The Moral Stories

Where Music Leads To

Alamgheer was one of the past Moghul kings in India. It is said he was a devout muslim and staunch upholder of Islamic tenets. He banned all luxury items in his kingdom including the listening to music. No one dared do so even privately in his home.

Those engaged in musical provision for their earnings, got together to discuss what to do. They decided to take out a procession on the streets of Delhi in protest.

So one day they staged a grand procession taking out a big JANAZA (coffin) and marched on the streets of the capital. They passed in front of the king's palace. They raised their voice as well as the JANAZA to make their amusing protest march conspicuous before the king who was then sitting on the front terrace.

The king became curious and wanted to know which eminent personality had died as to be given such a grand funeral. Some leaders from the procession approached the king and in a lamenting and wailing tone told him that the coffin was in fact that of 'Music'. Since it was strictly banned in the country, they were suffering loss of daily income. On hearing this, the king smiled and said:

"Very good! Dig the grave so deep as to ensure that the dead MUSIC does not rise again for hundreds of years to come."

Let us ponder over the reasons why Islam has forbidden the playing, hearing and even the handling of musical instruments.

The Islamic philosoply of life dictates that this worldly life is transtional and a quick passing one, whereas the life hereafter is eternal and more important. Therefore Islam has forbidden those things which distract our attention from this fact and which lead us towards loose character and overlooking of the moral duties of our life.

A number of these forbidden things in Islam are not only morally but physically and mentally harmful as proved by a number of modern scientists. Professor Horst Hecheck of Vienna reports:

"The disharmonies of modern music freguently cause severe psychological and physical damage to musicians. Doctors and music experts say complaints range from nervousness, depression and headaches to ulcers and impotence"

The toxic effect of the musical sound cannot be denied. Some years before, it was reported in a local newspaper in Daressalaam that a pregnant Hindu woman was much mentally engrossed in listening to a moving musical program in a cinema that she delivered a baby on the spot without realizing what was happening. The newspaper in criticizing the incident, remarked whether the place was a cinema hall or maternity home!

A professor of Columbia University in America, Dr. Adler, writes that a best melodious record of music can badly harm a human body nerves and the warmer the weather, more the harm. He also proved that music does upset the human nerves unnaturally causing considerable fatigue. The shaking effect of music also causes unnatural perspiration.

This research of Dr. Adler on music had such a widespread effect on the American people that many were led to stop listening to music.

The belief that music was harmful for progressive nation reached a stage when a resolution to ban it by law was presented with relevent proofs and arguments in the American senate. But in a nation where luxury and lust is widespread how many could be expected to vote for such a ban?

It may be claimed that music has a soothing-effect and as such it is a good entertainment, but taking into consideration that it causes more harm than good, it becomes undesirable and one should abstain from it. Islam, as such, has forbidden music as we can see from the following Quranic Ayat and the traditions of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)

"But avoid the uncleanliness of the idols and avoid vain (false) words" (22:30) According to the interpretations of all the major sects of Islam the above mentioned vain (false) words include false utterance and music.

It is worth noting that the divine instruction to avoid vain words (music) is in conjuction with the instruction to avoid the uncleanliness (pollution) of idol. Thus the condemnation of music is along with that of idol-worship.

The Prophet of Islam had said:

"Two kinds of voices are resented by Allah: the wailing at the time of a calamity and musical rhythm at the time of rejoicing." (Nafahat Risaliyya)

Do Stars Influence Our Destiny?

Once Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (A.S.) was leaving Kufa - (the then capital of his caliphate in Arabia) - to go to a place called Nahrawan in order to quash the rebellion of the Kharijites. One of his companions by the name Aleef told him not to undertake the journey just then.

Why? Because according to the findings of astrology, it was not an auspicious moment, and this journey would not end into victory. Ali bin Abi Talib (A.S.) replied in these words:

(Nahjul Balagah sermon 79)

"Do you think you can tell the hour when a man goes out and no evil befall him or can warn of the time at which if one goes out harm will accrue? Whoever testifies to this falsifies the Qur'an and becomes unmindful of Allah in achieving his desired objective and in warding off the undesirable.

You cherish saying this so that he who acts on what you say should praise you rather than Allah because according to your misconception you have guided him about the hour in which he would secure benefit and avoid harm."

After replying to Aleef, Ali bin Abi Talib (A.S.) turned towards those who had gathered there and said:

"O' People! Beware of learning the science of stars except that with which guidance is sought on land or sea, because it leads to divining and an astrologer is a diviner, while the diviner is like the sorcerer, the sorcerer is like the unbeliever and the unbeliever would be in Hell. Get forward in the name of Allah."

Contrary to the astrologer's advice, Ali bin Abi Talib proceeded at the same moment to Nahrawan and returned victorious from that war.

Millions of people in the world have the tendency of consulting horoscopes inorder to seek informatian about the future trends of their lives which they believe to be under the influence of the movement of stars and planets.

In our African Society, we have a section of people who frequently consult the so called MWALIMUS or WITCHDOCTORS to seek the secrets of their sufferings and to find out the future outcome of their ills.

These people suffer from superstitions, psycholgical fears or imaginary sicknesses. The MWALIMUS OR WITCHDOCTORS who consider themselves to be the experts on prediction based on the movement of stars, have some set imaginary answers and cures to offer and in so doing they go on minting money from the ignorant people.

How strange it is to suppose that our business, adventures, our health, our life and death are predetermined by the position of the stars and planets and are under the influence of their movement? What is overlooked is the fundamental fact that both man and the heavenly bodies - the stars - the sun - the moon etc., are under the indisputable authority of the Creator Allah. Man's desting present and future well-being is all controlled by Him and Him alone.

It is one of those human weakness of enslaved mentality which tend to bow down to a body created like himself rather than recognize and have faith in the full and supreme authority of the Creator Allah.

But why is it that so many people, including the educated and intelligent, are willing to place their faith on what the astrologers have to say?

The answer is, that day by day, tremendous vacuum is occuring in the lives of many who previously truly believed in God. Worldly pleasure and occupations have so much overtaken their minds that they can hardly pause to think and recognize the true aim of life and the Supreme Powers of the LIFE - GIVER.

As such, they become desperate and inorder to find some sort of peace for the disturbed mind, they doing to anything that may possibly give them some sort of consolation. Humanbeings, by nature, must have something in which to believe, and in the absence of a meaningful faith in God, reliance is place on superstition, occultation, magic, witchcraft, etc

Astrology does not demand its followers to go to church or mosque nor perform rituals nor adhere to any moral commandments. All one has to do is to buy newspapers or books and follow up what is published about the horoscopes. Or at times. approach an astrologer or a Mwalimu, pay his fees of a few shillings and seek information about the future.

During the times of Imam Jaffer Al Sadiq (A.S.), discussion and debates on various sciences in the world (and particularly in Arabia) were at their peak.

People of different beliefs and religions used to attend discourses by the Imam. One of those sciences dwelt upon was astrology and the Imam expressly asked the people not to believe in it.

Abdul Malik bin Aayun was counted among one of the great traditionalists as well as scholars in Islam. He was also an expert in astrology; and had strong faith in the effect of the positions and movements of the stars on daily lives of human beings. He had accumulated a number of books on this subject and was always referring to them. Before taking any decision or starting any work, he would make astrological calculations to find out what guidance and trend he could get from the position of the stars.

Gradually it became his habit; and not even a small piece of work could be done without prior astrotogical calculations. Day by day he became more and more mentally engrossed in basing all his actions on the good or bad omen of the stars. He became jealous of the people who accomplished their daily work by having confidence in God and who never worried about the positions of stars.

Once he explained his trouble to Imam Jaffer Al Sadiq (A.S.) who expressed his surprise that Abdul Malik had this undesirable habit and told him: "I command you to go and set fire to all those books"

He went and did as he was told. Thus he released himself from the burden of mythical and imaginery influence of stars, and then he felt at ease and quite relaxed in doing all his works by relying on God.

Hasheena state that he approached Imam Jaffer Al Sadiq (A.S.) and said to him that there lived a man on their Island, who could reveal to them unknown matters, for example where and with whom stolen goods are lying. The Imam responded by saying:

"The Holy Prophet (S.A. W.) has said that one who goes to ask about anything from magician, soothsayer or a liar and believes in what he says certainly becomes an infidel (unbeliever) and denier of all the heavenly scriptures revealed by Allah"

The fact is that an astrologer, soothsayer magician or any type of fortune - teller poses as a divine person, who thinks that he can forecast one's benefit or harm through the art of astrology thus, instead of praying to Almighty Allah for warding off calamities and misfortunes, or offering thanks to Allah for bounties HE has bestowed, he becomes indifferent and self confident in every matter.

Should he by chance prove successful in some of his forecasts, he would expect to be praised and be depended upon by more and more people. This leads to atheism and is against the spirit of the teachings of the Holy Qura'n in which the Almighty Allah says:

"Say: No one in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen but Allah; and they do not know when they shall be raised." (27:65)

Thus to approach fortune-tellers, palmists, astrologers and such others who claim to have power to peep into future and to know of hidden matters is to display lack of true faith in the Will of Allah, It is against the teachings of Islam and leads to infidelity.