Opinion: Islam and Music: Complicating the Simple

A Reflection on the Growing Trend of Finding Spirituality in Music

Islam, the religion, the way of life, the code of law; was first sent to a simple nation, leading a simple life, with hardly any complexities or luxuries. The Arabs were no scientists or philosophers; they were no scholars or theorists. And Islam was to be the religion for all humankind throughout history; it had to be the way of life of countless people, from all spheres of life, having different mental and intellectual abilities. It had to be the religion of equality, declaring that there is no ground for differences among humans on any basis of caste, colour, creed, wealth or social status. Naturally, therefore, Islam came with a constitution so simple and straightforward, that anybody and everybody can easily comprehend, understand and implement it. Being a Muslim does not have to stand in the way of lawful worldly endeavours; it doesn’t have to be an obstacle in the way of earning one’s livelihood or striving for a better life; it doesn’t have to contradict with one also being a child, parent, spouse or sibling; teacher, doctor, engineer or student.

Being a complete way of life, that defines not only religious rituals but also the highest form of social, moral and political code of conduct; Islam appeals to the simple human commonsense and blends religious rituals with a complete life in such a way that religion reinforces, not obstructs, a wholesome and comfortable daily life. Islam seeks to protect the human mind and body and soul, and invites all humans to be constructive and productive members of society as a whole. Naturally enough, it also forbids and condemns all that might prove hazardous to a sound mind and body. It forbids all sorts of drugs, physical and well as mental ones.

One of the most destructive trends of the modern times is to try to blend every idea with that of Islam, and to seek an Islamic form of everything, starting from Islamic usury through Islamic music to Islamic communism. The often well-meaning people calling for these things seem to forget that Islam already has a well-defined economic, political, social, spiritual and educational system alongside the religious one. One such attempt is to seek spirituality through the use of Music. But naturally enough, Islam has a complete spiritual system without the need of music.

As stated above, Islam calls its followers to be constructive and productive; hence, it takes care that all its rituals and rules are constructive and wholesome for the society. It, therefore, discourages all activities which might prove an obstacle to the smooth functioning of a positively productive society. Thus, it forbids all forms of adulterous relations, all forms of drugs and alcohol, all forms of usury and all forms of music and dancing; all of which have proved to be fatal to the welfare of the society as a whole.

The trend of seeking to Islamize music is not a new one, it has been used in the past by some Sufi cults as a means of attaining ecstasy; but as already stated, religion is not a means of forgetting oneself, it rather makes its followers self-conscious and conscious of their world and surroundings. Allah invites His creature to travel in His land and look at the skies and the earth, the moon and the sun, the trees and the rivers. He encourages them to know, not to ignore; to learn, not to forget; to see, observe and explore and not to conceal their own minds and mental abilities. The spirituality that Islam encourages is a positive and wholesome one that makes one more aware of oneself and His Lord, more concerned about his fellow beings, more hardworking and more helpful and kind and benevolent. It arouses one of his slumber and wakes him up to his present and future; it tells one that he has to live this life not only for himself but for others too; it encourages him to get up and look around and reform and construct, to plant trees and feed stray animals, to help the needy and wrap all in his mercy and compassion.

Such magnanimous tasks cannot be achieved through songs and idle play. For sure, Islam does not forbid recreation or entertainment; but it gives each, work as well as play, their rightful due. To seek to recreate and entertain oneself through poetry and its recitation is permissible as long as it does not contain unlawful words, and as long as it does not distract one from his lofty duties. But as is the case, play has its own share and should not go beyond it, and it should not involve the use of unlawful means, one of which is music. Even lawful poetry and humming has its place only as a recreational activity, and not as a means of attaining spirituality or the love of the Lord; the means for that is worship and the Book of the Lord. The heart that doesn’t love the Lord through His own words or through standing in worship to Him cannot be made to love Him through songs or rhymes. The simple truth that is to be understood through the commonsense and an open mind cannot be taught through musical instruments.

One who is in search of spirituality, needs to understand that the spirit is sublime and the sound of the instrument is physical; thus it will only serve to bar the soul from advancing in its journey to unprecedented avenues seeking the nearness of the Absolute Truth.