Is money earned from selling poems that are then set to music to become hymns, with or without rhythm, unlawful or lawful?
Poetry is like speech: its good is good, and its bad is bad. If it is free from শরী'আ-prohibited elements, then it is permissible to compose it. As for anashid (religious hymns), if their rhythms are natural, unprocessed sounds, then there is no harm in them. However, if they are processed to resemble the sounds of musical instruments, then their ruling is the same as that of prohibited musical instruments. It is permissible to listen to anashid that are free from music and prohibited rhythms. It is permissible to accept compensation for poems free from reprehensible elements if they will be recited without prohibited rhythms. However, selling them to someone who is known to recite them with prohibited rhythms is not permissible, due to its being an assistance in sin, and the money received in that case is forbidden.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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