
Music Strengthens Satanic States, 
and the Qur’an Strengthens Emaan - Shaykhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah

From the greatest things that strengthen satanic 
states is listening to song and music, this is none other than the listening of 
the polytheists about which Allaah, the Exalted says: 
“And their prayer at the House was nothing save 
whistling and clapping.”[Al-Anfal (8): 35] 
Ibn Abbas & Ibn Umar (may Allaah be pleased with 
them), & others from the Salaf said, 
“At-Tasdiya is clapping with the hands & al-Mukaa 
is like whistling. The polytheists used to do this as an act of worship”  
[As-Suyuti, ‘ad-Durr al-Manthur’ [3/183] referred it to al-Faryabi, Abd Bin 
Humaid, ibn Jarir, ibn al-Mundhir & Ibn Abi Shaybah from Ibn Abbas] 
As for the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his 
Companions, their worship consisted entirely of that which was ordered by Allaah 
such as salah, recitation of the Qur’an, Dhikr and the likes. They gathered 
together for those actions of worship legislated & therefore they never 
gathered to listen to song…done by clapping or drums.
Never once did he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) become overcome 
with spiritual ecstasy and never did his cloak fall off him – all narrations 
that mention this are lies by agreement of the scholars of hadith. 
When the Companions of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه 
وسلم) used to gather, he would order one of them to recite and the rest would 
listen. [Refer to at-Turtushi, al-Hawadith wal Bida’a pp.161-167]. 
Umar bin al-Khattab (May Allaah be please with him) 
used to say to Abu Musa al-Ashari: 
“Remind us of our Lord” So he would recite and they 
would listen. [Reported by ad-Darimi & Abdur-Razzak al-Musannaf, with a 
Sahih isnad] 
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) passed by Abu Musa 
while he was reciting and he said to him, 
“I passed by you last night while you were reciting, 
so I stood listening to your recitation.”  He replied, ‘If I knew that you were 
listening, I would have embellished it for you in the best of ways’. 
Meaning that I would have beautified my recitation for 
you. 
This is as the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) 
said:
“Beautify the Qur’an with your voices” [Abu Dawud 
& Nasa’i, with a sahih isnad]
He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said to ibn 
Masud:
“Recite the Qur’an to me”.
He said ‘Should I recite to you when it was revealed 
to you?’
He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied: “Indeed I love that I 
hear it from other than me.”
So I recited Surah an-Nisa to him until I reached this 
verse:  “So how [will it be] when We bring from every nation a witness and We 
bring you [O Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)] against these [people] as a 
witness?” [An-Nisa (4): 41]. 
He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, “That is sufficient for 
you,” and his eyes were overflowing with tears. [Sahih al-Bukhari wa Sahih 
Muslim] 
The likes of this listening is the listening of the 
Prophets & their followers as has been mentioned by Allaah in the Qur’an: 
“Those were they unto whom Allah bestowed His Grace 
from among the Prophets, of the offspring of Adam, and of those whom We carried 
(in the ship) with Nooh (Noah), & of the offspring of Ibrahim (Abraham) 
& Israel & from among those whom We guided & chose. When the Verses 
of the Most Beneficent (Allah) were recited unto them, they fell down 
prostrating & weeping.”  [Maryam (19): 58] 
Allaah said concerning the People of Cognisance: 
“And when they hear what has been revealed to the 
Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of what they have 
recognized of the truth” [Al-Maidah (5): 83] 
He, Glorious is He, commended those who listen in this 
way due to what they attain of increase in faith, the trembling of their skins 
and the tears in their eyes. He, the Exalted says: 
“Allaah has sent down the best statement; a consistent 
Book wherein is reiteration. The skins shiver therefrom of those who fear their 
Lord; then their skins and their hearts relax at the remembrance of Allaah” 
[Az-Zumar (39): 23] 
“The believers are only those who, when Allaah is 
mentioned, their hearts become fearful, & when His verses are recited to 
them, it increases them in faith; & upon their Lord do they rely – the ones 
who establish prayer & spend from what we have provided them. Those are the 
believers truly. For them are degrees [of position] with their Lord, forgiveness 
& noble provision.” [Al-Anfal (8): 2-4]. 
As for the innovated listening which is the listening 
of clapping, drum, & wind instruments, none of the Companions, the 
Successors and any of the great Imaams of this religion took this to be a route 
to Allaah, the Blessed & Exalted. Not one of them considered it to be a 
means of drawing close to Allaah & an action of obedience; instead they 
considered this to be a blameworthy innovation. 
Ash-Shaafi’ee said:
“I have left behind me in Baghdad something that was 
innovated by the heretics that they called at-taghbir, which used to distract 
people from the Qur’an.” [Refer to al-Hafiz Diya ad-Din al-Maqdisi, ‘Juz Ittiba 
as-Sunan’ [pp.28-29] & Tablis Iblis [p.301 of the summary].] 
Ibnul Qayyim in “Masalah as-Sama”, pp119-120, 
said,
“Taghbir was where they struck stretched leather with 
the stick or a cushion which gave off a particular sound to which they would 
recite moving poetry that would incite one to asceticism. Now if this is what 
ash-Shaafi’ee, may Allaah sanctify his soul, thought of taghbir then what would 
he have said concerning listening to the types of poetry & singing that 
contains mention of the belover, the excellence of meeting him, the sweetness of 
his reprimand, communion in love, coming close to him, the bitterness of 
leaving….” 
The Awliya of Allaah know this fact well & know 
that shaytan has a major role to play in it and this is why the best of them who 
used to attend such sessions later repented. 
The further a person is from cognizance & 
completion in his closeness to & love of Allaah, the greater the role that 
shaytan has to play in misguiding him. This innovated listening [i.e. Music] is 
comparable to alcohol; rather its affect upon the soul is greater than the 
affect of alcohol. 
This is why when the intoxication of the listeners 
becomes strong the devils descend to them, speaking upon the tongues of some and 
carrying others through the air. 
It is also possible that enmity arise between the 
listeners in the same way that enmity appears amongst the drunk, the devils 
accompanying one person could be stronger than the devils accompanying another 
therefore when they fight, and they kill the opponent. 
…In reality such sessions take the person further away 
from Allaah & are actually satanic states.
_______________________________________________
Taken from: “The friends of Allaah and the 
friends of shaytan”, Shaykhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, Pages: 
341-350
 
 
No comments:
Post a Comment