Fasting and music
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's
Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:
I am working at a Call Centre where I sit in front of the computer
for the whole day and there is a lot of music played around me.... But when we
are fasting we are not supposed to watch T.V. or listen to music... what can I
do in these situation
(There
may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum
does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from
our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)
Answer:
In the
name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness.
Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray,
none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no
person, no grave, no prophet, no imam,
no dai, nobody!) worthy of
worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His
slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
Beloved
brother in Islam, it is not that the watching of television and the listening
of music is forbidden only while fasting; but what is forbidden at all
times to those who sincerely believe in Allah and the Last Day is
everything that is associated with ‘fahisha’ or indecency, when watching such
programs on television or otherwise, or listening to illegal or ‘string-music’.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 64 Tagabhun verse 16: So fear Allah as much as ye can; listen and obey; and
spend in charity for the benefit of your own souls: and those saved from the
covetousness of their own souls they are the ones that achieve prosperity.
It is
indeed unfortunate that in the times we live today illegal ‘string’ music is
played almost everywhere one goes; in the airports, on the radio, in the malls,
in the supermarkets, on the telephones, etc. The commandment and guidance of Allah Subhanah
is to fear Allah Subhanah as much as is possible, and one should strive to the
best of his ability to stay within the boundaries of Allah and His Messenger
(saws).
If one is
on duty in such a place where it is beyond his control what channels are played
on television or what kind of music is constantly relayed, it should not happen
that he starts enjoying the fahisha and the music, for then he would be
involved in its sin.
If there
is simply no way around being involved with this constant fahisha and illegal
music where one works, and his striving to stay within the boundaries of Allah
and His Messenger (saws) is being compromised; it would be righteousness to
seek to employ one’s talent elsewhere where one is able to protect his deen and
live within the boundaries of Islam. If
one does this for the sake of Allah Subhanah, he should know that Allah
Subhanah is well aware of the condition of each of His believing slaves, and
that Allah is more than Sufficient and Able to provide for His creation.
And if
one is unable to find other employment, and strives to fear Allah Subhanah as
much as he possibly can in the place he is employed, hating what is around him
and waiting for an opportunity to leave this evil surroundings on the first
available moment; it is expected that Allah Subhanah will accept the striving
of such righteous believers and reward them from His Unending Bounty and Grace
in this world and the Hereafter.
Whatever
written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance,
and whatever of error is of me. Allah
Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.
Your Brother in Islam,
Burhan
Wister