Trying not to listen to music is considered in extreme. Music is considered one of the sweet pleasures of life. Trying not to listen to it, usually has people thinking “oh isn’t that taking islam a bit too far” and then you are bombarded with all sorts of explanations and excuses that deem it ‘okay’ to listen to music. But tell me , then why is it that when im told that a young muslim boy of 17 or 18 years, when he was dying , kept on being prompted by the emergency team member to read the shahadah – to remember Allah…he kept singing some song he had heard – and died singing that song. Why is it that when I hear such incidents that I pray that Allah forgives the boy and makes all muslims die reading the shahadah.A man selling pens all his life said “one for five – one for five’ when he was on his death bed that is all that he could say instead of reading or calling onto Allah.We listen to songs and we think that its okay and its not such a big sin. But sometimes really, when we listen to a song we like isn’t it always at the back of our head. Sometimes intruding in on our thoughts our prayers. Its there. You know it and I know it. Shouldn’t we try and replace these songs by remembering Allah?– making dua and prasising Allah and asking for our forgiveness?. Certainly our time is short on this earth. Don’t you want to die rememebering Allah and asking for forgiveness instead of singing someones song who can’t be bothered in what state you die?
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said: “Shall I not inform you of the best of your actions, the most pure in the sight of Your Master, the one which raises your ranks highest, that which is better for you than giving gold and silver (in charity), and better for you than your meeting your enemies, so that you strike their necks, and they strike yours?" The companions urged, "Of course, O Messenger of Allah! (Inform us!)" He replied, "It is the Remembrance of Allah." (Reported by Abu Dawud
“Behold, in the remembrance of Allah do the hearts find rest” (Ar- Ra`d: 28), it means in salah and in du`aa’ in obedience to Allah. It also means in the tasbeeh (saying subhan Allah, Glory be to Allah), in saying al-hamdu lillah (praise be to Allah), in the takbir (saying Allahu Akbar, Allah is Greatest), in saying La ilaha illa Allah (there is no god but Allah). It also means reading the Qur’an and understanding its meaning and message. It means living according to the rules of Allah, giving the message of Allah to others, and establishing truth, justice, and peace in the world. All of these are dhikr, and in every kind of dhikr there is comfort, peace, harmony, and tranquility for the hearts and souls of the believers.
May Allah guide us all and make us strong in our faith so we hold onto it tightly and not let go. May Allah forgive our sins and protect us from the torture of the grave. Ameen