Music in video games haram?

[happymuslim]

So I play this game where the music is instrumental in the gameplay and I just wanna know if playing it with music is haram.

[eesa the kiwi]

I turn the sound off and play with subtitles to be safe

[shafat10]

Musical instruments in any form is Haram. Whether it is intentional or unintentional. If unintentional, you should try to avoid / leave that place / area. If intentional, as in this case, where you know it exists, then you should try to avoid it as well in whatever way you find suitable.

[happymuslim]

I guess I could mute it then

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[Futuwwa]

Whether music is haram in the first place is a matter on which there is disagreement and no clear scholarly consensus either way. If, however, you believe it is haram, there is no reason why it wouldn't be so in videogames as well.

[Abz2000]

Depends on the music - some rhythms are worse than intoxicants. It's more seriously haram to willingly live amongst kuffaar and mushrikeen when other better options remain - although being kuffar and mushrikeen is even more haraam.

[Alamgir]

Asalamu Alaikum

Instruments are haram (the only exception is that some scholars regard percussion instruments as halal).

Whether or not they exist in a video game is irrelevant. You must mute the music but if that's not possible, stop playing the game or just turn down the volume whenever the music pops up.

['Abd-al Latif]

Music in all its forms is forbidden. Here's a thread dedicated to this topic Music

[BeTheChange]

Asalamualykum

It's not just the music one should question but the very act of playing online games...

What's the reason behind one playing? Will it lead to sinful situations? Will it distract me from Allah swt and my duties? Will it benefit me? etc.

[Zafran]

salaam

There is a difference of opinion on music anyway, what is the game your playing?

[ChosenTCO]

salaam

There is a difference of opinion on music anyway, what is the game your playing?

Its not just that, i mean if the OP is gonna go down this road and way of thinking then she will really cripple her life. I mean look at the amount of things that does actually play music compared to those that dont.

You got movies, video games, radio/TV channels (non-islamic and islamic), commercials, mobiles all around us, restaurants, cafes, stores, malls, even some hospitals often play music. Almost everything now is accompanied by music. Regardless of the difference of opinion, if you assume that music and songs and all things alike are haram, could you really imagine living a life avoiding all these places and things? Might as well live in the wilderness. If a person is of the opinion that music is haram, then he or she should do what is moderate to avoid it and not go to the extent where they would prohibit themselves from going to such places. Remember, this religion is meant to bring ease and softness to our lives and hearts, so who are we to make things more difficult on us?

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded; and gain strength by worshipping in the mornings, the afternoons, and during the last hours of the nights." (See Fath-ul-Bari, Page 102, Vol 1).

I am not suggesting that whenever a sin becomes prevalent in society that we should gladly indulge in it too, but rather avoid what you can of it without making your life a misery for yourself and those around you.

[azc]

Music in niqab....!
http://islamqa.org/hanafi/darulifta-deoband/78844

I came home and found my son watching this music video by a Turkish/American music group: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myb3IwDCenc There is a woman dancing in niqab, and also a man in niqab playing an electric guitar! I was shocked. I told my son that these are both haram, but my son insisted there was nothing in the Quran about it. What should I tell him? - IslamQA I came home and found my son watching this music video by a Turkish/American music group: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myb3IwDCenc There is a woman...

['Abd-al Latif]

salaam

There is a difference of opinion on music anyway, what is the game your playing?

There are degrees of acceptability regarding differences.

1. The differences that are completely acceptable have their roots back to ahadeeth of the Prophet (:saws1:). Music does falls into this category as there are Quranic verses and clear ahadeeth forbidding it. After the passing of the Messenger, the Sahaba also denounced it which makes music impermissible as the most acceptable view;
2. Some matters in Islam were not present during the time of the Prophet and are specific to an era. For instance, smoking. In a case like this the scholars of Islam take into account the entire Sharia and conclude that is forbidden due to several verses and texts (i.e. ahadeeth, sayings of the Sahaba, etc) forbidding harming oneself. Music does not fall into this category as it is already forbidden in the Qur'an and sunnah;
3. The third category of difference follows from point number 2 where scholars use the tools of analysis and Islamic interpretation to determine the outcome of a matter. The overwhelming majority of scholars are of the view that music is forbidden based on point number 1. Those individuals who permit music are a very small minority who, for whatever reason, did not know point number 1. In fiqh, this is called a 'shaad' opinion, which means this is an odd opinion which is rejected and cannot be used as evidence to argue its permissibly. Any scholarly individual who permits music is following this 'shaad' opinion even if he/she is admired within the Muslim community. We are not required to follow the scholars' personal opinions. We are required to follow the Qur'an and sunnah only and we follow scholars when their views are in line with the Qur'an and Sunnah;

Therefore, it's pointless throwing a vague statement of 'there's a difference of opinion' without knowing the context behind it or even understanding whether or not this alternative opinion is acceptable. In short, the variety of opinions in Islam are for the scholars to discuss as they are required to study them for the purposes of ijma and qiyas. As for you and I, we don't delve in these opinions because we neither have the tools to analyse them nor fully understand the context behind them. You and are I required to accept and follow everything that is clear in the Qur'an and Sunnah.

[Ümit]

You are discussing about whether music is haraam or not while wasting your precious time sitting behind your game console for hours per day and play video games? So life is about eating, sleeping, praying and playing videogames....that is a good Muslim and there is nothing wrong with that to you?

And then to be concearned whether music in videogames is haraam or not...

[Zafran]

The overwhelming majority of scholars are of the view that music is forbidden based on point number 1. Those individuals who permit music are a very small minority who, for whatever reason, did not know point number 1.

They had there opinions and as they were scholars (and some are alive) I'm sure me and you dont have the knowledge or are there caliber to say they didnt know number 1.

Therefore, it's pointless throwing a vague statement of 'there's a difference of opinion' without knowing the context behind it or even understanding whether or not this alternative opinion is acceptable. In short, the variety of opinions in Islam are for the scholars to discuss as they are required to study them for the purposes of ijma and qiyas. As for you and I, we don't delve in these opinions because we neither have the tools to analyse them nor fully understand the context behind them. You and are I required to accept and follow everything that is clear in the Qur'an and Sunnah.

Its not pointless because the website you quote only makes a minority of scholars on the planet. As I said there actually is a difference of opinion here. If you think its haram - that is fine by me - other scholars dont past and present depending on the music type of course.

[Futuwwa]

You and are I required to accept and follow everything that is clear in the Qur'an and Sunnah.

If it were clear in the Qur'an and Sunnah, there wouldn't be scholarly disagreement over it.

['Abd-al Latif]

If it were clear in the Qur'an and Sunnah, there wouldn't be scholarly disagreement over it.

:facepalm:

Bro do you even know any fiqh?

- - - Updated - - -
@Zafran @Futuwwa

Please back up your points from the Qur'an and Sunnah. I'm not interested in your personal opinions. I am specifically interested in:

a) Qur'anic verses
b) sayings of the Prophet that do not forbid music

I am not interested in anything else.

[Zafran]

:facepalm:

Bro do you even know any fiqh?

- - - Updated - - -
@Zafran @Futuwwa

Please back up your points from the Qur'an and Sunnah. I'm not interested in your personal opinions. I am specifically interested in:

a) Qur'anic verses
b) sayings of the Prophet that do not forbid music

I am not interested in anything else.

salaam

Im not interested in Islam QA but if you think that is the only opinion on the issue of music grounded in Quran and sunnah.................................:facepalm:: facepalm:

As I stated before there is no consensus on this issue. A bit like divorce and Ibn Taymiya (ra)............ - Its a bit similar with the whole minority opinion thing based on the Quran and sunnah vs the 4 madhabs (based on Quran and sunnah).

If your going down the IslamQA route then you cant even use that in your defense.

Lastly as your the one making something haram the burden of proof is in your court and not the other side - Although I am fully aware of the plenty of scholars who deem music haram/Makruh and the scholars that say it depends on the music and if its haram/halal nature or leads to haram things etc.

[Futuwwa]

:facepalm:

Bro do you even know any fiqh?

- - - Updated - - -
@Zafran @Futuwwa

Please back up your points from the Qur'an and Sunnah. I'm not interested in your personal opinions. I am specifically interested in:

a) Qur'anic verses
b) sayings of the Prophet that do not forbid music

I am not interested in anything else.

And I am not interested in getting into that debate now. I'm asserting the existence of scholarly disagreement on the topic. A categorically different matter.

- - - Updated - - -

What's the reason behind one playing? Will it lead to sinful situations? Will it distract me from Allah swt and my duties? Will it benefit me? etc.

It's fun to play.

The questions that you ask are literally universal arguments that could be used against any recreational activity, and often are, when someone somehow feels some activity is bad but has no actual argument for it being makruh or haram.

[anatolian]

Just before the Mongol invasion, the scholars of Baghdad were disscusing whether the mosquito bite breaks wudu or not...

['Abd-al Latif]

And I am not interested in getting into that debate now. I'm asserting the existence of scholarly disagreement on the topic. A categorically different matter.

Then why make that comment? You're in essence throwing confusion in a matter that's clear.

Some deviant groups believe worshipping graves is permissible. Is this difference of opinion allowed as well? Are you going to assert that this opinion should be respected as well?

[ChosenTCO]

Then why make that comment? You're in essence throwing confusion in a matter that's clear.

Some deviant groups believe worshipping graves is permissible. Is this difference of opinion allowed as well? Are you going to assert that this opinion should be respected as well?

But brother, his comment is only to make people aware that there is a scholarly disagreement over this. This doesnt mean that he wants to get into a debate.
And comparing grave worshipping with listening to music is like comparing Zina with the debate whether to keep your eye open or closed during sujood. Its not even on the same level.

There are plenty of clear cut verses in the Quran that tells us not to worship anything other than Allah. Islam essentially revolves around the idea of monotheism, so how is that debate comparable to that of music?

Like Brother Zafran said, the burden of showing evidence is on those prohibiting something since everything in islam is deemed halal unless someone can find a solid text from Quran or Sunnah that strictly forbids it.
Nowhere in the Quran is the word ma'azif or ginaa (musical instruments or singing) mentioned in any of its ayaat. And the only hadith that is linked back to the prophet (PBUH) mentioning musical instruments alongside zina and alcohol, has its chain of narrators questioned in terms of its authenticity (there are those who claim that the mentioned chain is saheeh and others who dont).

Plus, is it not strange to you that the prohibition of music (something that is put side by side to zina and alcohol) be not even mentioned once by name in the Quran? While other things much less severe to be mentioned multiple times by name in the Quran?

[anatolian]

So I play this game where the music is instrumental in the gameplay and I just wanna know if playing it with music is haram.

By the way you are the first girl I have ever known playing video game :shade:

[happymuslim]

For the most part I better play safe than sorry, I don’t wanna take any chances and I get the feeling that music is haram. I do wanna quit the game anyways, so I guess it’s not that big a deal.

[Futuwwa]

Then why make that comment? You're in essence throwing confusion in a matter that's clear.

Some deviant groups believe worshipping graves is permissible. Is this difference of opinion allowed as well? Are you going to assert that this opinion should be respected as well?

If it would be clear, there wouldn't be scholarly disagreement on it. How about reading my original post? It doesn't take any position on whether music is haram. All I'm saying is that there is no reason to believe that the permissibility of music in videogames would be different from the general permissibility of music, regardless where one stands on that controversy.

Worshipping graves and how we should regard those who do it is irrelevant. By twisting my position into an extreme parody of it, you've proven nothing.

Deviant, huh? You can claim anything to be scholarly consensus if you get to deem those who disagree as deviants who don't count, on account of their disagreement with the alleged consensus. Only problem is, then your assertion of scholarly consensus has turned into a circular argument. With a very small radius.

[Zafran]

salaam

a better analogy would be divorce and Ibn Taymiyya(ra) - who is ironically also the scholar that was against Tawassul - Of course the dominant scholarly opinion is on the opposite side. The same applies to music. With scholars like Ibn Hazm, Imam al- Nabulisi, Shawkani, Imam Ghazzali etc making a more nuance case for Music. Whilst many others were against it as it could lead to haram/Makuruh and saw it as a waste of time.

A more detailed analysis.

https://islamictextinstitute.co.za/music-azhar-fatwa/

peace.

[Zzz_]

So I play this game where the music is instrumental in the gameplay and I just wanna know if playing it with music is haram.

Music in all forms is haram (not including the duff/daff). Don't listen to the distractors on here or anywhere that say otherwise. There will always be trouble makers trying to dilute Islam to fit their desires. Anyways, I would mute the sound to avoid listening to the music. Games, like all playful activities, are 'okay' so long as done in moderation and so long as they do not neglect one from their religious duties and life obligations. Plus, good to keep this in mind:

"With regard to using them, that depends on the type of game, because some of them contain excessive violence, some of them are about pursuing prostitutes in the street, and some of them are about venerating the cross and raising the dead. They should also be free of evils such as indecent pictures and music, and they should not distract players from obligatory duties. The games should also be free of gambling and you should not play it a great deal. The shar’i ruling is based on the above. If you find these things or some of them in it, then it is not permissible to play it, but if it is free of all these things, then it is permissible. "


https://islamqa.info/en/97681

['Abd-al Latif]

If it would be clear, there wouldn't be scholarly disagreement on it. How about reading my original post? It doesn't take any position on whether music is haram. All I'm saying is that there is no reason to believe that the permissibility of music in videogames would be different from the general permissibility of music, regardless where one stands on that controversy.

I'm going to ask you the same question I asked you previously: have you learned any fiqh? Your statement that I've highlighted in bold suggests that you have very little understanding of fiqh and the 'scholarly disagreement'.

Here's some questions for you to ponder over:

If there are multiple opinions on a matter, why is this the case? Which one opinion do we follow on any particular matter and why?
If the scholars have the Qur'an and Sharia before them, why do they end up differing? What's the reason behind this and is it an issue?
If there are multiple opinions on a matter, do we pick the one that suits us?
Do we accept all opinions as correct or is there one that's always correct?
Can scholars of the same school of thought disagree over a matter?

Any answers must refer back to the Qur'an and Sunnah.

Worshipping graves and how we should regard those who do it is irrelevant. By twisting my position into an extreme parody of it, you've proven nothing.

I've proven something but that's for you to figure out. If you believe that I am making a parody of things then I suggest you YouTube grave worshippers and you'll come across Muslims who perform such acts.