Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Are songs haram in islam becuase i have read in SHai bukhari a hadit where it says that MUHAMMAD(PBUH) didn;t stoped two girls from singing the song of battle of Bauth while Abu BAkar was angry at that. 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Are Songs legal or illegal

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Songs or singing per se is not at all forbidden in Islam; in fact some of singing are considered virtues and a means of earning rewards from Allah Subhanah!

The melodious sound and chanting of the Muazzin while calling to prayer (adhaan), or the beautiful sound of the ‘Qari’ when he recites the Holy Quran, or the tunes of chorus sung by the mujahideen, etc.: these are not only permitted, these are considered virtues and a means of getting a huge rewards from Allah Subhanah.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 1464 Narrated by Sa'd ibn AbuWaqqas

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: ‘He who does not chant the Qur'an is not one of us.’

Thus it is not the songs or the singing per se which are prohibited in Islam, but it is the contents of the song which will determine whether it is permissible or prohibited. The songs that are forbidden in Islam are the ‘impure’ poetry and songs which facilitate ‘shirk’, ‘faheshaa’ and indecency. The contemporary music and songs which are so rampant in movies, television, radios, etc. which encourage indecency, is definitely forbidden.

But if one writes poetry in the Praise of Allah and sings it in a melodious voice, or even if one writes poetry of love and sings them to his wife, and there is no indecency in the wordings, etc. there is no harm. Even the playing of the ‘daff’ (a circular drum type instrument played by the hand) at special occasions like marriage, etc. was allowed by the Messenger of Allah (saws) in Islam.

Every word has a specific meaning and connotation in the spoken language, and when we use the term ‘music’ or ‘songs’ it is understood to mean the music that we hear today on the radio and televisions. If one takes music to mean the pure music, like the melody of the adhaan, or the recitation of the Quran, or the music made by the ‘daff’, or the music created by nature, these are absolutely legal in Islam.

Your Statement: i have read in SHai bukhari a hadit where it says that MUHAMMAD(PBUH) didn;t stoped two girls from singing the song of battle of Bauth while Abu BAkar was angry at that. 

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.70 Narrated by Aisha

Allah's Messenger (saws) came to my house while two girls were singing beside me the songs of Buath (a story about the war between the two tribes of the Ansar, the Khazraj and the Aus, before Islam). The Prophet (saws) laid down and turned his face to the other side. Then Abu Bakr came and spoke to me harshly saying, "Musical instruments of the Shaytaan near the Prophet (saws)?" Allah's Messenger (saws) turned his face towards him and said, "Leave them." When Abu Bakr became inattentive, I signaled to those girls to go out and they left. It was the day of 'Id, and the black people were playing with shields and spears; so either I requested the Prophet (saws) or he asked me whether I would like to see the display. I replied in the affirmative. Then the Prophet (saws) made me stand behind him and my cheek was touching his cheek and he (saws) was saying, "Carry on! O Bani Arfida," till I got tired. The Prophet (saws) asked me, "Are you satisfied (Is that sufficient for you)?" I replied in the affirmative and he (saws) told me to leave.

The above narration is indeed considered authentic by the scholars of hadith. The Messenger of Allah (saws) indeed allowed the girls to sing the songs of Buath in his blessed presence, and it is evident that there was no encouragement of shirk or indecency in those songs of war.

Thus in conclusion, it is not the singing or chanting in itself but rather the contents of the song which determine whether it is lawful or unlawful.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan