Cyber space and Islamic music...
Music and Islam! As this is a topic close to my heart I have decided to use this subject for my first ever blog. Music popularity in cyber space has increased in modern society. This topic seems to be surrounded with controversies and has been the heated topic in many debates...
A lot of these controversies are highlighted on the internet. If you are a frequent user of the internet you will know how easy it is to access music in cyber space.
In today's society the internet is being used openly and vastly in order to advertise to a wider audience. In addition social networking sites are being used to a large degree for the expansion and popularity of music.
Music and Islam! As this is a topic close to my heart I have decided to use this subject for my first ever blog. Music popularity in cyber space has increased in modern society. This topic seems to be surrounded with controversies and has been the heated topic in many debates...
A lot of these controversies are highlighted on the internet. If you are a frequent user of the internet you will know how easy it is to access music in cyber space.
In today's society the internet is being used openly and vastly in order to advertise to a wider audience. In addition social networking sites are being used to a large degree for the expansion and popularity of music.
Educational
As a Muslim in a contemporary British society I find the internet to be the first source when wanting to access material related to Islam and Music. When confined to the thought of the type of music we are talking about here I would refer to Nasheeds, Naats, Qawali's, poetry, and also something which people would not very often relate to Islam, Islamic rapping. Although this type of music faces much criticism it is a highly positive way of educating oneself.
A very surprising thing I learnt was some people are critical of the way in which the Qur'an is used as a learning tool in music.
Muslim band 'Ashiq-Al-Rasul' which stands for 'Lovers of The Prophet', practises such recitals in their music.
On a personal level I found this video soothing and relaxing and at the same time I was reciting the beautiful names of Allah.
A very surprising thing I learnt was some people are critical of the way in which the Qur'an is used as a learning tool in music.
Muslim band 'Ashiq-Al-Rasul' which stands for 'Lovers of The Prophet', practises such recitals in their music.
On a personal level I found this video soothing and relaxing and at the same time I was reciting the beautiful names of Allah.
Native Deen is an inspirational young band from Washington who use different methods within their music to inspire young Muslims in learning about their religion. When clicking on the name it directly links you to the bands Facebook where you are able to join to keep updated!
After listening to their nasheeds I bought their cds for my children.
After listening to their nasheeds I bought their cds for my children.
Forums and Websites
Different forums and websites sell themselves in different ways. While streaming through these websites, I discovered a website called 'My Space'. This website has different materials which relate to music and Islam.
These are just three of the many range of websites which you can access via 'my space'. They all have informative information and you are able to download, upload and also add music in to these. The links in the website are not just informative, but allow one to listen to the recital of certain verses from the Qur'an.
'Music and Islam' lists a great range of websites. One of the very many negative elements of this is one will only access the website which supports ones ideas or practices. For example http://www.inter-islam.org/Prohibitions/Mansy_music.htm this website has a very negative view on music in Islam.
However if this website is accessed http://www.islamawareness.net/Music/prohibited.html the creator of the website has a complete different attitude towards the subject.
Online music is a very advanced way in which people can educate themselves, and in many ways music is a learning method in understanding the religion. It provides a means in which ‘ignorance can be overcome from the mind and heart'.
Ive had so many Muslims telling me that I shouldnt be listening to nusheeds that they are no different from hiphop music. I say i'd rather have my children listen and memorise the words of nusheeds where the ultimate message underlines islamic values.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment shane. Exactly! this is my point. Is it not better to listen to music which involves the deen. The society we live in is open to all sorts of invitations, and as young muslims it is very easy to stray..and thats the reason i believe if the music we are listening to is connnected to Islam, then it is not wrong.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Shane and you. I also prefer my children to listen to nasheeds rather than other type of music with mix messages (swears, drugs etc.). Growing up in today's time is not very easy for our youth. There are so many temptations around. Music and dance became an important part of life. It is considered a cool art of life. To overcome the temptations around us I think there is no harm in listening to nasheeds as long as they do not contain musical instruments that are forbidden in Islam. At the same time I think there should be balance, i.e. we don't come obsess with listening to too many nasheeds so that we dismiss our obligatory duties in our religion.
ReplyDeletethank you khadeja for your input!
DeleteMusic is considered haram by the majority of shcolars, but in the society that we live in it's difficult to discourage our children from it all when there is so much of out there. There are actually some young lads who use rap music which is so popular today,the lyrics they use are so clever, and like khadeja says they don't use bad language or talk of drugs & sex etc. There are so many pressures out there to 'fit' into society, I mean look at Yusuf Islam, he gave up his very successful music career when he became Muslim and only recently got back into it again.
ReplyDeletewell personally speaking, listening to nasheeds and qawallis has helped me. i now tend to do dhikr in my head of Allah Subhan Wa Ta'Ala rather then have haraam music going through my head all day. for instance, i listen to nasheeds which have a tune similar to some songs and at first the song used to come into my head but now i find myself reciting the nasheed instead of the song and i count that as a blessing because i no longer have something haraam going in my ears. so i dont think theres anything wrong with having musical instruments in qawallis and nasheeds as long as they arent sending out the wrong message which will make people do haraam acts like smoking drugs sex and violence. by the way a very good topic az i'll be looking forward to future posts :)
ReplyDelete