Listening to Iranian Anasheed

Question

Is it permissible to listen to all Iranian anasheed, such as those by Mohammad Asfahani? How can we differentiate between a song and a permissible anasheed?

Answer 1

Peace be upon you.

Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sistani (may Allah protect him):

Singing is the playful speech—whether poetry or prose—that is presented with the melodies commonly associated with entertainment and play. There is an issue regarding the components of echoing and prolonging it, and the criterion is the common understanding. It is not permissible to recite the Holy Quran, supplications, and remembrances with such melodies, and it is even more cautious to avoid reciting any non-playful speech in this manner.

However, an exception may be made for women's singing at weddings, provided it does not involve other prohibitions such as drumming, speaking falsehoods, men entering women's spaces, or listening to their voices in a way that incites desire. Yet, this exception is not without issues, and it is more cautious to refrain from such singing altogether.

As for the common form of chanting, it is not considered singing and is permissible, as is anything that is uncertain—due to a doubt in its classification—as being singing or akin to it.

Regarding music, that which is suitable for entertainment and play—such as music played with instruments like the lute, tambour, qanun, and guitar—is prohibited like singing. However, other forms, such as military and funeral music, are permissible, although it is still preferable to avoid them.

Thus, the guideline is clear, and it is the responsibility of the individual to determine based on it. Not everything shown on Iranian television or elsewhere is permissible. There is no distinction between anasheed and singing in terms of prohibition if the anasheed are presented in a playful and misleading manner. If that is the case, calling them anasheed is merely a leniency; otherwise, they are essentially songs. In cases where the anasheed are devoid of songs and playful characteristics, the distinction is clear, as singing is prohibited due to its playful nature, while the anasheed are permissible due to the absence of such characteristics.

Source: Minhaj al-Salihin, Part Two, Book of Trade, Introduction to Issue 20 + Official Website

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Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Khamenei (may Allah protect him):

The permissibility of listening to tapes is contingent upon the individual's own judgment. If one believes that they do not contain singing, nor misleading playful music that distracts from the path of Allah and is suitable for entertainment and revelry, nor false content, then there is no harm in listening to them. Merely having a license from the "Islamic Media Organization" or any other Islamic institution is not a legal proof of permissibility. It is not permissible to use musical instruments for playful music that misleads from the path of Allah and is suitable for entertainment and disobedience. However, using them for rational purposes is permissible. The determination of specifics is left to the individual's own discretion.

Here is a detailed explanation: Singing is the echoing of sound in a playful manner that misleads from the path of Allah.

Singing in this manner is absolutely prohibited, even in supplications, the Quran, the call to prayer, elegies, and others. It is forbidden whether one listens to it alone at home or in the presence of others, whether one is affected by it or not. It is forbidden whether it is by a man or a woman, even between spouses, in all these scenarios, regardless of whether it originates from Arab, Western, or other countries. It is prohibited whether it is direct or recorded, and whether accompanied by the use of entertainment instruments or not.

Yes, it is permissible to recite verses of the Holy Quran, supplications, and the call to prayer with a beautiful voice and melodies that suit the dignity of the Quran, as long as it does not reach the level of prohibited singing.

There is no distinction in prohibited singing and music at a women's wedding or any other gatherings; the singing of female singers is prohibited even at a bride's wedding.

What is commonly considered playful singing that misleads from the path of Allah is forbidden, regardless of whether it is traditional, folkloric, or otherwise.

If the words of the mawlid are set to the melodies of prohibited singing, then it is forbidden to recite or listen to them. If they are not set to the melodies of the immoral, then they are permissible.

Furthermore, the character of the singer, the words accompanied by melodies, the location, or other circumstances may influence whether the words fall under the category of playful singing that misleads from the path of Allah, which is prohibited, especially if these factors lead to corruption.

(1) Echoing: Repeating the voice in the throat and modulating it, lowering and raising it.

Source: Answers to Inquiries, Music and Singing, M 1129 + Fiqh al-Wali: On the Rulings of Singing.

May you be successful in all good.