Painful Punishment for Those Who Listen to Songs – In Light of Qur’an & Sunnah
By: Qari Usama bin Abdul Salam
Ruling in Islam
Listening to songs — which include music, instruments, and immoral poetry — is haram in Shari’ah. Severe punishments are mentioned in both this world and the Hereafter for those who listen to them.
1. Qur’anic Evidence
Surah Luqman (31:6):
﴿وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَنۡ يَشۡتَرِي لَهۡوَ ٱلۡحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٖ وَيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوٗاۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٞ مُّهِينٞ﴾
“And among mankind is he who purchases idle talk to mislead from the path of Allah without knowledge, and takes it (the path of Allah) in mockery. For such there will be a humiliating torment.”
Tafsir (Scholarly Consensus):
Ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه, Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما, Jābir رضي الله عنه, and others said “Lahw al-Hadith” refers to songs and music.
(Tafsir Ibn Kathir, al-Durr al-Manthur)
2. Prophetic Evidence
Sahih al-Bukhari (5590):
ليكونن من أمتي أقوام يستحلون الحِرَ والحريرَ والخمرَ والمعازفَ…
“There will be among my Ummah people who will regard fornication, silk, alcohol, and musical instruments as permissible…”
Note:
The term “yastahillūn” (consider permissible) means they will declare haram things halal, which is a grave sign of deviation and deserving of punishment.
3. Punishment in the Hereafter
Hadith:
من استمع إلى قينة صبّ في أذنه الآنك يوم القيامة
“Whoever listens to a singing woman, molten lead will be poured into his ears on the Day of Judgment.”
(Ibn ʿAsākir, Kanz al-ʿUmmāl: 40660)
Explanation:
Al-Ānak refers to extremely hot, molten metal.
4. Punishment in This World
Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله wrote:
“Songs fill the heart with hypocrisy just as water makes plants grow. Songs are a call to fornication.”
(Ighāthat al-Lahfān, Vol. 1)
Worldly Effects:
- Hardness of the heart
- Spiritual heedlessness
- Duʿās not being answered
- Weakening of faith
5. Statements of the Salaf
Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما said:
الغناء ينبت النفاق في القلب كما ينبت الماء البقل
“Singing grows hypocrisy in the heart just as water grows plants.”
(Shuʿab al-Īmān, al-Bayhaqi)
Summary Table
| Aspect | Punishment/Effect |
|---|---|
| Qur’an | Misguidance from Allah’s path, humiliating torment |
| Hadith | Molten lead poured into ears on Qiyamah |
| Worldly | Hardness of heart, hypocrisy, duʿās rejected |
| Hereafter | Disgrace, loss of salvation, painful punishment |
Path to Salvation
① Make sincere tawbah
② Replace songs with Qur’an recitation, nasheeds, and dhikr
③ Keep company of righteous scholars
④ Listen to Islamic lectures and beneficial knowledge instead of music
