Referring to the Quran as a Form of “Music” or Describing it as “Musical”

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

From the unique writings of the late scholar, Shaykh Bakr Aboo Zayd (may Allaah have Mercy on him), is a beneficial 700-page dictionary of “bad language” called “Mu’jam al-Manaahee al-Lafthiyyah” in which he identified and refuted incorrect, inappropriate, and/or impermissible words and phrases that some people use.

In this book (p.117), he included how some people refer to the Quran as “music” or “musical”, or having musical tones or rhythms, and commented:

These are unacceptable descriptions because of three issues:

[1] This is claiming a likeness between Quranic Verses and impermissible musical instruments.

[2] Music is an art form that draws people into disobedience and wickedness, so how could it resemble the Magnificent Quran, the Speech of the Lord of all the worlds, that which guides to eemaan (statements, actions, and beliefs of faith) and the Straight Path?!

[3] Allaah the Exalted has refuted the idea of the Quran being poetry and exonerated it above that (claim), so how could it (the Quran) then resemble the voices and instruments of musicians?! (something far worse)

As the Arabs who have picked up these kinds of repugnant phrases from books that the scholars have been warning against (like Sayyid Qutb’s “Thilaal” for example), it is also hoped that Continue reading