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:

Dear brothers, Asalaamualykum,

Is it permissible to listen to Nasheeds considering that they some may be prone to exaggerations (not to say that most are and even if they are, how would a regular person know)?

How about the nasheeds that are shown regularly on PTV?

Jazaka`Allah khair for your good work

your bro

(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:

Listen to naat nasheeds

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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

To the best of our knowledge what we know as ‘naats’ or ‘nasheeds’ today was not at all practiced or prevalent in the times of the Messenger of Allah (saws), nor in the times of the early generations of muslims after the death of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

If one wishes to say phrases in the praise of the Last Messenger of Allah (saws), then the absolute best thing to do is recite the ‘durood’ or salutation upon the Noble Prophet (saws)…..and rest absolutely assured, that there is no better ‘naat’, ‘nasheed’, etc. than the ‘durood’.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 56:

Allah and His Angels send blessings on the Prophet: O ye that believe! Send ye blessings on him and salute him with all respect.

Abu Mas'ud Al-Ansari reported the following account from Bashir ibn Sa'd: "I asked Prophet (saws) 'O Messenger of Allah (saws), Allah has commanded us to invoke blessings upon you. How should we do it?' The Messenger of Allah (saws) remained silent until we wished we had not asked him. Then he told us to say,

'Allahumma salli 'ala muhammadin wa 'ala ali muhammadin kama sallayta 'ala ali ibrahima, wa barik 'ala muhammadin wa 'ala ali muhammadin kama barakta 'ala ibrahima wa 'ala ali ibrahima; fil 'alamin, innaka hammidum majeed. {Narrated by Muslim.}

(O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You blessed the family of Ibrahim, and give baraka to Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You gave baraka to Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. In all the worlds, You are worthy of Praise and Glorious)

Man is obviously prone to ignorance and exaggeration; one whom he thinks or believes to be a pious individual, at times he raises them to the status reserved for the Prophets! And one whom he believes to be a Prophet, at times he raises them to the status and rank which is reserved for none save the One and Only Incomparable Lord and Creator!

Thus one who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day must be extremely careful to remain within the limits of Islam, and not say or listen to phrases or ‘naats’, ‘nasheeds’, etc. where the ignorant have raised the status of the Noble Prophet (saws) to that of Allah Subhanah, or raise the attributes of the Prophet (saws) to the Exclusive Attributes of Allah Subhanah.

Some ‘naats’ and ‘nasheeds’ are indeed good and within the limits, but some ignorant people at times say and manufacture things about the Prophet (saws), which raise him (saws) to the Attributes which belong to Allah Subhanah, the Lord of the Worlds, Alone. Such ‘naats’ and ‘nasheeds’ should be strictly avoided by the believers.

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