Quran does not say one cannot sing or celebrate without music. EXCERPTS

 On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 04:07:46 PM EDT, Khan wrote: 

 "....Yes we should indeed celebrate the Birthday of Prophet Muhamamd (pbuh) wholeheartedly with all our family friends and Muslims, as majority of Muslims already do, but without any dance/music.This the day to pray, to remember Rassol-e-Pak’s teachings and emulate his piety. This is not they to sing and dance...." Why not? 

Quran does not say one cannot sing or celebrate without music. 

 EXCERPTS

 This feeling of joy is even found in speechless animals not to mention humans. Therefore we see that the camels respond to the Hida of the riders, and the horses are affected by the whistles and shrill sounds. We already know that animals receive effects of the songs if they are rhythmical, and correspond to the rules governing the art of music. v. Musical Instruments Narrates Rabi‘, daughter of Mu‘wwadh: On the occasion of my transfer to my husband’s home after marriage, the Holy Prophet (sws) came to visit us and sat down on my bed just as you [the next narrator] are sitting before me now. Some slave girls were beating the Daff and singing in lamentation of their forefathers who had been killed during the battle of Badr. Then one of the girls sang: ‘Among us is the Prophet (sws) who knows even what will happen in coming days’. At this, the Holy Prophet (sws) said: ‘Do not say this, but go on singing. (Bukhari, No: 3779) We learn from the narrative that: · The Holy Prophet (sws) attended a marriage ceremony where some slave girls were singing. · Singing was not stopped on his arrival. · The singers used the Daff with their singing. · The Holy Prophet (sws) heard them [this is evident from the fact that he stopped them from uttering certain words.] · He however ordered them to continue with what they were singing before. 

 This effectively proves that the Holy Prophet (sws) did not impose any restriction on using the Daff, a common musical instrument used in that society. Keeping in view the information we received through the above mentioned narratives we can conclude that Arabs of the times of the Holy Prophet (sws) would use musical instrument to accompany their singing on joyous occasions. This has been done in the presence of the Holy Prophet (sws) to which he did not object. Some other narratives even tell us that the Holy Prophet (sws) even ordered the people to use musical instruments at the occasion of marriage. Rhyme and Rhythm in Qur’anic Verses The Holy Qur’an contains unparalleled aural beauty and the best stylistic expression. Though a literary masterpiece, it cannot be identified with the well-known literary genres like poetry, prose or oration. Yet, the element of rhyme in its verses exhibit that the Author has given special attention to it in order to give it a tint of rhythm. The rhyme element in the Qur’an creates an enchanting effect on the listeners - commoners or scholars, Muslims or non-Muslims alike. 

 Since the Almighty has beautified the Qur’an with rhyme and rhythm, we can conclude that He loves rhyme and rhythm in words, and beauty in their sounds. Music no doubt is a form of this assonance created by a certain order of words and their sounds. For that account, the Holy Prophet (sws) encouraged the believers to recite the Qur’an with a beautiful and pleasing sound. He is reported to have said: He who does not recite the Qur’anic verses in a beautiful tone does not belong to us. (Bukhari, No: 7089) Beautify your recitation of the Qur’an with your beautiful recitation. (Ibn Khuzaymah, No: 1556) ii. The Prophet David (sws) and his Psalms When the Prophet David (sws) would sing God’s praises, the birds and mountains would join him. This has been referred to in Surahs Anbiya, Saba and Suad of the Holy Qur’an. …and We caused the mountains and the birds to join with David. They would praise God with him. (21:79) In the verse, the verb ‘sakhr’ has been employed, which means to subject something, subdue it, and bring it in conformity with something else. 

 The Bible clearly mentions that the Prophet David (sws) would beautifully sing his psalms on a harp. Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise to Him with psalms. (Psalms 95:1-2) Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; show forth His salvation from day to day. (Psalms 96:1-2) I will sing a new song to You, O God; on a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You. (Psalms 144:9) 

 The famous Muslims scholar, Abu’l Kalam Azad has taken the referred to Qur’anic verse to mean that David (sws) would sing his psalms in praise of God. He writes: The Prophet David (sws) had a very sweet sound. He is the first to compile Hebrew music and he developed the Egyptian and Babylonian harps into more sophisticated musical instruments. A study of the Torah and Jewish tradition reveals that when he would climb the mountain tops and sing the praise of his Lord on his harp, the trees and stones would join him enraptured. Exegetical narratives also corroborate this fact. ‘Subjecting the birds to David (sws)’ can signify either that all kinds of birds would flock to his palace or his songs would enrapture them. The book of Psalms comprises a wonderful collection of songs that David (sws) composed with Divine inspiration 

 Renowned Qur’anic exegete, Amin Ahsan Islahi too has explained the verse of Surah Anbiya in the light of the Biblical narrative. He writes: David (sws) cherished a deep communion with God. At nights, He would set out for the mountains and sing the praises of God. he pleasing sound of his songs would echo through the mountains and the birds would join him. It is noteworthy that the Torah clearly mentions that David (sws) not only had a very sweet voice but his voice revealed strong passion. Furthermore, all these hymns are in the form of songs and poems inspired by God. These inspired hymns cast such deep effect on the listeners that even successive translations have left only little poetical element in them, they still fully captivate the audience. The heart leaps for joy upon hearing them. Imagine a person with so sweet a sound as David (sws) singing the praises of God amid the serene mountains in the stillness of early dawn. You would no longer doubt that the mountains would echo and the birds would respond to his utterances. One should not entertain the thought that it is only a poetical reverie. Nay, it stands an irrevocable fact. 

 The Holy Qur’an makes it clear that everything in this universe exalts the Lord. It is our lack of understanding, due to which, we cannot comprehend these thanksgivings. Their yearning to praise God is inflamed when someone else starts singing their heart’s voice. They feel enraptured by such a song in the surroundings and join the singer in his utterances. Our inability to comprehend the thanksgiving offered by each and every creation should not lead us to conclude that none else could understand it. All such people as have molten hearts can. Mawlana Rum has beautifully expressed the thought in the following verses: The philosopher belies the incident of Hananah. He is not familiar with the (extraordinary) senses of the Prophets. 

 The famous Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib says: At your end is the problem that you do not know the secrets being unveiled to you. Something that seems a curtain before you is in fact the pardah from which the music flows Islahi’s commentary of the relevant verses of Surah Suad reflects the fact that David (sws) alone was able to comprehend the praises of the mountains and birds because it was a special favour of God on him. He writes: Each and everything in this universe sings the praises of God. It is only the humans who cannot understand their utterances. Our failure to understand their praises does not necessitate that none could understand them. The Almighty had bestowed upon David (sws) not only the sound sweet enough to enrapture the birds and the mountains, but also the perceptive ears which could enable him to understand the hymns of the mountains and birds 

 2. Music in the Bible The Bible is a collection of the Torah, Psalms, Gospels and other Divine scriptures. Basically, it contains God’s Shari‘ah and His wisdom. Although different followers of the Book have lost many parts of this Divine book and altered some others because of their mutual differences, yet it treasures invaluable assets of Divine guidance. If seen in the light of the final revelation - the Holy Qur’an - the contents of the Bible afford us very precious guidance. We find numerous references to music and musical instruments in the Bible. This means that in the religion brought by the Prophets of God, music and musical instrument have never been disallowed. In the Bible, one finds many places where music accompanies the praises of God. Besides, at many other places, the Bible positively mentions the use of music in expressing delight, sorrow, as well as in the context of war. i. Worship Rituals and Music When the Pharaoh and his people were destroyed in the sea by the command of God, as mentioned in Exodus, and Moses (sws) successfully delivered his people from the Egyptian captivity, all the Israelites embraced the faith and believed in God and His Messenger. On that occasion, Moses (sws) and the believers accompanying him praised their Lord: Then the sons of Moses and Israel sang this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying, ‘I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider, He has thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation’. (Exodus 15:1-2) Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? (Exodus 15:11) What follows this is the reason that occasioned the singing. Maryam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, it has been told, played a tambourine. For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought again the waters of the sea upon them. But the sons of Israel went on dry land in the middle of the sea. And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel (a musical instrument similar to tambourine) in her hand. And all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. And Miriam answered them, Sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider He has thrown into the sea. (Exodus 15: 19-21) According to Chronicles, when the Prophet Solomon (sws) got back the Ark of Covenant, the whole Israel stood before it and offered sacrifices to express their delight and sang praises to their Lord. And they were as one to the trumpeters and to the singers, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord; and as they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying, For He is good, for His mercy endures forever, the house was filled with a cloud, the house of the Lord. (2 Chronicles 5:13) As for the book of Psalms, it comprises a wonderful variety of inspired pieces of music and songs. There are numerous internal testimonies to the fact that the Prophet David (sws) sang these songs with the help of musical instruments. Inscriptions to many chapters of the book read, ‘To the Chief Musician, for stringed instruments. A Psalm of David (sws).’ The contents of the Psalms also evidence this fact. Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise to Him with psalms. (Psalms 95:1-2) Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; show forth His salvation from day to day. (Psalms 96:1-2) I will sing a new song to You, O God; on a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You. (Psalms 144:9) Calligraphic representation of Muhammad's name.jpg Calligraphic representation of Muhammad's name Messenger of God Born Monday, 12 Rabi' al-awwal c. 53 BH/ c. 570 CE Mecca, Hejaz, Arabian Peninsula Died Monday, 12 of Rabi' al-awwal c. 11 AH/ 8 June, 632 CE (aged 62 or 63 years) Medina, Hejaz 

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