Salafi Research Institute SRI
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
It is well known that reciting the Quran is an act of worship as we receive reward when reciting it [cf. al-Tirmidhī 2910 with Ḥasan Isnād] And no doubt we are recommended to beautify our voices when reciting the Quran [cf. al-Bukhārī 7527] But how could an intellectual person derive from this to recite Quran in Maqāmāt?
قراءة القرآن بالألحان، بأصوات الغناء وأوزانه وإيقاعاته؛ عَلَى طريقة أصحاب الموسيقى، فرخّص فيه بعض المتقدمين إذا قصد الاستعانة عَلَى إيصال معاني القرآن إِلَى القلوب؛ للتحزين والتشويق، والتخويف والترقيق. وأنكر ذلك أكثر العُلَمَاء. ومنهم من حكاه إجماعًا ولم يثبت فيه نزاعًا، منهم أبو عُبيد وغيره م الأئمة. وفي الحقيقة هذه الألحان المبتدعة المطربة، تهيج الطباع. وتُلهي عن تدبُّر ما يحصل له من الاستماع، حتى يصير الالتذاذ بمجرد سماع النغمات الموزونة والأصوات المطربة، وذلك يمنع المقصود من تدبر معاني القرآن، وإنما وردت السنة بتحسين الصوت بالقرآن، لا بقراءة الألحان، وبينهما بون بعيد. وقد بسطنا القول في ذلك في كتاب بيان الاستغناء بالقرآن في تحصيل العِلْم والإيمان [نزهة الأسماع في مسألة السماع (٢/ ٤٦٣)]
Ibn Rajab said: “Reciting the Qurʾān with melodies, using the vocal tones, levels, and rhythms of singing, in the manner of musicians: some of the early scholars granted a concession for it if the intention was to aid in delivering the meanings of the Qurʾān to the hearts; to evoke sorrow, yearning, fear, and softening (of the heart). However, the majority of the scholars denounced that. And among them are those who related a Ijmāʿ on it (prohibition) and did not acknowledge any dispute regarding it; among them is Abū ʿUbayd and other Imāms. And in reality, these innovated, enchanting melodies stir up emotions. They distract from pondering over what is being listened to, until the enjoyment comes merely from hearing rhythmic tunes and enchanting voices. That prevents the intended goal of pondering over the meanings of the Qurʾān. Indeed, the Sunnah only came with beautifying the voice with the Qurʾān, not with reciting it with (specific) melodies, and there is a vast difference between the two. We have elaborated on this in the book Bayān al-Istighnāʾ bi al-Qurʾān fī Taḥṣīl al-ʿIlm wa al-Īmān.” [Nuzhat al-Asmāʿ fī Masʾalat al-Samāʿ (2/463)]
These days we not only see them distracted from the meanings but they break the rules of tajwīd while having a big issue with their intentions. This innovation is something which have clear texts against it.
‘Ābis al-Ghafārī رضي الله عنه said, I heard Allah’s Messenger ﷺ fearing upon his Ummah six characteristics:
“Leadership of children, Plentifulness of police, Bribery in judgment, Cutting ties of kinship, Underestimating shedding of blood and a generation that takes the Qurān as tunes, preferring the man who is not the most knowledgeable nor the best from them, singing it (Qurān) like a song” [al-Tabarani in al-kabir 18/37 with hasan isnad]
عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ السُّلَمِيِّ قَالَ: وَإِنَّهُ سَيَرِثُ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ قَوْمٌ بَعْدَنَا يَشْرَبُونَهُ كَشُرْبِهِمُ الْمَاءَ [البدع والنهي عنها (٢٥٥) وفضائل القرآن للفريابي (١٦٩) والطبقات (٨/٢٩٢) بأسانيد جيدة]
And from the characteristics of the khawārij is that they don’t focus on the meanings of the Quran. Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Sulamī said: “And indeed, this Qurʾān will be inherited by a people after us who will drink it as they drink water.” [Al-Bidaʿ wa al-Nahy ʿanhā (255), Faḍāʾil al-Qurʾān by al-Firyābī (169), and al-Ṭabaqāt (8/292); with Jayyid asānīd]
قال سألت ابي عن القراءة بالألحان فقال محدث الا ان يكون طباع ذلك يعني الرجل طبعه كما كان ابو موسى الاشعري [مسائل أحمد برواية عبد الله (١٥٩٨)]
ʿAbdullāh (bin Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal) said: I asked my father about reciting (the Qurʾān) with melodies so he said: “An innovation, unless it is the natural style of that person, meaning the man’s natural voice, just as it was for Abū Mūsā al-Ashʿarī.” [Masāʾil Aḥmad bi-riwāyat ʿAbdullāh (1598)]
كره عبدالله هذه الألحان التي يطربون فيها [مسائل حرب (٨٩٧) وسنده حسن]
ʿAbdullāh (bin al-Mubarak) detested these melodies with which they make musical tones. [Masāʾil Ḥarb (897); Isnād Ḥasan]
قال: ما تقول في قراءة الألحان؟ قال: بدعة قال: يا أبا خالد، يشتهيه الناس. قال: لك غيره [فضائل القرآن لأبي عبيد (ص ١٦٧) وسنده صحيح]
He said (to Yazid bin Harun): “What do you say about reciting with melodies?” He said: “An innovation.” He said: “O Abū Khālid, the people desire it.” He replied: “For you is other than them.” [Faḍāʾil al-Qurʾān by Abū ʿUbayd (p. 167); Isnād Ṣaḥīḥ]
ومن حرمته ألا يقرأه بألحان الغناء لحون أهل الفسق [تفسير القرطبي (١/ ٢٩)]
Al-Qurṭubī said: “And from its respect is to not recite it with the melodies of singing, the melodies of the people of Fisq.” [Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī (1/29)]
ومع هذا فلا يسوغ أن يقرأ القرآن بألحان الغناء ولا أن يقرن به من الألحان ما يقرن بالغناء من الآلات وغيرها [الاستقامة (١/ ٢٤٦)]
Ibn Taymiyyah said: “And despite this, it is not permissible to recite the Qurʾān with the melodies of singing, nor to accompany it with the melodies that accompany singing from musical instruments and the likes.” [Al-Istiqāmah (1/246)]
وهذا يدل على أنه محذور كبير، وهو قراءة القرآن بالألحان التي يسلك بها مذاهب الغناء، وقد نص الأئمة، رحمهم الله، على النهي عنه، فأما إن خرج به إلى التمطيط الفاحش الذي يزيد بسببه حرفا أو ينقص حرفا، فقد اتفق العلماء على تحريمه [تفسير ابن كثير (١/ ٩٢)]
Ibn Kathīr said: “And this indicates that it is a greatly prohibited, which is reciting the Qurʾān with melodies that follow the styles of singing. The Imāms, may Allāh have mercy on them, have explicitly stated its prohibition. As for when it leads to excessive stretching that causes a letter to be added or a letter to be removed, then the scholars have agreed upon its impermissibility.” [Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr (1/92)]
So how can we come up with these additions to our acts of worship which the best generations did not come up with while they had the same Quran and had zeal to beautify their voices?
Al-Barāʾ said: “I heard the Prophet ﷺ reciting in the ʿIshāʾ (prayer): {By the fig and the olive} [al-Tīn: 1], and I have never heard anyone with a better voice or recitation than him.” [Al-Bukhārī (7546)]
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لأبي موسى: لو رأيتَني وأنا أستمع لقراءتك البارحة لقد أوتيتَ مزمارا من مزامير آل داود [مسلم (٧٩٣)]
The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said to Abū Mūsā: “If only you had seen me while I was listening to your recitation last night; you have certainly been given a mizmār (sweet voice) from the mazāmīr of the family of Dāwūd.” [Muslim (793). Also see Faḍāʾil al-Qurʾān by Abū ʿUbayd p. 164]
Note: Shaykh Ibrahim al-Akhdar said if you naturally recite a certain maqam without initially intending it then there’s no problem but reciting the Qur’an is an act of worship so you must have only one intention (ikhlas). Is your intention to recite the Qur’an or recite maqam sabt?. This is not what Qur’an was revealed for
