What is the ruling on one who permits music by saying, "If we were to bring a sound recorder and record the sounds of birds, then assemble them or not assemble them, but continued to listen to the sound of birds on the sound recorder?"

Evidence from the Qur'an, Sunnah, and scholarly consensus indicates the prohibition of listening to music. This refers to the sounds of musical instruments such as the lute, flute, and drum, with the exception of the duff (tambourine). There are explicit hadiths that prohibit musical instruments (ma'azif), flutes, and drums (kuba), including the hadith of Abu Malik Al-Ash'ari: "There will be people from my Ummah who will consider illegal sexual intercourse, silk, alcoholic drinks, and musical instruments as lawful." And the hadith of Anas ibn Malik: "Two voices are cursed in this world and the Hereafter: a flute at a time of joy, and wailing at a time of calamity." The Prophet (peace be upon him) also prohibited alcohol, gambling, and the kuba (drum). As for listening to the sound of birds, the gurgling of water, and the like, these are permissible and do not fall under the category of musical instruments. What Allah and His Messenger have made lawful is lawful, and what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful is unlawful. What the Shari'ah has remained silent about is permissible. It is incumbent upon a Muslim to accept the ruling of Allah and His Messenger, as stated in the Almighty's verse: "It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly strayed into clear error."