The Ruling on Music

Sister Yvonne Ridley vs Brother Sami Yusuf

Although very short in their points, sister Yvonne and brother Sami both offered their personal fiqhi views on music:

Sister Yvonne
"Eminent scholars throughout history have often opined that music is haram, and I don’t recall reading anything about the Sahaba whooping it up to the sound of music. Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for people letting off steam, but in a dignified manner and one which is appropriate to their surroundings."

Brother Sami
"As a Muslim artist, I regularly seek clarification and advice from world-renowned scholars on art, music, singing and culture. Be informed that the subject of music is one of the most controversial topics in Islamic Jurisprudence. I respect those who consider music to be haram. Yes eminent scholars of our past have opined such. However, I respect and follow the opinion of other eminent scholars – classical and contemporary, who permit singing and the use of musical instruments. The well-established jurisprudential rule states that ‘in matters where there is ikhtilaf (differences of opinion) there is to be no condemnation of either opinion.’ This is from the beauty of the religion of Islam. The diversity of our cultural, legal and social traditions is something we are in dire need of celebrating not condemning. So let’s agree to disagree on this one."

So the basic idea here is that Sister Yvonne has begun by saying this concert is haraam to begin with because it involves music.  Brother Sami's counter is that there exists legitimate ikhtilaaf on this issue, and so both opinions are to be respected.  In other words, he's moving to higher ground – he's left the fiqhi issue itself and is citing principles for dealing with differences of opinion.  He's taking aim at the big picture.

The problem with brother Sami's assertation is that while his statement is true regarding legitimate differences of opinion, this issue is not one which can be classified as such.  The issue of music being impermissible is a matter of ijmaa' – consensus.  That there have been a few scholars, even of good repute, that held an opposing opinion does not make for a legitimate difference of opinion.  Many great scholars have held odd views, which isn't abnormal since scholars are human beings who can make mistakes.  We love and respect them all the same

If anyone still doubts the impermissibility of music, they can read further into it on the following sites:

• Evidences for Ijmaa':  by the late al-Kanadi
• Islam Q & A's opinion:  Haraam 
• Islam Today's opinion:  Haraam
• Islam Online's opinion:  Halaal
• Sunnipath's opinion:  Haraam
• Ask Imam's opinion:  Haraam

This is one of those issues in which the controversy is not so much in Muslim scholarship as it is in Muslim laypeople.  The majority of Muslims, who love their Sharrukh Khan and J Lo, tend to blow the miniscule minority opinion out of proportion while minimizing as much as possible ALL the rest of the Ulamaa', past and present, who held that this was indeed a wrong and evil thing to engage in.

Round 1 Winner:  Sister Yvonne Ridley