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The question
Can Muslims listen to music?
A straight answer to one of the most-asked questions about Islam and music: where scholars agree, where they differ, what changes in Ramadan, and what many Muslims choose instead.
Can Muslims listen to music? Scholars differ. The majority position across the four Sunni schools is that musical instruments are prohibited, with the daff allowed on occasions such as weddings and Eid. A minority, classically Ibn Hazm and today scholars such as Yusuf al-Qaradawi, permit music with wholesome content. What almost all agree on is that voice-only singing with good words, which is what a nasheed is, is permissible, so many Muslims listen to nasheeds and Quran recitation and leave instruments aside to stay on the safer side.
Why most scholars avoid musical instruments
The main evidence is a hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari in which the Prophet ﷺ foretold that people of his Ummah would treat as lawful fornication, silk, wine and ma'azif, a word generally understood to mean musical instruments. Many scholars also cite Surah Luqman 31:6 on "idle talk" that leads people away from the path of Allah, which Ibn Mas'ud explained as singing. On this basis the four Sunni schools broadly restricted instruments, while allowing the daff on joyful occasions, following hadiths about weddings and Eid. The details are in is music haram in Islam?
Why some scholars permit music
A minority read the evidence differently. Ibn Hazm considered the chain of the ma'azif narration disconnected and permitted instruments, though most hadith specialists, including Ibn Hajar, accepted it as authentic. Some contemporary scholars, such as Yusuf al-Qaradawi and Abdullah al-Judai, permit music with conditions: the words must be wholesome, it must not lead to sin or distract from obligations, and it must not come with anything forbidden. Even they stress that the content and effect of what you listen to matter.
What almost everyone agrees on
- Voice-only singing with good words is allowed. The Companions chanted verse while digging the trench, and singing was allowed on Eid and at weddings. See is singing haram?
- The daff has a special place at weddings and celebrations. See halal instruments.
- Content matters either way. Lyrics that glorify sin are a problem with or without instruments.
Can Muslims listen to music during Ramadan?
The ruling on music is the same in every month, and listening to music does not break the fast. But Ramadan raises the stakes. The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever does not give up false speech and acting on it, Allah has no need of their giving up food and drink (Bukhari), and scholars apply the same principle to other sins: they don't void the fast, but they drain its reward. That is why many Muslims who listen to music during the year stop completely in Ramadan, and why the month is a popular time to switch to Ramadan nasheeds and Quran.
What about instrumental and background music?
Instrumental music is not a safer option under the majority view, because the instruments are the concern. Background music you can't avoid, in a shop or a waiting room, is different: scholars distinguish between deliberately listening (istima') and merely hearing (sama'), and only the first is counted against you. If you are choosing music, for yourself or for your videos, the choice is yours to make well.
What many Muslims listen to instead
- Nasheeds: voice-only or voice-and-daff songs with meaningful words. Start with the best nasheeds or relaxing nasheeds.
- Quran recitation, for listening with attention rather than as background.
- Lectures and podcasts for commutes and workouts.
- A nasheed app for everyday listening. See the nasheed app.
And for your videos?
If you make content, the question becomes practical: what plays under your video. Voice-only audio keeps your videos on the ground most scholars share, and licensed audio keeps them clear of copyright claims. Aswati makes both in one: royalty-free nasheeds and vocal beds cleared for monetised posts.
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120+ royalty-free nasheeds and vocal beds, no instruments, cleared for monetised YouTube, reels and client work. Start with eight free tracks.
This article summarises scholarly positions; it is not a fatwa. For your own situation, ask a scholar you trust.
Frequently asked questions
Is listening to music haram?
The majority of scholars across the four Sunni schools hold that listening to musical instruments is prohibited, apart from the daff on occasions such as weddings and Eid. A minority permit music with wholesome content. Voice-only singing with good words, such as nasheed, is accepted by almost all.
Can Muslims listen to music during Ramadan?
The ruling on music does not change in Ramadan, but the month raises the stakes: scholars warn that sins reduce the reward of fasting, so many Muslims stop listening to music altogether during Ramadan and turn to Quran and nasheed instead.
Does listening to music break your fast?
No. Listening to music does not invalidate the fast. Those who consider it sinful say it reduces the reward of the fast rather than breaking it.
Can Muslims listen to instrumental music?
Instrumental music is exactly what the majority view restricts, because the concern is the instruments themselves. Scholars who permit music generally permit instrumental music under the same conditions.
What music can Muslims listen to?
Almost all scholars accept voice-only singing with good words, which is what a nasheed is, along with the daff on joyful occasions. Many Muslims also listen to Quran recitation, lectures and podcasts.
Is it a sin to hear music in a shop or in the background?
Scholars distinguish between hearing something you did not choose and deliberately listening to it. Music you cannot avoid hearing is generally not counted against you.
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