The North Dublin Mus-lim School debacle has highlighted a number of concerns that have been typically unaddressed by those who claim to represent Muslims in Ireland. It is my determination that silence simply breeds suspicion and misunderstanding, and in an effort to offset any undue negativity, I’d like to explain the issue of music in Islam, and why practicing Muslims actively shun it.
Protagonists often point to the apparent silence in the Qur’an as a means of justifying music. However, far from being silent the Qur’an tells us in no uncertain terms to obey “Allah and His Messenger” (An-Nisaa 4:13) for “whoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah” (An-Nisaa 4:80).
The righteous Muslim therefore understands that true obedience to Allah is of necessity determined by obedience to His messengers – “Obey Allah and obey the Messenger. If you should turn away, he is only responsible for what he is charged with and you are responsible for what you are charged with. If you obey him, you will be guided” (An-Nur 24:54). Therefore, a proper understanding of the issue concerning music necessarily includes what Allah’s Messenger said on the subject.
In Hadeeth literature, the ahadith (plural for narrations) are numerous and for the purposes of this short article, we will limit ourselves to only a few. The Prophet (may Allah bless him) said: “There will be [at some future time] people from my Ummah [community of Muslims] who will seek to make lawful: fornication, the wearing of silk, wine-drinking and the use of musical instruments (ma’azif)”.
Al Kanadi, in his book Music and Singing in Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah, states: “The word ma’azif – according to correct Arabic usage – indicates a specific number of things: a) musical instruments; b) the sounds of those musical instruments (music); and c) singing to instrumental accompaniment”. He continues: “Obviously, one can only seek, desire or attempt to make lawful that which is not lawful.” The basic import is that people will seek to make lawful that which Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful.
A few more narrations recorded in Ahmad’s Musnad collection of ahadith read as follows: “The Prophet (may Allah bless him) said: ‘Verily, Allah prohibited wine, gambling and al-koobah, and every intoxicant is prohibited. Sufyan said: ‘I asked the narrator, Ali bin Badheemah, “What is al-koobah?” He answered, “It is the drum.” Also, Allah’s Messenger (may Allah bless him) said: ‘Verily, Allah has prohibited for my Ummah: wine, gambling, a drink distilled from corn, the drum and the lute while He supplemented me with another prayer, the witr.’”
From these few narrations, along with implicit verses in the Qur’an, scholars of Islam have determined that music is strictly forbidden. It would be wrong, however, to think that such forbiddance is unique to Islam. Early Christians also shunned music, and the first recorded instrument introduced into the church in 620 caused much consternation. Indeed, there are many Christian Churches to this day that refuse to use instruments.
The benefit of music in the education of children is a grey area, and existing evidence is far from conclusive. At best, it can be useful in passing on important aspects of a culture, but music isn’t part of the Muslim culture – and that’s where it gets complicated.
Where there is an obvious mismatch between curriculum dictates and a school ethos, it behoves the board of management and the Department of Education to promote the concept of culturally responsible pedagogy.
Liam Egan is South East branch manager with MPACIE (Muslim Public Affairs Committee Ireland), a sister concern of the UK Muslim advocacy group MPACUK.
