Q:I want to know if it is permissible for a Muslim child to learn to play a musical instrument such as the organ (electric piano) through classes at home or at a special centre. There is much talk of how music stimulates creativity brain growth and so on…with this in mind would it be haram to permit him to learn? We don’t generally listen to music as a family but sometimes we watch (clean) movies or cartoons that have music in them. Sometimes our son comes home from school and requests a certain song that he heard on the bus or his classmates singing to be played and we oblige by playing the song a few times on the computer. Is this permissible? Also what about allowing small children to listen to nursery rhymes and Islamic songs which have clean lyrics but also music in them – can they do this?

A:

• The foundation of wrong (music, piano, etc) with the intent of creating an enhancement to your child’s ‘creativity’ would not be permissible. Find other ways to stimulate your child’s brain, growth, etc.
• Your child must be taught good religious and good cultural values. Just because he makes a request to hear a particular song does not mean that you should allow him to listen to it. Present better alternatives. Nasheeds, beautiful Quran recitation, etc. would be better alternatives.
• Nursery rhymes appear to be very innocent. They are known to function in socializing children to a given culture and it’s given set of ideals. As Muslims, we are obligated to listen to that which develops us into better people.
• We should be cautious. Some things appear very innocent, the outcome if not well monitored can be devastating.

Allah Certainly Knows Best.

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