Permissibility Of Music In Islam: A Confused State Of Halal And Haram Among Pakistani Youth

Abstract

This study intends to analyze the religious perspective of Pakistani youth about music and its theoretical and practical implications in their lives. It is significant to study that Pakistan has a big music industry consisting of a large number of musicians and listeners with diversified and contradictory approaches about religious legitimacy of music and their practical approach towards it. The researcher intends to investigate the youth’s understanding of music’s existence in their religion (what is their knowledge about it?), their apprehension (what they interpret?) about it and the conclusive stance (what they practice?) they take upon it. The research conducted focus group discussions of undergraduate university students who were asked about their personal and social perception about music, knowledge about its Islamic perspective and their practical approach towards music. The study found substantial respondents acknowledging it forbidden in religion but doing it for fun and can leave music later for good. The result also highlights a segment of audience who prove it legal in religion with respective religious references but feel scared to openly express it. The   study concludes that the music industry is flourishing in Pakistan even though the musicians and public as listeners, hesitate to talk about its socio-cultural and religious permission and thus it remains a confused state of understanding among youth.