Music between Prohibiting and Organizing in Islamic Thought

Abstract

Abstract

This study discusses the relation between Islamic theology and music in the Arab World; it revolves around the position adopted by most clergymen and shariea judges in considering music as forbidden, which reflects negatively on the overall role of music socially, professionally, and religiously.

The researcher used the historical descriptive approach to collect the data of this study, and reached several conclusions; the main finding that Islamic thinkers used music in religious and secular practices from the early Islamic era, with variations among scholars in the interpretation of Shariea texts of Holy Quran and Prophets’ Sunna regarding the permission of practicing musical activity. Some scholars did not differentiate in their compilations between the musical practices of singing and playing musical instruments, and this resulted in variation in the derived provisions.