SINGING IN THE MUSAAJID!
WHAT ANSWER WILL THEY GIVE?
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَجْلاَنَ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَهَى عَنْ تَنَاشُدِ الأَشْعَارِ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ .
Hadhrat Qutaiba reports from Laith bin Sa`d who reports from Ibn Ajlaan, from Amr bin Shuaib, from his father, from his grandfather, “Indeed Nabi g prohibited singing poems in the Musjid.” [Nasa’i / Tirmidhi Shareef]
Yet another naat/nazm singer has been imported to soil the land of South Africa with his singing. Some so-called ‘Qari’ who goes by the name of Faheem Pihanvi has been brought by some so-called ‘Madrasah’ that goes by the name of Zia-ul-Badr to perform in South Africa.
He will be appearing in Gauteng and KZN – and the worst of it is that most of his programs will be held in the Houses of Allah Ta`ala!
The Hadith above clearly demonstrates Nabi’s g prohibition of singing nazms in the Musaajid. There is absolutely no ambiguity or complicated interpretation for this narration. The Hadith is also classified as authentic and it appears in two of the Sihah Sitta (The six authentic Hadith compilations).
In another narration that appears across most of the Sihah Sitta:
عَنْ سَعْدٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “لأَنْ يَمْتَلِئَ جَوْفُ أَحَدِكُمْ قَيْحًا يَرِيهِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ يَمْتَلِئَ شِعْرًا”
Hadhrat Sa`d h reports that Nabi g said, “It is better that your stomach be filled with pus than you (your head) be filled with poetry (naats and nazms).” [Muslim Shareef]
In another narration that appears in Muslim Shareef, Hadhrat Abu Saeed Khudri h reports, “We were travelling with Rasulullah g. As we reached the place (known as) `Arj there we came across a poet who had been reciting poetry. Rasulullah g said: ‘Catch the satan or detain the satan, for filling the belly of a man with pus is better than stuffing his brain with poetry.’”
HASSAAN BIN THAABIT
The old rhetoric which the promoters of these haraam naat shows propagate is that Hadhrat Hassaan bin Thaabit h used to recite poetry in the Musjid of Nabi g.
This incident has to be studied critically. The narration which appears in Shamaail Tirmidhi states:
“Aisha h says, Rasulullah g would place a mimbar (pulpit) in the Musjid for Hassaan ibn Thaabit, so that he stands upon it and recites the praises of, and on behalf of Rasulullah g, or she said that he used to defend Rasulullah g (in reply to the accusation of the kuffar). Rasulullah g would say, “May Allah assist Hassaan with Ruhul Qudus till he defends, or praises, on behalf of the Rasul of Allah g.”
· Firstly, the poetry recited by Hadhrat Hassaan h was not songs he sang to any tune.
· Secondly, he recited his poetry. The recitation of poetry is very unlike singing a song – as the present-day nazm and naat singers do.
· Thirdly, Nabi g only allowed the recitation of this poetry because it was to counter the defamatory poetry of the kuffaar of the time. Hadhrat Hassaan h would defend the honour of Nabi g with his poetry. This was an expedient exercise and not one of entertainment!
To prove and further substantiate this point, there is a narration that appears in Bukhari Shareef where someone once criticised Hadhrat Hassaan h, whereupon Hadhrat Aishah h said, “Do not abuse him, because he used to defend Rasulullah g (with his poetry).”
· Fourthly, it is a generally accepted principle in Fiqh that the words of Nabi g hold preference in rulings over his actions. The statements of Nabi g regarding poetry, specifically his prohibiting its recitation in the Musaajid are abundantly clear and explicit. When Nabi g prohibited the plain recitation of poetry in the Musjid what can be said of the present-day naat songs that are sung there?
THE SONGS THEY SING
Present-day Nazms and naats are not poetry per se. They are songs that are sung to the tunes they copy from English and Hindi songs. The only difference between the naats and Hindi / English songs is that the content of the naats are ‘islamic’. These naat shows are absolutely nothing other than pure live entertainment. The Qur’aan Majeed describes it as lahw and la`ib (play and amusement).
The Kitaabs of Fiqh are replete with prohibitions of such singing. Singing (even without the use of musical instruments) is unanimously ruled to be Haraam!
The gall of these organisers is that they openly challenge the words and prohibitions of Nabi g, by bringing this jargon into the Musaajid! The Ulama and Mutawallis of these Musaajid should hang their heads in shame.
What answer will they give to Allah Rabbul Izzat on the Day of Qiyaamat for abusing the sacred Musjid platforms and introducing haraam into the Houses of Allah!