Can You Listen To Music During Ramadan?
Can you listen to music during Ramadan or fasting? Music and musical instruments are considered haram in Islam as it allows the devil (shaitan) to control your mind. Islam forbids everything to do with music and singing whether during Ramadan or normal days, although there are some scholars who think music is allowed if it does not involve haram acts or words.
The month of Ramadan is the most important month for Muslims as this month brings a lot of blessings from Allah. Usually, many Muslims stay away from the sins they normally perform during other months. Some Muslims ask if they can listen to music during Ramadan.
Can You Listen To Music During Ramadan?
In a world where so many cultures and ethnicities practice Islam, there are bound to be differences of opinion when it comes to playing music during Ramadan.
Scholars disagree on whether music is permissible or prohibited in Islam. The Quran does not explicitly forbid music, yet there are indications.
Allah says:
“O believers! Fasting is prescribed for you—as it was for those before you1—so perhaps you will become mindful ˹of Allah˺.”
[Quran 2:183]
Ramadan, the holiest month of the Islamic calendar, is a period of reflection and referring back to Allah and one’s religion. Individuals are not allowed to eat or drink anything in public from dawn to sunset during this holy time. Prayer and fasting begin at sunrise.
Allah says:
“But there are some who employ theatrics, only to lead others away from Allah’s Way—without any knowledge—and to make a mockery of it. They will suffer a humiliating punishment.”
[Quran 31:6]
Based on various summaries of this Quranic verse, scholars believe that theatrics include music, singing, musical instruments, and dance.
As far as the Prophet (peace be upon him) there are various hadiths. If you read the hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him) all doubts will be cleared.
Narrated Abu ‘Amir or Abu Malik Al-Ash’ari:
that he heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, “From among my followers there will be some people who will consider illegal sexual intercourse, the wearing of silk, the drinking of alcoholic drinks and the use of musical instruments, as lawful. And there will be some people who will stay near the side of a mountain and in the evening their shepherd will come to them with their sheep and ask them for something, but they will say to him, ‘Return to us tomorrow.’ Allah will destroy them during the night and will let the mountain fall on them, and He will transform the rest of them into monkeys and pigs and they will remain so till the Day of Resurrection.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari 5590]
Musical instruments are mentioned along with illegal sexual intercourse and drinking meaning that Prophet (peace be upon him) also considers musical instruments haram just like the rest.
This hadith also states that certain individuals will make it legal, and we know that some scholars today allow musical instruments. We now know that Muslims listen to music during Ramadan and believe it is halal, but it is not.
There is another hadith which do permit some musical instrument for example duff.
Narrated Ar-Rubai bint Muauwidh:
The Prophet (ﷺ) came to me the night my marriage was consummated and sat down on my bed as you (the sub-narrator) are sitting now, and small girls were beating the tambourine and singing in lamentation of my father who had been killed on the day of the battle of Badr. Then one of the girls said, “There is a Prophet amongst us who knows what will happen tomorrow.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said (to her),” Do not say this, but go on saying what you have spoken before.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari 4001]
The above hadith allows Muslims to play or hear the tambourine as a musical instrument and so scholars allow music that only has the tambourine playing as a musical instrument.
Narrated `Urwa on the authority of `Aisha:
On the days of Mina, (11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah) Abu Bakr came to her while two young girls were beating the tambourine and the Prophet (ﷺ) was lying covered with his clothes. Abu Bakr scolded them and the Prophet (ﷺ) uncovered his face and said to Abu Bakr, “Leave them, for these days are the days of `Id and the days of Mina.” `Aisha further said, “Once the Prophet (ﷺ) was screening me and I was watching the display of black slaves in the Mosque and (`Umar) scolded them. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘Leave them. O Bani Arfida! (carry on), you are safe (protected)’.”
[Sahih al-Bukhari 987]
Narrated Buraidah:
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out for one of his expeditions, then when he came back, a black slave girl came to him and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I took an oath that if Allah returned you safely, I would beat the Duff before you and sing.’ So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to her: ‘If you have taken an oath, then beat it, and if you have not then do not.’ So she started to beat the Duff, and Abu Bakr entered while she was beating it. Then ‘Ali entered while she was beating it, then ‘Uthman entered while she was beating it. Then ‘Umar entered, so she put the Duff under her, and sat upon it. So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Indeed Ash-Shaitan is afraid of you O ‘Umar! I was sitting while she beat it, and then Abu Bakr entered while she was beating it, then ‘Ali entered while she was beating it, then ‘Uthman entered while she was beating it, then when you entered O ‘Umar and she put away the Duff.’
[Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3690]
According to these hadiths, musical instruments are haram, but duff may be used as a beat in singing by the Prophet (peace be upon him) whether during Ramadan or not. In Ramadan, Muslims are expected to pray and perform all the religious tasks as much as possible, and they are surrounded by blessings.
Some scholars said that singing is a kind of worship if the goal is to make one obey Allah, but how can someone with even the most basic insight and faith in his heart grow closer to Allah and increase his faith by enjoying something He despises?
Those who have grown accustomed to music would never wish to listen to the Quran or feel joyful when they hear it, nor will they feel the same feeling while listening to its verses as they do when listening to poetry. In Ramadan, listening to Quran is far superior to listening to music.
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Does Listening To Music Break Your Fast?
Taking part in music while fasting reduces the rewards of fasting. Thus, the more a fasting person sins and the more serious his wrongdoings, the less his reward will be. There is a possibility that the award will be forfeited completely.
They will thus be deprived of food and drink, as well as all other things that break the fast, as well as of Allah’s reward.
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
“There are people who fast and get nothing from their fast except hunger, and there are those who pray and get nothing from their prayer but a sleepless night.”
[Sunan Ibn Majah 1690]
A fatwa by Sheikh Ahmad Kutty:
“Fasting in Islam is a great spiritual discipline. Its primary objective is to train the faithful spiritually and morally. Therefore, in order for us to reap true benefits of fasting, we must not only abstain from food and drink and sexual relations from dawn to dusk but also must shun all activities and behavior that are inimical to the spirit of fasting.”
[source]
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Can You Listen To Music During Ramadan After Iftar?
Muslims during Ramadan must constantly avoid listening to music. However, if you listen to music by accident, such as in public, then you are not sinful as it was not your fault that someone else is playing the music.
Ramadan as a whole month is full of blessings not just part of the time spent in fast. The whole of Ramadan should be spent in prayers and reading and listening to Quran and indulging in all the good deeds prescribed in Islam.
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Final Thoughts
Ramadan is the month of blessings and Muslims should always try to pray and spent their time in the good deeds ordered to us in Quran and Hadith not waste time listening to music.
Islam generally considers music to be haram, which means listening to or playing music and musical instruments can reduce our good deeds, as well as invalidate our fasts during Ramadan.
Stay away from music during Ramadan and other months as well.
And Allah Knows Best.
