Music in Islam?

deepbeing

I am curious to know the legalities of music under Islam because most websites use too many technical words for me to understand and just leave me even more confused.

-Are we allowed to sing?
-Are we allowed to play instruments?
-Are we allowed to play instruments that are not physical, i.e. via a computer?
-Are we allowed to play instruments during ramadan?
-Are we allowed to listen to instruments during ramadan?

Music is all I know, I am not capable to work in any other fields, I just cannot seem to learn anything maybe it's because of my mental state, if any. Music is all I know. What does Islam say about alternatives for people like me?

Thank you for your support.

the_new_mr

Hi Deepbeing! Welcome to the Islam forum.

This topic has already been discussed on this forum here.

To answer your post quickly, there are three main opinions in Islam. One is that music is completely forbidden. Another is that some kinds of music (drums) and singing is okay and another that all kinds of music is okay. In the second and third opinion, the content of the music/singing has the potential to be forbidden or permissable so its content is important.

I'm of the third opinion and believe that any kind of instrument is okay just as long as the content is okay as well.

So, the answers to your questions in accordance with this third opinion would be:
Yes (if lyrics are okay)
Yes to the four other questions.

And God knows best.

I'm interested in your situation deepbeing. Are you a Muslim or thinking of embracing Islam? I'm guessing from your wording that you are already a Muslim.

What instruments do you play? Do you want to play (or already play) professionally? Sorry if there are too many questions

deepbeing

Thank you for the prompt reply. Yes I am a muslim.. to the best of my ability . I apologise for posting the same topic but I can't seem to understand anything unless it answers my question directly, that's why everything's been miss-leading to me but I'm thankful to have found an open forum with people willing to help so thank you.

I play all instruments really, I don't really have any favourites but I'm liking the saxaphone. Usually the instruments I play are generated via software. When I'm in the studio I just pick a random instrument and start playing, then add kicks, drums and reverbs etc. Then just find the right artist/artists to sing/rap and it all falls together. Do you play any instruments?

It really depends on what your definition of professional is, I don't know the relation between professionalism in music, it's just something you do isn't it? I think most people refer to professionalism as someone who is well-known for their music. I'm not sure about my status, sorry if I'm being difficult lol but all I can say is I have a wide audience but I'm doing it for the music and really do prefer not to be known.

So as a producer, is it permissible to sell beats (instrumentals) or make them for people who are not muslims, who may sing/rap with lyrical content that is not permissible in Islam? I have a limited audience for whom I can produce for and if I can't work with them because of the lyrics they may produce, I'm pretty much out of a job, that's why I was wandering if Islam provides alternatives?

What types of lyrics are NOT permissible in Islam? Could you dumb it down for me please? Some say songs about love are not allowed and some say they are and others say as long as it does not contain any sexual content and to be honest, hearing all these different answers just leaves you in a worsened state. What about talking about one's experience without promoting it?

There are so many questions I could ask but I think people would get tired of listening.

Thanks.

the_new_mr

Hi deepbeing. Sorry for the late reply. Hope Ramadan is going well for you God willing.

Saxaphone eh? Cool. Always think of Lisa Simpson when I hear or read that word Don't play anything but wouldn't mind learning how to play the guitar. Don't think I'm big enough into music really. My taste in music is usually soundtracks, film scores and stuff like that . Pretty sad I know

deepbeing wrote:

It really depends on what your definition of professional is

As far as I know, a professional is someone who does it for a living (their "profession") or at least makes some money from it.

deepbeing wrote:

So as a producer, is it permissible to sell beats (instrumentals) or make them for people who are not muslims, who may sing/rap with lyrical content that is not permissible in Islam? I have a limited audience for whom I can produce for and if I can't work with them because of the lyrics they may produce, I'm pretty much out of a job, that's why I was wandering if Islam provides alternatives?

No idea. I'm not a scholar so I wouldn't want to tell you what's okay or not. I myself aren't sure. I would take a guess and say that if you're sure that they're going to use your beats for bad lyrics then it would not be okay but if you're not sure then it is. Hard to know really. It's a tough one. I don't think it matters if they're Muslim or not though. It's what they're gonna do with it that matters.

Maybe you can use your talents with nasheed artists (music promoting good spirits for Muslims and stuff) and thereby get a reward from God for it as well. MECCA2MEDINA are one band I know of. Don't know much about them mind you but I hear they're not bad.

deepbeing wrote:

What types of lyrics are NOT permissible in Islam? Could you dumb it down for me please? Some say songs about love are not allowed and some say they are and others say as long as it does not contain any sexual content and to be honest, hearing all these different answers just leaves you in a worsened state. What about talking about one's experience without promoting it?

There's a lot of discussion about this. For sure, no sexual descriptions of any kind are okay.

As for love, that's another tough one. On the one hand, you can say that since love is a human feeling that is beautiful and, after all, a God given gift then it should be okay to sing about it. On the other hand, singing about love may make someone who can't marry (such as a young teen or just someone who isn't married) feel like they need it to the extent that they go and search for it by means which are not okay. Very very difficult question to answer. Think you'd better keep searching for an answer on that one. Have you tried asking someone at islamonline.net? Perhaps you could read that book I mentioned? "Diversion and Arts in Islam" by Yusuf Al-Qaradawi and it may help your heart to find the guidance. May Allah guide to what is right and steer you away from what is wrong.

deepbeing wrote:

There are so many questions I could ask but I think people would get tired of listening.

Well, like I said, I'm not a scholar (and neither is anyone else here as far as I know). Ask away though and maybe we can direct you somewhere.