The Painful Punishment of Those Who Listen to Songs – In the Light of the Quran and Sunnah
Listening to songs (music, instruments, and obscene poetry) is prohibited (haram) in the pure Shariah, and severe punishments in this world and the Hereafter have been mentioned for it. Below, in the light of the Quran and Hadith, the statements of the Companions, and the righteous predecessors, the punishments that will be given to those who listen to songs are mentioned:
📖 Evidence from the Holy Quran:
➊
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنۡ يَشۡتَرِي لَهۡوَ ٱلۡحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٖۖ وَيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوٗاۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٞ مُّهِينٞ
Translation:
“And among the people is he who buys idle talk to mislead (others) from the way of Allah without knowledge and takes it in ridicule. For those is a humiliating punishment.”
📌 Consensus of the exegetes:
– Abdullah bin Mas’ud, Ibn Abbas, Jabir, and other Companions said that “lahw al-hadith” means singing and music
📜 Evidence from the Hadiths:
➋ The Prophet ﷺ said:
لَيَكُونَنَّ مِنْ أُمَّتِي أَقْوَامٌ يَسْتَحِلُّونَ الحِرَ وَالحَرِيرَ وَالخَمْرَ وَالمَعَازِفَ…
📌 Translation:
“There will be people from my Ummah who will consider adultery, silk, wine, and music (ma’azif) to be lawful…”
🔴 Note:
“Yastahillun” means they will make forbidden things lawful – this is an announcement of the end of their faith and their entitlement to punishment.
⚠️ Punishment on the Day of Judgment (Warning of the Hereafter):
➌ The Prophet ﷺ said:
من استمع إلى قينة صبّ في أذنه الآنك يوم القيامة.
📌 Translation:
“Whoever listens to a singing woman, on the Day of Judgment molten lead will be poured into his ear.”
– الآنك: intensely hot, molten metal.
☠️ Punishment in this World:
➍ Ibn al-Qayyim writes:
Singing fills the heart with hypocrisy, just as water fills the date seed. And singing is a caller to adultery.
📌 Hardness of the heart, heedlessness, supplications not being heard, and weakness of faith – these are the worldly punishments of listening to songs.
🛑 Statements of the Righteous Predecessors:
➎ Hadrat Ibn Abbas:
الغناء ينبت النفاق في القلب كما ينبت الماء البقل.
📌 “Singing causes hypocrisy to grow in the heart just as water causes grass to grow.”
📌 Summary:
| Aspect | Punishment |
|---|---|
| Quran | Misguidance from the way of Allah and a humiliating punishment |
| Hadith | Molten lead will be poured into the ear |
| Worldly effects | Hardness of heart, hypocrisy, non-acceptance of supplications |
| Hereafter | Humiliation, disgrace, punishment of the ear, deprivation of salvation |
✅ Method of Salvation:
➊ Repent with sincere intention
➋ Adopt the gatherings of Quran, naats, remembrance and supplications
➌ Remain in the company of true scholars
➍ In place of song, listen to recitation of the Quran, durood, and Islamic books
