God Has Called Me...

[Anyabwile]

Tonight i pronounce Shahada, and become a Muslim. I'm obviously very excited / scared by this but also a question i have, which no one seems to be able to answer for sure, is about Music. Music, before God spoke to me was my life. In what i was going to do for a career and money for my family, and within my own personal self. Some music is so powerful to me singers like Stevie Wonder who sing about God, but from a Christian perspective I imagine, and groups like JMT, who are Muslims if a little Militant.


So is music forbidden in Islam, if so would someone be able to quote a section of the Quran? Where it says this? I'm reading on another forum how it is, and another one how it isn't.


Some people in this debate say...


"this notion of music being allowed in Islam, for whatever purpose is a product of the rationalist school of thought. they fail to acknowledge the evidences from the quran, sunnah and the opinions of our scholars that clearly prohibit it. if u want to make or listen to music, that is between u and your Lord, however please dont try to justify this haram act using your ration, because in Islam we take what is given"


"The use of musical instruments is categorically forbid in Islam."


"There is one verse in the Koran which is used to argue that music is not allowed in Islam. The verse explains that music could lead Muslims away from the right path."


"Music is haram by which man lost his consiciousness for a while and forget Allah. Only music allowed in Islam is played for patriotism or exercises for Army etc."


And the other side argue...


"From ages past music in some form has been used to Praise the One. In Qur'an we find "Allah is beautiful and loves beauty." Allah (swt) did not give birds their song to suppress nor did He create the winds that blow through rocks or trees to create beautiful sounds to be ignored or not copied. To make music is "Sunnat Allah" since Allah (swt) has created the first sounds and orchestrated the songs of nature. We should speak to a people in a language they can understand. In the West music is a language in itself. The media are quick to promote negative music & rap quicker than positive music that will elevate minds. Our youths listen to music & rap like it is soul food so lets feed them what they need not what they want. Anything that will remind us of our Creator & that we are Divine beings & not just human doings then All Praises due...Peace!"


"Delivering the message of Islam via music is an age old formula. Islam was brought to the Sikhs of india via music and great numbers converted to Islam via this format. Even today The life of the Prophet Mohammed is expressed with such love in the forms of peotry, Nasheeds and Qawaali. If the message is one of love for the Prophet and the invitation to discover Islam then i agree, but if its a tool to express anger and incite malice then i disagree, this is not the message of Islam and would be counter productive."


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So you can see why i am confused! Personally i will only follow what god tells me not man/woman, so instead of endlessly searching net forums is there any verses that people could post here from the Quran, if they forbid music, then for me it's over. I'm almost scared to read what they will say, music has been played in my life everyday for the last twenty five years. I hope god will guide me through the silence without it. Plus i have a phobia of pidgeons and i play my headphones in town to block their Coo's So please as many verses from the Quran as any one knows that releate to music, could i possibly ask they stick them here?


Thank you!