Is Listening to Dengbêj Vocal Storytelling Permissible Without Music?

Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick

Question

Is listening to Dengbêj vocal storytelling permissible if it contains no musical instruments or inappropriate content?

I sometimes listen to Dengbêj because it helps me stay connected to my Kurdish roots, improves my understanding of the language, and gives me a sense of motivation and cultural identity.

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

May Allah alleviate our difficulties and guide us to what pleases Him. Amin.

Listening to vocal storytelling is generally permissible, provided the content is free from inappropriate material or anything that contradicts Islamic values. The yardstick is whether the storytelling contains lawful content and is within the boundaries of Sacred Law.

Engaging with storytelling can effectively keep one connected to their roots, improve language comprehension, and cultivate a sense of cultural identity and motivation. In Islam, listening to culturally enriching material is permitted, provided it does not cause harmful influence, including vulgar language, or promote sinful actions, etc.

However, it would no longer be permissible if the content crossed these boundaries, such as promoting unlawful behavior, indecency, or anything undermining Islamic Law.

As the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

“The lawful is clear, and the unlawful is clear, and between them are unclear matters about which many people do not know.”[Bukhari; Muslim]

Therefore, the listener should remain cautious and avoid content that could lead to harmful influences, ensuring that it remains aligned with Islamic values.

And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan (Allah have mercy on him), where he taught.

Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Shaykh Muhammad Awama, Shaykh Muhammad Hasan Hitu, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.

He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has been the Director of the Discover Islam Centre, and for six years, he has been the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.

Shaykh Irshaad has fifteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town). He is currently building an Islamic podcast, education, and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy Prophetic living and fitness.