Questioner: Why aren’t we allowed to listen to string music, sir?
Huzoor (rh): To which music?
Questioner: String music.
Huzoor (rh): String music? Well, it is not… It is discouraged so that you have a better taste developed for more useful things in life. For tilawat and for good things, sir. And if you are drawn by music once, then you are drawn further and further, and your whole attitude in life is misdirected towards the pursuit of vain pleasures. The taste does not develop for more serious and higher things for which the man is created.
So, these are the safeguards against the distortion of taste. Otherwise, in itself, it is not as forbidden as other sins are. If somebody listens to music, he will not go to hell. Nowhere is it written, or nowhere is it written that he will be punished. When the Holy Prophet didn’t listen to music, he just showed a sign of himself, you know, bowing himself, giving himself away, and did not mention categorically anywhere that you should not listen to music. That was a gesture showing us that he would not encourage love for music at all. He would rather disdain it. But if somebody disdains, well, he is not punished anyway. Right?
