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I'm currently doing a paper attempting to focus on the debate within Islam as to whether music is halal (permitted) or haram (forbidden).* Arguments against the use of music tend to focus on three specific passages in the Koran (quoted from these sites):
1) "Do you marvel at this statement, and laugh and do not weep, while you amuse yourselves (proudly) in vanities? Rather, prostrate before Allah and worship Him." (53:59-62) Here, "vanities" is interpreted to indicate and/or include music.
2) Allah addressing Satan: "And excite any of them whom you can with your voice. Assault them with your cavalry and infantry, be a partner with them in their wealth and children, and make them promises. But Satan promises nothing but deceit" (17:64) "With your voice" is interpreted to mean singing and music, singing and music thus being temptations of the devil.
3) "And there are among men those who purchase idle talk in order to mislead others from Allah's path without knowledge, and those who throw ridicule upon it. For such there will be a humiliating punishment." (31:6) "Idle talk" is read as music.
Scholar Mustafa Sabri argues here that, Firstly, music is a useless activity which in fact, is a state of passiveness . . . Secondly, the benefit and pleasure taken from music involves a meaning of deep slavery in passion. Since Islam is the only enemy of passiveness and slavery in passion, an important duty of Islam is to search their traces in unexpected hide-outs.
The second argument seems as though it could be related to a Buddhist concept of passion, where passion and desire are obstacles to achieving higher consciousness. Sabri likens the state of the mind while listening to music to the state of the mind under the influence of alcohol, where reality is distorted because emotions are heightened. Music, particularly instrumental music, has also historically been associated in Arab culture with drinking and sex, since at one point it was mainly harem girls who learned to sing and play instruments.
The first argument I have more trouble understanding, and the intensely utilitarian view of what makes something allowable or not scares me a little, but it does set up the premise under which Koranic recitation is permissible, despite the fact that it is a type of singing--it is not "useless," because it teaches the Koran and brings the mind to Allah. What I'm interested in are the ways in which Koranic recitation differs concretely from other kinds of music--what differences in musical structure and effects on the listener make it sacred, where other music is profane? What is a sacred effect of music, as opposed to a profane one? How is this distinction made? Can you see the argument against music or against certain types of music as helpful towards people achieving holy apprehension?
*My knowledge of Islam is very limited so please correct me if I am misusing terms or misunderstanding concepts. |
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