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Is it permissible to seek assistance from something forbidden to do something permissible, such as playing music to earn money for a permissible project? Is it permissible to listen to songs while studying? What is the ruling on earning money from an educational video that contains musical instruments? And what is the extent of the authenticity and explanation of the hadith "Every people has a feast," in which the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, did not disapprove of Abu Bakr's description of musical instruments as "the flute of Satan"?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

It is not permissible to listen to forbidden songs to motivate studying, or to play musical instruments to earn money, for "the end does not justify the means." Allah has forbidden musical instruments, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "There will be among my Ummah people who will consider unlawful sexual intercourse, silk, wine, and musical instruments as lawful."

As for benefiting from an educational video that contains musical sound, there is no harm in it, because the payment is for the education, and the musical sound is not intended, even though this does not absolve the one who placed the music of sin.

And the narration of the two young girls who were singing in the house of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and the inference drawn from it by the majority of scholars regarding the permissibility of songs free from prohibitions and forbidden accompaniments, does not mean the permissibility of wind instruments.

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

Read the full answer on Ftawy