DANCING IS NOT HARAM IN ISLAM

star_munir · Post by **star_munir** » Fri Sep 26, 2003 9:38 pm

SOME EXTREMIST MUSLIMS THINK THAT DANCING ID HARAM BUT ITS NOT

WHEN THE DELEGATION FROM ABYSSINYA VISITED THE PROPHET [PBUH] THEY PERFORMED DANCING IN MOSQUE THE PROPHET [PBUH] WATCHED THEM AND ALSO LOWERED HIS SHOULDERS SO THAT LADY AISHA COULD WATCH.

peer naachee ne ka(n)the geenaan re maa
em samjaaveene gur kahe chhe re maa...............................1

The Peer(True Guide) dances (in happiness) and expounds
this 'geenaan'. In this manner the Guide explains and informs!

PIR SAID GARBIS WHILE DANCING.

ALSO ISMAILIS PERFORM DANDIA RASS ANS RAASRA ON 13 DEC, DEEDAR ETC WHICH IS ALSO A KIND OF DANCING.

atlantanismaili · Post by **atlantanismaili** » Sat Oct 18, 2003 7:46 pm

<FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff size=2>Little children may dance, women on their own may dance (such as in a wedding without the presence of men), a husband and his wife may dance in a private area, but public dancing (dancing clubs, parties, etc.) is totally prohibited. I do not agree that us ismailis should do dandiya, it is a hindu practice, originally meant to dance for their gods and goddesses.<BR></FONT>

star_munir · Post by **star_munir** » Sat Oct 18, 2003 9:22 pm

You said dandia is not good its hindu practise. Do you use car? Car is not invented by muslims. This computer is not invented by muslims. Pakistanis or Indians like Kheer.seera.lapsi etc these dishes are not made by muslims. In sukreet you get seera [halwa] Is seera Arabic dish or an Indian food?

Dandia,rasra etc peformed at the time of Khushiali or Deedar are not wrong. If dandia was against Islam Hazir Imam would stop it.

You may know that oct 31 is halloween a festival of christians but many of its customs are not related to christanity.

shamsu · Post by **shamsu** » Sun Oct 26, 2003 12:30 am

I happen to have been in karachi for the Oct 2000 deedar and I was told that Imame Zamaan asked for us to play dandiya.

Let me try to explain what dandiya represents. it represents the celebration of the union with the divine. The merging of the subject with the object.

You are looking at the physical . Ismailism has nothing I repeat NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PHYSICAL BODY.

Imam SMS has stated "Haqiqati deen Dil ni ander parwano che"

"amaro deen haqiqati cche"

Ismailism is a Batuni Faith .

Batuni means hidden

Hidden inside the heart nowhere else.

You may have heard ginan "aape oothi shah ne besan dije vira" that has to do with the heart.

Let the love for your Imam have a seat in your heart.

We have seated our love for material things in our hearts and this is what we have to evict from what has always been Mowla Aly's abode.

"Jene Dil Diya Tene Sarve kucch diya"

nathi joti tamari jaan, nathi jo to tamaro maal, ame to tamaro dil maangiye cche"

Imam is asking for your heart you wanna give it to him or what?

He has given you everything including your self and all he asks for is your heart. When do you plan on giving to him that which belongs to him anyway.

His amaanat is with us and he wants it back. what do u say? Today, this minute, this moment.

"Tame kyan soodhi baccha ni jem duniya saathe ramya karso"

"Duniya naathari stree jevi cche tene jaldithi kaadhi mookvi joiye"

Sorry I went off on a rant there but what is inside is all that can come out. What isnt, how can that come out?

YAM

Shams

karimqazi · Post by **karimqazi** » Sun Jan 18, 2004 8:50 pm

YAM

If you believe in sufism, dancing is a form of affection to their imam (sheik). Nach na be ibadat bun janda hay joh nach ne da pah ho ve (Panjabi)
A great sufi Buleshah had said this and he did dance to show his affection to his sheik Inyaat Shah. So, dancing in the thoughts of your imam is ibadat. This is my understanding about the issue on dancing.

_thaillestlunatic_ · Post by **_thaillestlunatic_** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 2:23 pm

EXCELLENT reply shams
it really touched me right at the heart
inshallah all of us will start to believe ismailism
is nothing but batuni

nargisk3 · Post by **nargisk3** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 12:07 pm

Hi. I totally agree- I don't think dandia is bad at all- it's a form of celebration to show our happiness for the Imam. I think a lot of people, especially extremists, have this perception that anything that's fun must somehow be bad...I once heard in a waez where Imam SMS was eating delicacies of some sort, and someone had questioned him about that- and in reply he said something to the effect of why should bad people only be able to enjoy themselves.
I do agree that our religion takes a lot of practice and hard work, but there's nothing wrong with wanting to have some fun and enjoying life while you're at it. (As long as you're not doing something the Imam says you shouldn't)

Okay, this is kind of a side note, but it relates to dancing- would clubbing be considered bad? I know most of ya'll will probably say yes, but really think about it, and in reply, give me justifications for why you think it is or is not okay to go. I just want other people's opinions about this. Thanks!!

nagib · Post by **nagib** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 12:22 pm

I would even go frther, I would say when we do Dandia, as asked by Imam's Farman, we do Ibadat and the same credit goes to our account...

Just read carrefully the wording that Hazar Imam uses when he talks of Dandia, sometime he even use the word dancing! And he looks so nice in his photos of his early age when he also played Dandia....

Nagib
=========

kmaherali · Post by **kmaherali** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:50 pm

"Therefore, your life in the industrialized world represents hard work; time is at a premium, there is entertainment, there are comforts of everyday life. Do not for that forsake the regular practice of your faith, because answerability on the day of Judgment is for everyone, everywhere."(Silver Jubliee, London 1983)

I think that the above mentioned Farman is quite self explanatory. The way I interprete it is that so long as one's practice of faith is not compromised, I see no reason to enjoy life in very possible manner. I believe every human experience has something to teach us either through reflection or through personal experience. So long as entertainment is reasonable, not very extravagant, and does not convey sinister connotations, I think it is legitimate. Playing dandias three or four times a year is very reasonable. It fosters unity and serves to express spiritual happiness which is shared by everyone participating.

Having said the above, I believe that through Ibaadat (in its broadest sense), a person can build a strong and rich inner life and therefore is indifferent to pleasure and pain. He does not crave for material pleasures which will seem trivial and insignificant in comparison to his/her continuous spiritual bliss. There is no deprivation in this sense.

The following verse of the Ginan Kal Pat Jal Pat which is my favourite, expresses this.

Nisi jal hove to kuchh kaall na aave - meaning 'If one is as pure as water he is not affected by vagaries of time (pleasure and pain)'.

shamsu · Post by **shamsu** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 11:14 pm

Does anyone know the history of the origin of Dandia?

When you know that you will understand why Ismailies from Indian subcontinent play dandia on Khushialies.

star_munir · Post by **star_munir** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 2:46 am

I have asked this question and I got the answer from one of my friends.
Gujarat has a unique distinction of having a
legendary origin of her folk dance forms. The most
popular and known folk dances of Gujarat are Garba,
Garbi, Rasaka, Tippani, Padhar-Nritya, Dangi-Nritya
etc. Most of these dances have a circle of Mandala as
the basic Choreographic pattern.

Rasa which is supposed to belong to Kutch and
Suarashtra is performed all over Gujarat. The rasa
traditions are as old as the Puranic period. In
various parts of the country, Rasa are danced in
different manners. The main feature of Rasa is dancing
in a circle by men and woman, to the accompaniment of
musical instruments and keeping time either by
clapping or beating of two sticks. The number of
dancers go from 8,16, 32 up to 64 couples, who also
sing the song. There are three varieties of Rasaka
described.

Danda Rasaka-Rasa dance where Danda or sticks are
used.

Mandala or Tala Rasaka-Rasa dance where clapping is
used.

Lata Rasaka-Rasa dance where dancers cling to each
other and dance like a creeper to a tree.

Most of the art traditions of Gujarat trace their
origin to the mythological times of Lord Krishna. He
is said to have been an exponent of art of dancing.
Raas Nritya is a form of dance performed by lord
Krishna with Gopikas. The Dandia variety of the Raas
Nritya of Gujarat is generally performed by a group of
youthful persons, both males and females, who move in
circles to measured steps, beating time with small
sticks (called dandia) singing to the accompaniment of
Dhol, Cymbals, Zanz, flute or Shehnai. When the time
beat is given by the clapping of palms and performed
only by males, it is called Garbi.

The Gof variety of the raas is an intricate
performance wherein the performers holding coloured
strings attached to a top, move in circles weaving
and unweaving different patterns.

The Mers of Saurashtra are known for their folk dance
called the Mer Raas. White shepherds perform what is
called the Gher Raas. The Gheria Raas is a dance
performed by the agriculturists of south Gujarat.

Hallisaka a group dance, in the Harivamsa Purana is
very significant. This is a group dance, in a circular
formation with the hands joined together forming a
chain. The time (Tala) is kept by clapping and is
accompanied by singing. A young man (Krishna) stands
in the middle of the damsels. The feet movements,
toes, heels and legs first start their journey to
explore rhythmic expression measured steps, long,
short, quick, and slow accompanied in single, double
and triple timings.

Dangi Nrita: The Gangis are unique tribals, a blend of
Gujarati and Maharashrian culture mixed harmoniously
with original Dravidians. The dance performed by
Dangis is called Dangi Nritya. Men and women join
hands forming a chain or shrinkala making serpentine
movements with one of them leading. The movements is
very fast, swift and create various choreographic
patterns in a fraction of a second. Each variety of
step is called 'Chala' and there are about 27
varieties of these chalas. One of the most amazing
sights of this dance is the creation of a human
pyramid.

Garba Dance is a popular folk Dance of Gujarat. It is
a circular form of dance performed by ladies on the
Navaratri days, Sharad Purnima, Vasant Panchami, Holi
and such other festive occasions. The word Garba is
derived from the word Garbha Deep meaning a lamp
inside a perforated earthen pot. The light inside the
perforated earthen pot symbolised the embryonic life.
In this folk dance, ladies place the pot with the lamp
on their heads and move in circles, singing in time
measure by clapping their palms or snapping their
fingers, to the accompaniment of folk instruments.

The actual performance begins at night after the women
finish their house hold work. All gather at street
corners. A photograph of the goddess or a lamp is
kept in the centre and around it the circle is
formed. The dancing begins with slow tempo and reaches
a fast tempo. The rhythm is kept by a Dholi or drummer
who sit in the centre.

Some times, women carry on their heads 'Mandavali' a
small canopy made of bamboo chips covered with a red
silk piece of cloth. They dance with it and later put
it in the centre. Mandavali symbolises the temple of
the goddess. Women wear sari in the Gujarati style.
Each community wears different clothes. In Saurashtra,
women wear embroidered petticoats (Ghaghara), a
backless choli (Kapdu) and a head cover (odhani) with
lots of silver and head ornaments. Males wear Kediyum
(shirt) Vajani (trouser) and Rumal a printed head
piece with silver ornaments on the waist, neck and
hands. The musical instruments used for Garba are
mainly the drum or dhol and Nal. But Rasa has Pavo (a
double flute) Vansali (flute) Zanza (Discs )etc. The
drummer ties his drums around the neck and moves
inside the circle beating it.

Garba songs are mostly in praise of Mother Goddess
Amba describing her form, powers, and invoking her
blessings. Also there are Garbas describing seasons
and social themes of domestic ands married life.

There are certain folk dances which typically
represent the community activities and their
functional aspect. The Tippani folk dance is a dance
of such a variety in which women labourers engaged in
construction work, strike the floor with long sticks
called Tippani. They have a rhythmic musical process
to escape the tedium of the toil involved in their
arduous task. The tribes in Gujarat have their own
virile forms of the folk dances.

The costumes and the instruments used during these
folkdances are also typical folk costumes which mostly
consist of a short coat called Kedia with tight
sleeves with embroidered borders and shoulders, tight
trousers like the Churidars and colourfully
embroidered caps or coloured turbans and a coloured
waist band.

Damru, Tabla, Nagara, and pot drum are among the
instruments; percussion, Ektaro, Ravan hattho, and
Jantar are among the string instruments and Pavo,
shehani, murli, turi, and taturi are wind instruments
used as accompaniments in the folk dances

kmaherali · Post by **kmaherali** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 11:53 am

Very interesting article! Just curious where did you get it from?

Dandia raas are indeed an expression of art in its truest sense because

- They give vent to waves of love and ecstasy bubbling within an enlightened soul. Hafiz and Rumi have alluded to the need to dance as a result of being overwhelmed by love and ecstasy in their poetry.
-They serve the purpose of uniting the participants as they move together in harmony with identical moves in rhythm. They ares also very pleasant to watch and listen unlike discos wherein everyone dances as he pleases and the music is just noise!
-They are an expression of collective happiness of participants to celebrate an important event or occasion.
-They are very decent with no vulgarity or sexually suggestive gestures or moves.

It is therefore not surprising that Lord Krishna at least sanctioned these dances if he did not initiate them and danced with the Gopees! Our Imams have also encouraged this form of entertainment on occasional basis.

star_munir · Post by **star_munir** » Thu May 19, 2005 10:10 pm

Mowlana Hazar Imam and the London Newspapermen on television.

May 2nd, 1958

Q. Are you interested in music generally

A. Yes I am.
Q. You like classical music on the whole?

A. Very much.

Q. How do you feel about the whole question of night-clubbing and cha-cha-cha and mambo and so on? How do you stand all that stuff?

A. Well I don't stand in it at all. Why should I stand in it?

Q. But you do occasionally go don't you?

A. Yes, I occasionally go with friends of mine if they have a party and after a theatre or something they want to go to a night club.

Q. But you don't particularly like it?

A. Not particularly. I mean, I certainly wouldn't spend every night of my life in a night club.

Q. Are you interested in the theatre and ballet?

A. Very much indeed. My grandfather always took us to the ballet a great deal.

Q. He loved ballet. I remember him in Venice, the ballet there, it was an American ballet. He adored it.

A. Absolutely adored it.

star_munir · Post by **star_munir** » Tue May 24, 2005 9:07 pm

It is in Farman of Mowlana Hazir Imam,"I say to you Idd Mubarak and I say to you enjoy the evening with lots of dancing and happiness Khanavadan." [Nairobi October 5, 1982]

curious2 · Post by **curious2** » Wed May 25, 2005 2:38 pm

star_munir wrote:Mowlana Hazar Imam and the London Newspapermen on television.

May 2nd, 1958

Q. Are you interested in music generally

A. Yes I am.
Q. You like classical music on the whole?

A. Very much.

Q. How do you feel about the whole question of night-clubbing and cha-cha-cha and mambo and so on? How do you stand all that stuff?

A. Well I don't stand in it at all. Why should I stand in it?

Q. But you do occasionally go don't you?

A. Yes, I occasionally go with friends of mine if they have a party and after a theatre or something they want to go to a night club.

Q. But you don't particularly like it?

A. Not particularly. I mean, I certainly wouldn't spend every night of my life in a night club.

Q. Are you interested in the theatre and ballet?

A. Very much indeed. My grandfather always took us to the ballet a great deal.

Q. He loved ballet. I remember him in Venice, the ballet there, it was an American ballet. He adored it.

A. Absolutely adored it.

Star_Munir bhai, now that you have made me curious. Can you please tell me how did you get this transcript? And what is Newspapermen?

Thank you.

nagib · Post by **nagib** » Wed May 25, 2005 2:47 pm

Just go to the Library .. INterviews section and you will find the whole interview there. direct link at:

http://www.ismaili.net/intervue/580502.html

curious2 · Post by **curious2** » Thu May 26, 2005 11:04 am

Thanks for the link, it seems someone have acquired the transcript of this interview from somewhere, from where and how? It doesn't say.

Anyway, I just wish to clear up that, we are not justifying dandiya-raas/dancing/music by referencing MHI's interview which he gave some 47 years ago. The farman makes sense (even it sounds out of context to me since I have not seen the original in full) but it makes no sense to post this TV interview here on this thread. I mean, how does this personal interview given by young newly appointed Imam justify music/dance as legal in Islam? We can sure justify it via other references but this interview seems forced here.

Just me and my opinion. Feel free to correct.

star_munir · Post by **star_munir** » Thu May 26, 2005 7:56 pm

As you wrote,". I mean, how does this personal interview given by young newly appointed Imam justify music/dance as legal in Islam? We can sure justify it via other references but this interview seems forced here"

In Ismaili Concept of Imamat the Nur of Imam is always same therefore it does not matter what is the age of Imam as every Imam is bearer of Noor of Ali.

Apart from this earlier hadith as well as Ginans were also quoted which justify dancing/music etc is not haram in Islam.

curious2 · Post by **curious2** » Fri May 27, 2005 9:26 am

In Ismaili Concept of Imamat the Nur of Imam is always same therefore it does not matter what is the age of Imam as every Imam is bearer of Noor of Ali.

Not to disagree with you above but just to bring forward another point. You said "Nur of Imam is always same therefore it does not matter what is the age of Imam". Now, dancing/music is a worldly thing, it has nothing to do with spiritual/esoteric matters (aside from the inner happiness you get out of it). So how could your statement "Nur of Imam..." fit in this thread/discussion? I can understand perhaps you are correcting on my reference of old interview, but it is after all an interview with physical date.

Again, I'm not arguing or debating for the sake of debate, but I read this interview in detail yesterday, and it left me curious with some more question. Especially this :

Q. Have you designated your own successor? I am not asking you who, but have you in fact written a document anywhere naming your successor?
A. Well I have thought of that problem yes.
Q. Have you done it?
A. Yes I have.
Q. You have. Because, obviously, accidents could happen.
A. Well that is, of course, a very important factor in my own life.
Q. Yes. When your grandfather said, as he once did, that this was a job which could not be done until the death bed of the reigning Imam, you really would not agree with this with modern air travel and so on - you have to insure a bit more than that?
A. Well you would have to ensure that the successor was designated.
Q. So somebody in the world does know who your successor would be?
A. Yes. Myself.
Q. Only yourself ? You reached that decision entirely alone in other words?
A. Entirely alone.
Q. You have told nobody else?
A. I have told absolutely nobody else.

The above topic may not fit well with the thread subject but I have no idea how I could explain the above mystery. Is Imam giving them a diplomatic answer? Or is this a mysterious answer which no one could understand?

If I remember, I read Nasir Khusraw state that Imam is selected even in the drop of sperm. So based on this, above looks all mysterious to me.

Anyone like to explain further?

Thanks.

ShamsB · Post by **ShamsB** » Fri May 27, 2005 9:48 am

curious2 wrote:
In Ismaili Concept of Imamat the Nur of Imam is always same therefore it does not matter what is the age of Imam as every Imam is bearer of Noor of Ali.
Not to disagree with you above but just to bring forward another point. You said "Nur of Imam is always same therefore it does not matter what is the age of Imam". Now, dancing/music is a worldly thing, it has nothing to do with spiritual/esoteric matters (aside from the inner happiness you get out of it). So how could your statement "Nur of Imam..." fit in this thread/discussion? I can understand perhaps you are correcting on my reference of old interview, but it is after all an interview with physical date.

Again, I'm not arguing or debating for the sake of debate, but I read this interview in detail yesterday, and it left me curious with some more question. Especially this :

Q. Have you designated your own successor? I am not asking you who, but have you in fact written a document anywhere naming your successor?
A. Well I have thought of that problem yes.
Q. Have you done it?
A. Yes I have.
Q. You have. Because, obviously, accidents could happen.
A. Well that is, of course, a very important factor in my own life.
Q. Yes. When your grandfather said, as he once did, that this was a job which could not be done until the death bed of the reigning Imam, you really would not agree with this with modern air travel and so on - you have to insure a bit more than that?
A. Well you would have to ensure that the successor was designated.
Q. So somebody in the world does know who your successor would be?
A. Yes. Myself.
Q. Only yourself ? You reached that decision entirely alone in other words?
A. Entirely alone.
Q. You have told nobody else?
A. I have told absolutely nobody else.
The above topic may not fit well with the thread subject but I have no idea how I could explain the above mystery. Is Imam giving them a diplomatic answer? Or is this a mysterious answer which no one could understand?

If I remember, I read Nasir Khusraw state that Imam is selected even in the drop of sperm. So based on this, above looks all mysterious to me.

Anyone like to explain further?

Thanks.

The whirling dervishes..or Mevlevis are an islamic sufi sect that reach elevated states of bandagi whilst whirling and dancing...

The evolution of Dandiya-Raas is a form of prayer, attend any Navratri function and you will see the representation of the deity in the center and all dandiya raas is happening around it..
Most indian dance forms evolved out of the ritual prayer dancing..

Also Imam tells us to have a balance between spiritual and physical worlds..we aren't a shariati faith..we are a batini faith...thus dancing as an expression..as a hobby shouldn't be a taboo as I look at it...

what surprises me is that we have about 2 pages of responses on dancing..which can be a health exercise.
however no one is addressing the other issues that our Imam has made farmans on..how about education and tackling the issue of Smoking..or the issue of drinking..the majority of our ismaili brethren in the West..either drink or smoke..in Tanzania..it is the advent of "pariki" or 300 or 400..(paan with tambacu)..that is chewed during Jamat Khana, outside Jamatkhana and at all times..
how about another issue that Mowlana Hazar Imam has touched on recently..Jamat Khana Attendance..how many of us on this forum attend JamatKhana regularly or say our dua regularly..
Let us expend our energies trying to address those issues..once we do that and secure the future of our youth, we can then discuss issues like dancing in ismailism..and other frivilous issues....

ShamsB

curious2 · Post by **curious2** » Fri May 27, 2005 10:03 am

how about another issue that Mowlana Hazar Imam has touched on recently..Jamat Khana Attendance..how many of us on this forum attend JamatKhana regularly or say our dua regularly..

I don't. I'm not going to lie.

The whirling dervishes..or Mevlevis are an islamic sufi sect that reach elevated states of bandagi whilst whirling and dancing...

Agreed. I have no problem with this.

Let us expend our energies trying to address those issues..once we do that and secure the future of our youth, we can then discuss issues like dancing in ismailism..

You are on to something. Could not agree more.

kmaherali · Post by **kmaherali** » Fri May 27, 2005 10:45 am

curious2 wrote: The above topic may not fit well with the thread subject but I have no idea how I could explain the above mystery. Is Imam giving them a diplomatic answer? Or is this a mysterious answer which no one could understand?

If I remember, I read Nasir Khusraw state that Imam is selected even in the drop of sperm. So based on this, above looks all mysterious to me.

Anyone like to explain further?

Thanks.

Imam always speaks according to the capacity of the audience to understand him. Obviously this was not an audience where he could discuss the mystical and esoteric dimension of our faith.

However it should not be a mystery to us. If we regard him as Akl- e Kull, would he not have knowledge of past, present and future? If so would he not have the knowledge to ensure the continuity of Imamat?

curious2 · Post by **curious2** » Fri May 27, 2005 1:24 pm

If we regard him as Akl- e Kull, would he not have knowledge of past, present and future?

Then how could we explain his many replies like "I don't know", "I honestly don't know"?

I understand that I'm taking this out of off an interview given to the media for general purpose distribution. But still these are Imam's words, they can't be a lie.

kmaherali · Post by **kmaherali** » Fri May 27, 2005 1:29 pm

curious2 wrote:Then how could we explain his many replies like "I don't know", "I honestly don't know"?

I understand that I'm taking this out of off an interview given to the media for general purpose distribution. But still these are Imam's words, they can't be a lie.

In this particular audience he is being an ordinary human being. This is a Zaheri audience and in a Zaheri audience he does not express his Batini qualities!

star_munir · Post by **star_munir** » Fri May 27, 2005 8:49 pm

Regarding:what surprises me is that we have about 2 pages of responses on dancing..which can be a health exercise.
however no one is addressing the other issues that our Imam has made farmans on..how about education and tackling the issue of Smoking..or the issue of drinking..the majority of our ismaili brethren in the West..either drink or smoke..

In section of Current issues there was dicussion on drinking and pork consumption.

kmaherali · Post by **kmaherali** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 8:49 pm

The following is an interesting article on the importance of music generally and more specifically in Islam. It is quite well researched and lengthy. However you may get the gist in the conclusion towards the end of the article if you do not have the time or the patience to read the entire article.

Music and Muslims

Ibrahim B. Syed, Ph. D.
President
Islamic Research Foundation International, Inc.
7102 W. Shefford Lane
Louisville, KY 40242-6462, USA
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://WWW.IRFI.ORG

Music and language are uniquely human. A world without either would be hard to imagine. "Both language and music are characteristics of the human species that seem to be universal," says the book The Musical Mind. They are aspects of our need to communicate. So it could be said that, as is true of language, when music "speaks" our emotions "listen." Music resounds through creation from the blowing wind, to the chirping birds, to the human voice and the tune of the harp. Music naturally occurs. The three great elemental sounds of Nature are music. Is the sound of rain, the sound of wind, and the sound of the ocean on a beach not reminiscent of an awe-inspiring rhythm? The sound produced by a rivulet cascading merrily over pebbles and stones, is music. Scientists are finding that the human brain is pre-wired for music ("Music on the Mind" by Sharon Begley. Newsweek, July 24, 2000, pp.50-52) Music is a marvelous and extremely powerful tool. The Qur'an is music. When the Qur'an is intoned with ilhaan and tajweed: is that not music? The recitation of the sacred Qur'anic text in rhythmic tones brought into being and developed the religious music of Al-Islam; this was a new branch of music. All throughout the Noble Book are images of music, such as trumpets blasting, thunder, angels singing praises, voices calling. The Arabic language lends to its prose a sweetness and melody. The Qur'an recited by the master chanter or Qari, is heard daily in many parts of the world; it is unequaled in charm and harmony. Music is one of Allah's great gifts to man, a means of rejoicing unto thy Lord, and can be used as a healing to the body, mind and spirit. Music relaxation training is used to treat many stress-related illnesses that include high blood pressure, migraine headaches and ulcers. It has direct physiological effects on people. It can make us relax or remember, or have all sorts of feelings. Music can transform an environment by changing our state of mind. The harp has long been recognized as an instrument for healing and calming the mind. It is important to use music to educate, to heal, to inspire and to unite.

Is Music Permissible?

The question whether music is permissible at all began to be debated in the first century of Islam and the debate has continued to the present day. This debate has filled thousands of pages. Early religious authorities had opposed music due to the role it had played in society. This 'new music' was related more and more with a life of pleasure and a taste of luxury. It procured connotations of flightiness and sensual indulgence, reinforced by the participation of women in music-making and by the dancing (often considered obscene) and the drinking of intoxicating beverages that were associated with it. Even the two sacred cities of Makkah and Madinah were not invulnerable from these temptations, and indeed they quickly became authentic centers of entertainment. Islamic music is divided into six periods. During the first period of Islam, and particularly during the reigns of the last two Khulafa-e-Rashideen (the rightly guided Caliphs), Hadrat Uthman(RA) and Hadrat Imam Ali(RA), Madinah became the center of intense musical activity. Despite frequent campaigns against music by the religious authorities, professional musicians were welcomed in the houses of the rich and noble, and encouraged by lavish rewards. These musicians were mainly freed slaves of Persian origin, such as Tuwais (d. 92 AH/710 AD) and Khathir (d 64 AH/683 AD), who is said to have taught Arabic music to Nasheet, the Persian slave who became a famous musician. Among the female musicians of Arab origin 'Azza al-Mayla (d. 86 AH/705 AD) occupies the first place. Her house was a real cultural salon, visited by the literary and musical elite. Some of the rhythmical modes began to crystallize during this period; its most characteristic type of song is called the al-ghina' al-mutqan. (REF. The Dimension of Sound by A. Shiloah in The World of Islam, Ed. Bernard Lewis, Thames and Hudson Ltd, London, pp. 161-180, 1976)

Under the Umayyads the center of musical interest moved to the new capital, Damascus. Some of the caliphs (Khulafa) had a real passion for music; consequently musical activity increased, musicians multiplied and their social status rose. With the Abbasid dynasty the capital shifted to Baghdad. Here, during the next two centuries, Islamic music attained its highest point. This was its golden age. Musicians continued to enjoy favor at the caliphs' court and to play an important part in the country's cultural life. Society was eager for knowledge of all kinds. The study of music was now obligatory for every educated man, part of the encyclopedic learning he was expected to acquire, and in the intellectual flowering, which reached a climax in the IV/10th century music played a role. At the same time, the musician was expected to be widely cultured. Music itself became highly sophisticated and began to be the subject of learned controversies between thinkers with different artistic conceptions. The melodic and rhythmic modes were definitively codified. Theories were evolved, practice described. Instruments themselves were perfected and standards of performance rose even higher. Among the great musicians were Ibn Misjah (d.169 AH/ 785 AD), Ibn Muhriz (d, 97 AH/ 715 AD), Ibn Surayj (13-108 AH/634-726AD), al-Gharid (d. 106 AH/724 AD), Siyyat (d. 169 AH/785 AD), Zalzaal (d. 175 AH/791 AD), Mukhariq (d. 229 AH/845 AD), 'Alluya and 'Amr ibn Baanaa (d 278 AH/891 AD). Distinguished female singers were Basbas, 'Ubayda, Shariyya, Dananir and Mahbuba. In Muslim Spain music continued to play a prominent part in spite of the worsening political situation.

The greatest of Arabic theorists, al-Farabi (d. 339 AH/ 950 AD), wrote in his Kitab al-Musiqi al-Kabir : 'Theory did not appear until practice had already achieved its highest development.' This was certainly the case by his own time.

There was no clear line of separation between sacred and secular music, and sacred music itself has throughout its long history oscillated between art and folk music. According to some of the traditions, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) approved the folk music and not the art music. Consequently art music was completely banished.

The Qur'an is the only text that proclaims absolute Divine Laws, "Shari'ah". What is haram is clearly haram and what is halal is clearly halal. On the theological level, the authorities to which the two sides appeal are the Qur'an, the Hadith, the writings of religious leaders, the opinions of mystics and legal precedents. The Qur'an provides no specific verdict one way or the other, so it was the hadith which was the main source of ammunition. Literal interpretation of texts was reinforced by reasoning by analogy.

Imam Al-Ghazali (d.505 AH/1111 AD) makes brilliant use of this method and the chapter devoted to music in his Ihya Ulum al-Deen (Vivification of the Religious Sciences) is a masterpiece. In it he says that there is something wrong with the man or woman who does not like music. He declared " One who is not moved by music is unsound of mind and intemperate; is far from spirituality and is denser than birds and beasts: because everyone is affected by melodious sounds." (ASK Joommal, Al-Balaagh, Supplement to August/September, 1985)

An African Muslim named Sa'id, who traveled widely, translated the songs of other countries into Arabic, and first worked out the system which became classic for Arabic music.

Singing has always been the most common and most loved form of music, partly no doubt because of the Arabs' fondness for poetry. Good songs and poetry have been in Islamic culture since the time of the Prophet (pbuh), and who himself listened to good poetry and encouraged Hassan bin Thabit (known as the Poet of the Prophet) to say the poetry in the praise of Allah and in the honor of His Religion and His messenger. Most often simple instruments accompany it. Early Muslims studied theories of sound and music, and the rhythmic measuring of music was practiced among the Arabs long before it was known in Europe and the use of the baton goes back to the eighth century, so the modern Drum Major is all unconsciously in their debt. They knew nothing of harmony and made little use of accent, but they adorned the melody by a comparison note now and again, which perhaps prepared the way for harmony, later developed in the West.

Since instrumental music was a part of pagan ways of worship, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) forbade it to his followers, saying it was "the devil's muezzin, calling men to worship him."

His objections were soon ignored. Military bands accompanied armies and shared in the celebration of victories. They had drums, kettle-drums, pipes of many sorts, cymbals, and tambourines. Making musical instruments became a fine art.

The lute was the earliest stringed instrument; it was of many shapes and sizes. Then came the guitar-qitara, the harp, and the rabab, an instrument played with a bow. Skilled players could drive away fears and depression, as the young shepherd Prophet David (Dawood-peace be upon him) for King Saul. More modest fiddlers played at weddings, raveling from village, to village, as they do today using the same instruments.

Makkah and Madinah became centers of music. Musicians in gala attire accompanied the pilgrimage processions to Makkah, rivaling in interest even the festivities of the Hajj itself, for the people believed that rejoicing with music and companionship was preparation for he ecstasy of the sacred celebration.

(REF: Allah-the God of Islam, Muslim Life and Worship by Florence Mary Fitch, published by Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Co., Inc. New York, 1950 p.90)

Are Music and Singing Haram?

The following excerpts are taken from: Sharif Khan, " Music and Singing in Islam (Submission) The true Islam," in the Web pages of Submitters (www.submission.org/music.html ).

One of the most outrageous statements by some of the Muslims who refuse to accept the law of God in the Quran is that music and singing are haram (Prohibited). The sincere Muslim who is following the Quran will not find in the Quran ANY PROHIBITION OF MUSIC OR SINGING. Quran is the book that God calls COMPLETE, PERFECT and FULLY DETAILED. God, the Most Merciful, NEVER prohibited music or singing in the Quran, but some scholars and their followers did, despite their knowledge with the Quran. The Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), lived by, ruled by, preached and followed the Quran. God is the ONLY source of law (Qur'an, 6:114). No one can prohibit what God did not (Qur'an, 66:1). When the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) once did, God admonished him in public to remind the believers that ONLY GOD can prohibit. (See Qur'an, 66:1 and 33:37).

The prohibition of Music and singing cannot be found in the Quran because God did not prohibit them. The list of prohibitions in the Quran does not include Music or singing.

"Say, "Who prohibited the nice things God has created for His creatures, and the good provisions?" Say,"such provisions are to be enjoyed in THIS life by those who BELIEVE. Moreover, the good provisions will be exclusively theirs on the Day of resurrection." We thus explain the revelations for people who know." (QUR'AN, 7:32).

Now and before responding to those Muslims who claim that Music and singing are Haram, let us ponder for few seconds at our universe and the way God created this world. While we might remember that Galileo once said, "Mathematics is the language in which God wrote the universe." it may be fair enough to say that Music is the basic sound of that universe.

Any keen observer of the universe will realize that the whole universe was created with music in every corner of it. Our heart beats, bowel sounds, breath sounds, the sound of our blood flow or even our brain waves are but music. The birds, the dolphins, the animals, the trees, the rain, the oceans, the wind and the clouds are all created with their own music. Those who are blind in the heart and deaf to the truth do not and cannot understand that music is in every corner of their universe. With music in every thing around us, it is naive to think that the One God who created all this music prohibited it. One of the most valuable gifts given to man is the voice box or the larynx, which is in reality a music box. It is one important instrument that allows us to communicate with each other and with other creatures around us. The arrival of the newborn to this life is announced by his/her scream, the best music to the mother's ear.

(1) First, it is interesting to see the inverted logic of these people. After finding no proof in the Quran to prohibit music, by their own admission, they resort to the weaker sources one after the other to prove what they could not find in the Quran. This is almost like failing to have the approval of the president of the country on a matter, so they get the approval of his house keeper. If they fail, then they get the approval of his servant who cleans his room then claim that the approval they have is the approval of the president. Those who refuse to accept the Quran as a complete book for this religion, are led by Satan into inventing all kinds of laws from sources outside the Quran.

(2) In every verse they used in an attempt to prove that music is Haram, they ended by concluding that the verse does not really prohibit Music. Despite that, they never got the message that God DID NOT PROHIBIT MUSIC OR SINGING. They also failed to understand that prohibition laws ONLY COME from God. When the prophet Muhammed (pbuh) gave any prohibitions it was FROM THE QURAN ONLY, and was not from his own. Here are the verses that they claim to prohibit music and singing:

a)Allah addresses the disbelievers of the Quraysh as follows, "Do you marvel at this statement, and laugh and do not weep, while you amuse yourselves (proudly) in vanities? Rather, prostrate before Allah and worship Him." (Qur'an, 53:59-62)

Because of the statement "amuse yourselves" these Muslims twisted the words and the logic to make a conclusion that music and singing is what is meant here. The word is general and indicates that any kind of amusement that keeps you from paying your duties to God is leading you to commit a sin. It does not make it haram or prohibited. If you amuse yourself by watching Baseball while forgetting to do your Salat-prayers on time then you are committing a sin but this does not make Baseball haram. If you amuse yourself by playing games with your children while forgetting to pray on time you are committing a sin but playing with your children will not be haram. If you listen to music or singing and forget to do your prayers then you commit a sin but music does not become haram. Remember that music is like air and water, it is not haram per se, but the way it is used in certain circumstances will control its status then. These group of Muslims find in human beings like sahaba, tabi'in, and later scholars of tafseer to prohibit for them what God did not. Al-Qurtubi, At-Tabari, Ibn Abbas, Al-Hasan, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, Ibn Jareer... etc. are more important to these people than Allah (SWT).

a) Allah (SWT) addresses Satan thus; "And excite any of them whom you can with your voice. Assault them with your cavalry and infantry, be a partner with them in their wealth and children, and make them promises. But Satan promises nothing but deceit" (Qur'an, 17:64)

Using this verse as a proof of prohibition of music and singing shows only how naive and misguided are these people. No intelligent human being can accept the voice here as pointing to music and singing. It is clear from this verse that there is no prohibition here. They quote here Ibn Abbas, as saying "the voice mentioned in the verse refers to any form of invitation which calls to disobedience to Allah." If this form of invitation is "talking nicely" to someone to make him/her disobey Allah, this does not make "talking nicely" haram. If the invitation here is accompanied by music or singing, this does not make the music or singing haram but rather it is the invitation to disobey God in any form that is haram. They do not like what God says in the Quran, but find nothing wrong in listening to Ibn Abbas even if they do not know who Ibn Abbas is.

b) The third verse, and the one most often referred to as evidence of the prohibition of music and singing (according to them) is found is Sura Luqman.

"And there are among men those who purchase idle talk in order to mislead others from Allah's path without knowledge, and those who throw ridicule upon it. For such there will be a humiliating punishment." (31:6)

Again, like the previous verse, using the statement "idle-talk" (lahwal hadee th) to condemn music and singing is clearly corrupt. Idle-talk or idle-tales, can be any form of talk and not necessarily singing and music. Even a tale or story can be constructive and enlightening or idle, false and mischievous. The Arabic word for music is "musiqah". Musiqah means music. Hadeeth means tales. Are the learned Ulama suggesting that Allah (SWT) would use one word when he meant another? Allama Yusuf Ali in his commentary on the words "lahwal hadeeth" in the Qur'an 31:6, in his note 3584 says, " Life is taken seriously by men who realize the issues that hang upon it. But there are men of a frivolous turn of mind who prefer idle tales to true Realities and they are justly rebuked here. In the time of the holy Prophet there was a pagan, Nadhr ibn al-Haarith who preferred Persian romances to the Message of God, and turned away ignorant men from the preaching of God's Word". The Qur'an never mentions anywhere that music is haram.

NOW THAT QURAN DOES NOT PROHIBIT MUSIC OR SINGING , these people looked for other sources to do this for them. A look at what they claimed as hadith of the prophet (pbuh) will show their misguidance and confusion. Here is an example of what these people quote and claimed it to the prophet which is a clear lie. The prophet (pbuh) cannot deviate from the Quran.

"The Prophet (SAWS) said, "There will be (at some future time) people from my ummah (community of Muslims) who will seek to make lawful: fornication, the wearing of silk (by men), wine-drinking, and the use of musical instruments (ma'azif). Some people will stay at the side of a mountain and when their shepherd comes in the evening to ask them for his needs, they will say, 'return to us tomorrow.' Then Allah will destroy them during the night by causing the mountain to fall on them, while he changes others into apes and swine. They will remain in such a state until the Day of Resurrection. (related by Imam Al-Bukhari in Fat-hul Baari, graded sahih) .

First, Allah (SWT) teaches us in the Qur'an that the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) did not know the future. This will immediately expose the falsehood of this hadith and similar ones and expose the hypocrisy of those who claim to be Muslims but refuse to believe Allah (SWT) in the Qur'an. Allah (SWT) told them Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) did not know the future.
The Jewish Rabbis of Yathrib had instructed the idolaters to ask Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) " of some youth who were of old, what was their fate? " of a much-traveled man who reached the sunrise regions of the earth and the sunset regions thereof, what was his history?" And " of Spirit, what it is" as a test of his Prophethood. Verses 60-82 of Surah Al-Kahf (The Cave) and verse 85 of Surah Bani Israel or Al-Isra were revealed to Prophet Muhammad to answer these questions. Furthermore nobody knows when Aakhira (the Last Day) will occur.

"Say (O Muhammed), "I have no power to benefit myself, or harm myself. Only what God wills happen to me. If I KNEW THE FUTURE, I would have increased my wealth, and no harm would have afflicted me. I am no more than a warner, and a bearer of good news for those who believe."(Qur'an, 7:188).

"Say (O Muhammed), "I am not different from other messengers, I have NO IDEA what will happen to ME OR TO YOU. I ONLY follow what is revealed to me. I am NO MORE than a profound warner." (Qur'an, 46:9)

SECOND, For the past 1400 years there have been millions who listened to music and songs without mountains falling on top of them or turning into apes and pigs. What will happen to millions of people, who are turning to their computers now, will they turn into pigs and monkeys because their computers have all kinds of music built into them?

Those who really appreciate music and the beautiful voices that God created, are more appreciative of God's creations and closer to God than those who prohibit what God did not and see evil in every beautiful creation of God.

"Say, "Who prohibited the nice things God has created for His creatures, and the good provisions?" Say,"such provisions are to be enjoyed in THIS life by those who BELIEVE. Moreover, the good provisions will be exclusively theirs on the Day of resurrection." We thus explain the revelations for people who know." (QURAN, 7:32).

It is these Muslims who prohibit which is not unlawful, who will be surprised on the Last Day that the prophet Muhammed (pbuh) will complain to God form them because they deserted the Qur'an (Qur'an, 25:30).

MUSIC AND SINGING WERE NEVER PROHIBTED BY GOD. They are part of the most beautiful creations of God. As long as they do not call on the people or encourage them to commit sins, they are for the TRUE BELIEVERS TO ENJOY while remembering God with every beautiful note or rhythm.

La Elaha Ella Allah, There is no god besides God. Is it time yet to wake up and follow the QUR'AN, instead of following the man-made laws? (REF: Sharif Khan, Music and Singing in Islam (Submission) The true Islam, in the Web pages of Submitters (www.submission.org/music.html)

Shaikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi in his well-known book, "The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam ", (American Trust Publications, Indianapolis, 1980, pp.300-304) says, " Among the entertainments which may comfort the soul, please the heart, and refresh the ear is singing. Islam permits singing under the condition that it not be in anyway obscene or harmful to Islamic morals. There is no harm in its being accompanied by music, which is not exciting. In order to create an atmosphere of joy and happiness, singing is recommended on festive occasions such as the days of "Eid, weddings and wedding feasts, births, 'aqiqat (the celebration of the birth of a baby by the slaughter of sheep), and on the return of the traveler." He continues "It is reported that many Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them) as well as second generation Muslim scholars used to listen to singing and did not see anything wrong with it. As for the ahadith which have been reported against singing, they are all weak and have been shown by researchers to be unsound. The jurist Abu Bakr al-'Arabi says, "No sound hadith is available concerning the prohibition of singing," while Ibn Hazm says, "All that is reported on this subject is false and fabricated."

Dr. Muzammil Siddiqui, President of ISNA (Islamic Society of North America) says, "Imam Shawkani in his famous Nail al-Awtar (vol.8 pp.260-271) has mentioned that some Sahabah, the Companions of the Prophet, used to listen to music. He even wrote a book with the title, "Ibtal Da'wa Al-Ijma' 'ala Tahrim Mutlaq al-Sama' " (The Refutation of the Alleged Claim of Consensus on the Absolute Prohibition of Music and Songs). While it is not right to say that all music is prohibited in Islam, it is important to use great discretion in the case of music. A lot of music that is available in the markets now days are very dangerous and harmful. Muslim youth should be extremely careful. There are, however, some Muslim groups in different countries who are developing songs that are very good, enjoyable, entertaining, and have good positive message."

CONCLUSION:

The music industry in America today is a multibillion-dollar business. Popular musicians and their promoters are making a great deal of money. However, it is a fact that unhappiness, premature death, and suicide have marked the lives of some very successful musicians. Our own Yusuf Al-Islam can testify to this fact from his own life experience. And it has been adequately demonstrated that some music is morally, emotionally, and spiritually debasing and can lead to violent, antisocial behavior. Hence it is important to have a balanced view of music. Some music can enrich one's life and bring a measure of joy and contentment. It can uplift us emotionally and spiritually. The ancient Hebrews did not read the psalms in the Torah, they sang them. Often they did so with beautiful musical accompaniment- a powerful way to link the wisdom of their God, with the emotions that trained singers could impart to the listeners. Spiritual music (Samaa') is the strength of the soul. Spiritual music is a specific cure of all desires. He, who hears it faithfully, finds the way to God; he who hears it to satisfy his sensual appetite turns a heretic. For Muslims the melodious recitation of the Qur'an is embedding more deeply in the hearts of the listeners, the knowledge of Allah, and Taqwa which are needed to guide our lives. In this 21-century world, which emphasizes education in science, economics, and logic, the development of the emotional side of personality through the arts is often neglected. Listening to a piece of fine music can be a beneficial and pleasurable experience. Of course, as with other good things in life, there is a need for moderation, good judgement, and selectivity in this area of entertainment (music). This is true not only in the type of music chosen but also in the amount of time spent in listening to or playing music.

Music is one of the great provisions from God that we should be grateful for. We should use it and enjoy it, like we enjoy all the other provisions. Indulgence in eating favorite food or drinking favorite juice to the point that one does not have time to do the required duties towards Allah (SWT), then one is committing a sin. Hence food and drinks would not become haram (prohibited). If one indulges in any kind of music or singing that occupies one at the expense of remembering Allah (SWT), then one is committing a sin. However the music itself does not become haram (prohibited). If someone sings a song encouraging corruption or misbehavior then listening to that song intentionally may be a sin but this does not make all singing haram (prohibited). It is true that many of the songs and lyrics we hear these days are disturbing but this does not make music or singing haram, it makes these specific songs undesirable and should be avoided. (Sharif Khan, ibid).

If a certain type of music is beginning to have a negative effect on your emotions, actions, and relationships, then select another style. Protect your ears to protect your emotions to protect your heart and mind! If we should ever find that through the power of music, our emotions are beginning to becloud our critical judgement and reason and misdirect our actions, and then it is time to change our music-listening habits. The power of music can affect your heart and your mind-either for good or for bad! Without music, the world will be quiet, desolate, and lifeless, like a graveyard. On the issue of music, prominent Muslim jurists, such as Imam Ibn Hazm, Imam Ghazali, Imam Mufti Muhammad Abduhu and Shaikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi have held the opinion that good music is good and bad music is bad. If music promotes corruption and evil, it is not accepted. However, if it promotes sensitivity and a sense of beauty, then there is no harm.

Aliflammeem · Post by **Aliflammeem** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 10:29 am

Music and Dancing is not haram but anything that gets you away from zikar of God is disliked by God so it depends on the kind of it and purpose.

kmaherali · Post by **kmaherali** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 4:57 pm

The following article expresses the healing effect of dancing drawn from another tradition.

Dance Like No One’s Watching

Life is not measured by the number of breathes we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
-George Carlin

From "American Shaman: The Odyssey of Global Healing Traditions" by Jeffrey Kottler and Jon Carlson with Bradford Keeney:

Jon told us a Hasidic tale about a famous rabbi who was on his way to teach a village that was very interested in his ideas. This was going to be a very big event, and each Jew in the community made great preparations, pondering what question he or she might ask the wise man.

The rabbi finally arrived and, after the initial welcome, he was taken into a large room where people gathered to ask their questions. There was tremendous anticipation and excitement all around.

The rabbi walked silently around the room and then began to hum a Hasidic tune. Before long, everyone started humming along with his soft voice. As people became comfortable with his song, the rabbi started to dance. He danced everywhere in the room, and, one by one, every person danced with him. Soon everyone in the whole community was dancing wildly together. Each person's soul was healed by the dance, and everyone experienced a personal transformation. Later in the night, the rabbi gradually slowed the dance and eventually brought it to a stop. He looked into everyone's eyes and said gently, 'I trust that I have answered all of your questions.'

kmaherali · Post by **kmaherali** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 1:56 pm

A Musical Mission from Allah

Can a Pakistani rock star strike a new chord in the hearts of Islamic fundamentalists?
by Carter Phipps

The most important battle in the world right now may not be between radical Islam and the West but between Islam and itself. The fourteen-hundred-year-old religion has hit a crossroads. Moderates and extremists are vying for influence and power in this ancient tradition, and perhaps nowhere is that struggle more evident than in Pakistan. As one of the largest Muslim countries, with a population of 150 million, Pakistan is a test case for a religion that is being pulled apart by the twin tensions of modernity and fundamentalism. In the midst of this maelstrom, fate, with a little help from the BBC, has placed an unlikely champion of a more moderate version of Islam at the center of the debate. His name is Salman Ahmad, and he is the guitarist in the band Junoon. A South Asian trio with members from Pakistan, India, and the United States, Junoon has become a worldwide sensation over the last decade and is now a household name for millions of Pakistanis and Indians. And Ahmad, who has teamed up with award-winning producer Ruhi Hamid to make documentaries exploring Islam, may be the best-known face in what the New York Times has called “the U2 of Asia.”

“Who are the Mullahs who say that [music is forbidden]?” demands Ahmad, sitting calm and relaxed in a circle of students at a Pakistani madrassa, or religious school. What unfolds next in the BBC documentary The Rock Star and the Mullahs is a rare glimpse into a world few Westerners have ever seen. Ahmad asks the students of this fundamentalist Islamic school to tell him why they believe that music is haram, or forbidden, in the teachings of Islam. As he presses them and they respond, the young Muslim students are torn between their fascination with this cultural icon, who represents rock and roll and twenty-first-century values, and their adherence to a form of increasingly extremist Islam taught by their local mullahs. Eventually, Ahmad reaches for his guitar, and as the students sit around him, their expressions a mixture of shock and intrigue, he defies the ban on music and sings—a verse from the Qur'an. The teacher of this small group studies his famous visitor. “You can decide whether you want to go to heaven or hell,” he finally declares.

It is encounters such as these that are turning Ahmad, who is a practicing Muslim in the Sufi tradition, into much more than a celebrated musician. With his rock-star looks, down-to-earth approachability, and disarming charisma, he has a unique ability to speak to extremists and directly challenge their views even while respecting the essence of their faith. The result makes for an unusual window into the real human struggles that are shaping contemporary Islam. And it also makes for great television, as producer Hamid was thrilled to discover.

Originally trained as a doctor, Ahmad finished medical school in Pakistan in the early 1990s but decided to test the waters of the musician's life for a year before starting a medical practice. Against all conventional wisdom, he stayed in Pakistan, a country where a local rock-and-roll band was simply an oxymoron.

“Up until the eighties, all the pop culture we had in Pakistan was Indian Bollywood music or Western music,” he explains. “I was thinking, 'There's such a huge history of music on the subcontinent, why don't we have our own?' I had a spiritual connection with music, and I wanted to express it. So I decided that I would try it for one year.” Ten years later, Junoon has made history with its homegrown blend of rock and roll and spirituality. Indeed, a healthy dose of Islam is often mixed into the lyrics. And Ahmad doesn't hesitate to give his own views on where his religion should be headed in the twenty-first century. “If you look at Islamic history, the Prophet Muhammad lived a really tolerant life,” he explained at a screening of the documentary last winter. “He married a woman who was fifteen years older and a divorcée. He imbibed information from Christianity, from Judaism. He was a very open man.”

Such is the message that this pied piper of Asia is spreading to youth through his words and music. If the success of the band is any indication, the message is having an effect. And his sphere of influence is beginning to expand beyond Pakistan. Indeed, just as certain forms of religious extremism spread across the Near East, becoming a pan-Islamic phenomenon, so, too, is the moderating influence of Junoon and Ahmad in ascendance, touching Muslim youth from Lucknow to Lahore to London. Ahmad and Hamid have recently completed a second documentary entitled It's My Country Too, a cross-country exploration of how America is changing Islam and how Islam is changing America. How much impact can Junoon and its idealistic guitarist have? It's easy to underestimate the powerful combination of spirituality, music, pop culture, and a message that resonates with youthful dreams of a brighter, freer future. And in a time when somewhere in the mountains of North Pakistan a local folk hero named Osama bin Laden is hard at work selling young people a violent version of reactionary Islam, it is heartening to know that another kind of hero is eliciting a different kind of passion in that same generation. They are the ones who will ultimately shape Pakistan's future, and perhaps the rest of the world's as well.

kmaherali · Post by **kmaherali** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 9:42 pm

Meet Islam's Biggest Rock Star

His songs of peace elicit Beatle-sized frenzy in countries where even dancing is forbidden. Now devout Muslim and singing sensation Sami Yusuf brings his message to the U.S.

By LINDSAY WISE / AMMAN

The concert hall is charged with anticipation. The 5,000 Arabs in the audience break into deafening cheers, stomp their feet, clap their hands and chant "Sa-mi! Sa-mi!" until at last the lights go down. The orchestra swells and Sami Yusuf, 26, emerges through billows of smoke, dressed in a chic black suit and white open-collar shirt. Catching sight of him, the crowd goes crazy, screaming and whistling as though Elvis just entered the building. But when Yusuf begins to sing, it's clear he's not quite like other rock stars. "Peace and salutations upon you, O Messenger of God," he croons. And for all the palpable excitement in the audience, an unspoken decorum is observed. The heartfelt cheering and singing never spills over into co-ed dancing in the aisles — after all, that could be considered a violation of Islamic law.

Some scholars of Islamic law even argue that playing music at all is forbidden, but — despite being a devout Muslim — Yusuf believes Islam values art and music. "Islam is all for modernity and all that is good and beautiful in this world," he says. Yusuf is Islam's answer to Christian rock. His hit songs, which he writes himself, range from upbeat tunes about love for the Prophet Muhammad to soulful ballads mourning the suffering of Palestinians, Iraqis and Sudanese. And while staying true to causes that are dear to Muslim hearts, he is channeling his fans away from extremism with a message of moderation, tolerance, patience and most of all, hope.

During performances in Jordan and Syria in advance of his U.S. tour, which started last week in a series of benefit concerts organized by Islamic Relief International in Los Angeles, Dallas, New Jersey, Chicago and Detroit, Yusuf passionately sang and spoke about the current Middle East crisis. "Our hearts, our minds, our souls are with our brothers and sisters in Palestine and in Lebanon," he said to thundering applause in Amman University's Arena Hall before dedicating his next song to all those suffering in the Middle East. "As Allah says in the Quran, 'With hardship, there comes ease and comfort.' God willing, dawn is near, and night will pass. We should never lose hope."

Thanks in part to his willingness to tackle hot political topics other pop stars will not touch, Yusuf's fame is growing. Everywhere he goes in the Middle East, he is trailed by admirers who press him with pocket-sized Qurans, neatly folded notes and flowers. One Jordanian dentist even offered to clean his teeth for free. In Yusuf's home base of Cairo, he can no longer walk down the street unmolested. "The attachment people have to Sami is beyond celebrity," observes Sharif Hasan al-Banna, co-founder of the singer's Awakening Records music label. "People are always coming up to him or writing him to say 'Your music inspired us, your music changed us.'" In many ways, it is his commitment to defending Arab and Muslim causes through his music that heartens youth who are discouraged by their sense of helplessness in the face of current events. "After what has been going on in Gaza, Lebanon and all these countries, he's singing about this, and that's really perfect," says Diana Nassar, 17, a Jordanian student in a hot pink headscarf who sang along from her seat in the Amman audience.

"We're going through this very difficult period," Yusuf told TIME as he sat in the backseat of a black Humvee on his way to a rehearsal in Amman. "Muslims feel victimized." But Yusuf does not believe conflict between Muslims and non-Muslims is inevitable. "I don't believe there's a clash of civilizations. I believe there's a clash of the uncivilized. We need a wave of people to come along and bridge the gaps, because we have so much in common, so much to learn from each other. We need to silence the extremists. Let's hope the moderates will take the microphone and be louder."

A British citizen born in Iran to Azeri parents, Yusuf spent most of his life in London. Like his music, he is a fusion of East and West. A devotee of Bach, Chopin, U2, and Sting, Yusuf studied Middle Eastern and classical music with his composer father and instructors at the Royal Academy in London. He feels it is a Muslim duty to speak out against oppression no matter the religion of the victims. His songs have criticized Muslim rebels for the Beslan massacre of schoolchildren in Chechnya and France's government for banning headscarves in public schools.

Despite the Beatle-like frenzy that sweeps crowds at his concerts, a closer look reveals that Yusuf is a different kind of pop singer. His boy-band good looks are framed by the close-cropped beard of an observant Muslim. He sings about God's love, never romantic love. His backup singers are all men. His screaming fans include not just star-struck young women in head scarves, but teenage boys in blue jeans and gelled hair, old men in traditional Arab robes, and middle-aged moms bouncing toddlers on their knees.

Yusuf's first two albums sold more than a million and a half copies, topping the charts across the Arab world and Turkey. His latest hit song, "Hasbi Rabbi" (My Lord is Sufficient), is the top-selling ring tone in the region, heard whenever cell phones go off in cabs and cafes from Cairo to Damascus. But the real sensation is Yusuf's slickly produced, MTV-style music videos, which consistently register as the top most-requested on Middle Eastern music TV channels. The videos depict the singer as a model Muslim citizen who visits the mosque, tends to his aging parents, interacts comfortably with his British colleagues at a fictional London office, and still manages to come across as cool.

To his fans, it's not just the music, but the message. "You can listen to it like any pop song, but the lyrics are different, more meaningful," says Falah Hannoun, 25, who attended the Amman concert sporting a trim beard and wire-rim glasses. "You feel closer to God and your religion." Bara Kherigi, Yusuf's childhood friend and lyricist, believes the singer strikes a chord with young Muslims who do not feel represented by the offerings in the mainstream media. "They see singers, male or female, just dancing, living the high life, and that's not them," Kherigi explains. "Or they see some clip of Bin Laden preaching to them and speaking in an extreme way that doesn't represent them either. When they see Sami, they are saying, 'Wow. Finally, someone is on TV doing something that kind of resembles my life.'"

Not that all pious Muslims are fans. Yvonne Ridley, a British reporter who was kidnapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan and became a radical Muslim convert upon her release, recently lambasted Yusuf for "poisoning the masses" by encouraging "excessive behavior which demeans Islam." In her view, Yusuf's call for East-West coexistence is a "pipe dream." Yet the need for cross-cultural understanding and dialogue is precisely the message Yusuf is bringing on his U.S. tour, and it should get a warm reception. After all, even if his particular brand of religious music may not have a wide enough appeal to crack the mainstream American charts, most people are likely to cheer Yusuf's upbeat tune, which could use a lot more airplay these dark days.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/ ... 54,00.html

www.ismaili.net

DANCING IS NOT HARAM IN ISLAM

DANCING IS NOT HARAM IN ISLAM

DANDIYA HAS BEEN ASKED TO BE PERFORMED BY OUR IMAM

Entertainment and faith

Origin of Dandia

Dandias