Dhamm al-Malahi li-Ibn Asakir

Dhamm al-Malahi (Censure of Instruments of Diversion) is a short hadith treatise by the Damascene traditionist Abu al-Qasim Ibn Asakir (d. 571 AH / 1176 CE), compiling prophetic traditions and early scholarly reports on the condemnation of singing, musical instruments, and frivolous entertainment Diwan al-Sunna - Qism al-…+1.

Background and Composition

The text constitutes the fifty-second dictation session (al-majlis al-thani wa-l-khamsun) from Ibn Asakir's Amali (dictated assemblies) Diwan al-Sunna - Qism al-…+1. Ibn Asakir dictated it directly from memory on Monday, 17 Shawwal 538 AH Dhamm al-Malahi li-Ibn As…. As with his other dictation sessions, he recorded each report with its complete chain of transmission (isnad) tracing back from his own teachers across major centers of learning, including Baghdad, Damascus, Nishapur, and Mecca Dhamm al-Malahi li-Ibn As…+1.

Contents and Themes

The work comprises fifteen numbered narrations followed by concluding poetic verses against musical diversion Dhamm al-Malahi li-Ibn As…+1:

• Prophetic Traditions: Narrations warning against musical instruments, drinking wine, and singing-girls (qaynat), including reports foretelling that elements of the Muslim community who indulge in them will be transformed into apes and swine Dhamm al-Malahi li-Ibn As…+1. Ibn Asakir includes traditions prohibiting the sale, purchase, trade, and earning of female singers and wailing women, as well as a report commanding the destruction of wind instruments (mazamir) and stringed instruments (barabit and ma'azif) Dhamm al-Malahi li-Ibn As…+1. Other traditions include the statement attributed to Abdullah ibn Mas'ud that listening to instruments and singing breeds hypocrisy in the heart Dhamm al-Malahi li-Ibn As…, and the report threatening that molten lead will be poured into the ears of anyone who sits listening to a singing-girl on the Day of Resurrection, which Ibn Asakir notes is preserved only as an unlinked (mursal) narration rather than directly raised to the Prophet Dhamm al-Malahi li-Ibn As….
• Exegetical and Early Authorities' Reports (Athar): The interpretation of Mujahid ibn Jabr identifying the phrase وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَشْتَرِي لَهْوَ الْحَدِيثِ (idle talk) in the Quran with singing Dhamm al-Malahi li-Ibn As…; legal rulings from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr classing singing as falsehood; and a statement from al-Sha'bi cursing both the singer and the listener Dhamm al-Malahi li-Ibn As….
• Historical and Admonitory Anecdotes: An admonitory letter sent to an individual who abandoned gatherings in the mosque after acquiring a singing-girl Dhamm al-Malahi li-Ibn As…; the statement of al-Shafi'i describing taghbir (a rhythmic musical practice) in Iraq as an innovation introduced by heretics (zanadiqa) to divert people from the Quran; and a dream narrative reported by Abu al-Harith al-Awlasi concerning Iblis using song and dance as snares for mankind Dhamm al-Malahi li-Ibn As….

Publication

The text was edited by al-Arabi al-Da'iz al-Faryati and published by Dar al-Basha'ir al-Islamiyyah in Beirut (2nd ed., 1426 AH / 2005 CE) as part of the Liqa' al-Ashr al-Awakhir bi-l-Masjid al-Haram series Diwan al-Sunna - Qism al-…+1.