Music has become a spiritual and moral threat to our generation—one that is often underestimated. Today's non-adults don't have any slightest idea about the reality of this entire Music-industry. Unfortunately, those melodious sets of tunes are connected emotionally since our childhoods and still provide us a strong sense of nostalgia whenever we get a chance to listen to them.
You can determine that how barbarous, violent, and evil this music industry is wanting us to be after knowing the truth behind Music Videos (I would refer it as MV) and other forms of Musical contents.
I really don’t recommend you to directly watch those, since most of them are filled up with sexualities.
I’m being brutally honest in this regard. So, read my lines with a mindset of acceptance. Share some honest thoughts from your own after completely reading the paragraphs below.
Auditory Science behind Music
First of all, music is initially forbidden in Islam.
the brain can be highly sensitive to specific combinations of sound frequencies, audial waves and amplitudes. As a result, the resultant produced sound own a great potential to alter someone's mindset or to brainwash.
Even secular writers have noted the hypnotic effects of repetitive music. Chris Otchy, in his article The Hypnotic Power of Repetition in Music, highlights how looping rhythms and constant lyrical repetition can lull listeners into a trance-like state, subtly bypassing rational thought.
While this doesn't amount to literal mind control, it suggests a psychological vulnerability that commercial music often exploits. Meanwhile, the music listener loses the ability of critical thinking & the capability of problem solving.
Inside the perspective of that person, after listening the music once, s/he ultimately becomes addicted and subconsciously increases the demand of listening to the same music over and over again due to suffering from auditory hallucination.
In fact, most of his/her daily behaviors will somewhat be affected by the rhythms from that particular music. For example, when a person .
Studies show music can trigger strong dopamine releases, much like addictive substances — especially when paired with emotionally charged visuals or lyrics. It is the such an addictive content which produces equal amount of dopamine (instant gratification) even after listening to the same one even after a thousand listens.
Modern neuroscience confirms what Islam warned us about centuries ago: music is not neutral. It rewires your brain. It alters your reward system. It creates artificial highs that leave you emotionally hollow once the song ends.
Regular exposure to music, especially in youth, changes the way you handle sadness, joy, and boredom. You no longer know how to sit with your pain or think deeply — because the next track will drown it out. Studies show links between heavy music consumption and anxiety, attention disorders, and poor emotional regulation. Why? Because the soul is being given sugar when it needs sustenance. Music isn’t curing your wounds — it’s making you numb. The power of that numbness? That’s your soul crying with helpless desperation while your headphones are blazing with stimulating sounds.
MV: Visual Zina Disguised as Art
Let’s come to the second point.
Who didn’t watch the MV of Gangnam Style yet? I don’t personally think that some people are unknown to or did not watch this music video.
Do you remember some (sexually objectified) Korean vibrant young women who were appeared to be wearing white dresses (partially covered their body) were also seen dancing, oftentimes in a tempting way, behind PSY?
In fact, most of the MVs nowadays are combined with some sort of sexual irritants. To be exact, dressed too tight or too thin to show-off the body. In other words, half naked young women are used to enhance the taste to the MVs. The viewers literally play the role of victims to such appearances of women shown there.
Take, for example, A.P.T. by ROSIE & Bruno Mars — a track that’s deceptively mellow in melody but deadly in its message. It paints a picture of a woman who remains emotionally and physically attached to her ex, still inviting him to her apartment despite the toxic nature of their relationship. The music video is full of romanticized imagery: dim lighting, soft intimacy, and sensual loneliness — all designed to stir your emotions. But at its core, it normalizes Zina (fornication), emotional dependency, and moral confusion, wrapped in soft piano keys and vocal harmonies. It’s the kind of video where you feel empathy for the characters while unconsciously absorbing a dangerous idea: that longing for haram love is romantic, even noble. This is how falsehood is sold — with aesthetic polish and emotional bait.
Another striking example is Despacito by Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee, arguably one of the most globally viral songs of all time. The melody is catchy, the rhythm infectious, but the lyrics — when translated — are unapologetically sensual, almost predatory. It speaks explicitly about seducing a woman slowly, physically, and sexually, using poetic metaphors to glamorize Zina in every verse. The music video intensifies this with scantily-clad dancing, flirtatious body language, and hypersexual visual cues — all set in a sunny, beach-like paradise that visually imitates Jannah while promoting the exact opposite of what Islam teaches. The danger is not just in the lyrics or visuals, but in the emotional manipulation — people sing along joyfully, unaware they are normalizing haram desire in both their minds and their tongues. It’s proof that when sin is wrapped in beauty, even poison can taste sweet.
In case of males, they become so much sexually driven that most of them end up in browsing porn. Many young women, influenced by these MVs, feel pressure to present themselves in increasingly provocative ways across social media.
Recently, some Satanist activities are being glorified in new MVs. They always tried to move its consumers away from worshipping Allah as much as possible. But nowadays, they even began to attract those consumers to worship Satan.
Moral Corruption via Lyrics
By singing some poetic lines in tune with the music, they are glorifying almost every forbidden acts like; sexual acts, drinking alcohol, taking drugs, using swear and slang words, objectifying women, asserting LGBTQ as a human right, etc.
In order to set one of their subliminal messages into the minds of innocent consumers, they usually repeat the same pattern of selected phrases & sentences. You might had noticed it already, but still are not concerned yet.
Additionally, people themselves tend to listen to those same lyrics over and over, thus gets their minds totally brainwashed by the subliminal words preached through musical singings.
Allah pointed this out in the Quran
But there are some who employ theatrics (Some pagan Arabs used to utilize singing, dancing, chanting, etc. to distract people’s attention from listening to the recitation of the Quran), only to lead others away from Allah’s Way; without any knowledge, and to make a mockery of it. They will suffer a humiliating punishment.[Surah Luqman, 33:6]
Ideologies — whether liberal, communist, secular, or even hyper-nationalist — have all harnessed melody to seduce the youth into their agendas. What politicians can’t say in speeches, musicians sing in lyrics: normalize rebellion, ridicule the sacred, glorify the self. In this war, sound becomes a tool of psychological warfare, quietly reshaping values.
It is no coincidence that traditional Muslim societies began to erode not just through weapons, but through rhythms. Colonialists didn’t just bring guns — they brought records. And they played them loud to our susceptible ears.
Current Genres of Music
Coming to the point, there are some main genres of musics and songs in the American industry. They are called Pop, Rap, Rock n'Roll.
Pop – From Harmless to Hollow
The word Pop comes from Popular. Initially, pop music was designed for mass entertainment — often dealing with simple emotions like love, heartbreak, or joy. Over time, however, it began promoting obsessive romanticism, self-indulgence, and unrealistic relationship ideals.
Nowadays, many pop songs glorify lust, physical attraction, and emotional dependency. Repetitive lyrics and catchy beats make these messages easy to internalize, often shaping how youth view love — not as a sacred bond, but as a fleeting thrill.
Hip-Hop – From Identity to Ego
Hip-hop began as a voice for the voiceless — a cultural movement to express struggle, pride, and social commentary. It had potential to empower communities, expose injustice, and unite people through rhythm and rhyme.
But over time, mainstream hip-hop got hijacked by materialism and egoism. Today’s popular hip-hop often promotes:
- Hypersexuality
- Drugs and alcohol abuse
- Obsession with fame, luxury, and dominance
- Aggression and gang glorification
The artist’s worth is often measured by how many women he’s slept with, how much money he flexes, or how alpha he appears. The listener, especially a young male, subconsciously begins to imitate that bravado — seeking validation through status, looks, and sin; instead of character and deen.
Instrumental BGM – The Deceptively 'Harmless' Soundwave
One common excuse sounds like this: “It’s just background music, no lyrics!” This is where NCS (NoCopyrightSounds), FatRat, Lo-Fi and similar electronic beat producers come in; who are, nowadays, popular for producing instrumental or electronic music. These tracks are often used in livestreams, gameplay, motivational reels, YouTube vlogs, or while doing homework.
Many assume these tracks are "halal" or harmless due to their instrumental nature, but spiritually, they condition the soul to heavily rely on musical highs. While these tracks may lack explicit lyrics or sexual visuals, they still exploit the same dopamine-stimulating formula — repetitive beats, euphoric build-ups, and addictive sound patterns. In fact, the real threat lies in emotional conditioning
NCS-style music hooks you with tempo loops and tension-releasing drops. FatRat compositions, for example, mimic epic, fantasy-like moods — making you feel like something meaningful is happening, when in reality, it’s just artificial hype. This genre becomes an addictive rhythm drug, tricking you into needing a beat for focus, excitement, or even identity.
Even worse, it conditions your heart to avoid silence. Their widespread use in background content normalizes music consumption at a passive level — quietly replacing moments of silence or reflection with constant sensory input. No dhikr. No pause. No Qur’an. Just audio sugar, endlessly looped.
Rap – From Resistance to Rebellion
Rap originated as a form of protest — a voice for marginalized communities to speak out against injustice. But the industry gradually turned it into a weapon for glorifying gang life, substance abuse, vulgarity, and crime.
Many mainstream rap songs today praise immoral lifestyles: excessive wealth, womanizing, violence, and drug use. These messages condition listeners to normalize sin and even see it as aspirational.
Rock – From Passion to Pain
Rock music started as an expression of raw human emotion, especially among youth grappling with rebellion, depression, or societal pressure. However, it often evolved into a genre that glorifies chaos, despair, and spiritual emptiness.
The screaming vocals, aggressive drums, and dark lyrics frequently mirror the internal torment of the artist — sometimes even expressing hatred toward particular religion or traditional morality. The environment of many rock concerts is emotionally unstable and spiritually damaging.
Satanic Music – The Final Stage
In some music circles, especially underground or extreme forms of metal and rock, Satanic symbolism and worship are no longer hidden. Album covers feature demonic images. Lyrics explicitly promote hatred of religion, straightforward disobedience to God, and even rituals of Satanic devotion.
This is no longer about artistic freedom. It’s a clear spiritual attack — trying to draw people into darkness, far away from the remembrance of Allah, and into a culture of self-destructive rebellion.
The Passive Listener: Why Background Music Still Destroys the Soul?
One of the greatest tricks Shaytan plays today is this: “You’re not really listening — it’s just background.” But passive exposure doesn’t mean passive effect. Even when music plays in shops, taxis, or at the gym, it’s still filtering into your ears and settling into your heart, even without your conscious attention.
In fact, it’s more dangerous that way — because you stop noticing how it’s slowly desensitizing your soul, note by note. The rhythm lingers, the emotions are stirred, the desires are awakened — and you didn’t even mean to. That’s the nature of poison in disguise.
The Sahabah avoided musical instruments completely, not because they were overreacting, but because they understood what we’ve forgotten: Even casual listening chips away at your fitrah (nature), until silence itself becomes uncomfortable, and dhikr feels like a burden. Here is the proof for it:
Abdullah Ibn Masud (RadiAllahu 'Anhu) said,
Songs and music cultivate and help to grow the provocative sexual thoughts in such a way that those are being grown up just like how the water helps in growing the plants.
Rasul (SallaAllahu3alaihiWaSallam) said,
Songs and music grow the provocative sexual thoughts just like how the rain helps in growing grass.
While it began as a seemingly harmless form of entertainment, its evolution over the past century reveals a concerning moral decline—both in the content of the music and in the way it influences society, especially from an Islamic perspective.
Let us explore this transformation in Four significant stages after the Industrial Revolution:
Normal Consumption (1920-1950): Entertainment as Emotional Relief
In the early 20th century, music in the West was primarily consumed as a tool of entertainment and temporary relief.
After a long, exhausting day—whether from labor or domestic responsibilities—people would turn to music to ease their mental fatigue. Melodies helped soothe momentary sadness or distraction, allowing the listener to return to work or sleep.
It was a tool for psychological relaxation, used within boundaries.
Yet even at this stage, there was a subtle detachment from deeper spiritual reflection. Music, although gentle, became a habitual response to hardship instead of turning to sincere dhikr (remembrance of Allah) or patience through prayer. This marked the beginning of spiritual vulnerability masked as emotional/mental healing.
Capitalistic Usage (1950-1985): The Music Industry as a Tool for Consumerism
By the mid-20th century, capitalists and marketers began weaponizing music for economic gain. Singers and bands were no longer just artists—they became walking billboards.
A popular musician drinking Pepsi or wearing a certain brand would result in millions mimicking them. Fans began idolizing not just the voice, but the entire lifestyle.
With the rise of television and commercial culture, music was used to promote fashion, drinks, cars, and even ideologies. Youths started imitating their favorite stars, not just in voice but in clothing and behavior.
The music industry capitalized on this obsession, pushing specific models and celebrities as icons, while making Billions in revenue. Music, in essence, became a business of desires.
This shift created a dangerous illusion: that happiness and identity could be bought and performed. The Prophet ﷺ warned us about this worldly attachment, and here it was, thriving through rhythms and fame.
Mega-level of Influence (1985-2000): The Rise of Sensual and Emotional Manipulation
From 1985 onward, music’s influence reached new heights. “Pop Music” emerged as the dominant genre—designed not just for melody but for emotional manipulation. Most of these songs centered around romantic longing, heartbreak, sensuality, and fantasy. Lyrics like “To be in love,” “Guy missing a girl,” or “Pain is real but no one knows,” became the emotional fuel for an entire generation.
Pop songs were now meticulously crafted to target young hearts, especially teenagers and college students. With themes of love, loneliness, and rebellion; music began planting seeds of dissatisfaction. When youth faced emotional challenges, they turned to these songs instead of finding peace from Allah. Relationships became overly dramatized, while music gave them a soundtrack for pain, attachment, and confusion.
Over time, these songs normalized emotional dependence, romantic obsession, and even mental instability. Many youths began to believe that love was the highest form of fulfillment—even if it meant disobedience to Allah’s laws.
Lust-Driven Pop Culture (2000–Present): From Romance to Raw Desire
In recent decades, music has transformed from symbolic romance to outright lust. The so-called art of love now openly promotes shamelessness. MVs often include partially nude models dancing provocatively to lyrics laced with sexual undertones or outright vulgarity. What started as entertainment has now become a medium of spiritual corruption.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ warned of the heart’s desensitization to Zina through subtle means. Today’s music acts as that very poison: stimulating desires, degrading modesty, and igniting the fire of lust in both men and women. Youth find themselves unable to control their urges after repeated exposure—leading to haram relationships, pornography, and even sexual addiction.
From schools to social media, music is everywhere—feeding the ego and starving the soul. Satan uses music as a tool to distance hearts from Allah, replacing the calm of dhikr with the noise of desire. Indeed, as narrated in authentic hadiths, music is a fitnah (trial) that brings the imagination closer to sin just as rain awakens the dead soil.
Music has became so saturated across the netizen society that even if anyone isn't interested in listening to it, s/he cannot but has to listen to them mindlessly from other people around him/her watching the relevant reels using such music. Some people search for the main Music Video due to listening it involuntarily, and end up consuming the original content.
From being a simple form of stress relief to becoming a Global-tool of lust & consumerism, the history of music reveals a moral collapse. It is no longer neutral.
Music today is one of the most powerful mediums shaping emotions, behavior, and even faith. As Muslims, we must view this evolution through the lens of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Allah has gifted us with silence, with reflection, with Qur’an, and with the rhythm of sincere prayer. Let us not trade the purity of our hearts for the fleeting beats of a corrupted culture. As the Prophet ﷺ said,
There will be among my Ummah people who will consider as permissible: fornication, silk [for men], intoxicants, and musical instruments(Sahih al-Bukhari, 5590).
This is not just a critique. It is a call to reclaim our hearts before music does.
The Tragedy Behind the Spotlight:
How Musicians End Their Lives?
In the glittering world of music, few care to look behind the curtain. What we call fame is often a cloak over an exhausted soul. What we call freedom is often a prison of addiction, depression, and disorientation.
Have you ever truly noticed how many singers, rappers, and producers — no matter how rich, popular, or worshipped by fans — end up in one of three tragic outcomes? Overdose, Suicide, or a slow & silent collapse into spiritual and psychological decay.
Amy Winehouse, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Avicii, Chester Bennington, Mac Miller, Juice WRLD — the list is endless. The patterns are nearly identical. A life that begins with innocent passion for music gets absorbed by an industry that feeds on dopamine, lust, and self-display.
Drugs become escape routes. Parties replace prayer. Depression replaces purpose.
And the inner void — which could have been filled by faith, sincerity, and grounding — is instead covered by concerts, alcohol, and applause.
What does it say about the industry when the people at the very top of it end up so broken? Their lifestyles are glorified across MVs — fast cars, fake love, intoxicants, and immoral dressing — and yet no one pauses to ask and reflect: Is this what success really looks like?
They sing about freedom while being slaves to contracts. They dance on stage while drowning in sorrow. And the youth follow them like shepherd-less sheep, unaware that their idols are dying on the inside.
False Spirituality: When Shivers Are Mistaken for Sakina
Many will argue, “But music makes me feel alive... sometimes I cry listening to it.” And they’re right — emotions are stirred. But don’t confuse emotional stimulation with spiritual elevation. Feeling moved by a song is not the same as feeling close to Allah. Shivers down your spine and tears from your eyes can be triggered by a sad movie too — does that make it divine? No. These are chemicals, not closeness.
Real Sakina, the tranquility from Allah, comes through Qur’an, prayer, reflection, and sincere submission. The calmness that follows music is temporary and hollow — the calmness that follows dhikr is lasting and luminous. So beware of false spirituality. Satan would love nothing more than for you to chase goosebumps from a musical tune instead of longing for serenity from a sajdah.
The Myth of Halal Music: No Instruments, No Exceptions
Today, many Muslims excuse like this: “It’s okay, I only listen to instrumentals,” or “This is just a Nasheed with a drum/violin/piano.” But when we go back to the texts — not opinions, not trending YouTube videos — the matter becomes crystal clear.
The Prophet ﷺ warned of a time when people will make halal the use of musical instruments, even though they are forbidden (Sahih Bukhari, mentioned already). Classical scholars — from all 4 madhhabs — had agreed on this.
The daff (a type of drum) was allowed for limited occasions — Eid, weddings, and only for women in gatherings. That’s not Spotify. That’s not lo-fi beats during homework. That’s not violin under a motivational Nasheed. Islam doesn’t compromise its truth for aesthetic pleasure that comes from those passive tunes.
When Music Replaces the Qur’an: A Tragedy in Our Pockets
Look at the way people live today: headphones on the bus, music in the shower, playlists during workouts, songs before bed. Now ask — how much Qur’an fits into that same routine? We say we have “no time,” yet we’ve handed our private moments to melodies instead of the Message.
The Qur’an was meant to shape your mood, move your heart, and guide your thoughts. But now, those roles have been outsourced to artists who don’t even believe in your Lord.
Every moment filled with a song is a moment stolen from the Word of Allah.
Every lyric memorized is a verse neglected. This is not just neglect — it’s replacement. The tragedy is not just in what music is — it’s in what it pushes out from our lives: the only divine Rope to our Salvation.
Destroying the Addiction: Reclaiming our divine Book
Last words; this article may feel heavy — maybe even painful — because music is addictive. It’s stitched into your habits, your memories, your identity. But healing begins with honesty. If you want to quit, you don’t need perfection — you need intention.
Start by replacing music with Qur’an recitation. You’ll be shocked at how powerful it is when you actually give it a chance. Listen to recitations of various Qarii, emotional Tafsir, Islamic podcasts, or silent Reflection. Fill your heart with the words of Allah — not the lyrics of Dunya. Your soul was not created for chorus lines. It was created for conversation with your Lord.
And yes, there will be withdrawal. But after the silence comes serenity. After the struggle comes Sakina. And the day will come when you hear the Qur’an and weep — not out of sadness, but because you’ve come home.
In the grand scale of existence, music often appears as a shallow echo of what the soul truly craves: Divine resonance. It reduces the Qur'anic promise of layered, eternal melodies to fleeting sensory addiction. Why settle for these synthetic vibrations, when the Qur'an offers a glimpse of Jannatic sounds; infinitely more beautiful, pure, and spiritually nourishing?
In the world of sounds, you can only choose any one of the two options — either Love for the Quran, or Obsession of Music. You can never import both of them inside your heart. Now, think whether you should further listen to the music more or kick this culprit totally out from the rest of your life.
Choose it Wisely.
Comments
Post a Comment