Ruling on Singing and Music — "Idle Talk" and Scholarly Views

Verse: "Among people is one who buys idle talk to lead others astray from the way of Allah without knowledge and takes it in ridicule — those will have a humiliating punishment." (31:6)

The question: Does "idle talk" (lahw al-hadith) include singing and music?

Scholarly views:

• Prohibition (classical majority): Ibn Masud and Ibn Abbas interpreted "idle talk" as singing — "By Allah other than Whom there is no god, it is singing" (Ibn Masud). Music with instruments is prohibited.
• Conditional permissibility: Ibn Hazm held there is no conclusive Quranic evidence for prohibition — and the well-known hadith on singing is weak in his view.
• Middle position (contemporary): Whatever is obscene or incites immorality is prohibited — what is free of that may be permitted depending on intent and context.

Agreed principles:

• What diverts from remembrance of Allah and from prayer is categorically forbidden — by the verse's text.
• The tambourine at weddings is permitted — established by authentic Sunnah.
• Musical instruments alone are disputed — prohibition is the safer position.