Can I Work for an Organization That Makes Ads with Music?

Answered by Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Abu Bakr Badhib

Question

Is it permissible for me to work with an organization that produces advertisements with music?

Answer

In the name of Allah, and all praise is due to Allah, and blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, his Family, his Companions, and those who follow him.

Indeed, one of the signs of Allah’s guidance for Muslims is that they ask about matters that cause hesitation in their hearts regarding their rulings. The Quran guides us to the optimal way to understand Sacred Law rulings by asking people of knowledge. Allah (Most High) says:

“So ask the people of knowledge if you do not know.” [Quran, 16:43]

The issue of music is one that frequently arises today, and scholars have differed on it, resulting in two main opinions with further details in the second:

First Opinion: Prohibition

Absolute prohibition and avoidance of any music, as it falls under the general category of frivolous activities that are condemned in Allah’s saying:

“But there are some who employ theatrics, only to lead others away from Allah’s Way—without any knowledge.” [Quran, 31:6]

The Sunna also prohibits the use of musical instruments as in the hadith:

“There will be among my umma people who will consider lawful: fornication, silk, alcohol, and musical instruments.” [Bukhari]

The opinion does not consider Ibn Hazm’s weakening of this hadith. According to this view, all music, whether from prohibited instruments like strings and drums or recorded music, is forbidden. The prohibition is even stricter if accompanied by singing, especially if it involves a woman’s singing, and even more so if the singing includes other forbidden elements such as intermingling and other vices. These are all considered major sins, and we seek Allah’s protection.

Second Opinion: Contextual

The issue is more nuanced, depending on the context of listening:

First Case: Direct listening to music without singing or forbidden instruments.

“What is lawful to practice (i.e., do) of music and singing is lawful to listen to, and what is prohibited to practice is prohibited to listen to because the prohibition of music or singing is not intrinsic but because it serves as a medium for listening” [al-Mawsu‘a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaytiyya]

Here, the statement of Imam Ghazali in his discussion on lewd poetry, slander, etc., applies: “Listening to this is forbidden, whether accompanied by melodies or not, and the listener is a partner to the speaker.” [Ghazali, Ihya’]

Second Case: Direct listening to the beating of the Duff (Drum) and similar instruments played by hand.

Scholars agree that beating the duff and listening to it is permissible, but they differ on whether this is allowed only at weddings or on other occasions as well and whether the duff must be free of jingles.

The origin of this permissibility is based on the hadith of Muhammad Ibn Hatib:

“The distinction between what is lawful and what is unlawful is the duff and the voice in marriage.” [Tirmidhi; Nasa’i], and other evidence.

The Malikis and Hanafis, as well as Imam Ghazali among the Shafi‘is, included all types of drums in this permissibility as long as they are not used for forbidden amusement. Ghazali excluded the “kuba” as it is an instrument of the dissolute. The Hanafis excluded the beating of the rod. [al-Mawsu‘a al-Fiqhiyya al-Kuwaytiyya]

Ibn ‘Abidin said: “This indicates that the musical instrument itself is not prohibited intrinsically but for its use in amusement, whether by the listener or the player, and this is implied by the addition of the term ‘musical instrument’ to amusement.” [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

Third Case: Direct listening to wind instruments like the flute.

The majority prohibited it, but the Malikis allowed it based on a hadith, where Ibn Mas‘ud entered a wedding and found flutes and amusement and did not forbid it. [Ibn Abi Shayba, Musannaf]

As for string instruments like the oud, listening to them is prohibited at weddings and other occasions, according to the four schools of thought. [Dasuqi, Hashiyat al-Dasuqi; Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar; Ansari, Asna al-Matalib; Ghazali, Ihya’]

However, the scholars of Madina and a majority of early scholars permitted them, including Abdullah Ibn Ja‘far, Ibn Zubayr, Shurayh al-Qadi, Sa‘id Ibn Musayyib, ‘Ata’ Ibn Abi Raba, Ibn Shihab Zuhri, and Sha‘bi among others. [Shawkani, Nayl al-Awtar]

All the above discussions apply to direct listening with the intention to listen. The same ruling applies to listening to recordings or indirect listening if it involves prohibited elements mentioned above, such as being used for amusement, wasting time, or accompanying obscene singing that incites lust.

Unintentional Listening

Based on this, incidental hearing without intention, or music that is not accompanied by any sinful acts, and does not distract from the remembrance of Allah, prayer, or worship, or if one is compelled to hear it without any means to stop or silence it, then a Muslim is excused in such a situation. Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity. In this case, one should engage in something beneficial or listen to Quran recitations or permissible nasheeds without music, as much as possible, without causing harm.

Conclusion

In conclusion, working in a place or institution that relies on music to promote its advertisements falls under the above discussions. If it is free from prohibitions, and the employee is compelled to listen to the music without any means to avoid it and has no other job opportunities, then they should be patient and seek Allah’s reward for enduring this situation until Allah provides a better alternative. Allah (Most High) says:

“And whoever is mindful of Allah, He will make a way out for them.” [Quran, 65:2]

The Muslims should turn to Allah in supplication and express their need for a lawful livelihood. We ask Allah for success and lawful provision for us and all Muslims. Our final prayer is praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

[Shaykh] Dr. Muhammad Abu Bakr Badhib

Shaykh Dr Muhammad Abu Bakr Badhib is a prominent Islamic scholar from Yemen born in Shibam, Hadhramaut, in 1976. He received his degree in Shari‘a from Al-Ahqaf University, a master’s degree from the Islamic University of Beirut, and a PhD in Usul al-Din from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).

He studied under great scholars such as Shaykh al-Habib Ahmad Mashhur al-Haddad, Shaykh Fadl Ba‘ fadl, Habib Salim al-Shatiri, Habib Ali Mashhur bin Hafeez, and others. He has served as the Director of Publications at Dar al-Fiqh, the former Deputy Director of Cultural Relations at Al-Ahqaf University, a former Assistant for Employee Affairs at Atiyah Iron Company, a researcher at the Sunna Center affiliated with the Dallah al-Baraka Foundation, and a researcher at Al-Furqan Foundation’s Makka al-Mukarrama and Madina al-Munawwara Encyclopedia branch.

Currently, he is a researcher at Al-Furqan Foundation’s Makka al-Mukarrama and Madina al-Munawwara Encyclopedia branch, teaches traditionally through the Ijaza system at Dar al-Fuqaha in Turkey, supervises the Arabic department at Nur al-Huda International Institute (SeekersGuidance), and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Manuscript House in Istanbul.

His works include “The Efforts of Hadhramaut Jurists in Serving the Shafi‘i School,” “Contributions of Hadhramaut Scholars in Spreading Islam and its Sciences in India,” “Hada’iq al-Na‘im in Shafi‘i Fiqh,” in addition to verifying several books in Fiqh, history, the art of biographies, and Asanid (chains of narration).