Music as a treatment
Fatwa No: 120956

Question

SALAM UALEIKUM.one muslim sister has achild of 5ys vs hyperactivity.doctors recommends leasening music. can i give them discs vs rhymes accompanied vs music wich we do not leasen,beacouse ipromised her to give her these discs but now i think may be it is a sin to give muslims things which prohibited by islam. JAZAKUM ALLAHU HAIRAN

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

 

It is Islamicly proven that musical instruments are forbidden, and we have already issued Fataawa 81239 and 81545 clarifying this. Therefore, it is not permissible for you to give that woman those discs which contain music because this is helping in sin, and Allaah Says (what means): {Help you one another in virtue, righteousness and piety but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is Severe in punishment.}[Quran 5:2]

Moreover, it is an obligation to destroy those discs which contain music or delete the music which they contain and then benefit from them in a permissible manner if possible.

As regards treating (patients) with music, then this is not permissible because the widespread claim about this is nothing but whispers of the devil who beautifies the sin. Indeed, Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzaan, one of the members of the Senior Scholars Committee in Saudi Arabia, issued a Fatwa in this regard and said: ‘It is absolutely forbidden to treat with music, and whoever says that this is permissible is wrong because music is forbidden and it is not permissible to treat with something forbidden.’

There are many people who might not be convinced by the sayings of the Prophet or by the Fataawa of the scholars of the Muslim nation, but they are convinced by the statements of western scientists and the like. Here it is worth mentioning some of the statements of some of them [westerners] about music and its bad effects on the nervous system contrarily to what some people think.

For instance, Dr. Luther says: “The effect of songs and music in anesthetizing the nerves is stronger than the effect of drugs.”

Moreover, Professor of Columbia University, Dr. Wolf Adler says:

“The best and most fascinating tunes of music leave the worst kind of effects on the nervous system of humans and on their blood pressure, and especially when the climate is hot; then the unpleasant effects are too much. Indeed, music exhausts the nervous system in the human body because of being electrified by it.”

Indeed, ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood spoke the truth when he said: "Allaah did not place your cure in what he made forbidden to you.” [Al-Haakim and Al-Bayhaqi]

Therefore, we advise this sister instead of seeking treatment in music, to be keen on performing Ruqyah [on her child] and consult the experienced and trustworthy psychologists in the field as they may prescribe for her some permissible treatment. 

For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 88705.

Allaah Knows best.

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