What is the ruling on listening to music in Ramadan, and does it affect the validity of the fast?

Listening to music is forbidden (haram) in Ramadan and at other times, and it is even more forbidden and sinful in Ramadan, because the purpose of fasting is to achieve taqwa (God-consciousness) and to make the body parts fast from sins. Evidence from the Qur'an and Sunnah indicates the prohibition of music, such as the saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: "There will be among my Ummah (nation) people who will consider unlawful sexual intercourse, silk, alcohol, and musical instruments as lawful." Listening to music does not invalidate the fast, but it diminishes its reward and may entirely remove its reward, because sins decrease the reward of the fasting person.