About Singing Singing is a Greater Sin When Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.

About Singing Singing is a Greater Sin When Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) said, “Singing is that Sin which has been promised the penalty of fire (Hell) by Allah” he (a.s.) had also recited the following verse of the Holy Qur’an: “And of men is he who takes instead frivolous discourse to lead astray from Allah’s path without knowledge and to take it for a mockery; these shall have an abasing chastisement.” (Surah Luqmān 31:6) “Frivolous discourse” implies Singing Bringing together the above verse and the tradition of Imam Baqir (a.s.), singing is understood to be one of the ‘frivolous’and ‘evil’ acts.

Other worthless acts are aimless talk or action, or poetry which is of no good to the people; all these deprive man of benefit. In other words, anything that restrains one from following the truth and the Holy Qur’an is a ‘frivolous discourse.’ Anything that leads one astray is ‘frivolous discourse.’ All those things that create passion and sensuality, sin and transgression are ‘frivolous discourse.’ It is a sin whether one sings or listens to a song.

The Qur’anic verse quoted above is followed by: “And when our communications are recited to him, he turns back proudly, as if he had not heard them, as though in his ears were a heaviness, therefore announce to him a painful chastisement.” (Surah Luqmān 31:7) 3.

The exegesis (Tafsīr) of the term “False Words” In addition to the phrase ‘frivolous discourse,’ the Holy Qur’an also refers to singing by the term, ‘False words.’ Abu Basir inquired from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.), the exegesis of the following ayat: “...

and avoid false words.” (Surah Hajj 22:30) The Imam (a.s.) replied, “ (It means) singing.” In explanation to the ayat, “And they who do not bear witness to what is false, and when they pass by what is vain, they pass by nobly.” (Surah al-Furqān 25:72) Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (a.s.) remarked, “ (Vain means) singing.”[^1] In yet another tradition, when Muhammad Ibn Uthman inquired about the meaning of this ayat, Imam Muhammad Taqi (a.s.) answered, “It includes the evil words of one who is singing.” 4.

“False words” denote singing The later portion of the same verse says, “... and when they pass by what is vain, they pass by nobly.” (Surah al-Furqān 25:72) Thus, according to the holy Qur’an when the righteous people pass by, where songs are being played, they pass in a dignified manner, uninfluenced and unimpressed by them.