Sunday, November 24, 2013

HOW I STOPPED LISTENING TO MUSIC



All of us have a certain time in life of which we are ashamed of and I really hope that Allah will forgive me! I'll be frank here: I was a massive music addict. When I say I was a music lover, I don't just say that I listen to it to kill boredom. I listened to music because I loved it, and there were nights where I'd sit up until late midnight. Past 3 a.m too, listening to music. And yes, in most cases, I ended up missing my Fajr prayer. I am ashamed of what I did. I really am... May Allah forgive me.

I know that there are a lot of Muslims who are struggling with their addiction with music. I can relate a lot to this, having been a music addict myself. I knew that listening to music is Haraam, but that didn't stop me. I regret all what I did. There were times though when the reality of the fact that music is prohibited in Islam hit me, and I did make some vague resolutions to stop myself from listening to it, but generally after a few weeks or so, I'd get back to my disgusting addiction.

The fact it, I've always thought that giving up listening to music was going to be really tough, but now that I have stopped it, I realize how exceptionally easy it was. Subhanallah! A word of advice for those who are reading this: If you are trying to avoid music, the first thing you should do is have a firm intention and resolution. I guess the only reason why I have not been able to avoid music was due to the fact that my resolutions were always weak. If you set your heart on your intentions, everything becomes easy. If you try for the Sake of Allah, not matter how hard it may seem to be, Allah will make it beautifully easy for you. I know this because that's how I gave up listening to music.

Wallahi, avoiding music might seem like a really daunting task, but it's so much more easier- if you are firm in your intentions. I made a promise to Allah that I would never listen to music again, and that promise has made me far stronger than I thought I could be, and I would never want to break that promise I made with Allah. May Allah protect me!

From my years of listening to music, I can definitely relate to one fact: I did take pleasure in music, but it was always accompanied by a massive sense of guilt of disobeying Allah. I tried to push away that guilt away, but it always persisted. Now, after avoiding music, my eyes opened up to so many possibilities. So many 'What if's'.... 


Be truthful to yourself: Are you really at peace when you listen to music? Doesn't the thought that you are disobeying Allah cross your mind? Is it worth the momentary pleasure of music at the cost of earning the displeasure of Allah? Is that one song, which is probably no longer than 5 minutes, worth your losing Jannah? What if you die in that state, may Allah protect all of us! What if that music is the cause of your entering Jahannum? What if all those songs you listened to will stop you from uttering the Kalimah at the time of your death? What if music and the disgusting lyrics in that tempts you towards committing more sins? What if your listening to music takes you away from your Allah, the One Who created you, is forever compassionate towards you and is forever merciful to you?

Is it worth it? 


Now, Alhamdulillah, not only have I avoided music, but I have a raw hatred for it. And once you hate it, you'll never be tempted again, In Sha Allah! Music today, is more or less audio pornography. Women are spoken of as sexual objects, the lyrics encourage vile behaviour and provoke haram desires within a person. And this is what we have grown addicted to, this is what we listen and this is what we take pleasure in... May Allah forgive us all for our ignorance. It exactly because of this that Prophet Muhammad Sallahi Alaihi Wasallam has said:
"Verily, singing generates hypocrisy in the heart just as water causes farm-produce to grow". (Baihaqi)

There is nothing more soothing than the recitation of the Quran and the beautiful meaning of it, so if music is just a portal you use to calm your mind, kow that you can NEVER find peace that way. How can we expect to find peace, consolation and happiness in something Allah has proibited? You want peace and happiness? Listen to the Quran, read the meaning of it or listen to Nasheeds without music of course. There are some beautiful ones, MashaAllah. For a start, you can listen to 'Al Habib' and 'Heartsong' by Talib Al Habib. I couldn't help but cry when I heard it, Subhanallah!

If you have any songs on your phones, computers or iPods, delete them. You can't listen to them if it's deleted, right? Replace all those who recitation of the Quran, Islamic lectures or Nasheeds, and if you still persist in listening to music when you can easily listen to the Quran/Nasheeds/lectures, the guilt would be too much to bear. Trust me on that.

Never do the love of songs and the love of Qur`an come together in a person’s heart except that one expels the other.

Something in you might tell you that you might miss out on so much of fun when you avoid music or movies, but know that this is nothing but the whispers of Shaytan. What kind of enjoyment can you ever find in doing something Haraam? You are not missing out on fun when you avoid music/movies. You are only earning for yourself the Pleasure of Allah and sacrificing your desires for the Sake of Allah. This in itself, would help you rise in ranks on the Day of Qiyamah. After all, isn't the greater Jihad struggling against your own desires for the Sake of Allah?

Finally, if you want to stop listening to music and watching movies, make lots of Du'aa. Du'aa can change anything, and so long as you are sincere in your Du'aa, Allah will surely show you a way out. When you listening to music, you are sinning and moving away from Allah, and each time you avoid it, you are strengthening your relationship with Allah. Do it for the Sake of Allah. Allah will help you, make it easy for you, reward you and above all, love you... And where does this immeasurable Love of Allah count with the love of music and movies?

Avoiding music is not difficult. It's about the easiest thing I have ever given up. And this, coming from a massive music addict, really relates to quite a lot. 

“And whoever fears Allah, He will make for him a way out, and provide for him from whence he could never imagine.” [ Sûrah al-Talâq : 2-3]

Stay strong in your intentions, make Du'aa and fear Allah. Everything else will naturally be made easy for you!

"Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: 'Verily, the bell is of the musical instruments of shaitaan." (Muslim and Abu Dawood)

"The Malaaikah do not associate with a group in which there is a dog or a bell." (Muslim and Abu Dawood)

"Most certainly, there will be in my Ummah people who will make lawful fornication, silk, liquor and musical instruments." (Bukhaari)

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "Most certainly, people from my Ummah will consume liquor which they will describe with some other name. Over their heads will be playing musical instruments and singing girls. Allah will cause the earth to swallow them, and from among them He will transform into apes and pigs." (Ibn Maajah)

39 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Masha Allah, thank you for posting this. I've been avoiding music for the past few months, it's a love and hate relationship. Sometimes, I got tempted, like I was listening to music when I read your first few paragraphs, and I just threw my headphone because I remembered on what motivate me to stop listening that. I agree that music nowadays is an audio pornography, we got addicted to it... Alhamdulillah, Allah SWT is still guiding me, especially made me read your post this morning. May Allah SWT always bless you :)

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  3. Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatu,

    This is a beautiful post my dear sister. I am an ex-music addict myself. Music sort of reminds me of a drug, it gives you a temporary high and lets you escape to another world and of course, it is addictive. Sometimes I will still find tunes playing in my head even to this day. But as you said, Allah does indeed make it easy to give up such things if we have a firm intention. Really, it's not worth it because I would feel much too guilty to indulge in it anymore. Giving it up feels so right when you think of the hereafter.

    May Allah reward you greatly for this excellent reminder.

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    1. Wa'alaykum salaam warahamtullahi wabarakatuhu Ukhty!

      Jazakallah khair and Aameen to you Du'aa :) Perfectly put sis "Giving it up feels so right when you think of the hereafter." MashaAllah!

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  4. Jazakallah khair sis! And Aaamen to your Du'aa as well. :)

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  5. Assalamualaikum..

    I also want to stop myself of listening to music.. It's gonna be haram if the musics make us careless such as, missing solah.. I haven't been watching television for years..

    Alhamdulillah.. With a busy schedule, I am not watching television anymore.. Thanks for writing this useful post.. This is really useful especially for someone like me.. :)

    Please pray for me, so that I can keep myself istiqomah in what I am struggling..

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  6. Wa'alaykum salaam warahamtullahi wabarakatuhu Ukhty!

    Will definitely remember you in my Du'aas sis, In Sha Allah :)

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  7. Assalam o Alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu!
    can you please provide any authentic reference for this: Prophet Muhammad Sallahi Alaihi Wasallam has said:"Verily, singing generates hypocrisy in the heart just as water causes farm-produce to grow". (Baihaqi)
    jazak Allah khairen!

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    1. Wa'alaykum salaam warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu sis!

      This Hadith has been recorded in Baihaqi and has been related by adhrat Ibn Mas’ud (radhiyallahu anhu). As for the Hadith number, I'll check on it and let you know In Sha Allah.

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  8. Thanks a lot 4 this :) this'll really gonna help me

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  9. Assalamu alaikum sister,

    Baarak Allahu feeki.
    Just a short advice, but don't reveal your sins since the prophet sallallahu 'allayhi was-sallam forbade such things.

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    1. Surely revealing your sins to others as a lesson is something good? They have not boasted about it and as a person very close to finishing hifz, I needed this reminder more than the next person. May they recieve my du'aas for bringing out the truth I had always known deep down, ameen.

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  10. I love this! Alhamdullilah I've been off music for a while now. I too used to be so obsessed. People often find it really hard to understand how I can 'live' without music. But to all those who are still listening to music and can't get off it- Alhamdullilah I really started 'living' once I stopped the music. Science has proven that people who listen to music are more likely to be depressed than those who don't. I know how amazing music sounds, I used to be addicted too. But wallahi if you take it slow and steadily work towards coming off the music, that gaping hole that you try to fill and cover with all the music? It will be filled. You will feel so satisfied and so happy, your imaan will strengthen greatly in'shaa'Allah and your eyes will open to the realisation of the realities of this dunya and the reality of the singers and all sorts. It's just such a satisfying feeling I honestly can't describe how content you will feel once you give up music.

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  11. This is beutiful! May Allah reward you!
    I gave up music with words, popular music and so on but i can not give up classical music :/ like mozart, tchaikovski, bethoween, chopin... Sometimes it makes me very calm and even im often thinking about Allah when i listen...
    I can not believe that pure classical music like that can be haram, it never making me go out of faith or something... How is ur oppinion abt it?
    :))

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    1. Jazakallah khair and Aameen to your Duaa!

      In answer to your question, this is a beautifully clear explanation I found on Islam Q & A:

      "Some say that music and musical instruments have the effect of softening people’s hearts and creating gentle feelings. This is not true, because it provokes physical desires and whims. If it really did what they say, it would have softened the hearts of the musicians and made their attitude and behaviour better, but most of them, as we know, are astray and behave badly."

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  12. So to justify your bullshit you'll destroy an art? A great art that takes effort more than you had ever put in this blog or in anything in your whole fucking life. Learn you fool, learn.

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  13. Couldn't agree more except with the learning part coz these people are hopeless when it comes to using their "brains", if they have any.

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  14. Audio Porn?! How can you classify music like that because of one shitty section of it?? What next? Will you write off movies and cinema as "Offensive, Meaningless Garbage" because of movies such as Wolf Of Wall Street, Movie 43, and Grown Ups and ignore the existence of masterpieces like Schindler's List, Shawshank Redemption, Requiem For a Dream, and Amadeus? And Will you classify as books and literature as "Foul, Unpleasant Filth" because of ones like Fifty Shades of Grey and Twilight and pretend that Harry Potter, Macbeth and The Book Thief don't exist??

    There will always be bad and good sides of everything that we know of. Be it Art, Nature, People etc. And disregarding it altogether because of a bad, unapealing variant of it is (frankly and sadly) exceedingly silly, immature, ignorant and stupid.

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    1. You might want to look up the Illuminati.. You cannot deny this.. Everything we learn and see is controlled it's not creative or imagination. You should really look into these things more before commenting as you can see this is personal opinions but you're being quite ignorant as you've not searched into things. Harry Potter being one of the most demonic way to sensor into children about witchcraft and 'magic' as being good when it's evil and the devils work.. if you disagree why did Daniel Radcliffe child idol in Harry Potter star in a film called Horns and become a devil if you google videos on youtube it goes more into this. It's truth. Many Christians and Muslims know this.. Satan is working against God and righteous people. What we are being brought up with is mind numbing it's making us accept content which is vulgar and evil not just subliminally but openly. Also, If you search up ' Marina Abromovic ' You'll see how these celebrities endorse satan on unknowing people. ART in itself is Anti-Christ Rituals Training she publicly allows all ages children !!! to see satan rituals. Please look into all of this in your own will. The world is run by satan and illuminati all industries are a part of this sick ' New World Order ' governments and politicians everyone. I've seen in a video that the Dajjal One Eye Satan will come to earth and make "Miracles" AKA Dark Magic with Jinns and possession and scare people and make people think he is God and is good but this is not true please whatever faith you believe in pray to God. Satanism isn't a religion it's an order that runs on Sins and evil the devil has evil in his name he makes people rape kill drink blood and eat other humans.. Look at how cannibalism zombies and vampires are being portrayed to be cool, magic and magicians and wizards are made to look cool but these are all signs of the end of the world... Please Pray for everybody..

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  15. Assalam Alikum

    What if you're with your friends in the car and they're listening to music? Or at a party? Or birthday? I can't tell them i shut it down you know? So what should i do then? Thank you

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  16. This is really beautiful. It is has made me have faith in my quest to quit music.I have just recently deleted the songs on my device. Seeing this has really helped me and may Allah bless you

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  17. Ever since I started listening to more speeches from muslim speakers, and actually began looking at verses from the Quran itself. I've been turning away from a lot of stuff that I used to do. It's hard. It challenges my senses of what's right, and wrong, but I feel better giving up some things.

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  19. Almighty Allah grant you the best in this world n hereafter for you effort.... Music is everywhere nw n itz kidda into everything...hmmmm..itz not easy..lez know that the struggle is Real and So is God... Almighty Allah aid us in our effort to please HIM (sw)

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  20. Assalammualaykum ya ukht :)

    This post is so inspiring and motivates me a lot to quite my obsession in listening to musics. May Allah shower you with His mercy.

    By any chance, can I contact you to ask for something? I can't tell you here as it may be personal.

    Jazakallahu khayran khatseeran.

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  21. Wa'alaykum salaam warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu Sister,

    Jazakallah khair and Ameen to your Duaa. You can email me on niqablovers@gmail.com sister.

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  22. thanks for the reminder i myself need to come over music addiction and watching movies and all of those things. may Allah help us all and guide us out of listening to music etc. ameen

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    1. Alhamdulillah glad to know it helped sister:) And Aameen to the duaa

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  23. Assalamualaikum sister,

    May I know the steps you took to stop listen to music?
    Thank you

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  24. Islam is a dangerous mental disorder

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    1. No it is not, it is the religion of prophet muhammed(PBUH) and worship our Rabb Allah

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  25. jazak ALLAH sister , I have been avoiding music since last month but i started listening to deen squad which i believe is haraam because they involve music in their so called nasheeds , i know so many people say that it is not haraam because thy are trying to give an islamic messege to all of us but they dance and put music in their videos ...anyways jazak ALLah for this beautiful post and jazak ALLah for reccomending the nasheeds I will surely listen to them . May ALLAH bless you with happiness and lots of peace in this world and in the hereafter <3

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  26. aselamu aleykum werahmetulahi weberekatu
    my dear islam sister may allah bless you.i am so music addited girl and i want to go away from it .may allah help me please make me dua

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  27. Thank you so much for this post alhamdullillah, Inshallah from now before ramadan i will stop my addiction with music and entertainment and focus on studying and allah the most gracious and most merciful, im 16 by the way

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  28. I was good at singing and Satan tricked me into music again that way 😞 I know it's affecting my life😞
    May Allah SWT Bring me out of this again
    Ameen

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