Question:
Is it not true that at the time of the prophet ﷺ, the Swahaabah used to sing on the occasion of ‘Eid or Waliimah?
Answer:
If singing has been made permissible during these two specific occasions, it does not mean that singing is permissible in the Deen of Allaah. Furthermore, it was not the men who used to sing, but rather it was the young girls, who were not singers by profession.
Narrated Aisha:
دَخَلَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعِنْدِى جَارِيَتَانِ مِنْ جَوَارِى الأَنْصَارِ تُغَنِّيَانِ بِمَا تَقَاوَلَتِ الأَنْصَارُ يَوْمَ بُعَاثَ – وَلَيْسَتَا بِمُغَنِّيَتَيْنِ – فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَمَزَامِيرُ الشَّيْطَانِ فِى بَيْتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَذَلِكَ فِى يَوْمِ عِيدٍ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ إِنَّ لِكُلِّ قَوْمٍ عِيدًا وَهَذَا عِيدُنَا
[ Abu Bakr came to my house while two small Answaari girls were singing beside me the stories of the Answaar concerning the Day of Bu’aath. And they were not singers. Abu Bakr said protestingly, “Musical instruments of Satan in the house of Allaah’s Messenger (ﷺ) !” It happened on the `Eid day and Allaah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “O Abu Bakr! There is an `Eid for every nation and this is our `Eid.” ]
(BUKHARI 952)
An-Nawawi:
قَالَ الْقَاضِي إِنَّمَا كَانَ غِنَاؤُهُمَا بِمَا هُوَ مِنْ أَشْعَار الْحَرْب وَالْمُفَاخَرَة بِالشَّجَاعَةِ وَالظُّهُور وَالْغَلَبَة
[ Al-Qaadwi said: Both of them sang poems of war and boastfulness to get courage, victory and have an upper hand (over the adversaries).
وَهَذَا لَا يُهَيِّج الْجَوَارِي عَلَى شَرٍّ وَلَا إِنْشَادهمَا لِذَلِكَ مِنْ الْغِنَاء الْمُخْتَلِف فِيهِ وَإِنَّمَا هُوَ رَفْع الصَّوْت بِالْإِنْشَادِ
This does not expose young girls to evils and they raising their voices is not included in the category about which there is a difference of opinion. It is just that they raised their voices.
وَلِهَذَا قَالَتْ (وَلَيْسَتَا بِمُغَنِّيَتَيْنِ) أَيْ لَيْسَتَا مِمَّنْ يَتَغَنَّى بِعَادَةِ الْمُغَنِّيَات مِنْ التَّشْوِيق وَالْهَوَى وَالتَّعْرِيض بِالْفَوَاحِشِ وَالتَّشْبِيب بِأَهْلِ الْجَمَال وَمَا يُحَرِّك النُّفُوس وَيَبْعَث الْهَوَى وَالْغَزْل كَمَا قِيلَ (الْغِنَاء فِيهِ الزِّنَا)
This is why Aisha said: “they were not singers”, which indicates that those two girls were not like singers, who sing with excitement, passion, indecency, boasting beauty, which incites passion and pretentiousness, as it is said: “Singing involves Zinaa”.
وَلَيْسَتَا أَيْضًا مِمَّنْ اِشْتُهِرَ وَعُرِفَ بِإِحْسَانِ الْغِنَاء الَّذِي فِيهِ تَمْطِيط وَتَكْسِير وَعَمَل يُحَرِّك السَّاكِن وَيَبْعَث الْكَامِن
Also, those two girls were not among those who were famous for their beautiful singing which constitutes of elongation and fragmentation of the voice and actions which reanimates one.
وَلَا مِمَّنْ اِتَّخَذَ ذَلِكَ صَنْعَة وَكَسْبًا
Also, those two girls neither sang as a profession nor used it as a means to acquire money.
وَالْعَرَب تُسَمِّي الْإِنْشَاد غِنَاء وَلَيْسَ هُوَ مِنْ الْغِنَاء الْمُخْتَلَف فِيهِ بَلْ هُوَ مُبَاح
The Arabs call reciting poetry in a high voice (Inshaad) singing, but it is not included in the singing about which there is a difference of opinion. It is in fact permissible. ]
Based on the above, one can understand that:
Those two girls were not in fact singing, they were only reciting poems
They did not sing like singers do
They were not known for their beautiful singing
They did not do that as a profession.
Compiled: Abu Layla Shabbir
Translator: Muhammad AbdAllaah
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