Just to ponder on this interesting exceprt :
Quote,
"The attitude toward music [in the world of Islam] has always been ambivalent, as expressed in a series of contradictory feelings and concepts: predilection and mistrust; divine-devilish; exalting-disruptive; admissible-prohibited". Views about the admissibility of music, or sound art, in the world of Islam run the gamut from complete negation to complete acceptance, even of dance. Many Muslims fear the "magical," intoxicating powers of music and prohibit it as a tool of the devil. Other Muslims, however, find music inspiring and entirely spiritual. Most Muslims fall somewhere in between these poles, restricting the practice of 'handasah al sawt' to some degree but allowing it in various controlled forms.
- As for the Qur'an, nothing of it deals explicitly with the topic of music, though legalists and religious authorities have recourse to a couple verses that they believe have implications on the role of music. Opponents of music claim that "diverting talk" in verse XXXI:5, refers to music: "There are some men who buy diverting talk to lead astray from the way of God". Those who approve of music, however, claim verse XXXV:1, refers to a "beautiful voice": "He increases in His creatures that which He wills," and that verses XXXIX:17-18 refer to singing: "So give good tidings to my servants who listen to al-qawl (the spoken word) and follow the fairest of it".
These Qur'anic arguments are somewhat far-fetched, though, with no explicit mention of music.
- Stronger support for or against music can be found in the hadith writings, which describe the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad. One hadith that is often used to defend the use of music is the story of two young girls performing song to a drum in Muhammad's wife A'isha's house. When Abu Bakr (later the first Muslim caliph) rebukes the girls for singing, Muhammad responds to "Let them alone". However, this same hadith is also used by Muslims to oppose the use of music: Abu Bakr had called the above singing "mizmar al-shaytan," or reed-pipe of satan and Ibn Umar had once seen Muhammad plug his ears when he heard the sound of mizmar. The hadith literature, then, like the Qur'an, fails to come to any definite conclusions regarding the role of music in Islam. " Unquote
When I was in my secondary school (some 30 years ago), I liked some 'cool' (teenage perspective) songs such as 'Hotel California' & 'Desperado' & 'New Kid in Town' by the Eagles and also 'I Was Only Joking' etc by Rod Stewart and many more. (ha ha ha, confession time). By the time I went into high school, I was in touch with a wider perspective of Islam and dakwah, I kinda abandoned my affinity to such songs. Life was full of idealism during students years and that's natural. Sometimes such idealism compeled me to see things in black and white, no grey.
When I have teenager children, I realized that Muslim parents need some kind of stand to address entertainment issue, particularly in the borderless IT world : internet, mp3, mp4, torrents, youtube & so forth. Our children are facing issues that may challenge their understanding of Islam and their faith, and music/songs is but only one of them. It's not like we take away the TV so that children would not see the evils in it. Music and songs are everywhere. Then I come to realize that, it's the value and understanding of what is right or wrong which is more valuable for our children. We need to equip them with the correct views such as : what kind of music is permissible; what conditions would make music permissible or otherwise; what should be the intention for listening; where one should be able to draw the line between admissible and non-admissible, and many more.
You may call me liberal or moderate (I don't like the terms by the way) or whatever, but I am quite open-minded in this issue of music/song. We may discuss this rationally because our teenagers need our guidance. They cannot wait for too long. I did put forward some views when I was invited as a panelist in a forum about music, organized by muslims in Singapore, 10 years ago. My stand has never changed since.
I like modern 'nasheed' songs by Raihan, Inteam, Brothers, Nowseeheart and many more. I also enjoy songs by P Ramlee esp 'Getaran Jiwa' and many more. The much older nasheed songs by Abu Mazin etc, has special place in my heart coz they remind me of my marriage to my lovely wife during our student days. Nostalgic.
What's the message of the photo this time? "There are many windows for you to see the world. Do not see it through a complicated window (like the one shown). Always see it through the simple window of truth, that of Islam"
