Tahrim Alat al-Tarab
- Author died
- 1420 AH
- Editions
- Mu'assasat al-Rayyan
Tahrim Alat al-Tarab (Arabic: تحريم آلات الطرب, lit. 'The Prohibition of Musical Instruments') is a treatise on Islamic jurisprudence and hadith criticism by the hadith scholar Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani (d. 1420 AH / 1999 CE) addressing the prohibition of musical instruments and singing in Islamic law . The book bears the extended title al-Radd bi-l-Wahyayn wa-Aqwal A'immatina 'ala Ibn Hazm wa-Muqallidiyhi al-Mubihin li-l-Ma'azif wa-l-Ghina wa-'ala al-Sufiyyin alladhina Ittakhadhuhu Qurbatan wa-Dina ("Refutation Using the Two Revelations and the Statements of Our Imams Against Ibn Hazm and His Imitators Who Permit Musical Instruments and Singing, and Against the Sufis Who Made It an Act of Devotion and Religion") .
Background and Purpose
The catalyst for writing the work originated in 1373 AH, when al-Albani read an inquiry published in the Egyptian magazine Majallat al-Ikhwan al-Muslimun (issue no. 11, dated 29 Dhu al-Qi'dah 1373 AH) from a youth asking about the permissibility of singing and music alongside memorizing the Quran . Al-Albani composed the treatise to clarify hadith-critical evidence and counter the views of figures such as Ibn Hazm and modern writers who relied on his positions—including Muhammad Abu Zahra and Muhammad al-Ghazali—as well as Sufi orders that incorporated musical listening into devotional ceremonies .
Structure and Contents
The work is organized into an introduction and eight thematic chapters:
- Chapter One: Authentic hadiths regarding the prohibition of musical instruments and entertainment instruments (Dhikr al-ahadith al-sahihah fi tahrim alat al-ghina' wa-alat al-tarab) .
- Chapter Two: Lexical explanation of hadith terms, such as ma'azif, mizamir, and kubah (Sharh mufradat al-ahadith) .
- Chapter Three: Refutation of Ibn Hazm and other critics who declared any of the textual evidence defective (al-Radd 'ala Ibn Hazm wa-ghayrihi mimman a'alla shay'an minha), specifically defending the transmission and connectivity of the hadith of Abu Malik al-Ash'ari recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari and other collections .
- Chapter Four: Textual signification of the traditions on the general prohibition of all musical instruments (Fi dalalat al-ahadith 'ala tahrim alat al-tarab bi-jami' ashikaliha) .
- Chapter Five: The positions of jurists regarding the prohibition of musical instruments (Madhahib al-'ulama' fi tahrim al-alat), outlining the majority agreement and the views across the four legal schools .
- Chapter Six: Examination and rebuttal of counter-arguments and specious doubts raised by proponents of permissibility (Shubuhat al-mubihin wa-jawabaha) .
- Chapter Seven: Rulings on singing without instrumental accompaniment and permissible poetic forms (Fi al-ghina' bi-dun alah) .
- Chapter Eight: The underlying wisdom behind the legal prohibition of singing (Hikmat tahrim al-ghina'), concluding with an evaluation of contemporary Islamic religious chants (anashid) and noting the narrow exception for women playing the tambourine (duff) during weddings and Eid celebrations .
Publication
The book has been issued by several publishing houses, including Maktabat al-Dalil and Dar al-Siddiq in al-Jubayl, Saudi Arabia (2nd edition, 1420 AH / 1999 CE, comprising 216 pages) .
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