Is it Permissible to Privately Play Guitar Without Lyrics for Personal Practice or Enjoyment?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
Is it permissible to play the guitar privately, without lyrics and not for an audience, for personal practice or enjoyment?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I pray you are in good faith and health.
The vast majority of Hanafi scholars hold that stringed instruments are impermissible, regardless of whether they are played privately or without lyrics.
It’s generally safest to stick to the hand-drum (daff), as it is widely accepted and still adds personal enjoyment to qasa’id (poems of praise) and nasheeds (devotional songs).
Abu Umama (Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give peace) said: “Allah Mighty and Majestic sent me as a guidance and mercy to believers and commanded me to do away with musical instruments, flutes, strings, crucifixes, and the affairs of the pre-Islamic period of ignorance.”[Ahmad, Musnad Ahmad]
As far as the one who uses musical instruments is concerned, if the instruments themselves are not unlawful, such as the bamboo and tambourine, then there is nothing wrong with that, and he will still be considered upright. However, if the instrument is unlawful, such as the lute and the like, then he will not be considered an upright person (to be a witness in the court), as these instruments can never be considered lawful.” [Kasani, Bada’i‘ al-Sana’i‘]
Some scholars, however, allowed the use of instruments if not used for vain purposes, including the use of instruments by some Sufis and others for “spiritually uplifting” purposes, as long as this was free of other impermissible matters, such as impermissible song content, female singing for non-females, and free-mixing at such gatherings.
This remains a minority opinion, however, and religious precaution would suggest avoiding it. Even those who permitted instruments did so under strict conditions, rarely met by “Sufis” of our time, let alone others.
Alternative
As an alternative to playing the guitar, you could learn the daff. It can also enhance spiritual joy and upliftment through qasa’id and nasheeds. There are both in-person and online platforms that teach daff playing, which you can consider. See the link below.
And Allah knows best.
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Related
Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received a traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Currently, he resides in the UK with his wife and is interested in reading and gardening.
