When we refer to the dictionary...

When we refer to the dictionary, we see the following definition of music: mu·sic (myzk) n. Abbr. mus. 1. The art of arranging sounds in time so as to produce a continuous, unified, and evocative composition through melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre. 2. Vocal or instrumental sounds possessing a degree of melody, harmony, or rhythm. a) A musical composition. b) The written or printed score for such a composition.

c) Such scores are considered as a group: We keep our music in a stack near the piano. 3. A musical accompaniment. 4. A particular category or kind of music. 5. An aesthetically pleasing or harmonious sound or combination of sounds: the music of the wind in the pines. In the religion of Islam and the Fiqh of the Ahl al-Bait, listening to forbidden music has been counted as one of the major sins.

In the famous book, The Major Sins written by the martyred scholar Ayatullah Sayyid Dastghaib ash-Shirazi, he wrote the following concerning the sin of listening to and indulging in music (this has been listed as sin number 15 in his monumental work): Music as stated in “Greater Sins”, Sin 15 Playing instruments of music is a great Sin. It is haram to play instruments such as the guitar, piano, tambourine, drums etc. Listening to music is also a great sin.

Music as a great sin is reported by Fadhl ibn Shadhan from Imam ‘Ali ibn Musa ar-Ridha: “And to be engrossed in musical instruments is also one of the great sins.” All the Mujtahids are unanimous in their opinion that the manufacturing, selling and purchasing of musical instruments is haram (forbidden) and any income derived from a musical activity is also haram. The transactions involving these (instruments) are invalid ( bātil ).

It is haram to keep instruments of music in one’s possession – it is obligatory to destroy them. This is revealed in a lengthy tradition from Imam Ja’far ibn Muhammad as-Sadiq, as recorded in the book “Tuhaf al-‘Uqul”.

Similarly, Shaykh Hurr al-Amuli (the compiler of the famous collection of hadith entitled Wasa’il ash-Shi’a) records the following tradition from Imam Ja’far ibn Muhammad as-Sadiq: “ The Almighty Allah has prohibited the manufacturing of all such things that are exclusively used in haram ways; and things that only create evil such as the pipe, flute, chess and all types of instruments of gambling, images and statues. The manufacturing of all such articles is haram.