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Is listening to musical instruments that produce a sound similar to bells, such as a music box, considered forbidden?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

We have previously clarified the prohibition of musical instruments (ma'azif) except for what the Shari'ah has exempted, and that instruments that produce melodious, rhythmic sounds are among musical instruments, and their use is forbidden. If the sound of the instruments resembles the sound of a bell, then it is reported in Sahih Muslim on the authority of Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "The bell is the flutes of Satan." The Prophet (peace be upon him) attributed it to Satan because its sound distracts a person from dhikr (remembrance of Allah) and contemplation.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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