurisprudence are carefully analyzed.
According to this methodology, when we consult different sources regarding music, we find that in the Qur’an, music is neither directly nor indirectly prohibited in any manner. In the list of Sunnah, there is no mention of such an action that could form the basis for the prohibition of music.
In the corpus of hadith, there are numerous narrations of the degree of Sahih and Hasan that indicate the permissibility of music and musical instruments. Narrations prohibiting them also exist, but most of these have been classified as weak by the scholars of hadith. However, the content of these narrations suggests that the reason for their prohibition is due to some forms being associated with alcohol, immorality, and certain other ethical vices.
In the ancient scriptures, it is clearly stated in the Bible that Prophet David (PBUH) had a very melodious voice and praised God through musical instruments. The book revealed to him, Psalms, is a collection of those divine songs that he sang with the harp.
Among the reports from the noble Companions, narrations reflecting both approval and disapproval are found. As for the work of scholars and researchers, some of them, following the method of tafsīr bil-ma’thūr (interpretation based on transmitted reports), have identified certain words in the Qur’an as referring to music, and on that basis, have expressed a tendency toward considering music as prohibited and morally blameworthy. However, hadith scholars regard most of the narrations concerning the prohibition of music as weak. In this regard, the viewpoint of some scholars is that there is not a single narration in the collections of hadith which can be classified as sahih (authentic) on the subject.
The majority of esteemed jurists declare the prohibition of music. The basis of their argument, generally, are the same narrations that hadith scholars have deemed weak.
Therefore, our perspective on this subject is that music is among the permissible aspects of nature. Islamic Shariah does not declare it as forbidden. People, if they wish, can use the art of music in genres such as hymns, praise, ghazals, songs, or other genres of poetry like elegy, comedy, and epic.
In those genres of poetry and literature where themes such as polytheism, atheism, and moral depravity—subjects that corrupt the human soul—are found, they are undoubtedly reprehensible and vile. The reason for such vileness, evidently, lies in the nature of the content itself. If the subject matter, from the perspective of religion and morality, is legitimate, then all its means of expression—whether in the form of poetry, prose, speeches, writings, vocal performance, or music—are permissible. However, if any moral flaw is present in the content, then the specific mediums that convey it will necessarily be deemed frivolous and objectionable.
For instance, if a naat (poetry in praise of the Prophet Muhammad) contains polytheistic themes in its verses, the poetry of that naat will be considered inappropriate, but the genre of naat itself will not be deemed incorrect. Similarly, if a song contains obscene poetry, it will be the verses that are deemed reprehensible, not the genre of poetry and song itself. However, if at any point an ethical vice becomes inherently associated with a permissible thing, it can temporarily be declared forbidden under the principle of sad-e-zariya (blocking the means).