Hearing this...

Hearing this, someone said: "People say, 'Why did Allah not mention the names of 'Ali and his family in His Book?"' The Imam answered: "Tell them that there came the command of Salaat (prayer), but Allah did not mention whether three or four rak'at (units) (to be performed); it was the Apostle of Allah who explained all the details.

And (the command of) Zakat was revealed, but Allah did not say that it is one in every forty dirham; it was the Apostle of Allah who explained it; and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) was ordered but Allah did not say to perform Tawaf (circumambulation of the Ka'bah) seven times-the Apostle of Allah explained it.

Likewise the verse was revealed: "Obey Allah,, and obey the Apostle and those vested with authority from among you," and it; was revealed about 'Ali and Hassan and Hussain (a.s.)." As for music, the words "lahw" and "zur" are comprehensive and they cover several forbidden things including music. You should not take the Qur'anic words in the meanings they are used for in Gujarati and Urdu, or even in modern Arabic. They have to be taken in the meanings they were used for 1400 years earlier. Q.

94: WOMEN SINGING AT MARRIAGE CEREMONIES You explained your answer quite clearly. However I would like to know whether the following is what you mean to say: "Having a woman sing at a marriage with music, in front of men, is allowed according to the laws of the Shari'ah? A. No. Her voice should not reach "namahram"; and not with musical instruments; also the song should not be obscene. Q. 95: MUSIC IN MARTHIYA It is widely accepted that instrumental music is haram.

Is It also haram to sing an English pop song, to hum the tune of a 'marsiya', to listen to a namahram's voice reciting a munajaat/majlis or song (in a film for example), to listen to a bird singing, to listen to war music and also to listen to the rythm of a hammer blended in with the monotonous sawing of wood at a construction site, for example? A. Vocal music too is prohibited.

It means "the sound which is prolonged with variation of tune and crescendo, as is recognised as music by irreligious people." In other words, music is that sound which irreligious people accept as music. It makes no difference whether it is in marthiyah or Qur'an. (In fact reciting Qur'an or marthiyah/nawha with music Is double haram). Bird's chirping is not called "singing"; and reciting anything in good melodious voice (without crossing the limit mentioned above) is lawful and good.