CAPE TOWN — In the modern digital marketplace, business owners navigating the intersection of faith and contemporary marketing face nuanced challenges. A prominent Islamic scholar has recently addressed a widespread dilemma concerning the use of background music in promotional videos on social media platforms like TikTok, offering clarity to entrepreneurs striving to balance commercial success with religious adherence.
The inquiry came from a vendor specializing in halal clothing who routinely advertises products on TikTok using clean background music. The business owner raised a series of pressing questions: whether the practice is permissible, if the commercial intent of selling rather than entertaining alters the ruling, whether scholars permitting such content can be followed, if purely vocal alternatives work effectively, and how to handle revenue already generated under these advertising methods.
Responding to the query, Shaykh Irshaad Sedick commended the vendor for pausing to seek guidance while sales were flourishing, noting that such an instinct serves a business longer than any individual advertisement.
According to the relied-upon position within the Shafi’i school of thought, stringed and wind instruments are deemed unlawful regardless of whether an individual plays them or chooses to listen to them. The scholar explained that clean lyrics and a commercial purpose do not alter this fundamental legal status, though the human voice on its own remains fully permissible. Regarding the financial returns accumulated thus far, the scholar assured the vendor that the earnings are lawful and entirely theirs.
The Ruling Follows the Instrument
Elaborating on the jurisprudential foundations, Shaykh Sedick cited classical texts, including Imam Nawawi’s Minhaj al-Talibin, to explain how legal rulings are determined by the specific nature of the instrument. Caravan chanting and listening to it are permitted, whereas singing without an instrument is generally viewed as disliked. Instruments historically associated with leisure and intoxication—such as the tanbur, lute, cymbal, or Iraqi flute—are explicitly categorized as unlawful.
Scholars such as Imam Ibn Hajar al-Haytami and Imam Ramli reasoned that the pleasure produced by these instruments invites moral corruption akin to wine and mimics the behavior of the dissolute, whom Muslims are instructed not to imitate.
While keeping lyrics clean prevents secondary ethical concerns, it does not remove the primary prohibition regarding instrumental sound. However, a crucial distinction exists regarding exposure: sound that merely reaches a person incidentally carries no sin, as outlined by Imam Ramli. A Muslim walking through a public shopping center bears no responsibility for ambient music playing over speakers. Conversely, a content creator actively selects a specific track, overlays it onto video footage, and broadcasts it to an audience, shifting the nature of the action.
Advertising Is Not One of the Exceptions
Addressing whether commercial trade qualifies as a legal necessity that might warrant an exception, the scholar clarified the boundaries established within Islamic jurisprudence. Traditional exceptions are narrowly defined, such as the hand drum permitted during weddings and circumcisions, or exceptional medical scenarios where trusted physicians testify that a patient requires instrumental sound to recover. Commercial reach and revenue, while beneficial, do not meet the strict threshold of necessity, and classical jurists carved out no special provisions for advertising.
Nevertheless, a helpful qualification exists regarding the separation of elements within a track. Drawing from the analysis of Imam Khatib Shirbini and Imam Zarkashi, when singing is combined with a forbidden instrument, the legal prohibition applies specifically to the instrument, while the vocal performance itself is merely considered disliked. Consequently, content creators must remove the instrumental track rather than necessarily discarding the accompanying vocals.
A Real Disagreement, With Conditions Attached
Acknowledging the broader landscape of Islamic jurisprudence, Shaykh Sedick noted that other scholarly traditions offer differing perspectives. Prominent contemporary jurist Imam Wahba al-Zuhayli documented that while the prohibition of rapture-inducing instruments represents the consensus position across the four major schools of thought, alternative views do exist.
Historically, Imam Malik, the Zahiris, and various Sufi groups permitted listening even to the lute and reed flute. In contemporary times, institutions such as Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyya permit music and singing under specific conditions regarding content.
When considering whether a business owner may adopt a more lenient legal position—a practice known as taqlid—Imam Ibn Hajar al-Haytami outlined strict criteria. An individual may adopt another school’s ruling if they genuinely believe it to be stronger or if a legitimate, pressing need arises. However, selecting a ruling purely to secure an easier outcome or chasing convenience is discouraged, as it reflects personal desires rather than principled adherence.
A Voice Will Carry the Advert
For entrepreneurs seeking viable alternatives, classical jurisprudence provides ample flexibility. Unaccompanied singing pursued for idleness remains disliked, but singing associated with productive work—such as laborers or caregivers—is permitted and even encouraged when it fosters positive outcomes.
Business owners are encouraged to explore alternatives such as voiceovers, unaccompanied nashids, ambient room audio, non-instrumental sound effects, or traditional hand drums. Many modern producers now offer vocal tracks specifically tailored for digital marketing, allowing brands to maintain high engagement without relying on instrumental beds.
Your Earnings Are Lawful
Addressing the status of previously earned revenue, the scholar offered reassurance. The financial transaction between the merchant and the consumer remains entirely valid. Customers sought a garment, paid the agreed price, and received the product. Any legal considerations regarding the promotional video exist outside the direct sales contract and do not invalidate the underlying price.
Drawing an analogy from classical discussions on trade, scholars note that selling grapes to someone who subsequently presses wine, or selling a weapon to someone who might misuse it, is viewed with strong disapproval, yet the underlying commercial sale remains legally valid. Because the transaction itself is sound and the merchant lacked prior intent to facilitate wrongdoing, the accumulated earnings remain lawful. Business owners are simply advised to seek general forgiveness for past oversights and adjust their advertising practices moving forward.