Did Dawood (peace be upon him) play a flute?
Question I would like to ask about the ruling on songs according to my description: Birds’ warbling is a kind of music, waterfalls, rains and wind sounds are also kinds of music, how can we ever avoid listening to these sounds? Prophet Dawood as well used to mention Allah by playing a flute. I do…
Question
Birds’ warbling is a kind of music, waterfalls, rains and wind sounds are also kinds of music, how can we ever avoid listening to these sounds? Prophet Dawood as well used to mention Allah by playing a flute. I do not mean here the songs that arouse desires or the very loud music; I mean quiet music and normal words. Please answer my question in detail.
Praise be to Allah.
We have previously stated
the ruling that it is haraam to listen to music. The evidence for that is
quoted in the answer to question no.
5000. We have also explained that it is
invalid to draw an analogy between music and the sound of birdsong or
running water, in the answer to question no.
96219.
The view that Dawood (peace
be upon him) used to seek forgiveness by playing the flute is a view for
which there is no basis, rather what is meant by the words of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari ,
“You have been given a beautiful voice (mizmaar, lit. flute) like the
beautiful voices of the family of Dawood” (narrated by al-Bukhaari (5048)
and Muslim (793) is that he had a beautiful voice, and the beauty of his
voice was likened to the sound of the flute.
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have
mercy on him) said in Sharh Muslim: The words of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) concerning Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari
– “he has been given a beautiful voice (mizmaar) like the beautiful voices
of the family of Dawood” – The scholars said: What is meant by mizmaar (lit.
flute) here is a beautiful voice.
The original meaning of the
word zamr is singing, and phrase “the family of Dawood” refers to Dawood
himself. The phrase “the family of So and so” may apply to the person
himself. Dawood (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had a very
beautiful voice. End quote.
Al-‘Iraaqi said in Tarh
al-Tathreeb (3/104): What it meant by mizmaar here is a beautiful voice.
The original meaning is the instrument that is blown into (wind instrument).
The beauty and sweetness of his voice is likened to the sound of the flute.
… He had an extremely beautiful voice in recitation. End quote.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said in
Fath al-Baari: What is meant by mizmaar is a beautiful voice. The
basic meaning is the instrument and the word is used of the voice as a
simile. End quote.
This is like when Abu Bakr
(may Allaah be pleased with him) described singing as the flutes or musical
instruments of the Shaytaan, as al-Bukhaari (3931) and Muslim (892) narrated
from ‘Aa’ishah that Abu Bakr entered upon her when the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was with her on the day of (Eid)
al-Fitr or Adha, and there were two young girls singing lines of poetry that
were said by the Ansaar on the day of Bu’aath. Abu Bakr said: Flutes of the
Shaytaan! The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“Let them be, O Abu Bakr, for every people has its Eid and our Eid is this
day.”
The two young girls did not
have a flute or musical instrument with them, but he (may Allaah be pleased
with him) called singing the flute of the shaytaan, likening it to that
because he found it displeasing.
And Allaah knows best.
