On Music, Cells, and Transmission of Faith

On Music, Cells, and Transmission of Faith

The prayer begins. You are standing in the prayer line, ready to follow the imam in the name of Allah the Compassionate and Merciful. You listen. But what do you hear, instead of the voice of prayer? You hear the Macarena! Or is the cell phone singing the Lambada in your brother’s pocket? Few days of collective prayer are without musical accompaniment from cell-phones. We are struggling against distraction and we are losing. We hope to clear the mind for worship but it is too full of noise.

However, I strongly disagree with those who seek to legislate against music in the name of faith. As a form of communication, music varies considerably. A tune can engage the mind and even inspire it towards deep reflection. Music can even heal, and the science and hope of healing by sound vibration was known among the Ottomans and other Islamic Empires.

At the same time there has been a variety of interpretations regarding Music. There is nothing in the Quran that is clearly against it, but it seems clear that anything (speech or music) that is idle or stirs up the passions to excess can be blameworthy. Yet the Prophet accepted the cultural practices of holiday time. Though later interpretations of tradition seek to distinguish between drum, string and wind instruments in performance, yet surely the most relevant issue is intention of the musician and of the listener.

Music cannot ever compete with recitation of the Qur’an, which non-Muslims perceive as music but we place in a special category. But as long as it does not distract, good music will not hurt a sincere and humble Muslim. Grooving to Steve Reich or good jazz should do no harm and more likely be beneficial. I must admit that I doubt the sanity of those who condemn all music equally. It is very hard for me to understand those Muslims who feel the need to close the halls to all music, as we seem to see in the Pakistan North West Territories. Yousuf Islam will have to go elsewhere I suppose! And the Qawwalis will all have to tour Europe– but happily an effective form of Dawah for many! Will these restrictions really purify the tribes of poisonous foreign influence or instead impoverish countless hearts and minds?

No, Bach and Bollywood tunes are not the same. And obviously, Brittney Spears is not Beethoven; the text and the musical structure are far apart. This is not a snob issue. It is not necessary to place classical traditional on a special pedestal; some popular and folk music is musically very intelligent. Moreover, classical and other deeply evolved musical traditions exist around the world. For example, experienced properly, court music and Sufi Music can be deeply inspiring to a Muslim. God willing, these inspiring melodies will live longer than the rants of the rappers. No offense to the rappers!

When I taught English in Istanbul several years ago, one of my students was in a heavy metal band. I recall my surprise when it turned out that he was a fan of classical Turkish musical forms. I learned that a real musician understands even heavy metal on a higher level, though I am personally still not able to understand its attraction. Still, I realize that it is so easy to condemn what we do not understand. Let us not rush to be negative.

Yet music sometimes takes on a strange and unhealthy life. Music becomes background noise, or soothing Muzak, and technology forces it on us all day long to serve the interests of one corporation or another. We cannot easily avoid ads on television, the ice cream trucks outside, the corrupt “Playola” system of radio play managed by Clear Channel monopoly and other stations plays only what the big guys want to profit from. And despite their beguiling jingles, cell phones further damage the brain (see the report by the New York City Council; moskowitz@council.nyc.ny.us)

Though fortunate in other ways, our youth are now born into this corrupt and noisy atmosphere around the globe. But rather than seeking to ban music, which is an absurdly oppressive notion, why not instead educate listeners to appreciate the intelligence or lack of intelligence in what they hear? It makes sense. But sadly, with budget cuts eliminating music classes, it becomes more profitable to fill ears with junk, in the same way that schools fill the mouth with Snapple and soda for that cheap high calorie sugar rush, and as army recruiters prowl the halls for what’s left of the body and soul after Education is done its work.

Like the army recruiters and corporations, extremist groups also see the youth market as very attractive. We note that the Ultra Zionist Rabbis, the Hamas thugs with black bags over their heads, the capos and the soldiers of Hizb and al Muhajiroun, and the many strange webspinners of the internet, all can be very savvy about manipulating and even brainwashing the relatively inexperienced and idealistic young who are tired of our mistakes and same old going through the motions. And the young do want to see a better world. Therefore, when men and women offer fast food faith and Snapple pop answers, brains are fattened on false promises, and precious hope is poisoned.

And yet; the deep questions do and may always need facing “in the now”. To start with one question; when we stand in the prayer line, where is the breath and how is it throughout the prayer? I listen with attention; what is present? Is it only my mind and feeling that participates? Do I fully and really mean my prayer? Am I ready to praise Him, to bow as His created being, and are we collectively really able to stand open to His Signs of Truth and His Messages of Beauty and Wisdom?