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Islamic Ruling on Jobs

Back to Islamic Ruling on Jobs
 
Fatwa By : Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
Language English
Reference By Islam Q&A
Addition Date 30/08/2013
 
He Refuses to Teach Music to the Students, And He Is Asking About His Salary
I do not know how I got a Batchelor’s degree in music education! Because I do not know anything about music, but based on my certificate I was appointed as a music teacher in a government school. After I found out about the ruling on music, I praise Allah a great deal that I do not know how to teach it to the students. So I do not teach them anything else, but when they are in my class I make them do their homework or study anything else, or I answer their questions about religion, or I make some of them read Quran and I encourage them by offering prizes to anyone who memorizes a few verses. Sometimes (very rarely) I leave them doing nothing.
I have another colleague who also, by Allah’s grace, does not teach music to the students, and he does the same things with them as I do. We have tried with our superiors to change our job titles to some other permissible teaching specialty, or to an administrative title, but they refused. Are we sinning if we continue as we are? What is the ruling on our salary?.


Praise be to Allah.

It should be noted that music is haram and it is haram to work in this field, be paid for it or teach it.

It was narrated from Abu Malik al-Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “At the end of time there will be people among my ummah who regard adultery, silk, alcohol and musical instruments as permissible.” Narrated by al-Bukhari.

This hadith clearly indicates that adultery, silk, alcohol and musical instruments are haram, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “They will regard as permissible” and regarding as permissible can only come after something has been forbidden.

The fuqaha’ have stated in their chapters on buying and selling that it is haram to sell musical instruments.

Music is haram, and so is working in this field, learning it and teaching it. The money that is earned from that is haram. May Allah reward you for refusing to teach this haram subject to the students and teaching them something that will benefit them, and leaving them to do things that will benefit them. Keep on trying to get your bosses to move you to an administrative post or to teaching something permissible. Do not give up, keep trying time after time, and ask Allah to help you. Pray qiyam and offer dua’ to Allah, and ask Him to open the hearts of the bosses so that they will respond to your request.

With regard to the salary that you have earned:

The basic principle is that it is haram because it is in return for haram work, which is teaching music.

But seeing as you are not doing this haram work, and you are trying to benefit the students, which is good for you and for them, we hope that there is no sin in your taking this salary, in sha Allah. You can form a good intention if you stay in this place, because your being there is more beneficial for the students tham your not being there, because they may bring in teachers who do not fear Allah and who would teach them music.

May Allah help you to do that which He loves and which pleases Him.

And Allah knows best.


Islam Q&A