Question:
Assalaamu ‘alaikum
I have the bad habit of listening to music. Please advise me as to how I can stop and give up this bad habit
Answer:
Bismihi Ta‘ala
Wa ‘alaikumus salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barkaatuh
Respected Sister in Islam
1. Listening to music is completely impermissible. You should therefore sit daily and ponder over the punishments that will be given to those listening to music. Imagine that it is the Day of Qiyaamah and there is a line of people who are being called forward, one at a time, and they are all being severely punished. Picture the excruciating pain that the person is going through, the screeching and the screaming that you can hear and the very frightful punishment that is being meted out to the person. You can now see the line moving on and your turn is coming up. Feel the pain, fear and the difficulty of that moment. Make sincere taubah and istighfaar, and be grateful that Allah Ta‘ala gave you a chance that you still have life. Make a firm resolution that you will not go back to this again. Do this muraaqabah (meditation) at least three times a day for the next two weeks. Thereafter continue with it at least once a day.
2. Immediately delete all the music that you may have saved anywhere and break or destroy anything that contains any music, such as Cd’s, etc. Do not keep any sign of the past with you.
3. Also, daily recite the Quraan Majeed, make excessive istighfaar and recite Durood Shareef. Whenever there is any inclination towards listening to music, immediately start reciting Quraan Majeed or engage in some zikr for at least a few minutes.
May Allah Ta‘ala assist you and protect you from every act of disobedience.
Answered by:
Uswatul Muslimah Panel of ‘Ulama