Fatwa or an Islamic decree is required to keep the Muslim family concerned or the society in general onto the right path. This is a societal need which those who are not blessed enough to be from among the believers – those who love to lead life as they like – cannot appreciate. This is why whenever a fatwa comes to the fore, the mainstream media takes it as an opportunity to lash Muslims and tarnish the fair name of Islam. We witnessed it once again when the Grand Mufti of Kashmir, Mufti Bashir-ud-Din, issued a fatwa against the valley’s first all-girl rock band ‘Pragaash’, consisting of three Class 10 teenaged girls.
It is indeed great that the team members quit the band out of respect for the Grand Mufti’s decision. One of them was reported as saying: “We respect his (Grand Mufti) decision that music is haraam (forbidden) in Islam and therefore we have quit.” She further said: “I am too little to know whether music is un-Islamic. The Grand Mufti will be more aware of our religion. So we respect his decision. He is a well-respected man.” This is in the fitness of things.
No really civilized society can allow bawdy, demoralising music and all obscene uses of it for public entertainment. It’s for the community to save the society from degrading into the abyss of obscenity and vulgarity. Women’s honour, chastity and inviolability are the ethical values that must not be compromised. Keeping this in view, besides the Grand Mufti, some other Muslim leaders also supported the fatwa. “The shariat strictly prohibits immodest activity, in particular obscene dancing of women in the presence of men,” said Jamaat-e-Islami J&K spokesman Zahid Ali, adding that the propagation of immodesty among the believers were liable to severe punishment in the world and the hereafter. The Hurriyat Conference has also criticised the girls for emulating the western culture. “Though in a civilised society there is no place for coercion and force, yet there are some values a citizen has to adopt to safeguard the ethical, moral and religious traditions,” he further said.
The issue should have died here. But thanks to media treatment meted out to matters Islamic, the issue was blown out of proportion. They held the fatwa as well as threats from some bloggers responsible for the disbanding of Pragaash. The online troll against the team members cannot be defended, and the Government of Jammu & Kashmir took action against those mischief mongers in right earnest.
Islam strictly prohibits singing and dancing. Abu Maalik Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) says that he heard Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) say: “Most certainly, there will be in my Ummah people who will make lawful fornication, silk, liquor and musical instruments.” (Bukhari) In another version of this narration, the Blessed Messenger 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) It is high time we said no to such immoralities.