Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullah,
Jazakallah Khayr ukhtee for that information. May Allah increase you and your family in good. Ameen.
A word of warning as a reminder to myself as well as all of our brothers and sisters in the deen. Tamim ad-Dari reported that Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said "The religion is advice..." (Saheeh Muslim).
I used to be drugged and diseased on the music scene and Allah knows of my deep affiliation with it for a long period of time. I used to be one of those hip hop zombies whose ipod would be jam packed, even though it had 8gb worth of memory, with songs upon songs and beats upon beats. Then I managed to listen to a great lecture series entitled "the end of music" by Ustaad Kamaal al Makki from USA.
What I came to realise was, music contains nifaaq, lies, abuse, sexual promiscuity as well as dangerous levels of mind manipulation through a carefully controlled media. Alhamdulillah my love is now with the greatest of kalaam, the Qur'aan. I read it in english translation whilst the various Mishaary, Mattrod, Jibreen, Ghamidi, Saa'igh audios play and wallah I regretted neglecting it!
Then my phase caught onto anaasheeds. I started listening and downloading and they were enjoyable and beautiful in meaning, but slowly I began noticing a change...nasheed concerts? overpraising lyrics? instruments like the guitar and a band? Allah protect us. The use of instruments is completely haraam and is the same as music as the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam explained that they are the instruments of Shaytaan. Even the duff which I thought was completely OK has significant differences of opinion regarding its permissibility.
My advice is to make sure that the anaasheed we listen to are:
1. Similar to the likes of what was condoned by Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
It was the incident of the small girls with a drum who spoke of the great martyrs in the deen, May Allah include us in their ranks. It must contain praiseworthy words and be free from all forms of idle speech.
2. Not have any words that contradict the Shari'ah.
Such as in the same incident mentioned previously, one of the girls narrated "...and among us is a Prophet who knows what will happen tomorrow" to which he said "take that out...". Many nasheed artists overpraise the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in a way only befitting of Allah and this is a calamity from amongst the Jews and Christians. (Look at the shirk involved in the "Qaseeda Burda" for example!)
3. No use of musical instruments apart from the duff.
Even though the duff is argued to be the apparatus of the women, some ulama differ, but as for all string, wind and percussion instruments as such are not permissible at all and blameworthy.
4. Contain a balance in timeframe
So that we dedicate enough time to the seeking of beneficial knowledge as well as listening to lectures, Surahs as well as reading. One who forgets the Qur'aan will be raised blind on the Day of Judgement as mentioned in Surah Ta-ha.
5. That we are aware of whom we listen to!
This is important and overlooked often - Who are we listening to and why are they singing? For example, Outlandish is not a nasheed group, it is a music band of three brothers in the deen, May Allah guide them and us both ameen, who use various instruments and are content on making music. Many among those who loved nasheed became involved in stepping over the limits designated by the Qur'aan and Sunnah. Groups often get involved in bid'ahs and statements of kufr as well as sin, the likes of which emanated from heretical thought and deviated sects.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
"All newly invented matters are misguidance, all misguidance is in the Fire" (Saheeh al-Bukhari)
"Whoever creates a new thing in this affair (Islam) shall have it rejected" (Saheeh al-Bukhari)
"Whoever says that I said something but I did not, let him take his seat in hellfire" (Agreed upon)
May Allah save us from sins, bidahs, shirk and all forms of harm and deprivation of the Pleasure of Allah. May Allah make us all from among those who earn Allah's pleasure: the shuhadaa, siddiqeen, saaliheen. Ameen.
Your brother,
Billal
. if u know what i mean. lol.
