This is from an older article I have written dealing with historical and legal issues of music in Islam. I feel that this article is especially pertinent given recent events in Egypt with Islamists crashing concerts as “immoral.”

Introduction In the beginning, music was “pure”, argues abu’l-Faraj ibn al-Jawzi. ibn al-Jawzi, a 12th century scholar from the Hanbali school of Islamic jurisprudence, believed that music originally represented rhythmical religious chanting that enhanced the religious experience. But as a society achieves material progress, it may fall into spiritual decadence, which becomes reflected in the complexity of melodies and instruments involved. As such, in his view over time music becomes bid’a, or “innovation” of religious doctrine, which is strictly forbidden in Islam.[1] As A’isha, wife of Muhammad stated, “If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected.”[2]

ibn Khaldun, one of the most prominent Muslim historians, agrees with the point of musical complexity related to the material progress of society, while disagreeing completely with the moral condemnation of social progress. In his seminal historical text Muqaddima (Introduction) he states that [...]