Is music haram in islam?

Walekumussalam warahmatullahi wabaraktuh,

Regarding singing and music, the majority of Muslim scholars (the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi‘i, and Hanbali schools) hold the view that the use of musical instruments and singing accompanied by them is not permissible, while permissible poetry, nasheeds, or words of praise without musical instruments may be allowed under certain conditions.

1) The Qur'an

Allah, the Exalted, says:

«﴿وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَشْتَرِي لَهْوَ الْحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوًا ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ﴾»

(Surah Luqmān 31:6)

The Companion of the Prophet ﷺ, ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd (may Allah be pleased with him), said regarding this verse:

««وَاللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا إِلٰهَ غَيْرُهُ، إِنَّهُ الْغِنَاءُ.»»

“By Allah, besides Whom there is no deity, it refers to singing.”

(Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī; Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr, under Surah Luqmān: 6)

2) Sahih al-Bukhari

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

««لَيَكُونَنَّ مِنْ أُمَّتِي أَقْوَامٌ يَسْتَحِلُّونَ الْحِرَ وَالْحَرِيرَ وَالْخَمْرَ وَالْمَعَازِفَ.»»

“There will certainly be people from my Ummah who will regard as lawful unlawful sexual relations, silk, intoxicants, and musical instruments.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 5590)

3) Sunan Abi Dawud

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

««إِنَّ اللَّهَ حَرَّمَ الْخَمْرَ وَالْمَيْسِرَ وَالْكُوبَةَ، وَكُلَّ مُسْكِرٍ حَرَامٌ.»»

“Indeed, Allah has forbidden intoxicants, gambling, al-kūbah (a type of drum), and every intoxicating substance is forbidden.”

(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 3696. Imām al-Nawawī and other scholars explained that al-kūbah refers to a drum.)

The Exception of the Duff

It is narrated from ʿĀ’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):

««دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَعِنْدِي جَارِيَتَانِ تُغَنِّيَانِ بِغِنَاءِ بُعَاثٍ...»»

This hadith shows that on the day of Eid, two young girls were singing verses while playing the duff, and the Prophet ﷺ permitted this on that specific occasion.

(Sahih al-Bukhari: 952; Sahih Muslim: 892)