Islamic Beliefs & Teachings: Permissibility of Qawwali in Sharia, Requirements & Conditions .

Contents of Article:

1. Conditions of Qawwali.

2. Permissibility of Good Poetry, Playing and listeng to Music/type, Raks in view of
- Ahadith of Umme Aisha & Hazrath Ali ra.
- Mulla Ali Qari, Imam Nawami rah
- Music & permissibility of various instruments by Imam Gazali Rah

3.0 View of Ulema from current Era
* Youtube on Practise of Chistita order: Meaning of sama or qawwali, origin, Importanc, Proofs from peer mahr ali shah quote of hazrath ameer qusro, Proofs from sayings of Imam gazali and fatawa shami.
* Fatawa Al Hasanath Research Center (Mufti Ziauddin Naqshbandi)
* Views of peer Saquib Shaami about Qawwali and Daf
* Pir Syed Irfan Shah Sahib on Permissibility of Qawwali & use of various musical instruments. (must listen)
* Mufti Mohammad Ashraf ul Qadri

*********************

1.0 Conditions of Qawwali:

To listen to Qawwali (Sima) is permissible if its conditions are met. This is for the Ahl (capable/men of piety as per the Shariah) as agreed upon by the expert Scholars and glorified Saints (Awliya’) of Allah (Allah is pleased with them all). The conditions are:

a. In the assemblies of these persons, there should be no beardless person (child/immature) when singing.
b. All of them should be only of one gender. In their assemblies, there should be no lovers of this world (Dunya) and no sinner.
c. The singer should sing only for the sake of Allah SWT and should have no desire for money or food.
d. These pious persons should not have gathered there for having food.
e. When they stand up in a state of ecstasy (Wajd), they should get up only when they have lost control (Maghlub ul Haal).
f. They should express only that Wajd, which is true.

For those pious people who fulfill all these conditions, listening to Qawwali is permissible and allowed (jayaz and Mubah). Those who do not fulfill the above conditions should avoid listening to Qawwali.

2.0 Proofs of permissibility of good poetry, music, instruments & raqs:

a. Poetry: Umme Aisha may Allah be pleased with her, said, “Poetry can be beautiful or ugly; so take what is beautiful and leave what is ugly. I have related some of the poetry of Ka’b ibn Malik, including an ode of some forty verses or less than that.” [Al-Bukhari, Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, Number 863, Sahih]

b. Playing Music: Narrated 'Aisha: Once I saw Allah's Apostle at the door of my house while some Ethiopians were playing in the mosque (displaying their skill with spears). Allah's Apostle was screening me with his Rida' so as to enable me to see their display. ('Urwa said that 'Aisha said, "I saw the Prophet and the Ethiopians were playing with their spears.") [Sahi bukhari, book 8, hadith 445]

c. Playing Music & Listening: Narrated Aisha: Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) came to my house while two girls were singing beside me the songs of Buath (a story about the war between the two tribes of the Ansar, the Khazraj and the Aus, before Islam). The Prophet (p.b.u.h) lay down and turned his face to the other side. Then Abu Bakr came and spoke to me harshly saying, "Musical instruments of Satan near the Prophet (p.b.u.h) ?" Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) turned his face towards him and said, "Leave them." When Abu Bakr became inattentive, I signalled to those girls to go out and they left. It was the day of 'Id, and the Black people were playing with shields and spears; so either I requested the Prophet (p.b.u.h) or he asked me whether I would like to see the display. I replied in the affirmative. Then the Prophet (p.b.u.h) made me stand behind him and my cheek was touching his cheek and he was saying, "Carry on! O Bani Arfida," till I got tired. The Prophet (p.b.u.h) asked me, "Are you satisfied (Is that sufficient for you)?" I replied in the affirmative and he told me to leave. [sahi bukhari, book 15, hadith 70]

d. View of Mullah Ali Qari ra about Sima and Playing (Music) [in regard to maulid]: Mullah Ali Qari (Rahimuhullah) the author of Sharh al Mishqaat and magnificent Hanafi scholar, he said: Allah said: There hath come unto you a messenger, (one) of yourselves (9:128), In this It is pointed towards honoring the time when Prophet (saw) arrived amongst us, therefore one should do dhikr (of Quran) to thank Allah. As for Samah and playing is concerned then that which is Mubah (i.e. allowed) could be made part of Mawliddue to happiness without any harm [Muallah Ali Qari in his Al Mawlid an Nabi, Page No. 17]

e. Raqs: It is narrated by Anas (R.A) that the Habashis were presenting their art in front of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and “THEY WERE DANCING (Yarqasun)” while saying: Muhammadun Abdun Salih (i.e. Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم the righteous slave). The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) asked: What are they saying? They said: Muhammadun Abdun Salih [Musnad Ahmed bin Hanbal, Volume No.3, Page no. 152] Sheikh Shu’ayb al Ar'anut said after this hadith: The Chain is “SAHIH” on the criteria of “(SAHIH) MUSLIM” [ibid 3/152]

This hadith explicitly uses the word "RAQS” which proves without any shadow of doubt that It was dancing, however the Anti-Sufi people cite the hadith of Bukhari which only mentions “PLAYING”

Some people claim that this above hadith is only understood from hadith of Bukhari which mentions Abyssinians or Ethiopians "PLAYING WITH SPEARS" inside the Prophet's mosque. Now our reply to them is the same i.e. the hadith of Bukhari is understood from the hadith of Musnad Ahmed which is Sahih on criteria of Sahih Muslim, hence both playing and Raqs become allowed, If they are truthful then they should come with proof from hadith which mentions that Raqs is “EXCLUDED” from this. Therefore Alhamdolillah both ahadith go in favour of Sufis.

f. Raqs: Hadrat Ali (ra) said: I went to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) with Jafar (RA) and Zayd (ra), The Prophet said to Zayd: You are my freedman (anta Mawlay), “AT THIS ZAYD BEGAN TO HOP ON ONE LEG (HAJALA) AROUND THE PROPHET” then the Prophet said to Jafar (ra): You resemble me in my creation and my manners, at this Jafar also began to hop behind Zayd, then the Prophet said to Ali (ra): You are from me and I am from you, at this he also started to hop behind Jafar. [Musnad Ahmed bin Hanbal 1:537 #857]

g. In this (hadith) if sahih has “PROOF” and "PERMISSIBILITY" of hopping (dancing) which includes “RISING UP OR JUMPING IN STATE OF JOY” and also that of doing “RAQS” being similar to it which is also allowed – And Allah knows the best [Sunnan al Baihaqi al Kubra (15/333)]

h. Imam Nawawi said: “Dancing is not unlawful, unless it is languid, like the movements of the effeminate. And it is permissible to speak and to sing poetry, unless it satirizes someone, is obscene, or alludes to a particular woman” [Minhaj at talibin wa `umdat al-muttaqin. Cairo 1338/1920. Reprint. Cairo: Mustafa al-Babi al-Halabi edition, Pae No. 152]

i. Music, According to Hujjatul Islam Imam Gazali {Rahmatullah}

IMAM GAZALI says "The music which brings you towards BAD is haram... and the one which brings closer to ALLAH is halal (Read scanned pages for exact words)

KEEMIA E SADAT By Imam gazali page 408: The music which brings you towards BAD is haram...and the one which brings closer to ALLAH is halal (these are not the exact words..but the gist) {KEEMIA E SADAT ,adabi duniya publications, New Delhi,India}

Link: http://ghazali.org/books/kimya-urdu.pdf

Sima/Qawwali in View of few Ulema of Current Era

1. Sama, Qawwali, Practise of Silsila Chisht:

Click on above video or at link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxOYxKea_Jk

contents of Video: 1.meaning of sama or qawwali 2.origin of qawwali 3.Importance 4.Proofs from peer mahr ali shah quote of hazrath ameer qusro 5.Proofs from sayings of Imam gazali and fatawa shami.

2. Fatawa Al Hasanath Research Center (Mufti Ziauddin Naqshbandi)
http://www.ziaislamic.com/english/interfaces/fatawa_english/index.php?qid=54&frommostpopular=yes

3. Views of peer Saquib Shaami about Qawwali and Daf

Click on above video or at link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsxKbNJIzDc (start at 16:00 Minutes)

4. Listening to Qawwali - Hujjat ul Islam Pir Syed Irfan Shah Sahib
MashaAllah permissibility of Qawwali, and musical instrument and misunderstanding of fatwa well explained a must listen