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Sufi Music

A lot of Muslims are confused as to whether Sufi Music is acceptable in Islam or not. In this article I’ll be analyzing whether it is allowed in Islam or not. The messenger of Allah ﷺ has shown us the way to guidance. Whoever abides by that way will find himself in paradise. The Prophet of Allah ﷺ told us the acts of worshiping and the ways of remembering Allah. The scholars have shown the(etiquette) of worship based on the guidance of Prophet of Allah ﷺ. However Satan made some Muslims think it was beautiful to contradict the way of Prophet and try a different way of worship.

Allah says in Quran “Then is one to whom the evil o his deed has been made attractive so he considers it good (like the one rightly guided)? For indeed Allah sends astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. So do not let yourself perish over them in regret. Indeed Allah is all-knowing of what they do.” 35:8 These people made innovations in the act of worship and thought these will soften their hearts and bring them closer to Allah. They would gather in circles in Masaajid and houses and start singing religious nasheeds and poems. They sing to the beat of duff, drums and flutes. When the tune overtakes their heart they start clapping, and screaming. Some on them tear their clothes off. Sufi singing, dancing and beating drums has become a common trend in the most Sufi orders at all their occasions especially when celebrating the birthdays of their great saints. Did the messenger of Allah ﷺ or his companions do any of these acts? Do these acts show humility towards Allah? Allah’s Messenger ﷺ has delivered the message in the best manner.

Prophet of Allah ﷺ said “There is nothing left that brings one closer to paradise and distances one from the hellfire except that it has been shown to you.” (As-Silsilah As-Sahihah no. 1803)

Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said “When one reads extensively through principles of Islam concludes that the act of worship which Allah established and loved cannot be established without a commandment from legislator. As for daily necessary, habits of people the default ruling is that it is not prohibited unless prohibited by Allah and his Messenger ﷺ. This is because the commandments and prohibitions are the laws of Allah and acts of worship must be commanded. If it is not commanded then how can one rule that it is an act of worship? If a habitual act is not prohibited then how can one rule that is prohibited? This is why Imam Ahmed and other scholars of fiqh and Hadeeth used to say that the default ruling in acts of worship is tawqeef (to desist and wait for the proof). Thus acts of worship can only be legislated by Allah. Otherwise we would all be included in this verse ‘Or have they other deities who have ordained for them a religion to which Allah has not commanded?”

The opinion of the Hanafi Scholars Al-Bazzairi Al-Hanafi said “His purpose is to listen to duff and the flute and to entertain himself through dancing which has been innovated by As-Samiri when he extracted from them (the children of Israel) the statue of a calf which made a lowing sound. In Al-Hidayah the author reports ‘the one who sings to people his testimony is to be rejected because he is gathering them upon a major sin.” Al-Qurtubi said “This is because this type of singing and beating with a stick and dancing is prohibited by agreement of Malik, Abu Hanifah, As-Shafi and Ahmed. In Hashiyah At-Tahwai Alal Maraqi it states “As for dancing, clapping, screaming, playing stringed instruments, the cymbal and the horn which is used by some who say it is a part of Sufiism, this is prohibited by consensus , because this is the way of disbelievers.” (vol 2, p.311) The great scholar Al-Alusi said “The singing of the Sufis of our times is prohibited even if it does not contain dancing because it causes countless harm. They often recite poetry that cannot be more despicable. Nonetheless they believe it I an act of worship. They also claim that the more one loves it the more one has the love or fear. May Allah destroy them, how they are deluded.”

The opinion of the Maliki Scholars The scholar of Fiqh and Hadeeth Abu Al-Abbas Diya said “There is no difference of opinion that the innovation of the Sufis are prohibited. Their desires have overtaken their good intentions to the extent that their actions appear to be that of the children and the insane. They dance and sing in unison. Some have reached such a height if shamelessness that they consider their actions to be good deeds, and that they have reached a higher spiritual status. In reality these are the signs of lack of religion. We seek help from Allah.” The great scholar and Judge Abu Bakr At-Tartushi said “News has reached us that a group of our Muslim brothers may Allah grant us all success, have been misguided by Satan who has taken over their minds with the love of songs and beating sounds. They believe that this is a part of religion and that it brings them closer to Allah. This openly opposes the majority of Muslims, the path of believers, scholars and carriers of the religion.” The opinion of the Shafi Scholars Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said “Ash-Shafi said that those who came up with it are the people of irreligion. This is a statement of a Imam who is well aware of the foundation of Islam, for no one liked this type of singing or called for it except the people of irreligion.” (Majmu Al-Farawa vol 11, p570)

The great scholar and Faqih Ash-Shirbini said “As-Subki said lintening to (Sufi singing) as it is well known is evil and a misguidance, and is the action of the ignorant and the devils. Whoever claims that it is an act of worship is lying and has invented a lie about Allah. The person who says that it increases feelings is ignorant or a devil. Whoever says that Allah’s messenger (approved of this singing) should be harshly disciplined and considered among those who lied about Prophet Mohammed ﷺ. The person who lies deliberately about Prophet Mohammed ﷺ should be given a seat in hell. This is not the way of the allies of Allah’s Messenger ﷺ. Rather this is the way of the people of amusement, play and falsehood. Such a person should be condemned with one’s tongue, hand and heart.” Imam Muwaffaq was asked

The opinion of the Hanbali Scholars Imam Muwaffaq was asked “What do the scholars say regarding someone who listens to duff and singing and becomes ecstatic and even dances. Is it permissible or not? He believes that he loves Allah and that his listening and ecstasy and dancing are for the sake of Allah?” The Imam replied “The one who does this is mistaken and has no shame. In Islam such a person’s testimony and statements are rejected. This necessitates that his narration of the Hadeeth of Allah’s Messenger ﷺ, his testimony that he saw the crescent of Ramadan and his statement related to the religion are not accepted.” The great scholar Ibn Al-Jawzi said “Some of these innovations are from the Sufis for they have walked a path that goes against Islam. They belittle the people of piety and they beat (their instruments). This is not from Islam.”

The Statements of the Sufis of the Past The leader of the group Al-Junayd Al-Baghdadi said “I saw Iblis in my dream and asked him ‘have you gained any victory over our companions in any way?’ He said, ‘their matter is hard upon me. It is difficult for me to get anything out of them except during two times, when they are listening and while they are looking. Then I make them fall into temptation and at that point I attack them.” Abu Al-Harith Al-Awlasi a Sufi said “I saw Iblis in a dream. He was on some roof in Awlas. He has a group on his right and one on his left. They had clean clothes on. He told one of the groups get up and sing. So they got up and sang. Its beauty shocked me to such an extent that I felt like throwing myself off the roof. Then he said dance, so they danced in the best ways. The he said O Abu Al-Harith, I cannot gain a path to you in any war except through this.”

Al-Jariri said “I saw Al-Junayd in a dream and said to him ‘How are you doing? He said those signs fell apart and those slogans withered away. Nothing benefited us except the tasbeeh we would say in the early morning.”(Al-Madkal by Ibn Al Haaj vol3 p.109)

Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said “The effects of Satan are apparent on the ignorant people who listen to (Sufi music). This includes foaming at the mouth, fits, screaming and other traits similar to a person having an epileptic fit. The actions of the devil result in the following symptoms depending on how much they listen, ecstasy because of the condemned desires, anger, aggression, slapping, tearing of clothes and wailing like someone who is depressed and deprived. They also have a Satanic behavior of alcoholics because getting drunk from melodious tunes can be like getting drunk from alcohol. It turns them away from the remembrance of Allah and prayer and it prevents the heart from enjoying the beauty of Quarn, understanding its meaning and following it. They resemble those who buy idle speech to turn themselves and others away from the way of Allah.” (Majmu al-Fatawa vol 11 p.643) There is no such thing as Sufi music. It’s nothing but a tactic of Satan to drive people away from the path of Allah.

May Allah guide us all to the straight path.