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:

Hello, brother
i have been playing guitar for about a year, and i am 15 years old. I heard that playing guitar was haraam. But my dream was to be a hafiz and to make music telling about Allah (SWT) and the right path. Please help me, because this is something im serious about pursuing for the rest of my life, and i need to know whether i can do it or not. Also, if playing guitar and singing infront of people is not allowed, even if i sing about not doing haraam acts and make clear that i dont do anything that was associated with "string" instruments at the time of the Prophet when he declared it haraam, like prostitutes or drugs. thank you 

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Answer:

Guitar and hafiz

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.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 7.494B Narrated by Abu Amir

that he heard the Prophet (saws) saying, "From among my followers there will be some people who will consider illegal sexual intercourse, the wearing of silk, the drinking of alcoholic drinks and the use of musical instruments, as lawful.”

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 3153 Narrated by Muhammad ibn Hatib al-Jumahi

The Prophet (saws) said, "The distinction between what is lawful and what is unlawful is the song and the tambourine at a wedding."

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4909 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud

I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: ‘Singing produces hypocrisy in the hearts’.

Beloved sister in Islam, if one takes ‘music’ to mean the melodious sound of the Muaddin while calling to prayer, or the beautiful sound of the ‘Qari’ when he recites the Holy Quran, or the musical sound of the ‘daff’ (tambourine) that is played to celebrate one’s wedding, or the tunes of chorus sung by the mujahideen, etc.; these are not only permitted, these types of music are absolutely encouraged in Islam.

Thus, ‘music’ per se is not forbidden in Islam; what is indeed forbidden in Islam is the illegal string music which is so rampant in movies, television, radios, etc. which encourage ‘fahisha’ and indecency.

If one looks around the society we live in today, one would notice that conventional ‘music’ is related to almost every place that encourages ‘fahisha’ or indecency; and it is this concept of ‘fahisha’ and indecency that Allah has strictly declared haraam for the believers. The principle in Islam is that every road that leads to the forbidden is also forbidden; and as illegal conventional ‘music’ is an accomplice to and leads or encourages ‘fahisha’ and indecency, it too would be considered forbidden.

Your Question: i have been playing guitar for about a year, and i am 15 years old. I heard that playing guitar was haraam. But my dream was to be a hafiz and to make music telling about Allah (SWT) and the right path. Please help me, because this is something im serious about pursuing for the rest of my life, and i need to know whether i can do it or not.

Beloved brother, a guitar would constitute a ‘stringed-musical’ instrument, thus its playing or listening would not be lawful or permissible in Islam.

There is absolutely no harm if one wishes to invoke the fear of Allah into people by the medium of songs; but it would not be permissible to sing these songs accompanied by unlawful music.

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (saws) said, "O people, Allah is Good and He, therefore, accepts only that which is good.”

Related by Muslim and Ahmed.

As much as inviting people to the Right Path of Allah is good, such good would not be accepted by Allah Subhanah if something which He has described as unlawful is utilized for its purpose. Just as Allah Subhanah does not accept the charity from stolen or unlawfully accumulated wealth, the act of inviting people to the Path of Allah by using unlawful musical instruments would not be acceptable to Him.

Beloved brother, it is indeed a noble intention you have made to work in the Cause of Allah Subhanah, and may Allah Subhanah bless your intention and bring it to fruitation. Although there are other ways to invite people to the Path of Allah than singing, but if you wish to invite people through your songs, you need to make sure that the boundaries of Allah are honored, if indeed you desire that Allah Subhanah accept your efforts and reward you for your striving in His Cause.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan