TAGHANNÎ (SINGING) AND MUSIC

It is written in Hadîqa: “It is written in the Fatwâ book Tâtârhâniyya: ‘It is harâm in every revealed religion to read with taghannî, that is, with a melodious voice, poems that satirize others or describe indecency, alcoholic drinks, and incite lust. Those things that cause acts of harâm to be committed are forbidden by Islam, so they are harâm, too.’ One who says, ‘How well-done!’, for something which is certainly harâm becomes a kâfir. The same rule applies for harâms, such as adultery, usury, hypocrisy and drinking wine. It is permissible to recite with taghannî the poems and ilâhîs that are conveying Islamic preachings, wisdom, good advice, or beautiful moral qualities. It is makrûh to occupy oneself with these continually. It is a more serious harâm for the false tarîqat followers to excite the lust of people by reciting ilâhîs, dhikr or tasbîh in mosques or takkas. One should not attend gatherings that are certainly known to be so. Such places have ceased to be places of ’ibâdat and become gatherings of fisq [immorality, sinning]. However, one should not have a bad opinion of them unless one knows for certain. According to the unanimity [of savants], it is harâm to recite with teghannî the Qur’ân-al kerîm, dhikr, prayers or azân. Taghannî distorts the letters and words, and spoils the meaning. It is harâm to change these intentionally, advertently. It is not harâm when it is spoilt by mistake, by taghannî or inadvertently for those who are trying to learn where it will be spoilt and where it will not. Hence, it is necessary to learn tajwîd. It is mustahab to recite the Qur’ân-al kerîm, the dhikr and the ilâhîs with a beautiful voice provided that it does not spoil the meaning. And this is done by reciting compatibly with the tajwîd. The effect of this on the heart and the soul is tremendous. Reciting with a beautiful voice does not mean making melody and moving ones chin; it means reciting with the fear of Allah. Anbiyâ ‘salawâtullâhi ta’âlâ ’alaihim ajmâîn’ and Awliyâ ‘rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ ’alaihim ajmaîn’ used to recite with a beautiful voice. It was prohibited by a hadîth-i sherîf to recite with a sad voice and to listen to it like the fâsiqs and the Ahl-i kitâb. To spoil the tajwîd by elhân, that is, by keeping up with a musical tune, is an ugly bid’at and to listen to it is a grave sin.