CH-O-O-P-E!

By-fatemolla.
fatemolla@hotmail.com

(We Bangladeshis are a music-loving nation. Often we host/attend musical programs with a conflict, if not guilt feeling, in back of our minds about the verdict of Islam about music. Even some musical/dance programs start with the recital of the Koran. This article is a humble effort , and in no way complete, to find out what the truth is ).

Dha Dhin Dhin Dha --- Dha Dhin Dhin Dha--------- Na Tin Tin Ta--- Tete Dhin Dhin Dha

Can you remember those days of your life? No, you can not. Nobody can. You, a foot long, are playing in your small bed, throwing hands and legs in joy. Because you see your mother, bent on you, like the face of sky bent eternally on the face of the earth with love. With unbearable happiness, utter disbelief and curiosity, your mother's eyes are looking at you, at the mystery of creation. There comes up a mysterious satisfied smile on her lips. There one of her palms starts beating slowly on your chest. There starts a sweet melody in her voice to put you to sleep. You are only a foot long.

And then you grow up. Things start happening with different melodies. Starting from the sleep-tune of mother in infancy, "Pala Parbon Kobigaan" of the village, the unbearable happiness for the arrival of your Banolata Shen', "Amar Bhaer Rokte Rangano" of 21st February, Bhaowaia Bhatiali Gombhira, Lalon-Hason Raja-Atulproshad, Tagore-Nazrul, Baul, Murshdi, Modern, Fayaz Khan, Nazakat-Salamat, Darbari, Maalkosh, Bhoirobi, Kalingra, it is all melodies melodies and melodies around. And then in 1971, explodes "Deepak", the Raag of fire. Dha Dhin Dhin Dha

" Yai! Chope! Chope!!"

My god! I made a jump like a shrimp ( village-boys know how sharp a shrimp jumps), and saw our super-old Imam Chacha ( The Imam of the mosque, he was "Imam Chacha" of my father as well) standing behind. Every Friday-morning we boys used to learn "Ampara" or "Deeniyat" from him with melody in our voice and toopies on our heads. We used to enjoy ocean-deep love of his heart and furious scolding of his lips.

" Why Chope, Chacha?"

"You Beyadob'! You ask question on my face? Didn't I tell you, music is haram?"

I became stubborn and bent my neck like a disobedient horse. Music is heavenly, it can not be haram. Show me where it was written. Chacha became furious:-

"You little devil ! Your grandfather once burned my bones ( my grandfather was his student), your father once burned my bones ( my father was his student too), now you came to burn my bones again! Come, come with me, I will show you where it is written."

He took me straight to the mosque and opened the Koran. I sat down in waiting. Decades passed, he became "Allah Ka Peyara". We put his dead-body in the grave with heart breaking tears. He whispered in my ears before death, " There is nothing in the Koran about song and music. In Hadises there are in favor and against both. It is difficult to decide".

So music in my blood took the advantage of this benefit of doubt' and I continued carrying harmonium/tobla for singer-friends, and pulling the screens of the stage in dramas. But also in internet I asked about any Koranic law about music. Two kind Maolanas from England, and one from Edmonton replied with reference to Suras and Ayats 22:30, 31:6, 23:1,2 &3, 25:72 and 49:49. The first one is not relevant and the last one does not exist in the Koran, may be there were typing mistakes. In the rest, advice is given to refrain from vain, useless talks, etc. In the explanation of the Ayats, music was described as vain, useless. I got shocked. The sleep-melody of my mother is vain ? "Aamar Bhaer Rokte Rangano" is useless? Strange !

And then I saw the translation of Sura Bani Israeel-64 in Sahi-Bokhari translated in Bangla by Azizul Huq Shaheb. ( Volume 4 ). Allah is allowing Shaitan, " You continue your effort to distract mankind by your Chelabela', Loke Lashkar', and Raag-Raagini Gaan Bajna and Baddyo Bajna".

So, music is a tool of Shaitan. And I passed my whole life around it. I felt my body bloodless, stiff like a stone. I felt suffocated, felt helpless like an orphan. The only thing I could utter was "Rabbi Zidni Ilma".

Something happened in heavens. Something unseen made me open the Koran, the same Sura Bani Israeel- 64. Allah is allowing Shaitan to try to distract mankind with his different strengths including his voice'. In the Ayat the Arabic word used is Saot', which means sound. The Arabic of music is Musiki'. While "Saot" is the Arabic word for "Sound' and used in the Koran, and "Musiki" is the Arabic word for music and is not used in the Koran, why the words "Raag-Raagini Gaan-Bajna and Baddyo Bajna" are used in translation? I will ask the Maolana when next time I go home.

Now let us come to other references. 1. Rasuloolallah (SA) has prohibited hard-drinks, gambling and Dhole" or instruments like Sarinda". ( Abu Dawood). 2. Nabi (SA) said, " My Porwardigar' ordered me to uproot all kinds of musical instruments and flutes". ( Mashkat-318). 3. As signs and symptoms of Keyamat, female-singers and different types of musical instruments will be seen.

( Meshkat-470). These are negative to music and from the Bangla-Bokhari mentioned above. In many other books many Maolanas said the same ( see also page 783 of the Koran translated and edited by Maolana Muhiuddin Khan).

Now let us see the other side of the coin. Let us exclude the wild Dherhe Nrittya" accompanied by "Gonjika-Proshad" ( Gnaja) which takes place in the highcourt-Mazar. In the mazars of some world-famous Darbeshes such as Kahja Moeenuddin Chisty and Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia, a very common aspect is devotional songs with harmonium, tabla, pakhowaj, etc. Those are called "Sama'a", and the audience also takes part in Sama'a with deep devotion. In favor/opposition of Sama'a there are many Darbesh/'Oli's proving the matter debatable.

In Bengal the whole Muslim-community was enormously gifted with innumerable high-quality Hamds, Naats and other Islami songs by one single person. He is Kazi Nazrul Islam. Alone, but enough to flood a nation. Also there are Ustads Mia Tanshen, Amir Khasru, Alauddin Khan, Barhe Gulam Ali, Amjad Hussain Khan, Belayet Hussain Khan, Keramat Ali, Ali Akbar Khan, Nazakat-Salamat, Amanat Ali-Fate Ali, Zakir Hussain, and many many more. As of the present, I have seen one Bangladeshi Islami Organization observing our Victory Day ( 16th Decamber) with patriotic songs in chorus, but altogether without any instrument. Also I had to "eat Virmi " in one of the annual convention of a big North American Islami Organization, most probably I.C.N.A., if I am not wrong. In a stall a cassette was being played ( Adam's World series, Sound Vision Co.) with roof-cracking sound in Michael Jackson style " Dhum Dhum Dhum" with lots of western instruments. The singer was singing "Alla--hu Akbar". The next wordings were not understandable due too the ear-cracking huge music/bits of the instruments. Also we see " When the city of Basra was burned in fire, Hazrat Omer (RA) rebuilt it. The Arabic Grammar, Arooz (?), and the Shastro' of music is the gift of this city" in Ashara Mobashshara by Fazle Deobond Maolana Gharibullah Islamabadi.

And in another book, I remember, I saw that Hazrat Dawood (AS) was expert in music, I have to check. And again, Imam Gazzali was against declaring music haram. Also " Then Rasoolullah (SA) said:- Ayesha! Didn't you arrange for songs? These local Ansars like songs". ( in a marriage-ceremony - Mashkat Vol 6)

So it was beyond me to conclude. I gave up and went to my singer friend. A devoted performing muslim, performed Haj and Omrah both. An accredited and invited solo singer in many Shommelons' such as FOBANA, Bongo, Nazrul, ect. A musical talent with his cassette in the market. He said:-

"If the melody of instruments is haram then why the melody of the voice is not? Poor instruments has no ability of committing sin, rather the voice can tell lie".

"I agree. But songs, with the help of instruments, made an ugly summersault. Look at Asha Vo(n)shle's " I am here, now do whatever you want". ( Translation mine)

" This happened with all the branches of art. Why only music is the Nondo Ghosh? It was necessary to draw a line between decent and indecent. But to cure the headache, the Maolanas prescribed to cut the head off!"

"But hadis .Bokhari .'

"Of course I am talking of Sahi Bokhari. Go home and look at Hadis no. 70 of volume 2 and Hadis 155 of volume 4 translated by Md. Mohsin of Madina University. It was in the very house of Prophet's (SA) himself, girls were singing. When Hazrat Abubakar (RA) tried to stop them, the Prophet (SA) himself stopped Hazrat Abubakar (RA). And also see hadis 336 of volume 5, some girls were singing with a musical instrument Tambourine'. When in one line they sang : "There is a Prophet among us who knows what will happen tomorrow" then the Prophet (SA) asked them to continue singing without that line. "

"But so many Fatwas of so many Maolanas .."

" Fatwa? Didn't a great humanist like Nazrul get the Fatwa as Kafir? Was not a Drabesh like Boropeer Hazrat Abdul Kader Jilani called a Kafir according to the Fatwa of the famous Imam Ibne Hous? Go and read "Fathul Goyob", read "Fatwa-E-Bagdadi". Not one or two, but one thousand Maolanas signed that Fatwa".

What he said? Boropeer Shaheb and a Kafir?? My God, O my God! I was almost fainting. He went on:-

" If a religion denies the natural aspect of life, then it is something else in disguise of Islam. God has given you a load worth 4 killo, called your head. Don't carry it on your neck for nothing. Use it."

OK. I used my head. Crossing the darkness of ages, in the sky, the earth, the mountains, oceans, jungles and stars was echoing the grave, emotional, devotional and melodious voice of Imam Chacha in a beautiful tune , " Balagal Ola Be Kamalehi, Kashafaddoja Be Jamalehi. Hasnat Jami-u Khasalehi, Salle Alayhe Wa A'alehi". ( Shaikh Saadi?)

Oh! The melodious tune is Sa- Ma- Ma- Ga- Pa .nothing but the sweet/devotional Raag Kedara ! I got the answer. To the memory of my great teacher of Islam in childhood, I made a salute from a distance of half the globe and many years. A mysterious smile bloomed on my lips. And I whispered as his naughty student- " Chacha! It is time now. Now YOU C-H-O-O-P-E".

His so loving fingers once again started playing in my hairs on my head.