Is it permissible to teach through music? Especially those who are retarded since they learn through it very quickly?

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

Dear inquirer! You have to know that singing and musical instruments are forbidden as established in the Quran and the Sunnah of Allah's Messenger .

Allah Says (what means): {And of the people is he who buys the amusement of speech to mislead [others] from the way of Allah without knowledge and who takes it in ridicule. Those will have a humiliating punishment. } [Quran 31:6]

Ibn Katheer said while commenting on the above-mentioned verse: “Ibn Mas’ood, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "By Allah! Who is the only God, "idle talks" means singing'; and he repeated this three times. The Prophet said: “If Muslims drink wine, take female singers and use instruments for music and singing, (Allah) will cause the earth to swallow them, will cause metamorphosis to them, and they will be thrown with stones (and so on).” [Ibn Abu ad-Dunya with a sound chain of narration]

Another Hadeeth reads: “There will be some people of my Ummah who will practice Zina, wear silk, drink wine and use instruments of music and singing as lawful actions (this is an indication to the prohibition of such actions.” [Al-Bukhari classified it as suspend Hadeeth; Abu Dawood said: ‘This Hadeeth has sound chain of narration’]

There is a consensus of opinion among Muslim scholars that singing and its instruments are forbidden; and only Ibn Hazm, may Allaah mercy be upon him, deemed that singing and its instruments are lawful.

Thus, since it becomes clear and determined that using musical instruments is forbidden; so it is also forbidden to use such instruments for educational purposes; ends do not justify means. In other words, both means and ends must be lawful.

In addition, there are other permissible ways, methods and means that we can use for education; and such things will suffice our needs and help us avoid using unlawful means.

For more benefit that Satan misleads the people through music, please refer to Fatwa 378139.

Allah knows best.